Thanks for the review, Savage Kill! This update comes to you from 3.50am Aussie time. ha ha oh I'm going to feel it later! :D
The sun was now high in the sky as they stood at the edge of Fangorn forest, the trees looming dark before them. Legolas was more than eager to walk beneath these trees, already he could smell and sense that this was no young forest.
As he walked, with Aerlaer by his side, it felt as if the trees closed in behind them. They were as if brooding, distrustful, wild, nothing like the trees of his homeland. These trees surely had not felt the presence of Elves in centuries.
"I do not like this at all." Gimli muttered warily as he peered into the forests darkness from Legolas's other side.
"We will search a while until the light grows too dim, and then we will sleep on the edge of Fangorn overnight and search again tomorrow." Aragorn murmured.
"I think we will be safe, no enemy would dare enter this forest." Aerlaer spoke reverently as she ran her fingers over gnarled bark. Did he imagine it or did the tree move at her gentle touch?
" I agree, this forest is old, very old. Full of memory… and anger." He mused, gazing up into the green fused light of the heavy canopy.
"I think they are older than us. I feel more like an Elfling." The elleth gave him a nudge which instantly brought his head from the leaves above. He glanced at her, wondering just what kind of Elfling she had been.
"This forest is certainly older than the trees of the Greenwood." He ran his own hand over dark, course bark and felt tingling life. A baritone-like sound resonated about them and Legolas smiled, catching Aerlaer's eye. She too smiled, tracing her fingers over a smooth barked, younger tree.
"What's going on! who is that?" Gimli cried out in alarm, raising his axe in defence before him.
"The trees are speaking to each other." Aerlaer explained softly but the Dwarf spun as another baritone sound came from his left.
"Gimli!" Aragorn hissed as Legolas felt mild hostility in the next tree he touched.
"Huh?" The Dwarf cried out warily.
"Lower your axe." The Ranger advised saving Legolas from telling the Dwarf himself. Gimli did as he was bid, hurriedly lowering his weapon.
"They have feelings, my friend." Legolas chuckled, noting how the trees now calmed. "The Elves began it, waking up the trees, teaching them to speak." Aragorn, who they followed as he tracked, turned back and flashed him a smile. Legolas never thought he'd have such a conversation with a Dwarf!
"Talking trees." Gimli scoffed. "What do trees have to talk about, hmm? Except the consistency of squirrel droppings." Legolas shook his head at his short friend and Aragorn chuckled but his mirth was cut short, catching Legolas's attention.
"These are strange tracks." The Ranger muttered and he, Aerlaer and Gimli moved to peer down at where Aragorn now knelt. The tracks he had found appeared to be great, flat prints of a rough oval shape. There were five more of these strange imprints and then nothing. Aragorn let out a frustrated sigh.
"Maybe we should ask the trees." Aerlaer suggested.
"Yes, I should have thought of that sooner. Do so, Aerlaer, if they are inclined to talk back." Legolas watched as the elleth walked a few paces away to stand before younger tree, but still old, nonetheless.
"What's the lass doing?" Gimli asked curiously.
"Many Elves can communicate to the trees, much like how we awoke them. See how she places her hands upon its bark. She is forming a connection to the tree's being." He watched as the elleth's eyes closed, a look of concentration upon her fair face.
"She speaks now through her thoughts. Trees cannot see or hear but they can still sense feelings or movement about them." Gimli nodded thoughtfully beside him. After quite some moments, a smile touched the elleth's lips and she moved away from the tree.
"Two, innocent souls have passed safely this way during the night." Legolas let out a small, relieved sigh.
"That must be the Hobbits!" Gimli exclaimed jubilantly.
"What else, Aerlaer?" Aragorn pressed.
"They are in safe care. I do not understand what that means and my new friend could not explain it. The forest is safe here, we are welcomed and the trees welcome you too, as I, as light." Legolas snapped his gaze to her fully but she merely grinned.
"Trees have strange names for Elves." He murmured.
"Let us search a little further." Aragorn decided and following the Ranger, they moved on.
They walked two miles in when they came upon a stream and followed it, in the hope the Hobbits had remained by a water source. stream and decided to follow it down into a gully in case the hobbits had followed the water themselves.
Still they saw no sign of their friends and so changed direction, travelling on a diagonal. It was a comfort knowing that somewhere, the Hobbits were safe, but he wished they could find them. Unfortunately, as they passed through a small clearing and glimpsed the sky, it became apparent the hour had grown late.
"We must return to the horses, soon it will be too dark to search. We can resume in the morning. Wherever the Hobbits may be, I imagine they too will take rest." Aragorn turned, gazing through the trees, back the way they had come. "Let us take a diagonal path back to the edge of the forest, from there, Aerlaer can call the horses. This way we may cover more ground." Legolas felt better by this idea as they began walking after Aragorn once more. Retracing their steps would have been counterproductive.
"I think there's a waterfall up ahead." Legolas noted as the melodious sound of fast falling water met his ears. Sure enough, as they continued, they found another stream and, as it too led the way they travelled, they followed it. The rushing sound grew louder and soon they pushed through dense foliage to reveal a secluded pool of sparkling water.
The fall was simple and small but beautiful nonetheless. Aragorn scouted carefully about for any tracks while Gimli called both Hobbits names and he and Aerlaer listened intently but, aside from birds singing and the water falling, they received no answer that the Hobbits were near.
Their path travelled upward now as they followed an animal track away from the water's edge. The trees were thinning, becoming younger and within half a mile, they stood, once again, at the edge of the forest. The sun was now setting and the green and golden plains before them were lit up. The land was beautiful, in its own way but Legolas preferred the forest.
Aerlaer shifted, cantering quite a distance away, along the tree line and then, Legolas lost sight of her as she was obscured in a dip in the terrain.
"She won't go far, will she?" He asked Aragorn, feeling his stomach twist nervously now he could not see the elleth.
"Yeh getting yeh pointy ears in a twist, Legolas?" Gimli jabbed him in the ribs and he moved to the side.
"No, of course not." He bit out. "We just should not separate, it might not be safe." To his relief, the Edhelroch reappeared on the following rise and a he heard her call on the air. Two, deeper calls answered hers and within a few moments, moments which felt like hours to Legolas who still did not like that the elleth was out there alone, she came galloping back towards them, the grey and chestnut horses following behind her.
As Aerlaer shifted back to Elf, the grey horse, Arod, slid to a halt before him, nuzzling his hands. Legolas laughed lightly, murmuring a hello to the tall horse. He quite liked him, he had beautiful, long striding paces and an honest face, his brown eyes kind. Yet he held himself proudly and he had confirmation which hinted at Meara blood.
"We'll camp just here, a few paces in the trees." Aragorn declared as he led the chestnut into the tree line. Legolas followed, Arod bumping at his shoulder.
"I think he likes you, laddy." Gimli commented with a rumble of laughter.
"Of course he does, Legolas is likable." His heart both froze and melted at the flash of a smile and words the elleth so easily bestowed upon him. She thought him likable? Unsure what to say, not wishing to reply as a fool would, he looked to the ground, just ahead of where he walked. How likable did she think of him? The question blazed in his mind but he would not ask it.
"I think whatever wore us down as we pursued the Uraks, has been lifted." Aragorn commented.
"Aye, yeh right, although I'm still looking forward to a rest. It's been a trying day." Gimli answered. Now Legolas thought of it, he realised he did feel a little better. The lack of proper rest over the past few nights he did mildly feel. Surely Aerlaer did too.
Carefully he untacked Arod and used his fingers to scratch at the areas of light sweat which had formed behind the horse's ears and at his girth and received a contented sigh from his new friend. Once Hasufel too was untacked, both horses dropped and rolled in a bare patch which still caught the last rays of the sun, before settling to crop at nearby grass.
"Food would be nice." Gimli muttered and Legolas felt bad for the Dwarf. Aragorn would likely be hungry too. Legolas was but he could last longer, as all his kin could, without sustenance.
"I could perhaps find you something? Mushrooms or berries?" He offered.
"Nay, lad, kind offer but think I'll sleep. couldn't keep me eyes open to have a meal." With that, the Dwarf sank to the ground, removing his helm to set at his side.
"I'll take first watch if you will take second watch, Aerlaer?" She nodded.
"I will take a third watch, to afford you both more rest." Aragorn intoned. "You both look weary. Are you well?" The Ranger stared searchingly at him before glancing to Aerlaer.
"Well enough." the elleth replied as Legolas shrugged and nodded. Aragorn did not look overly convinced but let it go, removing his weapons.
"I can take first watch, if you wish to rest." Aerlaer murmured quietly so Aragorn would not hear.
"No, you have had less rest than I." He glanced down at her, warmed by her offer.
"Will you sing a little again?" The elleth's eyes flickered up questioningly before glancing away. "Like you did last night." She added quickly. Legolas was caught off guard by her odd question.
"I can, if you wish?" She nodded.
"It's nice." She murmured. "Like being back in a realm." She walked away suddenly, her focus on undoing her sword belt and to keep from staring after her in confusion, he looked to the two grazing horses. Was she homesick? He remembered again, she had no home and it was a painful thought.
He turned back to find his companions were now all resting, Aerlaer, shifting her hair to one side as she settled under her cloak. He recalled just how soft that hair was from the day he had found her. He bet, now it was clean, it was all the softer. He turned away once more so he could begin his watch, softly beginning a long lament he hoped the elleth would like about the trees of Valinor.
…
"Aragorn, wake up." He started as a hand gently shook at his shoulder. The air was cool on his face and the night quiet. He sat up as Aerlaer peered at him, her eyes bright as always. What he would give for it to have been Arwen awakening him. To simply still be in Imladris but all that was gone. Arwen would be well on her way to the sea, to sail. Just as he had bid her too. "Aragorn? Are you alright? If you need to rest-"
"No, I am fine, rest now, Aerlaer." He quickly stood, silently taking up his weapons which rested near where Legolas lay, features relaxed in sleep. Nonetheless, the wood-Elf shifted slightly, Aragorn's actions still half rousing him. "Go back to sleep, mellon." He murmured before moving away to start his watch.
Out of the corner of his eye, he saw Aerlaer removing her weapons and then dropping down to the ground, a couple feet from where Legolas lay, her waves of hair cascading about her. She was tall for an elleth but Legolas, being taller even than himself, made the elleth look small. With a wry smile, he turned to scan the dark forest, wondering if Saruman truly had left them in peace now.
An hour past and Aragorn turned his gaze to sweep across the plains, picking out the two horses, heads down, resting. He turned now to his three companions. Gimli snored steadily, rolled away facing the plains. Aerlaer lay stretched out, hair in disarray, facing Legolas and the wood-Elf lay upon his back, one arm flung over his torso, the other above his head. Aragorn smirked, Legolas could sleep upon sharp rocks and still look as if he slept upon a cloud. Content that they all slept, he made to turn again to the forest but movement caught his eye.
He looked back as Legolas shifted, rolling onto his side, flinging his arm towards the elleth he now faced. It fell short of her as he muttered something incoherent. Aerlaer too shifted about, her arm leaving her side to rest on the grass before her, brushing against Legolas's hand. Aragorn blinked. Was he seeing things, was he tired? He looked again but, his eyes did not deceive him, Legolas had entwined his fingers with Aerlaer's and a contented smile twitched at the corner of his mouth.
Aragorn could not look away, had something been going on between the Elves, right under his nose? He could not see how that was possible, but the evidence was before him. The Elves seemed to fall back to deeper sleep and he smiled to himself, finally turning back to the forest, wondering how he would broach a certain topic with Legolas next time he got his friend alone.
…
Birdsong awoke Aerlaer and she slowly blinked her eyes open to the dawn light. It was the latest she had awoken in weeks and the best she had slept since Lothlórien. Legolas lay, still sleeping but two feet from her, cheek resting upon his hands. She was sure she had not settled so closely to him after her watch. He must have moved or perhaps she had? She supposed it was no worse than the time along the Anduin she had fallen asleep against him. Smiling at how innocent he seemed, she sat up quietly and strapped on her weapons.
Gimli was up, puffing on his pipe, gazing out at the plains and Aragorn slept again. Recalling the nearby waterfall, Aerlaer decided a run was in order, before the others were up. Gathering the two water-skins they carried, she walked up to the Dwarf.
"Gimli." He started with fright, turning to face her.
"What's wrong lass?" He asked warily.
"Everything is fine; I think we are quite safe too. So much so, I am going to fill these with water from the nearby waterfall. Do not fret if I am not back within half an hour, I wish for a run and a swim to wash off the taint of Urak blood I feel I've been carrying for the past four days."
"Ah very well." said the Dwarf gruffly. "Just keep your weapons at hand."
"I'll be fine." She laughed quietly and skipped away to enter the forest.
Shifting, she ran fleetly through the still dark forest, her keen eyes seeing easily where to tread and her ears telling her the direction of the fall. She bounded down into the low gully and along the stream, following it up towards the fall.
Brushing through the deep green plant-life, she shifted, placing the three water-skins upon a large stone. Glancing about, she removed her weapons and then, with another cautionary glance, her garments. Hoping the water would not be too cold, she stepped out onto another rock and dove into the deep waters beside the fall.
It was not so cold and with a grin, she resurfaced before diving down again to swim along the pebbled bottom, revelling in the feeling of water filtering through her hair, cleaning it, cleaning her. She resurfaced again to quickly wash and then simply enjoyed the water, swimming lazily as the morning brightened.
…
Legolas had awoken and Aragorn still slept while Gimli was up, sitting a little way off. He glanced around, stretching from his decent rest. Where was Aerlaer? Her weapons were gone. Feeling confused and a little of the same anxiety he felt when she had run off to fetch the horses, he leapt up, looking towards the horses. She was not with them. Quickly he strode towards the Dwarf.
"Gimli, where is Aerlaer?
"Eh, finally up, are we?" He received a smug grin. "The lass beat you at rising, went down to that waterfall to fill the water-skins."
"How long ago? Legolas implored. He'd not noticed her awaken. He had been sleeping deeply though.
"Ah, well, nearly half an hour." The Dwarf replied nonchalantly. His nerves tripled.
"She shouldn't take so long to fill two skins, I'm going to go look for her." Heart thudding nervously, he took off at an instant run, nocking an arrow to his bow in the process. What if something had happened? Why did she go off alone?
Legolas ran as quickly as the overgrown forest would allow, hastily, through the thick undergrowth, he sprang within sight of the falls and its pool and his heart stopped.
Aimed directly at him, from the water before him, was an arrow, knocked to an Elven bow which closely resembled his own, held steadily sideways and above the surface of the pool of water which Aerlaer was immersed in. Immersed in, wearing… He spun around, lowering his own weapon, heart now slamming into his chest.
"Forgive me, had I known I would not have approached as I did, I would have called out." He rushed out his words, hearing how they stumbled over one another as he tried to explain himself. He'd seen nothing compromising but to see her at all, like that, was compromising enough.
"Lucky for you, I heard you coming." She laughed but it was not her usual carefree laugh, nor was it strained or angry. She sounds nervous. Well of course she should sound nervous, surprised even, I have just blundered in like a fool!
"Uh, yes, lucky. I am terribly sorry, Aerlaer." She only laughed again.
"You can turn around; no harm has really been done." Nervously he did as she bid. She had propped her bow and its arrow up on rocks and now propped her folded arms on the rock and rested her head on them, gazing up at him, eyes sparkling.
He wanted to gulp but surely, she would notice. Her long hair, now dark with water, cascaded like liquid silk down her bare shoulders and back to float upon the water. Morning sunlight refracted off the spray from the fall beside her, dappling her skin in shimmering rainbows. She was, Eru, he could not decide on the perfect word to describe such wonder.
"Did not Gimli tell you I was filling the water skins and then going for a swim to wash? Aerlaer asked, causing him to quickly shift his gaze fully to her eyes. Don't blush, do not blush, do not stutter, he schooled his features hoping he appeared serene. He did not feel serene. He was in utter turmoil.
"Gimli failed to mention you were also swimming." He replied in what he thought sounded like a calm voice, despite his mouth having gone completely dry.
"Oh... well he must have forgotten I told him that." Aerlaer mused, tilting her head a little to gaze up at him better. There were drops of water clinging to her long lashes.
"Hmm it would seem so." He replied, feeling far less amused than he imagined the Dwarf was. He had a sneaking suspicion Gimli had not forgotten. She gazed up at him, worrying at her bottom lip. It did nothing to make the situation any easier.
"Well, um, if you like, you can take the water skins back with you." She nodded to where they rested beside her quiver and removed garments. Proof she truly wore nothing but the water which encompassed her. "I was about to get out anyway but…well you appeared." She gave another small, light, nervous laugh. It was endearing. He really did not need her to be more endearing than she already was in his opinion.
"I can do that." He tore his gaze from hers and moved to retrieve the two skins. They were sill empty.
"I haven't quite got to filling them yet." Nodding, he knelt at the rock's edge and unstoppered one to fill it, followed by the second. "Did you see any new signs of the Hobbits?" Legolas looked down at her from where he was kneeling. He was only a couple feet from where she rested her arms on the rock, her bright eyes looking up questioningly and innocent
"The Hobbits were not my main concern, it was you I was searching for." He said, carefully keeping his eyes on hers. A confused look settled on her face and he explained. "Gimli said you had been gone nearly half an hour and I know no one takes that long to just fill water-skins. I was worried for your safety." he finished quietly, not mentioning just how terrified he had been moments before.
She flashed him a, was it a shy smile? "Oh, um, thanks." Manwë, I need to leave here before I do something foolish! He stood quickly.
"I will see you back at the campsite soon." He turned and ran off back into the trees, forcing himself not to look back, heart still pounding in his chest.
Legolas stormed into the camp area and walked straight to the two horses which he re-tied the water skins to, Aragorn having clearly tacked them both.
"Ah I see you have the skins, but where might Aerlaer be?" Gimli enquired innocently.
"Bathing." He replied stiffly, refusing to look at his infuriating, so called, friend. "Although, you forgot to mention that small piece of information before I left."
"Oh? Did I?" Legolas turned and glared at him, hard.
"Yes." He narrowed his glare. "I found out the hard way." He muttered, looking away, embarrassed.
"Oh well, no harm done was there?" Gimli implore. Legolas thought about it. Aerlaer had not been offended, perhaps as embarrassed as he but no more.
"I guess not." He begrudged.
"Ah well there you go and, I'm sure the lass changed to horse form anyway." Gimli added. Legolas froze at that revelation.
"Well, no. She didn't shift." He murmured, surprised. Why didn't she shift?
Aragorn walked past, clapping him hard on the shoulder with a chuckle. "Well then, my dear friend, consider yourself very lucky." He grinned wickedly as he made his way around to Hasufel's side.
"How do you mean?" Legolas hissed at him, feeling bewildered. Why hadn't she shifted?
The Ranger only laughed deeply. "Well for starters she didn't shoot an arrow into your chest, but that does not surprise me." He winked at him, his look knowing and Legolas wondered just what his friend knew, which he didn't.
"She may as well have shot me." He muttered quietly to himself as he surveyed the plains, trying to push all thoughts of her from his mind.
He heard light footfalls on leaves and whipped his head around as Aerlaer stepped out from the tree line. He immediately noticed she only wore a white dress which fell lightly to her bare feet. Its design was also white and intricate lace woven into the material. Unlike the collared, blue-grey dress she had been wearing, this dress rested straight, exposing her fine collarbones and toned shoulders. He quickly drew his gaze to her face, receiving a quick, small smile as she passed him, retrieving her cloak and donning it before stuffing her dress into the afforded pouch of her quiver, strap set up.
"I saw no new signs that the Hobbits had passed towards the waterfall. I think today we search away from the fall, to its right. We'll leave Arod and Hasufel here again where they have the safety of the plain."
"It is a good plan, Aerlaer." Aragorn replied, striding towards the trees. "Let us hope today we find Merry and Pippin."
"Aye, we better!" Gimli agreed, following the Ranger. Legolas paused, waiting for the elleth while she spoke with the horses. She then turned and, sending him another of those heart-stopping smiles, jogged to his side to re-enter the forest. This infatuation had to end soon or it would be his utter undoing.
I've noticed I've had a few new followers since starting this rewrite, especially in the past couple weeks. Glad to have you all on board and, reviews are always welcome, especially since I have been adding a lot of new material to each chapter.
A xx