The journey began the next morning, with Gandalf and Leaza leading the motley group; Leaza's escort had left during the night to complete their own tasks. The hobbits followed closely, Sam holding Bill the Pony's reins. Legolas walked a safe distance behind the animal, keeping a sharp lookout on the terrain ahead. Gimli grudgingly stepped behind the elf, grumbling something about his honor as a dwarf, leaving Boromir to come next and Aragorn to tail the group. The hobbits chattered excitedly about the quest for the early part of the walk, but as the day passed silence fell on the group.
"We must hold this course west of the Misty Mountains for forty days. If our luck holds the Gap of Rohan will still be open to us. From there our road turns east, to Mordor." Gandalf said to the group. Leaza nodded in agreement, the hobbits groaned. She turned a kind smile to them, "Don't worry, the time will pass quickly. And, if you play your cards right, it may even be fun." She smiled once more, comforting the four men; they were mentally little better than children. Boromir smirked, and Gimli snorted, both amused by the way the hobbits were being treated. "But for now, I think I will scout ahead and find a place to rest for lunch."
"I'll go with you," Legolas said quickly. Gandalf eyed the elf carefully, thinking back to what Elrond had said the night before, Keep an eye on the young elf Legolas. He has met Princess Leaza before and had his heart broken. He is well trained, but even his conscience will be weakened by her presence. But before Gandalf could give his opinion the two trotted off ahead of the group. Leaza's long cape still concealed her body from the group, even when she was moving quickly. Soon the two were out of sight, leaving the rest to their thoughts.
Gimli, Boromir, and Aragorn each pondered on the possible connection the elf had with the mysterious princess; she had yet to say who she was the princess of. Gandalf returned his thoughts to the journey and the well being of the hobbits. The hobbits, true to their nature, were wondering what was for lunch.
Legolas caught Leaza as they turned out of sight of the others, but she neither slowed nor gave him any attention. Legolas was beginning to think that he should say something first when she finally broke the silence, "Do you plan on following me forever, Nibenon?" She called back, using the nickname she had given him when they had last parted. The name was insulting, meaning little or small one. Legolas bristled at the name, but kept his outburst to himself. She finally slowed her pace to a walk, and Legolas fell in step behind her.
"Well, well. I see you have learned to keep control over your temper. Perhaps you have grown, Nibenon, or maybe you just plan on sulking the entire journey." Her face was expressionless, but her voice rung with the amusement she felt.
"I would prefer it if you used my true name, for I am not the little boy you once knew."
"Aren't we jaded." She turned to face him, walking backwards. Her eyes studied him, cold and calculating. He felt the heat rising in his face despite his best effort to appear calm. She smirked, seeing his blush and turned her back to him. Legolas wished he knew the right words to say for her to forgive him, or even treat him as an equal, but was stumped into silence. They walked along, the minutes passing quickly. The sun rose to its zenith in the sky, signaling the time to find a place to rest. Leaza pointed to an outcrop of rocks, "Go back and tell the others that we will rest there. I will wait. Make it quick, too."
Legolas wanted to argue, but realized that he would be proving her right, in her assumption that he was still young and naïve. Instead he nodded, turning back to find the others. Leaza watched him jog back the way they had come, but soon turned her eyes to the unknown path ahead to keep watch for any of Sauron's spies.
Legolas did not take long to find the rest of the fellowship, hearing them before he saw them. Pippin was complaining about how hungry he was, and Merry was quietly muttering about how tired he was. Sam and Frodo put on brave faces, taking the situation more seriously, but were tired as well. The three humans and the dwarf were walking in silence, though. When the group saw Legolas, they stirred out of their reveries. "Princess Leaza has found a place to rest, and she is waiting there now. It is not far, follow me." The group nodded, quickening pace at the hint that rest was near.
Gandalf looked at Legolas and wondered what had happened when the two had been separated, and what had been said between the two. He kept his thoughts to himself, deciding that so long as the elf stayed focused there was nothing to worry about.
After a walk that felt longer than it actually was the group found Leaza, waiting by the rocks. The hobbits thankfully sat, resting their short legs. Light conversation was attempted, but soon dropped seeing as there were too many egos in the group to actually desire conversation. Sam roused himself to make some lunch for the group, and soon had a small fire lit to heat the food that had been packed.
As the group ate, Leaza and Gandalf struck up a conversation about the best way to pass through Rohan and to Mordor. Pippin and Merry were bored and started pestering Aragorn and Boromir to teach them how to use the short swords that had been given to them, Frodo watching amused. Boromir took it upon himself to give the most instruction, with Aragorn giving tidbits of help when he saw necessary. Legolas kept himself separate from the group, brooding. Leaza excused herself from Gandalf's presence and went to join where the elf stood, keeping watch on the land and sky. Gimli wandered over to Gandalf.
"…I'd say we were taking the long way around. Gandalf, we could pass through the mines of Moria…" Gimli began, but was quietly rebuked by Gandalf; the wizard knew something of the mines, but did not want to speak of it. Leaza and Legolas heard the exchange, but said nothing.
Shouts came from Merry and Pippin as Boromir accidently caught Merry's fingers with the flat of his sword; Merry and Pippin in turn dropped the weapons and in good nature tackled the man to the ground, gaining laughs from Sam, Frodo, and Aragorn. Legolas and Leaza paid no attention to the voices though, as a dark shape had appeared in the sky.
They focused their keen eyes, though Legolas' were much sharper than Leaza's, and tried to discern what the shape could be. "What is that?" asked Sam
"Nothing, it's just a cloud," replied Gimli.
"It's moving fast…against the wind," breathed Boromir.
Legolas yelled out that it was indeed not a cloud but Sarumon's spies, and the two human men yelled for the hobbits to take cover. In seconds the ten figures were concealed by rocks and brush, tensing as the sound of wings came upon them. The birds circled the area, searching, calling out in raucous voices. Leaza's nails dug into her palms, her fists closed tight. Legolas, hidden under a rock nearby, saw her reaction and remembered who she was and what she was fighting for.
The birds passed, and the group came out of hiding. Gandalf considered what had transpired and changed the route the group would take; now the ten would pass through the mountains, instead of around.
The climb was hard, even for warriors and experienced travelers. The hobbits had the worst of it, for they had never walked so much in their entire existence. Leaza fell to the rear of the group, behind Aragorn, leaving Gandalf and Legolas to lead the group. Legolas had the easiest time, walking atop the snow as the rest trudged through. Behind the wizard were Sam, Bill the pony, Pippin, Merry, and Gimli. Boromir was next, leaving Frodo sandwiched between the two human men.
Tensions rose when Frodo slipped, rolling backwards until Aragorn caught him. When Frodo rose, he no longer wore the ring, but instead Boromir held it, lifting it from the snow. Long seconds passed before Boromir returned the ring to Frodo, ending with Aragorn loosening his grip on his sword and the group continuing their walk, nerves splitting.
As the companions reached the height of the pass, a voice could be heard on the wind, speaking in a strange language. The storm was harsh now, and the wind bit at everyone. Boromir now walked before the hobbits, trying to clear a path for their small frames. Legolas tried to stay near the group, but he had the easiest time of the storm, continuing to walk on the four foot deep drifts. Leaza had crept up to just behind Aragorn, trying to use him as a shield against the wind and snow.
The voice grew louder, and Gandalf yelled, "It's Sarumon!" Aragorn yelled to Gandalf that they had to turn back before the mountain came down upon them, but Gandalf refused, trying to counter the spell with his own. But he was only a gray wizard, as opposed to Sarumon the White, and could not overpower the other.
Legolas pulled Gandalf from the edge as more rubble fell from above as the mountain was struck with a bolt of lightning. The companions tried to hide from the falling snow and rock, but there was nowhere to turn to. Aragorn and Boromir shielded the hobbits as best they could, leaving Gimli and Leaza to fend for themselves.
Once the spell faded the companions dug themselves out from under the snow, gasping for air and yelling that a new path was needed. Options were tossed back and forth, but it came down to Frodo to decide what to do. Leaza, meanwhile, was shivering uncontrollably; she was from a warmer climate and not used to so much snow. After what felt like ages to the freezing group, Frodo decided that the best path would be under the mountain, through the Mines of Moria.
A/N:
I know that there are a lot of cliff hangers right now about Leaza and her past with Legolas, but hang in there! I promise to explain everything...eventually...when the time seems right...
