A/N- Hey everyone!

So here's chapter 5! Please read and enjoy! Oh, and don't forget to leave a review!

Thanks!

Sphinxy

xxx

Chapter 5

It was nearing nightfall when the trio reached a clearing.

The clearing.

It was the very same clearing in which Aéneth and Legolas slept the second night, just before the spiders attacked them. After checking all was well and making sure Lucrio stood guard, Aéneth unpacked her blanket and sat on top of it on the leafy ground. Legolas pulled his pouch round in front of him and rifled around for something.

"What are you looking for?" Aéneth asked as she heard something crash from the depths of the leather bag. Legolas winced as it seemed to cause a chain reaction of crashes, followed by a loud bang, as a rather large firework shot out from the neck of the pouch. They watched it rise into the sky, but Aéneth quickly loosed an arrow after it, causing it to come diving back down towards them. She caught it in her hands and blew the fire out before it could explode. Legolas stared at her in amazement as she stuffed it back into his small pouch.

"How did you do that?" He asked, dumbfounded, "I've heard of elves having quick reflexes, but you just stopped a firework from, well, being a firework."

"I don't know," Aéneth said, sounding equally as shocked, "I just sort of, panicked, and it, well, it just, happened!"

"You are part of my species and yet you continue to amaze me!" Legolas exclaimed and Aéneth blushed a little. He went back to looking through his pouch and let out a small 'Aha!', before he pulled out Aéneth's harp. Aéneth gasped as he offered it to her.

"My harp!" She exclaimed, "But I thought it was back home!"

Legolas merely chuckled as she took the harp from him.

"Gandalf has his ways," He said with a small laugh. Aéneth picked the harp up and gently started to play, the same tune she'd heard when she'd danced with Legolas in the small clearing. She suddenly stopped playing with a small 'Oh!' and looked up at Legolas.

"Legolas," She asked, "Is that clearing still here? The one we danced in?"

"Yes," He said with a small, distant nod as the memories of that night swam across his vision. He remembered the way Aéneth had danced so gracefully, the way her dress had floated around her small form.

Aéneth stood suddenly, snapping Legolas out of his daze.

"You want to go there now?" He asked a little surprised.

"Well, if the spiders were there, don't you think it would make sense that the rest of the orcs are gathered there too?" She told him.

"Oh! Of course!" Legolas exclaimed, suddenly realising her urge to go to the small clearing. He was a little upset that she didn't want to go there to dance with him again, but he understood her worry and concern for the forest. He too felt it. So he stood and after Aéneth called Lucrio to them, they set off through the forest.

It was pitch black soon enough and shadows were cast across the ground in front of them. The trees looked taller and more foreboding than they did the last time they were there and the air was thick with tension. Lucrio was ever on the guard as they stepped further into the shadows. Every time a leaf rustled or a twig cracked underfoot, Lucrio would stop suddenly and growl, before cautiously moving forward again. Aéneth too was on the guard, her bow strung and ready for an attack. Legolas's bow was also knocked with an arrow, ready to loose it at any moment he saw fit. The sky grew ever darker as the trio advanced deeper into the forest.

Soon they reached the clearing, but there was nothing there save three corpses. The corpses of the spiders. They were starting to decay and were covered in cobwebs, their legs curled round and in the air, sticking out at odd angles. The one Lucrio had killed had a leg missing, probably laying somewhere in the forest itself, and its head was laying a few feet in front of the body. Dried blood caked it's fury form and gashes still ran down its sides, the blood cracked and dried in mid-drip.

Aéneth found herself lowering her bow and backing into Legolas, who also let his bow fall to his side. He hugged her around her waist from the back and buried his face in her hair. Sighing, she leaned into his touch and relaxed a little, although stayed as on guard as she could for the atmosphere was still a little off.

"Do you remember when we danced here?" Legolas asked, lifting his head a little.

"Of course," Aéneth told him, sighing again.

"What is wrong?" Legolas asked her, concern seeping into his voice.

"It's just," She sighed for the third time, "I'm worried that just like last time, once everything is done, I'll just… disappear."

"You won't this time, I'll make sure of it," Legolas assured her, nudging her hair aside with his nose and nuzzling her neck. Aéneth smiled a little and leaned her head back into his chest a little. She stood wrapped in his embrace and closed her eyes. Legolas soon followed suit, allowing his eyelids to close slightly. Aéneth closed her hands around his that were resting on her waist and Legolas smiled as he felt her do so. He tightened his grip slightly and held her impossibly close, refusing to let her go.

Suddenly, a feral growl ripped through Lucrio's throat and tore through his lips. Both Aéneth and Legolas opened their eyes, but just a second too late as they heard an arrow hiss through the air. Aéneth let out a small gasp as Legolas loosed his own arrow in the direction the other arrow had come. He heard a muffled grunt, followed swiftly by a small thud as the body hit the floor.

The body of an Orc.

Legolas smelt the air to check for bad blood and smelling none, he turned his attention back to Aéneth.

She let out another gasp and turned to face him, a black arrow protruding from her chest.

A/N- Hey y'all!

I'm so sorry for leaving you on a cliff hanger, but hang with me! All will be revealed soon! Thanks for all your ongoing support, it has helped loads!

Sphinxy

xxx