Somehow, Lómë had made his way to the front of the pack after three miles and he was winding through trees as though they were beanpoles. Enguina, at this point, was simply along for the ride, clutching to his mane and staying close to the black's neck. It was exhilarating, and she remembered for the first time the feeling that she used to love about riding with Arwen. She remembered Arwen teaching her to ride on the younger elf's horse, Lómmoth, when she had come to Lórien for the first time. Haldir had forbidden her to ride the giant, looming chestnut, but she had ignored him…and fallen off. Arwen had put her right back in the saddle; within a few days, she and Arwen were riding her and Lord Elrond's horses all through the Golden Wood, and she and Arwen had become fast friends. There was nothing that had mattered more to her at that time than her friendship with Arwen and Erumar, whom Arwen had brought with her.
"Enguina!"
She heard the cry just in time as Lómë shot under a thick, low-hanging branch and she swung herself nearly out of the saddle to avoid being torn out of it. Just as they skirted under it, she sat up quickly and tugged on the black's reins.
"Whoa! Whoa, boy, easy now!" she soothed and the black skirted a few more trees before slowing to a jog, both of them breathing heavily. She glanced back over her shoulder at the branch and could not help starting to laugh softly to herself. "Not nice, Lómë! You have to watch for my head as well as your own, you know."
By the time Legolas and Gimli caught up to her, she was laughing hard, bent over Lómë's neck. Legolas reached over and took her arm in his hand, and Gimli was muttering under his breath.
"You took that too far, lass! You could've been killed! Knocked off your horse! Lying here—"
"Gimli, I am fine!" she laughed, but then she saw the concern on Legolas's face. "Really, everything is all right. I am sorry I frightened you both."
"Guin, that tree nearly took off your head," Legolas said seriously. "If you had not heard me—"
"But I did, and we are all fine," she added, growing more serious.
"What were you doing? You were not looking ahead of you. Are you sure you are all right?"
She smiled sheepishly. "I was thinking…and enjoying myself. I was thinking about the first time I ran like that through the woods, with Arwen, and how much fun we had. That was so many years ago, when we first met."
"Well stop thinking and pay attention to where you're going next time!" Gimli growled. "You scared us both half-to-death!"
She sighed, lifting her shoulders. "Forgive me?"
"I suppose…" Legolas said, and lifted a hand to tilt her chin up towards him. "You have a scratch that needs to be looked at."
"When we camp," she said, turning her face away. "It does not hurt; I am sure it is quite small." Now that she was not moving, the area around her got her attention. "This…is a beautiful glade."
Legolas looked where she was looking and turned Glosbrethil towards it, moving out into the sunlight and then dismounting. Looking about, his eyes had seen very few places with as much natural beauty as this one. The trees were perfectly positioned around a glade large enough for a sizeable home and garden with a natural creek running along the edge of it.
"Even has a source of water," said Gimli with surprise and Enguina nodded. "Sure is beautiful!"
"Indeed," replied Legolas, staring around. He could almost see them building their home here; raising a family, together… Staring at the long grass, he thought about watching the sun come up through those trees, lying in it with Enguina in his arms… Oh, yes…he could definitely see them here. He startled when she touched his arm and looked over to her. "It is beautiful."
"Could we have found a place already?" she asked softly. He smiled, covering her hand with his.
"Possibly," he stated. "We should walk the area, but not become too attached to it." He smiled at her. "We have only been traveling four days, and there is quite a lot of Ithilien left to see."
"Should we wait for Faramir and Éowyn here?" asked Gimli, dismounting as well.
"That is a wonderful idea!" Enguina laughed, tugging Legolas's arm towards the glen. "Then we can show them the possibilities!"
Legolas stalled for half-a-moment before glancing back at Gimli. "Do you want to—"
"No, I don't want to go frolicking through some weeds!" he shouted at him, waving his helmet. "Get out of here, ya miserable elf!"
Legolas laughed and allowed Enguina to drag him out into the 'weeds.' After several meters, they stopped and spun around each other like children before she dropped over into them, laughing. He laughed, too, sitting down beside her as he heard her sigh.
"This is a very beautiful place," she said, staring up at the clouds as she lay on her back, stretching her arms up above her head. "It is nearly out of a dream, Legolas." She looked at him shyly as he stroked his fingers through her hair and swept the edges back behind her ears. "I…could grow old with you here."
He smiled at her, now stroking her face. "You mean you could live forever with me here," he laughed quietly, unable to do much of anything except stare, transfixed into her eyes. "Heavens above," he whispered.
"What is it?" He blushed; he had not meant to say the words aloud, but he was not going to not say them now. He would hardly deny her the truth.
"You are…you are…" The words got lost for a moment between his brain and his tongue.
"What?" she asked, worried now.
He found them again. "My eyes have never beheld anything or anyone more beautiful than you are right now. I…am so in love with you." Her skin flushed, and she felt almost feverish at his words; he seemed not to notice. His fingers had fallen to her throat, his thumb on her chin; she swallowed hard. Yes, this moment had grown far too serious for her, for them…far, far too serious. She sat up, and curled her legs underneath her, propping herself up on one arm.
Her intention had been to break the tension that had somehow happened between them, but her sitting up did not accomplish that at all. In fact, it appeared she had just moved closer to him, and she was still unable to take her eyes away from his. There was no pulling back from the moment.
"When I was standing at the edge of the field before, I could see you playing with our children in the creek…seeing our home here…seeing you and I right here, in this very grass."
Was it possible that she could be breathless just from looking into his honest face, hearing his vision of their future? How was that possible? Should she look away?
Of course she could not! Instead, she asked very softly, "Were we…were we staring into each other's eyes as we are now?" But she should have known better than to tease him.
Legolas smiled at her, and then tugged her arm out from underneath her where she fell onto her side in the grass, surprise on her face. He tossed himself beside her and propped himself up on his elbow, reaching out to touch her face, drawing her very near.
"This was more like it was in my head," he told her softly, his thumb stroking her chin again, his hands lightly cupping the back of her head. His eyes were so close she nearly sighed aloud.
"This sounds more like you," she admitted, closing her eyes.
"What?"
"Knocking me over in the grass."
He laughed at her. "Ah, moina quén, anything to be beside you," he told her, and then closed the distance between them, capturing her lips with a kiss.
After a few moments, she found her hand wandering back behind his head, wrapping around his neck and drawing him down into her, utterly lost in the moment. She was kissing him again, imagining for a moment that his fantasy was real. This place—this beautiful place—could be hers…to be with Legolas forever and ever, without a care in the world but to be together and have children and love…
Coughing fell on Enguina's ears, and she made to turn her face to look where Gimli might be. Instead, Legolas went right with her, keeping his hand on her face, and she found that her hand did not wish to let go of the back of his neck either. He had leaned over far enough that her head was now in the grass and his head was over hers, more weight behind the kiss than she had expected—but it was not unwelcome. Nothing at this moment was more important than kissing him. In fact, nothing could ever be more important than—
"Sorry to interrupt you two doves," Gimli called from across the glen, "but you'd both better come and take a look at this." It was the tone in Gimli's voice that made Legolas return to reality first.
Legolas released her with a smile, and she stared at him, dazed, as he got to his feet. Chuckling, he extended a hand that she slowly took and he tucked her hand through his arm and walked across the rest of the field with her. He looked down at her and spied her blushing and her other hand up on her face, her fingertips brushing against her lips.
"Are you all right?" he asked softly and she nodded as they drew nearer to Gimli.
"Forgive me," she murmured. "I was living in the fantasy you had created."
He tipped her chin up with a finger, smiling. "I will not forgive you; there is hardly a need." She blushed again, but he was already turning to the dwarf. "What is it, Gimli?"
"Blood," he stated simply, pointing to the ground. "See for yourself."
Legolas released her and came around the trees where he was pointing, Enguina at his heels, daydream gone. "Animal?" Legolas asked softly, looking at the ground around it. There was quite a bit of blood on the ground; the attack must have been pretty severe.
Gimli shook his head. "I think human. I found horse tracks about fifty meters east, but very light, very old; there must've been someone hunting or being hunted."
"Not fresh," Legolas said softly. "Perhaps a week or so old. I am surprised the rain has not washed them away."
"Fairly sheltered under this tree, no?" added Gimli. "Should we scout around the area?"
"Definitely," the elf replied.
The three of them, now looking worried, began to move around the area, searching for any sign that a wounded person may have passed that way. After nearly ten minutes of searching, two deeper into the woods and one back out to the field, Enguina stumbled upon another blood trail. Looking away, she crossed quickly behind another tree before she caught the stench of death and gagged, immediately putting her hand over her mouth and slamming her eyes shut. She stumbled backwards into another tree.
When she found her voice, she called out, "Legolas, Gimli…over here."
"What did you find?" Legolas said, and she could hear Gimli tromping through the woods to get over to her. She pointed towards the tree when he touched her arm. "Are you all right?"
She nodded. "It is the blood; I will be fine. The man is over there," she said, "or what is left of him." Legolas turned and went around the tree, giving it a wide berth. Gimli met him there, both of them covering their mouths and noses to protect themselves.
"Ugh," said Gimli. "Why was this man killed in the woods? This wasn't an animal's doing."
"He was a Ranger," Legolas stated, covering his heart with his hand as he heard Enguina murmuring a prayer for the man's soul. "You can tell by what is left of his clothing. Most of him has been carried off by scavengers. I wonder what happened to him."
"Shall we bury him?" asked Enguina softly.
"No, burning him would be best now," replied Gimli. "He's been dead quite a while; at least the animals won't carry off anymore of him."
"How awful," she said. "Who would do this?"
"With arrows no less." Legolas shook his head. "I do not know. I thought perhaps he may have been killed during your kidnapping a few months ago, but he has not been dead for that long, and we had not come this far west. Come; let us take care of this before Faramir and Éowyn arrive." He looked over to her and found her sad. "Are you all right, meleth?"
"Is this a bad omen?" she said, crossing her arms. "Perhaps this is not the best choice for us to make a home, Legolas." She looked cold, and so he went to her, wrapping an arm around her. He found her eyes were fixed on the blood trail, but that she could not look at the figure.
"It is all right. Let Gimli and I handle this. How about you go back to the horses and make sure they are settled in? Perhaps even begin setting up camp?" he suggested, rubbing her arms with both of his hands. He stood in front of her, blocking the tree from view. "You do not need to see any more blood."
She nodded as he kissed her forehead, and then she turned away to do as he said.
"What about these?" cried Annî as she snatched up a bunch of white daises and held them out to Arwen. "These are perfect!"
"I agree, chên nîn," Arwen said with a smile, and she added them to Annî's growing bouquet of flowers. "Now, any others beside white and blue?" The little red-head turned back to the stand, looking for other colors.
Arwen remained crouched, letting Annî do all of the choosing. She had made time for them in the market today, and Annî was getting in to everything. Faramir had not been wrong when he had warned her that the little girl could be exhausting. It was not that she did not listen either; it was simply that everything that was filthy went through her hands and everything that she could possibly get on herself was on her dress. She was into everything; and Arwen had given up two days ago on keeping her clean during the day, and so enjoyed the time that they all had together giving Annî bath time at night. She and Aragorn discovered after the first day not to give Annî a bath before a meal, no matter how dirty she was, and so at the King's House there was playtime, naptime, dinnertime, bath time, and then much needed sleep.
But she was enjoying herself so much spending time with Annî that she had not made time to do much else. Annî was easily amused by every place Arwen took her; she could make visits and accomplish her plans for the day with Annî at her side as everyone she visited loved the little girl. Following those visits, she still had loads of time to play in the garden, visit the horses, take Annî to the goats, wander in the market, sing, dance, laugh…her days were full of Annî, and her nights were full of sleep for the first time in three months. Having Annî in her life had halted her nightmares, and having Enguina away getting peace with Legolas had halted worries for them as well. No, the only thing at the moment that brought pain to her heart was the knowledge that this time she had with the little one would not last forever.
"Oh, milady, ain't she the sweetest thing?" laughed Sibil, the flower-woman. Her stand in the market was so popular in spring; she could hardly keep enough flowers to go around. But she had stopped her sales for a few moments so that Annî could pick her favorites for the chains they were going to make.
"Perfectly darling," Arwen replied, smiling at her. "Thank you, Sibil, for giving her time."
"Not at all!" she laughed as Annî grabbed a handful of pink flowers and thrust them towards Arwen, with a cry of 'Here, Tiriel!' "I wish the little bundle of joy would visit me every day! I love her little rosy cheeks and fiery hair!" The older woman laughed. "She reminds me so much of her father when he was a little boy. Oh my, that was so many years ago now; it's hard to imagine him that small, I know…but 'e was!"
Arwen smiled, gathering the flowers together as Annî ran back to the stand. "Oh?"
"Ah, if ya ask any of the old folk in Minas Tirith," said Sibil with a grin, "you'll find many of us remember the Steward's sons when they were young. Why, he and Boromir used to run through the market like little wildmen! Boromir would knock something over and little Faramir would pick it up again!" She laughed. "She's so much like him. Into everything, yet cares about everything. Her mother is a lovely thing, too. Lord Faramir couldn't have done much better."
"No, he could not," Arwen agreed.
"And to have another one on the way!" Sibil rolled her eyes. "Oh, whatever she'll do with two of them, I've no idea. When are they due to return?"
"Not too quickly, I hope," Arwen admitted as Annî ran back to her with another handful of flowers, these yellow. "A few weeks at most," she added to Sibil and then said to Annî, "Is that all?"
"A few more?" the little girl asked, and Arwen nodded, running her fingers through her red hair. Annî scooted back to the cart, looking over the flowers again. Several onlookers began to smile and laugh at her as well, enjoying the innocence of her youth.
"Enjoy the time with her, milady," Sibil said with a smile. "She's more precious than gold, she is." By the time Annî had picked the last of her flowers and Sibil had refused payment saying they were her gift to the daughter of the Prince of Ithilien, Arwen could do nothing but agree with her words.
Annî grabbed her hand and tugged. "Tiriel, before we go home, can we see Brego and give him an apple?"
Arwen looked down at her with mock surprise. "Only Brego?"
"Well, he is the biggest," she said, matter-of-factly, "so he needs the most food. But I think Afalof can have one, too."
"Oh, well that is nice of you to think of him," she replied, nearly giggling at Annî's way of pronouncing their names.
"Wait, Tiriel!" she said, pulling Arwen to a stop and staring up at her with wide eyes, and holding a hand up in the air. "We didn't get any apples!"
Arwen smiled at her. "Where are we going to get apples, Annî?"
The little girl stood still, her face confused for several moments as she tried to work out where they were going to get apples. She looked around, and then looked back into Arwen's face. "I don't know," she said sadly, now holding both hands up in the air. "Maybe Tirion has some?"
Arwen smiled, leaning down by her. "Tirion is working right now, and we cannot bother him." She reached out and touched the end of Annî's nose with her finger. "But I know just the place to get some apples."
Annî's entire face lit up. "You do?" she squealed, clapping her hands. "Apples! Apples for Brego and Afalof! Let's get apples, Tiriel!"
Arwen stood and extended her hand and Annî grasped it, and the two of them made their way toward the fruit seller, Annî skipping with happiness all the way.
It was evening, and the moon had not yet risen over Ithilien. Legolas was seated with his back against a tree, watching his lovely one sleep; she appeared peaceful and still, and he expected, for the fourth evening in a row, that there would be no nightmares. He thanked Ilúvatar since they had left Minas Tirith that He had finally brought her some peace. This journey, this quiet time away from the chaos, appeared to have been exactly what she had needed. He reached out and touched her face with his fingertips, just gently brushing her skin and a slow smile came on her lips. He did not wish to wake her, but it appeared that whatever she had been dreaming, he had just made it sweeter. Hearing Gimli snoring off to his left, he smiled to himself and raised his head, just in time to see Faramir rise and take a few steps toward the starlit glade. He had thought Faramir asleep, so it surprised him now to see him wide-awake. He rose then himself and made his way to the man's side.
"Is something troubling you, Faramir?" he asked softly, but Faramir did not turn to him.
"This is a beautiful glade," he replied, his voice equally soft; a conversation not to be overheard then. "I hope finding the body of a fellow Ranger will not change your mind if you are thinking of settling here. It would be a perfect place to raise a family."
"There might well be others," Legolas replied thoughtfully. "We have only been in Ithilien a few days; neither one of us have our hearts set on anything yet." Faramir nodded, and Legolas changed the subject. "What do you think of the Ranger we found?"
"I do not understand why anyone would have reason to kill one of my men, especially Loth; he was a quiet man. Unless they had something to hide, and I cannot understand why he would have revealed himself unless they were suspicious characters. Travelers are easily welcomed in this land now, so I find it very odd indeed that this has happened."
"Should we try to hunt who did this?"
Faramir shook his head. "No, I think not. I do think, however, that it might be a good idea to head a little further east towards Henneth Annûn. Even though we are on a journey of little importance to anyone but ourselves, it is my duty to inform my men of his death." He frowned. "It might also be a good place to find news about our strange murderer. Perhaps the Rangers will have news."
Legolas nodded. "I agree. I know I speak for Gimli when I say that I would prefer to keep our loved ones out of danger if possible; I know this is true for you as well."
Faramir smiled suddenly as he glanced back at Éowyn's sleeping form. "She is exhausted. She may not look it, she may fight it with all the strength inside her, but she is. I am worried for her." He looked back to the elf. "Yet another reason to head for Henneth Annûn."
"You think she will be more comfortable there?"
"I know she will," he stated with a snort. "A comfortable bed, a pillow, and a bit of shelter over her head? She would tell you she is fine where she is, but I can see it in her." He shook his head. "Perhaps it was not the best idea to bring her along."
"No, it was, Faramir," Legolas insisted. "Think of all of the good you have done. You and Éowyn have received a break from your busy lives, Enguina has female company, Annî is enjoying the time spent with Aragorn and Arwen, and they are spending time with a child. This is all very good."
Faramir winced. "I was not sure they were ready, though Aragorn sought to convince me."
"He is right; they just need time," he said gently. "But I agree with you, turning ourselves toward the direction of the Forbidden Pool sounds like an excellent idea." He touched Faramir on the shoulder. "And stop worrying about Éowyn; she knows enough to take it easy. Go and get some sleep."
The man nodded and then gave Legolas a little smile. "If I said that to you, would you stop worrying about Enguina?"
"No," Legolas said honestly. "But it would make me feel better that someone thinks I need not worry; the reassurance helps."
Faramir gave a soft laugh. "Too right you are, Legolas. For the record, it does make me feel a bit better. Perhaps we should both get some sleep."
Legolas nodded, and then his sharp hearing picked up the slightest whimper. "Good night, Faramir," he said, and the man stepped the few paces back to Éowyn. Legolas immediately turned back to his bedroll, hoping he was hearing things.
He was not; Enguina lay just as she had been, but a sweat had broken out on her forehead, and her lips were set in a firm line, her jaw tightly clenched, her teeth grinding together, her hands wrapped in her blanket like vices.
"No…" she muttered, her voice breaking through the quiet night. He knelt down beside her and touched her face for a moment. No matter what this nightmare was about, he was going to wake her; she had not had one in four days—why now?
Taking her shoulder in his hand, he firmly said her name and shook her once. This did not rouse her, and so he said her name again and shook her harder. She woke with a jolt, her eyes blinking and a gasp on her lips. She registered that he was there, and for a moment he saw a familiar flash of terror in her eyes. He released her shoulder, and then suddenly found her form pressed against him, her arms tightening around his waist as she clutched herself to him.
"Oh...sweet Ilúvatar…"
He wrapped one of his arms around her, tangling the other in her hair and stroking her head. Never before had he been near her in a nightmare where she had fled to his arms willingly. This must be something completely different. Even when he was sitting with her when she dreamed of Dagnirhir, she did not run to him so readily; he was forced to draw her out.
"What is it, moina quén? Are you all right?" he asked her.
She kept her eyes firmly shut, breathing in the scent of him, pressing her face to his chest, her fingers scrambling against his back. Yet, even this was not enough, and she lifted her head just high enough to press her cheek to the skin of his chest were his tunic hung open; where she could hear his heartbeat. She breathed a few times, more slowly, and then he felt some of the tension release in her back and felt her sigh.
"You are here," she whispered, her voice full of exhaustion and relief, "and you are safe."
"Here? Safe?" he asked gently into her ear, confusion evident. "Of course I am here with you; of course I am safe. Guin, you were dreaming; that is all."
"It was so real," she replied. "You were…covered…"
"Covered? With what?" he asked, pulling back just enough from her so she lifted her face from his chest. She looked up into his face.
"Blood…" she uttered with horror. "You were…" she swallowed hard. "You were dead…and I could only see you from a distance…and there were crows…" His stomach turned as he saw her face grow pale.
"Guin, Guin," he said, tucking her head beneath his chin and laying a cheek against her hair, "it was just a dream, brought on by what you saw today that you should not have had to see. Everything is all right."
"I had never seen a corpse before," she whispered. "The blood alone was so awful, but the rest…Legolas, I do not want to see anything like that ever again. That poor man, left to die alone against that tree so that animals could—"
"Stop," he warned smoothly. "Get the image out of your mind before you make yourself sick. It was only a dream, and I am fine. Here, in your arms, where there is no better place."
"It makes me feel ill to think that I dreamed about you that way. I…cannot lose you now, Legolas," she said honestly. "I cannot lose you."
"You are not going to lose me," he reassured her. "Do not say such things. We are going to make our way to the outpost where Faramir's men are stationed; there he will find out what happened to Loth. Do not take what you saw and let your imagination run wild; that is foolishness. It is not going to happen."
He heard Enguina sigh. "Forgive me, Legolas. I have a habit of turning bad thoughts into worse." She loosened her grip on him and leaned back to look into his face. "I cannot imagine being without you now."
"You do not have to," he told her, taking her hands in his own. "We are together; we will be together always. Nothing will change that."
"Nothing?" he heard her whisper, and he dipped his head to look directly into her eyes.
"You continue to ask me that, yet my answer remains the same. What Ilúvatar has brought together, let no man and no thing separate. I am yours and you are mine; forever. Stop these evil thoughts," he added, stroking her cheek. "I love you…and no matter what I will love you until the stars burn out."
Enguina wanted to tell him; right at that moment she wanted to tell him the truth about her past, about what had happened to her. She wanted to be honest with him, to hear him say that he loved her despite what she had been through, have him hold her and comfort her, even pray for her…but she simply could not find the words. He seemed to understand, as the moments passed by and she continued to simply look at him.
He gave her a little smile as he stroked her cheek. "You know," he teased softly, "a declaration of love such as that one should not go unanswered." She was silent for a moment.
"Until the stars burn out?" she asked, raising an eyebrow.
"Can I not be poetic?"
"My heart cannot survive your poetry," she replied with a laugh. "Remember what happened last time?" He reached up and stroked her face from temple to chin.
"When we are married, Guin, I shall write you poetry all the time."
Her eyes fluttered closed as he drew near. "Oh, my knees grow weak at the thought."
"Good," he said, and kissed her.
Within a few moments, she had forgotten the nightmare.
Pillows lined the divan where they had made Annî's bed so she would not roll off in the night. She was sound asleep at the moment, tucked in by a blanket; a ring of flowers was in her wet hair, as she refused to go to sleep without wearing them. Aragorn knelt beside her little bed, balancing on his bare toes, his fingers stroking the side of her face as he has just finished a song for her. Arwen stood by, leaning against the stone hearth; it was warm enough for Annî tonight that they did not have a fire lit.
He looked over to her and up into her face, a circlet of flowers in her hair as well, but she turned her face away, pushing off the wall and moving towards their bedroom. Yes, he had seen the tears in her eyes, but if she had wanted to be comforted, she would have waited for him. She did not wish to talk about it tonight; he should not chase her. Leaning over, he brushed his lips gently against Annî's forehead and then rose to his feet.
"Sleep well, little one," he said softly, and then followed Arwen into the bedroom.
She was not present when he entered, so he assumed her in the bath taking the flowers out and letting down her hair. Changing into his sleep tunic and leggings, he turned back to the bed to find her standing beside it in her nightdress, watching him, quiet. He peeled back the covers, took his place in their bed, and reached over to snuff out the candle on the bedside table. The moonlight was enough to see by tonight, and he could see she had not moved. He lifted the covers for her.
"Come," he said gently, and she did, lying down in bed beside him as he covered them both with the sheet. Her back pressed against him, and as he swept her hair from her face, he felt wetness there; he tugged her even more tightly against him.
She was very still, and he was worried. "Do you want to talk about it, melda?" He felt her shake her head at his whispered words. He was not going to push her; he already knew exactly what both of them would say. Some nights were harder than others; some nights the grief was still too much.
So he let it go, but he knew very well that her face was wet with tears and the only thing that kept her from pacing the floor, unable to sleep, was his arm wrapped about around her, holding her tight.