The ride to the next city was rather uneventful. Each day was the same pattern, ride all day, stop for the night wether it be in an inn or a campsite, and continue for the next day.
They arrived to a great forest. The open field narrowed into a trail through the woods.
" Is this it?"She asked.
Legolas nodded.
" Yeah, the trail leads home."
Kaeàna sighed, she nudged the horse further into the woods.
" Are you excited?"
"Yeah. I'm just sad too."
Her eyebrows furrowed.
" Why are you sad sweetheart?".
She began to stroke his light hair.
He leaned his head back.
" You will leave. I will be alone with my ada. I will miss you."
Her heart just about broke into millions of pieces.
She placed a kiss on his head.
" I won't leave you. I will always come back. " She reached in her saddle bag. She pulled out the bundle of white cloth.
She unwrapped the cloth, the elk sat in the cloth. She picked the mother elk and Kaeàna placed the elk on Legolas' hand. "I will always be with you."
He turned in the saddle, she lifted the baby one.
"And you will always be with me,"
He surprised her when he managed to completely turn around it the saddle and wrap tight to her torso.
Her horse came to a halt when she stopped him to return the hug.
She felt the stray tears trickle from her eyes.
The child pulled back from her, he smiled gently as she tucked a lock of his hair behind his ear and poked his nose.
The two continued in peace, her horse walked until elves sprang from the forest.
The stallion stamped its feet.
The warriors surrounded the horse.
" I come with no bad intentions. I am just here to return the boy to his father." She announced with her hands raised in surrender.
The warriors broke apart as a man who seemed to be the leader broke the ranks.
" Legolas?"
" Ada!"
Kaeàna got down from the saddle. She lifted a smiling Legolas from the horse.
She handed him to the blond elf. He smiled fondly and murmured in a language not known to her, to him.
Legolas sat on his father's hip when he pointed to her.
" This is Ka. She saved me from the man who took me. She shot him with an arrow, then tied him up. She left him on the Rangers door. " he paused.
" She's protected me from a hoard of giant wargs. They were snapping and biting but she shot them down. She has been helping me get back to you."
Thranduil looked up from his son. "Is this true?"
Kaeàna tipped her head.
"Every word."
A smile fell on the king's lips.
" What if I offered a place for you in the palace?"
Ka looked up, her mind processing what those could mean.
" That would be wonderful."
"Perfect, from now on you are the personal guard to the royal family. Welcome to Mirkwood, Ka."