A/N: Hey guys! I know this is a later update than usual but this week has been insanely busy for me. I will try to have the next chapter up as soon as possible. Hope you all enjoy this one and thank you for the favorites and follows!
Chapter 10
The sunlight began to wane as the Fellowship willed themselves to cross the borders of Lothlorien. Legolas pressed on with Melody hanging limply in his arms. She had fallen asleep surprisingly after her fever had risen over the last hour or so. The Elf could feel the prickling of her skin beneath her garments as well as the heat that radiated from her body. He wished that they could quicken their pace and be accepted into the glorious woodland without question. However, this was a fool's hope and Legolas knew that well enough. Elvish customs nowadays considering trespassers had hardened due to the ever-growing malevolent wrath of Sauron. This had begun more than a century ago in his own home, so he could only imagine the measures they would have to face upon their arrival. Legolas stifled a sigh as he wondered how long it might take them to convince the Marchwardens that they were of no ill will. It could take hours or mere minutes depending on how they were observed, and of course, the presence of every race that existed in Arda abiding in their group was not favorable due to its outlandish appearance.
Finally, their footfalls slowed amid trees that glinted idly, reflecting the dimming sunlight. Their golden sparks triggered weariness from the depths of Legolas' soul and he barred himself from reaching out and caressing one of the branches, lest he breaks his former promise and drops the injured woman lying in his arms. A faint memory of Mirkwood burrowed itself to the forefront of his mind and he recalled how his trees used to sing of the same luscious glow. That was until the sickness warped its withered fingers around their necks and choked out even the lightest melody.
The thought allowed a shiver to creep down Legolas' spine and his attention now had been placed on Melody who began to stir fitfully. Her eyes were still closed to the beauty that surrounded them all, but he was thankful for her obliviousness. Surely the mere ambiance of the Golden Wood would disturb her already tattered heart rather than grace it with peace. Gimli's notions were not all wrong as Legolas heard him advising the hobbits about the unnerving nature of his kin. He wanted to scoff at the dwarf, but he was distracted by a sound echoing softly in the distance. His ears pricked at the faint twitch of branches further down their path and he felt the need to arm himself.
"—Ears of a fox!" Gimli proclaimed and suddenly they were all surrounded by several Lothlorien elves. Their expressions were grave as they eyed their intruders with suspicion. Bows drawn, their leader stepped forth and Legolas' heart leapt at the sight of his friend.
"The dwarf breathes so loud we could have shot him in the dark," Haldir all but purred. Legolas noted that he was adorned in his Marchwarden attire as well as the rest of the elves. They were patrolling the borders, presumably, which made him realize their coming might not be as welcomed as he had hoped.
The Fellowship tensed in unison at the sight of weaponry and yielded to them immediately. Legolas shifted Melody in his grasp carefully and witnessed a storm brew in Haldir's eyes as he watched Frodo intently. Aragorn had said something to the Marchwarden before, but Legolas did not catch it. He was engulfed by the apparent discomfort and danger that painted Haldir's features.
"You bring great evil here," His voice dropped an octave and he turned to Aragorn sharply, "You can go no further."
The Ranger was quick to protest in Sindarin, "Haldir, please—we have traveled a long way today and seek refuge from the threats that follow."
"And you thought it beneficial to drag said threat into Lothlorien?" Haldir reeled, his tone all but content, "As well as something that should not come within one hundred leagues of my beloved kingdom?"
Legolas noticed that Aragorn barely arched his brow at the mention of the Ring. Surely he knew it was important to speak with Haldir about that matter privately, as the other elves would not harbor such knowledge.
"As I have said, you may not enter," The Marchwarden said definitively.
The Company drooped out of anguish and disappointment. They had steeled themselves for hours only to be denied the reprieve they so desperately desired. Legolas too sensed his own frustration and felt the need to try and convince Haldir by utilizing a different route of negotiation.
"Haldir," He started, and the Elf glowered at him, "This woman needs a healer. We do not have the means to tend to her wounds, she has been struck with fever within the last few hours and I fear without your generous aid she will not make it. Please, can you not spare one night for us in your kingdom?"
The Marchwarden heeded Legolas' words carefully and then directed his gaze to Melody. His expression was one of intrigue which caused his stoic jaw to slacken ever so slightly at the sight of the woman's condition. Legolas also looked down at her and saw evidence of her worsening vitals as she shuddered in his embrace. The two elves then locked eyes.
"I beg of you, she has been through much toil this past day as have the rest of us. It would grieve us even more to lose another," Legolas pleaded while pushing away the onslaught of memories from Moria.
Haldir glanced at Aragorn and then back to Legolas, taking a moment to weigh the repercussions of either decision. The silence was unbearable and Melody trembled once more which caused worriment to stir within the Elf holding her tightly.
An audible sigh was heard, and anticipation rose as Haldir reformed his stony persona, "Very well. I will try to accommodate you for a single night. No more, no less, lest the Lady bids me otherwise."
Relief flooded their bodies at the gracious words and the Marchwarden continued, "I will have one of my own tend to the woman and take her to the healing ward. The rest of you will follow me."
The rest nodded solemnly at Haldir's instructions and Legolas felt a twitch of unease tug at him. He did not want to leave Melody unsupervised amongst the elves of the Golden Wood. Not because he thought they would harm her, but because she would most likely be terrified by the group of strangers surrounding her when she awoke. He shifted onto his other foot and gained the attention of the Marchwarden as he did so.
"Is something amiss, Legolas?" Haldir asked skeptically, his eyes narrowed in what seemed to be speculation.
The Prince suppressed his feelings in recognition of Haldir's benevolence, "I would only ask that you let us know when she wakes."
With a sharp nod, Haldir acquiesced to Legolas' wishes, "Very well," He then motioned toward one of the other elves in their small party, "Thalion, please take the woman to the healers with haste."
The elf in question stepped forward and Legolas hesitantly unwound himself from Melody. A loss of heat struck his torso and he repressed another shiver. Meeting the gaze of Thalion, a warm and kind aura swayed the anxious ideations that swam in the Prince's head. He felt content with leaving Melody in this elf's care even though his own would be preferred.
Legolas clenched his jaw as he surveyed the damage that wrought so much havoc upon Melody. Her limbs shone a sickly hue that faintly shone through the fading sunlight. Golden waves that once illuminated the air around them had become dull and ashen.
"Prince Legolas?" Thalion tore through his myriad of observations and the Elf quickly restored himself, "What is her name?"
Blinking momentarily, Legolas then took the woman's uninjured hand to survey its' meager warmth, "Melody."
Refracted starlight echoed around the corners of the room as Melody's pupils adjusted to the new setting. Her temples acquired a small throb of dull pain as she scanned everything with ever-growing alarm. Where the hell am I? What is this place? She wondered as her body protested the small movement of her rising onto her elbows to gain a better view.
It appeared to be a small tent fashioned from various linens and tree branches and she lay in a small cot with the same sort of fabric wrapped tightly around the rest of her body. Soft sheets caressed her being and she realized this was probably the most serenity she had been offered since her arrival in Middle Earth. This place is nice…but where exactly am I? And where are the others?
Her ears then picked up an almost hypnotizing tune that added to the sense of peace that disassembled her worries. She could not translate a single word, but it seemed very mournful.
Then, she remembered.
Oh god, we are in Lothlorien. I must have passed out after Legolas was carrying me, Her face flushed at the thought of being in such a vulnerable state while pressed firmly against the moody Elf. Her visage then shifted to her arm that was bound tightly with a more comfortable cloth than the one Aragorn had hastily fashioned. She eyed the bandage with intrigue and noticed her pain was minimal.
Whoever did this was definitely not Aragorn, she realized and then accompanied the thought by the comprehension that her shirt had been switched as well. With widened eyes and a fear of someone seeing her bare chest, her fingers grasped the material as a gasp slipped from her throat.
The sound caused something else to shift in the tent-like space, and one of the linens that were draped split open to reveal someone cautiously entering. Pin-straight golden tresses were tightly braided in a fashion that was not completely dissimilar to the way Legolas' wore his. A suit of light armor perfectly outlined the litheness of the Elf's figure and sharp edges of silver sparkled in the increasing allowance of moonlight.
If the outfit wasn't enough, the Elf's face might as well have been chiseled from stone. Perfection graced the features of this being as he slowly came towards Melody's bed.
"My Lady, how do you fare?" He asked cordially and kept some distance.
Melody made to reply to the ethereal creature but found that her throat was too dry to do such a thing. Coughing slightly, the Elf then gracefully moved toward her bedside to reveal a small goblet.
"My apologies," He said whilst pouring some water into the cup, "You must be thirsty. Drink this."
She used her unbound arm to take the goblet from the Elf and suspiciously lifted it to her lips, hoping it was indeed water. Swallowing hard, the cool liquid eased the scratchiness in the back of her throat and moistened her dry lips. After all but chugging the water, she let it rest upon her thighs before the Elf retrieved it from her grasp and dragged a chair from the other side of the room.
"Thank you…" She murmured, still not trusting the fullness of her voice and wondering what the mysterious Elf's name was.
He seemed to catch onto her confusion and replied once he descended in the wooden object, "Again, my apologies. My name is Goldaer and I have been assigned to your healing. You were quite feverish when you arrived. Are you in any pain?"
Melody shook her head, "No, it's only a bit sore. Whatever you did seems to have worked wonders." She carefully examined the Elf's stature again. It was hard to not feel scrutinized by such a being who acquired perfect posture and a face that could melt the heart of any girl.
The corners of Goldaer's lips quirked upwards at her compliment, "That is good to hear and I am gladdened that my efforts have proven successful. However, you must let your body recover after that nasty fever. It took us a few days to return your temperature to normal ranges."
Melody started to wince at his explanation of her healing but was interrupted by the last part of his evaluation. Days?! Her eyes widened out of surprise.
"What! There's no way that tiny cut caused me to pass out for more than a few hours," She claimed childishly and immediately flushed at her outburst. Thankfully, the Elf did not seem to mind. He carried an amicable way about him that eased her bewilderment for the time being.
"Indeed, it did. For you were brought to me just in time," Goldaer's downcast expression revealed the solemnity brewing in his grey eyes, "The tiny wound had festered and wrought havoc upon your body which worried us all, especially the Prince."
Still stuck on the fact it had taken her days to wake up, she almost missed the final comment.
"The Prince of Lothlorien was worried about me?" She asked confusedly and twitched slightly at the thought of someone so noble caring about her recovery.
Goldaer chuckled merrily which frustrated Melody somewhat. Why is he laughing at me? It's an honest question.
He waved a hand in dismissal while suppressing his laughter, "Child, you must know there has not been a Prince in this place for many years! Are you sure you are well? I meant the Prince of Mirkwood, Legolas."
The woman arched an eyebrow and snorted, "There's no way he is a Prince. Now, stop messing with me and tell me who the Prince actually is."
A glazed look flashed across Goldaer's features as he realized she was telling the truth and did not know of Legolas's lineage. Disconcerted, he regarded her warily.
"I do not jest, my lady. Legolas is the son of Elvenking Thranduil who rules over the Woodland Realm," He said in all seriousness and Melody waited for some shrivel of amusement to twinkle behind his eyes, but was left with none.
Mouth agape, she wanted to protest the Elf's words, "There's no way. He would have said something before…" Flashes of their argument and her unladylike behavior flitted through her mind and reddened her cheeks as Goldaer formed a reply.
"I do not know him very well, but from what I have gathered he is not overly fond of titles," He divulged slowly while observing the strange reaction of his patient, "I take it he has not demonstrated certain characteristics deigned for someone of such nobility?"
A scoff threatened to escape her but was stifled when she remembered Legolas' apology before she had passed out. Guilt formed in her belly and she sought another place to look rather than Goldaer's piercing and curious gaze.
"No, that's not it. He just never mentioned that small attribute," She muttered when she finally found the linens to be a safer place to watch than her healer.
As she continued to gaze at the curtains, they suddenly opened to reveal another Elf whom she did not know. Letting a sigh escape her lips, she mentally prepared herself for more revelations as the female approached Goldaer and whispered to him. Much to her appeasement, the unknown elf ignored Melody's presence entirely.
Goldaer, who previously sat with his ankle lazily pressing against his opposite leg, straightened immediately at the elleth's words. Frigid features replaced the warmth radiating from him in mere moments as he turned his attention back to Melody.
"You said before that you are feeling better?" He asked as he rose from the chair. Shrinking back slightly, Melody took in the full and commanding nature of the Elf that stood before her for the first time. She had not expected to feel so small under his hardening stare.
"Yeah—um I mean, yes, I do…" She replied cautiously, still sensing the dramatic shift of emotion within the tent.
Goldaer's eyes softened slightly before he responded as he sensed the woman's discomfort, "The Lady Galadriel has requested your presence after dinner. You are to dress and be escorted by Lady Miriel who will arrive shortly. Your companions will also be in attendance."
Nodding at the statement and excited to see her friends, Melody hastily swung her legs over the side of her cot before Goldaer's hand encased her own. She paused and his grey irises bore into her own and held something akin to reverence as he bent down.
"Surely you understand that meeting with the Lady is a great honor, apparently she is quite intrigued by your presence," He spoke through a small smile, "I am grateful to have been held responsible for your healing."
Melody blinked slowly while registering his words and smiled despite her awkwardness, "Thank you for everything, Goldaer."
The sun might as well have been shining on the Elf's profile as he unclasped their hands. Of course, Melody had been in the presence of an Elf for a few months at this point, but she had never seen one in their element. She thought that maybe if Legolas had been among his kind that he would appear different to her than the callous being she met. Goldaer seemed to harbor qualities she had never witnessed from the apparent Prince.
"If you find yourself in need of anything, please do not hesitate to ask, Lady Melody," He said sincerely, "And with that, I will take my leave."
Blushing a bit, she nodded and watched the Elf weave through the linens until he disappeared into the glowing night. With a huff, Melody splayed out on the bed and felt her arm twinge a bit at the motion. Better take it easy, she reprimanded herself as her thoughts bubbled around in her brain.
For sure, Galadriel knew something about her arrival in Middle Earth which made her gut twist. The answers she had been seeking were possibly going to be uncovered after this dinner. Melody highly doubted that she would be able to consume anything save a strong drink to take the edge off.
What if Galadriel didn't know anything about her at all? Would she be able to explain the visions that had plagued her mind incessantly? Was there a way for her to return home?
The questions seemed endless, and Melody hoped that they could all be answered.