Together Under Starlight
Prologue Upon first meeting
Aragorn had been wandering through Mirkwood for hours, he found that no matter where he looked everything was the same. The huge trees made it hard to see anything especially now it was getting dark. Soon he would have to accept the fact he was lost.
Following a dear path he found himself in a clearing deep in the forest.
Aragorn looked around for anything useful he thought he may as well stay in the clearing as it was lighter due to the light of the stars through the gaps in the canopy. He made camp and settled down for the night.
Thud!
Aragorn jolted awake at the sound, looking around to see what had caused it he saw an arrow stuck into the ground centimetres away from where he had been lying either it was a lucky miss which he doubted or it was a warning shot. Whatever it was, Aragorn decided he had probably overstayed his welcome and it would be wise to leave the forest as soon as possible. The only problem was he had no idea which way the edge of the forest was.
"Your lost aren't you" the voice came from behind whirled round but he could not see much in the dark
"Show yourself!" he called into the blackness. No reply but an elf stepped out into the light he had ,forget me no, blue eyes and blonde hair which looked more silver in the starlight he wore a rich array of greens and browns but the style of the clothes was simple and relatively plain.
"Who are you?" asked Aragorn
"Legolas" the elf replied
"Are you from the woodland realm?"
"Yes"
"There isn't any chance you could show me how to get out of here?"
"Tomorrow… it's dangerous to travel the forest at night"
"So we go tomorrow?" Aragorn asked
"Yes" Legolas said in answer before vanishing back into the trees without a sound.
Aragorn thought that there was a high possibility that the elf would not turn up in the morning but he decided he would worry about the morning when it came. Aragorn Settled down to sleep again.
Thud!
Aragorn sat up and saw a second arrow by the first followed by a third and then a fourth
"Alright! Alright! I'm coming" he got up as legolas leaped down from the branches of a tree
"I thought we weren't leaving until morning" said Aragorn sleepily
"We're not"
"What are we doing then?"
"What do you want to do?" the elf's eyes sparkled with mischief as he watched Aragorn
"Sleep" replied Aragorn not unkindly Legolas raised an eyebrow
"I thought you might say that oh well" he looked back at the trees for a moment then said "tell you what if you come with me now I'll take you safely to the edge of the forest in the morning do we have a deal?"
Aragorn considered for a moment hadn't Legolas told him before that is was dangerous to travel the forest at night but Aragorn also wanted Legolas to lead him out of the forest and he supposed there was no harm ingoing with the elf
"Yes I will come with you"
"That's settled then… lets go" the elf moved to the edge of the trees before looking back at Aragorn who hastily followed leaving his belongings behind.
Aragorn followed the elf through the trees. He couldn't help but wonder where they were going but he did not ask. They didn't stop until they reached a lake surrounded by trees
"Where are we?" Aragorn asked
"Mirkwood" replied the elf his eyes surveying the surface of the water and the surrounding trees
"I know that" said Aragorn slightly annoyed by the elf's response "but where in mirkwood?"
"I do not know what its true name is but I call it Ael -o gilgalad lake of starlight" the elf answered as he looked back at Aragorn "do you not think it's beautiful?"
"Yes it is rather stunning" Aragorn looked at the lake. It was beautiful. One could see the entire night sky reflected in its surface making the lake shimmer like silk.
Aragorn watched the elf as he wandered up to the water's edge Legolas had disappeared again leaving Aragorn alone puzzling over what he was doing. After a few minutes the elf returned dragging a boat behind him. He looked at Aragorn who had not moved from where he was standing
"You coming?" Legolas looked at Aragorn then at the boat and the lake then back at Aragorn
"It doesn't look like I have much of a choice," Aragorn said as he walked towards the elf who was already in the boat. Once Aragorn was in the elf pushed the boat off from the shore.
Out on the water Aragorn realised the true beauty of the lake
"This is beautiful" he said and he meant it the lake was more beautiful than he could find words to describe
"Isn't just" the elf said, dangling his fingers in the water. Legolas smiled at him, his eyes bright, he seemed very happy. "I've told you my name but I don't think you have told me yours"
"My name is Aragorn son of Arathorn heir of Isildur"
"Nice. I'm Legolas son of Thranduil"
"You the elven king's son?!" Aragorn could hardly believe it the elf had seemed so plain so un interesting yet he was a prince
"Yep" Legolas looked back out across the lake then back at Aragorn "so what do you want to do? Trust me anythings possible at this hour" Aragorn shrugged the elf as the expert in the forest
"Alright I'll decide" Legolas looks at Aragorn, his eyes sparkling with mischief.
The boat bumped against the shore on the far side of the lake Legolas leapt out followed by Aragorn who by now had become much more accustomed to the dark
"Where are we going?" he asked the elf
"Wait and see" Legolas was excited now, his eyes glittering in the dark "follow me" he ducked under a curtain of ivy.
Aragorn found himself stood by another much smaller lake this one was just as beautiful as the first but the real show stopper was a huge waterfall about eight metres high it shone silver in the nocturnal light
"I mithril lanthir (the silver waterfall)" breathed Legolas his eyes wide with wonder
"Wow" said Aragorn marvelling at the beauty of the sight before him "this is definitely something"
"Come though I could stand and look at those falls for days we should go, dawn will come soon" Legolas began to head back towards the lake.
The next morning Legolas lead Aragorn to the edge of the forest
"You can get to Rivendell from here?" he asked as they reached the plains beyond the forest
"Yes Navaer mellon Na-den pedim ad. (farewell friend until we speak again)" Aragorn replied
"Navaer Aragorn may you travel well" said the elf before vanishing into the trees