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━━━━ »•» act two. age of shadow

24. the golden woods «•« ━━━━

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ˏˋ°•*⁀➷ third age ━━ year 3019

𓇻 lothlórien; northern border

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THE RAW PAIN GNAWING AT HER INSIDES FELT LIKE A SICKNESS. As though something foul and unnatural had entered her soul and refused to release her. Her heart throbbed with unbearable pain when hearing the cries of the Hobbits and Gimli's angry shouts as Boromir tried to prevent him from marching back into those mines. Even Legolas' dazed silence was too much to bear. It felt like all of their fire, all of their perseverance had gone down to the dark depths together with Gandalf...Even thinking of his name made her feel like a knife was pushed into her heart, over and over again.

She blinked her tears away and raised her hand to wipe away the remaining drops of salt lingering on her ivory cheeks. Only then did she realize she was still holding Aragorn's hand. Her entire body begged for her to abandon all reason and collapse into his embrace. Instead of giving in to that urge though, she inhaled deeply and let go of his hand. But his touch had been the last small thing keeping her grounded. Now, her thoughts were desperately searching for something to hold on to. Something that made sense in this whirlwind of emotions that were trying to pull her down. Then she caught sight of Aragorn's wounded forehead, the one she'd been prevented from treating when the orcs regrouped.

"Sit," she ordered the Ranger, her voice void of emotion.

He frowned at her. "There's no-"

"Sit!" she repeated, already knowing what he'd been about to say and deciding it was an idiotic excuse.

With a sigh he obeyed and even though he tried to hide it, she saw him stumble. She'd been right in her assumption of him having a concussion and a few broken ribs. She reached into her satchel and pulled out some clean cloth. This made sense, this she could do, this she could fix...

The pain of recent events faded into the background as she got to work. By now the movements of treating a wound were as familiar to her as her own heartbeat. Clean, observe the damage, apply the necessary aid. She tried to pretend she didn't notice Aragorn hardly seemed to be breathing as her fingers touched his skin. When she'd cleaned most of the blood she was relieved to realize the wound didn't need stitches. It was an ugly cut but nothing too bad. The broken ribs had her far more worried...

Once Aragorn noticed she wasn't reaching for her needle and thread, he turned his attention back to the others. "Legolas, get them up," he ordered.

At first it looked like the Ellon hadn't even heard him. He looked lost, his eyes darting around with an uncertainty she'd never seen from him before. Gyda lingered near his side, seemingly torn between reaching for him or keeping her distance.

"Give them a moment, for pity's sake!" Boromir was quick to reply, his voice thick with emotion.

Aragorn got to his feet, deliberately ignoring Elgarain's pointed glare. "By nightfall these hills will be swarming with orcs! We must reach the woods of Lothlórien."

"You won't make it that far," Elgarain argued as she got to her feet. "You're injured and I don't even know the extent of your wounds."

He turned to look at her and his gray eyes were like a stone wall, impenetrable, even for her. He wasn't going to let her in and that realization ached more than it should have. "There's no time," he said.

"But-"

"Tarinya," Gyda said, all emotions wiped from her face. "He's right. We have to leave."

She pressed her lips together and gathered her supplies. She envied their ability to rationalize their emotions and store them away for the time being. She had never been very successful in trying to contain her feelings.

"Come on, Gyda, Legolas, get them up," Aragorn said as he walked towards Sam.

Elgarain watched as Gyda walked over to where Merry and Pippin were seated on the ground. She couldn't bring herself to move over and help, unable to bear their teary eyes and pained sobs. Instead, she turned her gaze to the vast landscape once more. She searched the mountains and valleys for a spark of hope, any sign that might give her something to hold on to. But the hard, cruel path ahead of them was the only thing awaiting her.

A hand landed on her shoulder, tearing her eyes away from the journey still awaiting them. Boromir had come standing next to her, offering her an empty smile. She couldn't bring herself to return it. Side by side they followed Aragorn as he led the way down the slopes of the Misty Mountains.

The rocky terrain was difficult to navigate. It took her every bit of willpower to swallow her comments about Aragorn's condition. He was able to hide it well. She knew she was probably the only one who noticed the way he slightly leaned to the right to avoid putting weight on his wounded side. But she knew the answer she'd get if she ordered him to stop. So, she kept her mouth shut.

Little streams trickled down the mountains, making the path even more treacherous. They tried to move as fast as they could down the slippery rocks. She noticed Gyda steady Pippin more than once. Boromir lingered close by her side, ready to catch her if needed. Which almost made her smile, considering he was far more likely to slip than she was.

The sun was low in the sky by the time they reached the foot of the mountains. Green grass stretched out around them with lines of blue streams curling through the landscape. In the distance she could see a vast forest awaiting them. The golden woods, Lothlórien.

She'd never seen the woods herself but she'd heard all about its beauty from Arwen. Her friend had lived in those woods for many years, after her mother sailed to the West. The halls of Rivendell simply held too many painful memories. The Elves of Lothlórien were seclusive and cautious. Still, the choice hadn't been all that strange. Galadriel, the Lady of Lórien herself, was Arwen's grandmother after all.

They continued across the green planes with a fast pace. In the east the sky slowly turned into a soft pink color palette. But her soul was far too exhausted to truly witness its beauty. When she turned to look back, the Gate of Moria was far behind them. From this distance, human eyes would not be able to differentiate the door from the mountainside it was carved from. They'd traveled much further than she thought. Most of the steps she'd taken seemed as though she'd been walking through a dream. A terrible, bitter dream.

When she turned to look forward again, she was greeted by a forest that stretched as far and wide as her eyes could see. Entering the shadow of the trees felt like stepping from an uncomfortable heat into a cold lake. For the first time since they'd entered Moria, Elgarain felt like she could truly breathe again. Here, beneath the trees, where she belonged...

She inhaled deeply, the smell of greenery and fresh water slowly washing away the foul stench of the mines. All around her trees stood tall and proud. Watchers from ancient times guarding her kin and welcoming her. In the fading light of the sun, the trees almost appeared to be made of gold. The evening breeze softly rustled their branches but their leaves would not fall. For the leaves of the Mallorn trees only fell in the spring, when golden flowers would bloom once again, replacing the golden foliage.

The light and barely audible footsteps of Legolas joined her side. A light had returned within his eyes, the forest having the same comforting effect on him. Perhaps even more so considering his kingdom was also located deep within the woods.

"It's been a long time since my kin traveled to this corner of the earth," he muttered, sounding almost sorry for it.

"It's a shame your father has closed Mirkwood's borders," she said softly. "We will need each other if we are to defeat the powers of Mordor."

Legolas nodded; regret painted on his features.

A small smile appeared on her face before she could stop herself. "If we are to survive this, I could of course send another emissary. I've heard many tales of the respect the last one showed Aran Thranduil."

His blue eyes flickered to where Gyda walked beside Frodo as a wistful smile tugged at his lips. The warm fondness shining from his gaze made her turn away, feeling like the emotion was far too intimate to be witnessed. "Let me just say that we were all...surprised my father didn't immediately send them back home," Legolas finally replied, still smiling.

"I imagine Lord Elrond would have to say a few words about that," Elgarain said. He would not have taken kindly to Thranduil sending the emissaries back.

Legolas chuckled. "I imagine he would."

"You know, I've been wondering how it's possible Gyda didn't know your title when she met you," Elgarain asked, smiling mischievously, though she really was curious. The question had been gnawing at her ever since she first heard Gyda's confession upon their return to Imladris. Her friend had never shared any details about her first meeting with the Woodland Elf. Even Galion had kept uncharastically quiet about it.

Suddenly the prince beside her was unable to look her in the eye. His fingers tapped nervously against his side as they walked. He opened his mouth, only to close it again, unable to find the words. Though he was spared any further embarrassment by the arrival of a sudden visitor.

Both Elves heard the footsteps at the same time, far before anyone else of the Fellowship did. With one smooth movement Legolas had grabbed his bow from his back and drawn an arrow. Elgarain had raised her spear, eyes narrowed as she watched several figures emerge from the greenery. It was useless, they were outnumbered.

Arrows were pointed at the Fellowship from all sides, some so close they almost touched her skin. Only the skillful fingers of the Elves holding them prevented them from causing harm. Their cloaks looked as if they were made from the trees themselves, blending with their surroundings so perfectly they were almost invisible. If she hadn't heard them approach, she might've thought she was hallucinating.

"The Dwarf breathes so loud, we could have shot him in the dark," a condescending voice spoke.

Elgarain narrowed her eyes at the tall, blond figure the voice belonged to. He appeared to be the leader of the guard. All the other Elves made way for him as he stepped out of the greenery to face the Fellowship.

To her surprise, it was Gyda who stepped up in front of the irritated dwarf, jutting out her chin. "I would like to see you try Haldir." The tone was harsh, but a strange sense of acquaintanceship lingered in them. For a moment there was only silence. Then, Gyda surprised her by smiling softly.

"Gyda." The elven warrior grinned, albeit reluctantly at the sight of the company surrounding her. It appeared the two of them knew each other. Though Elgarain could not guess how or where they'd met.

"Aragorn, Gyda, these woods are perilous, we should go back." Gimli interrupted gruffly.

"You've entered the realm of the Lady of the Wood. You cannot go back." Haldir's voice was soft spoken but the threat was easily distinguishable. His eyes flickered across their Fellowship, before landing on Legolas. "Mae govannen, Legolas Thranduilion."

"Govannas vîn gwennen le, Haldir o Lórien," Legolas replied.

"A, Aragorn in Dúnedain istannen le ammen," Haldir continued, bowing his head.

Aragorn bowed his head in return. "Haldir," he greeted.

The Guard turned to look at Elgarain and placed his hand on his heart, bowing once again. "Mae govannen, Tarí Elgarain. Elen síla lúmenn' omentielvo."

Elgarain smiled in return. "Gi suilon, Haldir."

"So much for the legendary courtesy of the Elves!" Gimli grumbled. "Speak words we can all understand!"

Haldir glared at the Dwarf, no longer able to ignore him. "We have not had dealings with the Dwarves since the Dark Days."

"And do you know what this Dwarf says to that? Ishkhaqwi ai durugnul!"

Despite not understanding the words, she was well aware it was meant as an insult.

Aragorn turned to the Dwarf and firmly grabbed his shoulder. "That was not so courteous." His voice was quiet but his tone held a firm sternness that left no doubt about the intent the words were spoken with.

Haldir simply straightened his back, deciding to ignore the insult. Instead, his eyes went to the Hobbits in their midst. His gaze lingered on Frodo with an intensity that made the Hobbit shuffle uncomfortably. "You bring great evil with you," Haldir said as he turned to look at Aragorn. "You can go no further!"

Her heart sank in her stomach. They needed the protection of the Elves. They were in desperate need of rest and a place to grief in peace.

Gyda braced her shoulders and stepped closer to the Ellon. "We've come to seek passage and safety in your home—" Haldir glanced at Gimli. "The dwarf will try his best to steady his breathing." Her jest made Gimli grunt as he crossed his arms over his chest. "They need rest and safety," Gyda continued, eyes drifting towards the trembling Hobbits. Her eyes rested on Frodo, who seemed strangely pale.

Haldir followed her gaze, a knowing flash crossed his expression. Only then did Elgarain realize his mistrust of Gimli was only a ruse meant for his fellow guard members to hide the true reason he couldn't allow them to pass. Lord Elrond must have informed Lady Galadriel of their charge. Who would allow such a dark, mighty object to pass through their kingdom? Elgarain was sure she would have her doubts as well if it was asked of her. Haldir turned to his kinsmen and in hushed voices the elves spoke together. Every now and then one of them glanced with distaste at Gimli.

The Dwarf continued muttering in his own tongue all the while.

"Very well," Haldir spoke at last as he turned to face the Fellowship again. "We will do this, though it is against our liking. If Aragorn and Legolas will guard the Dwarf, and answer for him, he shall pass; but he must go blindfolded through Lothlórien."

Gimli opened his mouth to protest, but Gyda nudged his side roughly. This was the only choice.

Haldir spoke again, suddenly sounding more urgent than before. "But now we must debate no longer. You must not remain on the ground. We have been keeping watch on the rivers, ever since we saw a great troop of Orcs going north towards Moria, along the skirts of the mountains, many days ago. Wolves are howling on the wood's borders. If you have indeed come from Moria, the peril cannot be far behind. Tomorrow early you must go on."

At the mention of the mines, Elgarain felt a tremor tear through her bones. Her heart was aching with the memory of the loss they'd faced.

"The four hobbits shall climb up in the trees and stay with us – we do not fear them! There is another talan in the next tree. There the others must take refuge. You, Legolas, must answer to us for them. Call us, if anything is amiss and have an eye on that dwarf," Haldir instructed.

"Annad, Haldir o Lórien," Aragorn said with a bow of his head.

From the tree to their right, a ladder made of silver rope appeared. One by one the Hobbits made their way up into the trees. They didn't seem all that comfortable with the height, especially Sam. Hobbits, after all, preferred holes in the ground. But the events of the day had clearly drained them to the bone. So, none of them protested at the prospect of getting some rest.

One of the Elves of the Lórien guard took them to the closest Mallorn tree where a similar ladder awaited them. The Ellon gestured for her to go first. With one last look at the others, she made her way up. Aragorn followed her, with Boromir behind him. Next came Gimli, then Gyda and lastly Legolas.

The view from the talan was breathtaking. It appeared as though she was walking atop of the trees, completely surrounded by golden leaves and thick branches. Elgarain searched for a spot near the edge, letting her feet dangle over the edge. Smiling at Gimli's mutterings about "Elvish recklessness". His place was beneath the earth, hers was above it.

With the stars above her and trees surrounding her, Elgarain fell into a restless sleep. Over and over again she was forced to watch the Balrog drag Gandalf to the depths. Soundlessly she screamed as the walls of the mines crumbled and collapsed...With a trembling gasp she opened her eyes. Her cheeks were stained wet with tears, her heart torn apart all over again. To distract herself from the neverending torturous dreams, she reached for her painting equipment. For a moment her hand hovered above the paper. Then she inhaled deeply and the lines began to form.

She started with the pillars that held up the roof, then the bridge with the small but bright figure of the wizard standing upon it. With delicate lines she drew the flames that licked the floor and walls. Finally, she drew the monstrous frame of the demon emerging from out of the fire. Somehow capturing the monster on paper lessened her fear of it. Now that its might and darkness was shaped by her own fingers, she felt like she could slowly heal from the nightmare of those mines.

But she wasn't allowed peace and quiet to grieve. Shrill howls and thundering footsteps disturbed the peaceful forest. Her keen sight focused on the ground far beneath them. Through the branches and leaves she watched the Orcs of Moria appear, teeth bared and lips curled in ugly sneers. They'd finally caught up with them.

The earthy smell of Lothlórien turned foul at their mere presence. All the Elves were on guard, their bows drawn as they closely watched the danger below.

"They have found us," Legolas spoke softly.

Gyda nodded, already having drawn her sword.

Slowly they all reach for their weapons and Elgarian was glad the Hobbits were safe and away from the impending fight. She put her drawing equipment aside and reached for her spear. The moment her fingers curled around the wood, she felt safer, calmer, ready.

They had all awoken from their sleep by now. Even Gimli, who'd been snoring soundly seconds before, now stood wide awake with his ax ready in his hands. At a fast pace, the enemy came closer. The ground shook beneath their heavy footsteps.

The Elves of the Guard moved first, not even having to use the ladder to make their way down from the trees. The orcs snarled with surprise as their attackers jumped at them from seemingly out of nowhere.

"Should I attempt to ask you to stay here?" Gyda asked as she approached Elgarain.

"Perhaps you should but we both know the answer, don't we?" She smiled.

Gyda chuckled with a shrug. "It was worth a try." Then she leaped off the flet, feet hitting the ground. Immediately she crouched down on the ground, her sword digging into the ground to steady herself.

Elgarain turned to look at Aragorn, who was already making his way down the ladder. She clenched her jaw in an attempt to swallow her worries about him fighting with two broken ribs. Still, she knew there was no way she'd be able to convince him to stay here. Just as Gyda couldn't convince her either...

She inhaled deeply before following Gyda down. With a graceful jump, she landed elegantly on the ground, her spear meeting its first victim before she even stood up straight. Her tired limbs ached as she swung her weapon around. But her anger at the loss of their friend fueled her, kept her moving as she brought down her enemies.

All around her she could hear the sound of arrows flying. Both Legolas and the Lothlórien Elves rained down volley after volley upon the Orcs.

With a scream, Elgarain slashed the stomach of a monster charging at her. Its body dropped her feet. She jumped over it and landed before her next victim. The Orc raised his sword at her but she blocked the blow with her spear, then pierced his chest with her knife.

Beside her she could see Gimli's ax glittering in the light of the moon as he slaughtered the foul monsters. Further away from her, Legolas and Gyda were fighting back-to-back, working together perfectly. To her right, Aragorn and Boromir brought down countless numbers of Orcs with mighty hacks of their swords. And all throughout the battlefield she caught flashes of silver as the Elves danced through the chaos.

Slowly the group of orcs thinned. Some tried to flee but the Elves wouldn't let them. They slaughtered every single one.

With gritted teeth Elgarain spun on her feet as she narrowly avoided a blow to the head. Her spear spun between her fingers as she pushed the silver tip down between the Orcs' shoulder blades. The beast roared before falling to his knees. She pulled her spear back and brought it down once again. This time she shattered the Orcs' skull, silencing it forever.

She looked up, green eyes observing who was left standing. One final orc remained. With a howl it charged, right at Aragorn. The Ranger tried to steady himself, slightly limping but holding his sword up despite the pain. Gathering all her strength, Elgarain raised Rilya, drew back her arm and threw the spear. The weapon barreled the air and impaled the chest of the orc with such force, it flew right through the creature and buried the sharp metal tip in a tree.

A trembling breath escaped her lips as silence embraced the forest once again. Aragorn's gaze met hers as she slowly lowered her arm. She could see the gratitude in his eyes but she didn't want it. He shouldn't have been fighting in the first place.

"Gyda? Gyda!"

She spun around, her heart pounding upon hearing the worry in Legolas' voice. Her eyes widened at the sight in front of her. Gyda was stumbling upon her feet as black blood spilled from a nasty gash on her forearm. Elgarain couldn't recall ever seeing her so pale before. It froze her in place, drove all thoughts from her mind and made her feel like crying and screaming all at once.

Gyda swayed and Legolas was at her side with a few large strides. Carefully, almost tenderly, he gathered her in his arms before she would fall on the ground.

"Legolas?" She mumbled, her voice terribly weak.

Then she closed her eyes.

°∴,*⋅✲✦ ( ♕ ) ✦✲⋅*,∴°

𝕬𝐔𝐓𝐇𝐎𝐑'𝐒 𝕹𝐎𝐓𝐄 . . .

A new chapter has arrived! This one is inspired by yet another book scene. Fun fact, Legolas falls out of a tree during this scene in the book. I highly recommend checking it out lol.

While writing this chapter we saw an opportunity for angst and we couldn't let it pass :) Hopefully you guys aren't to mad at me for this plot twist lol. I'd love to hear your thoughts in the comments. Any predictions for what will happen next?

As always, thank you guys so much for your support on this little story of mine. Love you lots and see you in two weeks!

xx Nelly

TRANSLATIONS:

Tarinya (quenya) ― My Queen

Aran (quenya) ― King

Mae govannen, Legolas Thranduilion (sindarin) ― Welcome, Legolas son of Thranduil

Govannas vîn gwennen le, Haldir o Lórien (sindarin) ― Our fellowship stands in your debt, Haldir of Lothlórien

A, Aragorn in Dúnedain istannen le ammen (sindarin) ― Oh, Aragorn of the Dúnedain you are known to us

Mae govannen, Tarí Elgarain. Elen síla lúmenn' omentielvo (sindarin) ― Welcome, Queen Elgarain. A star shines upon the hour of our meeting

Gi suilon, Haldir o Lórien (sindarin) ― I greet you, Haldir of Lothlórien

Ishkhaqwi ai durugnul (khuzdul) ― I spit upon your grave

Annad, Haldir o Lórien (sindarin) ― I give thanks to you, Haldir of Lothlórien

Rilya (quenya)― Glittering

NOTES ON LORE:

Talan ― A talan, also known as a flet, was an open platform built in a Mallorn of Lórien as a living place for the Elves. It was reached by a ladder through an opening in its center.