Of Futures Past (Legolas)

5

Some days later, Alana awoke to see the infuriating Mirkwood prince sitting by her bed, and she pettily turned her face back into the covers, hoping he wouldn't know she'd woken up. Alana knew her grudge against the prince was very childish, but she couldn't bring herself to attempt to forgive him. 

They had first met in the forest of Mirkwood, when Alana had aided Gandalf in another quest, accompanied by thirteen dwarves and Bilbo Baggins, and once again Gandalf had been separated from them. 

Alana followed the dwarves with a deep frown on her face. They were all idiots, having already lost the path, and as she could not bring them back, she had to follow them and was now also lost.

"We were fools to leave the path. I do not know my way around these woods." Alana grumbled.

"Stop complaining, she elf." Thorin replied, though she had come to accept the insult as a term of endearment as he had a sparkle in his eye whenever he used it. Alana huffed goodnaturedly.

Soon, they stopped, and waited for Bilbo to climb a tree and tell them where East was. Suddenly, a vision came upon Alana, much slower than usual due to the darkness looming over Mirkwood that dulled her senses.

"Look out for the spiders!" Alana yelled. Only moments after she'd warned them, ginormous spiders began to surround them all in the trees. 

Soon enough, Alana had been stabbed by one of the spiders' stingers and was rolled up in its web, barely breathing.

It seemed to her a longer time before Bilbo cut her loose and she was shaken free of cobwebs, and soon afterwoods, the elves arrived.

Led by a handsome, tall ellon with a regal bearing, the spiders were slain and the dwarves rounded up.

"Why does an elleth travel with a company of dwarves?" The handsome elf had asked. "What is your business here?"

"I am Princess Alana of Lothlorien, but it is not I who leads our company." Alana replied, holding her head high.

The elf, eyes wide with shock, bent down to kiss Alana's hand, to the sound of guffaws and gags from the dwarves who were currently being manhandled and stripped of weapons. "It is a pleasure, my lady Alana. I am Prince Legolas of the Woodland Realm."

Alana frowned, eyes flashing angrily and cheeks flushed. "I do not find it befitting that I am treated such a way while my companions are treated as poorly as they are."

Legolas returned the discontented look. "You are a princess of our kind, they are mere dwarves. They have no loyalty, so we have no respect to give them."

"I beg your pardon? I have never met a more loyal group in my life." Alana argued, hands clenching into fists.

"Then you have seen very little of the world. You are too young to understand." Legolas replied evenly, moving his attention to the new prisoners.

"You know nothing of what I have seen, Prince Legolas." Alana spat out the title vengefully.

"I know enough from this brief meeting. You think too highly of whatever experience you may have."

"Do not for a second believe I am glad for the memories I have, for I would much rather be as blind to the world as you say." Alana gritted her teeth, trying to hold back tears at the memories that were overtaking her. She took an angry step towards Legolas, but stumbled, the drowsiness from the spider sting finally hitting her. 

Legolas caught her by the arm, steadying her. Alana glared at him, her pride aching at having to be helped by this prince who had upset her so. She pulled away from him angrily, but nearly fell over, so the exasperated prince picked her up, much to her protests, and along with the other elves and the now shackled dwarves, started the journey to the centre of Mirkwood.

Later, after Thorin had been thoroughly interrogated and his objective made clear, Legolas accompanied Alana to the infirmary, for they couldn't very well throw the princess of Lothlorien in prison.

"You are a fool for helping them enter that mountain." Legolas said.

"Do not call me a fool. There are great benefits to this quest for all races, and it has been approved by both Lord Elrond and Gandalf the Grey. It is Gandalf who assigned me to this quest. Do you doubt their wisdom?" Alana asked irritably.

"No, only yours. They are old enough to understand the dangers of such a quest, you are naive for believing their hopes are enough to guarantee your success." Legolas replied with no emotion, though the annoyance he felt at the much younger elf was clear.

"You do not know me. I know the odds of success better than anyone. I possess the gift of foresight, do not doubt my understanding of the future." 

Legolas sighed, not fully out of annoyance but also out of pity. "Visions are no substitute for true experience. You cannot know the depths of the pain that will come to pass until you have felt it."

Alana pressed her lips together. "I will say this only one more time, do not pretend to know anything about me. I have suffered as every creature suffers, and I will not have you call it insignificant."

The rest of the conversation had been quite circular, and soon, much to both of their relief, a guard had arrived to watch over Alana so Legolas could leave. Now, Alana was in the same room as that pretentious elf who had underestimated her and wounded her as well as her pride, having had to be taken by him once again to be healed. 

Alana waited quite a while before she heard the door open again.

"Has she woken yet?" It was Aragorn, his voice rather tired.

"Yes, I believe she may have awoken some time ago, but is pretending to be asleep." Legolas replied and Alana felt her face burn at being caught, though she did not move.

"What a shame, if she were up I would have told her the news about Gandalf, but I suppose I must come back later then, if she does not wish to speak." Aragorn said, directed to the girl in the bed. Begrudgingly, Alana sat up and opened her eyes, still slightly red-faced in embarrassment.

"What has happened to Gandalf?" Alana asked.

"He has returned, it seems Saruman has joined the enemy. I believe he will tell you the full story himself once he hears you have awoken." Aragorn answered, then added, "It would be much more polite of you not to ignore Legolas after he saved your life and has waited by your side day and night to make sure you are well."

Alana felt her mouth drop a little and she looked to the side in a conflicting mixture of shame, shock, and annoyance. "I... suppose you are right, as usual, Aragorn."

Aragorn chuckled at her, sharing a look with Legolas. "I am glad to see you better, Alana. I must go check on Frodo now."

And with that, Aragorn left the two elves alone in the healing room.