Return to our Destiny.

24. Lothlórien

The Fellowship exits Moria. Boromir has set Frodo down to shift his attention to the mad Dwarf fighting to get back in so he can fight more. But the Dwarf wants to vent out his rage and sorrow. Thilia is just as angry as he is, but she's got more self-control. "Uailh Iemne! Yu hoxu adoot nhels na yattol odain!" she snapped at him, and he sat heavily defeated. Merry consoles Pippin, who lies crying. 

(Translation: Enough Gimli! We have other things to worry about!)

Legolas wears a look of shock and disbelief; the immortal elf's eyes show puzzlement. He then moves to Thilia who is trying to get up, but she's unbalanced with her possibly broken arm and wing. "No, don't get up!" Legolas says as he makes her sit again. Sam sits on the ground, bows his head onto his hands, and begins to weep. Aragorn wipes his sword clean, sheathes it, and turns to the others. 

He sees Thilia and moves over to her using his cloak, which was folded up and bunched across his body as a makeshift sling for her arm and wing. "I'm sorry I can't do more," he says as he and Legolas help her up, "I don't expect much with the little healing equipment we have," she said and he nodded, turning to Legolas, Thilia says, "Legolas, get them up." he nods. "Give them a moment, for pity's sake!" Boromir snaps and Thilia knows they have to get moving.

So, she makes her point, albeit very aggressive, but he started it, "By nightfall these hills will be swarming with Orcs! We must reach the woods of Lothlórien." she then moves over to Boromir and with her good arm, pats his arm, "I didn't want to get mad," she said and he shook his head, "I know," he said as he carefully touched her cheek, "Are you okay?" he asked in regards to her arm and wing, "I'll be okay," she said as she leaned her forehead against his. 

"Now come," she said to him before turning to her brother and Gimli, "Legolas, Gimli, get them up." Aragorn had moved over to Sam and helped the sad hobbit onto his feet, "On your feet Sam." But when he couldn't find Frodo, he started to panic, "Frodo? Frodo!" Aragorn called while looking around, Thilia looked around and she too could feel the same fear but then when she saw Frodo a few feet ahead of them, she relaxed.

"Aragorn!" she called, and the Ranger turned to look at her then she pointed to where Frodo was, Frodo stood alone upon the hillside. Weeping silently, he turns towards Aragorn, a single tear running down his chin. 

***

Chortling, icy blue water gurgles across the dale. Aragorn runs up onto a rock. Framed against a deep blue sky, he looks past the mountains to the greengold woods beyond. The Fellowship jogs across a grassy field, halting under the leaves of a forest of tall trees. Thilia at the back because of her wounds and because of her ability to breath fire, it would be perfect as both leaders now lead and protected the party from the front and back.

Once they got into the trees, Gimli ushered the Hobbits ahead of him, "Stay close, young Hobbits! They say that a great sorceress lives in these woods, an Elf-witch, of terrible power. All who look upon her, fall under her spell..." Frodo, startled, looks around. Thilia noticing it moved to where he stood, "...and are never seen again." Gimli finished, "Gimli stop freaking them out, only ill-informed people actually believe those old rumours." Thilia said, 

Frodo halts in his tracks: a pair of eyes flash through his head. Thilia set her good hand on his shoulder and is even more worried about him now, he looks up at her and smiles softly to try and calm her, "I'm alright," he says, "Mister Frodo," Sam called as the group was get ahead, "Well, here is one Dwarf she won't ensnare so easily. I have the eyes of a hawk and the ears of a fox!" Gimli says before an arrow, notched, appears before his face. "Oh..." he gasps, 

Other bows at the ready appear around the Fellowship, Thilia uses her good wing to shield Frodo while the same side arm wraps around him. Her head darts from side to side to keep every weapon pointed at them in sight. Legolas has his own bow out. The Fellowship looks around, alarmed. A tall, golden-haired Elf appears. "The dwarf breathes so loud; we could have shot him in the dark." the leader says and Gimli growls in offence.

***

The Fellowship stands on a platform in the rustling foliage, Thilia sits heavily on the ground with Frodo and the other Hobbits near her, Boromir is speaking with a nearby elf asking for medical supplies. When the elf looks at Thilia, it's obvious that she's injured and nods saying he'll find what he can, Haldir then greets them. "Mae govannen, Legolas Thranduilion." (Welcome Legolas, son of Thranduil.)

Legolas greets back, "Govannas vîn gwennen le, Haldir o Lórien." (Our Fellowship stands in your debt, Haldir of Lórien.) Haldir then glances at Aragorn who came up beside Legolas. "A, Aragorn in Dúnedain istannen le ammen." (Oh, Aragorn of the Dúnedain, you are known to us.) "Haldir." Aragorn greets, Gimli gets impatient and annoyed, "So much for the legendary courtesy of the Elves! Speak words we can also understand!"

Haldir looks at him and is more than welcome to meet the Dwarf's hostility, with polite speech filled with the same hostility, "We have not had dealings with the Dwarves since the Dark Days." Gimli growls and steps forward, Thilia quickly ask the Hobbits to help her up, "And you know what this Dwarf says to that? Ishkhaqwi ai durugnul!" (I spit upon your grave!) Thilia now on her feet grabs Gimli, "Vhon yos an sa taitnuais." (That was not so courteous.) she growls, 

Turning to Haldir, she sets her hand over her heart, "I apologize for his rudeness," he nods accepting her apology, she turns back to Gimli, "We have no time for your distaste of elves, we did things your way when you wanted to go to Moria, now stop being a child and keep an eye on the Hobbits," she snapped and he sneered at her, Boromir stopped the Dwarf from further argument by cutting him off when he came back to Thilia with better healing tools.

Frodo moving to grab things from Thilia's bag was looked at by Haldir, "You bring great evil with you." before looking back at Aragorn, "You can go no further." He walks away. Sam and Pippin turn to look at Frodo. He looks slightly uncomfortable. Thilia calls to Frodo softly, he moves over to her with her wineskin that he'd gone to get and kneels beside her, "Don't let their looks bother you, it will only make what you're already doing even harder," she said, and he nodded.

He was very grateful for Thilia, she made him feel better with her words and presence. Leaning her head back on Boromir's pack, she winced and lifted her head, "Nope," she said, and Frodo tried not to laugh at the funny face she made out of the pain in her wing and arm. "Here hold still so I can wrap everything better." Boromir said as he helped her sit up, he moved to work on her wing first seeing as it took more surface damage,

He barely touched it, and she was leaping to her feet, "Nope, nuh-uh," she said as she tried to run from him, the Hobbits laughed softly as her childish behavior didn't match the badass fighter they'd known most of the journey till now. Boromir chasing her didn't help the atmosphere either. When Boromir had finally stopped her, it was with the help of Merry and Pippin the two Hobbits having grabbed a leg each and hugging them with arms and legs.

She stopped moving to keep from squishing them, but as she was about to use her good arm to pull on of them off, Frodo grabbed her arm and gave her puppy-dog eyes, and it distracted her long enough for Boromir to wrap her wing. She roared in pain, and it echoed quite a bit, but she was getting the healing attention she needed. Her antics almost drowned out Aragorn's arguing with Haldir.

"Boe ammen veriad lîn. Andelu i ven!" (We need your protection. The road is fell!) Aragorn argued. Haldir's whisper back was inaudibly. "Merin le telim." (I wish we may come with you.) Aragorn said back a bit softer, Haldir answered quietly again so that only Aragorn can hear his words. "Henio, aníron boe ammen i dulu lîn!" (Please, understand, we need your support!) Aragorn continues to argue loudly with Haldir.

"Andelu i ven." (The road is very dangerous.) Boromir talking as he wraps Thilia's arm draws Frodo's attention, "Gandalf's death was not in vain... nor would he have you give up hope. You carry a heavy burden, Frodo... don't carry the weight of the dead." Frodo ponders this. Haldir appears, looking less than happy. "You will follow me." A caravan of Elves leads the Fellowship along a ridge, through the golden woods. 

Boromir glances at Frodo behind him. The group comes to the end of the high ridge and looks out. A great glade of trees rises above them. "Caras Galadhon... the heart of Elvendom on earth. Realm of the Lord Celeborn and of Galadriel, Lady of Light."