Within Dreams [A Legolas love story]

Bad Tidings

"Is she okay?" Legolas whispered from somewhere beside me.

"We do not know yet," said another voice I didn't recognize. "Apart from falling in the enchanted stream as a mortal, she hit her head on the stones. She may not wake."

Legolas was silent.

The door burst open, and Thranduil strode in. "Oh, Gianna," he said, sighing.

"She can hear us," Legolas said softly. "I see her eyes moving under her eyelids. But she does not wake."

"The dreams induced by magic are rarely tame," the other voice said gravely.

But I could hear them! I wanted to answer them, but suddenly a collective breath was drawn around the room.

"What happenes if she fades in this state?" Legolas asked, concerned.

Clearly he had told the other elf about my "condition", as he sounded unperturbed when he answered,

"I believe we are about to find out," he said.

I woke up, gasping for breath. 

Oh, God. 

What was that? Did I go back? 

I thought I....no, I couldn't have. I would remember, wouldn't I? I shivered. My feet were cold. My blankets lay in a twisted pile next to my bed. 

Nightmares much? I thought bitterly. My head was pounding. I staggered out of bed and downed two aspirin, quickly washing my face before heading downstairs. It was a Saturday, and I could hear the familiar sounds of bacon frying. My stomach grumbled petulantly as I cavorted down the stairs.

"Hello, love," my mum greeted warmly as I entered our kitchen.

"Morning," I yawned, smoothing back my unruly dark hair.

I sprinkled a bit of food in Pip's bowl. He was the goldfish I had had since I was eight. I swear this fish is immortal.

I closed my eyes for a bit, thinking. My head still hurt.

"We thought we'd go hiking today," came the voice of my dad from his position at the computer. "What do you think?"

"Hmm?" I said distractedly. "Oh, hiking? Sure!"

I meandered over to the table and downed a few pancakes with excessive butter and syrup, and was about to cram in a bacon when my mum shot me a disapproving glare. I grinned and swallowed, with difficulty.

A few hours later, I was nestled in the back seat of our minivan with my blanket, looking at the spindly pines that emerged as we scaled the steep mountain roads. The sky was a perfect azure blue, and the few clouds that were in the sky scuffed quickly by. 

"Are we there yet?" I whined. I knew my dad rolled his eyes.

"A few more hours, you mongoose," my dad laughed back.

I set my forehead against the alpine-chilled glass, looking at the world spin by.

I was kinda tired.

Not a lot of...

Sleep.

I gasped. I sat down, hard, on a cold boulder. The trees around me were familiar. Greenwood....Luckily, I didn't wind up on the bridge.

Wait.

Everything suddenly came rushing back towards me. I had dreamed of Greenwood last night, and had landed on one of the thin stone bridges in Thranduil's palace. Whereas I used to always materialise in my clearing, I rarely did anymore. All the messed up times and places were throwing me off, and I missed seeing Faewyn's flet on the way to the heart of the forest. I sighed, and propped myself up on the chilly granite. The air smelt of fall, and a few of the leaves were hinting at gold.

I pushed myself up, and looked around, heading towards the river. As I walked, though, I began to feel rather dizzy. Maybe the aspirin was wearing off? Wait, but if I fell off the bridge, who found me? 

Pondering these thoughts, I ended up meandering towards Faewyn's flet, treading the familiar path. A short whistle distracted me, and I looked to see one of her "friends" perched up on a tree. A single black patch was over his wing, like an ink stain. The wind rustled, whispering softly. My head had begun to pound. Maybe Faewyn had found me? That would make sense, I reasoned. Except I fell...in the palace. Oh, that would be so awkward if Legolas found me. I shuddered at the thought.

My teeth chattered, although I was not cold, and sweat formed on my forehead. I feverishly quickened my pace, pushing though the branches distractedly, thinking only of reaching my friend's flet. My eyesight was blurry, so I didn't see...

Ow.

I ran into something solid. Very solid. Actually extremely comfortable. Hmm. What was..Oh, oh, this was awkward. I felt someone pick me up, gently, and say quietly, "Oh, Eru,"

I looked up into the face of Legolas.

I blinked, feeling my eyelids peel open. My forehead was hot, but my lips chattered, still. I tried to breathe, but my breath caught on my parched throat. I must have whimpered, because the lamp flared, and someone bent over me to drip water into my mouth. I fell into a kind of vague stupor, but I could see and hear everything quite well. Someone had entered the room, I thought, and then left. Maybe they dropped something off? My tired body pulled me into slumber.

Finally, I kicked off the blanket, feeling warm, but not hot, as I had. There was a small light in the distance, and the lamp from the last time was dormant, flickering low in it's enclosure.

I sat up, and felt a pang of hunger. What was I even doing here?

Everything came back, then. Didn't I run into...Yep. Oh. HOLD ON. HE PICKED ME UP?

Yeah, he did. 

Okay, calm down.

"How are you feeling?" asked a quiet voice from beside me.

I flinched, turning toward the person. It was Legolas, who was motionlessly standing in the corner of the room.

"I'm better, I suppose. Thank you for asking." I answered, feeling self-conscious. No doubt my hair looked like a bee's nest, and I probably looked paler than the sheet I was holding. I knew from experience.

"You were unconscious," he explained, with a wry smile. "You must have hit your head quite hard."

"When I fell off the bridge?" I asked.

"Yes," Legolas answered. "Our healers looked at the wound, but you were fading."

"Forgive me," I mumbled. 

Why did I have to fade so inconveniently?

"Don't be sorry," he answered, amused. "But I'm glad I found you when I did. Apparently you keep everything, even your injuries, upon returning to our realm."

"I thought I found you," I muttered sardonically. More like I fell on him.

Legolas smiled. "That you did," he conceded.

I thought about that interesting encounter. Just...bumping into him...and then I fainted... And he carried me. Oh goodness. Legolas probably thought I was some sort of damsel in distress.

I blushed.

"You have no fault in your injuries," Legolas answered. Apparently I had spoken aloud.

Oops.

"Of course I don't think you're a damsel in distress," he continued, with a witty gleam in his eyes.

I knew my face was redder than a bowl of tomato soup.

"I didn't mean to intrude," I whispered. 

Oh, why could I not fade at will? It would be so convenient.

"You didn't intrude," he insisted, looking vaguely surprised at my thought.

"Didn't your father..." I started, but Legolas explained that he had gone out just that morning to Laketown, and would be back in half a fortnight.

I nodded, sitting back against the pillows.

"Are you hungry?" he asked kindly. When I nodded again, he silently stepped out of the room, and I was left looking at the ornate ceiling.