"Alannah! Come to me, child." Gandalf called out to Alannah by the river. He propped his staff against a tree and waited as she timidly walked out from the thick foliage behind him, plopping herself in the dirt next to him. Her hair hung in wet curls around her shoulders, drenching the tunic that she had quickly pulled on a few moments ago.
"Legolas saw me." She spoke quietly, keeping her head down to hide her embarrassment. Gandalf chuckled, causing her to look at him confused and irritated.
"What was the use of this charade if you weren't going to make sure no one found out?" She asked demandingly. Gandalf gave her a stern look, reminding her to keep her calm.
"Before we left Rivendell, when this fellowship assembled to embark, do you think some of the men up there would have agreed that you join on such a journey?" He picked up a pebble near his feet, rubbing the smooth stone over with his thumb before carelessly tossing it into the river. Alannah thought for a moment before shaking her head, knowing full well that most, if not all of them would have opposed the idea.
"Precisely. You're here now and they've seen you can keep up as well as the best of them." Gandalf's brow furrowed, thinking back to each man. "You may garner some grief from the dwarf but pay him no mind, surely he can't resist travelling with someone as fair as you my dear."
Gandalf began to chuckle as he nudged her with his foot, bringing forth a small laugh from her as well.
"And Boromir?" Alannah asked curiously. "What did he say?"
Gandalf huffed. "What he says does not matter. He is a good friend to you, I know, but he is not your keeper." The two sat in silence once again, listening to the gentle babbling of the water that flowed past them. Alannah rested in the peacefulness of her surroundings, wishing that they could stay there longer.
"I know." Gandalf said as he stood, placing his weight on his staff and extending his hand to help Alanah off the ground.
The pair slowly walked back up the hill, Alannah staying close behind him. She dreaded returning to the camp to face Legolas, as well as the rest of her companions. She hurried over to the hobbits, sitting next to them as they devoured their food. Sam kindly offered her a plate, surprised at the sudden revelation of her true self.
"You should eat, ma'am." He stammered. "We've had our fill." Alannah accepted the plate and quietly thanked him. She nibbled on a small bite of sausage as she became more acquainted with the friendly hobbits, careful not to look in Legolas's direction.
Soon, the sun began to set and it became apparent they would camp there. The hobbits all laid close together appearing as children as they drifted to sleep. Alannah was not yet tired and made her way over to the rest of the group, taking deep breaths as she approached them.
Aragorn had fallen asleep at the edge of camp, away from everyone else as well as Boromir. Gandalf sat on the same rock, smoking his pipe weed as Legolas stood perched on a high rock still keeping watch. He barely allowed himself to look over his shoulder as he heard her small footsteps approach and stop next to Gandalf.
"Gandalf?" Alannah asked, jerking the wizard out of a meditative state.
"Did you need something Alannah? I'm sure the hobbits have a spare blanket if you're growing cold." He gestured to the pony, before reclining back onto the rock to enjoy a slumber himself. "And if you're restless, I'm sure Legolas would make for some good company." He rolled over to his side, facing away from Alannah before she could protest. She turned and looked at the elf, still scanning the horizon for potential threats.
Legolas acted as if he did not to hear the wizard's request, continuing his watch over the land as Alannah cautiously walked over to join him on the boulder. He was not nervous to be around her, instead felt a kind of soothing emotion wash over him as she quietly stood next to him. Alannah kept herself at arm's length of the elf, remaining silent as his eyes darted across the growing darkness of the land. The last glow of the setting sun brought forth a glowing blue night sky, revealing the many stars that hung high above them.
"Do you see anything?" Alannah asked quietly, as not to disturb her sleeping companions. Legolas looked at her from the corner of his eye and back out into the dark land.
"The land lays quiet, yet is still full of life." He answered quietly. He turned to her and motioned for her to join the space beside him. "You are friends with Gandalf?" He asked raising his eyebrow questioningly.
"I've known him most of my life." She answered. "It seems he knows more about me than I know about myself." She glanced at the sleeping wizard and smiled. "Yet, I hold no frustration toward him. He's always been a good friend."
"He is." Legolas responded. He listened as the small gusts of wind sang through the deep valleys, echoing through the mountains where they stood. He wrestled with the thought of revealing to her the truth he learned about her, a pain overwhelming his spirit at the thought of an half elf dying a mortal death knowing they could choose an immortal life. He realized it was not his place to reveal something so personal to someone he barely knew, turning his attention to her.
"Forgive me, for earlier. I meant no intrusion." Legolas spoke quietly. He placed his hand across his chest as he did in Rivendell, extending his apologies to her. Alannah felt her cheeks burn with embarrassment as his eyes looked up to meet hers. The tension between them was palpable, yet comfortable.
"I'd rather not speak of it again." Alannah replied softly, Legolas bowing slightly at her request. He turned back to the horizon, scanning back and forth silently with her by his side. The night sky was finally blanketed in pitch darkness with only the last few embers of the fire illuminating the rest of the company. The colder the night grew, the more the two found themselves moving closer to the other.
Alannah looked over her shoulder to where she knew Boromir lay, sensing his hurt pride and growing agitation since they left Rivendell. She was unsure if anyone else had noticed, but she worried the ring Frodo carried was affecting him in some way. Legolas watched her as she looked away from their view, finding himself longing to be the object of her gaze. He felt caution in his heart concerning the man, as to why he was unsure. Alannah turned back around, rubbing her hands together to keep herself warm. Her eyes began to grow heavy, having little sleep since they left Minas Tirith.
"You should rest, we continue East at dawn." Legolas gently placed his hand on her shoulder, satisfied that he has made contact with her for the first time all night. Alannah nodded as she turned and walked nearest the hot coals of the fire.
The ground was hard and cold, a far cry from any bed she had ever slept in. She tossed and turned until she finally curled into a ball, her eyes constantly drifting to Legolas. Alannah was drawn to him and unable to stop looking at him every few minutes. She knew she was attracted to him, and suddenly she realized that she didn't mind that he saw her bathing in the river. Boromir shifted in his sleep, catching her attention. Her heart sank when she looked back at Legolas, his freedom adorning him like a crown. She knew she belonged to no one, yet that is what she feared. Her aloneness in the world filling her heart with sadness as she drifted to sleep.
Legolas listened to her breathing across the camp until he heard her begin to breathe a soft, steady rhythm. He scanned the area one more time before descending the rock and silently walking to stand over her. Legolas quietly watched her sleep and wondered if she dreamed and if so, what would it be of? She shivered as the cold wind blew up into the mountain, causing her hair to flutter around her face as she pulled her knees tighter to her chest. He quietly side stepped over her to the pony to retrieve the blanket and carefully wrapped it around her sleeping form. Legolas smiled as he walked back to the boulder for his watch, counting the minutes until he would see her green eyes open again at morning light.
Alannah fell into a deep sleep shortly after she left Legolas to his watch, not realizing how fatigued she really was. Conflicting thoughts swirled in her head, unable to put the pieces of her past, present and future together as she slipped into a dream.
~~~~"Naneth?" A child like voice called out. Her small feet softly walked over soft leaves on the forest floor, her white night gown barely grazing the tops of her bare feet. The worn path amongst the grass was familiar to her as she followed its winding path through the trees. She could barely make out the small cottage where she was sure her mother would be waiting for her. They were just in the woods picking flowers before delving into a game of hide and seek. She would follow the soft melody of her mother's voice as she sung an angelic tune to find her hiding behind a tree ready to wrap her arms around her small body. This time was different, the song abruptly ended, leaving her alone. The door was slightly ajar as her small hand reached up to push it the rest of the way open, a metallic scent wafting into her nostrils, only to be yanked back forcefully by an entity unknown. ~~~~~
"Naneth.." Alannah softly whimpered as she began to writhe under the blanket. It was not yet dawn, the sun not yet cresting above the horizon. Legolas heard her nightmare and quickly sprinted down from the rock to sit beside her, quietly calling to Gandalf to wake him. The wizard stirred awake and settled his sleepy eyes on the two of them. He grabbed his staff and quickly made his way to them, kneeling beside Legolas.
"She weeps in her dreams, Gandalf. What torments her?" Legolas whispered as he gently took her hand into his, petting it softly to calm her. Gandalf pushed the hair back as her face winced from the heartbreak of her dreams.
"It's always the same dream. Alannah is working it out on her own. The memory will flee her when she wakes." Gandalf stated as he positioned himself against a nearby rock. Legolas furrowed his brow, feeling his own heart breaking at the sight. Alannah's face slowly rested as she moved to rest her head on Legolas's lap. He placed his hand on her shoulder, not daring move less he interrupt her respite from the terrors that plagued her mind.
The sun finally rose, illuminating the makeshift camp. As Aragorn and Boromir began to rouse from their sleep, Legolas gently shook Alannah's shoulder to wake her. Instead she moved closer into his arms, unaware of whose embrace she was in while she was still in her half-awake state. Legolas looked at her curiously and smiled, wishing he could stay there and watch her sleep a little while longer. He finally leaned down and spoke in her ear, hoping to calmly wake her.
"Alannah..." He spoke softly, watching her eyes open slightly revealing glimpses of her green eyes. She quickly moved away from him, her cheeks red from her embarrassment. Legolas stood and helped her stand from the ground, nodding to her as he turned and helped Gandalf wake the hobbits. Alannah retrieved the crumpled blanket that lay on the ground and packed it into the saddle bags of the pony as she tried to piece together how she ended up in Legolas's lap, his arm around her. She paused and pulled her hair to her nose, the scent of fresh woods that she only smelled when he was near.