The remainder of the fellowship ran out of the mines, blinded by the sun. Alannah crumpled onto the rocks and wept, cradling her broken arm as she mourned the man that looked after her as a father would. The hobbits also sat crying on the rocks, their hearts soft and heartbroken as well. Legolas looked at Alannah as he stood frozen, unable to process his own shock. The sight of everyone broken and sobbing was enough to make Legolas consider taking Alannah and leave the fellowship, setting out for his home in the Woodland Realm.
"Legolas." Aragorn called out. "Get them up." He ordered. Legolas looked to his friend and back to the whimpering forms that lay sprawled out across the rocks. He pushed tears from his cheeks as he walked to Alannah, grasping her hand to gently pull her up. Alannah yanked herself away from him and glared into his eyes. Her green eyes pierced angrily into his, warning him to step away from her.
Boromir looked at Alannah's pitiful state and at the rest of the sorrowful group.
"Give them a moment for pity's sake!" Boromir exclaimed desperately. For a moment, he put away all the negative emotions he had felt along the journey about the ring and Alannah as he also felt the grief of losing Gandalf. Aragorn's face looked pained as he pointed in all directions surrounding them.
"By nightfall these hills will be swarming with orcs!" He warned. "We must reach the woods of Lothlorien." He announced as he sheathed his sword. He once again ordered Legolas, Boromir and Gimli to pull the sobbing hobbits and devastated Alannah to their feet.
Legolas knelt beside Alannah and once again grasped her arm. "On your feet, meleth nin." He tried to sound as soft as he could without sacrificing urgency. Tears continued to stream down her face as he began to pull her up to stand.
She allowed him to help her to her feet and hold her for a moment in his arms before pulling away without as much as a glance in his direction. He watched her walk away from him with her shoulder slumped and carrying her broken arm close to her chest, following Aragorn down the side of the mountain towards the woods.
The remainder of the fellowship stayed close to each other as they made their way down the mountain and through the grassy hills. There were only a couple more miles before they would reach Lothlorien, in hopes of being offered some type of protection within the woods. Everyone remained silent except for the hobbits occasional sniffling and whimpers of pain as Alannah made sure she stayed towards the front of the group. Legolas made every attempt to stay near her, even at one point offering to carry her but she refused. He could sense her anger rolling off of her in waves and it was all directed towards him.
An hour passed before they reached the edge of the woods of Lothlorien and Aragorn warned them to enter cautiously. The autumn leaves fluttered lightly to the ground as they entered, only seeming to slow and cease the deeper they walked. Gimli seemed to be the most fearful about the forest, speaking of an elf witch that resided there as he held his axe up defensively. Legolas wasn't as fearful as much as he was just unaware of what to expect as he stayed close to Alannah, grateful that she wasn't putting more distance between them. He knew she was angry at him for pulling her away from Gandalf as he clung to the bridge, but Legolas knew there was no way he could have been saved in time. His priority shifted to making sure that she got out of the mine alive. It also did not help that he didn't give her a moment to mourn before he pulled her to her feet outside, but also, he needed to keep her safe.
Without warning, the fellowship came face to face with arrows drawn at them. Alannah stood behind Legolas who had already quickly pulled his bow, aiming at the elves that stood before them. She was beginning to feel herself grow weak and unable to unsheathe her sword as the pain in her arm grew. She did not feel threatened by them as they looked at each member of the fellowship, even when the head elf's eyes lingered on her for a moment longer before passing to the next person. After a moment, everyone lowered their weapons and they followed them to what looked to be an outpost up high in the trees. When they arrived night had fallen, Haldir, the leader of the elven guards, addressed Legolas by name. Alannah did not understand all that was spoken aside from his name but the language seemed familiar to her as if she had heard it in a dream.
"Mae govannon, Legolas Thranduilion." Haldir spoke as he welcomed the fellow elf. Legolas held a noble and humble posture as he began to speak.
"Govannas vin gwennen le, Haldir o Lorien." Legolas responded. Alannah watched the two curiously as they conversed. Haldir turned to Aragorn, also seemingly familiar with him.
"Aragorn of the Dunedain, istannen le ammen." Haldir welcomed as Aragorn nodded his head.
Gimli was beginning to grow frustrated, unable to understand what was being spoken between them and made it known. Aragorn scolded him, aware that they were at the mercy of Lorien to give them some type of sanctuary wherethey can rest before continuing their travels. Haldir finally turned his attention to Frodo.
"You have brought great evil with you." He stated grimly. "You can go no further."
The fellowship turned to look at Frodo with desperation and pity. Aragorn ordered everyone to stand aside and be quiet as he began to debate with Haldir, presenting his argument and hoping to persuade him to change his mind. Alannah sat off to the side by herself, carefully adjusting the makeshift splint on her broken arm. Legolas stood a few feet away, desperate to reach out to her. He finally settled on moving to stand next to her, satisfied that even though she did not acknowledge him, that he didn't feel the same capacity of anger that she seemed to carry earlier. Boromir had been watching the pair on their way to Lothlorien, the trouble between them obvious and after comforting Frodo, he brazenly came to sit next to Alannah.
She looked at Boromir and back down to her arm as he began to carefully adjust the splints. He nursed her as tenderly as he did her hands beside the river when they travelled to Rivendell together. Legolas could see the pettiness that Boromir had stooped to even though Alannah did not and stepped away from them, annoyed by the sight. He grew agitated as he watched him hold Alannah's hand in his lap as he inspected the damage while thinking of the way she began ignoring and distancing herself from him. Just hours ago she was pulling him to the mine, practically begging him to make love to her and now she wouldn't even look at him.
Legolas almost immediately regretted his frustration with her as she shook her head and scoot her body further away from Boromir. Her head hung, the sounds of soft crying emitting from where she sat. The moon lit the night sky bathing her in a hue of blue, the color of the devastated emotions she was feeling. Boromir also lowered his head, unable to bring himself to console her. Legolas began to walk towards her when Haldir directed for the fellowship to follow him to Caras Galadhon, the elven kingdom ruled by Celeborn and Galadriel, Lady of Light.
The elven realm was nothing like Alannah had ever seen before. The majesty of Rivendell almost paled in comparison to the ethereal qualities it possessed. She was so captivated that at first she didn't even notice that Legolas had taken the chance to walk beside her with his arm her around and his hand resting on her lower back. She looked up at him and softly smiled, feeling guilty for projecting her anger and sorrow onto him. Legolas only nodded slightly as they began to walk up the stairs high into a massive tree to meet with the rulers that had granted them asylum.
When Galadriel and Celeborn descended from their quarters in front of the fellowship, they all stood in collective awe. Literal light seemed to radiate out of her as if she were a glowing star. She spoke to the group and learned of Gandalf's demise and appearing equally as saddened by the circumstances as they were. She invited them to rest and sleep amongst the trees yet carefully looked at Alannah as she spoke. Legolas began to pull Alannah in the direction the other elves were leading them to rest when they both paused in their steps, hearing Galadriel's voice in both of their heads.
"I need to speak with her, dear Legolas. She will rejoin you soon. Alannah, walk with me, sweet child. We must speak." The voice rang in their heads, yet as they watched Galadriel, her mouth did not move. Alannah gulped as she felt Legolas releasing his hand from her and allowed her to walk towards the lady of light.
~
Galadriel carried a large white robe as she escorted Alannah down the steps of the massive tree on a staircase different than the rest of the fellowship departed down. Alannah followed her as they walked through stone paths and into the woods, away from anyone's eyes. They came to stand in front of a hot spring and Galadriel took hold of Alannah's arm, inspecting the wound.
"The bones have already mended, yet it still needs healing. Please disrobe, my child. We will bring you more suitable clothing when you wake." Galadriel nodded her head, assuring Alannah that she was safe from any unwanted gazes. Galadriel set aside Alannah's worn out clothes before helping Alannah to ease her bare body into the warm water. She produced a bottle of cleansing oils from her robes and poured it into her hands before carefully aiding Alannah in bathing. Alannah jumped as her arm tingled slightly, healing before her very eyes. She looked at Galadriel, alarm and question in her mind.
"I presume you do not know." She spoke softly as Alannah pulled her arms around her chest.
"What do I not know?" Alannah questioned, aware that she did have more question than answers. Galadriel smiled as she stepped away from Alannah and brought her hands in front of her.
"Many things child. Your mother and father, Legolas, your destiny."
Alannah furrowed her brow as the woman spoke. She didn't know which question to ask first, her whole life unknown to her. She settled on the one that had haunted her the longest and prayed it would not be the most painful.
"What do you know of my parents?" Alannah asked. A sad look overcame Galadriel's face as she paced slowly around the hot spring.
"Your father was a brave soldier who fought for King Théoden of Rohan. Your mother, an elf maid. Her parents did not approve of their union so they ran. Hid themselves away deep in the woods." Galadriel paused as she looked at the shocked expression that covered Alannah's face.
"Do you know what that means for you?" Galadriel asked. Alannah stammered as she tried to comprehend the words that she heard.
"I'm an elf?" She asked. "How old am I?"
Galadriel smiled softly as she watched Alannah's eyes try to calculate her own age. Alannah tried counting how many summers she had lived through but they all seemed to run together.
"This will be the one thousand, two hundred and ninety seventh autumn you have lived to see." Galadriel answered as she pulled the white robe open and motioned for Alannah to step out of the water. Alannah's shock caused her to forget her modesty as she got out and allowed the woman to dress her. She led her to a nearby bench situated at the base of another massive tree and had her sit down so she could comb the wet tangles out of her hair.
"What happened to them, my parents?" Alannah asked, barely able to bring her voice above a whisper. Galadriel didn't respond at first, only continuing to comb her hair.
"You will remember soon enough. However, it is important that you don't keep living and searching for who you are in the past. Your future is happening now with each step you take. You will have a long life free from sickness and growing decrepit." Galadriel continued. "Elves are of the most fair to walk this earth and you are no exception. It is no surprise that Legolas is fond of you."
Alannah didn't respond as she thought back to how hateful she had been to him since the mines. She closed her eyes tight, trying not to think of the look on Gandalf's face before he fell. The woman seemed almost holy in Alannah's eyes and she held onto her every word, even not going as far as to press her for more information about her parents. Galadriel sat the comb down and moved to stand in front of Alannah in a more serious manner.
"I would regret to not extend an invitation to you to dwell here, in Caras Galadhon." Galadriel looked around at the majestic forest that surrounded them, offering them to her. Alannah sat astonished at everything the woman had said to her in such a short time. In the distance the angelic singing of elves began, adding to the areas ethereal qualities. She thought of the opportunity to have a home and be around people like her, living in peace. Her head said yes but it was her heart that prevented her from speaking the words.
"I thank you, for all of your kindness. I'm sorry that I cannot stay." Alannah finally answered. Galadriel looked at Alannah with understanding before she began to speak again.
"However, I know you will depart in the morning with the rest. A word of caution I must give you." Her face was more serious and grim than Alannah thought possible. The woman's voice was once again inside her head and Alannah locked eyes with her as her words penetrated her mind.
"The fellowship is breaking. He will try to take the ring from Frodo. Mortal men are known for their greed and weakness. You know whom I speak of. Be on your guard and do not stray from the rest of the company."
Galadriel walked away from Alannah, leaving her in the forest alone to reflect on the revelation about herself and her friends. She lounged back into the wooden bench and stared upwards into the tall trees, closing her eyes as the sound of singing and nature comforted her soul.
~
Legolas thanked the Lothlorien elves for setting them up a canopy amongst the trees for the fellowship to sleep in for the night. They also included a section in the back partitioned off for Alannah when she returned. Gimli and the hobbits were all fast asleep underneath their blankets and Boromir and Aragorn were not far off from retiring themselves. He looked around, also in awe of the beautiful elf kingdom, as he had never visited there before. He longed to explore its beauty more and decided to walk around a while before returning for rest for the night. Legolas unbuckled his jerkin and left it beside his cot, satisfied to be able to walk around in his more usual attire.
"I will return shortly, Aragorn." Legolas uttered quietly, taking care not to wake the hobbits that lay nearby. Aragorn nodded as he stretched out onto his cot, exhaustion finally taking him into a deep sleep.
Legolas wondered through the elven city, each turn and stair case leading to a new beautiful sight. Even though it was dark outside and the sky was pitch black, the city seemed to glow from within, casting a soft light in every direction. As captivated as he was with his surroundings, Legolas's mind kept thinking of Alannah and how he wished she was holding his arm as he strolled through the trees. Her loss had taken its toll on her after losing Gandalf, and he desperately wished to hold her in his arms to lend some comfort. As he walked further away from the camp, he saw Galadriel approach him holding a small pouch with a drawstring pulled tight.
"These are not a gift, they already belong to you." Galadriel handed over the pouch to Legolas, who now bore a confused look on his face. He bowed his head slightly in gratitude as he began to pull the strings to reveal the contents. Galadriel stopped him by covering his hand with her own.
"After I've left you." She smiled as she let her hand drop from his. "She is just down the path from which I've departed." Galadriel gestured behind her with her arm and began to walk back to retire for the night. Legolas looked at the pouch curiously and emptied its contents into his hand. Four rings lay in his palm, two silver betrothal rings and two gold wedding rings. His eyes widened and he felt his heart leap as he turned to look at the lady of light. She had vanished amidst the trees leaving only the light of her presence behind her.
Alannah opened her eyes and looked down at her once broken arm, trailing her fingers over the bruised skin. The pain was not nearly as great as it once was, now only feeling as if she had a sprain. The sound of footsteps alerted Alannah that someone was approaching and she sat up on the bench, not sure who to expect.
Legolas slowly walked around the tree and paused when he saw Alannah sitting on the bench. She looked more like an elf than ever in the white robe, as if she had dwelled in Lothlorien her whole life. He approached her softly, praying he did not interrupt her from her solitude.
"May I sit with you?" He asked as he gestured to the bench. She nodded and watched him as he took the space beside her. They sat in silence together for a moment before he gently moved to hold her hand.
"I did not mean to be so harsh to you. My anger was misplaced." Alannah felt she was going to cry once again, only to sigh against his shoulder after realizing she simply couldn't cry anymore.
"You need not apologize, meleth nin." Legolas pulled her close and kissed her lips softly. She clung to the feeling of his lips against hers as he pulled away and brushed her hair off of her shoulder.
"You knew." Alannah stated as she looked into his blue eyes. Legolas realized why Galadriel had taken her away and feared she would be angry with him.
"I did. It was only out of the respect I have for Gandalf that I did not tell you myself. Forgive me." He pressed his forehead to hers and closed his eyes. Alannah played with a lock of his blonde hair, twisting it in her fingers. She began to feel happiness again, perhaps for the first time since they lay in the field together when he was supposed to be teaching her archery. She smiled as she turned around to lay on her back, resting her head in his lap so she could look at his ageless face.
"You know, before you told me you were older than the trees we were surrounded by. Perhaps I'm the older of the two." She said playfully. Legolas smiled as he ran his fingers through her hair.
"Doubtful little elf. How old are you then?" He questioned, now more curious to know the answer.
"One thousand two hundred and ninety seven." She answered, still trying to understand how she had lived so long with no memory of the years passing. Legolas laughed out loud, causing Alannah to sit up and face him.
"I am still many more years older than you." He closed the space between them and looked at her with a more serious gaze. He held the pouch in front of him where Alannah could see it. She looked at him questioningly as he plucked two silver rings from it and put the pouch in the pocket of his tunic.
"I wish to marry you, meleth nin. I pledge my heart to you. When this is all over and Sauron is defeated, I want you to come with me, back to the Woodland Realm."
Alannah took one of the silver rings in his hand and looked at it as she turned it over in her fingers. It seemed like it was just yesterday that she was locked away in Minas Tirith, far away from any chance at life or love. She looked up at the elf that sat in front of her and slid the silver ring on his finger.
"I will go everywhere you go, meleth nin." She responded. Legolas smiled as he put the silver ring on her finger and moved his hand to brush away a tear from her eye that she had not realized was there.
"When we arrive to my home in the Woodland Realm, we'll exchange these for gold rings and by the next sunrise we'll be joined as one." He kissed her again deeply, holding her close to him by the small of her back. She leaned into his body and he could feel the exhaustion in her.
"We should return for the night. We leave at sunrise." He stood and offered her his arm, escorting his betrothed back to the canopy with the rest of the fellowship.
Everyone was sleeping soundly as they stepped into their section of the woods. Legolas walked Alannah to her cot, separated from everyone else by a green tapestry. Legolas kissed her and turned to leave but was pulled back before he could reach the partition.
"Stay with me." Alannah whispered as she pulled him into her embrace. Legolas gently parted her lips with his tongue, devouring her mouth as he laid her on the soft padding on the floor of the forest. It was difficult not to touch her, desperate to feel her bare skin under his fingertips as he trailed his fingers down her neck. He lay on top of her, unashamed of his hardness as he pressed his body into hers. She whispered his name into his ear as she kissed his cheeks, slowly leading down his neck. Legolas allowed his hand to open the top of her robe so he could gaze at her bare breasts. She moaned softly as began to trace his tongue over her now hardened nipple. He took her other breast in his hand and began to knead it in his hand, eliciting another moan from her lips. He pulled back to look at her for any sign of hesitance as she smiled beneath him. He almost pulled off their silver rings and replace them with the gold, ready to join their bodies in matrimony before Gimli's snoring resumed, roaring through the canopy.
Legolas and Alannah began to laugh as he moved to lay beside her, tying her robe closed before cradling her head into his shoulder.
"Sleep, Alannah." Was all he needed to say before she drifted off into dreams unknown.