(I DO NOT OWN ANY CHARACTERS BUT MY OWN WHICH ARE ARINELLE, GALDORIM, ARITHIEL, MERLIN AND CASTIAN, PLEASE NO ONE STEAL MY CHARACTERS AND IF YOU WISH TO USE THEM IN YOUR OWN STORIES OR BASE A STORY OFF MY OWN PLEASE OH PLEASE MESSAGE ME, THANK YOU AND PLEASE ENJOY!)
Elvish Tongue-Italics
Telepathic Conversations-Bold
Regular Conversations-Normal
Flashbacks-Bold and Italics
ARINELLE'S POV.
(A Few Days Later)
Our journey took us from the familiar paths of Rivendell into an vast and unfamiliar wild.My heart ached as we drew farther and farther away from my only known home, yet, being with those I cared for made it a bit more bearable.
We now traveled through a large and widely vast valley, full of tall grass, rocks, and cliffs that could send you to your doom with one wrong move. The hobbits were doing surprisingly well considering they weren't used to such treks across a large distance. Pippin stayed mostly around me, I had come to look at him as a child of mine or a little brother while Merry would talk a lot with Aragorn and Boromir about fighting and battles. Sam stayed near his pony Bill and Frodo mostly stayed close to Gandalf. I was actually very pleased to find that Legolas stayed fairly close to me at all times. Although I didn't need protection, it felt better to have him close to me.
"We must hold to this course, West of the Misty Mountains, for forty days, if our luck holds, the gap of Rohan will still be open to us, from there our road turns East, to Mordor." I listened to Gandalf as he called out his words to all of us.
I sighed and let the warm breeze, a slight change from the past few days, flutter through my loose curls. My Golden eyes were at the moment locked onto a beautiful sight in the distance. The Misty Mountains. The beautiful snow covered peaks put a smile upon my face. I'd always loved snow, but from the clouds I see around the mountains we were lucky we weren't on the mountains. There was a huge storm covering the peaks of the Misty Mountains.
'At least we don't have to tread through that storm' I thought to myself and Merlin who lifted his head, his gaze following my own.
'Don't speak too soon, you may regret it' Merlin sent back to me and I rolled my eyes as we continued to look at the mountains.
"ARINELLE, MERLIN!" We both snapped out of our focus to realize the group had made it quite a ways ahead of us.
I blushed as Merlin and I rushed forwards to catch up with the group. When we reached them I received a soft chuckle from a certain blond elf who now stood at my right. I sent him a playful glare which made him smile but stop laughing.
"Don't laugh, I've never been out of Rivendell before, this is all a new experience for me!" I said and he smiled nodding.
"You're just unlike any other she-elf I've ever known...I like it..." He said smiling softly and I felt my cheeks heat up as I blushed and looked at my feet.
"I was raised by a human, of course I'm different than other she-elves." I said smiling and he nodded as I watched the wind ruffle his soft looking golden locks locks.
His blue/green eyes held a sweet laughter in them as I smiled and bumped my own arm with his.
"More strange than different." I cast a glare towards the owner of the voice, Boromir, who stood a bit of the way ahead of us, a scowl resting upon his lips.
'You think he would know better than to insult you by now' Merlin sent to me as a growl ripped from his chest, sent towards Boromir.
Boromir's eyes widened as he quickly picked up speed to get away from Merlin. I laughed and ran my fingers through my friends fur as he licked my cheek. Legolas let out a laugh as he smiled at the two of us and I smiled happily.
"Merlin is very protective of you, I guess he doesn't like many people." Legolas said and I giggled nodding as we continued walking.
"He likes others, just not those who insult me and those I care about." I said and once again ran my fingers over his neck making his bark.
'I like the prince so far' Merlin's voice entered my mind as he moved to where he was standing behind us and he nudged the Prince's Shoulder with a snort from his jaws making Legolas smile.
"He says he likes you so far." I said and Legolas smiled nodding.
"Say's, you can speak to him?" Legolas asked suddenly curious about my choice of words and I smiled nodding.
"Merlin and Castian can speak to me telepathically because they are my animal bonds, I have the ability to communicate with them but I can also speak into anyone's mind allowing them to communicate with me as well." I said smiling as we continued over rocks and twigs along the grassy valley.
"Would you...would you like to connect with me mentally?" Legolas's soft words made me blush as he did the same.
I smiled and took a deep breath before making my decision.
'Amin'd ve' tanya sai- sai- amin taren' I spoke into his mind and as I did a large smile swept itself across his fair face.
(I'd like that very much my prince)
'Diola lle amin tarien' The reply came into my mind sending a shiver down my spine as I grinned from ear to ear.
(Thank you my princess)
"Now, even if we are separated we can communicate very easily." I explained and he nodded smiling.
'Yea, and you guys can be all lovey dovey without anyone else knowing, ugh' I smacked Merlin's shoulder as his voice entered my mind.
"Shall we stop here for a break?" I looked ahead of us as Gandalf called out with a loud voice.
We all now stood in a rock quarry and I smiled realizing we would now have some time to stretch our tired limbs and take a bit of a break. Everyone seemed to agree with Gandalf's words so we all set up our little spots for us to relax. Dad sat upon a large rock, smoking his pipe while Sam went off to cook some lunch for the bunch of us. Boromir offered to train Merry and Pippin in some sword fighting Technics while Merlin laid himself across a large rock slab and I joined him as I leaned against his furry stomach. Gandalf stood a bit of a ways from the group staring out at the open sky with his pipe in his mouth and Gimli sat under a rock overhand sharpening his ax. I sighed happily taking in the cast view of the valley, all of it's beauty and tranquil appearance.
'The world is far more peaceful looking than I imagined' Merlin's voice entered my mind as I reached up to scratch behind his ears.
"An outside imagine can be very deceiving dear friend, as is the ways of the enemy." I answered and sighed sadly as the thought entered my mind and weighed my heart down.
"Mind if I join the both of you?" I looked as Legolas leaped up to stand on the rock slab we currently laid across.
"Of course." I said smiling and sat up a little as Legolas sat at the edge of the slab of stone.
It was quiet, peaceful, beautiful and everything I needed at the moment. That was until the voice of Boromir and my two favorite Hobbits broke the shield I had over my ears and I sat up to watch the scene unfold before me.
"Get away from the blade Pippin...on your toes...good, very good, I want you to react not think." Boromir instructed and I smiled as watching.
In this moment, I could look past Boromir's hard and stubborn egotistical character. I saw a young man with a warriors heart, and a soul willing to do anything for those around him.
"Move your feet." Boromir continued to instruct the two as I watched in amusement.
I leaned back on my hands and startled myself when the soft yet firm hands of my Elvish Companion found my own. I blushed and looked up at him from under my lashes not trusting my own voice knowing I looked as red as a tomato. I pulled my hand away as he smiled softly at me, his eyes capturing my own, like two pools of cool water I wouldn't mind leaping into on a hot day.
'STOP IT HEART!' I internally scolded myself as I looked away from him and bit my lip.
"FOR THE SHIRE!!!" I snapped out of my own thoughts as I watched Merry and Pippin throw their swords to the ground and leap upon Boromir.
I sat up and began laughing uncontrollably as I watched the three scuffle about.
My laughter drew everyone's silence and I blushed as Boromir stood and brushed his clothes free of dust and dirt as he stared up at me.
"Care for a duel my lady?" He said bowing in mock respect and I felt my lips coil into a tight smirk as my heart soared at the thought of showing him up.
"Are you sure, I don't want to embarrass you young Gondorian Knight!" I said but stood readying myself for a duel.
"Yes, let's see what you're made of she-elf." He said as he picked up his sword and I smiled drawing my own twin swords.
I leaped from the rock slab and stood before him, twisting the cool metal blades in my hands as I countered him as we walked in a slow circle watching each other.
"You shall see." I said smiling brightly and he narrowed his eyes.
"I won't go easy on you she-elf!" He said as he readied himself for his first attack.
I felt the wind whip through my red curls and smiled happily as I stared straight into his eyes.
"I wouldn't have it any other way!" I spat and he shot forwards.
Blocking his sword from below I twisted, ducking from his blade and coming up behind him quickly shoving him forwards. He stumbled and whipped around, anger evident upon his face, to so easily have been avoided by a woman.
He came at me again and I jumped up as his blade swung low on my legs. I rolled out of the way and quickly got to my feet once again as his blade came down and I blocked it with my two swords. He scowled and brought his sword low again making me leap out of the way quickly and he manged to knock me onto my back.
I gasped and rolled out of the way as his blade hit the dirt where my shoulder had just been and I leaped up once again blocking another attack as I felt sweat begin to fall down my face.
'He's a good swordsman Arin' I scowled not allowing Merlin's comment to distract me as I looked for an opening in his attack strategy.
I finally caught it and smiled as he brought his sword down from above once again and I again blocked it, yet he didn't expect me to kick his feet out from under him and I quickly put him on his back his sword flung a few feet away and my own twin blades at his throat.
'And I am better' I replied to Merlin as I smiled down at the man in triumph.
Boromir stared up at me with complete shock written on his face.
"Well done Arin!" Dad said as I smiled and stood straight sheathing my swords before holding out a hand to the man below me.
Taking my hand, Boromir stood and I couldn't help but catch the small smile upon his face as he shook his head muttering to himself.
"Is that a smile, did I impress the great Knight Boromir of Gondor!?!" I said in mock excitement and shock as he rolled his eyes.
Boromir coughed in response and I smiled as I climbed back up to where Merlin and Legolas waited upon me.
"Well done, I'm glad you could finally show him what you're made of." Legolas said as he captured my golden eyes with his blue orbs.
"I couldn't keep letting him get away with insulting me now could I?" I said with a small smirk and he chuckled nodding.
I then leaned back against Merlin as he leaned down and licked my shoulder making me smile and realize how lucky I was to have such a great companion and friend. I was so caught up on my own thoughts that when Sam spoke, it truly startled me.
"What is that?" I sat up as I looked to see Sam looking towards something dark, floating towards us from the distance.
"Nothing, it's just a wisp of cloud." I wished Gimli's words true but I knew they weren't as I watched Legolas stand, his whole body taking on a rigid tension.
"It's moving fast...against the wind." Boromir commented as fear begin to cloud his eyes.
"CREBAIN FROM DUNLAND!!!" I gasped as Legolas's words shouted loud and clear.
Leaping from the rock slab I watched as Merlin found shelter underneath a large rock overhang and he seemed to almost completely blend in with his silver fur.
"HIDE!" Dad cried as we all scrambled to remove any trace of us ever being there.
I was suddenly yanked backwards and I yelped as I was pulled into a small rock hollow and I realized I wasn't alone. Legolas now laid across me with worry and concern glittering in his eyes. He was so close that our noses brushed and our breath mingled.
My heart was racing and pounding so loud, I feared he would hear it if he didn't already feel it seeing as we were atop one another. My face burned, no doubt a crimson red, as I looked into his eyes from under my blond lashes. I could so easily lean forwards and kiss his soft looking lips, yet my own fear of rejection kept me as still as a statue.
My heart skipped a beat as the loud sound of crows and the flapping of wings made me stop breathing for a moment. Legolas tightened his arms around my already shaking frame as if to comfort me and I smiled softly as silence now greeted us from the outside. Legolas quickly moved out of the hollow as he reached in and gently helped me out as well.
"What was that?" I questioned, my face still a bit red as I still was rattled from the moment with Legolas.
"Spies of Sarumon, the passage south is being watched." Gandalf announced and I felt my chest tighten at his next words.
"We must take the pass of Caradhras." Gandalf said and I frowned tightening my cloak around my neck as Merlin made his way to my side.
'Told you not to speak too soon' He muttered into my mind as I glared at him.
"And into the snow we go." I grumbled as I pulled my hood up over my head and we turned marching towards the mountains.