Hope ↠ LOTR

XII. Stars

The time for the Fellowship to leave the safe confines of Lothlórien had come. They stood in a line, each of them with an Elf standing opposite them as a green cloak was draped around their shoulders before the leaf clasp was fastened by their throats to keep the Elven cloaks on them.

"Never before have we clad strangers in the garb of our own people. May these cloaks help shield you from unfriendly eyes," Celeborn announced after their gift had been given.

The Fellowship had also been given boats and supplies which included an abundant amount of lembas bread to keep them sustained and from starving if there were no other sources of food. Athena was helping to place the parcels onto the boat with Legolas, smiling over at Merry and Pippin who sat opposite them with them returning the smile to her.

Legolas took one of the wrapped pieces of lembas out of the pack before unwrapping it and taking a bite, looking over at the Hobbits afterwards to explain what it was that they would be eating in the future. "Lembas. Elvish waybread. One small bite is enough to fill the stomach of a grown man."

Merry and Pippin nodded at his explanation before he walked off and left the three of them there, Athena still shoving some packs into the boat.

"How many did you eat?"

"Four."

At Pippin's confession she found herself laughing from her position, stepping away and walking over to collect more supplies that needed to be loaded up. Her laughter only increased when she heard Pippin's stomach grumble behind her, shaking her head at the Hobbits actions. What she didn't notice however, was the smiles that lay on the faces of the Hobbits and Legolas at her laughter.

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When they had finished preparing the boats for travelling they began to board them. There were three boats so they had been split up into three groups with each group bearing three people. Athena made her way to where Legolas and Gimli were standing and getting into the boat that they were to share, her heart warming at the sight of Legolas helping Gimli to get in. She could see that the two of them were beginning to grow fond of one another and she found herself touched by their growing companionship and how they had begun to push aside their differences and instead come together despite them—she found it even more remarkable when remembering how much their fathers hated one another.

She reached the boat and took Legolas' outstretched hand in hers, allowing him to aid her in getting into the boat and settling herself down opposite Gimli. When they were both in, Legolas allowed himself to settle down behind Gimli before beginning to row them away from the shores of Lothlórien and down the river.

"I have taken my worst wound at this parting, having looked my last upon that which is fairest. Henceforth I will call nothing fair unless it be her gift to me," Gimli spoke up when they had officially left the borders of Lothlórien.

"What was her gift?" Legolas asked him curiously.

"I asked her for one hair from her golden head. She gave me three."

His answer caused Athena and Legolas to share a smile between themselves; they were both aware of the meaning behind Galadriel's actions. In the First Age the Silmarils were created by an Elf named Fëanor and three times he asked Galadriel for a strand of one of her golden hairs and each time he asked she refused him. Yet she allowed Gimli to have all the hairs that she did not give Fëanor because she deemed him as being worthy of having such a gift, she had looked into his heart and seen no greed or pride or ulterior motive for wanting her hair other than a symbol of remembrance of her beauty and a symbol of friendship between Elves and Dwarves.