It was all worth it. (Book 02)

Chapter 4 - Reunited

It can't be. It was the only thought on Legolas's mind as he looked upon the burned wee belt. The hobbits they were easy to miss with their dark clothes and small bodies. So, even though Legolas did not want to admit they can be dead. But Livia. She can't be mistaken. Her hair was white and she looked like a grown woman. Even in the darkness, her white hair and slightly sparkling skin is very visible.

"May they rest in peace." Legolas said with a bowed head not believing his own words as Aragorn screamed of utter grief.

Elves can sometimes feel the spirits around them. And as much as he can feel, he did not felt anything that might be from a dead hobbit. Yes, he had only met another hobbit before the fellowship and it was only for a moment. But he had felt orcs and Uruks. How their spirits feel, he knew it too well. There is almost no chance that any hobbit has died.

And he was sure that Livia had not being shattered here. They both had this connection between them from the beginning of the journey to destroy the ring. It would have been broken if one of them died. But Legolas could still feel it. A very little soothing presence of the princess of Imladris. What worried him the most was that the presence was almost none.

After he prayed for the hobbits, he looked around for any sign for a struggle or ropes. He walked around when suddenly, Aragorn opened his mouth.

"A hobbit lay here." He said and went to find more. "And the other" He kept looking for tracks. "An elf." And then, he retreated his hands thinking this is the last pace where they lay. But soon he felt hope rise within his heart for he saw another track.

"Their hands were bound" He said walking, almost crawling as he was bending from his knees to get a clear look. But he did not notice that Legolas had found another path of tracks.

The place they found the first sign of someone other than Uruks have rested, Legolas saw another path. And he understood that it was Livia's path. She probably got separated by the hobbits because of the Uruks. He followed it knowing that Aragorn will follow the other.

Soon, as he went on, he found a rock and near that, he found two bodies of slayed Uruks lay near the rock. One was slayed by a part of Uruk weapon while the other was cut. He knew it was Livia who did this because there was not one sign of another weapon.

And as he moved on, he realized she had gone into the Fangorn forest. He looked around to find Aragorn and Gimli.

"Fangorn Forest. What madness drove them in there?" Gimli asked.

"Aragorn." Legolas called wanting to show him what he found. After Aragorn looked at Legolas, Legolas indicated to the path where Livia's tracks can be seen. Aragorn understood what he wanted to say and quickly came there, checking the tracks.

And they entered. They entered the Fangorn forest which sparkled with the beautiful sunlight that caressed every tree, every leaf. They walked into the forest hearing every sound they can and seeing for threats.

After walking for sometime, Legolas felt something. A slight tingle and he dashed to see what that was. What he saw made his blood freeze.

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In the slight light, Livia laid. She was pale and had some wounds and bruises. Blood was splattered over her left arm and legs. Legolas's eyes grew wide as he looked at Livia's hair. It was not the usual calming white. It was replaced by a grey color. A dark grey color. Her long, wavy hair was now massed up with leaves. There was a knife near her face and an Uruk-hai was slayed near her. He heard the others come in surprise as Legolas ran over nothing. But Legolas did not care as he neared Livia. He knelt down and gently lifted her head and put it in his lap. She was burning. He found pulse in Livia's body and he knew that she was alive. He found himself calming as Livia rested in his arms.