Queen Naehlara (LOTR, Legolas love story)

Chapter 20

Dismounting the horse, Naehlara watched as Aragorn, Legolas and Gimli began digging through the pile of burnt bodies. They aren't there, I saw them run into the forest. Naehlara kept thinking. They have to be in the forest.

Gimli gasped, gathering everyone's attention. Turning from the pile and holding a belt for the others to see. "It's one of their wee belts." Gimli says softly, looking back towards the pile.

Next to her, Legolas bows his head whispering a prayer for them. Tears gathering in Naehlara's eyes as Aragorn kicked a helmet, screaming."Th-this is not right." Naehlara said softly, looking to Aragorn. "I saw them last night, they cannot be in that pile. They ran into the forest. Th-they cannot be dead." Naehlara rambles, moving to stand behind Aragorn who fell to the ground.

"We failed them." Gimli states.

"No! They are alive they have to be." Naehlara yells, looking towards the forest.

"A hobbit lay here, and the other." Aragorn says, moving across the ground following the tracks. "Their hands were bound." Moving closer to the forest, he brushes his hand over the dirt. "Their bonds were cut." He states, holding up the rope for the others to see.

Standing up Aragorn begins walking towards the forest. "They ran over here. They were folllowed. The tracks lead away from the battle, into Fangorn Forest." Aragorn says, looking into the forest.

"I knew they were alive and in the forest." Naehlara mumbled to herself, her heart rate slowing as she looks into the forest. She was right Merry and Pippin were with an Ent, that would protect them.

"Fangorn. What madness drove them in there?" Gimli questioned, looking at the forest fearfully.

"That's my home you are talking about." Naehlara states looking down to Gimli, his face turning red.

"So-sorry Milady. I meant no disrespect." Gimli quickly corrects, Naehlara smiled looking to Legolas who's shaking his head at the two.

"Let Legolas and I lead. It is easy to get lost within the forest." Naehlara says, walking to Aragorn, looking to him to agree with her.

"We will follow you." Aragorn waits for Naehlara to pass following her into the forest, followed by Legolas and Gimli. The time passed quickly while they traversed the forest, following the same path Naehlara took the night before.

At the back of the group, Gimli noticed black liquid on the leaves. Dripping his finger in it, he licks it off his finger, quickly spitting it back out. "Orc blood." He growled.

Naehlara looked to him questioningly. "Why would you taste a strange liquid? You had no idea what that could've been."

Gimli only smiled to her, "But now we do know, eh." Naehlara grimaced, looking back to Legolas who shrugs not understanding why the dwarf would do it either.

"These are strange tracks." Aragorn whispers, bending down on the ground.

Naehlara looked over his shoulder, "They are Ent tracks. Creatures of old, they will do us no harm." Naehlara explained.

"Ents? They still roam Middle Earth?" Legolas questions, walking next to Naehlara as they delve deeper into the forest, now following the Ent tracks.

"Not Middle Earth but this forest it seems. Fangorn Forest is as much their home as it is mine." Naehlara spoke softly, looking around the forest with a fond smile.

"The air feels so close in here." Gimli complains.

Legolas stops walking to look around the forest, a smiling at the beauty of the forest. Not like Lothlorien but in its own way. "This forest is old. Very old. Full of memory,"