𝐄𝐂𝐇𝐎𝐄𝐒 𝐎𝐅 𝐃𝐄𝐒𝐓𝐈𝐍𝐘━︎━︎L. Greenleaf

❝CHAPTER TWENTY-FOUR❞

▌𝐂𝐡𝐚𝐩𝐭𝐞𝐫 𝐓𝐰𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐲-𝐅𝐨𝐮𝐫 ━︎━︎ 𝐋𝐨𝐭𝐡𝐥𝐨𝐫𝐢𝐞𝐧 ▌

━︎━︎━︎━︎𝐓𝐇𝐄𝐘 𝐐𝐔𝐈𝐂𝐊𝐄𝐍𝐄𝐃 𝐓𝐇𝐄𝐈𝐑 pace. Nightfall would be upon them soon which meant Orcs would began to swarm the lands. They entered the forests of Lothlorien and Ellaria couldn't help the small smile that graced her face at the familiar woods. She'd visited them more times than she could count. She could hear Gimli mumbling to the Hobbits about the dangers of the woods, how there was a great elf-witch that lived her. But he wouldn't fall under her spell, no he wouldn't. He was sure of it.

     "I have the eyes of a hawk and the ears of a fox." Gimli claimed only to stop when he came face to face with an arrow pointing at him. "Oh!"

     They were surrounded by Elves pointing arrows at them. Aragorn held up a hand, telling them to not panic. "The Dwarf breathes so loud we could have shot him in the dark." Haldir stepped forwards.

     Ellaria smiled, raising a brow as she moved to make herself known. "Is this how you treat all your guest, Haldir?"

     Haldir instantly held up a hand and his men lowered their bows. He bowed. "Princess Ellaria." She bowed her head in return. He led them deeper into Lothlorien, bringing them upon a stone walk away and stopping them. He turned to Legolas. "Welcome Legolas, son of Thranduil."

     "Our fellowship stands in your debt," Legolas replied.

     Haldir turned his head to Aragorn. "Ah, Aragorn of the Dunedain. . . you are known to us." Aragorn nodded his head.

     "So much for the legendary courtesy of Elves!" Gimli scoffed. "Speak words we can all understand!"

     Haldir turned to him. "We have not had dealings with the Dwarves since the Dark Days."

     "And you know what this Dwarf says to that?" He began speaking in Dwarvish, his words all rude.

     Aragorn closed his eyes before turning and placing a hand on Gimli's chest. "That was not so courteous."

     Haldir walked past them, stopping when he saw Frodo, his face falling. "You bring great evil with you. You can go no further."

     "Haldir." Ellaria quickly called, moving forwards and following the general. He turned to her, the two of them standing off to the side. "Please. You must let us through. Galadriel will understand. She knows what we've been set out to do. Bring her to us. I can prove it."

     "I cannot let that evil any further into these lands and you know it, Ellaria."

     "Please," Ellaria begged. "If I call for her, she will come. You know this. We both do. Galadriel has never been one to turn away from family. We will not stay long. Only for a night. We need to clean ourselves up. We have. . . we have faced a great loss. Please. I do not want to pull authority here, but I will if I have to."