The Unexpected | LotR Fanfiction

Chapter 60

         

"Where's Caun Legolas?" I asked the fifth guard, dressed in extravagant woodland armor just like all the other palace guards.

And just like the four before him, he didn't know. Of course.

"I know not of his location, hiril Lumornel." A year before, no one here—anywhere—knew my name. Now they all threw a 'lady' in front of it and treat me like they knew me all along.

I smiled nonetheless. "Thank you," I said with a nod of the head. Then silently huffed and tried not to stalk past the guard as I went outside.

The sun's cool warmth soaked into my cloth covered skin, searing my eyes as well. And although the weather was cool—on its way to warming up soon, I hope—I wanted to actually feel the sun's rays on my skin. But with those terrible scars lining my arms, my legs...

Tugging at my sleeves, I left the large pathway leading to the King's Halls. Green trees loomed ahead, protected by the King's connection with the surrounding forest. But my thoughts soon moved to a darker place; the evil closing in. How much longer would the elves of Mirkwood have before their home is overtaken?

I bit my lip, gazing at the trees that may not be green for much longer. But I'd do everything in my power to see this forest restored. To see Middle Earth restored.

Blinking, I gazed around to see that I had traveled deeper into the forest than I realized. Green became a canopy of living color, swaying and singing above. Squirrels chattered and jumped limb from limb, disturbing twittering birds. The very feel of the forest sunk into my bones.

I felt like an elf then. Like I was meant for nature—like nature was meant to be my home.

Yearning to take off my boots, my socks, just to feel the dirt underneath my feet and in between my toes, I almost did. But my feet... I didn't want to have to look at nail-less toes and scarred skin.

Saruman... he's mutilated me in ways more than just flesh.

Sighing, I continued, letting my calloused fingers run along tree bark. Once, a year ago, I would have done this with not-so-calloused flesh. I would've done it without thinking twice. But now it's a privilege, just to walk under the trees. I remembered being locked in a cell, far away from the sunlight or anything green. Then immediately pushed it away.

A rabbit came bounding by, grey as a campfire's ashes. The little creature of Yavanna stopped feet from me, gazing at my being with beady eyes. Its whiskers twitched as it sniffed the air. Then, it's focused was snapped upward, towards the treetops, and it hopped quickly away.

Gingerly, I glanced upward—to find Legolas quirking a brow, one leg swinging in the air.

I gasped, "there you are!"

"I've been looking for you!" I exclaimed as I started to ungracefully climb the tree he was perched in. I felt like a toddler on the tree-climbing skill level compared to Legolas, but I continued nonetheless.

Once perched on a thick limb near him, but slightly below, I said, "you ran off."

He shrugged. "Sometimes one has too," he said softly.

I frowned, it hadn't occurred to me that he might actually want to be alone. "You okay?"

"As okay as I can be. I'm still reeling from learning that my father is alive. Before, it felt like losing my mother all over again. Now, I'm home—with father alive and well and no crown upon my head. Being home again, after all that has happened; it's all so surreal."

I nodded, trying to understand. "Are the trees okay?"

Legolas pressed a hand against the tree, his eyes fluttered. "They are fighting. With the help of my Father, they are still pure."