When The Trees Sang: Part XIV
by Nicole
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They woke the next morning to the sound of birds chirping above them
in the trees. Garania opened her eyes and stretched her arms out in
front of her a bit, to awaken her sleeping limbs. Legolas stirred
beside her and quickly sat up and picked up his bow. Without saying
a word to Garania, he slung his quiver over his back and stalked
quickly off into the woods. She looked behind him, watching him walk
off, confused by his actions. She shrugged it off, and picked up her
things to have a quick bath in the spring a little ways away.
Aragorn still lay on the ground, awake, but not moving. He knew what
troubled Legolas, but he did not speak of it. It was beyond him how
even the Elves could forget the sensitive hearing of their own kind.
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Legolas clenched his bow tightly. He had not slept well, his
thoughts troubled with the conversation that he had overheard the
night before. Why had she not told him these things before? How
could he have never known of her and Haldir? He felt betrayed.
Haldir had been like a brother to him, how could he have lied to him
so? He strung his bow and pointed it at the nearest moving animal
which was hiding in a bush. It just happened to be Gimli.
The Dwarf dodged the arrow by a fraction of an inch as it flew past
his face. He emerged from the bush to greet a shocked Legolas.
"Those arrows of yours are beginning to become a nuisance, Elf."
Legolas tried to hide the smile on his face, but it was no use.
"I apologize, my friend. I thought you to be a rabbit."
The Dwarf seemed to become insulted by this comment, but chose not
to mention this to Legolas, as he still held his bow in his hands.
"What brings you out here so early in the morning, Leoglas?"
The Elf looked down at his friend, shaking his head.
"I do not know. I thought that I came out here to find a breakfast
other than lembas and berries, but I seem to have trapped a Dwarf."
Gimli laughed good-naturedly and brought a bit of happiness back
into the Elf.
"Come, let us go back to the camp. They wait for us there."
Legolas nodded, and followed him back through the woods.
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Garania sat in the large pool of bubbling water. She slid down
beneath the surface and came back up, her hair fully soaked. After
making sure that she had removed the last bit of soap from her hair,
she swam over to the shore, and reached for the clothes that was
lying on the ground near the edge of the water. Just as her hand
reached for it, another reached down and snatched it away. She
looked up to find her husband standing before her, his eyes dark.
"Legolas, may I have my gown, please? I do not wish to play these
games so early in the morning. We must hurry and get back moving
soon."
He walked back a bit from the water, and sat down on a nearby rock,
still holding her clothes.
"You may have your clothes, after you speak the truth to me about
your past."
She looked at him, confused.
"But you already know of my past. You have been told of it for many
weeks now."
He shook his head, his eyes not meeting hers, until they shot up
suddenly and glared straight through her.
"You know to what I am referring, Garania. Did you not think that I
could hear your conversation with Haldir last night? Of all people,
I would have thought you to be aware of the sharp hearing of the
Elves."
Her face went pale, guilt written plainly in her eyes.
"How much of what we spoke did you hear?"
"Every word which escaped your secretive mouth. Now tell me, what
did you have with Haldir before arriving at Rivendell?"
She looked down at the water, slowly sinking down a little farther
into it.
"We were in love. I loved him very much. We were to be married. That
is, until I made the decision to visit Rivendell."
"One which, from your words, you obviously regret."
His tone was cold, and harsh. Her head snapped up, her eyes blazing.
"Legolas, do not accuse me of that which I am not guilty."
He kept his gaze with hers, never breaking.
"Then why did you tell him that you wished to leave Mirkwood, and
return to Lothlorien? Why did you tell him that you still loved him?"
"Because I do. But if you were listening to our conversation, which
you obviously were, then you would have heard the other half of that
phrase."
He looked at her, his eyes softening.
"I did. Garania, I do not mean to be so harsh, I simply want to know
that truth from you. You have kept so many things secretive since
the first days that I met you. I seem to learn more and more about
you everyday."
She smiled.
"Some secrets are meant to be kept. Others, will come out when it is
time."
He looked at her, one question still plaguing his mind.
"Haldir spoke of when you came to Rivendell. The years....they seem
a bit....how old are you Garania?"
She looked at him, mirth showing in her eyes.
"Nearly 5,000 years old."
He opened his mouth in shock, but laughed, in spite of himself.
"So much there is to learn about you, melamin. Some things I fear
shall remain a mystery forever with your secretive mind."
She smiled at him, and reached for her clothes, which he handed to
her. Instead of taking them however, she took his hand instead, and
pulled him swiftly over her head, to land face first into the water.
She looked back at him, laughing.
"That, Legolas, is for being so hornary."
He stood in the water, his face and hair dripping wet, a smile
playing on his face.
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They returned to camp once they had fully dried themselves, where
they found the rest of the group awaiting them. They had already
mounted their horses, ready to set back out on the journey. Garania
went quickly to hers, and jumped upon it, as Legolas did the same.
They started back onto the trail, the sun just barely peeking over
the mountains.
They rode hard all day, rarely leaving a gallop. Finally, the trees
of Mirkwood began to come into view, and the party from Lorien
turned back. As he was bidding them good-bye, and turning to ride
off, Haldir stopped beside Garania.
"Garania, nin mellon. Garo bronwe, a car alu anno am. Ir bachs thio
an galo doll, hebin i naugths ned nin meleth cuin, a le bellas,
shall be renewed."
She smiled at him, while Legolas watched from beside them, jealousy
building in his eyes, something that was not accustomed to his race.
They turned and rode off back down the path from which they had
come, leaving them at the edge of the forest, watching them go.
Garania turned to Legolas.
"Shall we go on?"
He looked at her, and took a deep breath, before nodding, and
telling his horse to continue on. They followed behind him closely,
preparing for what was to come.
| Part XV |
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