▌𝐂𝐡𝐚𝐩𝐭𝐞𝐫 𝐓𝐰𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐲-𝐒𝐞𝐯𝐞𝐧 ━︎━︎ 𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐖𝐡𝐢𝐭𝐞 𝐖𝐢𝐳𝐚𝐫𝐝 ▌

━︎━︎━︎━︎𝐓𝐇𝐄𝐘 𝐓𝐑𝐄𝐊𝐊𝐄𝐃 𝐓𝐇𝐑𝐎𝐔𝐆𝐇 Fangorn Forest, trying to follow a path that was becoming more and more faint as each moment passed. Ellaria couldn't help the shudder that rolled over her body as they went in deeper. She really did not like this forest and she was really hoping they would find Merry and Pippin sooner rather than later. Aragorn paused, kneeling down and furrowing his brows. "These are strange tracks."

     "The air is so close in here." Gimli muttered.

     Legolas glanced around. "This forest is old. Very old. Full of memory. . . and anger."

      "It is only slightly terrifying." Ellaria mumbled, glancing around as the tree groaned all around her. Gimli raised his axe. Her terror was suddenly replaced with awe. "The trees, they speak to each other."

     "Gimli!" Aragorn hissed. "Lower your axe."

     Gimli slowly lowered his axe, holding up his hands as if to surrender. Legolas's lips twitched with amusement. "They have feelings, my friend. The Elves began it: waking up the trees, teaching them to speak."

     "Talking trees." Gimli murmured. "What do trees have to talk about, hm? Except the consistency of squirrel droppings."

     "Gimli," Ellaria lightly chided, although there was an amused smile on her face. She turned her when Legolas began to swiftly move, his eyes narrowing at something in the distance. She was quick to follow him, coming to a stop slightly behind him when he held out a arm, silently telling her danger was near.

     "Aragorn," Legolas warned, "something's out there."

     Aragorn was quick to stand beside the two Elves. "What do you see?"

     "The White Wizard approaches."

     Aragorn slightly nodded. "Do not let him speak. He will put a spell on us." He placed his hand on his sword, pulling it slightly from its sheath. Legolas readied an arrow as Gimli prepared his axes. Ellaria readied her own bow, quietly notching an arrow into it. "We must be quick." In one swift motioned they all turned. A bright light blinded them as Gimli threw his ax, but the wizard quickly shattered it. In sync Ellaria and Legolas released their arrows but they were knocked away. Aragorn readied his sword but it grew hot, forcing him to drop it.

     The wizard did not move to attack them, only standing there and using the blinding light to cover his face. "You are tracking the footsteps of two young Hobbits."

     "Where are they?" Aragorn demanded.

     "They passed this way the day before yesterday. They met someone they did not expect. Does that comfort you?"

     "Not particularly," Ellaria commented.

     "Who are you?" Aragorn challenged. "Show yourself!"

     The light faded as the Wizard stepped forwards, an all too familiar one. Ellaria let out a soft gasp. "Gandalf?"

     Aragorn allowed the shock to cover his face. "It cannot be."

     "Forgive me." Legolas kneeled to the ground. "I mistook you for Saruman."

     "I am Saruman. Or rather, Saruman as he should have been."

     "You fell." Aragorn whispered in disbelief.

     "Through fire. . . and water." Gandalf nodded. "From the lowest dungeon to the highest peak, I fought with Balrog of Morgoth. Until at last I threw down the enemy, and smote his ruin upon the mountainside. Darkness took me, and I strayed out of thought and time. Stars wheeled overhead, and every day was as long as a life age of the earth. But it was not the end. I felt life in me again. I've been sent back, until my task is done."

     "Gandalf," Aragorn started.

     "Gandalf?" He asked. "Yes. That was what they used to call me. Gandalf the Grey. That was my name. I am Gandalf the White. And I come back to you now. . . at the turn of the tide." He began to lead them through the forest. "One stage of your journey is over. Another begins. We must travel to Edoras with all speed."

     "Edoras?" Gimli shouted. "That is no short distance."

     "We hear of trouble in Rohan," Aragorn informed. "It goes ill with the king."

     "Yes, and it will not be easily cured." Gandalf agreed.

     "Then we have run all this way for nothing?" Gimli asked. "Are we to leave those poor Hobbits here in this horrid, dark, dank tree-infested—" The trees began groaning again.

     "Gimli!" Ellaria warned.

     "I mean, charming. . . quite charming. . . forest." Gimli corrected himself, glancing around nervously.

     Gandalf turned to him. "It was more than mere chance that brought Merry and Pippin to Fangorn. A great power has been sleeping here for many long years. The coming of Merry and Pippin will be like the falling of small stones that starts an avalanche in the mountains."

     Ellaria rose a brow. Aragorn stared at him, amused. "In one thing you have not changed, dear friend. You still speak in riddles."

     Gandalf chuckled. "A thing is about to happen that has not happened since the Elder Days. The Ents are going to wake up. . . and find that they are strong."

     "Strong?!" Gimli outraged. When the trees began to respond, he changed his tone. "Oh, that's good."

     "So stop your fretting, Master Dwarf." Gandalf warned before turning and continuing forwards. "Merry and Pippin are quite safe. In fact, they are far safer than you are about to be."

     "This new Gandalf's more grumpy than the old one." Gimli mumbled. Ellaria chuckled, shaking her head as she followed after the wizard. They made it out of the forest, grabbing their horses, and Gandalf let out a long whistle. A pure white horse emerged, gracefully galloping towards them.

     "Is that--" Ellaria cut herself off, watching the horse in awe.

     "That is one of the Mearas, unless my eyes are cheated by some spell." Legolas breathed.

     "Shadowfax," Gandalf said. "He is the lord of all horses and has been my friend through many dangers." He reached forwards, running a hand over the horses neck, smiling at him.

They all climbed onto their horses, with Gimli sharing a horse with Legolas, and they began to make their way towards Rohan. As night began to fall, they found a place to stop and rest. Aragorn started a fire and Gandalf stared out across the land. Ellaria, however, was in the middle of climbing a tree. Legolas had glanced around for her, pausing when he heard faint movements in the tree above. He came to a stop underneath the tree, looking up at Ellaria and trying to hide his amused smile.

     "Ellaria, what are you doing?"

     Ellaria paused, clinging to the tree the limb she was about climb on. She looked down at him. "Climbing," she answered. She went back to climbing the tree, making her way to the sturdiest limb on the upper half of the tree and sitting down on it. Her legs dangled over the edge and she smiled to herself. She turned her gaze back to Legolas who was still watching her. "Care to join me?"

     Legolas stared at her, ready to deny her offer, but something in him made him agree. He placed his bow on the ground, easily making his way up the tree and taking a seat beside her. Ellaria smiled as she stared ahead of her. "Look at this view. It's so beautiful."

     "Very beautiful," Legolas agreed, but his eyes stayed on her.

     Ellaria turned her head, meeting his eyes. Heat crawled to her cheeks, but she couldn't find it in herself to look away. "Do you remember when we first met?"

     Legolas nodded, a fond smile pulling at his lips. "Yes. If I remember, it was a situation quite like this."

     Ellaria softly chuckled. "I had a knack to rebel against my princess duties. I suppose I still do. You seemed so surprised to find an Elf just dangling in the trees. Even more surprised when you found out I was the Princess of Rivendell."

     "Oh, yes, I remember." Legolas quietly laughed.

      "What was your first impression of me?"

     Legolas looked ahead of him, recalling the memory with a smile. "I remember how much I admired you. You were so. . . carefree. And so happy. But you didn't care about what I thought, or what anyone thought. You were just. . . you."

     Ellaria nodded, smiling sadly. "I wish I was that girl still."

      Legolas, noticing her sadness, decided to ask his own question. "And what did you think about me?"

     Ellaria let out a melodious laugh. "To be honest with you, I thought you were a prick." Legolas scoffed. "You were!" She let out another laugh. "You were being all princely, like you'd never had fun a day in your life. That day I made it my mission to break down that tough exterior you had put up. I like to think I did a pretty good job. Even though you could still be a prick sometimes, at least I knew we were friends. We'll always be friends, won't we?"

      His eyes met hers, his heart racing in his chest. He nodded, sliding his hand across the limb and placing it over hers. "Always."

     She sighed in relief. "Good. I don't know how I'd survive this cruel world without you. After this is all over, you have to promise me you'll visit this time."

      Legolas smiled and nodded, giving her hand a squeeze. "I promise."

They sat there on that tree limb for a little while longer, the silence between them peaceful and comforting. Finally they climbed down, letting themselves rest for the night. Ellaria woke up as soon as the sun started rising. She stood, brushing the leaves off of her and glancing around. The others were still resting. She walked out from where she was hidden in the forest, standing at the edge of it and watching the scenery before her.

She could only imagine the next part of their journey. The toils and tragedy they would possibly go through. There was a storm brewing, she could feel it. She could only hope that Frodo and Sam were okay and that they would make it to Mordor soon to destroy the Ring. But if they were having trouble just being in these mortal lands, she couldn't even begin to think about what Frodo and Sam were currently facing.

     As the sun rose higher, Ellaria turned and cleared her throat. "Alright, gentlemen, time to get up and going. We still have a distance between us and Rohan." Aragorn, Gandalf, and Legolas were awake in an instant, preparing their leave. Gimli, however, was still snoring away. Ellaria walked over to the Dwarf an lightly kicked his shin. He snorted as he woke, glaring at her. "Gimli, we're leaving. You're more than welcome to stay here." The Dwarf grumbled incoherent words before standing.

When they were ready, they all got onto their respective horses and continued making their way to Rohan.