Seven

Northwestern Eryn Lasgalen

11 Lothron, Year 29 F.A.

What am I doing here? Legolas internally berated himself.

There is something here you are supposed to do, his mind whispered back.

Overdue to return home to Ascarnen, yet here he was, several days travel north of the Halls, in territory previously held by the giant spiders. But the arachnids had all been eradicated after the destruction of Dol Guldur, their webs removed, the forest healed. And nearly three decades later, the wildlife once again flourished.

In the early morning light, he stopped to watch a family of deer in a small clearing. He smiled as the twin white fawns scampered across the grass in play while the doe grazed peacefully. He was reminded of Manuilos and the trouble he had put his siblings through. That fawn had also been a bridge between him and his father after his mother had died. These deer could very well be descended from her.*

He watched a few minutes longer, then skirted the clearing, not wishing to disturb the doe. Once around the clearing he continued on his way towards where he had heard that disturbing scream.

Legolas had searched for hours after hearing that scream in the woods. But he had been unable to find any sign or track of any kind and with no further evidence, he had given up and returned to the abandoned halls of his kin, almost convincing himself he had heard the vocalization of some new form of wildlife that had located to the area.

But his attempts to pack up and head home had been thwarted by some inner need to check one more time. It had not been an animal he had seen and heard. And until he searched one more time, he could not bring himself to leave. He knew there was some purpose for his being here. He just had not discovered it yet.

So ten days later, here he was, back where he had seen and heard whatever it was. It was silly, perhaps, but he simply could not head south until he had made certain there was no one here that needed him.

He walked another ten minutes before he heard it. From ahead came a faint voice raised in a mournful song. He could not make out the words, and as sudden as he heard it, it ceased. He continued on and soon came to another small clearing. And from it came the sound of soft laughter, light and carefree.

He approached, both cautious and curious, and peered from the cover of the wood to the sunlit carpet of wildflowers.

There, in the center of the small space, sat a small girl wearing a plain white dress.

Legolas searched with his eyes for any sign of an adult or family, but he could sense no other in the vicinity. He looked back at the girl. It was hard to judge her age, for he could not tell if she were human or elven. That by itself disconcerted him, for he had never had difficulty before discerning one of his own race. If human, she was perhaps six or seven summers. But no human child should be in this part of the wood. And the elves had all left…

Legolas stepped into the clearing. The girl looked up at him, her face framed by long gold hair. She smiled and he returned the grin, walking towards her slowly, not wishing to frighten her.

"Where are your parents, little one?" Legolas asked in the Common Tongue once he was a few paces away from her. She must be from one of the villages of men at the edge of the forest, though how she had found her way so far into the wood concerned him. It was a couple days' walk to the closest edge of the forest.

She blinked at him in what appeared to be confusion, her deep blue eyes narrowing as she frowned at him. He tried again. "Who are you? Where are you from?"

The girl tilted her head, and for a moment, it a flash of starlight filled her eyes. It vanished so quickly, Legolas was certain he must have imagined it. Still, she did not answer, but continued to gaze at him, almost through him, in silence. Could it be the girl had something wrong with her? He had seen such things in the race of Men, individuals whose minds were simple and could not comprehend. Such things were unknown to the elves, but it could explain how a young girl was alone here in the wood.

Legolas knelt to her level and tried again, this time in his native tongue. It was improbable she would understand the language of the elves, but it could not hurt to try.

"What is your name, child?"

The girl's chin raised, and she smiled brightly at him, before replying, "You will know, one day…but that is not today." She giggled and hid her face behind her golden hair.

Surprised both that she had responded and the manner she had done so, Legolas stared at her.

So she was not human. He supposed it was possible that some Silvan families had remained north of the mountains, but he had been led to believe they had all left.

And yet here was this elfling, alone in the wood. And what an odd response for a child so young to say.

She peeked at him through her hair. "Are you afraid?" She asked him softly.

"Nay, little one, there is nothing here to fear. If you will tell me where you are from, I shall take you home."

From her question, Legolas assumed she must be afraid. A child alone in the wood, no family nearby that he could sense…

"No, there is nothing here to fear, but you should be afraid or it will destroy you."

Her voice… For a moment, did not sound childlike, but ethereal. Stunned, he looked closer at the small being before him, no longer at ease but on guard. Something was not right.

But she giggled in the manner of a small girl and hid behind her hair once more.

Strange. She acted as a child but then spoke like Galadriel. "What is there to fear, little one? What do you know? Why are you here alone?"

"You will know, one day…but that is not today." She replied, repeating her words from before.

"When will I know?" he asked.

She grinned. "Not today."

He decided to take a different tactic. One he had learned from Aragorn's children, Eldarion in particular. If you could not get the answer you desired, try distraction. Children often talked more than they realized if you could get them talking about something.

"What is your name, little one?"

She tilted her head, as if debating whether she should give him that information. Finally, she replied, to Legolas' frustration, "You will know, one day…but that is not today."

He rolled his eyes, as she laughed brightly, then she said, "You may call me Rani, but that is not my real name. I will tell you my real name when it is time."

He shook his head in exasperation. This child spoke as a wizard! "Very well, Rani. Now where do you live, so I may take you back to your parents? You should not be here alone."

Rani shook her head.

A slight breeze stirred the trees behind them, and the sound of a loud crack rent the stillness. Legolas turned to look, searching the trees for any sign of danger. But there was nothing amiss that he could see, so he turned back to the child—only she was no longer there.

Legolas stood and searched around the clearing for any sign of where she had gone, wondering how she had moved so quickly and silently for one so small. But he found no trace of her, no track, nothing.

She had vanished.

– ~ –

Northwestern Eryn Lasgalen

Same day…

The woods were almost silent this peaceful morning. A bird would chirp occasionally, or the trees would rustle softly in the slight breeze, but otherwise, all was quiet.

Lancaeriel inhaled deeply and closed her eyes, taking in the peace and tranquility around her. She was home. She should be happy, except…

She could hardly believe she had succeeded in her plans. No one knew she had not gone to Imladris. No one knew she was here. She was in her wood, alone as she had wished…and yet, she had no peace. She felt ashamed of her actions, for misleading Besoneth, but there was nothing she could do about it now.

She tried to settle in her mind that she could live alone with her wounded heart forever, but she was not happy here. She hated to admit that she was wounded beyond what the wood could heal. But it was true. No longer did the songs of her people ring through the night. No longer could she hear the laughter of others as they went about their lives. The trees themselves grieved, saddened by the loss of her kin.

They feared for her as well.

Confused and hurting, she walked among the trees, and as she walked, Lancaeriel heard a soft song rise on the wind. Surprised, she moved in the direction of the sound, curiosity overwhelming caution.

It did not take her very long to find its source. In a small clearing, she found the elfling, Rani, sitting in the grass, her fingers weaving long green blades into a chain as she sang a sad song in an unfamiliar language.

Lancaeriel looked about for any others, but there was no one else there. The trees confirmed it. She was alone here, except for the child.

She crossed to the girl and stooped to Rani's level. The girl looked up and smiled.

"I knew you would be here…"

"Rani!" Lancaeriel exclaimed. "What are you doing here? Where are your parents, little one? You cannot be here alone!" Fear filled Lancaeriel's heart as she desperately tried to figure out how the girl was left behind. It was not possible. She had been here many months and had seen no other in all that time.

With a soft smile, Rani shook her head and met Lancaeriel's eyes. "I am not alone. There is another here, not too far away. Do not be afraid, Caeri, it is all right."

Rani picked up the grass chain she had been braiding, her small fingers playing with the long strands.

Relieved Rani was not alone, Lancaeriel lowered dherself to sit beside her in the grass. "Who else is here, Rani? And why did you not go south with the others?"

"You will know one day, but that is not today."

The child's illusive answer, spoken in a voice resounding of purpose and something else she could not name, stirred fear in Lancaeriel's heart. This child was unlike anyone she had ever met before.

"Who are you…really? What do you want from me?" Lancaeriel asked, moving a bit away. She could sense that this girl was not what she at first appeared and that was a startling thought.

But Rani smiled reassuringly, "You will know all in time. You do not need to fear me."

But the words did not ease Lancaeriel's apprehension.

"I just see things…in my mind…things to come. I…" the child sighed, lowering her eyes. "I just wanted to help you. Not many understand me. I thought you would." Rani finished in a whisper, a hint of tears in her voice.

Lancaeriel then understood. "Oh Rani, I am sorry. You have a great gift, and one day I am sure it will cause you joy, rather than sadness. The other children must have been afraid of your knowing the future, of knowing things they had no way of knowing."

Rani looked up at her, tears welling in her deep blue eyes, her small lips quivering. "I knew you would understand," she whispered softly, moving closer and laying her head against Lancaeriel's shoulder.

Then she begin to speak of danger in the wood, shadows that even now headed their direction. Lancaeriel needed to leave and head southeast with all haste.

"I can take you to someone who will help you," Rani told her. "He can take you to Prince Legolas's home, where you will be safe and happy. There your heart will not hurt so much. You need friends, Caeri, to help you. And there are those who need you, too."

Lancaeriel listened without interrupting, knowing the child spoke out of foresight, a gift given to few. She could hear the concern and fear in Rani's voice.

But although Lancaeriel knew the child spoke the truth, she had no interest in going to Ithilien so far away from the forest she loved, from the graves of her parents and brother.

Besides, what good would come of growing close to others, making more friends that could be taken from her with no notice. She feared letting herself care but even more she feared losing another she cared for. Another such loss would destroy her.

As to any danger, she knew these woods, knew how to hide. Anthir had taught her to defend herself.

Completely forgetting about her earlier pain and lack of peace, Lancaeriel lifted her chin and decided she would not leave. She would not give up her home and wood so easily.

Rani pulled back from her, as if sensing her decision, and stood. Determination filled the small face. "I will not fail to save you," she blurted. Then without another word, the small girl turned and fled, disappearing into the trees.

Lancaeriel looked for her, but was unable to find any sign of Rani. She hoped the child had found the 'other' she had spoken of, and was now safe.

She dared not consider to closely the words the child had spoken.

— ~ —

Northwestern Eryn Lasgalen

Same day…

Legolas awakened to the sound of birds singing in the tree around him. He had fallen asleep mid day, but now sat up and stretched the kinks from his back, the result of laying on an awkward branch in the old oak tree in which he was perched.

He let his eyes wander the area around the clearing where he had met little Rani early that morning.

There was still no sign of the child. That more than anything perplexed him. She should have left some sign of her passing, a track, a broken stem, but there was nothing disturbed in or around the clearing except where the girl had sat in the grass.

It was quite unnerving, the child's sudden appearance and even more her seeming vanishing. No child he had ever known could move with such speed or silence, human or elven.

There was something about Rani that Legolas could not explain and did not understand. There was also a nagging sense in the back of his mind that he should. Something about the girl reminded him of something, but he could not remember what it was.

The sound of bright laughter from the trees further north, disrupted his thoughts.

Legolas stood up, balancing easily on the branch where he had lain. He grabbed his weapons and pack hanging on the branch beside him, and moved with speed through the trees towards the sound.

Several minutes later, he could see a flash of white through the trees ahead of him. There, in another small clearing, happily playing in the tall grasses, sat Rani.

Legolas dropped from the trees and walked into the clearing, stopping several paces from the child. She did not seem to have heard his approach or notice him standing there. She continued weaving grasses into a chain, softly singing a song in a language Legolas had never heard before.

As Rani sang the last notes to the haunting tune, Legolas cleared his throat, not wanting to startle the girl. She lifted her head, but did not look at him. "What were you singing about, Rani?" He asked quietly.

Her head turned and she smiled at him over her shoulder. "You will know one day…but that is not today."

Her answer irritated Legolas, and he sighed heavily. "I do not like this game you play, Rani. I do not understand why you are here alone, or why you will not tell me where you belong. I cannot stay here long. I must return to my home soon. Now, where are your parents, child, that I may return you safely to them and be on my way?"

The girl's eyes flashed with strong emotion, before she turned her head back around and stared at the grass chain in her lap. "You cannot leave yet. You have not fulfilled your task," she replied, her tone more of someone issuing an order, than speaking a thought aloud.

Her words and tone caught Legolas altogether off guard. He had felt himself that he had some task to perform before he could leave, but to hear it from one so young was disconcerting.

For several moments, he watched her toy with the grass chain, feeling very ill at ease. Finally, he asked, "What task do you speak of, child? You know not who I am, let alone my purpose here." He waited and watched as she kept her eyes lowered.

Slowly, she raised her head and turned to face him, starlight flashing in her eyes once again. "I know many things…more than you think." She stared hard at him for another moment, then lowered her head wearily.

Legolas ran his hand over his hair and closed his eyes, confused. He was alone in the wood, with a child who spoke in riddles as a wizard. He did not understand what he was here for, but he could not deny that he had known before ever coming across her, that he had a task to perform before leaving the wood.

Inhaling deeply, Legolas opened his eyes. He stared long at the place Rani had sat. The grass chain she had woven lie in the indentation left by her body in the grass.

With strode forward, stooped and picked it up. Letting his eyes wander the area, he found once again, he was alone.

Guess I am not leaving yet…

To Be Continued…

* Legolas's adventure with Manuilos can be read in my story Where Is It?

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