Chapter Thirteen

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The sun was beginning to set and, after much arguing, Aragorn and Haldir (as was his name) came to an agreement.

"Tonight you will rest here and in the morning we shall take you to Lothlórien." he said not looking pleased at all.

"Where are we supposed to set up camp? We are in the middle of a road." Merry told the elf. All Haldir did was look up and pointed into the canopy of trees. Everyone followed his gaze and gasped in wonder. Up in the trees laid a vast network of wooden platforms that rested in the branches of each tree. Each one wrapped around a tree and was connected to the surrounding platforms by hanging bridges. Several elves walked across these bridges before disappearing into the trees.

"And how exactly are we supposed to get up there?" Cody asked for she did not see any ladders. Before Haldir could answer her question an elf picked her up from behind and placed her on the back of another elf. The same went for all the hobbits and one elf tried to pick up Gimli.

"No one picks up a dwarf." he growled. "I'll climb this tree myself."

The elves climbed up the trees like squirrels with the hobbits on their back. Aragorn and Boromir climbed the tree skillful but not as graceful as the elves. When they reached the top they looked down to see Gimli still at the bottom.

"Would you like some help?" Legolas offered.

Gimli looked up and called back, "Never!"

The Fellowship laughed at the dwarf's stubbornness and watched him try and make his way up the tree. His first attempt he made a running start and jumped onto the tree trunk. He wrapped his arms and legs around it and tried to grasp the bark but slowly slid down back onto the ground. He tried this several times until he finally got a hold of the bark. He scooted up the tree and when he made it to the top he laid down and began to breathe hard. Small beads of sweat lined his brow but he soon wiped them away.

"I told you I could, I could climb this tree!" he said, very out of breathe.

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For once on their journey the Fellowship felt safe. They ate a large dinner, for hobbit standards, and shared a few laughs. When they were all asleep Frodo and Cody laid awake and listened to the forest noises. They sat at the edge of the platform and looked up at the stars through the canopy of leaves. In the distance they could hear a noise that was not native to the forest.

"Do you hear that? It sounds as if it is getting closer." Cody asked turning to Frodo. Out if habit he turned around to look at his sword. Blue light leaked out of the sheath and pooled onto the platform.

"Orcs." he breathed. Just then the monsters surrounded the trees, looking for the Company.

"Yrch!" and elf cried in the distance. The orcs heard the cry and continued on their search for the Ring.

Cody and Frodo sat still next to each other, tense, until the noise of their feet slapping against the forest floor was gone. When they thought the orcs were gone they heard their torcherous screams as they were met by a fleet of arrows. Cody flinched when she heard those noises and murmured to Frodo, "As much as I hate orcs it pains me to hear them in pain and are suffering." As she said this one last scream could be heard until it was abruptly cut off and the forest was silent once more.

They both turned in shortly after and when Cody was asleep Frodo laid awake, listening. He could hear the padding of a single pair of feet. He went over to the edge one last time and peered into the forest. Something caught his eye on one of the trees but when he turned his head it disappeared.

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The next morning dawned bright and clear. There was no trace that the horde of orcs passes through that night. The Fellowship felt refreshed and were looking forward to reaching Lothlórien.

The elf Haldir led them on through the shade of the trees. The sun shone through the thin leaves to where you could see the small veins that ran in them. Shadows dappled the ground like the coat of a dappled horse. Dew still covered the landscape and dripped off of the leaves onto the ground below it.

At noon the Fellowship reached a wide stream and Haldir made them halt. He turned to the opposite shore and gave out a low whistle. If the Company had not known it was him who had made they would have mistaken it for a bird. Out of the thickets a young elf appeared wearing a grey cloak with the hood thrown back. Haldir drew out a long piece of dark grew rope and, holding one end of it, tossed it across the water to the young elf.

On each side the rope was tied to the base of a tree and Haldir told them, "The currents here are very strong and the water is just as cold. This far north we do not cross the water unless we have to. We don't dare build bridges across in this time of darkness. So, for now, this is our bridge." He runs lightly across and runs right back as if he were walking on a road.

"I will be able to cross but I do not think the rest of the Company will." Legolas tells Haldir.

"I was afraid of that." he tossed another piece of rope to the elf and the other one they tied shoulder height to the same trees. "Now they will be able to cross with ease."

Haldir and Legolas flew across the stream and waited on the side for the Fellowship. Everyone looked at each other, waiting for someone to volunteer and cross. Finally, Merry bowed down low and said, "Ladies first." to Cody.

"You're so kind." she replied in a sarcastic tone. She stepped onto the rope and grabbed the rope that was above her head. The bottom rope wobbled underneath her weight and she had to hold on tight so she would not fall. When she made it to the other side Legolas helped her onto the bank and went back to watching.

Some of them walked faster across the stream but some walked slowly and would freeze in the middle of the rope. Out of all of them Pippin crossed the fastest. He had as much confidence as the elves and walked with only one hand. He was sure footed and focused his gaze on the opposite bank.

When they made it all across Haldir gave out another whistle and an elf that was was hiding in the trees jumped down and landed lightly on his feet. The ropes were untied and the new elf coiled them up and slipped them over his arm so they rested on his shoulder. With a quick wave of farewell the elf disappeared back into the trees.

"Now, as we agreed the dwarf will be blindfolded from this point on." Haldir said, turning to Aragorn.

"This dwarf will not be blindfolded." Gimli growled.

"But Aragorn agreed that you would."

"Then I will cross the stream and turn back."

"If you cross back you will surely be shot as you leave for dwarves, as you know, are not welcome here. You are lucky enough to have made it through the woods of Nimrodel this far."

"We will all be blindfolded freely then." Aragorn butted in.

"A bunch of fools we will look!" Gimli snorted. "Shall he lead us by a rope like a bunch of blind beggers with only one dog? I shall be blindfolded if Legolas shares my blindness."

"But I am among kinsmen." Legolas angerly stated.

"If one of us must be blind then all shall be blind as well. We have made it this far, must we turn back for nothing?" Aragorn asked.

Legolas did not reply and Aragorn took that as a no. One by one the Fellowship was blindfolded and they were ready to continue. However, when it was Cody's turn to be blind something stirred in the splinter and made her retaliate. As the elf approached with the clothe she grabbed her sword and, in the blink of an eye, cut the white piece of fabric in two. She barely missed the elf's chest and he stood in complete shock as he stood looking at the now two pieces of clothe that hung loosely from his hands. He had clearly not seen that coming and had fear mixed with shock written all over his face.

Aragorn had not been blinded at the time and looked over at her with a strange expression. She stood, breathing hard, and stared at her sword with fear. With a metallic clink she let the sword slide through her fingers and crash to the forest floor. Aragorn walked over and bent over to pick up her sword. She looked up at him with an expression that clearly showed she had no idea what had happened. He tucked her sword in his belt and was then blindfolded.

Frodo had already been blinded and did not see what happened, much to her relief. Haldir led them through the forest on the smoothest paths and not once did they stumble or stub a toe.

Cody and Frodo walked forwarded hand in hand for they wished not to be separated while blind. They traveled all day and at night they slept peacefully for they knew that the elves would let no harm come upon them. They were not allowed to unbind their eyes though while sleeping but none were bothered by this.

In the morning they continued on at first light. When the evening coolness could be felt in the air they heard the approach of many elves. They delivered only two messages to Haldir. The first one was about the orc attack that had taken place two nights ago.

"Several orcs escaped but are being pursued and wont make it far." Said the messenger. He also reported while on the hunt they encountered a strange creature who walked with a bent back and let its arms hand low. It looked like a beast but was clearly not of that sort. They did not shoot at the creature for they did not know if was ill or good.

The last message was this, "All can be free to see, even the dwarf Gimli."

At this the blindfolds were taken off and the Company could see where they were for the first time.

"Welcome, to Lothlórien." Haldir said showing them the landscape.