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As Alvena went back to the forest she found the fellowship's camp empty. She then tried tracking down the fellowship hoping she could see them before they moved on. For the rest of the day she have been walking and running on foot. Searching for her friends, she dearly missed Legolas.

When night came Alvena wasn't so lucky when rain started to pour. There was no shelter, she had no food and no water. Her red hair stuck to her face due to how drench she was. Her feet started aching since she hasn't stopped, she felt weak. She didn't know what to do but due to her exhaustion and her heavy wet body she fell to her knees and collapsed to the floor. All she could hear was the rain smacking the ground and how her breath struggled to not breathe in water. She watched as the rain pour from the dark clouds above her. 

"Legolas." she whispered.

She yearned to be in his arms and to feel his soft warm lips. Before darkness could consume her she saw a dark figure looming over her and she thought to herself. This was it.

***

The sun shone on Alvena's sleepy eyes. She tried covering the sun's rays from her eyes using her hands but they were no use. "I am sorry but I have to do this to wake you up or we'll miss the others." a gruff voice said but she knew that voice. Her eyes snapped open and she bolted up but as she did her head felt like it was spinning then she had no choice but to lie back down on the soft warm grass.

"Easy there, you had a rough night." he said once more. 

"Gandalf? Is it really you?" she asked trying to smile but the throbbing pain in her head won't let her. She heard his chuckle and said "Yes, yes it is I. Gandalf, Gandalf the White." Alvena's eyes adjusted to the daylight and finally saw Gandalf. He was the same old man but he had clean white hair and beard, his robes were a pure white and also his staff was white as well. She could feel an enchanting and powerful aura emanating from him, a much more stronger aura than before.

"Wow! You look more cheerful than your old self." she said as she slowly sat up.

Gandalf chuckled again and said "We better get moving, we don't want to miss Aragorn and the others." 

"How long have I been out?" she asked as she stood up and found she was dry already but her head was still a bit bloody due to Boromir's rage. "Not long." he replied as he put on my cloak. I smiled up at him. 

"You must wear this cloak at all times." Gandalf said as he tied the cloak around her neck. "You knew!!" Alvena said shockingly not even realizing that there was a possibility that Gandalf knew. She couldn't even think of Gandalf without crying. "You must learn on your own my dear." Gandalf said and Alvena smiled at him and tackled him into a hug. "I have missed you Gandalf." Alvena whispered.

"So have I little one." Gandalf replied but then he pulled away and said "We must hurry now. We have to make sure we get to them before they leave the fangorn forest." 

Alvena nodded as she put up her hood and ran along with Gandalf going straight at the end of the Fangorn forest.

After about an hour of running Gandalf signaled his hand for her to stop and as he did. A huge tree started walking towards them with shouting voices. Alvena stared at wonder at the marvelous tree. Suddenly the walking tree dropped something and as Alvena looked she was happy to see Merry and Pippin. "Gandalf?" both of them asked in unison. Gandalf just laughed at how funny the moment was and so did Alvena. Merry and Pippin stood up and attacked Gandalf for a hug.

"Gandalf! We thought you were dead!" Pippin said and Gandalf scowled at Pippin. 

"You think I am that easy to defeat Peregin Took then you have been mistaken. If the Balrog couldn't kill me then Saruman can't." Gandalf said. 

"And I thought you guys were dead." Alvena piped in as she took off her hood. Instantly Merry glared at her and lunged at her to attack. "You traitor!" he shouted but Alvena quickly stepped aside so that Merry wouldn't collide with her. "How could you leave Frodo to his death?" Merry hissed and Pippin also got angry and was about to attack Alvena but she quickly tripped Pippin and when Merry jumped on Alvena's back she easily grabbed his arm and flipped him over.

"You see Merry, Frodo didn't want me to go besides he has Sam." Alvena said sweetly as she stood over Merry. "But Sam is just a fat gardener." Pippin added. 

"There you are wrong my dear Pippin, Sam is courageous and very determined to protect Frodo. He would risk his life for him. They have a deep friendship and that is enough to keep them alive." Alvena said. 

"I have to agree with Alvena here." Gandalf said. Gandalf then advised Merry and Pippin to say with Treebeard, Alvena even got the chance to meet Treebeard which was maybe one of the most amazing moments of her life. Treebeard has heard of her since Alvena is the Princess of the Red Kingdom. He even told Alvena a few of his kin entered in the Red Kingdom's battle to protect the Red Kingdom sadly he lost a lot of his Kin and Treebeard earned a hug from Alvena. Which she could only hug his leg and after that Gandalf and Alvena walked around looking for the rest of the fellowship.

"What do you think would've happened Gandalf if my parents never gave me away and the Red Kingdom was never attacked?" Alvena asked as they still walked in the forest. 

"You would've been a spoiled little elleth." Gandalf said and this made Alvena shocked. "And why do you think so?" 

"Your parents were great rulers but they spoiled you so much. If you asked for the head of Lord Elrond I wouldn't be surprised if they agreed to it." Gandalf said which made Alvena chuckle but then suddenly Alvena heard a twig being snapped a few meters in front of her. "Be careful Alvena, they don't know it is us. They will attack." Gandalf said.

Suddenly they saw Gimli, Aragorn, and Legolas their backs facing Alvena and Gandalf. Alvena could hear what they were saying so could Gandalf. "The White Wizard approaches." Legolas silent voice whispered. 

"Do not let him speak, he will put a spell on us. We must be quick!" Aragorn said softly. Alvena knew they were talking about Saruman only if they knew they were wrong. In a blink of an eye the three turned around as they were about to attack but shockingly Gandalf shone a bright light to blind them and Alvena took a step back not knowing what to do. Gimli threw his ax and Gandalf quickly dodge it making it fall to pieces, Legolas shot an arrow but Gandalf also dodged that and Aragorn's sword became too hot for him to hold so he dropped it to the ground.

The three of them stood in front of Gandalf trying to see through his bright light. "You are tracking the footsteps of two young hobbits." Gandalf's voice was shockingly sounded like Saruman. Alvena thought he did this on purpose to scare them which she found really funny so she had to cover her mouth to keep herself from laughing. 

"Where are they?" Aragorn demanded. "They passed this way, the day before yesterday. They met someone they did not expect. Does that comfort you?" Gandalf humored them still in his Saurman's voice. "Who are you?" Aragorn asked. "Show yourself!!" he shouted.

Gandalf's light faded and he showed himself to them. Alvena could see their awe looks as they stared at Gandalf in disbelief. "It cannot be." Aragorn whispered almost not believing what he is seeing. 

"Forgive me, I mistook you for Saruman." Legolas said as he bowed down. "I am Saruman, rather Saruman as he should've been." Gandalf said. 

"You fell." Aragorn whispered still not believing.

"Through fire and water, from the lowest dungeon to the highest peak I fought with the Balrog of Morgoth... Until at last I Threw down my enemy and smote his ruin upon the mountainside... Darkness took me and I strayed out of thought and time.... Stars wheeled overhead, 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 explained. 

"Gandalf." Aragorn whispered as he stood in front of Gandalf. "Gandalf? Yes... That's what they used to call me. Gandalf the Grey, that as my name." Gandalf said. 

"Gandalf." Gimli greeted happily. "I am Gandalf the White." Gandalf stated.

"And I come back to you now. At the turn of the tide." Gandalf said.

"Also I have a gift for all of you especially you Legolas Greenleaf." Gandalf said as he beckoned Alvena to come forth. Alvena's hood was still up so no one knew who she was but once she removed her hood. Legolas smiled as if he was going to cry. He then ran towards Alvena and pulled her into a loving embrace. "I thought you were gone." he muffled in her neck since he was buried in the richness of her red hair. 

Alvena hugged back and whispered "I have missed you so much." Legolas then pulled away and kissed her forehead. "So have I." Alvena then turned to Aragorn and gave him a hug. She then also gave Gimli a hug almost carrying him which Gimli's cheeks grew red.

"One stage of your journey is over another begins we must travel to Edoras with all speed." Gandalf said as they began walking. Alvena and Legolas walking beside each other focused on the journey now. Alvena wondered what relationship she had with Legolas, sure they kissed and cared for each other deeply but were they really together? Would they ever be free to come to that topic or will they perish in Alvena's vision where Middle Earth perishes? 

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

"We hear of trouble in Rohan it goes ill with the King." Aragorn tells Gandalf and he replies "Yes and it will not be easily cured." 

"We have run all this way for nothing. Are we to leave those poor Hobbits here in this horrid dark dank tree-infested--" Gimli started insulting the forest which made the trees creak and shook in anger. Alvena turned around and laughed at Gimli as he stopped and looked around the trees with horror in his eyes. "I mean charming quite, charming forest." Gimli apologized. 

"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." Gandalf said.

"In one thing you have not changed dear friend, you still speak in riddles." Aragorn said and Gandalf laugh at that statement. "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." Gandalf said. 

"Strong.... Oh, that's good." Gimli questioned but once the trees groaned in displeasure Gimli quickly corrected himself. "So stop your fretting Master Dwarf! Marry and Pippin are quite safe in fact, they are far safer than you are about to be." Gandalf scolded him but Gimli whispered to me "This new Gandalf's more grumpy than the old one."

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