*Somewhat edited*

"If nothing delays us, we should reach Lothlórien tomorrow," Legolas states as I look around at our surroundings over his shoulders. I just woke up from a nap, I accidentally fell asleep against his back, the soft lull of the horse seems to make a good sedative.

The sun was high in the sky, but not yet noon. It's been six relaxing days since the anxiety attack, with nothing disturbing us except the breeze in the air. But I was always on edge, thinking that a pack of angry orcs would come and attack us.

I looked over at Duvaineth and she seemed extra on edge too.

"What will happen when I get to Lórien?" I honestly asked. Do I just sit there? Or will they acknowledge the strange thing that is happening to me? And if so, how will they acknowledge it?

"I don't yet know," Legolas whispered. Well, that's comforting.   

The constant breeze picked up my hair and in the distance, I heard howls.

"It's strange how much these lands have changed. You once could walk out here without a care," Legolas's voice carried sadness. 

"Maybe we'll be able to do that someday," I looked out across the land, "when all of this is over." I smiled, I just had a feeling that this is only the beginning, that whatever is about to happen, it's just about to be set in full swing. The air is different, tenser, as if even the earth can sense it.

I sighed and rested my head on Legolas's shoulder.

.........

That night we set up camp in the tall grass, again with no fire. With it being near the end of fall, the air got colder at night.

I sat down slowly and tensely, with my legs crossed. In this tall grass, I could imagine bugs everywhere, crawling on me. Those tiny legs, tickling my skin. I shivered and jumped up.

"Nope. Uh-uh. I can't do it," I pressed my lips into a straight line, shook my head, and shook my arms.

Beside me, Duvaineth and Legolas furrowed their eyebrows at me.

"What? I hate bugs... they could be crawling everywhere," I shivered again.

Legolas laughed, I light, small laugh. 

My breath caught, "It's not funny... how am I supposed to sleep?" I whined. 

Legolas tried to hide a chuckle, but I saw his shoulders shake. I glared at him.

"I didn't laugh!" He said with a smile.

I still glared.

He sighed but still smiled. "Here, take this and wrap it around you. I promise no bugs will eat you during the night," he handed me his cloak. Even though I still had mine, I took it gratefully and tried to ignore the comment about bugs eating me.

I tried to get settled for sleep, which is still way too hard, when I heard Duvaineth speak softly, "Legolas, you need sleep. I know that you've rested your mind while riding today, but you need actual sleep. You try and be the strong elf but you can't always stay up all night looking out for us, I'll take the watch tonight."

I heard Legolas hesitate, but he must've obliged because I heard him settle down on the ground next to me, I could practically hear his breathing next to me.

"Thank you, Duvaineth," he said with much care softly.

Duvaineth came into my field of vision and I saw her settle down in the grass, her ears perked and humming a song to herself.

........

When I awoke the next morning, the day was still young, for the air had that crisp-ness of a new day.

The air felt cool and new as I breathed it in through my nose. I sat up, squinting, and saw that Legolas was stomping about, showing more emotion than usual.

This caught my attention and I am now instantly awake.

"What's wrong?" My eyebrows go up and Legolas went to Dapple, strapping on the saddle.

"Duvaineth. She left in the night and took my horse," I looked and saw that Gilnoreth is nowhere to be seen.

"Why has she gone?" I asked, mostly to myself as I spin around, looking for any sign of where she went.

"I do not know, I only fear why she left," Legolas mutters. 

I furrow my brows at him. Fear? 

"Do you think there was a pack of orcs? Or Wargs?" I worry.

Legolas finishes with the horse and shakes his head, "no, if there was a pack of orcs, there would've been dead bodies and Duvaineth would've woken us."

I shake my head, this doesn't make sense. Why would she leave? And right when we are about to arrive in Lothlórien.

I sighed and shook my head again. As I did so, I saw sunlight bounce off of a shiny black surface. Just as quickly it went away.

I began walking in the direction I saw it, "Lumornel, we must be going."

I ignored him and I saw, nestled in the grass, a black sphere. As I bent down to pick up the sphere, that seemed to have red lights coming from inside it, I could see my own reflection. 

My hands connected with the smooth surface and I gasped.

My vision was overtaken by an image of a black rider leaning over a gnarled tree root, hiding four half-lings.

Who are you? said a hissing voice.

I felt compelled to tell the voice, but I forced myself not to oblige. This voice sounded sinister.

Who are you?! The voice shouted and I got a feeling that it knew who I am.

Lu-- I stopped myself. No. The black sphere fell out of my hands, returning my vision, and I stood with the sun in my eyes, gasping.

I watched as the sphere rolled away, flattening grass on its way away. Legolas rushed to me and grasped both of my arms. I continued to stare off.

"What happened?"Legolas sternly asked. His eyes are wide and I could see myself in the blueness of them. 

"I saw something... and heard a voice..." I trailed off. 

He shook me, breaking me out of my trance, "What did you see and hear?" 

So, I told him.

His grip on me loosened and he looked off to somewhere behind me.

He suddenly straightened and walked to Dapple, grabbing the bag that the mushrooms had come in. He walked over to the sphere and carefully, without touching it, put it in the bag. He then walked back to the horse and got on, "come, we must get to Lórien."

I got on the horse after him and as we rode a question popped into my head, I don't know why I didn't think of it earlier.

"What was that thing, the black sphere?"

"If I am correct, it is a Palantir. One of the Seven seeing stones. Four of them are not accounted for," he paused, "I assume that this one is one of the four... But I cannot be sure."

He sighed and we continued in, with every hoof step getting closer to our destination. My blood seemed to dance inside me.

•••••••••

"Look, you should be able to see Lothlórien now," Legolas eagerly said. 

I moved my head so I can look over his shoulder. I took in a sharp breath at the sight.

The forest looked enormous, giant trees covered the ground and the leaves seemed to glow in happiness. I smiled at the thought of all the elves that live in this beautiful forest.

A giddiness overtook me as I realized that I would soon be entering this enchanting forest, be able to meet the Lothlórien elves, and be able to see Lord Celeborn and the Lady of Light. It seemed that even Dapple felt giddy because I felt him speed up against Legolas's will.

We entered the forest cautiously and we ducked our heads as we could not avoid some of the low hanging branches, one of them snagged my hair.

We kept going through until the sun was nearly spent. Legolas's head whipped to the side, he obviously heard something, and he reached for his bow and notched an arrow, I had to lean back so I wouldn't get hit.

"Lower your weapon." Elves surrounded us, pointing deadly looking arrows at our heads. There is no escape.

•••••••••

"No, no! The big one!"

            —Merry

Sorry for the short chapter... Pls let me know what you think, it'll encourage me to keep writing so you can get updates sooner! And it wouldn't hurt if you voted....

Novaer mellyn!