The first day, there was a clear sky, and after passing north and out of Ithilien, the sun warmed the land so that it smelt of spring and new grass. Though we rode horses, it still would take the better part of a week to arrive at the borders of Greenwood, so we did not tarry along the road.

Eärlin seemed to be unusually distracted along the way, ignoring every word I said to him, and finally I realized that he had an eye for Maldor's grey mare, who he kept nudging insistently every time she and Maldor walked alongside us.

"Eärlin, would you hold yourself together?" I hissed, as Maldor's mare irritably pushed him away for the hundredth time.

He snorted crossly.

Maldor laughed lightly and patted his horse affectionately.

Around noon, some bread was passed around, and some dried berries. I had completely forgotten that we needed to have provisions for the journey; luckily nobody else did-- the saddlebags of each horse were surprisingly full.

"Gianna, would you get out the honey wine?" Legolas asked, turning around in the saddle. We hadn't stopped walking and were just eating as we went.

"If I knew where it was," I said calmly.

"Seeing as it's in your saddlebags..." Faewyn raised an eyebrow, smiling.

"Is it?" I remarked, rummaging through them. Finally I found the skin of wine and tossed it to Legolas, who threw it to Gwithor. The elf gave a nod of thanks.

"I am taking a brief reprieve from social interactions as I find it prudent to identify the objects in my own saddlebags," I announced.

I saw Legolas smile, amused.

Faewyn turned to me from where she rode on my right and said, "Let me know if you find a small leather purse, it has my arrowheads from broken arrows."

"Given that they are your arrowheads, I would think you would know where they were," I teased.

"Given that I packed your saddlebags as well as mine, I doubt it should be a problem for you to carry them if they are indeed in yours," she shot back, a wicked gleam in her eyes.

Years of practice with me had made her the perfect partner with which to banter with; I couldn't help laughing rather than trying to come up with an equally biting response.

"Yes, they're here," I said a few minutes later, shaking a small bag full of clinking metal.

"Thank you," she said, sounding relieved. "I knew they would be, but all the same, it is good to have a confirmation."

"Is it difficult to make arrowheads?" I asked, considering the fact that forging anything usually took several hours.

"They are cast, Lady Gianna," said Gwithor from the front, turning to look at me. "Since they are of light metal, and are useful in their sharpness, not their strength, they can be cast from molten metal and then worked from there."

"I did not know that," I said, looking at him, "Thank you."

He nodded and turned back around, saying something to Legolas.

I turned to Faewyn again but she seemed as unaffected by this exchange as anyone else.

She pointed out things occasionally as we passed; one was the skeleton of a giant beast which jutted out of a small hill of dirt and sparse bushes.

"That," she said, looking impressed, "Is the remains of one of the Mûmakil-- Oliphaunts, I think they are called by some."

I looked on, fascinated, as the bleached bones stood out starkly in the landscape, like a weird growth. We passed further into the lands north of Ithilien, different vegetation cropping up as we went. Maldor, ever the opportunist, occasionally reached towards a certain tree or plant and carefully pinched off a few leaves to put in his herb pouches. At one point, he stuffed veritable handfuls of a tree's leaves into a sack, and I no longer could ignore it.

"Maldor," I began. "What is--"

"It is tea," he said brightly, "These trees do not grow near our forests, so it is always a welcome find when on the road."

"Well then," I said admiringly, "I do love tea."

Maldor smiled in response and rolled up the sack tightly before wedging it in one of his bags.

***********

After a long day of riding, the horses were becoming restless and weary, so as soon as dusk sunk over the landscape we made camp by a cluster of bushes.

The horses milled about a small pool of water which was conveniently there while the rest of us tried to sort out watches and campfires.

I did not realise how tiring it could be to simply stay seated on a horse, but after a cup of warm tea (a set of small wooden cups had been packed in my saddlebags, incidentally), I felt my eyelids closing of their own accord and drifted off to sleep.

The clash of blades of metal, the tears so dearly won

Before the night, the deadly fight will fade against the sun

So haunted looks the darkness in the eyes of men turned beast

The blood against the pale stones; the carrion-birds to feast

It was a whisper in my heart, these verses, as I looked around the battlefield. As far as the eye could see, there were shining piles of metal. Not metal, I realized, but armour. Armour full with the reeking dead bodies of countless men. I spun around to find an empty horizon but the piles reached higher and higher, the more I looked the more sickened I became. Looking downwards at the bloodstained dirt I saw a reflection of myself, and I raised my palms upwards as the blood dripped off my hands. 

I woke, shaking uncontrollably, gasping for breath. My hair felt damp, and I realized that I was covered in sweat. I tried to prop myself up but couldn't, my hands sliding downwards on the smooth material of the cloak under me. Though I attempted to calm my breathing, in the darkness the images of the nightmare were tattooed to my vision, like specters. 

No sooner had I come to my senses than I heard a quiet voice behind me. "Breathe, Gianna, just breathe." 

I turned around to find Legolas standing behind me, concern written on his features. I could just see the pale shine of his hair in the moonlight. 

Instantly, I felt calmer, and put my head between my knees, thinking to myself It wasn't real, it wasn't real--

Legolas crouched next to me and pulled me to his chest, stroking my hair, his head resting on mine. He didn't have to ask, that he just knew that all I needed now was to feel him holding me to feel safe. 

"Do not dwell on nightmares," he whispered, breath warm against my ear. "For they can only harm you when you do."

"Thank you," I whispered sleepily, still wrapped in his embrace. 

I slept again, but dreamt not of the horrors of war nor the grief of death. 

***********

On the second day, the skies dawned lavender. I woke to find my head still resting comfortably on Legolas, one of his arms still encircling my waist. 

"Hello," I said sleepily, rolling over, still too asleep to care that other than Faewyn, it was likely that nobody had any idea that Legolas and I were so... involved. 

"Good morning," said Legolas, a hint of a smile behind his words. 

"Gianna, you had better have some breakfast before we depart," said Faewyn from the other side of the dying embers of last night's fire. 

I reluctantly pulled away from Legolas and leaned against the rock behind us, determinedly trying to pretend that I was not just reclining on the Prince of Greenwood. I looked over at Legolas with a grateful glance of thanks and he inclined his head in reply, still smiling to himself. 

"Thank you," I muttered, as Faewyn handed me a slice of bread. 

"You are very welcome," she said, grinning, as she handed it to me. 

I glared at her and she smirked knowingly. "Shut up," I mumbled, taking a bite of the bread. She only raised an eyebrow but did not comment further. 

**********

The days continued; there was little to do or say other than stay in the saddle for nigh on twelve hours a day, which must have been more tiring than the horses than it was for us. However, they seemed outwardly fine; Eärlin still had enough energy to continue pursuing Maldor's mare Eidra at any rate. 

Since Legolas had helped me through the previous nightmare,  I had not had any nearly that bad. A few times I dreamt simply that I was standing on an empty plain, and would hear rising from the earth the steady beat of a clock. I knew this referenced the fact that as the days continued, it was ever closer to the time when I would have to make a choice: to stay or to go? 

To stay, I would be surrounded by some of the people I loved most-- Legolas, obviously, and Faewyn, among others. Would Legolas and I be able to truly love one another? But that would come with a whole host of other problems, the fact that I was mortal and would die a normal death, withering and sickening until I was no more. That was a frightening fact-- while I had no doubt that Legolas had already considered this, I still would feel irrepressibly guilty at having taken from him the option to love an elf. Would King Thranduil even want that for his son? No, I answered honestly to myself. What father wants his only son to pledge himself to one who would only cause him heartbreak? And apart from that, my family would forget of my existence on Earth, all trace of me gone from that world. Would it be fair to take that from them, even if they would never realise what they had lost? 

But to go... I would be devastated. I truly would be heartbroken; I would lose my greatest friends and never see Legolas again. The thought of that made my heart hurt. Either choice I made, I would have to leave... did it matter if it was by choice or by natural progression of the mortal human life? 

Sighing, I tiredly looked over at the horizon. This was the fourth day since our departure from Ithilien; the grass was beginning to green fully here and at very least the weather was temperate.   

Occasionally, I spoke with Faewyn or Maldor on some subject, but less often Legolas. I knew he would speak to me whenever I wished, but I told myself that it was better to let him lead the front with Gwithor, who rarely spoke to anyone else. 

The true reason for this was that I feared Legolas could read the troubles in my eyes that I carried in my heart. 

**************

By dawn on the fifth day, we saw the haze of the great forest in the distance. 

"We made good time," Gwithor commented, narrowing his eyes as he looked ahead. 

"I figured that we would, given that the weather has been favorable and we have elven steeds," Legolas said, almost relieved. "It is always better to prepare for the worst, but hope for the best." 

The horses, most likely already smelling the sun in the leaves and the flowers in the forest glens, were anxious to make it to the forest before nightfall; all weariness they had seemed to disappear. 

Around midday, we stopped briefly, much to the ire of Eärlin especially, who had been away from the forests he loved so much for longer than the other horses, as he had accompanied me to Mordor.  At this point, the three days I had remaining to make up my mind were wearing me quite thin-- I simply wanted to yell out my predicament. 

For what? I asked myself crossly. Pity? Pity is for fools. 

"Gia," said a voice from behind me-- Faewyn. She had come to stand next to me on a small rocky outcropping near the others. 

"Hello, Fae," I said, smiling in spite of myself. 

"You look troubled."

"Not especially," I shrugged, as a voice inside me shouted Liar!

"If you say so," she answered, "But even if you were, it's nothing that a few nights with the Prince can't cure, is it?" 

I turned to her in utter disbelief and was met with her grinning ridiculously. 

"Are you well?" I asked her, "It seems you have acquired a head injury and are now spouting ridiculous nonsense."

"Ridiculous nonsense?" she said to herself, thinking hard. "Hmm... no, I do not recall saying any of that. She smiled wickedly. "But did you not say how there was nothing between you, so many moons ago? How I was imagining things?" 

I rolled my eyes. "Very well, you were right."

"Now you are the one imagining things, are you not?" she finished triumphantly, her grey eyes glittering. 

"Faewyn!" 

She laughed, then turned to me, more subdued now. 

"Gianna," she said, "How long?" 

My heart sank. I had known this would come up with her, and I didn't have to ask to know what she meant, but I did anyways. 

"How long what?" 

"Until you have to leave," she said miserably, looking towards the forest with great sadness in her eyes. 

I could not keep this to myself any longer. I took a deep breath. "The night we left Ithilien, the Valar visited me in dreams..."

**********

The forest must have still been an hour away when the horses broke into a gallop, and we didn't bother restraining them. The trees grew ever closer and any conversation ceased as we all were too windswept to say anything. 

First was Legolas, leading as always, his posture and noble features bringing with him an air of purpose and strength. Following were Gwithor, his raven hair matching the colour of his steed, and Maldor, who I knew to be so gentle and yet still radiated an aura of power as he looked on. Behind were myself and Faewyn, who had fallen back to the rear after Faewyn insisted on speaking to me about the Valar's words. Now she and I simply enjoyed each others' company, occasionally looking at one another and smiling as our horses cantered to the forest's edge. She had said nothing about herself in our previous discussion, only restating what I already knew, though I knew she would secretly want me to stay. 

Finally, we slowed and approached the archéd trees which bowed their heads to us as we stepped into the lands of the King. We passed six guards at different parts of the path, all of which bowed as they recognised Legolas. He acknowledged all of them but hailed some by name, most likely those with which he worked alongside with as part of the Royal Guard. 

"Reinos, is the King at the palace?" Legolas asked one particular guard as we passed. 

"Last I have heard, my Prince, he is indeed," Reinos replied, inclining his head. 

"Hannon le (Thank you)," Legolas replied, urging his stallion into a trot as we continued into the heart of the forest. 

"He would know, he is one of the King's personal guards on most days," Legolas explained, turning to us briefly. 

Our road widened and branched off to many smaller, stone-lined paths which disappeared among the trees like thin, pale rivers. 

As we passed the great arms-houses of the King, Gwithor dismounted and bowed to Legolas, and acknowledged the rest of us. "Here I must leave, for there are many here I would speak to in regards to Lady Galadriel's latest information about Ithilien." 

"Farewell, Gwithor," I said to him, inclining my head. "I am forever thankful for your presence at the battle in Mordor. You saved my life many times, surely." 

"Not quite that many times, my lady, but you are welcome just the same. I hope we meet again." he replied, half smiling. With that, he strode purposefully away. 

"The King will want to know all that has befallen us, as he has not heard much, if anything, as of yet," Legolas said. "Gianna, we will recount things when we can, but you must tell all that happened when you were unaccompanied. I know it is difficult to relive it, but..." His last comment trailed off and he looked at me sorrowfully.

*************

The afternoon had almost given way to evening by the time we approached the great palace of the Elvenking. Previously more tired than alert, I now felt nervous with anticipation, my heart beating uncomfortably. 

As Legolas announced us to the guards, the great oak doors swung open.