Chapter 14: Taking a Tumble

Lenmana froze as she watched the two elves playfully wrestle with each other, but was more startled when their attention focused on her. Suddenly, and in unison, the elves shouted at her. Fear gripped her and she bolted towards the nearest escape route she could see, towards the bridge and across the river. She pumped her legs as hard as they would allow, forcefully gasping for air as her lungs seemed to collapse with each stride she took. A pain in her shoulder began to bolt down her arm and chest resulting from the erratic pumping of her arms. She did not dare turn around for fear that she was being pursued, but her body was quickly giving out on her.

Ahead of her she saw the bridge coming to an end and a grassy path led from it into the forest. If she could only make it to the forest, she felt she may be safer. Her reasoning was flawed but it drove her to push her body further. The pain in her shoulder was tearing through her as if a thousand needles were being driven into exposed bone, her lungs burned with each breath she took, but she drove on.

Aní and Legolas stood startled watching the young maiden run away from them in obvious fear. They had started after her, but decided they would remain far enough behind as to not startle her further. Their pace was rather leisurely as the young maiden’s pace slowed dramatically.

As Lenmana’s foot crossed the threshold of the bridge, her body gave away underneath her, unable to continue under her demands. Time seemed to slow as her legs collapsed under her and her body flew forward. Lenmana threw her arms out instinctively to brace herself from being flung face first into the grass beneath her, and as she saw the earth coming up quickly, she flinched as she realized that her injured arm could not take such a fall without being re-injured. As this thought crossed her mind, she felt knees burn sharply with the grass that met them, and she skidded forward until her hands hit the ground. Her arms buckled from the force of impact on the ground and her elbows joined her knees in skidding along the grass, until finally her arms collapsed under her body, and she came to a stop. The force of her body slamming down on the earth and her arms below her, knocked the wind out of her, and the young woman lay on the earth, wheezing and gasping for any little air she could suck in.

Legolas and Aní had bolted into a sprint as they sensed that she was about to take a tumble, quickly reaching her, and crouching by her side. They tried to have her remain out-stretched as this would ease air back into her lungs. The young woman did not seem to object to their wishes as she was still too dazed from her fall and lack of breath to contemplate what exactly was occurring.

A voice from behind the two elves startled them, “It seems that already havoc is being unleashed in my kingdom upon your return.” Thranduil paused, and looked over the elves, “How injured is our young guest?”

Legolas winced at his father’s words, but answered him nonetheless, “She has not suffered any broken bones or cuts, but she has burns from where she skidded on the grass. She will be very sore, no doubt.”

Lenmana was now breathing with more ease but dared not breathe too deep as she was afraid that any move on her part could be dangerous as the three elves were inspecting her with hands and eyes. She glanced nervously back and forth between the elves, but they did not seem notice her apprehension as they were busily attending to her and discussing amongst themselves how to take her back to the healing quarters.

“I was just about to leave, when I come upon this scene! What has happened, pray tell,” Mithrandir urged.

Aní replied, “It seems we startled her and she ran from us, and fell in the process.”

“Move away please,” the Istar instructed, “surely you all can see that you are frightening her?”

The elves looked at the young woman and noticed the nervous look in her eyes, and stepped back, allowing Mithrandir to approach the young woman. As he knelt by her, Lenmana’s eyes locked on her friend’s, and offered a weak smile.

the wizard spoke to her in her native tongue.

She was thankful that the man known to her as Mithrandir was there with her, but she was saddened as he reiterated that he was indeed leaving, despite her new injuries. But his words had comforted her as he assured her that the mighty king welcomed her to stay as long as she pleased. She glanced towards the king and found him looking at her, and he smiled warmly in response.

The elves looked on as the wizard gently prodded quiet responses from his patient. Soon Lenmana was pointing wearily in Legolas’ and Aní’s direction, looking at them in the same manner she had before she had run away from them. Thranduil sighed and glanced at his son and grandson, understanding that some mischief of theirs had probably startled the untrusting stranger.

The younger elves answered the accusations, “We did nothing wrong!”

Legolas added, “At least nothing directly.”

Mithrandir responded warily, “I suppose that this reunion between the lot of you was going to result in some sort of disarray, but no great harm has come of it. Help me take her back to her quarters. Aní and Legolas, I expect that you have many questions of her as she will have of you both, but in the meantime you can help with her re-injured shoulder. It will need more rehabilitation.”

Aní queried, “But how are we supposed to *speak* with her if we cannot understand her. You seem to be the only one who can communicate in her strange tongue.”

“Many things have occurred since you two have been away on patrol. I am sure you will find that communicating with her will be somewhat easier than expected,” the king interjected.

Legolas ventured to ask, “And how is that?”

“Your father will reveal that to you later. Let us take her back before her nerves grip her again.” Mithrandir gestured towards Aní and Legolas to help the young maiden cross the bridge.

Lenmana had been quietly taking in the conversation that passed between the elves and the old man. Her body was pained from the harsh fall, but it had been soothed somewhat by the elve’s ministrations. As she listened, she realized that the two elves that had scared her did not think she could understand them. To her surprise, she found herself pondering the idea that this misinformation, if not corrected, might bring her some amusement. She relaxed and allowed herself to relish in the peace and joy that radiated to her from these leaf people.

In this moment she promised herself that as long as she was able to take in all that was being gifted to her she would try not to fight them, or let fear paralyze her. With these thoughts, she pushed her troubling past further into the recesses of her mind, and turned her attention to the leaf people. She allowed her gaze to linger slowly from ear to ear, and was amazed that nature had endowed these folk who were so clearly born of the woods they lived in with the physical traits of the trees. She unconsciously rubbed the roundness of her ears and smiled at the thought that she found the leaf ears to be strangely beautiful, her leaf people.

The two elves that had scared Lenmana out of her wits, gently assisted her back to her quarters, and she returned willingly, hoping that the emotions that had paralyzed her when she awoke would not return. She had to fight the urge to ask the old man to remain by her side if only for a couple of moments. As she was settled back into her room, Mithrandir took his leave of her, allowing healers to tend to her injuries. Thranduil had shooed Legolas and Aní out of her room, and quietly closed the door behind him.

Lenmana held her breath as the healers exited her room and she waited, waited for the terror to grip her heart and squeeze it, but nothing happened. She let out a long breath and felt her eyes grow heavy with sleep. No doubt, one of the teas she had been given was a sleeping draught, but she was thankful for it, welcoming the sleep that overcame her.

***

Laurenor was stretching lazily in bed, watching his wife comb through her long hair. He loved feeling the touch of his skin smooth against the sheets as he stretched in the mornings before rising. He pulled the sheets away from his bare body and approached Istawen as she watched him from the mirror. Chills ran through her body as she drank in the entirety of her husband’s form.

His dark hair hung loosely around his face as no warrior braids impeded its flee flowing form. His deep, dark blue eyes that he used all too well in the art of seduction, were twinkling with mischief.

“My brother has arrived,” Laurenor announced softly, standing behind his wife, and tangling his hands in her hair.

“You did say that you expected him soon last night. He must have been quite near for you to feel his presence,” Istawen added, not taking her eyes off her husband. “Lotórie is with Rainiel and Erutinín this morning, awaiting Legolas and Aní’s return.”

“I am sure they will not mind if we do not meet him for breakfast this morning,” Laurenor purred in his wife’s ear.

Istawen closed her eyes, allowing the tingling in her ear to fully envelop her, “They will not mind at all, not in the least bit.” As Istawen breathed these words she grabbed her husband by the back of the neck and pulled him towards her lips.

Laurenor allowed himself to be pulled into the deep kiss, and all was forgotten in this moment, except the needs of the two lovers.

***