The Quest

The Quest: Chapter 2

The fellowship gathered in the courtyard of Rivendell, preparing as best as they could to head east towards Mordor. Alannah feared for what may happen along the way but felt somewhat at peace that fate may have led her here. She became more acquainted with the hobbits, their friendly and innocent souls not questioning her soft and alluring voice or her feminine facial features that in no way resembled a man's. Gandalf was discussing the journey with Boromir and Aragorn, the rightful King of Gondor as the dwarf Gimli sat nearby sharpening his axe. Alannah leaned against a tree, enjoying the comfort, the feel, and smell that the bark gave her when the elf quickly brushed past her, knocking her slightly off balance. She kept her head down as he turned to apologize to her, bowing slightly with his arm gently placed across his chest.

"Forgive me. Connynn is it?" He asked curiously, leaning a bit lower to search the eyes of whom he spoke to, wishing to show as much respect as possible to the young man. Alannah held her breath as she nodded to avoid his gaze, quickly walking past him to join Gandalf as they began to march out of the courtyard and beyond the gates of the elven realm.

Alannah was thankful for the many travels she embarked on with Gandalf, her stamina able to keep up with the demanding march towards the East. Her lean legs were strong as the rocky roads turned to hills and then to mountains, having already walked as well as ridden countless miles in her life. Along the way, Boromir would offer her sips from his water skin, trying to be as courteous to her as he could after she had denied him before their arrival at Rivendell. His friendship was indeed important to her, and she felt a small sadness that his pride was sore from her denial. She knew he was a good man, as well as handsome and he would have no trouble finding another woman to love him in the way that she simply could not.

They all spoke to one another along the way, more introductions and stories to keep themselves busy as they walked in unison together but Legolas spoke the least, only stopping to comment on the landscape and occasionally keeping pace beside Alannah, trying to get a glimpse at her face. He knew his senses would not betray him, and he sensed something hidden with this person. A familiar feeling came when he glanced in Connyn's direction, but what it meant escaped him.

When he would look ahead, farther than any one of them could see for any signs of impending danger she would sneak a glance at him, each time noticing a new feature: his long blonde hair fell long down his back, braids pulling back the sides to practically keep his face unobstructed. His lean, toned physique was strong yet soft in all the right ways. Many times she had to keep her eyes pointed to her feet, fearing someone would catch her admiring the elf and see the slight pink flush that had blossomed on the apples of her cheeks.

They walked for several hours before arriving to the top of one of the many crests beyond the Misty Mountains before finally taking a rest. The hobbits were eager to cook, pulling meats and fruits from their bags and preparing a fire. Legolas perched atop a rock, keeping watch in all directions while Boromir pulled Mary and Pippin aside to show them how to properly yield their weapons. Alannah opted to sit next to Gandalf while he smoked his pipe, watching Aragorn sharpen his blade nearby. The wizard casually offered his pipe to Alannah who hesitantly took it, puffing the smoke as she had watched him do so many times throughout the years. It was certainly unladylike and a perfect distraction. He leaned closer to her and whispered low enough that even the elf could not over hear.

"If there were any danger Legolas would have seen it by now. A few paces down the ridge is a river if you need a few moments to collect yourself." He sat back on the rock, satisfied that the exchange had gone unnoticed. Alannah casually walked over to the pony they had brought to transport what they could not carry and pulled out her own bag, relieved to have a bath and a moment's privacy.

She slipped away, unnoticed except for Gandalf who kept the rest of the company occupied in her absence. Alannah marveled at the beautiful view, having never seen nature in such a raw form off the beaten path..or maybe she had, for sure she could not remember. She walked upon the small river, the water clear and cool while the sun peeked through the canopy of trees that sway gently overhead. Alannah looked around as she sat her bag down, her eyes flickering around her to ensure that she was completely alone. She could still hear the laughter in the hills above her as the hobbits began to sing a happy tune and the smell of cooking wafted down near her, her stomach grumbling only slightly at the thought of a hot meal after a relaxing dip in the water.