She was talking to herself more than to herself, so she didn't see his eyes widen. She grumbled as she tried to find her way back, not paying attention to the other elf anymore. He quickly caught up with her and followed her.
- "Are you talking about Elladan and Elrohir? He asked her.
- Yes it's them! She suddenly frowned. How did you guess?
- Twin elves, it's not very common… he whispered with a smile. I had an appointment with them two days ago but they must have been late…
Elwen froze.
- It's you! They wouldn't tell me who you were.
- What are you doing with them?
- "We've been traveling together for exactly one hundred and four years…I think we should go back, they must be looking for me."
The blond elf hissed for a long time and a white stallion appeared from behind the trees. It was the most beautiful horse Elwen had ever seen, but she didn't let It show.
He climbed on it gracefully, watching It move, she told herself that It was indeed an elf in its own right. She would never be able to move with such poise and grace. She sighed as she grabbed the hand he held out to her. Her other shoulder hurt but she gritted her teeth and said nothing.
Her arm was completely sticky with the blood but she couldn't help It, her medical skills were almost non-existent. The wound was deeper than she had Imagined, the blood flowing from it in long streaks.
- "I think I remember this path, on the left, she murmured, uncertain.
She put her good arm around the rider's waist, letting the other dangle at her side. The horse was trotting quite quickly but she still managed to talk to her companion.
- And what were you doing In this forest? I thought our meeting point was much further east.
- As you were still not there, I decided to go to meet you… At first sight, I did well.
- "I would have made It without you, don't worry. A thousand years I've walked this earth and no one has succeeded In bringing me down, and there's no shortage of candidates… she said with a strange laugh in her voice.
He looked at her over his shoulder with a small smile before turning back to the road.
- "You are a very atypical elf, I have never met anyone else like you…
- Oh … I'm not an elf, I was raised by Men. My mother was from Greenwood and my father was from the North, from a lost kingdom.
They continued their discussion as the sun slowly rose. Suddenly, Elwen stopped talking, and he then turned to her. Elwen had her head down, her fingernails digging Into her palm.
- " How are you? »
- "I've known better… do you mind If we stop for just a few minutes," she breathed, her jaw clenched In pain, her skin pale.
He stopped the horse Immediately and let her jump off their mount. Elwen put her hand on her bruised shoulder. His sleeve was bathed In blood, his fingers still wet from the sticky fluid that leaked from the wound. She let out a shaky breath before looking up at the blond elf who was watching her with concern. Elwen swore at Westron, her face a little pale.
- "It was my last tunic…" she said smiling In a way she hoped was reassuring. We must quickly find the twins, they are the ones who know best the medicinal sciences. »
He helped her onto the horse before mounting In front of her and setting off their mount into a gallop.
- " The! The river, go down there. The camp is just after, she whispered.
They came to the empty camp she had left behind a few hours earlier. She dismounted while he was not stopped.
- "Elladan! Elrohir! »
A noise to their right made them turn quickly. The two twin elves ran towards her, their faces worried.
I'm here, don't worry, she told them quickly.
They didn't answer. She must have looked pale because Elrohir put a hand on her Icy cheek.
- Don't worry, she repeated.
The silence was filled only by the sound of the river. She slowly freed herself and walked over to it. She began to remove her bloodstained gray tunic.
- "I hope you don't mind If I undress because even if I do, I will." She added
She was only wearing her underwear underneath but the twins had already seen her, only the blonde elf looked shocked. She rinsed her wound with water, grimacing. The wound was not clean, it oozed slightly and that was not a good sign. Elrohir approached her and examined the lesion.
- "By the way, I still don't know the name of our new companion.
- It's Legolas, from the Sylvan kingdom, said Elladan quickly, cutting off the principal concerned. He gave her a questioning look before she dragged her away.
Elwen couldn't hear what they were saying so Elladan spoke softly. She turned her gaze towards Elrohir, he was watching her with a strange gleam in his eyes.
- "You scared us, Elwen… We thought you had left," he murmured before hugging her.
- "Why think such a thing? »
I don't know… But that's the first thing that came to mind when we discovered your absence." You've always been unpredictable and wandering, so…we just thought you'd decided to leave us, he gave her a small smile before continuing. We know that one day, that's what you'll end up doing, even If we do everything to make you stay, you always end up running away…
- I would like to tell you that It won't happen but you know me as well as I do to know that it would be a lie… She glimpsed a flash of pain in his gray eyes and looked back at the other two elves. Elrohir, please don't tell him who I am. I have a feeling he won't accept It…
- Legolas is like us, he doesn't judge others by their past.