I don't bow to crowns LOTR/Legolas love story #Wattys2015

The Gates of Argonath...

As the night drew near, the Fellowship stopped on a small island in the middle of the river to spend the night. Merry, Pippin and Gimli were aleady sleeping. Nymerial looked at the river and saw a piece of wood floating. She then looked more closely and saw a bony hand clutching it and the top of something’s head was barely visible. Nymerial looked at Aragorn and he said, mostly to Boromir who was also watching it

“Gollum. He has tracked us since Moria, I had hoped we would lose him on the river. But he is too clever a waterman.”

Boromir started to worry

“And if he alerts the enemy to our whereabouts it will make the crossing even more dangerous.”

Nymerial didn’t want to hear more because she knew that they would start arguing soon. She went to the other side of the small island and sat down to Legolas. 

She laid onto her back and looked at the dark sky filled with bright stars. She then looked at Legolas who was still sitting on a rock. Nymerial noticed that Legolas was watching the sky also. She then asked quietly from him

“Can you help me with something?”

He looked at her and asked back

“Of course, but how?”

“Could you please tell me everything you know about the Dragonkind? And me, the Dragonborn?”

He looked surprised but answered

“Well, my people do not have much stories or songs about the Dragonkind, but still there are some. It is said that the Dragonkind have the blood of a man and the blood of a dragon in them. The dragon blood made them stronger and faster than any Man or Elf. It is told that even with only one hundred men they could still destroy an army of a thousand. The Dragonborn is said to be the most fierce warrior known to man. In songs and stories, the Dragonborn carries a mark of a dragon, burned onto his or her hand with  the ancient flame. That is all my people have ever known about the Dragonkind.”

Nymerial sat up and looked into Legolas’ eyes. She said

“Thank you, Legolas. You helped me greatly.”

Nymerial then looked up and closed her eyes, enjoying the silence surrounding them. Legolas on the other hand was looking at Nymerial. Her hair was like a dark waterfall and it was shimmering in the silver moonlight. Her face looked peaceful as it was pointed towards the moon. It almost reminded Legolas of a howling wolf. He wondered what was going through her head. ‘I think Aragorn was right, I might love Nymerial. But she probably thinks of me as a friend. She must have someone waiting her in Rivendell or where ever she lives…’ 

But Legolas’ thoughts were interrupted by Pippin who must have been listening in. He said with Nymerial with his usual jolly voice

“I have heard that the Dragonkind are great drinkers. Just saying.”

Nymerial opened her eyes and looked at Pippin. She said to him

 “Bet I can last longer than you.”

“You have a bet. But I could not help but notice that my word are coming more and more true. The word I said to you in Moria. I want a first row seat.”

Nymerial smacked him on the back of his head and said

“Shut up. You should be sleeping.”

Pippin then left the pair while rubbing her head and mumbling something about it being the truth. Nymerial shook her head and said to the puzzled Legolas

“It is hard to explain. Well, I am going to sleep. Quel du. (Good night.)”

“Quel kaima. (Sleep well.)”

Said Legolas back. Nymerial then found the softest spot on the grass and fell asleep. 

After some hours, Legolas woke from his Elf sleep and noticed that he couldn’t move that well. He then looked down and saw that Nymerial was holding him with her arms around him and her head on his chest. She looked so peaceful and pure as she slept, it seemed like the worries of the world had been washed away from her. Legolas didn’t want to wake her so he laid back down and stared into the endless sleep. Soon after that, he fell back into Elf sleep. When Nymerial woke, everyone else except the Hobbits were awake. She stretched her arms and stood up. She went to the rest and took a piece of lembas from Aragorn’s hand. He whipped around and asked

“I was eating that. Why did you take it from me?”

“Because you did not wake me up.”

Legolas then said 

“None of us wanted to wake you because we saw what you are like in the mornings yesterday.”

Nymerial did an ‘oh’ sound as she ate a piece of lembas. 

They then went to get the Hobbits up. Nymerial went to Pippin and shook him. But he just turned to the other side and continued sleeping. That happened two more times. Then an idea popped into Nymerial’s mind. She went to the water and got a handful of water. She then went back to Pippin and said to him, trying not to laugh

“You better get up or you will regret it.”

Pippin mumbled something back and didn’t get up. Nymerial went next to him and dropped the ice cold water all over his head. The halfing jumped up and looked around looking for the source of the water. He then saw Nymerial and the rest of the Fellowship laughing. He asked from Nymerial

“Why did you do that? You could have woken me up without the water.”

“But I did try to. Three times. You just kept on sleeping.”

Nymerial then went to help the rest to pack the boats.

Soon they were back on the river. Nymerial then heard something on the shore far away. She knew what it was. It was as Celeborn told, they were being tracked. The Fellowship then saw something in the distance. As they sailed closer, Nymerial could make out what it was. She heard Aragorn say to Frodo

“Frodo, the Argonath! Long have I desired to look upon the kings of old. My kin.”

They looked up in awe. The Gates of Argonath were huge. But at the same time, the small details were carved with perfection. Nymerial wasn’t sure if the Dwarves even could do that. But as the time passed, the statues of once great kings were falling apart piece by piece.

The Fellowship sailed through the gates and soon they could hear a waterfall roaring. Aragorn then lead them to the shore. When everybody was resting or making camp, Aragorn said

“We cross the lake at nightfall. Hide the boats and continue on foot. We approach Mordor from the North.”

Gimli then grumbled in his usual tone

“Oh, yes?! It is just a simple matter of finding our way through Emyn Muil? An impassable labyrinth of razor-sharp rocks! And after that, it gets even better! Festering, stinking marshlands, far as the eye could see!”

Pippin looked up, alarmed. Aragorn said

“That is our road. I suggest you take some rest and recover your strength, Master Dwarf.”

But Legolas looked away and Nymerial could sense something. She said to Aragorrn

“We should leave now.”

“No. Orcs patrol the eastern shore. We must wait for cover of darkness.”

Legolas spoke up, still looking around them

“It is not the eastern shore that worries us. A shadow and a threat has been growing in my mind. Something draws near…I can feel it.”

“So can I.”

Said Nymerial. She turned her eyes into the dark pine forest. ‘Something is near and it does not wish us well.’ thought Nymerial. She then looked at the camp and saw Frodo missing. At the same time, Merry returned with some food and saw also that Frodo was missing. He asked

“Where is Frodo?”

Aragorn looked over the camp and his eyes dropped on something. Nymerial followed his gaze and saw Boromir’s shield. She then saw two kinds of footprints leading into the forest.