to love someone else

Chapter 5: watch

As the days went on, it became common to hear the clashing of swords each time they stopped for a break. Merry and Pippin improved rapidly and Boromir claimed at the end of each lesson that they were soon to become even more skilled than he. Sam had little skill with a blade but had strength enough from the years of gardening and so Gimli had begun to teach him the basics of wrestling. After the first few days, Frodo had begun to tire quickly during the practice sessions. Gandalf suspected a combination of the Ring's evil and the lingering effects of the Morgul blade were the cause of Frodo's weakness. He'd put a stop to Frodo's training to give the young Hobbit more time to rest.

The days fell into an easy routine. They traveled during the day, stopping rarely and for only a few minutes at a time. Rest stops were taken up with brief training sessions. They tended to stop early in the evening to give Aragorn and Legolas time to hunt for supper, while Boromir and Gimil tended to their charges and Aerin was put in charge of looking after the Hobbits. The rest of the evening was given over as a time for fellowship, building bonds between the companions. The night was divided into six watches, cycled between Aragon, Legolas, Aerin, Boromir, Gimli, and Gandalf.

Gimli often took the midnight watch, claiming the pitch dark of the night reminded him of the caverns he'd grown up in. Such it was a night not long after Boromir had begun training the Hobbits. He hummed quietly to keep himself awake, glancing often at the Hobbits to make sure he didn't disturb their rest. He'd grown fond of the Halflings and knew how much of a toll the long journey was taking on them.

"It's a beautiful song," Legolas said quietly from beside him.

Gimli jumped. He hadn't realized that the Elf had crept up to join him. "Is my watch over?" he asked, shaking out his numb legs. "Nearly," Legolas replied. Gimli shot a look his way. "I couldn't sleep," he offered as an explanation. Gimli sighed, settling himself back down. He doubted that Legolas would let him leave his watch early, as there was no love lost between them. "You're welcome to join me, princeling," he said reluctantly, sure that Legolas would do as he pleased whether Gimli gave him permission or not. They sat in silence for a few minutes before Legolas suddenly said, "What's it about?"

"What's what about?" Gimli asked, confused. "The song you were humming." Gimli hesitated. He knew that Elves were fond of songs but he didn't think that Legolas would really approve of this one. "The fall of Erebor," he said finally. He paused again and then softly sang:

Far over the Misty Mountains cold

To dungeons deep and caverns old

We must away, ere break of day

To find our long forgotten gold

"My father taught it to me," he said. "All dwarrows used to learn it as children, before we reclaimed Erebor." Legolas seemed pensive but then, to Gimli, he always looked like that. "Your father...Gloin?" Gimli slowly nodded, wondering where this was going. "I met him once in Mirkwood."

"I know," Gimli muttered. He'd heard the story of how his father had met the Elvish princeling many times. It had always been his father's greatest regret, that he'd lost the locket his mother had given him before departing to Erebor.

"I always wanted to see him again," Legolas said softly, picking up a stick and twirling it between his hands. Gimli looked sharply at him. "But whether I traveled to the Lonely Mountain or whether the dwarrow traveled to Mirkwood, I never seemed to find him."

"He returned to the Blue Mountains after the Battle of the Five Armies."

"Ah... I'd hoped to see him in Rivendell after I saw him at the Council of Elrond but I'm afraid my hasty words did little to endear me to him. He refused to speak to me."

The Dwarf was more than a little surprised. He hadn't heard that the Elvish princeling had asked to speak with his father in Rivendell. "Can you blame him?" he finally stammered out. "After everything that happened in Mirkwood?" Legolas shrugged. "There is not much that I regret about the treatment of Thorin's company but I do regret that I took the locket. It couldn't have harmed anyone if I'd let him keep it, not like the weapons we confiscated. But I was more reckless then, not as wise."

"You're wise now?" Gimli asked, unable to keep himself from asking. Smiling, Legolas said, "Not according to my father." He paused and then said, "I opened myself up to that, didn't I?" Gimli chuckled, thinking to himself that the Elf wasn't such a bad sort when he wasn't putting on airs. "I always meant to return the locket," Legolas continued. "Perhaps I could have sent it with one of the Dwarven ambassadors but it always seemed like the sort of thing I should have returned in person." He glanced down at the stick he fiddled with. "But it seems I've lost my chance."

Gimli didn't quite know what to say to that but he didn't have to say anything as Legolas reached into his jacket and withdrew the locket. He held it out to the Dwarf. "I suppose it'll have to come from you instead." Jaw dropping, his fist closed around the locket. Almost reverently, he opened it to see the portraits of himself as a child and his mother. He turned back to say something- anything, really- but Legolas said, "I'll finish the rest of your watch. Get some sleep."