Middle-Earth Meets Loki

43

Sleep came fleeting, as it typically did for him. He was not exactly the most...well slept person in the group, but from what he could tell most of them seemed to have some type of trouble sleeping, so at the very least he was not alone in that. It did mean that he had more time to ruminate on things that were bothering him, but he was not sure that it was a good thing. Nonetheless, he knew next to nothing about the situation now facing Rohan, and though he was right when he had told Legolas he knew how to handle Noble and Noble courts, it was not as easy when he knew nothing about the land or the people. He could, he knew, but it was going to be a triffle more complicated than if he knew exactly what he was running into. It also would not help matters that he had no idea who this...this mole or whatever was. He was really going to be put in a guessing game, and he was not overly fond of guessing games.

When they moved onwards once more, Loki knew that something was off. He could not tell what was going on, but he knew that it was not a good idea to just dismiss his instincts, they were usually correct and if he felt that something was wrong, even if he not sure what it was, that meant that something was wrong. Whilst, there were other explainations, and it really could just be the lack of sleep that he has been dealing with for a while, he felt almost certain beyond a shadow of a doubt that something was going to happen, and he was not overly sure that it would be a good thing. He could not explain the feeling, and as such he knew it was useless to bring it up, but something...something was making his skin crawl and his senses alert, more so than they normally were, which was saying something as he was typically highly alert in the first place. He felt on edge, and he did not particularly like it.

"What is wrong?" Haldir questioned, and Loki cursed himself. Of course an Elf would have noticed his edged feeling. He inhaled sharply, trying to calm himself down, but the dread slowly echoed through his body, his magic warning him of danger. He pressed fingers to his temple, pausing in his steady walking pace forwards, and Haldir called for them to stop. Loki felt his magic curl around him, trying to protect him from whatever invisible threat that there was. One that he did not see, but even still, it was frustrating because he could not stop his magic from curling about him.

"I...I don't...I don't know." He whimpered softly. Legolas paused, glancing backwards and both he and Haldir were both able to see the mist of green that seemed to sheathe itself around Loki's body, as though trying to erase him, or hide him. Neither Aragorn, nor Gimli, were able to, so Legolas had to figure it was part of the enchantment. Loki's magic was odd at the best of time, and even now they did not know all that much about it. What was obvious, however, was how distraught Loki seemed about what was going on. He was highly unnerved and exceedingly upset. Which...well it definitely made sense in the grande scheme of things, but both could understand why it would be so upsetting. They were freaked out. Loki not knowing what is going on definitely did not serve to calm anyone down. "I feel...unsettled. Something bad is about to happen, something dangerous is coming at us, but I do not know which way it comes, nor do I know where it is." He whispered softly. Almost too quiet for Legolas to hear.

"Something is coming at us?" Haldir whispered, eyes turning towards Legolas. "That does not exactly sound promising." Legolas sighed outwards, not sure what they should do. Aragorn was watching the situation with a worried gaze, before sounds began to distract them, causing them to turn away from Loki towards wherever they were happening. Loki, for his part, merely clung to Haldir when the sounds made themselves noticed, his eyes were wide, and flecked with gold the misty swirls of green only getting stronger with the sounds coming towards them.

"That is the danger." He said simply, his fingers trembling as they clung to Haldir's tunic. His eyes carried an almost wild edge to them. Haldir merely nodded, accepting that information as it was. There was little they could do. Whoever it was clearly had the numbers, and the horses. They had neither. He let Loki cling to him, just now realizing how...how irrevocably young Loki was. He was wise beyond mortal years, but...just now, Haldir could not help but see him much older than that of Legolas mentally. It was an unnerving realization.

"They are the horses of the Rohirrim." Aragorn said simply as he stared at Loki, a contemplating look on his face. He sighed, moving fowards so Loki was not the main point of view.

"What are you doing here?" Came the question as they were easily circled around. "I thought you were looking for your friends." Aragorn glanced towards Loki willing him to be silent, but it would seem that he had little to worry about as it would seem that he could not speak either way, hiding his body in Haldir's own.

"We found them." He said with a bitter smile. The look dropped on the other's face.

"I am sorry for your loss."

"It cannot be helped, we were not fast enough to catch up to them. That is on us." Aragorn said simply.

"Where are you headed now."

"Rohan." The word cut a tense figure through the crowd.

"I see. I would warn you, Rohan is ruled by betrayers, at the moment."

"Perhaps," Loki cut out, his breath coming in gasps. "That is why we are leaving, do you not think it odd...the timing?" He huffed a laugh, his eyes dancing with gold and silver as he stared the leader of the horses down. "After all...it is coincidental, is it not?" They swallowed.

"You will endure, no matter what I say, but I would caution you..." The leader stared Loki down this time as they spoke. "Be careful."