Running to You (LOTR- Legolas and O/C)

Ch.17- Rest, Reflection, and Rohan

For the first time in a while I actually slept... good. Great, if I dare say. The culprit responsible for helping me sleep was no longer by my side when I woke up. I groggily sit up, rubbing my eyes while trying to see where everyone was.

"About time ya woke up lass! I was starting to think you'd never wake up," Gimli chirped from beside the fire. I looked at him with a raised eyebrow.

"Well it's not my fault I slept in! Blame it on the elf, Gimli!" I said, looking around to find said elf. At the sound of my voice he turned and looked at me, a smile forming on his face as he walked towards Gimli and I.

   "What are you blaming me for this time, meleth nîn?"

   "The lass slept in far too long! I was beginning to think she had died in her sleep," Gimli joked. I throw a small stone at him and it hits his shoulder. He scoffs and looks at me. "Now that's not very lady-like, your highness."

   "Oi I'm not a queen yet, I still can have a little fun can I not?"

   Legolas laughs lightly while pinching the bridge of his nose. "Gîn edain gwanno naeg nîn (you two will be the death of me)."

   "Anann dartha i veleth nín, an melethach nin ú-bethil (Indeed we will, but you love me regardless)," I say as I stand up, brushing myself off after laying on the ground all night. Gimli looked terribly lost as Legolas and I spoke. I went to him and patted his shoulder, smiling down at the dwarf.  "Don't worry Master Dwarf, when all of this is over you shall be fluent in Sindarin, the language of elves."

   "What if I wish not to be fluent?"

   "Well then you'll never know if we are talking about you or not," I say grinning. The poor dwarf's facial expression made me chuckle. "Do not worry, Gimli. We do not speak poorly about you. You are an excellent fighter, a good friend and a wonderful drinking partner."

   "Why Miss Ari, you're going to make me blush," he chuckled, a hint of pink evident on his cheeks. I pat his cheek lightly and return to Legolas's side. Legolas had watched my exchange with Gimli with amusement. His eyes sparkled in the sun light, making them even lighter than they normally are.

    "You never really explained how you knew Gimli so well," Legolas said once I was at his side. I rested my head against his arm and nodded.

    "I knew his father, Gloin. He was part of Thorin's company all those years ago. I believe he now lives in the Blue Mountains from last I recall. Gloin is reaching almost two hundred and twenty years old." As I spoke of my dear friend, a wave of sadness washed over me as I thought of the dwarves. Many of them have passed on or are nearing that time, few of them we lost in battles. Yet there were some that still lived. Many stayed in Erebor after it was reclaimed to help rebuild it and the city of Dale. I once made a promise that I'd return to Erebor. I have yet to do so.

   "Ari?" Legolas was looking down at me, his eyebrows drawn together as he looked at me with worry. I smile lightly at him and exhaled.

   "I'm just thinking, Legolas. Thinking of my friends and how I've missed them dearly. Sometimes I wonder what things would be like if Thorin and Fili and Kili hadn't... hadn't died. Thorin would've made a great king. Fili would have been at his side for everything and Kili..." I laughed as I thought of Kili. "Kili would be causing trouble, as he did, but he'd have been a wonderful prince. I'd give anything to have the chance to go back and try to save them..."

Legolas turned to face me and took my hands in his. "Arellia, I know how hard it is losing someone you care about. Even if you knew what you were capable at that time, there was nothing you could do. Their deaths could not have been prevented."