Ithildin - Legolas x OC

Chapter 13.

~*~

We stop along the bank to rest for the night, much to both Aragorn and Legolas' distress.

"Mín turúdorth hi an, i Orcs norbreg." Legolas says.
(We cannot stay here long, the Orcs move quickly.)

"Hain baur post." Aragorn replies, looking to the Hobbits who are already close to falling asleep along the bank, a small, risky fire before them.
(They need rest.)

I step toward them, both turning to look at me. "Ceri cin, Aragorn. Mín tiri echad."
(So do you, Aragorn. We will watch the camp.)

I look to Legolas who nods, neither or us requiring much rest due to our Elven blood.

Aragorn looks between us and nods with a sigh. "A few hours—no more."

I nod, watching him walk to the camp and get settled. Turning to Legolas, I say, "Im tiri an."
(I'll watch north.)

He nods, turning south and venturing slightly into the trees, myself doing the same in the other direction.

I stand on a fallen tree trunk, staring out at the trees surrounding us. So quiet...so still. No animals move, no breeze rustles the leaves above. Nothing moves aside from us.

It's unsettling.

An image of Gandalf comes into my mind, one of him falling, falling down into the depths of Khazad-dum to save us, to get us here.

We are but halfway on our journey, how much more peril will we endure? How much more loss?

I don't realise how much time has passed until light, near silent footsteps approach me.

"Amariel, we're almost ready to leave." Legolas says quietly, watching me.

I snap out of my daze and turn to him. "What?" I look around, dawn is approaching, the sky lightening with the oncoming sun. "Oh."

"Are you alright?" He asks slowly, his brow etched into a concerned frown.

I nod. "I was thinking of Gandalf, of our journey that is yet to come in the wake of his death." I pause, saying quietly, "And how we may not cope well without him."

"You had a bad feeling before he fell." Legolas steps closer to me, scanning my face as I stand higher than him on the log. "Do you have another?"

My head turns to look at him, a grave tone in my voice as I say, "Yes but...I cannot quite make sense of it. It's not necessarily bad, but...a feeling of uncertainty."

"Amariel! Legolas!" Aragorn calls out. "Let's go!"

I sigh, looking to the lake through the trees, then turn to step off, but pause as Legolas holds out his hand to me. Smiling faintly, I look to him.

"I am an Elf, you may recall. And highly skilled."

"Yes," he smiles, "but you are also a Lady."

I laugh lightly, taking his hand and stepping down. Once on the ground, I look up at him, my hand hesitant to pull away. Legolas looks over my face, a small smile gracing his lips. He lowers his hand, still holding mine, my fingers giving his a light squeeze.

Something changes then, something in the air as we stare into each other's eyes. My bright green orbs clashing against his blues. I don't think either of us breathes...I'm certainly not.

"I will not be used as an Elf chaser!" I hear Gimli cry out, causing me to quickly retract my hand and step back.

Legolas' eyes move to the sound of Gimli's voice at the boats, and then I turn to walk ahead of him, not daring to look back.

Aragorn watches our approach to the bank, looking between us curiously. "What took so long? I send Legolas to retrieve you and now you look as if you've seen a ghost. I was about to search for you myself." He glares at Gimli who, as we heard, refused the command.

I falter, looking to Legolas who looks at me slightly confused.

"I fell." I turn back to Aragorn, telling a blatant lie I somehow hope Legolas goes along with.

"You...fell?" Aragorn repeats, not quite believing me.

"The bark was slippery." I nod. "With morning dew."

"I see." He drags out.

"Legolas couldn't stop laughing." I force a smile. "I'm surprised you couldn't hear him from here."

Aragon tilts his head, now amused—though not for the right reason—looking to Legolas. "We could not."

"Yes." Legolas nods along, his voice monotone as he catches on. "It was...quite funny."

Boromir barks out a laugh from his position near the boats. "One of Rivendell's most highly skilled soldiers fell off a log. I should think it was funny."

I glare before realising this was my own fate upon saying the words.

"If you're in luck, I may attempt to mimic the frightened look on her face." Legolas smiles now, even at my snarl.

"Later." Aragorn walks away. "Come. We need to use as much daylight as possible."

I walk over to the boats, about to step in when a hand appears in front of my vision. Looking up to a smirking Legolas and his raised eyebrow, I bat his hand away and step into the boat, content with not having to look at him for the entire day—for my own embarrassment's sake.

~*~