Shades Of Darkness (Legolas/LotR) Book 2 ✔️

III

               

To w0lf_0f_shad0ws - for your lovely comment

Arya settled herself on a branch that reached over the circular room where the council was just about to start. From here she could see all those attending: Elves, humans, dwarves, wizard and hobbit alike.

Her eyes kept moving back to a certain tall, blonde elf that sat regally in his chair. His eyes kept staring straight forwards, and he spoke to no one. The fingers of his right hand kept touching a spot on his inner lower arm, as if something there was bothering him. At one point he lifted away the sleeve of his tunic glancing down at his inner arm before his head moved and his eyes looked straight up to where she was perched on her branch.

Flattening her small dragon body to the branch and hiding between the leaves, she was sure he couldn't see her, but couldn't understand how his eyes managed to find her every time they were close. It had happened several times during the last few days. It was almost as if he just knew somehow that she was there.

She listened attentively during the council, watching as they fought over what to do, huffing at the ignorance some of them displayed.

            'Very few of these people are fit to see this task through,' she shot off to Elrond, as she watched the fight starting to get petty.

She spotted Frodo getting up before anyone else, and her heart wept for the small halfling.

            'Elrond.'

Elrond's gaze shifted until he saw the halfling, and she watched as the rest of the council became aware of him as well as the silence lowered over the group.

            "I will take the ring to Mordor." Frodo said, his voice slightly louder now that everyone else was looking at him, "though I do not know the way."

            "I will help you carry this burden, for as long as it is yours to bear." Gandalf stepped forwards and she watched Frodo's small shoulders sag in relief. Soon more joined in, even three more halflings that she had spotted earlier from her own hiding place. She had decided to let them stay and not tell Elrond, as their hearts were clearly in the right place.

Legolas, Aragorn, the representative from Gondor and Gimli son of her former companion Glóin had also joined.

Legolas.

Her heart clenched at the thought of him in danger. Of course he could handle himself. Probably better than anyone else she knew.

But still.

It was decided they would leave the next day, after getting themselves ready for the strenuous journey. As the members of the council started to leave the room she once again watched as Legolas looked straight up to her hiding place, his eyes almost inquisitive.

            Arya.

His voice in her head made her almost fall off of her branch.

            I know you are there. Please... Please come find me before tomorrow.

He watched her branch for another moment - probably waiting for a reply of some sort.

She gave none.

Arya found herself frozen to the spot and only her eyes moved as she watched him leave the room, eyes downcast.

* * *

Late in the evening she watched in silence as Aragorn and Legolas spoke quietly on a terrace. Planning their journey no doubt. Inhaling deeply she glided down from the branch she was perched on and transformed right as she hit the ground, before silently straightening up. Legolas back was slightly towards her, and Aragorn was facing her - but he didn't seem to notice her in the shadows.