Shades Of Darkness (Legolas/LotR) Book 2 ✔️

VIII

To LOTR_fangirl_nerd - because she created a whole dialogue for Shadowfax (starting with: excuse me good sirs, but I AM A LORD FOR CRYING OUT LOUD!), and I laughed through the entire thing, and also #Votesauronforpresident

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"How are you, my lady?"

Arya looked up in surprise at the Gondorian that suddenly walked up to where she was sitting. The Fellowship had taken another break, though why, she was uncertain. They had to be close to the gates by now, as the wall of the mountain was shooting up into the sky on their left side.

"First of all, I think we can both agree that I am no lady." She chuckled quietly as redness spread across his cheeks, "second, I am fine, why do you ask?"

"You seem tired," he said, his voice lowering as if he wanted to keep the conversation between them, "there are dark circles around your eyes, and I do not think I have ever actually seen you sleep."

Arya took a moment before answering him, her gaze settled on him before glancing at the other men that were setting up a small camp for the night. "I do have some trouble sleeping, Boromir, but I assure you I am much better off awake than asleep. I have more control when I am awake."

"I did not mean to pry," Boromir said, his eyes cast to the ground as he started to turn away. "You didn't," Arya replied, stopping him in his track. "As a Fellowship you should all look out for each other, I know it is tense sometimes, but the fact that you came over her to question me - even though you have said next to nothing to me the whole time I was here, shows me that you care."

Boromir offered her a small smile, accepting her response. He then turned around and walked over to the camp, offering to take the first watch. She got ready to retrace their steps so that she could look for any impending danger behind them but was stopped when fingers curled around her shoulders and pulled her back.

"And where are you slinking off to?"

"Legolas." She chuckled quietly and turned around to face him, "I'm just making sure we are not being followed."

"You should sleep."

"Ah, you talked to Boromir?"

"No?" Legolas' eyebrows furrowed, "that's what you talked about?"

Shrugging her shoulders she took a step away from him, his fingers losing their hold on her shoulder and his arm fell back to his side. "I'll be back sometime before dawn, if you decide to leave before then just go, I will catch up to you."

About to step away again, she felt long smooth fingers curl around her hand and tug her around back towards the blond haired elf that was currently looking at her with narrowed eyes.

"I think not."

"Excuse me?"

"You are coming with me, and so help me, if I need to hold you down until you get some sleep I will." His eyes were serious, and the grip on her hand tightened until she couldn't pull away without using force. "Arya you haven't slept since you rejoined us over a fortnight ago. I don't know what you are scared of, but whatever it is, it cannot be worth exhausting yourself over it."

"You're going to hold me down, huh?" She had to fight to hold in her laughter, but after a while she couldn't stop it, and a couple of chortles left her mouth as she lifted her free hand to cover half of her face.