Concerning Us

Chapter Ten: First of the Journey Troubles

They had travelled three days east when they neared a large lake. The sight of the water in the distance caused the horse to gravitate away from their course, "The horse is strong willed for a rest", Legolas said even as he tried against it with the reins. Soon enough the horse led the two to the enclosed body of water and came to a stop. The prince looked about their surrounding before determining to allow the break, "Along with the horse, you must be weary from riding. We shall camp here until morning". Dartha was extremely exhausted, they had spent the passed three days on horse back without stopping. She unwrapped her arms from around Legolas's waist and lowered herself unto the ground. When her feet touched the soil she was visited with the pain of a sore back acquired from the continuous riding. She placed a hand on her lower back as she looked around where they were, they would be safe here. "We are safe and will remain safe if we do not chance a fire", she spoke to Legolas who had led the horse to the edge of the water to drink. "If we do not chance a fire, you will be cold," he said as he climbed down from the thirsting horse. He tied the animal to the tree trunk nearby before he turned towards Dartha, "If it were not for winter drawing near, I would agree with you but for your sake we will make a fire. Are you hurting?" he asked with concern, noticing the way Dartha held her back. Dartha removed her hand as she walked toward the bound horse, "My fleet did not ride upon horses, and even if we did we wouldn't have gone days consecutively on them". She began to loosen their bags and weaponry which had been tied on the horse's sides until they fell unto the ground, "But I am fine and we should not make a fire for fear that we will attract fell things". She removed from her bag a blanket and wrapped herself as the wind blew.

Legolas and Dartha sat in silence eating some of the breads they had packed until they were startled by the horse a distance from them. The horse, which had been eating it's provided grain, had dropped to the ground with a loud thud and rolling unto it's side, made itself comfortable for sleep. "Have you ever been to Rivendell?" Legolas had spoken after a few moments. Dartha took the time to chew what was bitten off in her mouth before she answered, "Never have I been". A sense of shock came over the prince as he raised an eyebrow, "You've never been?" When Dartha did not answer him, he continued on to tell that it was a wonderful kingdom ruled by an incorruptible half-elven. "The lord of Rivendell will welcome us well. He has the gift of foresight, perhaps he can tell us a little about our future". Dartha looked incredulously at Legolas then slowly lowering her baked good unto a nearby rock, she abandoned it there before she stood to take her leave. She walked away resentful at how eager Legolas was to be bound to her. The prince stood up to follow after but in doing so he provoked her to jump into water and swim away from him. He stood on the edge as he watched Dartha make strong strokes across the water until she had reached the far other side. Dartha then pulled herself out with the help of a low hanging branch, weary from the distance she had swam. Without looking across the lake, she dripped water to the coverage of a few moderate bushes and began to peel her dampened clothes off her body in front of Legolas who was only able to see the portions of flesh above her shoulders and below her mid-thighs. Her clothes were then tossed over her head and unto a tree branch to hang dry.

Legolas soon broke from his shock and turned his back to provide the princess privacy across the lake. He felt the wind pick up and noticed that in Dartha's effort to be rid of him, she had left her blanket behind. He went over and picked it up from the ground, wrapping it around himself. The material smelt of her. He began to feel a bit pained at the way she reacted towards him but the sadness did not last long once he pulled her blanket tighter around himself. Her scent grew stronger somehow caused he to believe she would come around. As the sun began to set, he stretched himself out. Though it was not yet night and the sun barely descending, he started to feel the exhaustion that three days of travel had upon him and decided he would retire to sleep early. Before he shut his eyes, the half eaten loaf which Dartha left behind came up in his mind. He rose to his feet and found it still on the rock. They could not waste any food on their trip. He picked up the bread and took a bite from it before storing it back in the sac with the other foods. As he laid back down, he thought back to their betrothal day because he was able to taste her lips on the bread when he had taken the bite. He drifted to sleep still unable to determine what sweet thing she tasted of as he recalled the way he had kissed her during the ceremony three days ago in Harlond.