Crownless » LotR [2]

Chapter Fifteen: Troops of Red

Gimli gripped Elle's waist tighter as they rode, following along the mountainside. She followed behind Boromir's horse, the others in a line at her back. To the right, the cliffs jutted up into the golden morning sky, to the left, the mountainside sloped downward; probably not a fatal, but most certainly not a fun fall.

Cracking a grin, Elle glanced over her shoulder at the dwarf. "I'm not going to let you fall, Gim."

He huffed. "You said that last time."

Fair enough. Wincing, she glanced back forward, setting her gaze back on the path. "You know I didn't mean to. Just trust me."

"Oh, I trust ye enough, lassie," Gimli shifted a little, tightening his hold. "It's the horse I don't trust. They'll throw you without a second thought, like you're nothing more than a sack of potatoes. Dangerous beasts."

Like he understood each word the dwarf said, Firefoot threw his mane, neighing loudly and picking up his pace. Elle couldn't smother her grin as Gimli cursed, his fingers digging into her cloak. 

"Deep breaths, Gim. It'll be okay."

But he only muttered something else in dwarvish. Ahead, Boromir glanced back, tilting an amused brow. In the saddle behind him, Pippin said something that made the man bark a laugh.

The sun had finally risen high enough that the path was discernable, which had soothed Elle's own nerves. Glancing back, she was relieved to see that Theodred and Merry were still fine in the very back, Eowyn and Faramir riding in front of them.

The others had been surprised to see Theodred, although not so much to hear that she'd convinced him to not turn them in. Instead, Eowyn had looked amused, teasing the man for being so easy to sway.

"She's more stubborn that Aragorn himself," Theodred had muttered, glancing sideways at where Elle stood. She'd only shot him a wink.

"Runs in the family, I guess. Elrond just weeded out the exciting part of my brother." Or maybe just instilled some responsibility into him. Elle shrugged off the thought. Responsibility was boring anyway. 

She finally felt alive again, doing something other than pacing around the camp or debating war plans back and forth with Gandalf and other generals. Elle felt like she had control of something again-- she could do something.

In a way, it also reminded her of before. Some new faces, but the same determinations. She finally had a purpose again.

They continued along the mountainside as the sun rose higher into the sky, the landscape slowly changing. Once they made it out of the dale, it would be a straight path to the Great River, and then to Mirkwood. 

Closing her eyes, Elle took a deep breath, enjoying the fresh air. There had been so many cold and grey days that she often longed for the feeling of the sun on her skin. It was something she never realized she'd miss so much.

"Why is the sun so bloody bright?"

Elle tilted her head up to the midday sky, blinking at the cloudy horizon. Then she glanced over her shoulder, where Gimli rode on Arod behind Legolas. "The sun isn't out."

Gimli grunted, dropping his head. "I can't even see!"

"That would be the after-effects of the liquor, Gimli." Boromir chuckled. "I myself am surprised you've even stayed atop your horse for so long."

"I drank no more than the elf," Gimli grumbled.

"I suppose I did win the competition," Legolas mused, meeting her gaze with a small smile. She bit back a laugh and he chuckled, glancing over his shoulder at the dwarf. "I suppose I can actually hold my ale."