Another Life

Chapter 14 - River

Galadriel farewelled us from the bank, as we moved away from the bank, her eyes haunting me long after she vanished out of sight. Elves stood along the bank, watching us quietly, a solemn procession that chilled me to the bone.

But somehow I felt okay, felt the way the ring clung to my finger, and felt the warmth of the others. I liked the others. It would be okay. She wouldn't give us all these special gifts if she'd seen us all die.

No one spoke for a very long time. Quietly Legolas paddled behind me, leading the others, and it seemed the slightest motion of the paddle was enough to propel us beautifully through the river.

Slowly Lothlorien drifted away, the forest changing swiftly, and Gimli finally spoke only when we'd been travelling for some time. He'd seemed unable to speak but now...

“I have taken my worst wound at this parting, having looked my last upon that which is fairest. Haugh, henceforth I will call nothing fair unless it be her gift to me.” Gimli breathed out, slowly from behind me.

“What was it?”

“I asked her for one hair from her golden head. She gave me three.”

I smiled at that, shutting my eyes as the warmth of the sunlight filled my body. I still didn't get the dwarf elf hatred thing and now, I was even more baffled. But it didn't seem to matter.

We went quiet again as the river contained, finally branching out into a wider river, great cliffs rising around us. Fish jumped, birds swooped and sang, the land healthy and happy. I dozed, on and off, it was hard not to. Sometimes when I opened my eyes, the others were ahead, or behind, and when it was my turn to paddle, I found it surprisingly easy. Only a quick stop for lunch, which was more an excuse to go to the toilet for everyone than anything, and then we were back in the boats.

As beautiful as it was to drift downstream with my favorite elf and my favorite dwarf, though admittadly I had only met a few of them, the warm fuzziness that came with Lothlorien faded. It was almost as if the magic and protection of that place stopped and with it, our comfort. The only person who seemed to perk up at this release of energy was Boromir, who's face had gained color again, shoulders no longer slumping. Whatever that place had done to him, whatever he'd felt about his father and his brother, he hadn't been able to hide from it there.

I met his eyes once. Hurt flashed across it, betrayal, like I'd cheated on him. Guilt dogged at me, it tore at my insides, and I couldn't understand why. Why should I feel so bad about his hurt? Yes, okay, I was sleeping with the Elf. But it seemed natural. It felt natural. I didn't know if I loved Legolas but … I liked him a hell of a lot, and anyway, besides that 'L' word he'd slipped earlier, he'd made it pretty clear that this was about two friends taking comfort without shame.

Without shame.

So why did I feel so fucking bad now that Boromir knew? I wouldn't marry his brother just because he wanted me to. The idea repulsed me.

I gritted my teeth as he refused to look at me for the rest of the afternoon, the hot sun beating down on us, sending little rivers of sweat down my back. We all sweated, except for Legolas naturally, but I'd stopped caring so much. I did start craving a swim in the river by the time it reached mid-afternoon and the sun was at the hottest all day.

“You want to try, Wendy?” Gimli glanced backwards at me, holding the paddle. We were behind the others, but no one seemed to be in too great a rush with paddling, the current of the river and the boats were moving at a good speed without great effort. Another magic elf trick? Magic boats?

“Of course!” Come to think of it, why hadn't I been offered this before? Gimli and Legolas had both taken turns. I took it and stared at it. It was pretty light for the size of it. “So I-”