Colours

Story Time with Legolas and Karonya

We paddle down the river in silence, each taking a turn with the oars. I can hear the running of orcs through the trees along the shore.

"Hey did I ever tell you about the time I fought off the Mirkwood spiders?" Legolas asks me.

I shake my head confused as to where he was going with this. 

"Well," Legolas begins, "I was patrolling in Mirkwood with a section of my guards that I had trained to be very advanced. Hearing shouts, and cries of battle in the distance we launched into action and ran towards the sounds. It was a hard battle but valiantly we fought against the spiders. I myself must have killed at least a dozen of them. Finally, we beat them back into the depths of the forest, captured the dwarves that were trespassing and locked them in the dungeons."

"You better not be talking about my father and his company!" Gimli shouts, indignantly.

I look to Legolas to see what his answer is and he blushes, refusing to meet my eye. "Legolas," I say softly, "Why would you do that to the dwarves? They were just trying to go home."

"I..well.. you know what," he stutters out, "How about the time when I defeated Bolg in the Battle of Five Armies?"

"Are you.." I begin but Legolas interrupts me and continues.

"I had travelled to the Laketown in pursuit of orcs and there fought a battle against him. Unnerved by my skills he fled but I led chase and followed him to Mount Gundabad where I saw the massive army amassing. Turning I rush back to Dale to warn my father and the men of the coming threat. But, I don't stop there. I continue onto Ravenhill to launch the attack against Bolg and destroy there leader once and for all. It was a blood battle, I ran out of my arrows and had to rely upon my knives for the final bit. We fought on a fallen tower until final I achieved the upper hand and killed my enemy." 

He smirked proudly at the end and looked at as if expecting me to say something.

"Are you feeling okay?" I ask instead, "You're acting strange."

He replies mildly annoyed, "Of course I am. I should you tell about the time I defeated the cave troll in Moria..."

"Okay, enough," I state and pull Legolas towards me, "I don't know what is going on with you but clearly you have had too much sun so you are going to have a nap and Gimli can paddle."

I reach into my bag for my water bottle and pass it to Legolas, "Drink."

He swats my hands away, "I'm fine! I don't need your help! Okay?"

"Oh," I look down frustrated with myself. "Sorry," I mumble before turning to look down the river ahead of us. 

I'm not sure if Legolas says anything behind me as I lose myself in my thoughts. 

You always do this, why do you become so overprotective? 

He was being confusing, what was I supposed to do?

Not molly coddle him! This is why no one else hangs around you, Aragorn only stays because he knows you'll follow him around anyways. People always find you annoying, don't you see it?

Yeah I do, I'll do better, I won't say anything to him again unless he asks me a question.

I sigh and stare at the forest as it passes by drifting in and out of thoughts.

~~

Later that evening I sit beside Aragorn at the riverside. I turn to him and quietly tell him, "I'm worried about Legolas. He was acting strange all afternoon, and his eye kept twitching at me every once in a while. He wouldn't let me help him."

Aragorn looks over his shoulder to where Legolas left to go gather wood. "I think he's just fine," he laughs, "you're overreacting."

"No, you don't understand. ... Aragorn he tried to tell me about the time he killed a cave troll, the one in Moria... That I was there for," I wave my hands in the air trying to convey the extremity of the situation.

Aragorn laughs again, "My friend, he was merely trying to show off to you."

"Why would he do that," I ask confused.

"I think I should leave you to figure that out by yourself."

"Fine," I huff out, "Keep your secrets! I'm going to go sit by someone who won't make fun of me." I turn and stomp over to where the hobbits are sitting by the campfire cooking dinner.

"What's wrong with you?" Pippin asks.

"Pippin!" Merry exclaims before turning to me, "Sorry 'bout that."

"No worries," I grumble, "It's just that Legolas is acting strange and Aragorn won't tell me why. All he does is laugh at me."

The hobbits laugh awkwardly. "Wait," Sam asks, "You seriously don't know?"

"Know what?" I ask.

They all look at each other and sort of shrug. 

"Ugghh," I say frustratedly, "I'm going to go take over from Boromir for watch."

~~

The next day on the river passed mostly in silence before Legolas turns and asks me a question around midday, "What was Anorien like? I have heard tales of tall trees, and miraculous staircases."

"It was a beautiful dark forest between where Gondor and Rohan now lie. Beside it lay the mountain ranges of Ered Nimrais. The trees there would grow so big, bigger even than the Mallorns in Lothlorien. As the trees grew taller their insides would hollow out and there we would build our homes. Oh, there were towering, spiralling staircases everywhere; glades where the sun would shine like glittering diamonds; and lanterns hung all around that gave a dimly lit glow that would never hurt your eyes. And the library, the library was magnificent; books lined the walls as high as you could see and higher. It would have taken me forever to read them all."

I sigh, nostalgic for what could have been. Seemingly speechless, not a word is said from either Gimli or Legolas for the rest of the day.