Feä Bond (Legolas x OC)

Durin's song

Here comes Durin's song again. Listen to it while you read this, it should give you an idea of what Frances can feel as Gimli sings.

- "There, make yourself useful, my lady."

Legolas frowned, miffed by the condescension of Boromir's tone as he threw his tunic in Frances' lap. Sometimes, the steward's son was just too pig-headed to understand when an explosion was coming his way. Retaliation was swift.

- "Are you implying that I am being useless?"

The lack of title raised Boromir's hackles instantly; it was written all over his face. Despite his courage, the steward's son wasn't used to shed the mantle. His men called him Captain, the nobles of Gondor called him "my lord". And this girl, this tiny slip of a woman, dared shunning him! Needless to say, that her friendship with the Ranger who would be King was suspicious. Did she intend to marry Aragorn someday, and usurp the place of Queen? How else would she allow herself to speak him so sharply if she didn't intend to overrank him?

Silence had descended amongst the fellowship's members. The sun was rising, hence calling for a halt. After being rooted out by spies and birds, servants of Saruman, they had decided to travel at night and sleep at day. The dark circles under everyone's eyes said much about the difficulties to adjust to such a schedule. Surprisingly, the hobbits, creatures of habits, had shifted their patterns easily enough. Not a week through, and all meals now had another official time of night rather than day. Aragorn and Gandalf, being used to erratic patterns, just went with the flow. Legolas, being an elf, found his rest whenever he could. Under the trees rather than under the stars. Which left Gimli, Boromir and Frances to struggle with a pattern unnatural to men and dwarves alike. Tempers rose more easily...

- "When truth needs saying, I am not one to shy away from them."

There was a double meaning there, the devious tones of diplomacy not lost on the young woman who narrowed her eyes. Legolas wondered if she was going to explode altogether and fling back the garment to its owner. Instead, she chose to ignore the jab.

- "Then you know how to ask politely when YOU need some HELP."

Bluntness and avoidance, without nailing her point to give the steward's Son a little leeway. And once more she had the upper hand. Legolas' lips twitched; he had to admit that the lady's mind worked fast. Borormir's grey eyes widened, then, truly chastised. It was fortunate that the rest of the fellowship hid their smiles, for he knew the proud man would have reacted very badly to mockery. The elf shrugged, Boromir had dug himself into that hole. He should be able to find his way out. And so, Legolas stood and climbed a tree to keep the first watch and ensure the fellowship's safety.

Shuffles, grumbles, and the aroma of stew greeted his nose sometime later and the agile creature descended in camp without a noise, landing a few feet away from Estel. The ranger didn't even twitch; of course he knew he was there all along. The dwarf, though, jumped in the air with a muffled yell. Satisfied, the elf received a little stew from Samwise – bless the hobbit for his cooking skills! – and settled beside the ranger. His eyes landed upon a grumbling Frances who, needle in hand, was sewing a little triangle at the bottom of Boromir's tunic for reinforcement. Compared to elvish craft, the stitches were a little rough. But given the conditions, he found it sound enough, especially the idea to reinforce the flap. So she had done it, despite the insufferable manners of the steward's son.

Good. It meant the group was more important than her pride. He had no doubts, either, that if danger came about, the steward's son would put duty before the rest. If he read the signs properly, it probably was the reason of his animosity in the first place; that such a young and helpless woman be put in danger. Men were clueless, sometimes, to the true nature of their feelings.