Legolas paced nervously through the gardens of the Mirkwood palace.
"How will I tell them? Oh, I'm such a fool! How could I let Gimli talk me into such an absurd dare?" He raged.
It had been only a couple of days after the ring had been thrown into Mount Doom, that the Elves had decided to celebrate it's destruction. Of course, at Gandalf's request, there had been liquor.
" Bet y'can't drink a whole glass o' mead" Gimli hiccupped. Normally Legolas would refuse such a dare, but the end of such an evil plight gave him the nerve to accept.
"Chug! Chug! Chug! Chug!" Gimli pounded on the table with his fists, as Legolas touched the bottle to his lips and tipped his head back. Aragorn smirked as he watched the spectacle.
Legolas smacked the empty bottle against the table.
"There!" He heaved. "I did it." But Gimli had passed out in his dinner.
"Guess his little body couldn't handle just one bottle," Legolas chuckled.
"WHAT DID YOU SAY?" Gimli roared. Legolas jumped, and then smirked.
"You got a little something." Legolas gestured to his nose. Gimli muttered angrily under his breath as he wiped furiously at his face.
"It must have been in the mead. It had to have been. I have not seen Gandalf since! I must find him!" He ran towards the palace, his silver robe flowing behind him.
Elrond was rounding the corner and Legolas nearly knocked him down.
"Lord Elrond! My apologies sir!"
"I'm fine Legolas. Why are you in such a rush?"
" I am looking for Gandalf."
"You are aware that he left after the ring was brought to the volcano?"
"Yes, I am sir. I need to find someone who knows where he went."
"Why, I believe he was heading to the Shire to help Froto get settled." His eyebrows arched.
"May I ask why it is so important to find the old man?" Elrond inquired curiously.
"I have some business with him." He stiffened slightly.
"Would you like someone to accompany you on the journey?"
"I should be fine, thank you for your help Lord Elrond." Legolas nodded and slipped away quietly to his room. He grabbed his bow and arrows from a drawer in his bureau, as well as his green riding robes, which he changed into. He left the room in a hurry and rushed to the kitchen. Making sure no one was around, he snatched a few apples and some lembras (Elvish bread). He threw them into a small pouch and fled to the stables, where Arod was nibbling on some hay.
"Come on boy, it's time to ride again." He saddled the horse and rode off towards the Shire.
He rode for 2 days and 3 nights, only stopping occasionally to eat and allow his horse and himself to rest. He reached the edge of the Shire early the third morning. He slowed his horse as he entered the sleepy town. Since he did not know where Froto lived, his only option was to find someone who did, or even better, find Gandalf himself. He examined the tiny houses amongst the lush green grass. The sun was just peaking over the hills, and the wildlife was starting to come to alive. He was starting to doubt that anyone was out when he spotted the wizard's cart in front of one of the houses. He dismounted, and peeked into the carriage. There was a clump a gray blankets, and a pair of feet sticking out from beneath them. Legolas breathed a sigh of relief.
"Gandalf! Gandalf!" Legolas hissed. He spotted a stick on the ground, and gave the sleeping man a hard nudge.
"Gandalf!"
"Hmm? What?" The wizard sat up dazed, with a blanket still covering his head.
"It's Legolas."
He peeled the blanket from his face.
"Oh, Legolas! How are you?"
"Sshh! I need to disscuss something with you, but I cannot allow anyone else to hear."
A little dazed, he sat in the carriage with a blank stare. Once he gained his composure, he invited Legolas to join him.
"I see that look on your face, my good elf. We are simply two men having a friendly chat in the back of my carriage."
Still a little skeptical, Legolas raised himself into the carriage and sat down beside Gandalf.
"Now, what brings you to the Shire?"
" Were you experimenting with any…potions lately?"
His brow creased and Legolas almost expected him to say no, but he nodded slowly.
"Yes I have recently been working on a concoction, but how did you know?"
"What was it a potion for?" Legolas asked, avoiding his question.
"I would rather keep that private…"
"Please!" Legolas cried, and then softened. " I need to know."
Gandalf seemed taken aback. " Alright. It was a potion for Arwen. Aragorn is a wonderful king, but he needs someone to take the thrown after he has passed, and it appears he needs a little help reproducing. Don't get me wrong, I mean I hear he knows how to get it on but…"
"Woah." Legolas threw up his hands. "I would rather not hear about how well my friend does in the sack. Tell me though, what did you put the potion in?"
"Why, a bottle of mead which I placed with the others at the party so that Aragorn would be able to take it inconspicuously. But do not worry, I had the lid marked so as not to mix it with the others."
Legolas's heart sank.
"Gandalf, what would happen should the mead have been…consumed by someone besides Arwen?"
"Why I do not know. I have not even considered what would occur, for my plan was so full proof, I feel I needn't worry."
"Gandalf…"
"Yes?" He placed a pipe in his mouth and puffed thoughtfully.
"Do you see where I am going with this?"
He thought for a second.
"Not really." He shook his head. "Are you ok my friend?"
"Gandalf, I fear that I consumed Arwen's potion."
"Impossible! Why I had a fullproof plan!"
"Apperently you're either really stupid or I'm incredibly devious because your boo-boo proof plan failed."
"Are you sure though?"
"Fairly sure. I have not felt right for the past couple of weeks, which is abnormal for an Elf. I have felt this way ever since I consumed a bottle of mead that Gimli dared me to drink."
"You actually listened to that dwarf? Was he drunk? You really are an idiot, which means my plan was actually quite flawed…"
"Alright! Please Gandalf, can you help me at all?"
"Well…" He puffed, "I would need to keep you under close surveillance. I have no idea what will occur. That potion was meant for a woman, who has all the necessary parts needed for carriage and birth. The potion could perhaps just leave your body and not affect you at all."
"You're hiding something. Gandalf, tell me, what is it?"
"There are other…things that can occur…"
"Just tell me Gandalf." He pretended to be brave, but he twisted his robes nervously.
"Well, you could…develop parts necessary to…carry a child. Then you could possibly develop the child…I am scaring you my friend." He patted his hands and gave a reassuring smile.
"I'm sure that you will be fine, Legolas. I will keep an eye on you just to be sure though. I was planning on leaving the Shire today anyways, so I will accompany you back to Mirkwood where I will stay for a few nights. Remain here, I shall wake up Froto and inform him of my departure."
"Gandalf, if you wish to remain here for a few more days, by all means do. I could ride back and meet you there, or even remain here until you are ready to leave."
"It is fine Legolas, I fear I have overstayed my welcome anyways. Stay here, I shall be right back." Gandalf lowered himself from the carriage and ducked into the small house of Froto Baggins.
Thoughts raced through Legolas's mind.
"Gandalf is right. It probably cannot affect me, I do not have the parts necessary. It will simply leave me. There is nothing to worry about. In fact, I have to pee right now."
Gandalf appeared in the doorway.
"Are you ready to go my friend?"
"May I use the bathroom first?" Legolas jumped from the cart, and regretted doing so when a sharp pain went through his back.
"Go ahead, Froto is in the living room. I bet you are going to be relieved of the potion now! Go, hurry!"
When Legolas returned, feeling no different then before, Gandalf had harnessed the horses and was patiently puffing on his pipe.
"Ah! There you are. Feel any different?"
"No, not really. Are you sure you do not mind coming with me?"
"I would rather make sure you are ok then risk you getting…" He cleared his throat. "Go get Arod. We ride to Mirkwood!"