No Rest in the Forest

by Lotrfn

Galadriel's message to Legolas worries Gimli. The night before the Grey Company heads to the Corsair ships with the Army of the Dead to come to the aid of Gondor, Gimli worries about his friend and the meaning of Galadriel's words.

"You must find a way to get the Elf to leave, Aragorn." Gimli had cornered Aragorn at the far end of the camp, away from the rest of the company.

"Gimli, you know he will not part ways with us. Not here. Not now." Aragorn replied quietly. "We have passed through the Paths of the Dead and their host is with us. Our road leads to Gondor now."

"You know what his fate is, Aragorn! You cannot tell me you will willingly send him to his doom."

Aragorn looked down at Gimli. The dwarf was agitated, his hands in fists at his side, his eyes hard on Aragorn's own. He knew the dwarf only kept his voice so low and contained because he feared the Elf's hearing them. "Gimli." Aragorn tried again. "You know his heart. He will not leave us and we all have been heading into peril since we left Rivendell."

"You foolish Man! Of course we have headed into peril! That was the point of the damn Fellowship in the first place! But this is not the same. The Lady has told him of his death, Aragorn. A death he will meet on this path with us. You are taking us to Pelargir. How can he not hear the gulls when we will be so near the sea?" Gimli closed his eyes briefly and his lips moved as if counting silently. He opened them to glare at Aragorn. "Can you not see he knows this and follows you still?"

Aragorn sighed. "I know this, Gimli. It puts fear in my heart also. Legolas is my friend, he is more than that. He has been with me in heart and in thought and in battle for many years. I dread those words Galadriel gave him coming true, whatever their meaning." He put his hand on Gimli's shoulder. "But he will not leave me, even if I ask him to do so. I am sure of that. To ask him would only hurt him."

"I don't care about his precious Elvish feelings, Aragorn! I want him alive! So you listen to me—you tell him to go back to Eowyn. Eomer was worried about her, alone with barely a man to fight for her if things go poorly for us. Tell him you are sending him on a dangerous and lonely mission, to help a beautiful damsel who needs a warrior at her side. Tell him anything! But get him away from here! I would rather have an Elf with hurt feelings than a dead Elf!" Gimli growled. "Or I may dint your skull with my axe long before the orcs get at you."

"Peace, Gimli. I know Eomer worries about Eowyn just as you fuss about Legolas." Aragorn smiled as Gimli started to protest. "You are like a mother hen and you know it. Hush now. I will think on this and I will try, for the love I bear you and Legolas, and for the love you bear our Elf, to send him back." Aragorn grew serious. "But know this Gimli—he will not appreciate our concern. He will take it badly that we fear for him."

"Aragorn, I don't care if he pouts and shouts and curses your name. I want him away from here."

"I will do what I can." Aragorn said. "Now go back before he notices that we are deep in counsel and begins to suspect mischief. I will check on Roheryn and come to you soon."

Gimli grunted at Aragorn's retreating figure. He took a look at the company, spotting Legolas on the far end of the camp, deep in conversation with the sons of Elrond. Gimli had still not managed to tell them apart and had resigned himself to referring to them both as Elrondion until he could. He began to casually walk back to the camp. He did not trust himself near his Elf yet. Legolas had an uncanny ability of knowing when Gimli was upset and usually teased him mercilessly until he found the cause of Gimli's irritation. Considering Legolas himself was the cause of irritation at the moment Gimli was happy to steer clear of him for awhile.

Eventually he sat with Halbarad and some of his Dunedain, after a long and ultimately fruitless search for his pipeweed pouch. Drat that Elf. These Rangers of the North were men of few words. And even less pipeweed. Didn't any of them smoke other than Aragorn, Gimli asked himself glumly. He missed the Rohirrim, Eomer in particular. Despite their initial harsh words, Gimli had grown to like that blunt, outspoken young man. He was brave and strong, short tempered but with a good sense of humor, handsome and fond of pipeweed and ale. All in all, Eomer would have made a fine dwarf he decided, barring his ridiculous love of horses and riding.

He watched Aragorn return, to sit with Legolas and the Elrondions. Aragorn met his eyes across the fire and gave him a small nod. Gimli settled closer to the fire, his attention moving back to the Rangers around him. He'd gotten through to Aragorn finally. Now when would the man tell the Elf?

Gimli grew tired. He bade goodnight to Halbarad and walked over to his pack and bedroll, tucked next to Legolas' gear. He scanned the camp but Legolas was still with Aragorn and his brothers. He settled his bedroll, moved one or two irritating rocks and tried to find a comfortable position. Aragorn rose to move to the spot Gimli had vacated near Halbarad and he engaged his fellow Ranger in quiet conversation. Gimli glanced at Legolas. Confound that Elf! Legolas was watching Aragorn intently. He seemed to sense Gimli's eyes on him and suddenly shifted his gaze to Gimli, raising one elegant eyebrow at the dwarf then giving him an impudent smile.

Gimli glowered back at him and grumbled. Legolas smile grew wider and he turned to say a brief word to the Elrondions, then came to Gimli's side.

"Are you having trouble sleeping, Gimli? Should I sing you a lullaby to help you drift off?" Legolas grinned down at him.

Gimli swatted at the Elf's leg but as usual Legolas was too quick. He spun away from Gimli with a laugh, then threw himself down next to him. He grinned at Gimli, his blue eyes shining at him in the firelight. "What are you grumpy about this time, Elvellon?" he asked the dwarf. "Did you use up all that noxious weed of yours?"

"I know you have hidden it somewhere, you misbegotten sprite!" Gimli growled, swatting at Legolas again, now that he was closer and sprawled on the solid ground. He missed again, as Legolas easily leaned away from him. His clear laugh brightened Gimli's spirits, although he would never admit that to the Elf.

"Hush, Gimli, you'll wake the men. You know how they need their sleep." He gave Gimli a sidelong look. "You must have misplaced it again or Aragorn has stolen it to replenish his stash. He smokes too much."

"It gives us a measure of peace from a flighty, talkative Elf! You're more likely to stay away when we smoke," Gimli answered, returning the sidelong look. Legolas shoved him. Gimli roared with laughter and sat up to sit next to Legolas. They sat shoulder to shoulder in quiet companionship for a few moments before Legolas spoke again.

"He is troubled, Gimli. He always smokes more when he is worried."

"He should be troubled, surrounded by these dead warriors as we are! I am ready to meet the hordes of Mordor, if only to get these ghosties gone from our side and off doing what they were meant to do ages ago!" Gimli replied.

"They will not harm you, Elvellon." Legolas said. "You are not who they are bound to fight."

"I'm well aware of that but they still make my blood run cold." Gimli answered with a shiver.

Legolas pulled a blanket off the ground next to him and made a show of draping it around Gimli and tucking it under his feet. Gimli squirmed and protested as Legolas laughed again, drawing the eyes of the dour Rangers who were still awake.

"Will you cease harassing me, you ridiculous creature?" Gimli spluttered. He did not remove the blanket and pulled it closer around him.

Legolas patted him on the arm affectionately. "You know you feel the cold more easily than I do, Gimli. You must not catch a chill on our way to war. You know how delicate you are."

Aragorn came over to them as Gimli spluttered incoherently at the Elf. "Must I separate you two or will you quiet down and give us a moment of peace to rest?" He raised one eyebrow at his two friends and made a weak attempt to frown at them but was unsuccessful at keeping his face appropriately censorious.

"My apologies, Aragorn. I was merely trying to keep Gimli's delicate constitution appropriately protected from the elements." Legolas gave Aragorn a brilliant smile. Aragorn met it with a smile of his own but there was a sadness in his eyes that Legolas noted immediately. "Aragorn," he said, smile fading, his voice clipped and serious now, "What troubles you, mellon?"

"Walk with me, my friend." Aragorn said. "I have much on my mind and it would ease me to have your company for a time."

"Gimli, you can spare me?" Legolas stood rapidly, looking down at the dwarf bundled in his blanket now.

"Aye, I'll spare you. Aragorn give me your pipeweed pouch. This confounded elf has spirited mine away." Gimli grumbled.

Legolas gave a huge sigh and then bent down to riffle through his personal pack. "Here it is, you frightful grump." He tossed it to Gimli, who snaked a hand out of his blanket to snatch it.

"Off with you then, elfling." Gimli said. "Aragorn, I am in your debt for this moment of peace away from his nattering on."

Aragorn shook his head, knowing full well the depth of affection hidden in these bantering words from these two. Legolas leaned down and squeezed Gimli's shoulder and Gimli gently laid his hand on his friend's and squeezed it back. "Off with you, lad. Get this dour Ranger to get some rest eventually, would you?" Gimli said.

"I expect to find you snoring loud enough to wake the dead when I return, Gimli. No wait, Aragorn's already woken them. I doubt they will fall asleep again with your racket." Legolas replied. Gimli swatted him again, finally making contact with the Elf's calf, even as he twisted away to grab Aragorn and move away from the dwarf.

Gimli watched them walk away as he settled himself down for a smoke. He doubted the Elf would be as good humored on his return from this conversation.

Aragorn and Legolas moved to the far end of the camp, close to where Gimli had found Aragorn earlier. They could still hear the camp of the Grey Company behind them, as the men settled in to get some well-deserved rest. Legolas turned to look at Aragorn when the man stopped, waiting for him to speak. Aragorn looked back at the camp, ahead into the mist, at his feet and then around again.

So that was how it was going to go. Legolas would have to do it himself it seemed. "Aragorn," he said softly.

Aragorn looked at him but did not reply.

"Is it my company you wanted, mellon or is there something on your mind you wish to say?" Legolas asked. When Aragorn didn't reply but just looked down again Legolas spoke again. "Shall I just do it for you then? Where should I start? Oh, yes. This is where you tell me you are greatly worried about Eowyn back at Edoras. Eomer spoke to you of his fear at leaving her with so few men. You were going to make sure to mention that, right?" Legolas looked at Aragorn, driving the man to return his gaze. "So, your concern being so very great, you felt someone should go back to assist her. A warrior. Someone she would accept. Do I have it right so far?"

"Legolas," Aragorn started but Legolas put his hand up to stop him.

"No, let me finish. I will save you the trouble." Legolas continued. "You have racked your brain on who to send-she knows no one of this company but you, me and Gimli. Obviously you cannot go." He paused, glaring now at Aragorn, his eyes becoming colder as he spoke. "Gimli could not ride back on his own without injuring himself, so of course the only one who can ride back to her is me? Am I right, Aragorn? Did I miss anything?"

"You eavesdropped." Aragorn said, accusingly.

"I did not eavesdrop, you transparent human. You think I missed seeing Gimli follow you earlier? I did not need to hear anything to know what you discussed. You think he has not badgered me about this before now?" Legolas moved closer to Aragorn now. "I cannot think how he convinced you to actually consider speaking to me about this. You must be more worried than I thought to actually take him seriously."

"Legolas, he cares for you. You know that. We both do. Galadriel's words for you were grave, mellon-nin."

Legolas gave an exasperated grunt. "Aragorn. The word die was never mentioned. She simply said 'My heart in the forest shall rest no more.' That is all. It is not as sinister as Gimli and now you make it out to be! I have traveled the world for the first time now. Do you not think perhaps it might mean that the Greenwood is not all there is for me to explore? Can you not think of dozens of other possibilities other than me falling over dead at the sound of a gull's cry? Your lack of imagination is sorely disappointing."

Aragorn sighed. He had expected something along these lines although he actually thought he would get a chance to speak first. He placed his arm gently on his friend's shoulder. "Mellon-nin, he worries for you. I see your point and if I were less burdened by worry for what tomorrow would bring I likely would have made him see sense." He saw Legolas's glare subside and concern return to his face, concern now for Aragorn. "I am sorry I did not. I ask your forgiveness for thinking to sway you from your purpose. You have always known that I am stronger for having you by my side."

Legolas visibly relaxed and clasped Aragorn's shoulder in return. "I am sorry I was short with you, mellon. It has grated on me that Gimli has squawked like a frantic hen since Gandalf gave us those words. I think on them too and there is a foreboding that something will change, for better or worse I do not know, when I come to the Sea. But there is no time to dwell on that. We have a war to win. And I will be by your side to fight in it with you, no matter how much the dwarf fusses." Legolas smiled and Aragorn's spirits lifted at the sight of that brightness in his face. "Now come, Aragorn. You must get some rest and I must reprimand my dwarf."

"Do not be harsh with him, Legolas. He has only recently grown close to you and the thought of losing you sits hard with him. He does not know the confusion Elven words can cause even the mightiest of minds." Aragorn replied. "Come, let us both get some rest."

Together they walked back to the main camp, Gimli watching them with slitted eyes. They were far too relaxed walking back for Aragorn to have gotten anything accomplished he thought. Bother the man! If you needed something done, you needed a dwarf to do it, not this man who could get befuddled by an Elf! Gimli squeezed his eyes shut and pretended to sleep as Legolas grew near.

A toe roughly found its way to his shoulder as he felt Legolas give him a soft kick. "Stop pretending to be asleep, you rock-headed dwarf!" Legolas said, as he gave Gimli another kick.

"What were you thinking, upsetting Aragorn like that, the night before the biggest battle of his life? I tell you, Gimli, I must ask Gloin not if he dropped you on your head as a child but how many times!"

Gimli sat up and swatted at the Elf, who bounced away and then circled around to drop on the ground on Gimli's other side. "I should never have let that man reason with you! There is no way to reason with a flighty, empty-headed Elf! He has been among your kind too long and has forgotten how to be forceful with you." Gimli grumbled.

Legolas rolled his eyes. "Gimli, enough. This is not my death we are going to, anymore than it is Aragorn's or yours for that matter. The words of the wise are often cryptic. My life may change for many reasons. I can assure you I will not drop dead at the sound of a bird's call."

"But your heart will not rest in the forest anymore, you lackwit Elf! Not rest. You should be headed home after this adventure to meet some feather-headed, flighty, pointy-eared Elf woman so you can have blonde, lackwit, pointy-eared Elflings for me to knock some sense into!" Gimli's voice was raised and the sons of Elrond were looking over now, amused expressions on their identical faces.

"Will you hush, you miserable rock-hewer?" Legolas hissed at him. He gave Gimli his full Elven glare and Gimli reluctantly subsided.

"You'll wish you'd listened to me. I'm going to make sure I tell your father I warned you. I warned you and you wouldn't listen, " Gimli said, in a far lower tone. "Can't say he'll be happy you won't be resting under his trees, raising crazy elflings for him to dandle on his knee!"

"You would not dare!" Legolas looked at Gimli, his eyes wide.

"Just you wait. Although as long as he's lived with you I doubt he'd be surprised you didn't listen to reason. He's probably used to it by now." Gimli scooted closer to Legolas and bumped his shoulder. Legolas bumped him back. Gimli gave an exasperated sigh. "I can't get rid of you, can I, stubborn Elf?"

"No, you can't, sentimental dwarf." Legolas gave Gimli a smile and bumped his shoulder again.

"I appreciate the concern, Elvellon. I am far safer by your side than anywhere else I could be."

"Aye, and I am too." Gimli agreed, unable to avoid smiling back at that brilliant face. "Although I still think you will be the death of me. You do frustrate me so."

Legolas leaned into Gimli. "I care for you too, my friend," he said quietly.

"Aye, I know that you do. Let's get through this, lad, so I can dandle those elf babies on my knee as well. I want to have many stories to tell them of their flighty father."

Legolas rolled his eyes again. "I make no promises about elf babies, Elvellon. Now will you get to sleep? I think I must sing you a lullaby after all." He glared at Gimli as the dwarf settled back onto his bedroll, removing another offending rock before finding a comfortable position.

Gimli closed his eyes and as he did Legolas began to softly sing in Sindarin, his voice low so only Gimli could hear him. Gimli allowed himself a smile. It was what Legolas used to sing to the hobbits, in the early days of the Fellowship's travels, when Pippin and Sam used to startle at the slightest nighttime sounds. It soothed him more than he expected and he soon drifted off to sleep.

Legolas continued to sing quietly to himself, even after Gimli's breathing became deep and even and the dwarf's usual cadence of snores began. He sang for himself now. He would get no sleep tonight but the melody took him back to happier times with the Fellowship and to long-ago memories from his youth in the Greenwood.

Galadriel's words had bothered him more than he let on to either Aragorn or Gimli. He would not leave Aragorn, not for any reason, not now. This was Aragorn's hour to come into his own and Legolas would do anything to help him achieve that end. He owed it to his many years of friendship with Aragorn and he wanted this for Arwen also.

He turned the words over in his head.

Legolas Greenleaf, long under tree. In joy thou has lived, beware of the sea.

If thou hearest the cry of the gull on the shore, thy heart in the forest shall rest no more.

What did it mean? He thought Gimli was definitely overreacting. There was nothing in her words that made him fear for his death, no more than he feared on a regular basis-heading to fight the massed offensive of Mordor was risky on its own, cryptic statements or no.

He looked up at the sky, the song fading from his lips. The clouds overhead shifted slightly as he gazed and he caught a glimpse of Varda's stars. The sight gave him joy, as it always did, but his spirit was still uneasy. Rest no more, he said to himself once again. He had already been restless in the Greenwood for many years, his travels being confined to Dale and Rivendell at his father's order.

But he missed the Greenwood now, more than he had expected to, if he was honest. Despite its darkness and danger, it was home and he loved it with a passion, wanting nothing more than to wipe the shadow from it forever. He knew that just as war was surrounding him, it was surrounding the Greenwood and likely Gimli's Erebor even now. What would it be like to not find comfort in his home anymore? Is that what her words meant? Would the Greenwood survive the battles under its leaves? Or was it more complicated than that.

What did the gulls have to do with it? He had never seen the sea. Never traveled this far south before and he had never ventured to the Havens, where Cirdan's people lived. The sea longing perhaps? He sighed, drew his knees up and wrapped his arms around them. It was rare that a Sindar or Silvan developed the sea longing. That was one of those Noldor afflictions, as his father referred to them-along with their dirge-like songs, their preoccupation with warfare, and their obsession with crafts. Could it be the sea longing Galadriel was hinting at? Could that be possible just by hearing the call of a gull?

Legolas shook his head, his eyes looking down at Gimli again. He was getting as bad as the dwarf, dwelling on her words like this. What did it matter? He was not going to turn aside. His place was with Aragorn. And Gimli. He would do what he needed to do to push back the shadow, for the sake of all the free peoples of Middle Earth. Let the gulls cry. He could manage, whatever the consequence. He smiled to himself. Even if it was the sea longing, he doubted Gimli would let him dwell on it. They had things to do together after this war.