Late Night Conversations
Disclaimer: I do not own any of the characters
AN: I hope you enjoy the story. This is my second LOTR ff and my first that focuses on Legolas and Pippin. It is not a slash. I hope you enjoy it and PLEASE REVIEW!! Thank you
Summary: Pippin is feeling a little down and he doesn't know how he fits in with the Fellowship. Legolas helps him out a little bit.
Specail thanks to NAUTIKA for going over the story and making corrections for me. Thank you so much! You are Amazing! YAY ;). Nautika i wrote some of your suggestions down for a new story so maybe i will be able to come up with something for you. :)
The sun was about to set over the Fellowship when Gandalf gave the okay that they would be stopping for the night. Merry and Pippin fell to the ground with a thump. Frodo unrolled his sleeping roll in hoping to get a nap in before supper. Sam began the dinner after Boromir and Gimli went off to hunt. Aragorn and Legolas split up to scout the area one last time. Gandalf looked around for a moment before sitting on a log and taking out his pipe.
The journey was taking its toll on the hobbits in the group. They had never done so much work or been so far away from home in their lives. They weren't made for this like the men and elves were. The four Halflings all had their worries and doubts about the quest. Perhaps the one taking it the hardest was the youngest of the four, Pippin.
Pippin leaned against a tree watching as Merry helped Sam with dinner for the night. The young hobbit admired his three other kin. Frodo literally had the weight of the world hanging around his neck. Sam and Merry were always there and loyal to him. Pippin found himself trying to be there, but he was always so scared. Pippin tried to be the protector, but Merry had always taken that position.
Pippin turned his head to the right when he heard a rough and grumbling voice. Shortly after he heard it, Gimli and Boromir reentered the camp. The man and dwarf set down their finding in front of Sam then moved to the side to clean their weapons. Pippin watched them and imagined he was sitting there cleaning his weapons along with them. He never longed to be something different until he joined the fellowship. He looked at Gimli. A hobbit and a dwarf weren't that different. If Pippin threw on some armor and an axe they would probably have the same build. He wouldn't be as tall or fast as Boromir, but he would be a warrior nonetheless.
A short while later, Aragorn and Legolas returned together. They must have met up during their patrol and started a conversation. They seemed to be arguing about something, but in a friendly way. If Pippin had to guess he would say that this wasn't their first time on an adventure together. He watched as the two moved to sit by Gandalf. It seemed that they wanted him to settle the argument. The wizard eyed the two strangely for a moment before saying something.
It amazed Pippin how the two could be so serious and focused one moment, ready for war, then jesting the next moment, like there was no war at all that need to be thought about. They were the two he admired the most. They were everything he wanted to be. Pippin wished he could have the strength and courage that the man and elf possessed.
"We should set up the camp for I believe it is time to let our eyes rest." Gandalf said putting out his pipe. "We need to decide the watches for the night."
"I will!" Pippin said jumping up. He saw his chance to do something helpful for the group "I'll take a watch."
"Maybe someone should stand with you." Gandalf suggested lightly
Pippins face fell. "You don't think I can do it."
All eyes of the fellowship moved between the hobbit and wizard. "It's not that, Master Took." Gandalf amended. "A young one such as you needs all the rest one can get."
"I can do it just as well as the others. I may not have the eyes and ears of the big folk, but I know when something is wrong. I can do it." Pippin argued
Gandalf let out a sigh. "I would…"Gandalf was cut off.
"No need to worry, Gandalf. I will be up." Legolas said and Pippin let out a huff. "I'm not tired at the moment and it would be nice to let my guard down for a few moments." Legolas explained. He looked at Pippin. "Is that okay with you? You won't even know I'm here."
Pippin looked at the elf for a moment. There was no sign of sarcasm or doubt in his voice. "I don't mind." He said
"Alright, then who will take the next shift?" Gandalf moved on
Pippin walked quietly around the camp careful not to wake anyone up. He stayed close enough so that he wouldn't wander off and get lost, but far enough that he was on his own. He was both grateful and surprised that Legolas didn't check up on him. The hobbit had not once seen the elf since the shift began.
Pippin walked a little further when he saw an opening in the trees. He walked to it and stopped when he saw the view. There was a cliff that looked out over a field that went for miles. There was also a full moon staring back at him. It seemed so close like he could touch it. He was lost in his thoughts when he heard a voice.
"It's a beautiful view, isn't it?" Pippin looked around for Legolas but he couldn't find him. Pippin jumped when the elf dropped down beside him. "Sorry if I startled you. I was looking out from the trees."
"No need to apologize. It is beautiful. It reminds me of the Shire."
Legolas nodded then walked towards the edge of the cliff. "Come on," he said when Pippin didn't follow. "We can be so close that we can almost touch it from up there."
"Should we be that close? It seems dangerous to be on the edge of a cliff so high." Pippin said slowly walking to where Legolas now stood on the edge.
Legolas sat down and let his feet dangle over the edge. "Of all the things we are going to go through on this journey," He indicated for Pippin to sit as well. "…this is the least dangerous."
"I guess it is." He whispered
"Do you often stay up and look at the moon?" Legolas asked. Pippin gave him a strange look. "What? You said it reminded you of your home." Legolas asked confused
"You do not need to feign interest to be polite." Pippin sad almost sadly
Legolas looked at Pippin for a moment before looking back to the moon. Pippin thought that he hit what Legolas was doing on the nose. He was about to get up and leave when Legolas did speak.
"The Shire is one of the places I have never visited in over 3,000 years, though I have always wanted to."
"Your 3,000 years old?" Pippin asked in disbelief
"3,025 I believe." Legolas smiled. "I tend to forget every now and then."
"Wow…that's…wow."
Legolas enjoyed talking to Pippin. He was quite amusing at times. Legolas came back to what he was talking about a moment earlier. "I have heard stories, mostly from Gandalf, about the Shire. He tells of how peaceful it is; how it has not been touched by evil in all its time. He told me years ago that he would travel there with me."
"How long have you known Gandalf?" Pippin wondered out loud
"I'm told he was there when I was born." Legolas let out a laugh. "He was old even when I was young." Legolas was glad to see Pippin laugh. It was a sad thing to see the young hobbit in a bad mood. "So is it true about the Shire? Is it how it is described?"
"You really are interested, aren't you?" Legolas nodded. "It is. I miss it because it is my home. I dream about returning to it just to watch the moon when I should be in sleeping." Pippin explained. "I didn't expect an Elven warrior to take interest in a place so small." He admitted
"Always expect the unexpected." Legolas said. "I've been taught for as long as I can remember."
"I am sure that Mirkwood is far more interesting than the Shire. It has royalty." Pippin said excitedly.
"Royalty matters not. What matters is what the royalty does and how well they royals listen to their people. The people are the ones who truly rule…or should rule."
"We have a mayor that watches over the Shire. He takes care of everything." Pippin said
"He is chosen by the occupants of the Shire, correct?" Legolas wondered.
"Yes."
"That is a smart way of doing it." Legolas said truthfully
"I always thought that being born into it was better. That way it always stays the same."
"Not all sons are like their fathers. There can be danger in a dynasty."
"Even among the elves" Pippin question
"Even among the elves" Legolas answered. "We are not perfect, though all others think we are."
"You are fair and immortal and…and…you are elves. You just seem so perfect I can't explain why." Pippin said
"If we were perfect, we would fix the problems that surround Middle Earth." Legolas replied
"I guess the Elven kingdoms do need to watch over themselves. The Shire doesn't have to do much. We don't have as much land or laws. We don't even have an army." Pippin said like it was a bad thing.
"You have no need for all that. There are times I've found myself wanting that." Legolas confessed. He could see the wonder on Pippins face. "The more land you have the more that needs to be watched over. The more laws or rules you have means something went wrong and they needed to be said, even if they shouldn't have been had to be said. An army is needed when protection is needed. Protection is needed when there are enemies made." He explained.
"Would you ever choose to live anywhere else?" Pippin asked. "Would you change your life?"
Legolas thought for a moment. "Sometimes when I'm sitting in a meeting I wish I could be somewhere or someone different. If I am seriously injured I tend to rethink my life." Legolas looked out of the corner of his eye. He could tell Pippin was interested. "But when I think about what I have done and could do for my people, I wouldn't change anything."
"Are you an advisor to the king?" Pippin asked and Legolas smiled. "I though you were only a warrior."
"I have many duties. I'm not so much advising as I am being advised."
"Are you some kind of leader?" Pippin question innocently
Legolas smiled again. "I guess you can say that." He paused and Pippin waited. "I'm the prince."
"The Prince" Pippin shouted
"Shhh…" Legolas quieted. "You'll wake the others."
"Oh, sorry" Pippin said sheepishly. "Am I the only one who knows?"
"Gandalf and Aragorn know, I'm not sure about the others."
"Why didn't you say anything?" Pippin couldn't figure out why you would hide something like that.
"Why would I?" Legolas countered
"Because you're the prince" Pippin said like he was crazy.
"Title means nothing here." Legolas said looking at the moon. "Just because I am a prince doesn't make me any better than anyone else. And if titles must be given, then Frodo would have the highest."
"Higher than you or Gandalf?" Pippin asked
"Much higher"
"Wow…next you'll tell me that I'm traveling with a king as well."
Legolas chose not to say anything there. He didn't want to overwhelm the hobbit. There was silence among the two for a few moments. Pippin jumped up when he heard a branch break behind them. Legolas stayed seated.
"Strider! You shouldn't sneak up on people like that." He exclaimed
"My apologies; I just came to relieve you of your watch." Aragorn explained
"Oh, well okay, I guess I am tired." Pippin got ready to leave. "Are you coming Legolas?"
Legolas had stood up by now. "I'll be by in a moment."
"Alright then…goodnight" Pippin said heading back to camp.
Aragorn and Legolas stood in silence for a moment watching the moon.
"It is a comfort to see the moon. It is the only thing that stays the same wherever you travel." Aragorn said
Legolas nodded in agreement. "It is in times like these that you need to remember home and what you are fighting for."
"Go get some rest, My Prince." Aragorn said grasping Legolas' shoulder
Legolas smiled and grasped Aragorn's shoulder, "It is truly a new day when a king takes watch." He turned to head back to camp. "Rest well, my lord."
"Good night, Prince."
THE END...PLEASE REVIEW