RS Ch 3

Journey to Edoras

"Here," a voice said.

Finley looked up to find a hand near her face. In it, was some kind of cracker-looking item. Her eyes followed the hand up the arm and to the bearded face of the one called Gimli.

Slowly, she reached up and took it from him and he sat down near her.

"What is it?" she asked.

"Lembas bread," he replied.

"Lin… bus bread?" she repeated awkwardly.

His expression took on an amused look.

"Lembas," Legolas corrected.

She turned to look at him. He sat with Aragorn and Gandalf near a fire someone had started. Aragorn looked at her with the same distrust as the day before.

"It's an Elvish waybread," he continued to explain.

"Elvish?"

He nodded.

"Elvish," she repeated in a now sarcastic tone. "As in Santa's Elves, Elvish?"

"Who?" Aragorn cut in.

"Santa," she answered. The men shared a confused look. "You know, SAN-TUH. As in the fat, jolly man that rides in a flying sleigh and brings presents to children at Christmas? Goes around yelling 'Ho! Ho! Ho!'?"

Instead of looking confused, they were now looking at her like she was crazy.

"Flying?" Gimli finally broke the silence. "Now that is something I would like to see."

"Well no one has ever actually SEEN it," she commented.

Legolas and Aragorn gave each other a knowing look.

"I don't even believe in Santa," she said with a tone of finality.

She looked down at the Lembas in her hand and pulled it to her nose to smell it. It smelled like cinnamon and honey. Her stomach growled.

"Eat," Gimli.

Her face reddened as she realized he had heard her stomach growl.

"It's not the best tasting, but it's filling," he told her.

Again, she looked at the small bit of food he had given her and wondered just how filling it could be.

"Trust me, young lass," he said.

She decided she liked Gimli, so she did trust him, at least a little. She took a bite. She thought that it was a bit dry for her taste, but the flavor was good. She chewed slowly and swallowed, then ate the other bite. She was surprised when minutes later, she felt like she had eaten a full meal and wanted to go to sleep. She tried to cover her yawn.

"Did you put something in that to make me sleepy?" she asked Gimli, then covered another yawn.

He gave a hearty chuckle and opened his mouth to answer, but Gandalf cut him off.

"It is the day catching up you," he told her. "Tomorrow we will reach Edoras, and we will decide then what to do with you."

That sounded ominous, Finley thought. Suddenly she didn't feel as comfortable sitting with Gimli. She stood up and walked to the far side of the fire where she would be alone, and laid down on the ground. As she lay on her side watching the flames of the fire dance, she shivered, though whether from the cold or the uncertainty of the day, she wasn't sure.

"Finley," a voice startled her with its closeness. She turned on her back so that she could see Gandalf standing behind her.

"Take this," he said, handing her a green cloth. She propped herself up on one elbow and took the cloth with her other hand. "It will keep you warm."

She thanked him and spread the cloth out, then realized it was one of their cloaks. She looked around to see who was missing theirs.

"But," she started when she saw that it was Legolas who had sacrificed the warmth for her.

"Don't worry," he interrupted. "Elves don't feel cold."

She gave an unladylike snort. "Maybe that's why they live in the North Pole."

He gave her a curious look.

"Nevermind," she muttered, embarrassed. "Thank you."

She lay back down and pulled the cloak over her. She felt warmer and allowed the crackling of the fire to sing her to sleep.

The next thing she was aware of was Gimli shaking her awake. The first signs of dawn were noticeable on the horizon as she sat up and stretched. Legolas was putting the saddle on his horse, and she walked over and waited until he was done so she could give him back his cloak.

"Thank you," he said when she handed it to him.

"No," she replied as she watched him pin it on. "Thank YOU."

He gave her little smile.

"How is your head this morning, Finley?" Gandalf asked.

The others moved about the camp as Finley turned to the old man.

"It feels better, thank you," she commented.

"Good," he said. He handed her a piece of Lembas, which she took gratefully.

"Gandalf," she asked after she swallowed it and felt full. "How is it that I'm full with such a small amount?"

He smiled, "It's Elven."

He said it as though she should have known what that meant. It reminded her that she was in a strange place, and it shook her to the core. Suddenly she felt very vulnerable. She took a step backwards.

"Where am I?" she whispered. "What is this place?"

Gandalf held his hands out towards her as he had done the day before, as if to show he meant her no harm and took a step forward.

"I don't know what power it was that brought you here," he said. "But my heart tells me you are here for a reason."

She tried to decide if he was telling the truth. He seemed sincere.

"But first," he said as he turned and walked away towards his horse. "We have other pressing matters to tend to."

He mounted in one swift motion and Finley turned her head to see that the others were ready to ride as well. Aragorn nudged his horse forward and held his hand out to help her up, his expression just as displeased as it had been the day before. She mounted behind him and hoped today's ride would be shorter than yesterday's.

They set out towards Edoras.

~TBC~