The morning dew was disturbed, its previous silence broken when steady hooves on damp ground awoke Faramir from his slumber. While the immediate surroundings of him was still, it was the peal of laughter carried by an early morning breeze which stirred him to motion, grumbling as he cracked open an eye. The annoyed male scowled when he realized his rest was disturbed before sunlight had even touched its warm fingers on the cold, damp surroundings of their forest campsite.
His low, irritated groan woke up the slumbering Eowyn next to him, who got up the moment Faramir had jostled her, and was no longer able to continue her sleep. "Look!" she suddenly exclaimed, after rubbing the bleariness out of her eyes, and focused on the source of the noise.
Attention caught by her excited voice in a dreary, cold morning, the Steward woke up, and even he broke out in a smile when he realized what had caused the laughter which disturbed them. For the past few days, in between travelling, Legolas had been attempting to teach Rosalind how to ride a horse. Staying upright while the stallion was stationary was no problem, but it was whenever Arod moved, even a light walk, and Rosalind would begin to slide like an eel. As such, when they realized that Rosalind was laughing and staying firm as Arod cantered around an empty field not too far from their campsite, the smile and joy they felt was involuntary.
Laying her head on Faramir's shoulder, Eowyn moved closer to her fiancee with a contented sigh. "I can't be the only one taking note of the two of them, right?"
"Of course not. I have known Legolas for quite a time, but this is the first time I'm seeing him treat anyone so gently, or even put so much effort and time in to seeing someone else happy." Faramir noted, remembering the reason as to why they had even started the whole riding lessons in the first place. Being antsy from being unable to fly, teaching her how to ride was the closest Legolas could get to giving her permission to fly again, for he dared not without Galathil's permission. God forbid he brought the anger of the Dragonborns down upon them, just when they had managed to finish up one war.
"We'll be at Ithilien in a few more days. Think you, they will remain? I should very much like to see how things blossom." Eowyn remarked hopefully, and Faramir shrugged, rubbing his fiance's shoulders. "We'll extend the invitation for them to rest, of course. But that depends if they wish to stay. Should we break camp? Daylight is coming, and we must make haste."
The two began to move to clear up their items, not noticing the white stallion finally drawing to a stop next to Legolas, whilst the blond headed prince spoke to the new rider. "Enough for the day?" he asked a breathless, pink cheeked Rosalind. The smile he wore during the morning lessons was now a norm, something Rosalind was used to seeing as he took hold of Arod's reins and helped her down. His finger tingled as usual when they held her waist, her palms on his shoulder to get off, but they are now minute things Legolas was beginning to learn not to show a reaction on, just as long as they didn't manage to make her suspicious.
By now, he's learned how to accept his reaction to her. Yet Legolas still could not help but feel a little bothered by how she seemed completely unaffected by him.
Her bright smile complimented the pink look and dark auburn hair, the flash of a cheeky grin whilst she ran a hand through her windswept hair in a vain attempt to tame it as she nodded. "But I managed to stay on!" her exclamation came as no surprise, the exuberance for life apparent in Rosalind's nature, part of why Legolas was so drawn to her. He rarely sees anyone with such excitement and brightness, it was like he was the moth to her flame.
"We can work on trotting tomorrow, alright?" he responded with a laugh, as they began to walk back, falling in step next to each other.
"It still hurts though. Horse-riding is so different from being on a dragon."
"Speaking of which, you might want to get Syralth. I'll get back and help Faramir and Eowyn break camp."
Nodding, Rosalind quickly ran off to the further edge of the forest where Syralth usually hunted for his morning meal. She got there just as the black hulking dragon emerged from the edges of the forest, and the dragon levelled a look at his rider before Rosalind even managed to say anything. "I don't like this." his low voice rumbled disapprovingly, green eyes focusing on the flushed cheeks and windswept hair.
Feigning ignorance, Rosalind could not bring her eyes to meet Syralth's as she flippantly responded. "What?"
"The time, and the proximity you spend with each other so much. With that… boy." Syralth pronounced the final syllable like it was a curse, a being he disliked, which immediately brought up Rosalind's defensive side.
"He is no boy, Syralth. He is an elfin prince. And he is nice! I don't get why are you so hostile to him. There was no need to warn him away that first time. Not like he understood you anyway."
"Don't worry. He'll understand me soon enough without needing Draconic. I'll make him see sense."
"Don't you dare, Syralth. He is… a friend."
"Don't lie to me, Treykaiv. We're bonded. I know how you feel, I know you better then your own mother. You're different with him. You're more daring, less afraid, more courageous. You're also nervous, you laugh more when you're unsure. You want more, yet you don't want to ask for more. I see how you are, I watch, Treykaiv. I watch how you watch him from the corner of your eye, how you're excited each time you have a lesson with him. How you intentionally brush against him."
"I do not!"
"Subconciously, you do Orelinde. You're good friends with Meagear Galathil, but it's nothing like how you sit next to him around the fire at night, as you have your dinner."
"So what if I feel like spending time with him makes me feel good, Syralth. Can't I?"
"You're young. Besides, I'm not so sure Daariv Sylvanna will be happy."
"No one on the Isle draws me to him like he does, Syralth. It was the same, so many decades ago. Surely when I still feel the same after so long, it means something?" From arguing, Rosalind now pleaded with her dragon, hoping that at the very least, she'd get a chance to verify whatever it was she felt. It was as if time with Legolas was never enough, no one else could make her laugh like he could, nor make her feel safer. She's always been afraid to be on horseback, but with him, she'd try.
With him, she'd try anything.
Her words had silenced the overprotective, overbearing large dragon for long minutes, as he observed her through his green eyes. Their gazes locked in a battle, until Syralth finally lashed his tail and snorted. "Do not try anything stupid, Nhee. And watch yourself. I do not guarantee his survival should you be hurt."
"Of course, Kornari. I can always depend on you." Rosalind replied as she flung her arms around Syralth's neck in a hug. Outside of her mother, Syralth was the only person she knew she could always count on… although Legolas now ranked a close third. "I do miss riding you."
"And I miss flying with you. Let's go, the sooner we reach the blasted place the sooner we can see Galathil and go flying."
Anduin was the last river they had to cross before they arrived at Emyn Arnen, where the party of four would then part ways. The river when they got to it late afternoon was calm, and it was to Rosalind's relief that they chose to take a short break, partially so the horses could rest and also so they could refresh themselves, a brief respite from the hot afternoon sun.
Letting the horses loose, the four of them untied the saddlebags and begin to take out honey cakes and miruvar to replenish their energy. Legolas smiled to himself as he noticed Rosalind playing with the water, splashing herself to rid the sticky feeling from her skin, before his skin thrummed pleasantly as she ran up next to him. "Is that miruvar?" she asked, having developed a liking for it that very first night Legolas gave her some to taste for dinner. The happy grin she flashed him when he nodded, was enough to make him wonder if he would've given her the world if she would forever be as cheerful as she was. Something about her personality was infectious, that danger that he would give whatever it is she wanted.
"I'll just go upstream to make sure Syralth's alright." Rosalind notified, as the dragon was advised not to land near them in order to not spook the horses. Watching her run away, Legolas passed some of the honey cakes and drink to Eowyn and Faramir. Halfway through settling on a boulder to eat though, he suddenly froze when he heard rustling in nearby bushes, an uneasy feeling settling in him. Looking around, his elfin ears were perked, his eyes alert. Legolas trusted his senses infinitely, and they were screaming danger.
"Guys, get ba-" Before Legolas could finish his warning, a group of wayward Orcs broke forth from the forests they had yet to trek through. Their long arms wielded rusted scimitars, bow legs running strong whilst they yelled their attack. While the numbers did not even come close to the amount of which they had fought during the War, it was still a considerable amount with only the four of them to defend themselves with.
Immediately, Legolas vaulted on the tallest and biggest boulder he could find, his bow and arrow coming out with one move as he began firing arrows everywhere. Eowyn and Faramir had scrambled for their swords at the first sign of danger, and were now in the thick of things, their swords deflecting and attacking all at once. Through the fight though, Legolas dimly heard a scream, before loud wings came to sweep half the group of wayward Orcs away, and then a happy laugh before he looked up, and recognize the black dragon who had swooped down to pluck Rosalind away from land.
For a short second, Legolas wondered why had Rosalind screamed, but that thought was banished when his short distraction almost got him maimed, when an Orc took advantage of his wayward thoughts and surprised him by clinging to his back. The long arms took control of his bow and arrow, and Legolas instinctively tried to swing him away, to no avail. Thinking fast, he jabbed his elbow back into the middle of the Orc, managing to wind the black creature a little, until Syralth's clawed feet dragged the Orc away, leaving a deep gash where the scimitar had grazed his shoulder.
Ignoring the throbbing wound, he restrung his bow and continued to try and take out as many as he can. From the corner of his eye, he could see the numbers of Orcs dwindling. As it is, the sunlight had weakened them considerably, and the large dragon played its part. Within minutes, all that lay around them were dead Orcs and three heavily panting warriors, watching as the large dragon landed and Rosalind vaulted off and ran towards her companions, eyes zooming in on the blood soaked tunic that Legolas gripped.
"You're injured!" she exclaimed, gingerly reaching out but stopping herself as Legolas involuntarily winced and shied away. "Sorry. I couldn't get to you quick enough."
"Don't apologize. It wasn't your fault." he breathed out, although it did throb greatly. It was not a big cut, but it was fairly deep, and saw the rust on the scimitar which made her even more worried. Looking back as Eowyn and Faramir came nearer, Eowyn herself went to examine the wound, and looked around as if evaluating the situation before she spoke. "Let's move in to the forest. We'll find a place to camp early for the night, so we can deal with Legolas's wound, and get some rest."
"Where did they come from?"
"Wayward Orcs. Not all of them were killed during the War, they did run away. We're going to need some time to rid all of Middle-Earth of all of the dark creatures." Faramir explained, whilst they summoned the horses. "We'll go ahead to scout out a spot."
"I'll stay with Legolas." Rosalind piped up immediately, just as Eowyn and Faramir expected her to. Hiding a smile as they noticed how the Dragonborn moved closer to the injured elf, she studied Legolas for a bit before speaking again, "Should I bring him on Syralth? It'll be a smoother ride, and you can both take one horse each to move faster."
"But-"
"She has a point, Legolas. That injury isn't big, but it is deep enough to warrant some amount of concern. The lesser it gets disturbed, and the faster I get to see it, the better." Eowyn murmured, with just the right words to close and stop Legolas's interruption. Grinning as he conceded, the girl turned to call to the black dragon, who swiftly glided over and lay down on his stomach next to Legolas, wing's folded and legs extended.
As Eowyn and Faramir hurried to collect their scattered belongings and the two spooked horses, Rosalind gingerly helped Legolas on to the dragon, and settled him in her usual seat, before she herself got in front of him. Unsure what to do with his hands, Legolas froze in surprise when Rosalind took the rather lost hands and placed them at her waist. "Hold on."
"Nhee."
"He is injured, Syralth. Cut some slack for a while." Rosalind retorted quickly, thanking her stars that Legolas didn't understand their language, before turning to the back. It was a cheeky streak in her that mustered up the courage to place his arms around her waist, but the weight and warmth of it there was making her heart race, so she quickly signalled at Syralth to take off. "It's my turn to take you on a ride." she grinned at him, as Syralth ascended the skies as gently as he could. Despite the smoothness though, Legolas still bristled as he took off, and Rosalind winced when she saw his face tightened and pinched. "Sorry it couldn't be under better circumstances though."
Through the pain, Legolas barely managed to catch on the tone of regret and empathy in her voice, and shook his head as best as he could without hurting himself as he replied with a wane grin. "It's alright. You just owe me another ride in better circumstances soon."