A/N
Dear, dear loyal readers!
I am ashamed to say that it has been six years since I started this little fanfic. Oops. I apprieciate the support, the reviews and the mere fact that occasionally people still read this story! Be assured, I DO intend to finish it, but it will require much patience from my readers (believe me I want to know how it ends too!). But life calls as it so often does - assignments need to be done, work has to be performed and friends can't wait forever. I am also trying super duper hard to write my own original piece – a project that is even slower than this (if you can believe it).
Here is my latest little attempt at continuation... if my writing is not up to what it was before feel free to say so!
Disclaimer: It isn't mine. Except Serafina – she's mine.
Chapter Twenty-One
Serafina sat motionless by the fire. No one had spoken a word since Gandalf's dismissal, apart from Gimli, who – after the initial shock – had almost laughed off the display as easily as Gandalf and was currently snoring loudly by the fire. Incredibly relieved as she was (and also slightly smug) the girl could not predict how things might turn now. The look on Samwise's face was assurance enough that she was not his friend, nor would she ever be. Frodo's face was hidden. Eventually Merry and Pippin began to stir, whispering to each other, glancing at Frodo and occasionally at Serafina when they were feeling brave.
The girl's heart was unsteady. Slowing she plucked up the courage to glance in the direction of the men. Boromir was looking at her, glaringly hateful. She met his gaze with her chin in the air. Eventually the son of Gondor looked away. The ranger sat with his head in his hands. Suddenly Legolas appeared by Aragorn's side and spoke to him quietly. Serafina watched the scene, transfixed, wishing for the hearing of an elf to eavesdrop on the quiet words being spoken. Boromir shook his head in disgust and moved to prepare his bed for the night. Aragorn, however found the elf's words more to his taste and nodded his head, his expression was hidden from her gaze.
To her surprise, the elf soon stood and began walking towards her. Quickly she collected her thoughts and smoothed the emotion from her face. If she could face wargs and steal the Ring of Power all in one day, surely she could handle whatever it was this elf had to say.
Legolas sat down next to her his face betraying nothing. When he spoke, his tone was not altogether unpleasant. But the perfection in his voice made the hairs on the back of her neck stand up in annoyance.
"I am going to tend you arm tonight."
"Really?" the thief asked in mock surprise.
Legolas ignored the question, and instead set about his work on her wrist immediately. His hands were obviously as deft and skilful as Aragorn's. Certainly he lacked no sureness in his movements. Nothing broke the silence of camp, apart from the harsh snores of the dwarf. Serafina tried to glance casually in the direction that the ranger had been sitting, in case she could find a reason for the swapping of duties in his face. But Aragorn was not opposite the fire. She cast her glance around, dismissing any causal facade, curiosity overwhelming her. Eventually she found him on the edge of camp in deep discussion with the wizard, their voices too low to hear. She watched them for a moment, and realised they were clearly old friends. Aragorn. The puzzle of his name bubbled to the surface again.
The too-fair voice of her companion quietly disrupted her staring.
"You could be more subtle you know" he said with a cool smirk dancing in his eyes.
Serafina's head snapped back towards Legolas, and she regarded him closely, pulling up her guard. "I don't know what you are talking about."
"You do. And I am not going to play your game." He said as the mirth faded from his gaze. His hands never stopped working. They flew through their tasks as if he had been treating her wrist like this every day of his life, yet his touch was so light that it was difficult to tell if he was even making contact with her skin of just pretending to. The entire process struck her as extraordinarily impersonal, like a child who hates music learning to play the flute. He can learn the notes by heart as well as any musician, but his friend who loves music will play the exact same notes to a very different effect. This passed through her mind fleetingly as he continued talking, "I've seen the way you look at him. If your feelings are developing the way I think they are you would do better to distance yourself from him. Now that you are aware of the seriousness of this quest," he looked at her pointedly "you can surely see that silly desires are only futile distractions that may put us all in more danger than is necessary."
Serafina's eyes widened and she sat ramrod straight. An angry blush fled across her face, it could have been taken for sitting too close the fire, but she could not hope for Legolas to be fooled. The hide of him! With great effort she reigned in her temper so that it would not be so obvious in her voice. The last thing she wanted tonight was to make another scene. Another night with a different theme? Certainly. But this? No. Now she would have to put this subject to rest in a gentler manner than a battle of wills.
"Legolas, you are sorely mistaken," here she tried on a half smile, fighting to make it appear like a smirk. "I have no such desires or designs on any members of the fellowship. However, now that you mention it a romantic interlude would certainly break up the drudge of walk, eat, walk, and eat, clean, and finally rest. Then walk, eat, walk... Perhaps Gimli..?" a ripping snore came from the dwarf right on cue, she smiled then continued "No. Then, perhaps Boromir...?" she let her words trail off, and fixed fake merriment in her face – appearing to enjoy the joke.
"You wear a brave face, thief. But I am not fooled. It is true; you are quite pretty for a frail human girl – obviously when your eye is not the size of a fist. But you would do well to remember your place."
"I do not know what place you are referring to... would that be my ranking in terms of she dwarf beauty?"
Again Legolas ignored her goading, and spoke in a condescending manner, "I am referring to your status as a felon of Gondor, in relation to Aragorn, the heir of Isildur."
Of course. Aragorn, son of Arathorn. Isildur's heir. Heir to the throne of Gondor. Serafina's shoulders slumped. Strider. Aragorn the King of Gondor. How could she have forgotten the name? True it had been years since she had heard it, and had never much like royals, or any form of authority, but Aragorn! His name was the beacon of hope for all Gondorians. She closed her eyes, Legolas momentarily forgotten, until his voice yet again broke her reverie.
"You did not know?" he asked flatly.
Serafina looked at him squarely and set her jaw, "I remember now; the stories as a child of the return of the King to Gondor. But yes, I had forgotten the significance of his name."
"You would do well to remember it this time." He said as he released her wrist and began replacing the balms and herbs into their pouches. Then he continued, "On his shoulders rests the hope of man. It is not even certain if any of us will survive this quest. Arwen, has left these shores for those very reasons." He paused, "You do know who Arwen is?" Serafina nodded, and listened as the elf continued. "They were lovers before you were alive, and she has now left him for the Grey Havens so that he may concentrate on the tasks at hand, there is, and will be little left for her here. Do not let their sacrifice come to nothing."
He bade her a solemn goodnight and moved to the other side to the fire. Serafina breathed in deeply, and began making her bed where she sat. She tried to look at this discovery in a positive light, but the sense of victory she normally felt in gaining information evaded her. She considered Aragorn's destiny, it explained much of his character; the way rooms felt smaller with him in them, the way he held himself, the way he lead and yet despised leading. Serafina remembered him in the royal robes that night in Rivendell, and then her mind drifted to Arwen. She had not known she had left him. She could not help feeling angry with the beautiful Elvin princess for leaving Aragorn alone with immeasurable tasks to complete.
As she began to drift off to sleep her mind wandered back to the beginning of her conversation with Legolas. Suddenly she was awake again; heat flushed once more to her cheeks in embarrassment and anger. How dare he presume to perceive her desires! She let her anger surge and became angrier that this elf's words were keeping her from sleep. After a time, Serafina listened as footsteps made their way through the camp. Aragorn's soft voice sounding indistinctly from across the fire, and was answered clearly by Legolas.
"Yes, slowly. I believe fighting the wargs tonight didn't help the healing process much."
Aragorn's low chuckle sounded in reply followed by some more low words.
Legolas laughed in reply, Serafina clenched her jaw in anger at the sound. Then clearly he answered him again, "No, quiet actually. Perhaps the warg's got to her. But I confess – it is a task I happily leave to your capable hands."
Serafina stopped listening. Legolas was clearly talking loudly enough for her to overhear, it was as if he was telling her that Aragorn knew nothing of their conversation. She soothed herself with this information and attempted sleep again by reassuring herself that she had no idea where Legolas got those notions from. She, certainly, had not thought about the ranger in such a way.