Part 26
Legolas woke drowsily. He lay contently in bed, the sky a dark gray as the sun had not yet risen. It was so blissfully warm, with the heavy blankets and the body heat of his best friend sleeping soundly beside him. Legolas was glad the ranger slept. He usually went on for days without a wink when they were travelling. Stubborn Man.
Silly Elf, came Aragorn's voice in his mind. Legolas smiled to himself at the memory. And of course,Gimli thought the two of them were idiotic.
For a moment, Legolas had forgotten all the events of before. And then he remembered. He recalled what he was going to do.
Legolas tried to get out of bed, but Aragorn shifted beside him, pulling him closer. The Elf carefully lifted the man's arm off him and slipped out of bed. He tidied his hair and put on his soft boots before leaving quietly.
When Aragorn woke up, he was alone. Why did he have a tendency to be left alone? He groaned as he pulled himself out of bed.
Legolas looked up from his thoughts when Aragorn arrived in the hall. Gimli was sitting at a small table, babbling on about something. The Elf leaned back on a column, his arms folded.
" Ah, Aragorn. Good morning to you. Won't you come and join us for a good smoke? " asked Gimli merrily. And indeed, a small cloud of gray smoke floated up from his pipe.
" Indeed, I would ",said the ranger. And he sat down across from Gimli, and lit his pipe soon enough. It seemed ages since he had, had a good smoke.
Legolas watched him observantly, as silence followed for a moment. Both the Dwarf and Man smoked quietly.
" Legolas, do sit down. You're hardly ever at rest ", the ranger said. He would have asked his friend if he wanted a smoke but he knew full well that Legolas never smoked, especially being an Elf. In fact, Legolas always detested the smell of the stuff, much to the amusement of Aragorn who would often see the look of distaste cross Legolas when he smoked on their travels.
Legolas did sit down, Aragorn on his right and Gimli on his left. He didn't speak, though. The Elf was lost in thought.
" Why so quiet this morning ? " Aragorn asked softly.
Legolas shrugged.
" The Elf probably has something on his mind. Though I do not see how, since he indeed lost his mind long ago ", remarked Gimli. Aragorn chuckled lightly and Legolas grinned faintly.
" Have you two had breakfast? " Aragorn inquired, before taking another puff of his pipe.
" Hardly. I'm not one to eat in the mornings. A hearty
supper in the evening is good enough for me ", said Gimli.
" What about you, Legolas ? " Aragorn asked, turning to the Elf.
Legolas sighed. " I'm not hungry ", he said flatly.
Aragorn looked at him doubtfully, but Legolas ignored it.
He took an arrow from his quiver easily and laid it in his lap. Legolas stared down at it, letting his mind wander as his fingers played idly along the arrow. And he began to absent - mindedly hum to himself.
" Legolas, what's wrong? " Aragorn asked.
" Nothing, Aragorn ",came the answer, lacking all feeling.
Aragorn looked pleadingly at Gimli. The Dwarf stared back it him, not knowing what to do.
That evening, Legolas' chair was empty in the small chamber given to Eomer and his men to dine, along with the three Fellowship members. Aragorn was preoccupied with his best friend. The Elf was probably on another walk, he guessed. It wasn't right, the ranger thought. Legolas shouldn't just go wandering about alone, depressing himself. Aragorn worried for him.
And this went on for weeks. Legolas would scarcely come to any meals whatsoever, and when he did his mind was somewhere else. He'd disappear at meals for days at time, coming once in a while only to be painfully distant.
But after Aragorn retired from dinner, the Elf would always creep soundlessly into the room and slide into bed beside the ranger, who would shelter him in his arms, as always.
This was how it was every night. And whether or not Legolas had been at dinner or not, Aragorn would always be waiting to hold him afterwards, as they were both lulled to sleep.
And neither scarcely spoke a word about the Elf's absences. But silence would soon catch up to them.
Legolas woke drowsily. He lay contently in bed, the sky a dark gray as the sun had not yet risen. It was so blissfully warm, with the heavy blankets and the body heat of his best friend sleeping soundly beside him. Legolas was glad the ranger slept. He usually went on for days without a wink when they were travelling. Stubborn Man.
Silly Elf, came Aragorn's voice in his mind. Legolas smiled to himself at the memory. And of course,Gimli thought the two of them were idiotic.
For a moment, Legolas had forgotten all the events of before. And then he remembered. He recalled what he was going to do.
Legolas tried to get out of bed, but Aragorn shifted beside him, pulling him closer. The Elf carefully lifted the man's arm off him and slipped out of bed. He tidied his hair and put on his soft boots before leaving quietly.
When Aragorn woke up, he was alone. Why did he have a tendency to be left alone? He groaned as he pulled himself out of bed.
Legolas looked up from his thoughts when Aragorn arrived in the hall. Gimli was sitting at a small table, babbling on about something. The Elf leaned back on a column, his arms folded.
" Ah, Aragorn. Good morning to you. Won't you come and join us for a good smoke? " asked Gimli merrily. And indeed, a small cloud of gray smoke floated up from his pipe.
" Indeed, I would ",said the ranger. And he sat down across from Gimli, and lit his pipe soon enough. It seemed ages since he had, had a good smoke.
Legolas watched him observantly, as silence followed for a moment. Both the Dwarf and Man smoked quietly.
" Legolas, do sit down. You're hardly ever at rest ", the ranger said. He would have asked his friend if he wanted a smoke but he knew full well that Legolas never smoked, especially being an Elf. In fact, Legolas always detested the smell of the stuff, much to the amusement of Aragorn who would often see the look of distaste cross Legolas when he smoked on their travels.
Legolas did sit down, Aragorn on his right and Gimli on his left. He didn't speak, though. The Elf was lost in thought.
" Why so quiet this morning ? " Aragorn asked softly.
Legolas shrugged.
" The Elf probably has something on his mind. Though I do not see how, since he indeed lost his mind long ago ", remarked Gimli. Aragorn chuckled lightly and Legolas grinned faintly.
" Have you two had breakfast? " Aragorn inquired, before taking another puff of his pipe.
" Hardly. I'm not one to eat in the mornings. A hearty
supper in the evening is good enough for me ", said Gimli.
" What about you, Legolas ? " Aragorn asked, turning to the Elf.
Legolas sighed. " I'm not hungry ", he said flatly.
Aragorn looked at him doubtfully, but Legolas ignored it.
He took an arrow from his quiver easily and laid it in his lap. Legolas stared down at it, letting his mind wander as his fingers played idly along the arrow. And he began to absent - mindedly hum to himself.
" Legolas, what's wrong? " Aragorn asked.
" Nothing, Aragorn ",came the answer, lacking all feeling.
Aragorn looked pleadingly at Gimli. The Dwarf stared back it him, not knowing what to do.
That evening, Legolas' chair was empty in the small chamber given to Eomer and his men to dine, along with the three Fellowship members. Aragorn was preoccupied with his best friend. The Elf was probably on another walk, he guessed. It wasn't right, the ranger thought. Legolas shouldn't just go wandering about alone, depressing himself. Aragorn worried for him.
And this went on for weeks. Legolas would scarcely come to any meals whatsoever, and when he did his mind was somewhere else. He'd disappear at meals for days at time, coming once in a while only to be painfully distant.
But after Aragorn retired from dinner, the Elf would always creep soundlessly into the room and slide into bed beside the ranger, who would shelter him in his arms, as always.
This was how it was every night. And whether or not Legolas had been at dinner or not, Aragorn would always be waiting to hold him afterwards, as they were both lulled to sleep.
And neither scarcely spoke a word about the Elf's absences. But silence would soon catch up to them.