1 A/N: This puts an interesting twist on things. How will they handle the
news? What will hey do? Ooh, its all so exciting! Anyway, I'll let you read
now.
2 Luvs Elf Crumpet xXx
3 Chapter 28
"Are we riding far tonight Gandalf?" said Michelle, tensely. They had been riding for an hour, and she was starting to feel very queasy. She had never got on well with horses. She didn't hate them, but she didn't love them either. Also, Legolas wasn't there to make her feel better. Gimli had refused to ride with anyone else, so she had been forced to ride with Aragorn.
"We will ride for a few hours, gently, until we come to the end of the valley. Tomorrow we must ride faster. When we came, we meant to…" he said.
"It's alright, that's all I wanted to know." She turned back, to face forward.
Night came down from the mountains, and at last they halted. They lit a fire in a hollow, down among the root of a spreading hawthorn, tall as a tree, writhe with age, but hale in every limb. Buds were swelling at each twig's tip. Michelle jumped quickly down off the horse and ran into the trees a little way. There, she threw up.
"You OK, Michelle?" Tracey had followed Michelle and watched her throw up. She knew it was a stupid question, 'She's just been sick, what do you think?' but she thought it polite to ask.
"Not really. I just suddenly felt really ill. Well, I felt ill anyway, but being on that horse for ages just killed me completely." She looked at Tracey, then suddenly a pain shot through her body and grasped her stomach.
"What's wrong?!" Tracey said, ran towards her. "Are you alright?" Michelle sat down on the grass and looked at Tracey. Her face was filled with worry. 'I can't hide it anymore, it won't be possible for much longer.'
"I'm fine, in a manner of speaking. Trace?"
"What?" she answered suspiciously. She didn't like the tone of Michelle's voice.
"Sit down, I want to tell you something." Tracey sat down, not knowing what to expect.
"And, what do you mean, in a manner of speaking? You're either well or you're not."
"Well, you see, well, the thing is… I…"
"Go on." Tracey desperately wanted to know what the hell was going on.
"The thing is, I'm… pregnant."
"WHAT?!" Tracey yelled. The whole camp turned to look in their direction.
"Shut up, idiot! Nobody must know, OK. Nobody. They'll send me home, and I don't want that. So, keep it buttoned."
"Of course, sorry." She whispered. "Oh my God! I can't believe it!" She was smiling broadly. Tracey leapt up and threw her arms around Michelle.
"OK, calm down, bab."
"OK, Tracey, chill. OK, I'm calm." She said to herself. "But, more importantly, how are you? Do you need me to get you anything? Are you warm enough?"
"Tracey, stop fretting. Go and have something to eat. And send Legolas, over here while you're at it." But, Tracey just stood staring. "Go, you silly cow!"
Tracey went back to the camp, leaving Michelle laughing to herself. 'Honestly, you'd think she was the one with the baby, not me.'
"Michelle, Are you alright? Tracey said you wanted me." Legolas ran over to her.
"I'm fine." She replied. "I just wanted a chat is all. I am allowed to do that aren't I?" He helped her up. "So, how's my favourite Elf?" she said cheerfully. She felt so much better now that she had told someone.
"I'm fine." He said. "Why are you so cheerful? It's not natural for this time of day, especially when you've only slept for half an hour in about three days."
"Would you rather I was in a mood with you?" He shook his head. "Well, then. Just enjoy it while it lasts." She stood on her toes and kissed him.
"Do you think you could get a stool or something?" he said, when they eventually stopped. "It's just you're going to get a sore neck from straining upwards, and I'll get a bad back from leaning over."
"I can't help being small." She giggled. "And anyway, it's not so bad. It has its advantages."
"You're a saucy little madam, do you know that?"
"I try. Come on; walk with me for a bit. I don't feel like sleep yet." She saw the look in his eyes. "Don't worry, I will sleep tonight, just not yet."
"That's alright then." They began to walk arm-in-arm.
They were silent for a while, and got quite far away from the camp. Michelle was lost in her thoughts. 'Should I tell him? What if he doesn't like me anymore? What if he thinks I'm cheap and common? I don't know if I could handle that.' She wasn't sure if it was a good idea. 'But, he's got to find out sooner or later, hasn't he? And it won't stay a secret for long. You're not showing now, but the next month or so are going to tell tales. And he should know, he has a right to know.'
"Legolas…" but she was cut short. She felt that pain in her stomach again. She wasn't sure if it was normal or not, so she began to worry. "Go and get Tracey for me. Please." She said. It was passing now, but she knew it would soon return.
Legolas ran back to the camp. What was wrong with her? He didn't stop 'til he got there. But when he did stop, it was sudden. He could Tracey and Aragorn talking.
"I can't. I promised." She said.
"It won't hurt to tell me. I'm just concerned." He replied.
"Oh alright then. But if she finds out I told you, then you will die."
"Yeah, OK. Cut the crap and just get on with it!"
"Michelle's pregnant."
"What? Pregnant? Bloody hell. Well, who's the father?"
"Who d'you think? Legolas, of course. Well, she didn't actually say that, but that's the only person it could be."
"Yeah. Whoa! I didn't think Legolas was the sort to, well you know. To be honest, I thought he was gay, up until now, but, I mean, and so quickly. It was only this morning."
"Well, that's what they say, but it's obviously been going on for ages, otherwise how would she know?"
"Yeah, I suppose. Well, now is not really the best time to talk about it. I still can't believe it. Legolas is going to be a dad." And they walked back to the camp.
Legolas stood in shock. He couldn't believe what he had just heard. Those two words echoed around his head. "Michelle's pregnant." He didn't know whether he was happy or not. He decided to pretend that he didn't know. Was she planning on telling him? Or was he meant to find out like this? He stood there for several minutes, taking it in.
He was about to enter the camp, when he heard Aragorn and Tracey call Gandalf, Gimli, Merry and Pippin over to the side. 'Please no. Aragorn don't tell them. They don't need to know.' But unfortunately, Legolas' silent pleads did nothing. Aragorn told the rest of the fellowship. They were all very happy, with the exception of Pippin, who was in deep shock. Suddenly, Legolas remembered he had left Michelle alone, in the middle of the wood, wanting Tracey. Legolas took a deep breath and entered the camp.
"Here comes the man himself." Said Gimli, when he saw Legolas approaching them.
"I hear congratulations are in order." Said Gandalf.
"For what?" Legolas replied. He didn't make a habit of lying to people, but when he did he was good.
"Don't play innocent with us." Said Tracey. "We know. She told me."
"Who told you what? Would you mind explaining what you're all taking about because I haven't got a clue."
"You know," said Merry, "Michelle and…"
"Michelle and what? Look, I haven't got time to mess about with you lot. Tracey, Michelle wants you. She's out there a bit. Just keep walking straight ahead and you should find her fine." Tracey got up.
"Aye, aye, and what exactly were you doing so far out?"
"Sometime soon would be nice Tracey." He said, ignoring her snide remarks. She sighed and walked off. "So would anybody care to tell me what you are all twittering on about?" Aragorn looked at Gandalf.
"Do you think…? No, she… she wouldn't have not told him, would she?"
"Not told me, what?"
"It really isn't our place to say." Said Gandalf. "Though I find it very odd that she hasn't told you."
"Look, tell me or shut up, because I really can't be doing with this." He just wanted somebody to come out and say it, so he could be sure he wasn't dreaming.
"Tell you what?" said Michelle, from behind them. They all started moving around, making room for her and making sure she was comfortable. Michelle knew automatically that Tracey had told them.
"Tracey!" she said angrily.
"It's not my fault! Aragorn made me tell him!"
"That's not the point. You promised! And how do all these know?"
"Except me?" said Legolas. He kept up the pretence because he decided he wanted to hear Michelle say it herself. Michelle fell silent. She didn't know how to tell him. She was going to tell him before, but then she came over sick again and she sent him to get Tracey.
"I… um, well, er…" she couldn't keep it from him and it was better that he knew. Everyone else did, thanks to Tracey's big mouth. "I'm pregnant."
'So, it is true.' Legolas stood up and walked towards the trees where they had been before.
"Legolas!" she jumped up and went after him. She grabbed his arm to stop him.
"Just leave me alone for a while, Michelle. I need to think this through." He squeezed her hand, and then walked off. Michelle started to cry. She walked back, sat down and buried her head in Tracey's shoulder.
"He doesn't love me. He thinks I'm a cheap little whore, and doesn't want anything to do with me!" she cried. "I hate myself! I hate my life! I wish I could die!"
"No, you don't." said Tracey, firmly. "He does love you, and you don't want to die. Michelle, you've just told him he's going to be a dad. He's obviously going to need some time to think."
"You don't get it do you? Tracey, Legolas isn't the father!"
2 Luvs Elf Crumpet xXx
3 Chapter 28
"Are we riding far tonight Gandalf?" said Michelle, tensely. They had been riding for an hour, and she was starting to feel very queasy. She had never got on well with horses. She didn't hate them, but she didn't love them either. Also, Legolas wasn't there to make her feel better. Gimli had refused to ride with anyone else, so she had been forced to ride with Aragorn.
"We will ride for a few hours, gently, until we come to the end of the valley. Tomorrow we must ride faster. When we came, we meant to…" he said.
"It's alright, that's all I wanted to know." She turned back, to face forward.
Night came down from the mountains, and at last they halted. They lit a fire in a hollow, down among the root of a spreading hawthorn, tall as a tree, writhe with age, but hale in every limb. Buds were swelling at each twig's tip. Michelle jumped quickly down off the horse and ran into the trees a little way. There, she threw up.
"You OK, Michelle?" Tracey had followed Michelle and watched her throw up. She knew it was a stupid question, 'She's just been sick, what do you think?' but she thought it polite to ask.
"Not really. I just suddenly felt really ill. Well, I felt ill anyway, but being on that horse for ages just killed me completely." She looked at Tracey, then suddenly a pain shot through her body and grasped her stomach.
"What's wrong?!" Tracey said, ran towards her. "Are you alright?" Michelle sat down on the grass and looked at Tracey. Her face was filled with worry. 'I can't hide it anymore, it won't be possible for much longer.'
"I'm fine, in a manner of speaking. Trace?"
"What?" she answered suspiciously. She didn't like the tone of Michelle's voice.
"Sit down, I want to tell you something." Tracey sat down, not knowing what to expect.
"And, what do you mean, in a manner of speaking? You're either well or you're not."
"Well, you see, well, the thing is… I…"
"Go on." Tracey desperately wanted to know what the hell was going on.
"The thing is, I'm… pregnant."
"WHAT?!" Tracey yelled. The whole camp turned to look in their direction.
"Shut up, idiot! Nobody must know, OK. Nobody. They'll send me home, and I don't want that. So, keep it buttoned."
"Of course, sorry." She whispered. "Oh my God! I can't believe it!" She was smiling broadly. Tracey leapt up and threw her arms around Michelle.
"OK, calm down, bab."
"OK, Tracey, chill. OK, I'm calm." She said to herself. "But, more importantly, how are you? Do you need me to get you anything? Are you warm enough?"
"Tracey, stop fretting. Go and have something to eat. And send Legolas, over here while you're at it." But, Tracey just stood staring. "Go, you silly cow!"
Tracey went back to the camp, leaving Michelle laughing to herself. 'Honestly, you'd think she was the one with the baby, not me.'
"Michelle, Are you alright? Tracey said you wanted me." Legolas ran over to her.
"I'm fine." She replied. "I just wanted a chat is all. I am allowed to do that aren't I?" He helped her up. "So, how's my favourite Elf?" she said cheerfully. She felt so much better now that she had told someone.
"I'm fine." He said. "Why are you so cheerful? It's not natural for this time of day, especially when you've only slept for half an hour in about three days."
"Would you rather I was in a mood with you?" He shook his head. "Well, then. Just enjoy it while it lasts." She stood on her toes and kissed him.
"Do you think you could get a stool or something?" he said, when they eventually stopped. "It's just you're going to get a sore neck from straining upwards, and I'll get a bad back from leaning over."
"I can't help being small." She giggled. "And anyway, it's not so bad. It has its advantages."
"You're a saucy little madam, do you know that?"
"I try. Come on; walk with me for a bit. I don't feel like sleep yet." She saw the look in his eyes. "Don't worry, I will sleep tonight, just not yet."
"That's alright then." They began to walk arm-in-arm.
They were silent for a while, and got quite far away from the camp. Michelle was lost in her thoughts. 'Should I tell him? What if he doesn't like me anymore? What if he thinks I'm cheap and common? I don't know if I could handle that.' She wasn't sure if it was a good idea. 'But, he's got to find out sooner or later, hasn't he? And it won't stay a secret for long. You're not showing now, but the next month or so are going to tell tales. And he should know, he has a right to know.'
"Legolas…" but she was cut short. She felt that pain in her stomach again. She wasn't sure if it was normal or not, so she began to worry. "Go and get Tracey for me. Please." She said. It was passing now, but she knew it would soon return.
Legolas ran back to the camp. What was wrong with her? He didn't stop 'til he got there. But when he did stop, it was sudden. He could Tracey and Aragorn talking.
"I can't. I promised." She said.
"It won't hurt to tell me. I'm just concerned." He replied.
"Oh alright then. But if she finds out I told you, then you will die."
"Yeah, OK. Cut the crap and just get on with it!"
"Michelle's pregnant."
"What? Pregnant? Bloody hell. Well, who's the father?"
"Who d'you think? Legolas, of course. Well, she didn't actually say that, but that's the only person it could be."
"Yeah. Whoa! I didn't think Legolas was the sort to, well you know. To be honest, I thought he was gay, up until now, but, I mean, and so quickly. It was only this morning."
"Well, that's what they say, but it's obviously been going on for ages, otherwise how would she know?"
"Yeah, I suppose. Well, now is not really the best time to talk about it. I still can't believe it. Legolas is going to be a dad." And they walked back to the camp.
Legolas stood in shock. He couldn't believe what he had just heard. Those two words echoed around his head. "Michelle's pregnant." He didn't know whether he was happy or not. He decided to pretend that he didn't know. Was she planning on telling him? Or was he meant to find out like this? He stood there for several minutes, taking it in.
He was about to enter the camp, when he heard Aragorn and Tracey call Gandalf, Gimli, Merry and Pippin over to the side. 'Please no. Aragorn don't tell them. They don't need to know.' But unfortunately, Legolas' silent pleads did nothing. Aragorn told the rest of the fellowship. They were all very happy, with the exception of Pippin, who was in deep shock. Suddenly, Legolas remembered he had left Michelle alone, in the middle of the wood, wanting Tracey. Legolas took a deep breath and entered the camp.
"Here comes the man himself." Said Gimli, when he saw Legolas approaching them.
"I hear congratulations are in order." Said Gandalf.
"For what?" Legolas replied. He didn't make a habit of lying to people, but when he did he was good.
"Don't play innocent with us." Said Tracey. "We know. She told me."
"Who told you what? Would you mind explaining what you're all taking about because I haven't got a clue."
"You know," said Merry, "Michelle and…"
"Michelle and what? Look, I haven't got time to mess about with you lot. Tracey, Michelle wants you. She's out there a bit. Just keep walking straight ahead and you should find her fine." Tracey got up.
"Aye, aye, and what exactly were you doing so far out?"
"Sometime soon would be nice Tracey." He said, ignoring her snide remarks. She sighed and walked off. "So would anybody care to tell me what you are all twittering on about?" Aragorn looked at Gandalf.
"Do you think…? No, she… she wouldn't have not told him, would she?"
"Not told me, what?"
"It really isn't our place to say." Said Gandalf. "Though I find it very odd that she hasn't told you."
"Look, tell me or shut up, because I really can't be doing with this." He just wanted somebody to come out and say it, so he could be sure he wasn't dreaming.
"Tell you what?" said Michelle, from behind them. They all started moving around, making room for her and making sure she was comfortable. Michelle knew automatically that Tracey had told them.
"Tracey!" she said angrily.
"It's not my fault! Aragorn made me tell him!"
"That's not the point. You promised! And how do all these know?"
"Except me?" said Legolas. He kept up the pretence because he decided he wanted to hear Michelle say it herself. Michelle fell silent. She didn't know how to tell him. She was going to tell him before, but then she came over sick again and she sent him to get Tracey.
"I… um, well, er…" she couldn't keep it from him and it was better that he knew. Everyone else did, thanks to Tracey's big mouth. "I'm pregnant."
'So, it is true.' Legolas stood up and walked towards the trees where they had been before.
"Legolas!" she jumped up and went after him. She grabbed his arm to stop him.
"Just leave me alone for a while, Michelle. I need to think this through." He squeezed her hand, and then walked off. Michelle started to cry. She walked back, sat down and buried her head in Tracey's shoulder.
"He doesn't love me. He thinks I'm a cheap little whore, and doesn't want anything to do with me!" she cried. "I hate myself! I hate my life! I wish I could die!"
"No, you don't." said Tracey, firmly. "He does love you, and you don't want to die. Michelle, you've just told him he's going to be a dad. He's obviously going to need some time to think."
"You don't get it do you? Tracey, Legolas isn't the father!"
