Chapter 2
Frodo's eyes were on Aragorn, who was talking to Legolas. He was aware that something was wrong. The hobbit didn't know the elf clearly, but he hadn't missed the tense warrior's stance. The others were beginning to notice that something was different.
"Is he always like that?", Sam asked quietly, looking at the elf. Pippin shrugged.
"I don't know, but I hope not." Frodo could only agree with him in his mind. Somehow Legolas made him nervous. He was distant and calm and was very reserved. Frodo had hardly spoken to him before. But the hobbit quickly realized how much the elf was relying on his senses. Well, they were much better than those of the hobbits, dwarves, humans and even wizards. Gandalfs calm and wise eyes also rested on the Elf. He pulled on his pipe and blew smoke into the night sky.
"Give him time. If he can and wants to talk, he will." Frodo looked at the wizard curiously and attentively. Concern was clearly visible under the mask of calm. Obviously he knew something that the others didn't know. Frodo was taken out of his thoughts when Aragorn returned to them. Without Legolas. The Elf was still motionless and tense on the rock, his blue eyes fixed on the distance. The ranger's face was worried. It was clear that he was concerned about the beautiful Elf.
"I don't know what he has. He doesn't want to tell me," the man muttered as he sat down by the fire. Gimli snorted.
"The typical arrogance of the elves." For this comment he got keen looks from the others. Especially Aragorn didn't find it funny.
"Don't do that, Gimli. Legolas is not arrogant and it really is not appropriate to judge someone like that you hardly know or in your case not at all." Frodo already sensed that the situation would escalate and that made him really nervous. They really couldn't use an argument now. Gandalf also seemed to agree.
"Calm down, my friends. Legolas will talk to us when he's ready." Gimli rolled his eyes but thankfully remained silent. Another stupid comment and the whole thing would have escalated. Frodo glanced at Legolas again. His skin shimmered in the moonlight, as did his golden hair and bright blue eyes. But it was easy to see from his stance that something was wrong. But Gandalf was probably right. They had to wait for Legolas to speak on their own.
Aragorn tried to rest a little, but the thoughts and worries about his friend simply didn't leave him alone. What was it that bothered the prince so much? His eyes went involuntarily to his friend. Legolas had offered to take over the watch, and the others had agreed with relief, glad of the prospect of sleeping. Now Legolas was sitting there, gazing into the distance, chin resting on one of his bent legs. There was so much melancholy in his friend's face. Aragorn's heart grew heavy. It was so incredibly difficult for him to see his best friend like this. But he also knew there was nothing he could do until Legolas told him what was going on.
'Damned elf pride,' thought the ranger to himself. So often Legolas' unbroken pride was why he didn't let himself be helped. He was too proud to admit weakness. Although this trait was often helpful in the fight against his enemies. Aragorn sighed softly. How he would like to help his friend, but he was helpless at the moment. He could only hope that what Gandalf had said was true. That Legolas would talk when he was ready. The ranger hoped so much. With the restless thoughts and worries about his friend, he finally drifted off to restless sleep.