The hobbits were groggy in the morning and were moaning more than I had ever heard. Despite having a bed it seemed that Pippin had woken up with an ache in his neck, Merry had complained that he was too hot the whole night and Sam was sporting a red spot on his leg where Pippin had kicked him at some point in the night. Frodo was quiet, so quiet that after we had finished our breakfast and were walking out of Bree I kept on checking behind me to see whether he was still following.

It was a foggy morning and water clung to the grass fringe of the path as we walked by. The air felt heavy and foreboding, as if horrors were hiding in the fog just outside of our eye line. Everything seemed to be back on track, we had picked up the pitiful pony that Sam had called Bill and the hobbits placed some of their items on him, mainly the new food that we had picked up in the morning before we left and everything else seemed to be following how I remembered it. I was worried though, I'm the book I recall that the hobbits had taken swords from the barrow wights and this is what they had used against the Nazgul when they arrived, in the movie Strider had given them each a sword and yet we left the village with no weapons at all, except the one attached to Aragorn's hip.

As we left the gates, I walked slower and let the other hobbits walk ahead with Aragorn and slipped an arm around Frodo's shoulders.

"Gandalf left me a letter you know. He left it with Mr Barliman. He says that we should go to Rivendell, which is great for you I suppose, other elves. They'll be able to help you"

"Yeah, I suppose" I said and scrunched my nose slightly at the thought. The hobbits had met few if any elves in their lifetime and so I wasn't such an anomaly to them, from Aragorn's reaction I highly doubt actual elves will believe me or even let me into the great city.

"You aren't happy? To be with your own kind?"

"Erm yeah, I mean yes, of course I am. It's just that I'm- I'm different from other elves and I've felt so comfortable with you guys- erm fellows- that I fear I can only become less happy"

"Well you're always welcome at the shire Maeve, for as long as it's my home it's yours as well"

I squeezed his shoulder in thanks and looked forward. Frodo's home would no longer be the shire at the end of this dreadful war, he would sail to Valinor. And so I guess I didn't have a home, none at all. The thought made me grimace, this war would damage Frodo so badly that he would no longer feel the peace that the Shire and Bag End gave to me.

"Come on, let's catch up with the others. Strider's just told them that we'll be going to Rivendell" I had also heard Steider discreetly asking about where I had come from, how long I had been with them and many more detailed questions and decided that it was time to interrupt.

We carried on walking for another hour and two and Strider stopped ahead, looking out across the bumpy plains that was to be our trek. Pippin of course took this as a sign for a break and so with a large sigh plopped down on the ground and wiped at his head dramatically.

"Master Pippin, we do not stop until dark fall. Come"

The rest of the hobbits looked at Aragorn with shock.

"But what about breakfast?!" Pippin also looked like he might faint with alarm.

"We have eaten already this morn and do not have time to waste. I hope to reach near that tree before we have a water break" Aragorn pointed to a speck in the distance and I reckon that I could only see it's outline as a tree because of my enhanced eyesight. It was a long way away.

"But! We've only had one! What about second breakfast?" At Aragorn's disparaged look Pippin continued "What about elevenses? Luncheon? Afternoon tea? Dinner? Supper?"

Aragorn shook his head in what seemed to be exasperation but I could see the hidden amusement in his glance as he turned away and started walking forward. We all gave Pippin a sad and understanding look as we walked past him and he stood there as if in shock. I too had gotten used to eating a lot of food and even though I definitely didn't need a break it would have been nice to sit and chat with the hobbits for a bit.

Sam caught up with me and pushed something into my hand. I opened it and what seemed like a pouch of berries and oats lay inside. I gave Sam a confused look and he shrugged and stared at Aragorn's back.

"You can't be losing all that weight again Lady Maeve, I know it's not as good as a home cooked meal full of taters and vegetables but I won't be letting you cut down. No, as long as I'm with you I expect you to be eating at all the right times"

I was extremely touched that Sam had thought of me and even as I went to object that we should save the food I could see in his eyes that he wouldn't back down and I didn't fancy beating a hobbit in an argument about food, no matter the specifics. And so I just nodded and took a handful of the mixture and scooped it into my mouth. That was enough for Sam who started smiling at his little victory.

I had noticed that Aragorn had turned his head an almost indiscernible amount toward us and I could tell he was listening to every word. I cursed and hoped that whatever questioning he had could at least wait until Rivendell.

Hours passed and we walked and walked until the sun had wished us goodbye and Aragorn had found an enclosed area that we could camp for the night. Although I wasn't tired I sat down heavily on a fallen tree near the camp and winced slightly when I lifted my foot up. Yes elves where light underfoot but we didn't have the hardiness of hobbit feet and I had accidentally stood on some sort of spiky pine cone plant about half an hour ago and Aragorn had grumbled about wasting time when Frodo had said we should stop to pull out the thorns and so with a grumble of my own and an ambition to prove Aragorn wrong I had insisted I was fine and carried on walking.

"I apologise. I did not think that you had actually injured yourself but that you were just feigning it for rest. Let me help"

I had a mind to tell Aragorn to bugger off followed by a few chosen swear words but then I remembered that he had been good at healing in the story and so I reluctantly lifted my foot and pointed it at him. He silently moved over and started pulling at the spikes. It didn't hurt, not really. I had experienced true pain and so anything after that seemed to be minuscule. In hospital they always asked you to rate your pain from 1-10 in order to decide how serious the situation was, or in the last couple of weeks, how much morphine to pump through my arm. I had never said 10, I never wanted to seem completely beaten and it gave me hope that I wasn't a lost cause. I kept that up until the end, how prideful it all seemed now.

"I looked for shoes the morning we left Bree but there were none suitable."

The statement surprised me, it was clear that Aragorn didn't trust me as far as he could throw me and yet he had searched for shoes for me. I guess he just couldn't help being a gentleman. I was at a loss for words and so just nodded, I probably should have thanked him but my human stubbornness still stood as strong as a brick wall in my mind.

After my foot had been plucked of the spines and cleaned (Aragorn had said I wouldn't need a wrap because the small punctures would heal almost immediately- I guess another advantage to being an elf) he stood up and went to walk away.

"Why would you think I would be feigning my injury? Elves do not need to rest, at least not as often humans."

"I thought it was maybe a ruse, that you would have someone ambush us in the open"

He said it so matter of factly and just left me to go to the main part of the camp. I was fuming, how can he act so differently from minute to minute? How could he think so little of my regard for the hobbits and even him in some ways. It made me immensely angry and I thought I could even feel my elvish skin redden on my cheeks in indignation. Fuck being nice to Aragorn. I don't need him one fucking bit.

I walked over to the circle that had formed around the new fire that Sam had lit and plopped next to Merry who looked up at me happily.

"I missed you today Maeve" Merry seemed to regret what he said immediately, blushing completely as my raised eyebrow "I mean- it's just that- with walking and- we didn't speak that much and-"

Pippin interrupted Merry's stumbling of words with a large guffaw that he didn't even attempt to hide.

"Miss her! Did you just say that you missed her? And we were walking together all day? Oh Merry" Pippin broke off in a fit of loud giggles which caught the attention of the others.

"Hush Pippin, leave him alone" I said quite firmly, my protectiveness for the sweet hobbit blaring through my eyes.

I reached over and rustled Merry's hair and gave him a little smile. This only seemed to embarrass him further, I could tell that me acting like an overprotective sister was not what he wanted. In fact I reckon that Merry viewed me as something as far away from a sister as you could get. He stood up and left the circle mumbling about getting more firewood and Frodo got up to join him.

Pippin went over to help Sam remove the dishes and food from Bill, slightly ashamed at my scolding, which left me and a brooding Aragorn alone at the fire that he was now prodding with a stick.

"You tease the boy. It is not fair"

All my anger that I had briefly forgotten suddenly came rushing back full force.

"I beg your pardon?" I almost seethed at Aragorn, although he didn't seem to have noticed my astute anger.

"You meddle with a heart when you have no intention to share your life with him. Hearts of mortals are just as delicate as those of the eldar, if you were not aware, they are not some game to play. It is cruel"

I could almost feel steam coming out of my ears as I had to listen to the accusation of me and of my character come from a man who had only met me scarcely 24hours ago.

"You know not what you are speaking of Strider so hold your tongue. Merry is my friend and I would not do anything to harm him"

"Ah yes, friend" Strider said with an almost smug tone as if he had won because of my admittance that I only saw Merry in a platonic light.

"And I suppose you know all about the importance of the differences between a mortal and elvish heart, don't you Strider? It's a shame that you hadn't shared your advice about meddlesome hearts to all your immortal companions" the words left my mouth before I could even regret them. Aragorn looked up at me sharply and he almost looked like he might grab his dagger and have me pinned on the floor.

Luckily Frodo and Merry returned at that moment and Pippin dropped his armful of pans causing a crash to sound which broke the tension, and the staring contest that Aragorn and I had started.

"- what do you think Maeve?" Frodo questioned.

"Um- what- I mean pardon?"

"I said that you could sing us a song, if you would be up for it, this night is much too quiet for my liking, and-"

"And quiet it shall remain Frodo. We are being hunted and prey scarcely make noise unless they intend to be the next meal"

I knew that it made sense and he was only protecting us yet a new scowl for Aragorn appeared on my brow and followed him as he said he would scout the area before we ate.

"You do not trust him Lady Maeve, do you?" Sam commented from his place across the fire.

"No, Sam, I do trust him. I know that he will keep you hobbits as safe as sound, I just don't really like him" I failed to mention that I didn't think Aragorn would care if I got to Rivendell safely, in fact I'm pretty sure he was hoping I wouldn't.

"Here let me help" I leant across and started cutting the few varied vegetables that we had bought that morning.

The rest of the evening went by with nothing much else happening, any conversations were hushed and the hobbits fell asleep nearly immediately after they had eaten. Aragorn had said he would take watch all night and refused to sleep despite knowing that I wouldn't be sleeping that night at all. He kept his distance though and for that I was glad. Even though I was still furious with Aragorn I didn't fancy another bickering match. Anyway it was kind of disheartening that one of my childhood heroes and role models thought the absolute worst of me. And so we sat in silence.