Chapter 26

Before I knew it, the comfort of the afternoon sun was shining down on us once more. Compared to yesterday, things were practically perfect, aside from the hobbits still being kidnapped. My arm was holding up well after another day, and the ache in my legs had dulled considerably. The heels of my feet were still a little numb, but our pace wasn't too fast to make it unbearable.

One change from yesterday was the absence of our breaks. Not wanting us to get further behind, Aragorn decided we could eat and run at the same time. I was skeptical of this at first, but it actually worked out pretty well. The reason why probably had something to do with the fact that we'd switched to lembas, the Elven bread from Lorien. As Legolas put it, a small bite was enough to satiate the hunger of an adult man. It's not that I didn't believe him, but still being full was unsettling. Dawn had been several hours ago, and I was still full from the small corner I'd nibbled off then.

Something told me the size of my bites wouldn't have been nearly enough to hold over a hobbit.

Stones skidded under my boots as I descended into a shallow valley, keeping pace with Rose. That was another new surprise today — she'd started running with me again, which was a relief. Not only did it make the trek easier for me by having a buddy, but it also meant she was probably getting out of her funk. Slowly but surely, a new version of the old Rose was returning. Just this morning, when Aragorn came around to get us up and moving, she'd glared at him. Expecting him to get offended, he surprised me by merely smiling, moving on to Gimli without a word.

Speaking of the man, he had his ear pressed to the earth again. My pace slowed on instinct, knowing it would be helpful for his concentration.

The first time he pulled that ranger move, I'd been so taken aback that Gimli chuckled to himself about it for the next hour. In a moment of composure, he explained that "the lad could hear their footsteps across the plain." It made no sense to me, but I wasn't going to question him on it. Given what I'd come to know about the man, it wasn't surprising.

Stirring already, he must have singled them out . Aragorn pushed himself up with a renewed vigor. "Their pace has quickened. They must have caught our scent." Breaking into a sprint, he hollered over his shoulder, "Hurry!" Legolas, his blond hair catching the light, wasn't far behind.

Using his axe like a walking stick, Gimli came to a weary halt. From just a few feet behind him, I could clearly see the great rise and fall of his shoulders when he sighed, "Three days and nights pursuit. No food, no rest, and no sign of our quarry but what bare rock can tell."

I couldn't help myself. Unable to wipe the smirk from my face, it only got stronger when I noticed Rose's expression mirrored mine. As we passed him, I called, "So that wasn't you snoring last night?"

"I could have sworn it was him," Rose added lightly, using a hand to muffle her laughter.

"Oh, you pair of lasses!" He sputtered. "Aragorn ought to separate you two before you stir up trouble." After a pause, he grumbled, mostly to himself, "And, for the record, I do not snore. Not that loudly, anyway."

"Hey." Rose glanced at me sideways, the sparkle in her eyes fading. "You never told me what was up the other day on the river bank."

Oh, right.

Just like that, my amusement was promptly squashed, replaced with a jittery sensation that twisted in my gut. Against my will, memories and impressions came flooding back.

His hand on my back. His whisper in my ear. His grin in the dark. His cool fingertips on my skin. Oh, how had it come to this?

I licked my lips, but all of the saliva had dried in my mouth. "Uh..."

There was no way I could tell her. It was absolutely mortifying, and I didn't have a chance with him at all. I knew she wouldn't say anything or make fun of me, but it was still ridiculous.

Noting my silence and reading it as something serious, her eyes grew concerned, and she prompted me with more intensity, "Kat?"

It was like someone took the sense out of my brain and replaced it with mothballs. Somehow, my voice was steady when I mumbled, "I think I have a crush on Legolas." Now that the words were out there, my face went up in flames.

Without missing a beat, Rose nodded. "Oh, I don't blame you. He's not my type, but he's definitely fine." Her tone grew more serious. "So, what are you going to do?"

I shrugged and bit the inside of my cheek. "Probably nothing. I mean, if we manage to get home, it'd make it harder and more complicated. So what's the point? He'd also have to like me for anything to happen."

That seemed to stump her. After some minutes of contemplation, she said, "It might be worth it anyway. You never know," the side of her mouth quirked, "he could fall for you, too."

My flush deepened. "I highly doubt that."

"Oh, come on! What were you telling me last night? That I had to give myself more credit? You could stand to take your own advice here, Kat." She raised her eyebrows at me. "If looks are what you're worried about, you shouldn't be. You're pretty."

"Thanks," I replied, my voice flat.

It was nice of her to be so encouraging, but I just couldn't agree with her. Personally, it seemed more like a foolish endeavor. He was an elf. I wasn't even from this world. On that point, there was no guarantee I'd be stuck here forever. If one of Galadriel's leads worked, then I was heading home.

I snuck another look at the blonde head ahead of me. I would leave, wouldn't I?

In typical Aragorn fashion, we halted our trek after darkness had fallen. My legs wobbled now that we weren't running anymore, and it was all I could do to stay upright. While moving, I hadn't noticed how drained I'd become. The exhaustion, on the other hand, wasted no time bringing it to my attention at its earliest convenience. Somehow, I accomplished sitting without collapsing in a heap.

Rose nearly flopped down across from me. I tore off two pieces of lembas, only my third for the day, and tossed one in her general direction. Her fingers fumbled for it but managed to snag it before it hit the ground. At the first bite, the tension between my shoulders unwound and slowly ebbed away.

It was still a little freaky that only three small bites of some bread had fed me all day. It was a shame, too, because it was pretty tasty.

"I'm worried they've passed beyond these dark hills." Staring ahead, Legolas stood by Aragorn, his eyes cloudy and distant. His sight roved over the countryside as if he could still see them.

"Then it is finished," Gimli rumbled, his words unusually tight. "What a sorry end for us and those poor hobbits." He leaned on his axe, his jaw clenched, and sighed.

"A sorry end for the day, maybe." Aragorn arched an eyebrow at the dwarf, his expression equal parts amused and stern. "We'll be stopping again tonight. The day's weariness is heavier today."

"I wonder how they're doing." Having finished her bite of lembas, Rose rubbed her palm with a thumb. "Do you still think they're alive?"

The shift in the mood was so immediate and intense that I shivered. All eyes shot to her, which she made a point to ignore. My eyes wide, my gaze flickered to Aragorn's face, briefly catching the regret painted on Gimli's face. To his credit, Aragorn's face softened. "From what I've seen, there have been no indications that Merry and Pippin are anything but alive. Take heart, Rose. This isn't the end." With the hint of a grin, he added, "No matter what that dwarf says."

Gimli started immediately, relieved indignation pouring off him in waves as he grappled to defend himself. "I didn't mean it like that!"

"Oh, really? Then I suggest you get some sleep. I'd hate for you to lose more of your sense." The mischievous glint in Aragorn's eye was definitely new, and I had to clamp down on my lips to keep my laughter from slipping out.

The resulting expression on Gimli's face almost did me in. His mouth opened in a perfect "o," he simply stared at the man before sputtering with a good-natured exasperation. It seemed he was unable to for a complete thought, though, and instead relied on wild gestures and volume to get his half-formed point across. As for Rose, watching him struggle brought a smile to her face, which eased my nervous heart instantly.

"Oh, goodnight you lot! First the lasses, now it's all of you," he huffed at last, a grin of his own peeking out of his rusty orange beard. "Wake me in the morning when you're feeling kinder!" With that, he made a big show of turning his back to us, though his mirth never wavered.

My voice, sweetened by my laughter, joined the others in wishing him a pleasant night of rest. As I stretched out on the soft grass, I couldn't help but wonder if I'd been wrong the other day. Maybe everything was going to work out just fine in the end.