Restoration II: The Story Continues ...
by Fianna
Hugs to all who follow me, thank you so much.
Fianna
Chapter Six
Tauriel followed behind Orophin a few steps, admiring the elf of her heart, his height, the slim width of his hips, the wider shoulders, trim back, the way his fingers curved around the sleek elven bow in his hand. . . She shook her head, amused at her thoughts, her distraction. Orophin looked back over his shoulder with a grin, amused as well, fully aware of her thoughts.
Behind her Eria walked carefully, watching each step, lips tight in concentration. Four more elves followed, with Rowen at the rear at her request. That Orophin did not argue was a testament to Rowen's ability as a ranger and warden, her bow in hand, eyes searching the forest as intently as Orophin's did.
Tauriel smiled, her heart warm at the thought of her companions, surprised at how close she felt to them already, how much a part of her they had become. Was it because of Orophin? Did she feel some of his own feelings through their bond? But both Eria and Rowen were relative newcomers to his group as well, so it would be as new to him as it was to Tauriel. Perhaps it was simply fate that had brought them together, had meant them all to be together in the face of the dwindling numbers of elves left in Arda.
Whatever the answer, Tauriel felt happy to be there, even with the dangers always associated with being outside the protection of any elven realm. Not that she had done so very often. She preferred not to remember the other times, there was too much heartache there, even after so long, even now her heart constricted, her thoughts brushing on the dwarf...
"Tauriel?"
Orophin had stopped and turned, aware instantly of her grief, his gaze concerned.
"It's all right, Ori-min, I was just remembering someone. I'm sorry, I did not mean for you to be aware..."
He waved off the others, leaving them alone for the moment. He brushed a hand to her cheek. "You went from happiness to grief so suddenly I was afraid you had some vision or something. Rowen's face went gray, I know she felt your change as well. Are you sure you're all right?"
Tauriel brushed a lock of silver hair from Orophin's brow. "Aye, it is silly. Please, I have been distracted, rightly so looking at you," she laughed sheepishly. "But should not have been wool-gathering. It was unlike me."
Orophin looked at her for another long moment, perhaps searching his feelings, and hers, their bond allowing them to feel what the other felt. He nodded finally and then touched her lips with his fingers. "All right, I'll leave it at that. It was time to stop anyways, Eria is tired although she won't admit to such. Will you gather firewood with Rowen?"
"Aye, and don't worry, we will keep watch." Tauriel smiled at Orophin's lifted brow, answering him before he could say as much.
Rowen stood up from where she sat next to Eria at Tauriel's wave, and the two disappeared into the shadows. Orophin sent off several elves to stand guard, and then crouched next to Eria. He put a hand to her knee, silencing any protest and then lifted one of her feet to remove her shoe.
"I thought you were fairly well prepared, admired that you choose these soft leather boots instead of slippers, but realize you aren't used to walking for such long distances."
Eria blushed, twin spots of red to her cheeks as she smothered a groan when Orophin brushed the blister on her heel. "I tried to ignore it, thought maybe after awhile it would harden or go away."
Orophin shook his head. "Eria, you should speak up. Do not pretend to be what you are not. We have no time frame in which to return to Mirkwood. We can stop. And we can heal, silly elleth." He brushed his fingers gently over the wound, cupping her foot. Eria breathed in deeply, eyes closed as the healing magic swept through her, fingers tight on the rock on which she sat. After a moment she sighed again and then relaxed.
Orophin looked under his hand and was pleased to see the blister now a faint redness that would heal after some rest. He stood and drew Eria to her feet. "We are stopping here for the night. I'll build a fire and we'll make some food. Find a place near to rest, and stay off your foot for awhile. Tomorrow, you will tell me when something hurts, or you are tired." He strode away leaving her blushing again. Was this how Haldir had often felt? Did he have to fight people's reluctance to show weakness? And why? He gathered small sticks for kindling, wondering, when Tauriel appeared beside him.
"Your thoughts are odd, Ori-min, what are you thinking. I feel conflicting emotions."
He took the wood from Tauriel's arms and set it aside. "I was simply looking at the fact that everyone always seem to try to be like Haldir. Or me, I suppose, now that I am March Warden, to prove that they are as unfallible as they think we are? Do they not realize we are just like them?"
Tauriel chuckled softly, taking the sticks Orophin held to prop them into a triangle shape. "Of course we do. You were much the same, Orophin, when led by Haldir. We look up to you, as we did to Haldir. Your leadership is both in word and deed. Who wants to be the one to show weakness first, to complain they are tired when you are not?" She grinned at his wry expression.
"Even I must compete, unwilling to be one to say we need to stop. But then about the time I thought it, you were doing just the same."
"But then we are connected," Orophin murmured.
"True, but you were not listening to me, but the faint sounds of pain from Eria, sensing her troubles even when she would not admit them to herself. In that, you are very much like Haldir." She touched his cheek and then pushed his hand away to pile more sticks to the fire. "Go away, March Warden. I will build the fire, Rowen piles up the rest of the wood, Eria sticks to her rock like a chastised child and your elven wardens have placed themselves as ordered on guard."
"And what do I do?" Orophin asked in bemusement.
"You watch over us all, as the March Warden should."
oOo
The elleth fought him, dragging her feet, twisting the wrist in his grasp but did not scream or cry out. Sweeney gritted his teeth, pulling the struggling female down the halls, eyes searching for any sign of elves, admiring the fact that Thranduil had somehow cleared the way for Sweeney's departure.
That the Elven King had agreed to Sweeney's idea still surprised him. But then Thranduil was a mastermind of manipulation, perhaps his plan was inspired by the King somehow, who knew just what abilities the Mirkwood King could use at will. Sweeney didn't really care, was simply glad to have something concrete to do, even if it involved a spitting, hissing elf whose dislike was quickly turning into something more.
He could not help that, her feelings worked too well in his favor, aided in the whole disguise if he was going to be able to find his way into the darker side of Dale and it's inhabitants. An elf at his side as a companion would pose questions, reveal too many inherent qualities of his blood that he would rather hide. A snarling captive, however, would distract them from Sweeney's elven traits, for they would focus on her anger instead, and be impressed at the ability to have snared such an elusive prey.
He chuckled to think of their surprise. And then grunted as the elleth landed a sharp blow to his ribs at his inattention. He twisted, jerking her forward against his chest, arm wrapped behind her to hold her both still and close, near enough he felt the nearly uncontrollable urge to kiss her.
That she would probably bite him in return did not deter him. Sweeney held her for a moment, looking long into the slowly widening eyes, slanted upwards at the corners in a way that drew attention to her high cheekbones, eyes a pale green that sparked sudden fire at his inspection.
"Why do you stare so?"
She had stopped struggling, a warning of something more to come. Sweeney tightened his grip and smiled at her. "I was just admiring the color of your eyes. Truthfully, even thought about kissing you."
Her eyes widened further in outrage, her lips suddenly pressed tight.
He grinned at her reaction, and grunted when her knee came up, deflected just barely to avoid a direct hit. "And was expecting that, elleth. You really must come up with something unique. I've dealt with more things than you can imagine."
"You are simply arrogant and rude. Release me and I will not speak of this to Thranduil."
Sweeney shook his head, leaned in closer and nearly grinned when she arched away as far as she could, held still in his grasp, her body long against his. He sighed finally, knowing they would get no further in their tenuous relationship. He stepped back to allow her a chance to recover her poise, turning slightly away to study the area.
Looking over his shoulder he was relieved to see she had settled enough she was not going to have to be dragged or worse, knocked out so he could travel quickly, in case there were still elves pursuing them.
"I am going to Dale, and you, as I said, will come with me."
"Why? What good am I to you there?"
He jerked her forward, looped a length of Lorien hithlain around her wrists. "You are both a key to my entry and a distraction."
She grunted when he tied the rope tight. Looked at it and then at him. "This comes from Lothlorien."
"Aye, it does."
"Does Haldir know what kind of man you are?"
Sweeney tried to hide his smile, looked at her in amusement, at the haughty expression that might have graced Haldir's face at one time. "I imagine he does."
She blinked at his answer, frowned in frustration. Sweeney tested the rope and then turned around, looping it around his wrist to pull her forward. She followed without struggling for several steps and then jerked to a stop. He paused and looked back curiously.
"You cannot imagine I will go peacefully."
"I might hope you will, but I doubt it."
"Thranduil will have your head. I will laugh when he takes it from your shoulders."
Sweeney rolled his eyes. Turned around but felt her tug at the rope and ducked beneath the lunging kick as she leaped toward him. He twisted his arm, the hithlain looping around his wrist as she tried to spin out of his grasp. She was graceful as she fought for control of the rope, her body bending and twisting, determined, but not strong enough to slip free of his grip.
They ended up close once again, the rope looped around his wrist so that only a short length remained between them, her wrists caught against his arm, pale green eyes flashing fury. Once more Sweeney was tempted by the thinly pressed lips, the flush of pink to her cheeks, the rising of her breasts against his chest as he caught her by the back of the neck.
But there was no time to waste, no time to take advantage. He smiled at her and with a sigh, let go of her neck to brush his fingers over her eyes, speaking the eleven words that put her at once to sleep. Gathering her up into his arms, he moved forward, thanking Haldir for one more thing learned from the elves.
OoO
Eria sipped the hot tea carefully, fingers clenched gingerly around the small glass cup, a treasure that would have to be packed carefully into the small bag she had brought, a memento of her time in Lorien. That she had not stayed long surprised her, but then who would have imagined her falling for an elf like Thranduil, and worse, to have lost her mind to travel to Mirkwood to tell him about it.
He would most certainly laugh at her, once more in his normal domain, all kingly and arrogant as he was known to be. Had she really any chance of gaining his attention, or even of gaining an audience at all? Was this journey all for naught, should she simply turn back and find the life she once wanted in Lorien still there?
She looked into her cup, at the remains of the tea leaves in the bottom. Perhaps they would tell her the answers she sought. But the leaves offered nothing more than the flavor for her tea. She dumped out the cup and wiped it carefully, tucking it back into its place in her bag. She settled down against a tree to watch the fire.
Tauriel sat across from her with Orophin at her side, Rowen had moved into the wood, the other elves stationed around them in the forest, blended so well she could not have seen them had she known where they were.
"You look worried." Tauriel leaned forward to poke a stick into the fire, her eyes however intent on Eria, concern evident in her gaze.
"It's nothing," Eria waved a hand, uncomfortable to speak of her worry in front of Orophin.
The elf however gave a quiet laugh and stretched out long legs toward the fire. "You are so easily read, Eria. I do not need Rowen to tell of your feelings. He has taken your heart. Love is something we cannot control. It is what you do with it that is important." Orophin folded his legs in front of him, sat up to look at her with a smile. "He felt something for you, trust me on that."
Eria sniffed, eyes cast aside from the intense study from Orophin. Thranduil had much the same look at times, as if they could read her mind, know too well the depths of her emotions. She shivered at the thought, wondered yet again if she had truly lost her mind.
Rowen appeared and settled beside her, not speaking as Orophin turned to speak to Tauriel, leaving Eria a moment to take a deep breath. After a moment, moving things Rowen had on her person, she looked up, eyes full of amusement.
"You know I felt much the same when it came to Haldir."
Eria blinked and then laughed softly. "I am sure you did. He is most imposing."
"Aye, and I often wondered why an elf like that would even look at me, a half-elven woman child to him. But he did."
Eria plucked at the fabric covering her knees. "I don't know why I am so unsure suddenly. It was so easy in Lorien, to poke at him, knowing even then that I had crossed a boundary with him. I couldn't seem to help it." She grinned at Rowen. "He was so easy to annoy, it made me both laugh and quiver when he'd stick his nose in the air, yet he did what I asked even when he was angry."
Rowen smiled. "It was because you were so bold, Eria. It shocked him to think anyone would treat him so. It was novel and different, it opened eyes that had not seen clearly in a very long time."
Eria leaned toward Rowen to place a hand on her arm. "Truly, Rowen, do I have a chance?"
Rowen covered Eria's hand with her own. "Aye, you do, more than anyone else. But it will be hard now, he has had time to recover, and will be in his domain. But should you be weak, it will all be for naught. He needs someone equal, not in demeanor, for none need that. But someone with the same passion."
Rowen's eyes became distant for a moment, as if she looked inwardly. "He is deep, that one. Has built wall after wall around his heart. He has been hurt, in many ways, both by deed and word. He had made horrendous decisions, seen his kin die by his word." Rowen turned again toward Eria. "Being a king is not easy. He is alone. Has been alone for a very long time. It will take much to break through those barriers, Eria. But you must not give up. For you, for him, it is what you must do. You will both be better for it."
Eria squeezed Rowen's hand. "Thank you. I know what I must do. If he rejects me it will not be because I did not try."
Rowen laughed and then hugged Eria. "If you win the rewards will be very great, mellon, trust me on that."
