Disclaimer: The great Tolkien owns all except for Morna and Sycha. They belong to me.
Thanks for all the feedback. It is so greatly appreciated, and I welcome it all. Keep it coming:) It keeps me writing:) The next chapter will begin the actual journey, and a lot of the action. I want to keep it moving quickly, but certainly don't want to rush through anything.
Sycha didn't ride far before she sat back sharply, causing Morna to slide to a stop. She shook her head sharply at herself, muttering gutterish phrases under her breath. Boromir's words had upset her tremendously. In dealing with the realms of men, she could never summon the patience to remain calm. Fury and rage always succeeded in setting its claws into her and making her act in ways she did not find comfort in. Morna nickered softly to her and stood patiently. Minutes passed and Sycha looked up to the sound of hooves. "Sycha!" Haldir's came to a stop while he regarded her. "We will meet up with them in ten days....we will ride along the river, under the cover of the woods, for we cannot obviously take horses on the boats. Her look was one of stunned confusion. "What....are you talking about?" Haldir smiled calmly at her and glanced back. "Sycha, we will not gain anything by gaining much time on them, nor is it wise at all to travel so far removed. By meeting up with them,
we are able to be sure nothing has gone wrong in that time. At some point, we will part paths and our journeys will be separate, but it is not now." She bit down on her tongue to refrain from saying anything. She would never want to show disrespect to the elf who had had such a strong hand in her survival so long ago, and she trusted him as she only trusted a select few. His horse sidestepped toward her and he laid a hand on her arm. "Sycha, you need not talk to him, nor the others if you choose. But it is safer this way. I've no care of what you think you can take on yourself; for I know you've never been faced with any strife yourself. You have fought battles, but not to the extent that a throng of orcs would pose to you on a treacherous road........you've lived over three thousand years with the hope that this time would come....I'll not see you throw it away in a rash fury." She stared hard at him for a moment and then finally sighed. "Fine." That was all she said. She
knew he spoke the sense that she lacked when she was angry. He studied for a moment and then smiled. "That's all?" She shrugged. "What else would you have me say?" He laughed softly and turned his horse back to Caras Galadon. "Well, if that is all the more fight you have in you, you certainly wouldn't have survived a day out there, even with me along." She rolled her eyes at him, and scowled. "Mean-spirited you are today, Haldir.....quite mean-spirited." He nudged his horse forward and laughed. "Ahh, just to make sure you keep a light heart, Sycha....you know I mean no harm." She murmured something not quite kind toward him and followed him back.
They were to leave the next morning....at first light. Sycha and Haldir would take their horses along the paths of the river, while the others would take boats granted graciously to them by Celeborn. Sycha remained elsewhere in Caras Galadon, away from the eight that afternoon, even at the request of Galadriel on behalf of Aragorn and Legolas that she at least join them for a small while. She could not bring herself to be in Boromir's presence; and after she had calmed down, she felt a little foolish for acting as she did, almost embarrassed. Instead, she remained by one of the free flowing streams, nestled against Morna against the cooled breeze of the evening. She had long since fallen asleep when Haldir came across her, pulling a blanket from one of her bags and covering her with it. She stirred as he sat down next to her, leaning back against Morna as well. "Are you all right?" She looked up at him and nodded, sighing softly. "How are the others?" He nodded, wrapping an
arm around her shoulders and taking some of the blanket for himself. "They are well....they have settled in preparation of tomorrow's journey.....they hope you are well....even Boromir." She gave him a puzzled look and watched a smirk play upon his lips as he settled comfortable against her. "I would say that after the others got done yelling at him about the stupidity of his words, he realized his folly. He had not quite been thinking when he had blurted out what he said. None wanted to seek you out today, fearful of your mood. They are a little uncertain about you, but they have a caring about you from your tale. They are good people, even the man of Gondor." She made a small, thoughtful sound, and nestled against his side, falling into a restful slumber.
The following morning proved to be bright and windy. Haldir bade Sycha to join them for the morning meal, per request of Celeborn. She sat between Celeborn and Legolas, across from Gimli, and ate quietly. The conversation was light, and friendly. Legolas spoke to her softly, and finally succeeded in drawing her into conversation with Aragorn. Galadriel finally drew a close to the meal as the sun began to rise noticeably higher. The goodbyes were said with much warmth as Galadriel gave each of them tokens of kindness. Sycha went to fetch Morna and Haldir's midnight grey steed. At the water's edge, Haldir swung up to his horse's back and Aragorn approached Sycha as Galadriel said her final words to the others. "Be safe....both of you..." Sycha smiled softly at him and Boromir came to stand behind him. Her smile faded and Aragorn moved away quickly, joining Frodo in the one boat. For a moment, she thought he would simply turn and go. But then, he bowed to her. "Be our meeting
in ten days a safe one.....fare thee well, fair one." She nodded to him and clasped his hand in a generous gesture. "And you, man of Gondor." He moved away and she bid Legolas an embrace before climbing up to Morna's back. She turned Morna and looked down to where Galadriel and Celeborn regarded her. "As always, I am grateful for everything.....I pray I will be able to visit again with happier tidings." Celeborn smiled and Galadriel came forward, taking Sycha's hand in her own. "You will....not without hardships along the way....but I feel you will make it through." She pressed a velvet pouch into her hand and stepped back. "You will know that by sight...if what I have heard from Thranduil is true.....it may come in useful; and you not find it outside of the forests of Mirkwood." Sycha tucked it into her bodice, an idea playing in her mind of what it was, catching Haldir's suspicious eye as she tucked it away. "I thank you," she murmured, urging Morna forward. She took one
last glance back at the others as they began down the river. "We must be off, Sycha." She made a sound and Morna lunged forward into a gallop. Celeborn slid his hand into his wife's, squeezing it lightly. "Haldir will keep watch over her temper, I should think." Galadriel sighed softly and watched until they disappeared into the trees.
Thanks for all the feedback. It is so greatly appreciated, and I welcome it all. Keep it coming:) It keeps me writing:) The next chapter will begin the actual journey, and a lot of the action. I want to keep it moving quickly, but certainly don't want to rush through anything.
Sycha didn't ride far before she sat back sharply, causing Morna to slide to a stop. She shook her head sharply at herself, muttering gutterish phrases under her breath. Boromir's words had upset her tremendously. In dealing with the realms of men, she could never summon the patience to remain calm. Fury and rage always succeeded in setting its claws into her and making her act in ways she did not find comfort in. Morna nickered softly to her and stood patiently. Minutes passed and Sycha looked up to the sound of hooves. "Sycha!" Haldir's came to a stop while he regarded her. "We will meet up with them in ten days....we will ride along the river, under the cover of the woods, for we cannot obviously take horses on the boats. Her look was one of stunned confusion. "What....are you talking about?" Haldir smiled calmly at her and glanced back. "Sycha, we will not gain anything by gaining much time on them, nor is it wise at all to travel so far removed. By meeting up with them,
we are able to be sure nothing has gone wrong in that time. At some point, we will part paths and our journeys will be separate, but it is not now." She bit down on her tongue to refrain from saying anything. She would never want to show disrespect to the elf who had had such a strong hand in her survival so long ago, and she trusted him as she only trusted a select few. His horse sidestepped toward her and he laid a hand on her arm. "Sycha, you need not talk to him, nor the others if you choose. But it is safer this way. I've no care of what you think you can take on yourself; for I know you've never been faced with any strife yourself. You have fought battles, but not to the extent that a throng of orcs would pose to you on a treacherous road........you've lived over three thousand years with the hope that this time would come....I'll not see you throw it away in a rash fury." She stared hard at him for a moment and then finally sighed. "Fine." That was all she said. She
knew he spoke the sense that she lacked when she was angry. He studied for a moment and then smiled. "That's all?" She shrugged. "What else would you have me say?" He laughed softly and turned his horse back to Caras Galadon. "Well, if that is all the more fight you have in you, you certainly wouldn't have survived a day out there, even with me along." She rolled her eyes at him, and scowled. "Mean-spirited you are today, Haldir.....quite mean-spirited." He nudged his horse forward and laughed. "Ahh, just to make sure you keep a light heart, Sycha....you know I mean no harm." She murmured something not quite kind toward him and followed him back.
They were to leave the next morning....at first light. Sycha and Haldir would take their horses along the paths of the river, while the others would take boats granted graciously to them by Celeborn. Sycha remained elsewhere in Caras Galadon, away from the eight that afternoon, even at the request of Galadriel on behalf of Aragorn and Legolas that she at least join them for a small while. She could not bring herself to be in Boromir's presence; and after she had calmed down, she felt a little foolish for acting as she did, almost embarrassed. Instead, she remained by one of the free flowing streams, nestled against Morna against the cooled breeze of the evening. She had long since fallen asleep when Haldir came across her, pulling a blanket from one of her bags and covering her with it. She stirred as he sat down next to her, leaning back against Morna as well. "Are you all right?" She looked up at him and nodded, sighing softly. "How are the others?" He nodded, wrapping an
arm around her shoulders and taking some of the blanket for himself. "They are well....they have settled in preparation of tomorrow's journey.....they hope you are well....even Boromir." She gave him a puzzled look and watched a smirk play upon his lips as he settled comfortable against her. "I would say that after the others got done yelling at him about the stupidity of his words, he realized his folly. He had not quite been thinking when he had blurted out what he said. None wanted to seek you out today, fearful of your mood. They are a little uncertain about you, but they have a caring about you from your tale. They are good people, even the man of Gondor." She made a small, thoughtful sound, and nestled against his side, falling into a restful slumber.
The following morning proved to be bright and windy. Haldir bade Sycha to join them for the morning meal, per request of Celeborn. She sat between Celeborn and Legolas, across from Gimli, and ate quietly. The conversation was light, and friendly. Legolas spoke to her softly, and finally succeeded in drawing her into conversation with Aragorn. Galadriel finally drew a close to the meal as the sun began to rise noticeably higher. The goodbyes were said with much warmth as Galadriel gave each of them tokens of kindness. Sycha went to fetch Morna and Haldir's midnight grey steed. At the water's edge, Haldir swung up to his horse's back and Aragorn approached Sycha as Galadriel said her final words to the others. "Be safe....both of you..." Sycha smiled softly at him and Boromir came to stand behind him. Her smile faded and Aragorn moved away quickly, joining Frodo in the one boat. For a moment, she thought he would simply turn and go. But then, he bowed to her. "Be our meeting
in ten days a safe one.....fare thee well, fair one." She nodded to him and clasped his hand in a generous gesture. "And you, man of Gondor." He moved away and she bid Legolas an embrace before climbing up to Morna's back. She turned Morna and looked down to where Galadriel and Celeborn regarded her. "As always, I am grateful for everything.....I pray I will be able to visit again with happier tidings." Celeborn smiled and Galadriel came forward, taking Sycha's hand in her own. "You will....not without hardships along the way....but I feel you will make it through." She pressed a velvet pouch into her hand and stepped back. "You will know that by sight...if what I have heard from Thranduil is true.....it may come in useful; and you not find it outside of the forests of Mirkwood." Sycha tucked it into her bodice, an idea playing in her mind of what it was, catching Haldir's suspicious eye as she tucked it away. "I thank you," she murmured, urging Morna forward. She took one
last glance back at the others as they began down the river. "We must be off, Sycha." She made a sound and Morna lunged forward into a gallop. Celeborn slid his hand into his wife's, squeezing it lightly. "Haldir will keep watch over her temper, I should think." Galadriel sighed softly and watched until they disappeared into the trees.