~*~* A/N: All right, here's the next chapter. I'll probably write a few more after this. ^.^ Anyway, enjoy and reveiw! *~*~*~
Legolas looked down. "That is indeed a sad tale," he murmured, and Gimli and Aragorn both bowed their heads. "And you and two others are the only survivors?"
"As far as I know," replied Nila, wiping her eyes quickly. "They are off in that direction," she gestured.
"Why do you walk alone?" asked Aragorn, raising his eyebrows, in thought. "One would think you would desire the company of your friends."
"I had much to think about," she replied, and shook her head. "But that is no matter. What brings you three to this forest? An Elf, a Man, and a Dwarf - this is indeed strange."
Aragorn explained quickly the loss of Merry and Pippin. He left out the parts about the ring and the reason for their quest.
Nila glanced down upon the ground, thinking for a moment. "These 'hobbits' you speak of.. what did they look like? Aina, Forrester, and I saw two small creatures. We here call them halflings. The orcs held them captive. We tried to stir them awake, or untie their bounds, but the orcs returned and we had to retreat."
"Those were indeed our friends," said Aragorn thoughtfully. "However did you get close enough to see them?"
"The orcs left them outside the village, as if they were afraid they may get hurt. And they left only one guard. Aina was able to fell the creature quickly enough; she's our archer."
Gimli looked up, raising his eyebrows. "All three of you fight?"
"Ai, yes, it is required that all learn some form of combat. I can weild the sword, and Forrester the mace. Aina uses the bow; and she is good with it."
"And you?" asked Aragorn, the faintest touch of a smile hitting his lips. "Are you good with the sword?"
"I think I could be," said Nila, after some thought. "I know how, but I never gave it much effort. I never thought I would have to fight." She looked down, her eyes welling up once more.
"Will you go get your friends?" asked Aragorn. "We will wait for you here." He asked this of her for two reasons; the first, to meet Aina and Forrester, the second, to give he, Gimli, and Legolas the oppurtunity to speak of this.
Nila approached Aina and Forrester, who were still talking of their situation.
"Come," she said simply, and the two looked up.
"Where?" asked Forrester, standing.
"This way," she replied, and Aina followed her willingly. Still slightly cross, Nila walked a good pace ahead of them.
"What do you suppose she's leading us to?" asked Forrester, and Aina shook her head.
"I believe the question is, 'who' do you suppose she's leading us to."
Aragorn shared a look with his two comrades.
"What will we do?" he asked them, and Legolas nodded.
"We cannot just leave them here."
"We could lead them to Lothlorien, they could be safe there," said Gimli.
"Nae," said Aragorn thoughtfully, his eyes on the ground. Something was urging him to bring them along. Legolas saw this in his expression, and quickly shook his head.
"Aragorn, bring children? That would be folly."
"Legolas," said Aragorn, shaking his head. "They are not children. And they can weild weapons. Something tells me they should come with us. I know not what."
Gimli looked at the forest floor, running a finger along the blade of his axe. Legolas also looked away, his eyes deep with thought.
"My heart tells me the same thing, though it still holds a warning," said the elf softly, and then they stopped all conversation, as they could see the three come back into veiw.
Aina's eyes widened. An Elf and a Dwarf? Never had she seen these creatures. Forrester's jaw dropped as well. Nila gestured to each, introducing them all.
"Strider, Legolas, and Gimli," she said softly. "These are my friends Aina and Forrester."
"What is going on?" asked Forrester, raising his eyebrows.
"We have heard of your toils and the tragedy that befell you this day," said Aragorn, looking at the boy. "And we have decided that we wish for you to accompany us."
"Accompany you where?" asked Aina, suspicious and cautious.
"We are following the orcs that destroyed your city. They hold two of our friends captive, and they killed one of our brethren. We wish revenge upon them, and, if I am correct, you do as well."
Forrester nodded quickly, but Aina was a little less eager.
"Why do you wish for us to go? We are but children."
"Nila told us that you all can weild weapons. Moreover, something within our hearts tells us that you are to come. Do you not feel it as well?" Aragorn looked upon Aina, and she blushed and looked away. Her heart did feel a slight pull toward the three journeyers, but she had disregarded it at first. Now, she dwelled upon it, and at long last, she nodded.
"Aye," she said softly, and all glanced upon Nila.
"And what would you say to this?" asked Legolas.
"I am but a farmer," replied Nila, looking down, a small scowl on her face. "I can feel nothing. But if Aina and Forrester trust you, then so will I."
~*~*~ A/N: Oo. :-D Please reveiw! *~*~
Legolas looked down. "That is indeed a sad tale," he murmured, and Gimli and Aragorn both bowed their heads. "And you and two others are the only survivors?"
"As far as I know," replied Nila, wiping her eyes quickly. "They are off in that direction," she gestured.
"Why do you walk alone?" asked Aragorn, raising his eyebrows, in thought. "One would think you would desire the company of your friends."
"I had much to think about," she replied, and shook her head. "But that is no matter. What brings you three to this forest? An Elf, a Man, and a Dwarf - this is indeed strange."
Aragorn explained quickly the loss of Merry and Pippin. He left out the parts about the ring and the reason for their quest.
Nila glanced down upon the ground, thinking for a moment. "These 'hobbits' you speak of.. what did they look like? Aina, Forrester, and I saw two small creatures. We here call them halflings. The orcs held them captive. We tried to stir them awake, or untie their bounds, but the orcs returned and we had to retreat."
"Those were indeed our friends," said Aragorn thoughtfully. "However did you get close enough to see them?"
"The orcs left them outside the village, as if they were afraid they may get hurt. And they left only one guard. Aina was able to fell the creature quickly enough; she's our archer."
Gimli looked up, raising his eyebrows. "All three of you fight?"
"Ai, yes, it is required that all learn some form of combat. I can weild the sword, and Forrester the mace. Aina uses the bow; and she is good with it."
"And you?" asked Aragorn, the faintest touch of a smile hitting his lips. "Are you good with the sword?"
"I think I could be," said Nila, after some thought. "I know how, but I never gave it much effort. I never thought I would have to fight." She looked down, her eyes welling up once more.
"Will you go get your friends?" asked Aragorn. "We will wait for you here." He asked this of her for two reasons; the first, to meet Aina and Forrester, the second, to give he, Gimli, and Legolas the oppurtunity to speak of this.
Nila approached Aina and Forrester, who were still talking of their situation.
"Come," she said simply, and the two looked up.
"Where?" asked Forrester, standing.
"This way," she replied, and Aina followed her willingly. Still slightly cross, Nila walked a good pace ahead of them.
"What do you suppose she's leading us to?" asked Forrester, and Aina shook her head.
"I believe the question is, 'who' do you suppose she's leading us to."
Aragorn shared a look with his two comrades.
"What will we do?" he asked them, and Legolas nodded.
"We cannot just leave them here."
"We could lead them to Lothlorien, they could be safe there," said Gimli.
"Nae," said Aragorn thoughtfully, his eyes on the ground. Something was urging him to bring them along. Legolas saw this in his expression, and quickly shook his head.
"Aragorn, bring children? That would be folly."
"Legolas," said Aragorn, shaking his head. "They are not children. And they can weild weapons. Something tells me they should come with us. I know not what."
Gimli looked at the forest floor, running a finger along the blade of his axe. Legolas also looked away, his eyes deep with thought.
"My heart tells me the same thing, though it still holds a warning," said the elf softly, and then they stopped all conversation, as they could see the three come back into veiw.
Aina's eyes widened. An Elf and a Dwarf? Never had she seen these creatures. Forrester's jaw dropped as well. Nila gestured to each, introducing them all.
"Strider, Legolas, and Gimli," she said softly. "These are my friends Aina and Forrester."
"What is going on?" asked Forrester, raising his eyebrows.
"We have heard of your toils and the tragedy that befell you this day," said Aragorn, looking at the boy. "And we have decided that we wish for you to accompany us."
"Accompany you where?" asked Aina, suspicious and cautious.
"We are following the orcs that destroyed your city. They hold two of our friends captive, and they killed one of our brethren. We wish revenge upon them, and, if I am correct, you do as well."
Forrester nodded quickly, but Aina was a little less eager.
"Why do you wish for us to go? We are but children."
"Nila told us that you all can weild weapons. Moreover, something within our hearts tells us that you are to come. Do you not feel it as well?" Aragorn looked upon Aina, and she blushed and looked away. Her heart did feel a slight pull toward the three journeyers, but she had disregarded it at first. Now, she dwelled upon it, and at long last, she nodded.
"Aye," she said softly, and all glanced upon Nila.
"And what would you say to this?" asked Legolas.
"I am but a farmer," replied Nila, looking down, a small scowl on her face. "I can feel nothing. But if Aina and Forrester trust you, then so will I."
~*~*~ A/N: Oo. :-D Please reveiw! *~*~