1 Chapter 8 – Nearly Caught
And so they continued on their journey to Mordor. No one talked much as they were leaving the plain. In fact, there was some sort of eerie silence in the air as they tramped off into the evening. Everyone had noticed Legolas was being his normal self lately, but not now. He was once again at the back of the line, staying as distant as possible from the others. Especially Aragorn.
The plain soon turned into a grassy field that seemed to go on forever. Only Legolas could possibly see where it ended. The shades in the sky kept getting darker and darker as they continued to walk. The silence continued for awhile, until Frodo broke the silence.
"Hey Legolas…who did you say I should give it to again?" Everyone sort of froze in their tracks, and one by one they all turned around to look at Frodo, and then at Legolas. Legolas's eyes widened at the words and could feel his heart race. No way would he actually say something out loud in front of everyone, would he? Legolas began to panic. "What is he talking about, Legolas?" Aragorn interrogated softly, as not to make a big deal over something that was surely small and insignificant. Legolas just stood there. He couldn't even move. He didn't know what to say at all, and didn't want to open his mouth and give an excuse that was not thought out. He only wished he could think of one of the many excuses that the fairies taught him to say right now, but his mind went blank. "Umm…" That's all his lips could form…and he couldn't force any words out, although he tried.
"Maybe he doesn't remember…" said Frodo. "Legolas told me the most brilliant thing earlier!" Legolas felt like his heart was trying to escape from his chest. It continued to beat faster with every word Frodo said. Legolas still stood there as frozen as a statue.
"He said I should –" In a split second Legolas grabbed Frodo from behind and put his hand over Frodo's mouth covering the words that could destroy the elf forever. Frodo's words were muffled from Legolas's hand, and he soon gave up speaking. The rest of the Fellowship looked at Legolas in shock. They were speechless for a moment, just as Legolas was. But now he could finally form some words. He laughed nervously and gradually moved his hand away from Frodo's mouth. "Sshhh Frodo! It's just a little secret between Frodo and I, nothing of concern!" He smiled and continued to laugh uncontrollably. "Just a little joke between us."
Frodo started tugging at Legolas's shirt questioning what he was talking about. Legolas smiled and put his index finger over his lips informing him to be quiet. He patted Frodo on the head and smiled. "Our secret, remember?" Frodo was completely confused now, but decided against starting an argument. No one moved. No one even knew what to say. They remembered how strangely Legolas had been acting, and were a little suspicious of his motives now and then. They all glanced at each other, silently asking what they should do next. "If you say so, Legolas." Aragorn looked at him almost coldly, but tried to hide it. "Let us keep going then, if we have nothing to worry about."
They all turned around and slowly started walking again, when Legolas retorted without thinking, "Of course! Nothing to worry about!" He laughed lightly, yet no one laughed. His smile slowly disappeared, and then Gimli gave a fake laugh to make Legolas feel more comfortable. "Of course there's nothing to worry about! Let us go…as Aragorn said!" He turned around and was soon at the front of the line attempting to have everyone else follow him. Luckily they did, although they were somewhat hesitant now because of the little shake up that had just occurred.
They all resumed their regular spots in the line, and Aragorn was at the front again. Legolas decided it was best to stay where he had been earlier, at the back of the line, out of harm's way. But something was telling him to go and talk to Aragorn. He had a feeling that there was a good chance Aragorn had heard what he and Frodo had been discussing on their little "walk" together on the plain. He had to know, but he had to be discreet, not letting him know anything about it just in case he in fact didn't know anything. He only hoped he didn't overhear anything…
Aragorn turned to his left and saw Legolas walking next to him now. Aragorn glanced at him but quickly shifted his gaze back to what was right in front of him. The moon was full and bright now, with stars sprinkled all over the sky shining as bright as possible, maybe to give the Fellowship some extra light this evening. Legolas began to speak.
"You didn't happen to hear anything when you came up to Frodo and I earlier today did you Aragorn?" Legolas spoke softly so no one else could hear his words. Aragorn looked up at the sky. "What if I did?" Aragorn said plainly hoping not to get Legolas stirred up. "I'm simply asking. Please? What did you hear?"
Aragorn laughed a little at Legolas's questions. "Elves should not worry so, you know it isn't good for you." Legolas was beginning to get mad, and his face showed it. Aragorn noticed this, and quickly gave an answer. "No, Legolas. I did not hear anything. I only wanted to give you two a good scare, and apparently it worked." He began to laugh again lightly. Legolas gave out a sigh of relief, which he hoped Aragorn wouldn't hear. It would only make him suspicious. But of course, Aragorn heard it. "And if you claim you weren't talking about anything of importance why do you care if I heard?"
Aragorn was good at trying to get people to confess the truth. Thankfully, Legolas found his way around it this time. "I was just wondering that's all." That's all he could think of. Maybe it wasn't that good of an answer, but he wanted to get away from the question as quickly as possible…and it worked.
"Alright then. You really need to get some rest when we stop again Legolas. You know I can look out for things for I hardly sleep. Quit your worrying, okay?"
Legolas didn't say anything. He just kept walking and tried his hardest to keep his eyes away from Aragorn. Guilt overflowed him but he shoved the guilt away as his new "friends" taught him to.
Silence soon grew again, and all you could hear was feet tramping through the tall grass now surrounding them. Although Aragorn was good at making people confess the truth, he was good at lying when it was necessary. Let's just say Aragorn's hearing was extra sensitive back on the plain…
And so they continued on their journey to Mordor. No one talked much as they were leaving the plain. In fact, there was some sort of eerie silence in the air as they tramped off into the evening. Everyone had noticed Legolas was being his normal self lately, but not now. He was once again at the back of the line, staying as distant as possible from the others. Especially Aragorn.
The plain soon turned into a grassy field that seemed to go on forever. Only Legolas could possibly see where it ended. The shades in the sky kept getting darker and darker as they continued to walk. The silence continued for awhile, until Frodo broke the silence.
"Hey Legolas…who did you say I should give it to again?" Everyone sort of froze in their tracks, and one by one they all turned around to look at Frodo, and then at Legolas. Legolas's eyes widened at the words and could feel his heart race. No way would he actually say something out loud in front of everyone, would he? Legolas began to panic. "What is he talking about, Legolas?" Aragorn interrogated softly, as not to make a big deal over something that was surely small and insignificant. Legolas just stood there. He couldn't even move. He didn't know what to say at all, and didn't want to open his mouth and give an excuse that was not thought out. He only wished he could think of one of the many excuses that the fairies taught him to say right now, but his mind went blank. "Umm…" That's all his lips could form…and he couldn't force any words out, although he tried.
"Maybe he doesn't remember…" said Frodo. "Legolas told me the most brilliant thing earlier!" Legolas felt like his heart was trying to escape from his chest. It continued to beat faster with every word Frodo said. Legolas still stood there as frozen as a statue.
"He said I should –" In a split second Legolas grabbed Frodo from behind and put his hand over Frodo's mouth covering the words that could destroy the elf forever. Frodo's words were muffled from Legolas's hand, and he soon gave up speaking. The rest of the Fellowship looked at Legolas in shock. They were speechless for a moment, just as Legolas was. But now he could finally form some words. He laughed nervously and gradually moved his hand away from Frodo's mouth. "Sshhh Frodo! It's just a little secret between Frodo and I, nothing of concern!" He smiled and continued to laugh uncontrollably. "Just a little joke between us."
Frodo started tugging at Legolas's shirt questioning what he was talking about. Legolas smiled and put his index finger over his lips informing him to be quiet. He patted Frodo on the head and smiled. "Our secret, remember?" Frodo was completely confused now, but decided against starting an argument. No one moved. No one even knew what to say. They remembered how strangely Legolas had been acting, and were a little suspicious of his motives now and then. They all glanced at each other, silently asking what they should do next. "If you say so, Legolas." Aragorn looked at him almost coldly, but tried to hide it. "Let us keep going then, if we have nothing to worry about."
They all turned around and slowly started walking again, when Legolas retorted without thinking, "Of course! Nothing to worry about!" He laughed lightly, yet no one laughed. His smile slowly disappeared, and then Gimli gave a fake laugh to make Legolas feel more comfortable. "Of course there's nothing to worry about! Let us go…as Aragorn said!" He turned around and was soon at the front of the line attempting to have everyone else follow him. Luckily they did, although they were somewhat hesitant now because of the little shake up that had just occurred.
They all resumed their regular spots in the line, and Aragorn was at the front again. Legolas decided it was best to stay where he had been earlier, at the back of the line, out of harm's way. But something was telling him to go and talk to Aragorn. He had a feeling that there was a good chance Aragorn had heard what he and Frodo had been discussing on their little "walk" together on the plain. He had to know, but he had to be discreet, not letting him know anything about it just in case he in fact didn't know anything. He only hoped he didn't overhear anything…
Aragorn turned to his left and saw Legolas walking next to him now. Aragorn glanced at him but quickly shifted his gaze back to what was right in front of him. The moon was full and bright now, with stars sprinkled all over the sky shining as bright as possible, maybe to give the Fellowship some extra light this evening. Legolas began to speak.
"You didn't happen to hear anything when you came up to Frodo and I earlier today did you Aragorn?" Legolas spoke softly so no one else could hear his words. Aragorn looked up at the sky. "What if I did?" Aragorn said plainly hoping not to get Legolas stirred up. "I'm simply asking. Please? What did you hear?"
Aragorn laughed a little at Legolas's questions. "Elves should not worry so, you know it isn't good for you." Legolas was beginning to get mad, and his face showed it. Aragorn noticed this, and quickly gave an answer. "No, Legolas. I did not hear anything. I only wanted to give you two a good scare, and apparently it worked." He began to laugh again lightly. Legolas gave out a sigh of relief, which he hoped Aragorn wouldn't hear. It would only make him suspicious. But of course, Aragorn heard it. "And if you claim you weren't talking about anything of importance why do you care if I heard?"
Aragorn was good at trying to get people to confess the truth. Thankfully, Legolas found his way around it this time. "I was just wondering that's all." That's all he could think of. Maybe it wasn't that good of an answer, but he wanted to get away from the question as quickly as possible…and it worked.
"Alright then. You really need to get some rest when we stop again Legolas. You know I can look out for things for I hardly sleep. Quit your worrying, okay?"
Legolas didn't say anything. He just kept walking and tried his hardest to keep his eyes away from Aragorn. Guilt overflowed him but he shoved the guilt away as his new "friends" taught him to.
Silence soon grew again, and all you could hear was feet tramping through the tall grass now surrounding them. Although Aragorn was good at making people confess the truth, he was good at lying when it was necessary. Let's just say Aragorn's hearing was extra sensitive back on the plain…