Ahh, another chapter, why not? I'm bored anyway….here it is!!
Chapter 23
Legolas kept staring in the direction the riders were coming from while the others got ready to fight if necessary. He relaxed. "I can see them now, be at ease. They wear Gondor's colors," he said. Legolas suddenly smiled and laughed. "Looks like we will not have to travel to the caves after all. The short one among them is Gimli!"
"Are you sure?" Aragorn asked.
"Of course!" Legolas said. "They should be here soon."
They waited and in twenty minutes the patrol reached them. One bowed to Aragorn. "It is good we were able to find you, my liege. Master Gimli arrived a scant hour after you left. We feared we would be unable to catch up to you," he said.
Gimli dismounted a bit awkwardly. "So you finally tore yourself away from the trees, crazy elf," he grumbled.
"The trees are a much fairer sight then you, stupid dwarf," Legolas retorted, easily falling back into their game.
"We will return to Gondor, King Elessar, safe journey to you," the guard said and the men rode off towards Gondor.
"It is good to see you again, Gimli," Aragorn said.
"You as well, even if I have to put up with the crazy elf," Gimli said.
"The feeling's mutual, stupid dwarf," Legolas returned, grinning.
Jaisia pushed forward. "You can't treat my little brother like that! You rude creature!!" she snapped.
Gimli started. "By my axe and beard!! What and who are you?!" he demanded. He looked from Jaisia to Kai then back at Jaisia.
"We're Centaurs!! I'm Jaisia and he's my twin brother, Kai. Don't you talk to Legolas that way!!!" Jaisia said angrily.
Legolas moved forward before Gimli could speak. "Easy, Jaisia, Gimli is the dwarf we were going to see. He and I are good friends. The crazy elf and stupid dwarf remarks are nothing, but a game," he soothed. "Gimli, Kai and Jaisia are my new friends and adopted family."
"Hmph, well-met then, I've never seen nor heard of your kind before. If you're the elf's friends then you're mine as well," Gimli said and bowed.
Kai and Jaisia bowed in return. "And the same goes if you are our little brother's friend," Kai said.
Legolas was relieved to see the tension fade. "That's better, we shouldn't quarrel," he said.
"So what brought you to Gondor?" Aragorn asked. "We were just on the way to see you."
"I was traveling to Mirkwood to drag the elf away from the trees for a bit of travel," Gimli said.
"Then you can come too! We even brought you a pony to ride!" Jaisia said happily. "We've never spoken to a dwarf before!!"
Gimli frowned at the pony. "You know how I ride," he said.
"Aye--like a rock," Legolas taunted. "Pity the poor pony!"
Gimli snorted. "Watch it," he warned. "Let's go before I have time to regret coming." He mounted clumsily. "Which way shall we go?"
"East for it is little known to me," Aragorn said. No one argued so the rest mounted and they rode off.
None of them knew that this journey would test all of them and the newly forged bond between them and the Centaurs....
There, everyone's together that's going….No hobbits in this, sorry. But I figured Jaisia is enough for any sane person to handle!! R/R!!!