A/N: Thank you for all the lovely reviews! They help to ease my
insecurities about writing this fic. And to answer Wingleader's comment: I
didn't really forget about Merry and Pippin, but I had always assumed that
they brought their bodies in with Aragorn's *after* the funeral. I can't
really imagine people coming up to pay their respects to the King, and
tripping over the hobbits in the process. Anyway … on with the story!
Legolas was in the midst of packing when Gimli walked in. "What are you doing?" the dwarf asked.
Legolas turned and a hint of a smile glinted in his eyes. "Packing, obviously."
Gimli harrumphed. "That I can see. But why? I thought we were planning on staying in Gondor for a fortnight at the least."
Legolas sighed. "I know. And *you* are. I have something I have to do."
Gimi raised his eyebrows. "Oh, really? What could possibly be so important that you must leave two days after your arrival?"
Legolas looked down at his friend for a moment. "I have to escort Queen Arwen somewhere," he said quietly.
Gimli gazed at him in disbelief. "You won't tell me where you're escorting her?"
Legolas smiled. "I cannot. She told the king that she was leaving, and since he was at his wit's end, I volunteered."
"Was that wise?" Gimli asked skeptically.
Legolas shrugged and stuffed another tunic in his saddlebag. "Probably not, but there are few options."
"I'll go with you," Gimli said.
"That will not be necessary," Legolas said firmly.
"Oho! Like that, is it?" Gimli smiled knowingly.
Legolas shook his head. "Of course not! But I don't really see the need of you coming along as well. I cannot imagine this trip taking more than a couple of days. So when I come back, you can introduce me to that hobbit pipe-weed that you've been threatening me with for years."
Gimli brightened. "You mean you're going to learn how to smoke?"
Legolas shrugged. "Who knows? I survived the caves you insisted we see together."
Gimli threw his head back and laughed. "You *survived* seeing the most marvelous caves in Middle Earth?!? Come, my friend," he said, leading Legolas out of the room, "your lies have made me hungry."
Legolas realized as they made their way down to the dining hall that it was nearly dinner time. As he and Gimli took their seats, he scanned the crowd for Arwen. He found her finally, sitting quietly by herself, talking to no one, picking idly at her food. As if sensing his worried gaze, she looked up quickly, and their eyes met. She looked away hastily and fixed her attention back on her plate. He shook his head regretfully. This was going to be a difficult journey, wherever it went.
Arwen left the table as soon as was seemly and rushed back to her room. Grabbing her bag and wrapping herself in a warm cloak, she hastened down to the courtyard, where her horse was saddled and waiting. She noticed that the man holding her horse was not her usual short, stocky groom. This person was tall and slender. He was wearing a long dark green cloak, and a hood hid his face from her scrutiny. There was also another horse fitted for a journey there, calmly chomping on the grass by the fountain. Arwen felt a stab of fear. "I do not know if you were aware, but I have need of only one horse tonight," she said, smoothly mounting and looking down at the groom. She subtly laid her hand on her belt, where a dagger was hidden.
"Aye, milady," the hooded man said. "The second horse is for me," he added, pulling the hood to his shoulders.
"Legolas," she sighed. "I should have known Eldarion would do something like this."
"It was my idea, actually," he admitted, mounting his horse and bringing it next to hers. "He said that you were about to embark on a foolhardy journey, and you were not listening to any of the sense that he or his siblings was trying to give you."
"He said that?" she asked indignantly.
He grinned. "Not quite. I read between the lines of what was said."
"Sometimes you read what is not there," she said curtly.
"Oh, really?" Legolas asked, likewise mounting his horse. "Tell me, Undómiel, where did I read amiss? Is leaving your friends and family mere hours after you've buried your husband to go off into the blue not foolhardy? Or perhaps you mean that 'foolhardy' is not a strong enough word. Would 'harebrained' suit you better?"
Arwen's eyes narrowed. She opened her mouth to retort, but apparently thought better of it, and instead tossed her head and spurred her horse. Legolas followed her in silence out of the city.
Hours later, they were still riding, Arwen in front, head held high, Legolas behind, contemplating what to do. Finally, with an exasperated sigh, he urged his horse until he was at Arwen's side. "Arwen, we cannot travel like this any longer," he stated flatly.
Arwen looked over at him. "If you do not like it, you have my permission to go back to Minas Tirith."
Legolas tried not to grit his teeth as he answered, "That is not what I meant. Where are we going?"
"Why should I tell you? I did not request your company, nor do I wish it."
"You should tell me, for your own sake. If I know where we are going, I can better protect both of us," he said with exaggerated patience.
She looked at him for a long moment, then quietly said, "Lorien."
He raised an eyebrow. "No one dwells there now."
"I know that," she said sharply. "Just because I am old does not mean I am witless."
Legolas bowed as much as he could while riding a horse. "My apologies, milady," he said humbly.
Arwen urged her horse forward in reply, leaving Legolas behind, shaking his head in confusion.
They traveled on until the sun was high in the sky. Legolas looked worriedly at Arwen. She was still riding with her head held high, but he suspected that she was putting on some sort of an act. She had not eaten for better than 18 hours, and they had only stopped once to water the horses. He was debating how best to make her halt when they came to a fair- sized stream. He took advantage of the pause to grab the reins of Arwen's horse.
"What are you doing?" she asked. "Release my horse!"
"Not until you dismount," he said firmly. "You haven't eaten or slept for longer than is good for you."
"I can continue," she said, tilting her chin mutinously.
"No, you cannot," he said stubbornly. "What are you thinking of? Are you trying to kill yourself?"
She said nothing and refused to meet his eyes.
"Are you?" he insisted.
"Of course not," she said softly, still avoiding his gaze.
"Then dismount," Legolas said.
Arwen sighed, and dismounted. She grabbed her saddlebags and led her horse to the stream. Legolas did likewise. Making sure the horses were cared for, he turned and made himself comfortable under a nearby beech tree. Arwen awkwardly stood looking down at him.
"Come. Sit," he invited. She reluctantly did so.
"What sort of provisions did you pack?" he asked conversationally.
"Oh, boiled vegetables, mostly. That is all that is fit for such an *elderly* woman as myself," she said with sudden fury.
"I never said you were old!" he exclaimed.
"Yes, you did," she insisted. "You said I could not continue without food and sleep. When I was young, I could have gone twice this distance without stopping." Despite her best attempts, tears welled up. It did nothing to improve her temper.
Legolas was astonished. "I would have made the same suggestion to any mortal, regardless of age."
"But you have to be especially careful with an old woman, right?" she retorted. "Treat the Queen with kid gloves; she's on her last legs."
Legolas chuckled. "I hardly think you are on your 'last legs', as you put it. I merely think you are being foolhardy again."
"Foolhardy!" she said explosively, rocketing to her feet. "Foolhardy!" She strode over to her horse, re-attached the saddlebags, and mounted. Not bothering to look back, she forded the stream and was shortly lost to sight among the trees on the other side.
Legolas muttered darkly under his breath as he mounted his own horse and followed after Arwen. Twilight was gathering as he realized that she still had had nothing to eat. He decided that silence was the best policy, and he followed her at a respectful distance, allowing his thoughts to wander where they would.
Invariably, they would turn to Arwen, and their childhood together. He thought of the time Arwen insisted on learning archery alongside her playmate Legolas. Elrond had been reluctant, but finally gave permission. Things were going along well until the pair had decided that their skills had improved so much that they could hit anything. They enlisted a younger Elf to stand in front of their archery target with an apple on his head. Elrond appeared just in time to stop the disaster.
Legolas was still smiling faintly when a faint thump jarred him out of his memory. He looked ahead and saw Arwen's horse in the gathering dusk, but no Arwen. Fear gripped his heart, and he urged his horse forward sharply. A few yards ahead lay Arwen crumpled on the ground, unconscious.
A/N: Oh, an evil cliffie! Bwahahahaha! I'll ease your misery soon. Maybe.
Legolas was in the midst of packing when Gimli walked in. "What are you doing?" the dwarf asked.
Legolas turned and a hint of a smile glinted in his eyes. "Packing, obviously."
Gimli harrumphed. "That I can see. But why? I thought we were planning on staying in Gondor for a fortnight at the least."
Legolas sighed. "I know. And *you* are. I have something I have to do."
Gimi raised his eyebrows. "Oh, really? What could possibly be so important that you must leave two days after your arrival?"
Legolas looked down at his friend for a moment. "I have to escort Queen Arwen somewhere," he said quietly.
Gimli gazed at him in disbelief. "You won't tell me where you're escorting her?"
Legolas smiled. "I cannot. She told the king that she was leaving, and since he was at his wit's end, I volunteered."
"Was that wise?" Gimli asked skeptically.
Legolas shrugged and stuffed another tunic in his saddlebag. "Probably not, but there are few options."
"I'll go with you," Gimli said.
"That will not be necessary," Legolas said firmly.
"Oho! Like that, is it?" Gimli smiled knowingly.
Legolas shook his head. "Of course not! But I don't really see the need of you coming along as well. I cannot imagine this trip taking more than a couple of days. So when I come back, you can introduce me to that hobbit pipe-weed that you've been threatening me with for years."
Gimli brightened. "You mean you're going to learn how to smoke?"
Legolas shrugged. "Who knows? I survived the caves you insisted we see together."
Gimli threw his head back and laughed. "You *survived* seeing the most marvelous caves in Middle Earth?!? Come, my friend," he said, leading Legolas out of the room, "your lies have made me hungry."
Legolas realized as they made their way down to the dining hall that it was nearly dinner time. As he and Gimli took their seats, he scanned the crowd for Arwen. He found her finally, sitting quietly by herself, talking to no one, picking idly at her food. As if sensing his worried gaze, she looked up quickly, and their eyes met. She looked away hastily and fixed her attention back on her plate. He shook his head regretfully. This was going to be a difficult journey, wherever it went.
Arwen left the table as soon as was seemly and rushed back to her room. Grabbing her bag and wrapping herself in a warm cloak, she hastened down to the courtyard, where her horse was saddled and waiting. She noticed that the man holding her horse was not her usual short, stocky groom. This person was tall and slender. He was wearing a long dark green cloak, and a hood hid his face from her scrutiny. There was also another horse fitted for a journey there, calmly chomping on the grass by the fountain. Arwen felt a stab of fear. "I do not know if you were aware, but I have need of only one horse tonight," she said, smoothly mounting and looking down at the groom. She subtly laid her hand on her belt, where a dagger was hidden.
"Aye, milady," the hooded man said. "The second horse is for me," he added, pulling the hood to his shoulders.
"Legolas," she sighed. "I should have known Eldarion would do something like this."
"It was my idea, actually," he admitted, mounting his horse and bringing it next to hers. "He said that you were about to embark on a foolhardy journey, and you were not listening to any of the sense that he or his siblings was trying to give you."
"He said that?" she asked indignantly.
He grinned. "Not quite. I read between the lines of what was said."
"Sometimes you read what is not there," she said curtly.
"Oh, really?" Legolas asked, likewise mounting his horse. "Tell me, Undómiel, where did I read amiss? Is leaving your friends and family mere hours after you've buried your husband to go off into the blue not foolhardy? Or perhaps you mean that 'foolhardy' is not a strong enough word. Would 'harebrained' suit you better?"
Arwen's eyes narrowed. She opened her mouth to retort, but apparently thought better of it, and instead tossed her head and spurred her horse. Legolas followed her in silence out of the city.
Hours later, they were still riding, Arwen in front, head held high, Legolas behind, contemplating what to do. Finally, with an exasperated sigh, he urged his horse until he was at Arwen's side. "Arwen, we cannot travel like this any longer," he stated flatly.
Arwen looked over at him. "If you do not like it, you have my permission to go back to Minas Tirith."
Legolas tried not to grit his teeth as he answered, "That is not what I meant. Where are we going?"
"Why should I tell you? I did not request your company, nor do I wish it."
"You should tell me, for your own sake. If I know where we are going, I can better protect both of us," he said with exaggerated patience.
She looked at him for a long moment, then quietly said, "Lorien."
He raised an eyebrow. "No one dwells there now."
"I know that," she said sharply. "Just because I am old does not mean I am witless."
Legolas bowed as much as he could while riding a horse. "My apologies, milady," he said humbly.
Arwen urged her horse forward in reply, leaving Legolas behind, shaking his head in confusion.
They traveled on until the sun was high in the sky. Legolas looked worriedly at Arwen. She was still riding with her head held high, but he suspected that she was putting on some sort of an act. She had not eaten for better than 18 hours, and they had only stopped once to water the horses. He was debating how best to make her halt when they came to a fair- sized stream. He took advantage of the pause to grab the reins of Arwen's horse.
"What are you doing?" she asked. "Release my horse!"
"Not until you dismount," he said firmly. "You haven't eaten or slept for longer than is good for you."
"I can continue," she said, tilting her chin mutinously.
"No, you cannot," he said stubbornly. "What are you thinking of? Are you trying to kill yourself?"
She said nothing and refused to meet his eyes.
"Are you?" he insisted.
"Of course not," she said softly, still avoiding his gaze.
"Then dismount," Legolas said.
Arwen sighed, and dismounted. She grabbed her saddlebags and led her horse to the stream. Legolas did likewise. Making sure the horses were cared for, he turned and made himself comfortable under a nearby beech tree. Arwen awkwardly stood looking down at him.
"Come. Sit," he invited. She reluctantly did so.
"What sort of provisions did you pack?" he asked conversationally.
"Oh, boiled vegetables, mostly. That is all that is fit for such an *elderly* woman as myself," she said with sudden fury.
"I never said you were old!" he exclaimed.
"Yes, you did," she insisted. "You said I could not continue without food and sleep. When I was young, I could have gone twice this distance without stopping." Despite her best attempts, tears welled up. It did nothing to improve her temper.
Legolas was astonished. "I would have made the same suggestion to any mortal, regardless of age."
"But you have to be especially careful with an old woman, right?" she retorted. "Treat the Queen with kid gloves; she's on her last legs."
Legolas chuckled. "I hardly think you are on your 'last legs', as you put it. I merely think you are being foolhardy again."
"Foolhardy!" she said explosively, rocketing to her feet. "Foolhardy!" She strode over to her horse, re-attached the saddlebags, and mounted. Not bothering to look back, she forded the stream and was shortly lost to sight among the trees on the other side.
Legolas muttered darkly under his breath as he mounted his own horse and followed after Arwen. Twilight was gathering as he realized that she still had had nothing to eat. He decided that silence was the best policy, and he followed her at a respectful distance, allowing his thoughts to wander where they would.
Invariably, they would turn to Arwen, and their childhood together. He thought of the time Arwen insisted on learning archery alongside her playmate Legolas. Elrond had been reluctant, but finally gave permission. Things were going along well until the pair had decided that their skills had improved so much that they could hit anything. They enlisted a younger Elf to stand in front of their archery target with an apple on his head. Elrond appeared just in time to stop the disaster.
Legolas was still smiling faintly when a faint thump jarred him out of his memory. He looked ahead and saw Arwen's horse in the gathering dusk, but no Arwen. Fear gripped his heart, and he urged his horse forward sharply. A few yards ahead lay Arwen crumpled on the ground, unconscious.
A/N: Oh, an evil cliffie! Bwahahahaha! I'll ease your misery soon. Maybe.