They pulled right into the middle of the town, where a small
marketplace was set up. People watched them come, and some waved at
Legolas. A few maidens even blew him kisses, to which he winked
flirtatiously, causing the ladies to go into fits of giggles. Aragorn
rolled his eyes and pretended to be exasperated. Really though, his eyes
were sparkling with a light they hadn't contained in months.
"Here looks like a good place," Legolas announced, springing from his seat to the ground. He darted around to the back of the wagon and opened it. From it he drew a nice table, which he set up. Then he proceeded to pull out bags, the contents of which he laid out artfully on the table.
Aragorn walked around to help him, inspecting the fine Elven work. There were carved gems in the shapes of animals and flowers. There were fine fabrics that were lighter to the touch than silk, but more resilient than leather. Carvings of animals, plants, and various assorted objects were lined up at the back of the table. A crate of Elven wine was set on the ground at the side.
Almost as soon as Legolas had finished setting up, a crowd surrounded them, eyeing the objects and asking Legolas the price. Briefly he turned his eyes on Aragorn. "Could you please take the horse to the inn down the street? It's called The Winged Messenger. My father has an arrangement with the proprietor, so you won't have to worry about paying."
"Certainly," Aragorn agreed.
"My thanks." Legolas flashed him a grin, before turning back to the customers.
Aragorn walked around the wagon to the horse, taking the bridle and beginning to lead it away. He could still hear the conversation from the booth.
"Which of these did you make, Legolas?" A young woman with long brown hair asked, fluttering her eyelashes.
"Ah, my wares are not out yet," he heard Legolas reply. "Shall I show them to you?"
"Oh yes!" The rest of the conversation was lost to him as he walked out of hearing range.
"Flirtatious Elf," he muttered, shaking his head. His mind drifted to another Elf who had once flirted with a young Man, so long ago. A bitter smile crossed his face, but this was different from all the other smiles brought on by painful memories. This one contained hope.
It wasn't long before he arrived at the Inn and approached the stables. A young stable hand jumped to his feet and came to stand in front of him. "Hello!" he said, cheerfully. "What can I do for you?"
"Um, I came to stable this horse for my friend," Aragorn said lamely. It had been a very long time since he had had any normal human interactions. "This horse belongs to Legolas, the Elf from Mirkwood."
"Ah, yes! Now I recognize him! Okay. I'll take care of him for now. Thank you very much!" The boy approached the horse and fondly stroked its muzzle, before taking the reins and leading it away.
Mission accomplished, he returned to Legolas, who was surrounded by adoring women. He looked rather stressed, as he was trying to stave off the women, and sell his peoples goods at the same time.
"Perhaps I can help?" Aragorn offered.
Legolas shot him a smile full of gratitude. "If you could just take the money for the goods, I would appreciate it."
"Not a problem."
"I owe you."
With that, Aragorn turned to the task he would spend the next several hours doing, collecting money and selling the beautiful Elven goods. Legolas also sold the majority of his own work, collecting a tidy profit for himself.
When the sun began to set, Legolas jumped up on the half empty table. This got a few cheers from the women, which provoked Legolas into flipping his hair and striking a few sexy poses, before he got serious. "Okay, everyone! The sun is setting! This booth is closed!"
Sorrowful groans followed this announcement as the crowd began returning home. A few of the more bold women offered to 'entertain' Legolas for the evening, but he politely declined, feigning weariness. Of course, a few of the women also propositioned Aragorn, but he told them he was taken. Disappointed, the women walked away to sleep in their empty beds, or find other men to fill them.
When the last one had left, Legolas turned to Aragorn. "Fun, isn't it?"
Aragorn just laughed and shook his head, before turning around to help Legolas pack everything up for the night.
"Here looks like a good place," Legolas announced, springing from his seat to the ground. He darted around to the back of the wagon and opened it. From it he drew a nice table, which he set up. Then he proceeded to pull out bags, the contents of which he laid out artfully on the table.
Aragorn walked around to help him, inspecting the fine Elven work. There were carved gems in the shapes of animals and flowers. There were fine fabrics that were lighter to the touch than silk, but more resilient than leather. Carvings of animals, plants, and various assorted objects were lined up at the back of the table. A crate of Elven wine was set on the ground at the side.
Almost as soon as Legolas had finished setting up, a crowd surrounded them, eyeing the objects and asking Legolas the price. Briefly he turned his eyes on Aragorn. "Could you please take the horse to the inn down the street? It's called The Winged Messenger. My father has an arrangement with the proprietor, so you won't have to worry about paying."
"Certainly," Aragorn agreed.
"My thanks." Legolas flashed him a grin, before turning back to the customers.
Aragorn walked around the wagon to the horse, taking the bridle and beginning to lead it away. He could still hear the conversation from the booth.
"Which of these did you make, Legolas?" A young woman with long brown hair asked, fluttering her eyelashes.
"Ah, my wares are not out yet," he heard Legolas reply. "Shall I show them to you?"
"Oh yes!" The rest of the conversation was lost to him as he walked out of hearing range.
"Flirtatious Elf," he muttered, shaking his head. His mind drifted to another Elf who had once flirted with a young Man, so long ago. A bitter smile crossed his face, but this was different from all the other smiles brought on by painful memories. This one contained hope.
It wasn't long before he arrived at the Inn and approached the stables. A young stable hand jumped to his feet and came to stand in front of him. "Hello!" he said, cheerfully. "What can I do for you?"
"Um, I came to stable this horse for my friend," Aragorn said lamely. It had been a very long time since he had had any normal human interactions. "This horse belongs to Legolas, the Elf from Mirkwood."
"Ah, yes! Now I recognize him! Okay. I'll take care of him for now. Thank you very much!" The boy approached the horse and fondly stroked its muzzle, before taking the reins and leading it away.
Mission accomplished, he returned to Legolas, who was surrounded by adoring women. He looked rather stressed, as he was trying to stave off the women, and sell his peoples goods at the same time.
"Perhaps I can help?" Aragorn offered.
Legolas shot him a smile full of gratitude. "If you could just take the money for the goods, I would appreciate it."
"Not a problem."
"I owe you."
With that, Aragorn turned to the task he would spend the next several hours doing, collecting money and selling the beautiful Elven goods. Legolas also sold the majority of his own work, collecting a tidy profit for himself.
When the sun began to set, Legolas jumped up on the half empty table. This got a few cheers from the women, which provoked Legolas into flipping his hair and striking a few sexy poses, before he got serious. "Okay, everyone! The sun is setting! This booth is closed!"
Sorrowful groans followed this announcement as the crowd began returning home. A few of the more bold women offered to 'entertain' Legolas for the evening, but he politely declined, feigning weariness. Of course, a few of the women also propositioned Aragorn, but he told them he was taken. Disappointed, the women walked away to sleep in their empty beds, or find other men to fill them.
When the last one had left, Legolas turned to Aragorn. "Fun, isn't it?"
Aragorn just laughed and shook his head, before turning around to help Legolas pack everything up for the night.
