In the tavern

There was a strong smell as they threw the door open, of food and beer and a slight sour damp tang. The wave of noise hit him like a physical mass and he braced himself. He hated these places, too many men pressed around him, peering curiously at his partially hooded face and then rocking back in shock and fear. No point trying to be discreet. When a wood-elf walked into a tavern in Minus Tirith, people noticed.

He felt hands reaching for him and again forced himself to endure, humans loved to touch him. One of the chamber maids in the city had told him that they believed that it would bring them luck. He had laughed heartily at the time, and said that he hardly had enough good fortune for himself, let alone a city of strangers.

Gimli walked jauntily in front of him, greeting men loudly and heading towards a table in the very centre of the room.

They settled themselves down as a busty barmaid launched herself towards them, a bottle of wine and a large beer already in her hands. Legolas couldn't help but smile to himself, they only ever brought him wine, did they think him too refined for beer? A brief flash of memory hit him then, of a feast under the stars, deep deep in the heart of the wood, merry laughter and a barrel of beer being shared with his company of warriors.

He blinked his eyes and brought himself back to the present. Never mind, he wouldn't hurt the young girl for all the world and exclaimed with feined enthusiasm at the mediocre bottle of wine until the girl tittered and blushed.

Gimli was sitting with his thighs spread, the beer dripping over the edge of his glass onto his large hands. He was already engaged in a deep conversation with an eager young man who had been helping him to repair the walls. The man had pulled out a piece of parchment and was pointing at it and asking questions. Legolas could feel the contentment coming from Gimli and could not help but allow his own shoulders to lower and a deep breath to escape him.

This is why he was here, because his friend needed the noise and the smells and the laughter around him. Not for Gimli was the peace of the upper levels of the city with the remote Gondoran nobles gliding down the stone corridors in near silence. Gimli found it oppressive. Legolas found it unbearable, like a tomb, no life and no freedom.

He needed to be in the open air again soon, he knew, could feel how his light had dimmed since being in the city, but Aragorn yet had need of him and he would do what he could.

But soon, soon he and Gimli would set off once more, towards home and explore on the way.

His mind rested of the mystery that was Fangorn forest and he felt the power as if he stood before it again.

He took a deep drink of wine and leaned his head back so the hood slipped off, unaware that the firelight seemed to caress him like a lover and made his eyes glimmer like jewels.

Gimli and the man looked up with the movement and the man stared, his mouth dropping open at the utter alien perfection of the elf in front of him.

Legolas met the glittering eyes of his friend and a slow sweet smile spread over his face as he patted the meaty arm of the dwarf who returned the smile in a slightly hesitant manner, as if a little stunned.

Yes, soon it would just be them, exploring, as they had promised each other, and this brought Legolas great joy.