Aragorn and Legolas found themselves a table and sat down to watch the
dancers and to enjoy their first real meal in a while. Aragorn looked over
at his companion, who seemed engrossed in watching the dancers, and one in
particular.
"May I ask, Elf, why you continue to stare at our hostess?"
Legolas looked over at Aragorn, "Well, there is something special about her. We're betrothed."
Aragorn looked at his friend, the surprise apparent on his face. "You're what?!"
"My father and her father have been trying for years, ever since me and her were only 100 years of age, to marry the two of us, to join together the North and South Mirkwood, but me and her have always refused. We refused to marry someone we're not in love with, or haven't even met."
Aragorn smiled at his friend, "Well, by the way the two of you are staring at each other, I'd think you'd already scheduled the wedding." He couldn't help but laugh as Legolas scowled at him.
Their conversation was cut short as the dancers broke apart, most of them headed to the tables of food, and Cailiosa headed toward them. She sat down next to Legolas gracefully.
"Your friends tell me the 5 of you are warriors of sorts." She said, and attempt at casual conversation, her eyes never leaving Aragorn.
"Well, I wouldn't go that far, my lady. We are simply travelers" Aragorn answered casually.
"Well, maybe you should be...," and the looks she was given by the others at the table, she leaned forward, and whispered, "I've heard stirrings in the mountains, and the shrill cries of orcs late at night. Our numbers have been dwindling, something is coming here and taking my people away, killing them off and I don't know how to stop it."
She looked at both of them in turn, "That's why you're here, isn't it? The rising number of orcs and other creatures of the sort has something to do with why you've come this way." They hesitated, but nodded in confirmation.
Aragorn quickly explained what they were doing, leaving out any details she didn't need to know. She took all this in, staring at the table, her eyes distant.
When he was done, she looked up at him, "Take me with you," was all she said, which elicited a few 'you're kidding''s from both of them. She looked Legolas directly in the eye, "Please. Take me with you. I can help, I promise you I can."
Legolas stared her in the eye for countless minutes, then looked over at his human companion. "Her intentions are pure, she wants nothing more than to help us and her people," he turned back to her, his expression serious, "what of your father? I'm sure you'll have trouble convincing him to let his beloved daughter go."
She thought for a minute, "I will be able to talk him into it. But I will need your help, all of yours."
"May I ask, Elf, why you continue to stare at our hostess?"
Legolas looked over at Aragorn, "Well, there is something special about her. We're betrothed."
Aragorn looked at his friend, the surprise apparent on his face. "You're what?!"
"My father and her father have been trying for years, ever since me and her were only 100 years of age, to marry the two of us, to join together the North and South Mirkwood, but me and her have always refused. We refused to marry someone we're not in love with, or haven't even met."
Aragorn smiled at his friend, "Well, by the way the two of you are staring at each other, I'd think you'd already scheduled the wedding." He couldn't help but laugh as Legolas scowled at him.
Their conversation was cut short as the dancers broke apart, most of them headed to the tables of food, and Cailiosa headed toward them. She sat down next to Legolas gracefully.
"Your friends tell me the 5 of you are warriors of sorts." She said, and attempt at casual conversation, her eyes never leaving Aragorn.
"Well, I wouldn't go that far, my lady. We are simply travelers" Aragorn answered casually.
"Well, maybe you should be...," and the looks she was given by the others at the table, she leaned forward, and whispered, "I've heard stirrings in the mountains, and the shrill cries of orcs late at night. Our numbers have been dwindling, something is coming here and taking my people away, killing them off and I don't know how to stop it."
She looked at both of them in turn, "That's why you're here, isn't it? The rising number of orcs and other creatures of the sort has something to do with why you've come this way." They hesitated, but nodded in confirmation.
Aragorn quickly explained what they were doing, leaving out any details she didn't need to know. She took all this in, staring at the table, her eyes distant.
When he was done, she looked up at him, "Take me with you," was all she said, which elicited a few 'you're kidding''s from both of them. She looked Legolas directly in the eye, "Please. Take me with you. I can help, I promise you I can."
Legolas stared her in the eye for countless minutes, then looked over at his human companion. "Her intentions are pure, she wants nothing more than to help us and her people," he turned back to her, his expression serious, "what of your father? I'm sure you'll have trouble convincing him to let his beloved daughter go."
She thought for a minute, "I will be able to talk him into it. But I will need your help, all of yours."