As Legolas was walking back to his chambers, he ran into Aragorn.
"You seem well-rested, Elf. Where are you headed?"
"Back to my chambers," Legolas answered, then, at the raised eyebrow he got from the swordsman, added, "I rose early, and went to tell the Lady to get ready. I assumed you would wake soon, and it seems I was right."
Aragorn stared at the Elf for a few more seconds, thinking something was off with his answer, but simply nodded and walked past him toward Cailiosa's room. He knocked on the door, before slowly pushing it open and poking his head inside. Surely enough, the maiden was already dressed, similarly to Legolas, only, as Aragorn noticed, much more feminine, and it fit her quite snuggly, showing off the curves of her body, which he couldn't help but appreciate.
She looked over at him, "Hello, Lord Aragorn, are we ready to leave?" She picked up a deep green cloak, the color of which reminded Aragorn of summer birch leaves, and put it around her shoulders.
"Yes, my lady, we need to get an early start, we have far to go. I must as again, though, do you think you are prepared for such a perilous journey?"
She strapped a quiver of arrows to her back, then an intricately decorated bow as well. She couldn't keep the glare out of her eyes, "I can handle myself, my lord. I can take care of myself," she answered sharply.
"I apologize, Lady, I did not mean to upset you."
"It is no problem, sir, I am used to it." She slipped past him through the door and walked to the main room of the house, which was located high in the branches of an ancient oak without harming any of the tree itself. The others were waiting for them there, ready to go.
"Shall we go, Lords?" she asked, "I believe Father has horses ready for all of us in the stables."
The 6 of them headed down to the stables, where, sure enough, there were 4 horses in there. "Why only four?" asked Merry, "there's six of us."
"Father didn't think yourself and Pippin would be able to control such large horses, so he assumed each of you would ride with one of us. If you would prefer, the 2 of you may share my mare, Isil, if you wish." At the Hobbits' nods, she walked over to a stall and opened the door, leading out a pure white mare. "Here you are." She helped the two of them onto Isil's back, "She is a gentle horse, she should give you no trouble."
"What will you ride, Lady?" Legolas asked her, from atop a great black warhorse.
"Do not worry about it, my lord, I will prefer to walk."
"Nonsense, Lady Elf, not even I can walk so far a distance," Gimli piped up.
"You may ride my horse," Legolas offered, beginning to climb down.
"No, Legolas, I am fine with walking."
"My Lady Cailiosa, this argument will get us nowhere. At least ride with Legolas a little ways."
Seeing that she was out-numbered, she took the archer's extended hand and climbed on the horse behind him, holding lightly to the taller Elf's waist. As soon as she was situated, the group headed off.
"You seem well-rested, Elf. Where are you headed?"
"Back to my chambers," Legolas answered, then, at the raised eyebrow he got from the swordsman, added, "I rose early, and went to tell the Lady to get ready. I assumed you would wake soon, and it seems I was right."
Aragorn stared at the Elf for a few more seconds, thinking something was off with his answer, but simply nodded and walked past him toward Cailiosa's room. He knocked on the door, before slowly pushing it open and poking his head inside. Surely enough, the maiden was already dressed, similarly to Legolas, only, as Aragorn noticed, much more feminine, and it fit her quite snuggly, showing off the curves of her body, which he couldn't help but appreciate.
She looked over at him, "Hello, Lord Aragorn, are we ready to leave?" She picked up a deep green cloak, the color of which reminded Aragorn of summer birch leaves, and put it around her shoulders.
"Yes, my lady, we need to get an early start, we have far to go. I must as again, though, do you think you are prepared for such a perilous journey?"
She strapped a quiver of arrows to her back, then an intricately decorated bow as well. She couldn't keep the glare out of her eyes, "I can handle myself, my lord. I can take care of myself," she answered sharply.
"I apologize, Lady, I did not mean to upset you."
"It is no problem, sir, I am used to it." She slipped past him through the door and walked to the main room of the house, which was located high in the branches of an ancient oak without harming any of the tree itself. The others were waiting for them there, ready to go.
"Shall we go, Lords?" she asked, "I believe Father has horses ready for all of us in the stables."
The 6 of them headed down to the stables, where, sure enough, there were 4 horses in there. "Why only four?" asked Merry, "there's six of us."
"Father didn't think yourself and Pippin would be able to control such large horses, so he assumed each of you would ride with one of us. If you would prefer, the 2 of you may share my mare, Isil, if you wish." At the Hobbits' nods, she walked over to a stall and opened the door, leading out a pure white mare. "Here you are." She helped the two of them onto Isil's back, "She is a gentle horse, she should give you no trouble."
"What will you ride, Lady?" Legolas asked her, from atop a great black warhorse.
"Do not worry about it, my lord, I will prefer to walk."
"Nonsense, Lady Elf, not even I can walk so far a distance," Gimli piped up.
"You may ride my horse," Legolas offered, beginning to climb down.
"No, Legolas, I am fine with walking."
"My Lady Cailiosa, this argument will get us nowhere. At least ride with Legolas a little ways."
Seeing that she was out-numbered, she took the archer's extended hand and climbed on the horse behind him, holding lightly to the taller Elf's waist. As soon as she was situated, the group headed off.