Legolas couldn't help but reach down, and brush his hand against her cheek. She looked so peaceful while she was asleep, and he had been so long away from anyone besides the other four they were traveling with. He felt comfortable with her in his arms, almost to the point that he couldn't concentrate on where he was going. He looked up, to see Aragorn looking at him, a smirk on his face.

"What are you so smug about, Mortal Man?"

Aragorn's smirk became a grin. "Don't think I don't recognize that look in your eyes, Elf. I have seen it before. I have felt it before."

"I do not know what you're talking about, Aragorn."

"Of course you don't." The swordsman simply stated, reigning in his horse. "We will camp here until morning." He jumped from the horse's back tied its reigns to a tree as the others stopped their horses.

Legolas jumped from his horse's back, careful not to wake Cailiosa, then picked her up from the horse and carried her to the shaded area they were making their camp, setting her down gently.

He stood up to tie his horse to a tree, muttering a simple, "shut up, Aragorn" and the man's grin. Pippin sat with the girl while the others quickly collected firewood. Legolas shot a rabbit that happened to wonder by, and they cooked it, saving a little for Cailiosa for when she awoke, and then banked their fire and went to sleep. Legolas stayed close to the Elf maiden, to Aragorn's amusement, while they both kept watch.

Legolas stared at the swordsman for a few minutes, then sighed, "Okay, you're right. I do care about her."

"It's about time you realized it, Elf, everyone else has," Aragorn laughed.

"Everyone else?" Legolas's bright eyes grew a little wider.

"Except for the lady herself. I doubt she's realized it yet, or that she sees your obvious displays of affection as anything more than protectiveness over the only woman among us."

"Do you think..." Legolas trailed off and looked down, a deep blush spreading over his pale features.

Aragorn smirked again, "You remind me so much of myself when I first started to realize I was in love with Arwen."

"I wouldn't go so far as to say I love her, yet, Mortal Man."

Aragorn ignored that comment, "But to answer your question, Elf, it is near impossible to say whether she cares for you or not. Women, especially the Elven ones, I have learned, are much more subtle with such things than we, as men, are." He chuckled a little.

Legolas sighed, "So I must travel at least the rest of this journey, if not more to come, in the dark?"

Aragorn nodded, "I'm afraid so, my friend." And they both fell silent.

Cailiosa, having listened to a little of their conversation, chose this moment to 'wake up.' She moaned softly and started to pick herself up. Legolas and Aragorn were immediately at her side, a chorus of "are you okay?"'s and "here, let me help you"'s coming from both of them.

"I'm fine... this happens, I will be all right," was all she said in response.

"'This happens'? You could have killed yourself!" Legolas snapped.

"But I didn't... and you all are okay? No one was hurt?" She looked at both of them.

"No, my lady, no one was hurt," Aragorn responded, choosing not to mention the wound on his arm.

She nodded, seeming to buy it, "Then I did what I had intended."

But Legolas wasn't done scolding her, "And what did you intend? Did you just feel an urge to hurt yourself?!"

"I was saving your life, Legolas! If I hadn't done that, not a one of us would have survived the battle, and you know it! Are you always this ungrateful?!" She could feel hot tears burning her eyes, but she glared unwaveringly at the archer.

Legolas saw the tears in her eyes, and immediately calmed down. "I am sorry, my lady. I did not mean it like that; I was just worried about you. You have been asleep almost all day, and barely breathing. I care about you, and hated seeing you in such a state," he noticed what he had just admitted, and quickly added, "What kind of friend would I be if I didn't?"

Her eye became tender again, "I am okay, Legolas. I have done this before, it is no problem. I will be a little weak for a few days, but it will not slow me down."

"Since the two of you seem to be done arguing, why don't you go clean up at the stream a little down the path, my lady? Legolas, keep watch near her, I will stay here and hope your yelling did not wake to many," his voice was serious, but his gaze playful.

Legolas and Aragorn battled a little, mentally, but the swordsman won and Legolas just nodded and offered a hand to Cailiosa. She stood up and they walked together to the large stream down the path.

Cailiosa walked down to the stream, while Legolas leaned against a nearby tree (facing the opposite direction, of course) to keep watch.

"I am sorry for yelling at you, Lady," Legolas called to her, turning his head a little to talk to her better.

"It's okay, you were just protecting me. You'd be surprised how often I hear it," she decided to change the subject, "I over-heard your father talking recently when I 'wondered' toward the North Mirkwood. I heard him say that you will not inherit his kingdom unless you marry."

"Yes, that is correct," he answered, looking back toward the path.

She walked up next to him, fully dressed again, her hair dripping wet. "I am surprised you haven't already. You are Prince, I'm sure there are many who would not hesitate to marry you."

He looked at her for a second, "I know, but I do not wish to marry unless I am in love."

Her eyebrows knitted together a little at this, "You love no one, Lord Legolas?"

"Well..." he looked at the ground, "there is one woman that I do love, that I have always loved. But I fear she does not feel the same."

Cailiosa took a step closer to the taller Elf, "You may be wrong about that, my lord. Who is she, I may know her."

He finally looked up and stared her in the eye, "I-"

"Legolas, hurry back! The sun is rising, we must move out again! I feel the enemy is getting close!"

Legolas turned and began to walk away, "We must head back," was all he said. Cailiosa sighed in frustration and followed him.