The group had been traveling for 5 hours at a fair pace when it had begun to get dark. The children were tired and weary, as were Aragorn and Arwen since they were old and got worn out easily. Legolas knew this, so he stopped his horse and the rest did so as well. Arwen and Aragorn were sharing a horse to replace the one that Arwen had lost.

"We will rest here for a bit," Legolas informed them as he got off of his horse.

"How long is "a bit?"" Ohtar asked.

"Half of an hour."

"But father," Galia wined. "I need rest. Might we sleep for the night?"

"They know which direction we are going. The longer we stay here, the closer they get. And if we rest for minutes it would be more refreshing than if we rest for an hour or two. I suggest the Men find a soft place on the ground and go to sleep."

Yrinvan looked curiously at Legolas. "And then?"

"Then we continue on."

"On to where?"

"Lórien!" Anywien said suddenly. "Are we going to Lórien?"

Legolas smiled. "Possibly. We may pass through."

Anywien got excited at the thought. She had never been there before, but she had heard many stories about it and couldn't wait to see it. "Oh, please! We must!"

"We will see."

"Then where?" Yrinvan asked, still not content with the answer he had received.

"Then to Rivendell, where we may see Lord Elrond, and possibly Elledan and Elrohir."

Arwen's eyes twinkled at hearing this. She had not seen any members of her own family since the War of the Ring, which was now so long ago that, had it not been for her nearly elvish memory, she'd almost forgotten what they had looked like.

"Legolas, if you are lying then you will be severely punished for getting my hopes up," she told him sternly, yet jokingly. "You hear?"

Legolas laughed. "Yes, I know. But do not worry, fair Arwen, we will get there soon enough, and then we will see your family and hopefully seek refuge in your father's House for a day, but not much longer. For the army is at all times drawn to you, we must remember."

"Perhaps we'll pick up a horse?" Galia asked.

"A horse is the least of our worries right now," Zerameth told the small elf as she dismounted. "I don't suppose we have much food?"

"Unless you are shriveling up, I don't think we will be passing it out," Aragorn told his daughter. "You are right in saying our supplies are limited."

Then Arwen looked to Legolas. "Back in Gondor… did the attendants pack everything I asked?" He nodded in response. "Then we shall have plenty for tonight. I made sure to tell them to get extra food… in case."

Zerameth smiled. "Wonderful."

Arwen reached in a sack tied to Aragorn's horse and pulled out a bundle of cloth. Wrapped in it was a loaf of bread. "It is not as good as you are used to, but it shall taste as sweet, should you be hungry enough." All of the children, except Ohtar, rushed over to get a bit of food.

"Young prince," Aragorn said to Ohtar, walking up to him. "Are you not hungry?"

"I must be able to go without food every now and then, for a scrap may be the difference between starving and making it to Rivendell," Ohtar replied proudly. "A smart being will watch both what, and how much he eats so that it may be spread thruought a journey."

Aragorn smiled. Ohtar took the job of being a leader very seriously, and he wasn't even a leader yet. Considering that he was an elf, he probably wouldn't even be a leader for thousands of years. But at least he was getting the hang of it.

"That's very smart of you, Prince Ohtar," Aragorn said.

"You laugh at me."

"No, no. I am merely surprised at your knowledge. Many hungry children, when you offer them a meal they will take it without question. You think everything out, just like your father."

"If you wish to remain on my good side you will not tell me that I'm like my father," Ohtar said, suddenly horrified that he was in fact turning out like Legolas. That was something he hoped to avoid, for he wanted to be a good father at least, and Legolas was certainly not in his eyes. In addition, he was tired of having Nónd tell him that he had to be more like Legolas, and he only wished that people would accept him as Ohtar, not as Legolas's young copy.

Aragorn glanced to Ohtar's father to see if he had heard his son's comment, but he did not. "Your father is a good Elf," Aragorn said. "He is smart, and skillful, pleasant-"

"But he isn't there when I need him to be. Is that not part of being a "good elf" as you see it?"

"He does not mean to neglect you or any of his family. He loves you. I would know, I am a father myself. He only wants to protect you and the rest of his kingdom which he is in charge of keeping. He tries so hard to be a good King."

"Maybe he should try hard to be a good father." That said, Ohtar started to walk away from the horses and the rest of the people.

"Where are you going?" Aragorn called, wondering if he should go after Ohtar, in case he was planning on running away.

"Far enough away to feel alone, but close enough so that no one feels the need to follow me," Ohtar replied. Aragorn let him go on alone.