Helena stared at the ground waiting for the two to usher her to a much more
suitable place, like maybe a cozy little. . . . do they have flets here?
Legolas was the first to break the silence, "What is claustrophobic? I have never heard that utterance before." Helena's head turned to where Legolas was still standing behind her. Helena could feel her cheeks burn with embarrassment, "I am afraid of enclosed places like caves," this was whispered so quietly that only Legolas heard her.
"What was that?" Gimli looked from Helena to Legolas. "She is afraid of caves master Gimli," Legolas softly stated. Helena looked at the forest floor waiting for a reaction.
Gimli's stare was disconcerting, through his large bushy eyebrows a look of complete disbelief was evident. After a solid minute of staring Helena was over being embarrassed and just got annoyed. Finally Helena did something no other dwarf had done, she stared him directly in the eyes and demanded in an annoyed voice, "What?" If Helena's former behavior hadn't amazed Gimli, her trying to intimidate him did.
Gimli blinked at this young dwarf who stared at him like he should answer immediately, or else. . . . "How could you be. . . Never in all. . . It is impossible. . . . You can't be!" The last sentence was the only comprehendible one Gimli could utter.
Helena felt her temper flare up she answered him a bit more crossly than she would have wished, "Well apparently I can and I am! There's nothing wrong with having a phobia, lots of people do!" Gimli, in a disbelief that she could possibly be afraid of caves shouted, "BUT YOU'RE A DWARF!"
The silence was deafening. Now it was Helena's turn to stare at Gimli, like he had spiders crawling out his ears. And that's all Helena did for one very long minute, stared at him. I'm a what? A Dwarf? I can't be? I'm claustrophobic!!!!!! No, impossible, but I'm, no impossible, what did he say I am? A dwarf? impossible, that's just, why am I then, no impossible these were the basic thought patterns that ran through her head as she stood there. Gimli for his part was tongue tied too. He just stared at her, calmly, waiting for her to speak.
Once more it was Legolas that broke the silence, "We must take shelter, Now." This was not a question, it was the voice of one used to commanding forces and holding lives in balance on a daily basis, this was an order. The wind had picked up and bits of rain began to fall with the promise of sheets to follow.
Legolas's voice jerked Helena out of her stupor. He's so commanding Legolas began to move Helena toward the cave, Placing his hand on her back between her shoulder blades, "We will have to discuss this later." It was only after Legolas's hand left her back that Helena realized she was inside the cave. Helena's eyes got very large and she shrunk herself into a little ball. Legolas moved next to her, kneeling down.
"I'm going to find some firewood while dry wood can still be found." Gimli hefted his ax up, casting a glance toward a trembling Helena his voice softened, "see what you can do to comfort her." With that Gimli strode from the cave into the coming storm.
Legolas's eyes followed Gimli's back as he disappeared into the coming tempest. Then he moved his concentration to the trembling form on the floor. Sighing he began to rub her back, "shhhhhh it's alright Aier, please calm yourself. Nothing will harm you here." Helena began to quiet and she turned a tearstained face toward him. "Why a cave? Why a dwarf? WHY ME??????" The first two were whispered and then suddenly Helena started on a rant that left Legolas speechless, "I mean, really, everyone else who goes to middle earth becomes an elf or a hobbit or at least stays a human! But do I become the graceful creature I was meant to be? NO! I am a DWARF! A dwarf! Now how could I possibly get to-" Helena suddenly realized who she was ranting to and promptly buried her head in her hands before she could finish her sentence and embarrass herself further.
Not even breaking the motions of his hands on her back Legolas continued to sooth her, "What is it? What do you want to do here?" Trying to get her to continue he lifted her chin up to face him. Feeling her face heat up she just mumbled, "Nothing I can do in dwarven form." Legolas just sighed at this, "I do not know why or how you came here, but you are welcome to travel with Gimli and myself." Then Legolas cupped her chin and looked straight into her eyes. I will not melt, I will not melt, I will not melt! Shit I'm melting Legolas either didn't notice or chose not to comment on Helena's sudden unexplained weakness, instead he continued, "If the Valar chose to give you this form then it must be for a reason, perhaps we shall discover it 'ere long."
Trying to smile a little Helena sat up, "Maybe you're right, I guess whatever decided to bring me here had some plan or other." And I'd better like the plan
"Well Tarin, you seem to be as much at home as any dwarf I've seen" a familiarly gruff voice spoke. Legolas's hand dropped from its place under her chin and both turned to see Gimli stride in with stocky arms full of logs and kindling.
Helena looked around her amazed that she had indeed calmed down inside a cave, "I guess it isn't that bad after all. Maybe it's me being a . . . . . " she took a moment to gather herself before finally admitting it to herself, "dwarf" Gimli nodded approvingly. Helena looked up at Gimli before adding, "and my name is Helena." Neither Gimli nor Helena caught Legolas choking back a laugh at the two stubborn creatures facing off.
Gimli knelt down on the floor and began to make up the fire, "It is as you say, but you shall be Tarin to me" Helena silently fumed at the stubborn creature, she had to suppress the urge to kick him. She only managed to grate out, "Helena" Gimli just ignored her and in one minute flat he had a roaring fire going.
Swallowing her wrath for the time being she moved up close to the fire and sat down trying to get warm. A hand closed upon shoulder and gently turned her. Helena turned to face. . . . Gimli. Does he want to bait me again? Spare me! "Yes?" Gimli just held up a wafer, "Eat some lembas. Then sleep, I will keep watch tonight."
Once more her cheeks flamed up with a "Thank you" she quietly ate the amazing wafer. She hand never tasted anything like it, all she could think of when she ate it was. . . fulfilling. With a look at Legolas and Gimli she curled up next to the fire and closed her eyes.
When her slowed breathing betrayed her as asleep Gimli laid his cloak over her and went to sit near the cave's entrance. Without a word Legolas sat next to him.
Legolas was the first to break the silence, "What is claustrophobic? I have never heard that utterance before." Helena's head turned to where Legolas was still standing behind her. Helena could feel her cheeks burn with embarrassment, "I am afraid of enclosed places like caves," this was whispered so quietly that only Legolas heard her.
"What was that?" Gimli looked from Helena to Legolas. "She is afraid of caves master Gimli," Legolas softly stated. Helena looked at the forest floor waiting for a reaction.
Gimli's stare was disconcerting, through his large bushy eyebrows a look of complete disbelief was evident. After a solid minute of staring Helena was over being embarrassed and just got annoyed. Finally Helena did something no other dwarf had done, she stared him directly in the eyes and demanded in an annoyed voice, "What?" If Helena's former behavior hadn't amazed Gimli, her trying to intimidate him did.
Gimli blinked at this young dwarf who stared at him like he should answer immediately, or else. . . . "How could you be. . . Never in all. . . It is impossible. . . . You can't be!" The last sentence was the only comprehendible one Gimli could utter.
Helena felt her temper flare up she answered him a bit more crossly than she would have wished, "Well apparently I can and I am! There's nothing wrong with having a phobia, lots of people do!" Gimli, in a disbelief that she could possibly be afraid of caves shouted, "BUT YOU'RE A DWARF!"
The silence was deafening. Now it was Helena's turn to stare at Gimli, like he had spiders crawling out his ears. And that's all Helena did for one very long minute, stared at him. I'm a what? A Dwarf? I can't be? I'm claustrophobic!!!!!! No, impossible, but I'm, no impossible, what did he say I am? A dwarf? impossible, that's just, why am I then, no impossible these were the basic thought patterns that ran through her head as she stood there. Gimli for his part was tongue tied too. He just stared at her, calmly, waiting for her to speak.
Once more it was Legolas that broke the silence, "We must take shelter, Now." This was not a question, it was the voice of one used to commanding forces and holding lives in balance on a daily basis, this was an order. The wind had picked up and bits of rain began to fall with the promise of sheets to follow.
Legolas's voice jerked Helena out of her stupor. He's so commanding Legolas began to move Helena toward the cave, Placing his hand on her back between her shoulder blades, "We will have to discuss this later." It was only after Legolas's hand left her back that Helena realized she was inside the cave. Helena's eyes got very large and she shrunk herself into a little ball. Legolas moved next to her, kneeling down.
"I'm going to find some firewood while dry wood can still be found." Gimli hefted his ax up, casting a glance toward a trembling Helena his voice softened, "see what you can do to comfort her." With that Gimli strode from the cave into the coming storm.
Legolas's eyes followed Gimli's back as he disappeared into the coming tempest. Then he moved his concentration to the trembling form on the floor. Sighing he began to rub her back, "shhhhhh it's alright Aier, please calm yourself. Nothing will harm you here." Helena began to quiet and she turned a tearstained face toward him. "Why a cave? Why a dwarf? WHY ME??????" The first two were whispered and then suddenly Helena started on a rant that left Legolas speechless, "I mean, really, everyone else who goes to middle earth becomes an elf or a hobbit or at least stays a human! But do I become the graceful creature I was meant to be? NO! I am a DWARF! A dwarf! Now how could I possibly get to-" Helena suddenly realized who she was ranting to and promptly buried her head in her hands before she could finish her sentence and embarrass herself further.
Not even breaking the motions of his hands on her back Legolas continued to sooth her, "What is it? What do you want to do here?" Trying to get her to continue he lifted her chin up to face him. Feeling her face heat up she just mumbled, "Nothing I can do in dwarven form." Legolas just sighed at this, "I do not know why or how you came here, but you are welcome to travel with Gimli and myself." Then Legolas cupped her chin and looked straight into her eyes. I will not melt, I will not melt, I will not melt! Shit I'm melting Legolas either didn't notice or chose not to comment on Helena's sudden unexplained weakness, instead he continued, "If the Valar chose to give you this form then it must be for a reason, perhaps we shall discover it 'ere long."
Trying to smile a little Helena sat up, "Maybe you're right, I guess whatever decided to bring me here had some plan or other." And I'd better like the plan
"Well Tarin, you seem to be as much at home as any dwarf I've seen" a familiarly gruff voice spoke. Legolas's hand dropped from its place under her chin and both turned to see Gimli stride in with stocky arms full of logs and kindling.
Helena looked around her amazed that she had indeed calmed down inside a cave, "I guess it isn't that bad after all. Maybe it's me being a . . . . . " she took a moment to gather herself before finally admitting it to herself, "dwarf" Gimli nodded approvingly. Helena looked up at Gimli before adding, "and my name is Helena." Neither Gimli nor Helena caught Legolas choking back a laugh at the two stubborn creatures facing off.
Gimli knelt down on the floor and began to make up the fire, "It is as you say, but you shall be Tarin to me" Helena silently fumed at the stubborn creature, she had to suppress the urge to kick him. She only managed to grate out, "Helena" Gimli just ignored her and in one minute flat he had a roaring fire going.
Swallowing her wrath for the time being she moved up close to the fire and sat down trying to get warm. A hand closed upon shoulder and gently turned her. Helena turned to face. . . . Gimli. Does he want to bait me again? Spare me! "Yes?" Gimli just held up a wafer, "Eat some lembas. Then sleep, I will keep watch tonight."
Once more her cheeks flamed up with a "Thank you" she quietly ate the amazing wafer. She hand never tasted anything like it, all she could think of when she ate it was. . . fulfilling. With a look at Legolas and Gimli she curled up next to the fire and closed her eyes.
When her slowed breathing betrayed her as asleep Gimli laid his cloak over her and went to sit near the cave's entrance. Without a word Legolas sat next to him.