Disclaimer: LOTR belongs to the creative genius of JRR Tolkien, not me.
My Friend, My Brother
Chapter 9: Quiet Conversations
Several days out of Rivendell the fellowship made camp for the evening in a small glade. The Hobbits had taken on the task of preparing the evening meals and since Sam was an excellent cook, there was no objection to this arrangement. There was much laughter and 'tasting' of the food as it was prepared and it was surprising to find that there was actually enough left for the meal. No one except Gandalf had known just how much food one Hobbit could eat.
After they had eaten, eight of the nine sat around the small campfire enjoying their pipes before retiring for the night. Legolas saw no reason to fill his lungs with smoke, so he made use of this time to scout around the camp, making certain they were not being followed. As was his habit, and one that Sam found particularly fascinating to watch, he climbed into the treetop for a better view of the surrounding landscape. When Legolas offered to teach Sam to climb, he hastily declined.
"No, thank you, Legolas, Sir," he had answered politely, peering up into the branches where the Elf sat, "as my Gaffer would say, these two Hobbit feet were meant to stay firmly on the ground, that's for certain."
"As you wish," laughed Legolas. Gimli muttered something under his breath about trees being only good for firewood, causing Legolas to glare angrily at him. Aragorn sighed, those two had been trading insults ever since the Fellowship had left Rivendell and it was becoming tiresome. The open hostility between Elf and Dwarf was not good for the morale of the Fellowship, though understandable given their history. Aragorn suspected that Legolas was actually enjoying the banter with Gimli.
At least they were speaking to each other, he thought as he watched Boromir sharpening his sword. The Steward of Gondor's son had said little to anyone so far, and when he spoke, it was usually to try and persuade Gandalf to travel to Minis Tirith instead of going directly to Mordor. Aragorn was uncertain as to how he felt about Boromir, except that he did not fully trust him where the Ring was concerned. In fact he did not really trust himself, for the temptation of Isildur's Bane was even now calling to him in a whispered voice in the back of his mind.
It seemed that only the joyful patter of the Hobbits could lift the cloud of gloom from Boromir's features, for they were never silent and all except Frodo were treating the Quest as a great adventure. Both Aragorn and Gandalf were concerned for the young Ring Bearer, and their fears were well founded for the shadow had not left Frodo entirely.
"I believe it is Legolas and Boromir who have the first watch tonight," Gandalf said loudly, interrupting his thoughts. The others took his meaning and soon the campsite was silent, except for the Dwarf's snoring. Legolas stood beneath the trees, looking to the heavens, singing softly to himself, seemingly oblivious to his surroundings. Boromir stared with wide-eyed astonishment as he saw for the first time, the ethereal glow of an Elf bathed in starlight, and he could not take his eyes from the apparition.
In fact, Legolas was well aware of the Man of Gondor's intense scrutiny just as he was aware of the fact that he was mistrustful of Elves. Once he had finished his song, he moved to the fire and sat opposite Boromir, who had the grace to look embarrassed for staring at his companion.
"I sense you are disturbed by something, Man of Gondor? Me perhaps?" he asked quietly. Boromir looked at him sharply, not really surprised at Legolas' perception for Faramir was enamoured of the legends of the Fair Folk and had told him many tales of the strange powers Elves were said to possess.
"I admit that I find Elves to be mysterious beings and I have never before seen elvish light. Until I came to Rivendell, I had not even met any Fair Folk, for they have long since left the forests of Ithilien."
"In what ways am I mysterious?" Legolas asked, amused by this description of his kindred.
Boromir considered his answer for a moment; he did not want to insult the Elf.
"You keep to your own realms and no longer venture into the outside world, you care nothing for the world of Men. No-one knows very much about Elves, except that they are immortal beings with almost magical powers."
"Yes, our two Races have been estranged for many centuries," Legolas agreed, "but we still have dealings with Men. Aragorn and I have long been friends, and he has been to my home in Mirkwood many times over the years."
"He is more Elf than Man," said Boromir the bitterness in his voice not lost on Legolas.
"He may have been brought up amongst Elves, but he is still Isildur's heir." He stated sharply.
"It is the Steward of Gondor, my Father, who now rules over the lands which were once ruled by his fore-fathers." Boromir said, a hint of anger in his voice. "It is obvious to me that Aragorn does not want to be King." There was no denying the truth in that statement, but Legolas felt the need to defend his friend.
"He will be, when his people need him." Legolas said with a certainty he could not explain, but accepted without question.
"I would that I had your faith in Aragorn, but Gondor cannot afford to wait much longer. It becomes ever more difficult for us to hold off the forces of evil, if we can not use the One Ring, I hope its destruction saves my city and its people." Boromir said sadly.
"I understand your love for your city, for I feel the same about the forest I call home. In protecting what is ours, Elf and Man are no different." Legolas said. "The Shadow moves ever northward from Dol Guldur and I have spent my almost my whole life defending my Father's Realm. However, for us the destruction of the One Ring will not prevent the light of the Elves from fading; our time here is almost at an end. The time of Men is just beginning, and it is to Aragorn you must give your trust and your faith, for he is the one who is destined to lead you into the new Age."
"If by being on this Quest you are helping to seal the fate of the Elves, why would you do this?" Boromir asked feeling confused.
"For Aragorn, for Middle Earth and all the beings who must remain here. I represent all the Elves and we would not leave those who are to come after us to a place ruled by evil."
"A noble gesture indeed," said Boromir graciously. "It would appear I have much to learn about you and your kind, especially if we are to become Allies once again."
"Yes, it would be wise for us all to know our friends as well as our enemies," agreed Legolas, "speaking of which, I think I will scout the area once again, it is almost time to wake Aragorn for his watch."
"I will bid you goodnight then," said Boromir unable to stifle another yawn, " and I thank you for a most enlightening conversation."
"You are welcome. I too, found our conversation interesting. Good night, Boromir."
Aragorn had already awoken when Legolas returned.
"All is well.' he reported. "I am in no need of sleep just yet, so I think I will allow Gandalf to rest a little longer."
"Good idea, he can be awfully grumpy if he does not have enough sleep." Aragorn said with a smile. "I will just take a quick look around as well."
"Do you not trust my report?" Legolas asked, feigning offence.
"Of course I do, you should know by now that I still prefer to check our safety for myself." Aragorn replied, clapping a friendly hand on his friend's shoulder.
"Be my guest. Next time I will just let you do the patrol for both of us," he teased.
Legolas moved to sit beneath the trees for he missed his woodland home already and Boromir's words had forced him to think on his future. He wondered if he would eventually hear the call of the sea, like so many of his kindred had already. Aragorn would also be lost to him, for a mortal's years are numbered. It was a distressing thought and a melancholy mood overcame him. He gave voice to his feelings with a sweet yet mournful song.
Aragorn approached his friend quietly, and sat beside him while he sang.
"That was so beautiful and so sad" he said as the last note floated off into the night. "What has caused you to be so mournful?"
"I was thinking of the sadness the future has waiting for me," came the quiet reply. Aragorn looked at the Elf with concern, but he need not have worried as Legolas' eye filled with a mischievous gleam and his mood turned playful.
"So was my report accurate, did I miss finding a hidden band of Orcs, perhaps?" he asked lightly.
"Yes it was and no, you did not." Aragorn replied, as they both laughed. "What were you and Boromir talking about? He has barely spoken to me since Rivendell, but I had the impression that he was very wary of Elves."
"As some Men should be!" teased Legolas. "We spoke of the Quest and the evil invading our homes. I think that Boromir is a good and noble Man, but in his eagerness to defend his city, he would be easily swayed by the power of the One Ring. Even now he is being tempted by its call."
"Gandalf is of the same mind. I am keeping a close watch on him, for I fear his weakness is his lust for power, as it is in all Men."
" As it is in you," whispered an evil voice in his head. Aragorn was startled, but did not mention it to Legolas.
"Not all Men," countered Legolas, feeling a darkness passing fleetingly over his soul,
"or you would have long since been King of Gondor."
"Are you sure you do not need to sleep?" Aragorn asked. Legolas took the hint and changed the subject.
"No, I am still not tired. However, since it is your watch, and you do not believe my reports, I think you should patrol the area again." Aragorn favoured him with a look of exasperation and took his arm, pulling the Elf into a standing position.
"We BOTH should," he said, and with a gentle shove to the back, he sent Legolas on his way. The sound of Elvish Laughter echoed across the glade.
My Friend, My Brother
Chapter 9: Quiet Conversations
Several days out of Rivendell the fellowship made camp for the evening in a small glade. The Hobbits had taken on the task of preparing the evening meals and since Sam was an excellent cook, there was no objection to this arrangement. There was much laughter and 'tasting' of the food as it was prepared and it was surprising to find that there was actually enough left for the meal. No one except Gandalf had known just how much food one Hobbit could eat.
After they had eaten, eight of the nine sat around the small campfire enjoying their pipes before retiring for the night. Legolas saw no reason to fill his lungs with smoke, so he made use of this time to scout around the camp, making certain they were not being followed. As was his habit, and one that Sam found particularly fascinating to watch, he climbed into the treetop for a better view of the surrounding landscape. When Legolas offered to teach Sam to climb, he hastily declined.
"No, thank you, Legolas, Sir," he had answered politely, peering up into the branches where the Elf sat, "as my Gaffer would say, these two Hobbit feet were meant to stay firmly on the ground, that's for certain."
"As you wish," laughed Legolas. Gimli muttered something under his breath about trees being only good for firewood, causing Legolas to glare angrily at him. Aragorn sighed, those two had been trading insults ever since the Fellowship had left Rivendell and it was becoming tiresome. The open hostility between Elf and Dwarf was not good for the morale of the Fellowship, though understandable given their history. Aragorn suspected that Legolas was actually enjoying the banter with Gimli.
At least they were speaking to each other, he thought as he watched Boromir sharpening his sword. The Steward of Gondor's son had said little to anyone so far, and when he spoke, it was usually to try and persuade Gandalf to travel to Minis Tirith instead of going directly to Mordor. Aragorn was uncertain as to how he felt about Boromir, except that he did not fully trust him where the Ring was concerned. In fact he did not really trust himself, for the temptation of Isildur's Bane was even now calling to him in a whispered voice in the back of his mind.
It seemed that only the joyful patter of the Hobbits could lift the cloud of gloom from Boromir's features, for they were never silent and all except Frodo were treating the Quest as a great adventure. Both Aragorn and Gandalf were concerned for the young Ring Bearer, and their fears were well founded for the shadow had not left Frodo entirely.
"I believe it is Legolas and Boromir who have the first watch tonight," Gandalf said loudly, interrupting his thoughts. The others took his meaning and soon the campsite was silent, except for the Dwarf's snoring. Legolas stood beneath the trees, looking to the heavens, singing softly to himself, seemingly oblivious to his surroundings. Boromir stared with wide-eyed astonishment as he saw for the first time, the ethereal glow of an Elf bathed in starlight, and he could not take his eyes from the apparition.
In fact, Legolas was well aware of the Man of Gondor's intense scrutiny just as he was aware of the fact that he was mistrustful of Elves. Once he had finished his song, he moved to the fire and sat opposite Boromir, who had the grace to look embarrassed for staring at his companion.
"I sense you are disturbed by something, Man of Gondor? Me perhaps?" he asked quietly. Boromir looked at him sharply, not really surprised at Legolas' perception for Faramir was enamoured of the legends of the Fair Folk and had told him many tales of the strange powers Elves were said to possess.
"I admit that I find Elves to be mysterious beings and I have never before seen elvish light. Until I came to Rivendell, I had not even met any Fair Folk, for they have long since left the forests of Ithilien."
"In what ways am I mysterious?" Legolas asked, amused by this description of his kindred.
Boromir considered his answer for a moment; he did not want to insult the Elf.
"You keep to your own realms and no longer venture into the outside world, you care nothing for the world of Men. No-one knows very much about Elves, except that they are immortal beings with almost magical powers."
"Yes, our two Races have been estranged for many centuries," Legolas agreed, "but we still have dealings with Men. Aragorn and I have long been friends, and he has been to my home in Mirkwood many times over the years."
"He is more Elf than Man," said Boromir the bitterness in his voice not lost on Legolas.
"He may have been brought up amongst Elves, but he is still Isildur's heir." He stated sharply.
"It is the Steward of Gondor, my Father, who now rules over the lands which were once ruled by his fore-fathers." Boromir said, a hint of anger in his voice. "It is obvious to me that Aragorn does not want to be King." There was no denying the truth in that statement, but Legolas felt the need to defend his friend.
"He will be, when his people need him." Legolas said with a certainty he could not explain, but accepted without question.
"I would that I had your faith in Aragorn, but Gondor cannot afford to wait much longer. It becomes ever more difficult for us to hold off the forces of evil, if we can not use the One Ring, I hope its destruction saves my city and its people." Boromir said sadly.
"I understand your love for your city, for I feel the same about the forest I call home. In protecting what is ours, Elf and Man are no different." Legolas said. "The Shadow moves ever northward from Dol Guldur and I have spent my almost my whole life defending my Father's Realm. However, for us the destruction of the One Ring will not prevent the light of the Elves from fading; our time here is almost at an end. The time of Men is just beginning, and it is to Aragorn you must give your trust and your faith, for he is the one who is destined to lead you into the new Age."
"If by being on this Quest you are helping to seal the fate of the Elves, why would you do this?" Boromir asked feeling confused.
"For Aragorn, for Middle Earth and all the beings who must remain here. I represent all the Elves and we would not leave those who are to come after us to a place ruled by evil."
"A noble gesture indeed," said Boromir graciously. "It would appear I have much to learn about you and your kind, especially if we are to become Allies once again."
"Yes, it would be wise for us all to know our friends as well as our enemies," agreed Legolas, "speaking of which, I think I will scout the area once again, it is almost time to wake Aragorn for his watch."
"I will bid you goodnight then," said Boromir unable to stifle another yawn, " and I thank you for a most enlightening conversation."
"You are welcome. I too, found our conversation interesting. Good night, Boromir."
Aragorn had already awoken when Legolas returned.
"All is well.' he reported. "I am in no need of sleep just yet, so I think I will allow Gandalf to rest a little longer."
"Good idea, he can be awfully grumpy if he does not have enough sleep." Aragorn said with a smile. "I will just take a quick look around as well."
"Do you not trust my report?" Legolas asked, feigning offence.
"Of course I do, you should know by now that I still prefer to check our safety for myself." Aragorn replied, clapping a friendly hand on his friend's shoulder.
"Be my guest. Next time I will just let you do the patrol for both of us," he teased.
Legolas moved to sit beneath the trees for he missed his woodland home already and Boromir's words had forced him to think on his future. He wondered if he would eventually hear the call of the sea, like so many of his kindred had already. Aragorn would also be lost to him, for a mortal's years are numbered. It was a distressing thought and a melancholy mood overcame him. He gave voice to his feelings with a sweet yet mournful song.
Aragorn approached his friend quietly, and sat beside him while he sang.
"That was so beautiful and so sad" he said as the last note floated off into the night. "What has caused you to be so mournful?"
"I was thinking of the sadness the future has waiting for me," came the quiet reply. Aragorn looked at the Elf with concern, but he need not have worried as Legolas' eye filled with a mischievous gleam and his mood turned playful.
"So was my report accurate, did I miss finding a hidden band of Orcs, perhaps?" he asked lightly.
"Yes it was and no, you did not." Aragorn replied, as they both laughed. "What were you and Boromir talking about? He has barely spoken to me since Rivendell, but I had the impression that he was very wary of Elves."
"As some Men should be!" teased Legolas. "We spoke of the Quest and the evil invading our homes. I think that Boromir is a good and noble Man, but in his eagerness to defend his city, he would be easily swayed by the power of the One Ring. Even now he is being tempted by its call."
"Gandalf is of the same mind. I am keeping a close watch on him, for I fear his weakness is his lust for power, as it is in all Men."
" As it is in you," whispered an evil voice in his head. Aragorn was startled, but did not mention it to Legolas.
"Not all Men," countered Legolas, feeling a darkness passing fleetingly over his soul,
"or you would have long since been King of Gondor."
"Are you sure you do not need to sleep?" Aragorn asked. Legolas took the hint and changed the subject.
"No, I am still not tired. However, since it is your watch, and you do not believe my reports, I think you should patrol the area again." Aragorn favoured him with a look of exasperation and took his arm, pulling the Elf into a standing position.
"We BOTH should," he said, and with a gentle shove to the back, he sent Legolas on his way. The sound of Elvish Laughter echoed across the glade.