".and these troublemakers here are Merry and Pippin," Gandalf continued.
"You know Legolas already, so that only leaves-"
"Me. I am Boromir." Isabelle's eyes moved to Boromir as he spoke and she
smiled. He did not return the smile. After a few moments she dropped her
gaze. It was as though he was trying to see inside her soul. Isabelle liked
the rest of the company, but this man from Gondor made her uneasy.
"Ah, Legolas. I see you have bought Serenia some refreshment." Gandalf paused while Isabelle gratefully accepted the plate from the elf. "I don't suppose you've been eating much?"
Isabelle shook her head. "I didn't want to spend much time finding food in case I lost your trail." She looked away from the fire, at Legolas, who was standing at the edge of the small clearing looking into the trees.
"Where's Strider?" Sam asked. "He's been gone awhile."
"I know not," said Legolas. "He said that he would only be a short while."
"Do you think that he will let me accompany you on the remainder of your journey, Gandalf?" Isabelle asked the wizard.
Gandalf sighed. "To be absolutely honest, I don't know. He may, he may not. We can do nothing except wait for his return."
Isabelle nodded. "Where shall I put the plate?"
"Go and give it to Legolas. It his task tonight to clean the utensils."
Isabelle rose from her cross-legged position on the ground and took the plate to the elf. As he took it from her hand, their fingers touched and she smiled up at him. "Would you like any help?" she asked.
Legolas shook his head. "It is no trouble. Although if you wish to stay, please do."
Isabelle smiled again. "I will. What was it like in Mirkwood?"
Legolas was silent for a moment. "It was.peaceful. Sauron or Saruman did not trouble us until recently. Until the creature Sméagol was placed into our care. I was sent to Rivendell to tell Elrond that he had escaped. I was in Rivendell for many days, and yet I did not meet you there."
"Maybe you met me, and do not recall the meeting," Isabelle said.
"I would not forget such a meeting," Legolas said quietly, and then fell silent. While he washed the plate, Isabelle studied him. His hair betrayed the fact that he was not from Rivendell - elves there had dark hair and his was blonde. As she watched him, some strands of hair fell across his eyes, and she resisted an urge to brush them away. As if he sensed her eyes on his face, he looked up at her. Isabelle looked away, certain that her cheeks had flushed. Legolas looked at her for a minute. She was wearing traditional elvish travelling gear - loose trousers, high boots and a cloak, which seemed to change colour as she moved. Her hair was tied back with a leather thong. Left loose, it would be long.
"I must get back to the others." her voice trailed off at the end of the sentence and she glanced briefly back at him before she moved away.
Legolas had long since finished scouring and drying the single plate, yet he remained by the small pond for some time.
It was late. The moon had set and all the Fellowship was sleeping, save Gandalf, who had the second watch. He was lost in his thoughts and half asleep when Aragorn returned. The man crept up quietly; he did not wish to wake anyone. As he came up behind Gandalf he laid a hand on the wizard's shoulder as to not startle him.
"What am I to do, old friend?" he asked in a whisper. "My head tells me I should send her back to Rivendell, and yet my heart whispers that I should allow her to stay."
Gandalf shook his head. "I cannot tell you what you should do, but I feel that she would be safer with Elrond than with us. Our quest is a dangerous one."
Aragorn sighed. "You speak the truth. She will return to Rivendell upon the dawn. And yet I cannot send her alone. Someone will have to accompany her."
"Yes," Gandalf agreed. "But let it be decided tomorrow. You will need rest. There are many leagues to cover."
Isabelle opened her eyes. She had been woken by the whispered exchange between Gandalf and her brother, and had heard the whole conversation. So she was to return to Rivendell. It was not what she wanted, but Aragorn might still be persuaded otherwise.
"Ah, Legolas. I see you have bought Serenia some refreshment." Gandalf paused while Isabelle gratefully accepted the plate from the elf. "I don't suppose you've been eating much?"
Isabelle shook her head. "I didn't want to spend much time finding food in case I lost your trail." She looked away from the fire, at Legolas, who was standing at the edge of the small clearing looking into the trees.
"Where's Strider?" Sam asked. "He's been gone awhile."
"I know not," said Legolas. "He said that he would only be a short while."
"Do you think that he will let me accompany you on the remainder of your journey, Gandalf?" Isabelle asked the wizard.
Gandalf sighed. "To be absolutely honest, I don't know. He may, he may not. We can do nothing except wait for his return."
Isabelle nodded. "Where shall I put the plate?"
"Go and give it to Legolas. It his task tonight to clean the utensils."
Isabelle rose from her cross-legged position on the ground and took the plate to the elf. As he took it from her hand, their fingers touched and she smiled up at him. "Would you like any help?" she asked.
Legolas shook his head. "It is no trouble. Although if you wish to stay, please do."
Isabelle smiled again. "I will. What was it like in Mirkwood?"
Legolas was silent for a moment. "It was.peaceful. Sauron or Saruman did not trouble us until recently. Until the creature Sméagol was placed into our care. I was sent to Rivendell to tell Elrond that he had escaped. I was in Rivendell for many days, and yet I did not meet you there."
"Maybe you met me, and do not recall the meeting," Isabelle said.
"I would not forget such a meeting," Legolas said quietly, and then fell silent. While he washed the plate, Isabelle studied him. His hair betrayed the fact that he was not from Rivendell - elves there had dark hair and his was blonde. As she watched him, some strands of hair fell across his eyes, and she resisted an urge to brush them away. As if he sensed her eyes on his face, he looked up at her. Isabelle looked away, certain that her cheeks had flushed. Legolas looked at her for a minute. She was wearing traditional elvish travelling gear - loose trousers, high boots and a cloak, which seemed to change colour as she moved. Her hair was tied back with a leather thong. Left loose, it would be long.
"I must get back to the others." her voice trailed off at the end of the sentence and she glanced briefly back at him before she moved away.
Legolas had long since finished scouring and drying the single plate, yet he remained by the small pond for some time.
It was late. The moon had set and all the Fellowship was sleeping, save Gandalf, who had the second watch. He was lost in his thoughts and half asleep when Aragorn returned. The man crept up quietly; he did not wish to wake anyone. As he came up behind Gandalf he laid a hand on the wizard's shoulder as to not startle him.
"What am I to do, old friend?" he asked in a whisper. "My head tells me I should send her back to Rivendell, and yet my heart whispers that I should allow her to stay."
Gandalf shook his head. "I cannot tell you what you should do, but I feel that she would be safer with Elrond than with us. Our quest is a dangerous one."
Aragorn sighed. "You speak the truth. She will return to Rivendell upon the dawn. And yet I cannot send her alone. Someone will have to accompany her."
"Yes," Gandalf agreed. "But let it be decided tomorrow. You will need rest. There are many leagues to cover."
Isabelle opened her eyes. She had been woken by the whispered exchange between Gandalf and her brother, and had heard the whole conversation. So she was to return to Rivendell. It was not what she wanted, but Aragorn might still be persuaded otherwise.