1 Chapter eight
"Is this a habit of hers?"
The company was crowded around Lis, who was lying across the bench now, sleeping.
"No, Merry, it's not," Lee answered, smoothing her forehead gently. "She just has a lot on her mind." Understatement of the year, Lee thought to himself.
"Yes, she does." Galadriel said quietly, still reclining in one of the willow's large, gnarled roots.
"Drili, what does all this Fellowship business mean? Why do they have our names, or we have theirs, or whatever?" Boar mumbled, impatient with confusion. He gruffly turned his attentions away from Lee and Lis and towards Galadriel.
"The Fellowship has been reassembled." She replied simply.
"So, you mean that WE are this Fellowship you're talking about?"
"Yes, you are."
"That doesn't make any sense." Boar huffed, throwing himself onto the grass.
"Have you never wondered why you all shared such a strong bond? Did it never seem strange to you that people of so varying backgrounds and behaviors should come together as tightly as you have? You were beginning to remember who you are before I came here. You remembered you're friendship, and that is something stronger than evil, or fate."
" And this, Sauron, is the Dark Lord, returned to power?"
"He hasn't returned to power yet," Lee said quietly. "He doesn't have the Ring."
"And Lis does?"
All eyes turned to Galadriel.
"Does she, Drili?"
"She does not know it yet."
"Then lets find it and take it from her!" Boar boomed. "She obviously cannot handle a Ring of power on her own, look at her."
"That's why we're here, Boromir." Lee spat out, his old flare of anger beginning to rise.
"So, what. It's our job now to protect her, even though we don't know a thing about her, and she doesn't eve know she has the fate of the known world packed up in a jewelry box in her dorm?"
"Drili?" Frodo asked quietly. "If we're the fellowship, why aren't Lee and Ari elves? And Gimli and the rest of us aren't midget sized. How come?"
"A fine question, my ring bearer. Through time, things change. Your soul stay the same, but the body it comes in doesn't always."
"You mean, I'm the reincarnation of a Steward of Gondor?"
"No, Boromir. You are the son of one."
"Whatever…" he mumbled, shaking his head.
"But why did Lis get saddled with the Ring? Wouldn't it make more sense for Frodo to, if he is the ring bearer?"
"Ring…?" Lis's drawling voice whispered weakly through the discussion. Lee smiled, glad she was awake, while Boar huffed quietly and turned his back on them, tugging at a few blades of grass.
"Hey there princess, how you feelin'?" Lee asked. He kneeled down by her side, rubbing her arms gently, while his bright eyes smiled comfortingly down at her. She nodded, a small smile tugging at her mouth. She pushed herself up, and leaned against the bench's smooth wooden arms, looking around at the concerned faces around her.
"Well, this seems familiar," she smiled. Everyone else smiled to and breathed a general sigh of relief.
"You sure do that a lot, Miss Corma." Bilbo said.
"I must be tired. Maybe I didn't get enough to eat today, I dunno," she lied.
"And maybe you're not telling us the whole truth either," Boar grumbled, shooting a look over at Arwen and Strider. "Because you're afraid we'll take your little ring away and drop it back at Mordor? Is that it?"
"I…I, don't know what you're talking about…"
"Afraid we'll give it back to Sauron?"
Lis cringed at his name. After so long, she still couldn't hear it. She squeezed her eyes shut, hoping to block out the sound, but his name brought it all back.
"What were to him anyway?" Boar prodded, getting up from his grassy perch and strolling to her. "You his girlfriend?" Lis shivered. "Yea, I thought you were. You look like the type that a reincarnated war lord would wanna screw."
Lee went to lunge at Boar, but Strider pulled him back.
"I swear man…" Lee spat out, his eyes flashing murderously.
"What's wrong Lee? Jealous of Sauron cause he probably already tapped your girl?"
Strider's eyes shined with exertion as he manages to pull Lee to the ground. Gimli ran over and helped to keep him down, mumbling quietly in his friend's ear.
"Boar, what's gotten into you, why are you doing this?" Arwen asked, boldly, angrily walking up to him.
"Like you should talk, you liar."
"Quiet all of you!" Galadriel's gentle voice boomed. "You are all better than this! Why are you letting your pasts hinder you? You are not behaving like the warriors you are."
"Warriors? We're warriors?" Merry squealed delightedly.
"Boar, what is wrong with you? You were never one to speak your heart before? I wonder why you do so now?" Galadriel's voice was soft and pleading as if that liquid sound alone could find an answer to her question.
And it did.
"Ah, yes. I understand now. The ring has a power over you, my good Boromir. Do not underestimate its power. Or your own."
He stood there, his large chest rising and falling with each slightly labored breath. His eyes gleamed strangely, disturbingly, and his eyes were focus coldly on Lis.
"Why don't you just give it to us? Its our job to protect it, not yours."
"I don't have it!" she suddenly screamed.
"She tells the truth. The ring is not hers to give. Not yet at any rate."
Lee stood up slowly and sat down next to Lis, putting his arm protectively around her tense shoulders. Lis relaxed a little into his side, and looked over at him apologetically.
"I'm sorry. I know I shouldn't have said anything…" she whispered. Lee shushed her quietly, then turned his attentions to Boromir, his eyes smoldering, though the rest of him seemed calm enough.
"Don't you think it's time to turn in, big guy?" he managed cordially through clenched teeth. Boromir glared back.
"I will NOT be sent to bed like a three-year-old."
"Well, I'm going to bed." Galadriel spoke up. Arwen rushed to her side and offered her a hand climbing out of the tree trunk. "Good night everyone, see you in the morning. Good Night, Lis." And with that, she disappeared into the Willow Grove surrounding them.
"Um, we're gonna go in too. Night." Merry called over his shoulder as he grabbed Pippin, Frodo and Bilbo, ushering them back up the trail they'd followed down.
"Night Lis. I'll see you tomorrow, yes?" he asked, his eyes wide and shyly expectant.
"You bet Frodo." She managed a smile, and Frodo gave her a wave before heading back to the Pen.
Arwen, Strider and Gimli started back too, the three of them whispering hurriedly. Lis could see Strider and Arwen's hands interlaced together and managed a small smile. At least they didn't have to pretend anymore, she thought. Lucky them.
"Come on Lis, lets get you to bed, shall we?" Lee smiled as he stood and pulled her to her feet. "You feel alright?" Lis nodded and managed a smile as Lee offered her his arm and she thankfully slipped hers through. "Shall I see you to your door, milady?" he mockingly asked. Lis smiled. "Good, good, you're smiling. That's always a good sign."
The two slowly made their way through the clearing, Lis's steps small and shaky, but Legolas's strong hold kept her from falling.
"Night, Lis. Sleep tight." Boar muttered quietly as they passed him. Lis tried not to look at him, but Lee glared over her head at Boar. A silent warning passed between the two, and Lis got the terrible feeling that this was only the beginning of something.
They left Boromir behind as the shadowy folds of the woods closed around them.
"Lee?" She whispered.
"Hmm?"
"Promise me something." Lee nodded quietly.
"Promise me you won't do anything to Boar."
"No."
"No?"
"I won't promise anything of the kind. If he pulls something like he did tonight, I'm gonna make sure Gimli and Strider aren't around to hold me back. That Neanderthal has no right to speak to that way. He has no clue what you've been through, none of them do…" she interrupted him.
"And I'd like to keep it that way. I don't want them to know, Legolas. Promise me you won't do anything rash, please."
"For your sake. But I don't like it, Lis. I don't. He shouldn't be able to get away with that."
"You're sweet." She whispered, reaching up on her tiptoes to plant a kiss on his cheek. Lee's face didn't move, but his insides felt like they were exploding. It was all he could do to keep from screaming and jumping all over the grove, but that inner peace he was famous for claimed him, keeping him from letting go of her, which was just as wonderful.
The two continued out of the woods, completely unaware of the muffled footsteps that followed them out and the keen ears that moved silently among the shadows.
"Is this a habit of hers?"
The company was crowded around Lis, who was lying across the bench now, sleeping.
"No, Merry, it's not," Lee answered, smoothing her forehead gently. "She just has a lot on her mind." Understatement of the year, Lee thought to himself.
"Yes, she does." Galadriel said quietly, still reclining in one of the willow's large, gnarled roots.
"Drili, what does all this Fellowship business mean? Why do they have our names, or we have theirs, or whatever?" Boar mumbled, impatient with confusion. He gruffly turned his attentions away from Lee and Lis and towards Galadriel.
"The Fellowship has been reassembled." She replied simply.
"So, you mean that WE are this Fellowship you're talking about?"
"Yes, you are."
"That doesn't make any sense." Boar huffed, throwing himself onto the grass.
"Have you never wondered why you all shared such a strong bond? Did it never seem strange to you that people of so varying backgrounds and behaviors should come together as tightly as you have? You were beginning to remember who you are before I came here. You remembered you're friendship, and that is something stronger than evil, or fate."
" And this, Sauron, is the Dark Lord, returned to power?"
"He hasn't returned to power yet," Lee said quietly. "He doesn't have the Ring."
"And Lis does?"
All eyes turned to Galadriel.
"Does she, Drili?"
"She does not know it yet."
"Then lets find it and take it from her!" Boar boomed. "She obviously cannot handle a Ring of power on her own, look at her."
"That's why we're here, Boromir." Lee spat out, his old flare of anger beginning to rise.
"So, what. It's our job now to protect her, even though we don't know a thing about her, and she doesn't eve know she has the fate of the known world packed up in a jewelry box in her dorm?"
"Drili?" Frodo asked quietly. "If we're the fellowship, why aren't Lee and Ari elves? And Gimli and the rest of us aren't midget sized. How come?"
"A fine question, my ring bearer. Through time, things change. Your soul stay the same, but the body it comes in doesn't always."
"You mean, I'm the reincarnation of a Steward of Gondor?"
"No, Boromir. You are the son of one."
"Whatever…" he mumbled, shaking his head.
"But why did Lis get saddled with the Ring? Wouldn't it make more sense for Frodo to, if he is the ring bearer?"
"Ring…?" Lis's drawling voice whispered weakly through the discussion. Lee smiled, glad she was awake, while Boar huffed quietly and turned his back on them, tugging at a few blades of grass.
"Hey there princess, how you feelin'?" Lee asked. He kneeled down by her side, rubbing her arms gently, while his bright eyes smiled comfortingly down at her. She nodded, a small smile tugging at her mouth. She pushed herself up, and leaned against the bench's smooth wooden arms, looking around at the concerned faces around her.
"Well, this seems familiar," she smiled. Everyone else smiled to and breathed a general sigh of relief.
"You sure do that a lot, Miss Corma." Bilbo said.
"I must be tired. Maybe I didn't get enough to eat today, I dunno," she lied.
"And maybe you're not telling us the whole truth either," Boar grumbled, shooting a look over at Arwen and Strider. "Because you're afraid we'll take your little ring away and drop it back at Mordor? Is that it?"
"I…I, don't know what you're talking about…"
"Afraid we'll give it back to Sauron?"
Lis cringed at his name. After so long, she still couldn't hear it. She squeezed her eyes shut, hoping to block out the sound, but his name brought it all back.
"What were to him anyway?" Boar prodded, getting up from his grassy perch and strolling to her. "You his girlfriend?" Lis shivered. "Yea, I thought you were. You look like the type that a reincarnated war lord would wanna screw."
Lee went to lunge at Boar, but Strider pulled him back.
"I swear man…" Lee spat out, his eyes flashing murderously.
"What's wrong Lee? Jealous of Sauron cause he probably already tapped your girl?"
Strider's eyes shined with exertion as he manages to pull Lee to the ground. Gimli ran over and helped to keep him down, mumbling quietly in his friend's ear.
"Boar, what's gotten into you, why are you doing this?" Arwen asked, boldly, angrily walking up to him.
"Like you should talk, you liar."
"Quiet all of you!" Galadriel's gentle voice boomed. "You are all better than this! Why are you letting your pasts hinder you? You are not behaving like the warriors you are."
"Warriors? We're warriors?" Merry squealed delightedly.
"Boar, what is wrong with you? You were never one to speak your heart before? I wonder why you do so now?" Galadriel's voice was soft and pleading as if that liquid sound alone could find an answer to her question.
And it did.
"Ah, yes. I understand now. The ring has a power over you, my good Boromir. Do not underestimate its power. Or your own."
He stood there, his large chest rising and falling with each slightly labored breath. His eyes gleamed strangely, disturbingly, and his eyes were focus coldly on Lis.
"Why don't you just give it to us? Its our job to protect it, not yours."
"I don't have it!" she suddenly screamed.
"She tells the truth. The ring is not hers to give. Not yet at any rate."
Lee stood up slowly and sat down next to Lis, putting his arm protectively around her tense shoulders. Lis relaxed a little into his side, and looked over at him apologetically.
"I'm sorry. I know I shouldn't have said anything…" she whispered. Lee shushed her quietly, then turned his attentions to Boromir, his eyes smoldering, though the rest of him seemed calm enough.
"Don't you think it's time to turn in, big guy?" he managed cordially through clenched teeth. Boromir glared back.
"I will NOT be sent to bed like a three-year-old."
"Well, I'm going to bed." Galadriel spoke up. Arwen rushed to her side and offered her a hand climbing out of the tree trunk. "Good night everyone, see you in the morning. Good Night, Lis." And with that, she disappeared into the Willow Grove surrounding them.
"Um, we're gonna go in too. Night." Merry called over his shoulder as he grabbed Pippin, Frodo and Bilbo, ushering them back up the trail they'd followed down.
"Night Lis. I'll see you tomorrow, yes?" he asked, his eyes wide and shyly expectant.
"You bet Frodo." She managed a smile, and Frodo gave her a wave before heading back to the Pen.
Arwen, Strider and Gimli started back too, the three of them whispering hurriedly. Lis could see Strider and Arwen's hands interlaced together and managed a small smile. At least they didn't have to pretend anymore, she thought. Lucky them.
"Come on Lis, lets get you to bed, shall we?" Lee smiled as he stood and pulled her to her feet. "You feel alright?" Lis nodded and managed a smile as Lee offered her his arm and she thankfully slipped hers through. "Shall I see you to your door, milady?" he mockingly asked. Lis smiled. "Good, good, you're smiling. That's always a good sign."
The two slowly made their way through the clearing, Lis's steps small and shaky, but Legolas's strong hold kept her from falling.
"Night, Lis. Sleep tight." Boar muttered quietly as they passed him. Lis tried not to look at him, but Lee glared over her head at Boar. A silent warning passed between the two, and Lis got the terrible feeling that this was only the beginning of something.
They left Boromir behind as the shadowy folds of the woods closed around them.
"Lee?" She whispered.
"Hmm?"
"Promise me something." Lee nodded quietly.
"Promise me you won't do anything to Boar."
"No."
"No?"
"I won't promise anything of the kind. If he pulls something like he did tonight, I'm gonna make sure Gimli and Strider aren't around to hold me back. That Neanderthal has no right to speak to that way. He has no clue what you've been through, none of them do…" she interrupted him.
"And I'd like to keep it that way. I don't want them to know, Legolas. Promise me you won't do anything rash, please."
"For your sake. But I don't like it, Lis. I don't. He shouldn't be able to get away with that."
"You're sweet." She whispered, reaching up on her tiptoes to plant a kiss on his cheek. Lee's face didn't move, but his insides felt like they were exploding. It was all he could do to keep from screaming and jumping all over the grove, but that inner peace he was famous for claimed him, keeping him from letting go of her, which was just as wonderful.
The two continued out of the woods, completely unaware of the muffled footsteps that followed them out and the keen ears that moved silently among the shadows.