Chapter 10: Sleeping arrangements
"You only have TWO rooms left?", Aragorn asked his voice rising a pitch.
The owner of the "Spirit of the River" looked in his books and then back at the annoyed group of travellers. A slightly inebriated dwarf, a blond haired elf, an exotic looking, but beautiful young woman with strange golden eyes, an old man and finally the angry human, who had been debating with him about their accommodations for over twenty minutes now. What a strange picture they made!
"There is no way we will manage to fit into two rooms! Lady Selina will require one all to herself. This way we will be forced to squeeze into the other. Four men in one room - that's ridiculous!", Aragorn explained exasperatedly.
"Look there are three beds in one room, in the other two. Just do the math and you will see that it works out nicely! Any ways from what I heard this young woman over here is no *lady*, so I see no reason why I should give you another room. You will share or you can sleep elsewhere! Take it or leave it!" , the men answered, crossing his arms over his chest.
"Take that back!", Legolas said in an icy voice "Selina is an honorable warrior and deserves to be addressed with respect!"
"From the way you speak you must be her lover, Master Elf..", the owner of the tavern smirked and added "Then you might as well share a room with her!" He threw the key to the room to Legolas, who caught it with anger shining in his bright blue eyes
"Don't you be too rough on him, Missy!", the man winked at her.
Selina turned crimson red and was utterly speechless for the first time since her companions had known her. Aragorn took the other key, lying on the counter before him, and turned to leave, mumbling angrily under his breath. Good thing that nobody here knew he was the King of Gondor!
"See what your little show has gotten us into? Nothing but trouble!", Gimli slurred, walking over to Selina.
"Last time I checked you laughed your head off about it! Now shut up!", she shot back at him.
"Now, now, Selina! You ought to have known that for every laugh there is a price to pay.", Gandalf chuckled with merriment.
~
"Look, I don't see where the problem is! ", Selina rolled her eyes at the elf. "You didn't mind sleeping two meters from me, when we camped out in the wilderness just yesterday and this is supposed to be different now?", she indicated the two small beds, standing inside their room.
"I guess I never saw it from this perspective.", Legolas shrugged his shoulders.
"Look, I'm sorry! I didn't want to bring you in an embarrassing situation...", Selina excused.
"No, do not worry. I do not care!", the elf reassured her.
"Fine.", she answered and lay down on one of the beds. She was pleasantly surprised, because it was soft and smelled clean.
"Well, I'm going to bed now. Good night!", she announced.
"A good night to you, too!"
Selina quickly took of her boots and sprawled on the covers. After a few seconds she began to feel uncomfortable and turned restlessly from one side to the other. Minutes passed in silence while she started up at the ceiling, out of the small window and then back at the ceiling. She wished she was outside looking up at the starry sky, breathing the fresh cool air of the night.
"Legolas, are you asleep yet?", she asked softly.
"No.", came the answer from the other bed with a sigh "What ails you?"
"Do you really want to know or would you rather sleep?", Selina said and sat up in her bed.
"I want to know! Tell me what is it that aggrieves you?", he asked, his voice sounding sincere.
"The other day in the field.....I met my totem animal. It was a she-panther named Sulrahthi. I know, because I talked to her.", she paused, waiting for him to tell her that she was insane.
"What did she tell you?", he asked curiously.
"What did she tell me?", she repeated incredulously. "I was expecting something like 'Are you out of your mind, woman?'. That's why I didn't tell the others. "
Legolas laughed in amusement, "When I told you that elves have a special connection with nature I meant it. We know whether a forest is old, young, slowly withering away or about to regrow, because it *tells* us. So your being able to talk to your totem animal does not come as a surprise to me. So what did Sulrahthi tell you?"
"She told me that there is more to this matter than we are able to see right now, that we should be on guard. But I don't have even the slightest idea what she could have meant.", she answered her fore head in a concerned frown.
"Maybe you should consider telling the others..Perhaps Gandalf will be able to help you. ", he said.
"Yes, you are right I should probably tell them.", she turned her head and smiled at him warmly. "Thank you! You helped me so much today! How can I ever..."
"It was my pleasure!", Legolas interrupted her with a soft and gentle voice, "Do not mention it!"
Silence sat in again. Selina tried to get some sleep, tossing from side to side in her small bed, but to no avail.
After a few minutes she gave up and said dejectedly,"I'm sorry, but I don't think I can sleep in here! I will probably keep you up all night, tossing around. I'm just not used to being confined to a small room."
"Would you rather go for a walk?", the elf asked her.
"Yes, please...If you don't mind!", Selina answered.
"Not at all! This room is a little bit too stuffy for my taste, too.", he smiled at her.
She got on her boots, walked over to the small window and opened it. Selina took a deep breath of air and smiled contently. It smelled, earthy and cool. She was just about to climb out of the window, when Legolas grabbed her shoulder looking at her questioningly. "You are aware of the fact that we are on the first floor?", he asked incredulously.
"Look, I suppose this is the fastest and most silent way to sneak out without startling any sleeping guests.", she whispered to him with a smile on her face. Her mood had changed considerably, thanks to the prospect of getting out of this smelly dump.
Without any further words she swung her legs over the window sill and jumped down. She landed on the street without making any sound and motioned Legolas to follow her. The elf followed her example and landed gracefully next to her.
"You know that a human would have broken every bone in his body?", he asked her in a hushed voice.
"That would have been very unfortunate, but last time I checked you were an elf, my friend.", Selina said in response, grinning from cheek to cheek.
In the distance she could make out the noise of the river. She cocked her head and her eyes gleamed in the dark like two hot coals. "Up for a little race, Legolas?", she asked with excitement shining in her eyes.
"Where to?", the elf asked.
"The river shore! Are you ready?", at this they both started to run.
It was a head to head. Their feet were running swiftly over the ground without making any sound, barely leaving any imprints. "So this is your idea of a walk?", Legolas called out with a smirk on his face, while they were running.
"Too fast for you?", she answered, mischief sparkling in her eyes.
"Not at all!", he increased his speed and outran her. He even managed to put a few meters distance between them.
Selina let out a melodious laugh. The breeze softly played with her long, hair that swayed around her head like a halo. She was feeling completely at ease, running under the starry night sky.
They finally arrived at the river and Legolas, in the mean time, had even managed to increase the distance between them, beating her by lengths. He was waiting for her, leaning calmly against a crooked tree that stood near the river shore.
Selina jogged up to him and came to a stop in front of the elf. She looked at him with a appreciative glance. The moonlight was illuminating his fair features and a soft breeze played with his long golden hair. His pale skin seemed to glow with an ethereal light, that surrounded him and bestowed him with an aura of peacefulness and serenity.
"Back to starring?", he asked, playfulness swinging in his voice.
She grinned at him sweetly. Her response came out as a soft and seductive purr. "Beauty is there to be marvelled at, Legolas. It would be foolish to pass it by without paying attention."
Legolas's eyes widened in surprise and if it had been possible for elves to blush, he would have done so.
Selina let out a warm laugh, amused by his baffled expression. "I suppose she-elves aren't that blunt when it comes to paying compliments? How does your kind court then? It must take you years and years."
"It is true. We are very reserved in this matters. Before we agree to an relationship we take our time to get to know each other. This process can sometimes take decades.", the elf explained.
Selina raised her eyebrows in astonishment. "But what about passion? Haven't you ever been swept away by the heat of the moment? Have you never experienced a love that burns you with its fire?"
Legolas looked at her as if she had just grown a second head. "The Eldar take the matters of the heart very seriously! If we give our heart away, it is forever!"
"So? Have you given your's away already?", she asked curiously.
" You are quite the curious one! But just so you know.. No, I have not found the right person yet.", Legolas answered, smiling at her friendly.
"Then your heart is like pray free for the hunt.", Selina answered with a sly grin on her face.
The elf looked at her with a mixture of astonishment and embarrassment. He could not deny that he felt attracted to the young Selvadage'tok. She presented everything he appreciated in a woman. She was beautiful, intelligent, a skillful warrior, but at same time playful and wild. She loved nature and being outside nearly as much as he did.
But he didn't know what to make of her. Sometimes the reasons behind her actions were a mystery to him. He had never made the experience of being courted by a woman. Legolas felt uneasy and thought her approach to be a little too blunt for his taste. It would take him some time to figure out what those feelings were, that he had for her. He didn't want to rush into anything. His heart was not ready to engage into any relationship that was not meant to develop into something serious.
In the past many she-elf had tried to win his affection, but none of them had succeeded. He had had the feeling that they were only interested in him, because he was the successor to the throne of Mirkwood. To them his dreams, his hopes and expectations didn't matter. He was only a prize, to be won. Nothing less nothing more! His father had told him about how he got to know Legolas's mother, his eyes shining with love for her. That moment he had envied him very much! Thranduil had experienced what Legolas deemed to be a legend, a beautiful fairy tale. He had found true love!
He shook his head, chasing away the thoughts that were running through his head. "Maybe we should go back to our room to get some sleep!"
"You only have TWO rooms left?", Aragorn asked his voice rising a pitch.
The owner of the "Spirit of the River" looked in his books and then back at the annoyed group of travellers. A slightly inebriated dwarf, a blond haired elf, an exotic looking, but beautiful young woman with strange golden eyes, an old man and finally the angry human, who had been debating with him about their accommodations for over twenty minutes now. What a strange picture they made!
"There is no way we will manage to fit into two rooms! Lady Selina will require one all to herself. This way we will be forced to squeeze into the other. Four men in one room - that's ridiculous!", Aragorn explained exasperatedly.
"Look there are three beds in one room, in the other two. Just do the math and you will see that it works out nicely! Any ways from what I heard this young woman over here is no *lady*, so I see no reason why I should give you another room. You will share or you can sleep elsewhere! Take it or leave it!" , the men answered, crossing his arms over his chest.
"Take that back!", Legolas said in an icy voice "Selina is an honorable warrior and deserves to be addressed with respect!"
"From the way you speak you must be her lover, Master Elf..", the owner of the tavern smirked and added "Then you might as well share a room with her!" He threw the key to the room to Legolas, who caught it with anger shining in his bright blue eyes
"Don't you be too rough on him, Missy!", the man winked at her.
Selina turned crimson red and was utterly speechless for the first time since her companions had known her. Aragorn took the other key, lying on the counter before him, and turned to leave, mumbling angrily under his breath. Good thing that nobody here knew he was the King of Gondor!
"See what your little show has gotten us into? Nothing but trouble!", Gimli slurred, walking over to Selina.
"Last time I checked you laughed your head off about it! Now shut up!", she shot back at him.
"Now, now, Selina! You ought to have known that for every laugh there is a price to pay.", Gandalf chuckled with merriment.
~
"Look, I don't see where the problem is! ", Selina rolled her eyes at the elf. "You didn't mind sleeping two meters from me, when we camped out in the wilderness just yesterday and this is supposed to be different now?", she indicated the two small beds, standing inside their room.
"I guess I never saw it from this perspective.", Legolas shrugged his shoulders.
"Look, I'm sorry! I didn't want to bring you in an embarrassing situation...", Selina excused.
"No, do not worry. I do not care!", the elf reassured her.
"Fine.", she answered and lay down on one of the beds. She was pleasantly surprised, because it was soft and smelled clean.
"Well, I'm going to bed now. Good night!", she announced.
"A good night to you, too!"
Selina quickly took of her boots and sprawled on the covers. After a few seconds she began to feel uncomfortable and turned restlessly from one side to the other. Minutes passed in silence while she started up at the ceiling, out of the small window and then back at the ceiling. She wished she was outside looking up at the starry sky, breathing the fresh cool air of the night.
"Legolas, are you asleep yet?", she asked softly.
"No.", came the answer from the other bed with a sigh "What ails you?"
"Do you really want to know or would you rather sleep?", Selina said and sat up in her bed.
"I want to know! Tell me what is it that aggrieves you?", he asked, his voice sounding sincere.
"The other day in the field.....I met my totem animal. It was a she-panther named Sulrahthi. I know, because I talked to her.", she paused, waiting for him to tell her that she was insane.
"What did she tell you?", he asked curiously.
"What did she tell me?", she repeated incredulously. "I was expecting something like 'Are you out of your mind, woman?'. That's why I didn't tell the others. "
Legolas laughed in amusement, "When I told you that elves have a special connection with nature I meant it. We know whether a forest is old, young, slowly withering away or about to regrow, because it *tells* us. So your being able to talk to your totem animal does not come as a surprise to me. So what did Sulrahthi tell you?"
"She told me that there is more to this matter than we are able to see right now, that we should be on guard. But I don't have even the slightest idea what she could have meant.", she answered her fore head in a concerned frown.
"Maybe you should consider telling the others..Perhaps Gandalf will be able to help you. ", he said.
"Yes, you are right I should probably tell them.", she turned her head and smiled at him warmly. "Thank you! You helped me so much today! How can I ever..."
"It was my pleasure!", Legolas interrupted her with a soft and gentle voice, "Do not mention it!"
Silence sat in again. Selina tried to get some sleep, tossing from side to side in her small bed, but to no avail.
After a few minutes she gave up and said dejectedly,"I'm sorry, but I don't think I can sleep in here! I will probably keep you up all night, tossing around. I'm just not used to being confined to a small room."
"Would you rather go for a walk?", the elf asked her.
"Yes, please...If you don't mind!", Selina answered.
"Not at all! This room is a little bit too stuffy for my taste, too.", he smiled at her.
She got on her boots, walked over to the small window and opened it. Selina took a deep breath of air and smiled contently. It smelled, earthy and cool. She was just about to climb out of the window, when Legolas grabbed her shoulder looking at her questioningly. "You are aware of the fact that we are on the first floor?", he asked incredulously.
"Look, I suppose this is the fastest and most silent way to sneak out without startling any sleeping guests.", she whispered to him with a smile on her face. Her mood had changed considerably, thanks to the prospect of getting out of this smelly dump.
Without any further words she swung her legs over the window sill and jumped down. She landed on the street without making any sound and motioned Legolas to follow her. The elf followed her example and landed gracefully next to her.
"You know that a human would have broken every bone in his body?", he asked her in a hushed voice.
"That would have been very unfortunate, but last time I checked you were an elf, my friend.", Selina said in response, grinning from cheek to cheek.
In the distance she could make out the noise of the river. She cocked her head and her eyes gleamed in the dark like two hot coals. "Up for a little race, Legolas?", she asked with excitement shining in her eyes.
"Where to?", the elf asked.
"The river shore! Are you ready?", at this they both started to run.
It was a head to head. Their feet were running swiftly over the ground without making any sound, barely leaving any imprints. "So this is your idea of a walk?", Legolas called out with a smirk on his face, while they were running.
"Too fast for you?", she answered, mischief sparkling in her eyes.
"Not at all!", he increased his speed and outran her. He even managed to put a few meters distance between them.
Selina let out a melodious laugh. The breeze softly played with her long, hair that swayed around her head like a halo. She was feeling completely at ease, running under the starry night sky.
They finally arrived at the river and Legolas, in the mean time, had even managed to increase the distance between them, beating her by lengths. He was waiting for her, leaning calmly against a crooked tree that stood near the river shore.
Selina jogged up to him and came to a stop in front of the elf. She looked at him with a appreciative glance. The moonlight was illuminating his fair features and a soft breeze played with his long golden hair. His pale skin seemed to glow with an ethereal light, that surrounded him and bestowed him with an aura of peacefulness and serenity.
"Back to starring?", he asked, playfulness swinging in his voice.
She grinned at him sweetly. Her response came out as a soft and seductive purr. "Beauty is there to be marvelled at, Legolas. It would be foolish to pass it by without paying attention."
Legolas's eyes widened in surprise and if it had been possible for elves to blush, he would have done so.
Selina let out a warm laugh, amused by his baffled expression. "I suppose she-elves aren't that blunt when it comes to paying compliments? How does your kind court then? It must take you years and years."
"It is true. We are very reserved in this matters. Before we agree to an relationship we take our time to get to know each other. This process can sometimes take decades.", the elf explained.
Selina raised her eyebrows in astonishment. "But what about passion? Haven't you ever been swept away by the heat of the moment? Have you never experienced a love that burns you with its fire?"
Legolas looked at her as if she had just grown a second head. "The Eldar take the matters of the heart very seriously! If we give our heart away, it is forever!"
"So? Have you given your's away already?", she asked curiously.
" You are quite the curious one! But just so you know.. No, I have not found the right person yet.", Legolas answered, smiling at her friendly.
"Then your heart is like pray free for the hunt.", Selina answered with a sly grin on her face.
The elf looked at her with a mixture of astonishment and embarrassment. He could not deny that he felt attracted to the young Selvadage'tok. She presented everything he appreciated in a woman. She was beautiful, intelligent, a skillful warrior, but at same time playful and wild. She loved nature and being outside nearly as much as he did.
But he didn't know what to make of her. Sometimes the reasons behind her actions were a mystery to him. He had never made the experience of being courted by a woman. Legolas felt uneasy and thought her approach to be a little too blunt for his taste. It would take him some time to figure out what those feelings were, that he had for her. He didn't want to rush into anything. His heart was not ready to engage into any relationship that was not meant to develop into something serious.
In the past many she-elf had tried to win his affection, but none of them had succeeded. He had had the feeling that they were only interested in him, because he was the successor to the throne of Mirkwood. To them his dreams, his hopes and expectations didn't matter. He was only a prize, to be won. Nothing less nothing more! His father had told him about how he got to know Legolas's mother, his eyes shining with love for her. That moment he had envied him very much! Thranduil had experienced what Legolas deemed to be a legend, a beautiful fairy tale. He had found true love!
He shook his head, chasing away the thoughts that were running through his head. "Maybe we should go back to our room to get some sleep!"
