Legolas turned to watch her go, his body aching again. What was it about
this girl, that she turned his body against him? He was acting like an Elf
on the verge of adulthood, all damp palms and unwanted reactions. He was
over 3000 years old, for heaven's sake, not some nervous 1000 or something.
He fished his leggings out of the dark water and cursing put them on. They
may have been free of parasites, but they were damn uncomfortable wet!
Luckily they put a damper on the visible signs of his need. He followed
Brianna back to camp after a suitable interval.
Brianna was mentally kicking herself as she made her way back to the fireside. Legolas wouldn't want to involve himself with some silly village girl who'd already been used. She was so stupid! But maybe he could introduce to other Elves, and soften the way for her. If it was true that Lord Elrond was her grandfather, they may be more accepting. Her mouth twisted bitterly, if he acknowledged her. Aragorn watching for her return, stood up in concern when he saw that she was limping.
"Brianna! You're hurt, how?" He asked as he walked over to her and gave her his arm for support.
"I trod on a sharp stick, and it staked my foot. I'll be fine, milord, truly." She smiled anxiously up at him. "I won't slow you down, I promise."
"What's with the 'milord' business, hey? You're not my subject. As far as I know the people of Bree and the hobbits don't have a lord."
"I'm sorry, I didn't mean to presume." She closed her eyes for an instant. Stupid, stupid!
"You're not presuming, just call me Aragorn. I was a Ranger for longer then I was a king, and I don't stand on ceremony. Here, sit down near the fire. Have some lemblas, and would you prefer rabbit or venison?" He asked solicitously.
"I don't know. I've never tried venison before, so I think I'll stick with rabbit." Something from what he said struck her. "What is a hobbit?" She questioned. Aragorn stared at her in amazement and then handed her part of one of the rabbits on a leaf platter.
"You truly don't know what a hobbit is? How very odd, I can see by your face that you don't. Well you know what a dwarf is?" He asked as he sat next to her and accepted some food from one of the Men. At her nod, he continued. "A hobbit is about the same size of a dwarf, with enormous feet that are covered in hair. They don't wear shoes; they claim they pinch their feet. They look like little Men, because they don't have the beards like dwarves. And they are the greediest race on Middle Earth. You would have to see it to believe it how much food they can eat. The last time I traveled with hobbits, they wanted to stop about 20 times a day just to eat! But still, they are good of heart and quite sensible. After all, it is a hobbit that carries the fate of Middle Earth in his hands." At this, Aragorn's face grew darker.
"My goodness! They sound fascinating, I would like to meet some."
"Two of them, Merry and Pippin are at the city. You can meet them when we return there." Aragorn continued to eat, waving at Legolas when he entered the fire lit glade. "Legolas find some food and sit down."
"I will in a minute. My leggings are soaked, and I need to change. They had blood on them so I had to wash them. Stop laughing!" Legolas glared, "It's not in the slightest bit funny! I'll make you carry your own bloody deer back next time. I still itch, and where's my shirt?" Aragorn pointed to Legolas' packs that were on the ground near the horses. Legolas glared at Brianna, who was giggling and at Aragorn who was smiling with amusement. Legolas stalked over to the indicated packs and rummaged in them, mumbling things. He found his spare leggings and shirt and left the clearing to get changed.
So irate and cute in his fury at being caught in a less then dignified position thought Brianna dreamily. He looks like a cat when it's caught doing something foolish, and turns around to wash itself furiously, pretending that whatever it was had never happened. Elves are a lot like cats, really. Maybe that's why I get on so well with them. I love cats, Elves are like cats, and therefore do I love Elves? I think I could, but they might decide that I wasn't good enough for them. Some Elves really don't like humans. I like Legolas, he's so handsome and he reminds me of William. But he's so far above me.
Brianna was mentally kicking herself as she made her way back to the fireside. Legolas wouldn't want to involve himself with some silly village girl who'd already been used. She was so stupid! But maybe he could introduce to other Elves, and soften the way for her. If it was true that Lord Elrond was her grandfather, they may be more accepting. Her mouth twisted bitterly, if he acknowledged her. Aragorn watching for her return, stood up in concern when he saw that she was limping.
"Brianna! You're hurt, how?" He asked as he walked over to her and gave her his arm for support.
"I trod on a sharp stick, and it staked my foot. I'll be fine, milord, truly." She smiled anxiously up at him. "I won't slow you down, I promise."
"What's with the 'milord' business, hey? You're not my subject. As far as I know the people of Bree and the hobbits don't have a lord."
"I'm sorry, I didn't mean to presume." She closed her eyes for an instant. Stupid, stupid!
"You're not presuming, just call me Aragorn. I was a Ranger for longer then I was a king, and I don't stand on ceremony. Here, sit down near the fire. Have some lemblas, and would you prefer rabbit or venison?" He asked solicitously.
"I don't know. I've never tried venison before, so I think I'll stick with rabbit." Something from what he said struck her. "What is a hobbit?" She questioned. Aragorn stared at her in amazement and then handed her part of one of the rabbits on a leaf platter.
"You truly don't know what a hobbit is? How very odd, I can see by your face that you don't. Well you know what a dwarf is?" He asked as he sat next to her and accepted some food from one of the Men. At her nod, he continued. "A hobbit is about the same size of a dwarf, with enormous feet that are covered in hair. They don't wear shoes; they claim they pinch their feet. They look like little Men, because they don't have the beards like dwarves. And they are the greediest race on Middle Earth. You would have to see it to believe it how much food they can eat. The last time I traveled with hobbits, they wanted to stop about 20 times a day just to eat! But still, they are good of heart and quite sensible. After all, it is a hobbit that carries the fate of Middle Earth in his hands." At this, Aragorn's face grew darker.
"My goodness! They sound fascinating, I would like to meet some."
"Two of them, Merry and Pippin are at the city. You can meet them when we return there." Aragorn continued to eat, waving at Legolas when he entered the fire lit glade. "Legolas find some food and sit down."
"I will in a minute. My leggings are soaked, and I need to change. They had blood on them so I had to wash them. Stop laughing!" Legolas glared, "It's not in the slightest bit funny! I'll make you carry your own bloody deer back next time. I still itch, and where's my shirt?" Aragorn pointed to Legolas' packs that were on the ground near the horses. Legolas glared at Brianna, who was giggling and at Aragorn who was smiling with amusement. Legolas stalked over to the indicated packs and rummaged in them, mumbling things. He found his spare leggings and shirt and left the clearing to get changed.
So irate and cute in his fury at being caught in a less then dignified position thought Brianna dreamily. He looks like a cat when it's caught doing something foolish, and turns around to wash itself furiously, pretending that whatever it was had never happened. Elves are a lot like cats, really. Maybe that's why I get on so well with them. I love cats, Elves are like cats, and therefore do I love Elves? I think I could, but they might decide that I wasn't good enough for them. Some Elves really don't like humans. I like Legolas, he's so handsome and he reminds me of William. But he's so far above me.
