Of Fairy Tales and Arrows
Chapter 5
"We HAVE to go and get her! We have to!" Namarice insisted to Ildaris.
"No." he said point blankly.
"Look at the human Ildaris. All of us have sat out here for hours. We can't wait her out anymore. Unlike us that human can get sick. Very sick."
Ildaris jaw set. "Then let her. It'll be due to her own idiocy anyway."
"It will be on our heads if she does. It is for one of OUR children that she faces it."
Ildaris opened his mouth to speak when Legolas' footsteps were heard approaching. He came up to them with a grim face, then looked out at the human and the elf-child.
"What is going on here?" he demanded immediately.
Both opened their mouths to speak at once. Namarice was the quickest. "He refused to let me go and claim my child as she is being guarded by that human..." she pointed to the girl who sat next to his niece curled up about herself shivering as the elf-girl kept throwing her worried glances and shooting pointed looks in their direction.
"It is..." Ildaris began.
"Ildaris... at times you really are nothing but a pompous wind bag." Legolas said irritably then leaving the other two gaping after him, began to walk out of their cover barking, "Come!", over his shoulder.
The two stragglers cast glimpses at one another and followed.
~~**~~
Heidi looked up at the sound of approaching footsteps. Immediately in her view appeared the man she'd been following earlier. Her chill forgotten she stood as he approached. Trailing behind was a woman and another man. The man looked almost hostile the woman with wary relief.
"Mama!" the child squealed in delight. It seemed to have broken through the woman's cautious barriers and she came charging to her daughter's waiting arms. Scooping the child up she held back relieved tears and turned to only a sound a thanks but only a gracious glow on her face passed.
Heidi smiled back at her wearily and nodded.
"Return her and tend the wound." commanded the man before her to the woman, then her turned his head to the side. " You too, Ildaris."
Heidi watched the man behind her get a defiant look in his eyes, then he just began walking he threw a brief nod toward Heidi and went on without looking back.
Finally, the one that appeared to be the leader among them peered back at her.
Silently they scrutinized the other, but Heidi couldn't help thinking she knew him from somewhere. Which she knew had to be ridiculous. But then the idea of elves existing was ridiculous only a few hours ago as well.
"I want to thank you for all you have done for my niece and sister. I will see to it that your coat is returned to you by morning."
"It's okay. I'll be fine."
He seemed slightly amused by that.
"You won't say that when your nose swells up."
She smirked at that. "She needs the warmth of it more than I do."
He nodded as if resigning himself not to argue with her. He stared at her for a long second, as if a hidden pain or memory was there.
"I must return." Then with a curt nod he turned and began to leave her. "Namarie."
But something at the tip of her mind kept prodding her and she had to know the answer. With a sudden nervous flutter she called out, "Have we met before? You know, before this night."
When he stopped and turned around the expression on his face stunned her.
TBC...
Chapter 5
"We HAVE to go and get her! We have to!" Namarice insisted to Ildaris.
"No." he said point blankly.
"Look at the human Ildaris. All of us have sat out here for hours. We can't wait her out anymore. Unlike us that human can get sick. Very sick."
Ildaris jaw set. "Then let her. It'll be due to her own idiocy anyway."
"It will be on our heads if she does. It is for one of OUR children that she faces it."
Ildaris opened his mouth to speak when Legolas' footsteps were heard approaching. He came up to them with a grim face, then looked out at the human and the elf-child.
"What is going on here?" he demanded immediately.
Both opened their mouths to speak at once. Namarice was the quickest. "He refused to let me go and claim my child as she is being guarded by that human..." she pointed to the girl who sat next to his niece curled up about herself shivering as the elf-girl kept throwing her worried glances and shooting pointed looks in their direction.
"It is..." Ildaris began.
"Ildaris... at times you really are nothing but a pompous wind bag." Legolas said irritably then leaving the other two gaping after him, began to walk out of their cover barking, "Come!", over his shoulder.
The two stragglers cast glimpses at one another and followed.
~~**~~
Heidi looked up at the sound of approaching footsteps. Immediately in her view appeared the man she'd been following earlier. Her chill forgotten she stood as he approached. Trailing behind was a woman and another man. The man looked almost hostile the woman with wary relief.
"Mama!" the child squealed in delight. It seemed to have broken through the woman's cautious barriers and she came charging to her daughter's waiting arms. Scooping the child up she held back relieved tears and turned to only a sound a thanks but only a gracious glow on her face passed.
Heidi smiled back at her wearily and nodded.
"Return her and tend the wound." commanded the man before her to the woman, then her turned his head to the side. " You too, Ildaris."
Heidi watched the man behind her get a defiant look in his eyes, then he just began walking he threw a brief nod toward Heidi and went on without looking back.
Finally, the one that appeared to be the leader among them peered back at her.
Silently they scrutinized the other, but Heidi couldn't help thinking she knew him from somewhere. Which she knew had to be ridiculous. But then the idea of elves existing was ridiculous only a few hours ago as well.
"I want to thank you for all you have done for my niece and sister. I will see to it that your coat is returned to you by morning."
"It's okay. I'll be fine."
He seemed slightly amused by that.
"You won't say that when your nose swells up."
She smirked at that. "She needs the warmth of it more than I do."
He nodded as if resigning himself not to argue with her. He stared at her for a long second, as if a hidden pain or memory was there.
"I must return." Then with a curt nod he turned and began to leave her. "Namarie."
But something at the tip of her mind kept prodding her and she had to know the answer. With a sudden nervous flutter she called out, "Have we met before? You know, before this night."
When he stopped and turned around the expression on his face stunned her.
TBC...