Chapter six. Man, I can't wait to do more fighting scenes. No, not with Lara and Legolas, I meant with Lara and Orcs. I just want to get this blasted Council over with and start on the journey. The plot will thicken as they enter Rivendell and stuff. Review for now, and enjoy.



Her head kept snapping back and forth while we guided our horses down the narrow path of the Woods. We couldn't go that fast since the Woods were too dangerous for our horses to gallop so loudly. I didn't mind though, but I couldn't find a way past the horses in front of me. So I gave in and sighed.

"Are you frightened?" I asked Keberiel.

My voice seemed to startle her as she snapped her head to me. "Of course not."

I shrugged my shoulders and pulled Araswen's ropes closer to my chest. It was awfully cold the further we went. I suppose it was because of the mountain we have to go over or since the sun was setting. Either way, I should of wore a coat.

A light feather brushed against my back and I turned my head to see Legolas placing his cloak around my shoulders. I simply watched him drape it around my entire back and tie it at my neck. Thanking him, I turned back to the path. Why would the imbecile do something like that for me? I mean, it was awfully nice but wasn't he cold?

Almost reading my question, he smiled. "I enjoy the cold. Don't worry."

Nodding, I turned my attention to a soft whisper somewhere around the trees. I stiffened. I strained to listen, but I could hear it well enough to know that it wasn't a whisper. It was a deep clicking of what sounded like a clock. Worried now, I turned to the others and was mortified to see them acting natural.

"Don't you hear that?"

They all turned their heads to me, Nuvun looking around nervously. "Should we?"

I sat still for a moment, contemplating if this was all in my head or for real. Then I turned to Legolas, who I've seen having good hearing and frowned. He shrugged.

"I don't hear anything, Lara."

I bit my lip. What the hell. The ticking became clearer now, almost right by me and I turned my head around furiously, trying to catch whatever was making that bloody ticking sound. I wanted it to stop. It was almost as though it was trying to catch my attention to somewhere I can't see, but when my eyes stopped where Keberiel was, I stiffened.

The ticking stopped. The Woods fell silent and everyone stared back at me. Why was it suddenly so quiet?

And I heard it. And the others must of heard it as well, because their weapons were drawn and ready to fire. I swiftly pulled out both my pistols and loaded them up, hoping off of Araswen. The growl was followed by a high pitched screech.

"Orcs!" Keberiel cried, her poor body getting swung off the horse.

"No!" I heard Caevudor cry, his arrows flying and hitting the Orc.

I felt my body get pushed forwards and I stumbled into a pile of leaves. Rolling over, I looked up as I became face to face with an ugly bugger. I gave him a small frown and laid my guns against the sides of his head, cocking it back and turning away as my bullets found there way to his brain. His blood splattered against my face as I threw his limp body off of me.

I kicked myself on my feet and turned my head to the side. I stared with mortification as about a dozen Orcs came piling out from a set of tall trees, all of them holding long shafts and swinging them at their targets. Two of them advanced on me and I grinned, putting my guns back in their holsters.

"Let's go." I shouted, holding up my fists and blocking a swing from the Orc on my right. I thrust my leg in the air and snapped it against its back. It stumbled down on the ground, crying out in pain. I pulled out my gun and aimed it at him.

Something in the corner of my eye stopped me and I cried out as the Orc on my left smacked the gun from my hand, swinging its shaft against my back. I knelt down and blinked away the blur from my eyes. Hearing its loud footsteps behind me, I tumbled sideways before it could finish me off.

After realising it didn't hit its target, it growled furiously and charged over to where I was. Bracing myself, I lifted my legs into the air, locking my legs tightly around its waist and bringing myself up with a twirl of my body. It hit the ground hard, my body hovering over his. I clenched my fists and pounded against his face, wanting this so badly since getting hurt a day or two back. But the hand that laid itself on my shoulder reminded me what to do, so I pulled out my gun.

"Aw." I cocked my head to the side and fired, its horrified expression stuck inside my head.

The grip around my shoulder tightened and I turned my head to see Legolas standing with his cloak in his hand. I eyed him and was relieved to see him perfectly fine, possibly even better than before.

Holding my breath, I turned around and searched out the others. I relaxed when Keberiel was leaning against Caevudor, Nuvun walking around and collecting stray arrows. I looked down at my hands. They were bleeding.

"What happened to you?" Legolas' soft voice didn't seem to calm my shaky hands.

"Why-- Why am I bleeding?" I turned to Legolas, my eyes large and confused. "I'm not cut."

His arms found themselves around me, guiding me towards the others. Why was I bleeding? Why wasn't he answering me? And why the hell do I suddenly smell so bad? When he got to his horse, his arms slipped off of me and I noticed the patch of blood on his sleeves.

He furrowed his brows and pried his eyes away from his arms. Then I remembered getting hit by that Orc, falling down and not being able to see. I suddenly felt the pain run down my back and I gritted my teeth, my breath short.

"You are wounded on your back." He announced.

Nuvun's head shot up from pulling an arrow out of a dead Orc's body and rushed over to me. "What? Lara, are you alright? What happened? Turn around."

"Nuvun, I'm fine." I hissed, chewing my lip. I looked around at the horses, and noticed something. "Where's Araswen?"

Keberiel's gaze fell from mine and Caevudor turned away. Legolas reach out and grasped my arm. "She ran away wounded. An Orc got to her badly, hurting her back side."

I cursed and punched the nearby tree, tearing its bark and the flesh of my knuckles. I didn't care though. I suddenly felt so tired and I didn't want to be bothered anymore. I leaned against my wounded hand and heard Nuvun gasp, coming up to my side.

"Your back looks horrible!"

"Where will she ride?" Keberiel asked as I pushed myself from the tree and called for Araswen.

No answer.

I whistled.

No answer. "She isn't coming back, my Lady."

I groaned, clenching my wounded hand and leaning it against my head.

"She'll ride with me." Legolas said, coming to my side once more and leading me to his horse.

"I have no other choice." I rubbed my temple and looked back. "The ticking warned me about the Orcs."

"Oh, nonsense." He mounted his horse gracefully, his hand reaching down for me to take.

I took it and swung myself up, going to sit behind him but he, being quicker than me, placed my body in front of his and shifted me in a more comfortable position. But, instead of leaning against him with my sore back, he ordered me to lay forwards and I obliged.

"I am going to wrap your back." He explained.

I hissed at him when he rolled up the back of my tank top. I grimaced, imagining what it looked like, and I stiffened when he started to wrap my back with some kind of cloth. I held up my chest so he could access the front of my torso better, and with a quick tie at the back, he rolled down my tank top and shifted me back between his legs.

"That should hold up until we reach Rivendell." He wrapped his arms under mine and grabbed onto the rope, guiding his horse to the front. "Nuvun, lead the back and make sure you keep an ear or two out for any other Orcs. Caevudor, ride besides Keberiel."

"Yes, my Lord." Caevudor replied.

I hesitated, but leaned back against Legolas' firm body, his thighs tightening around me so I wouldn't bounce around so much. He gave me a comforting squeeze before going into a heavy gallop through the Woods, where we were now free from cramped trees and shadows. My eyes drooped down before two small tears fell from the wind blowing into my face.

Slowly, I fell into a dreamless sleep.


The crackling of a fire woke me. I slowly opened my eyes, blinking away the sleep and adjusting it to the fire light that was only a foot away from where I lay. A thick cloak was wrapped around me from the pallet I lay on, and I turned to see Keberiel curled up besides Caevudor on the opposite side of the cave, and Nuvun fast asleep by a set of rocks.

Legolas surprised me when he appeared at my feet. I went to move but I couldn't feel anything. Well, mostly my back.

"You wouldn't wake up," He told me, his eyes steady and narrowed. "I-- We got worried. I carried you to a secure spot away from harm, and Keberiel removed your shirt for you since it was full of blood. Your hand is wrapped up as well."

I nodded slowly, my gaze returning to the two Elves wrapped up in each other's arm and I suddenly grew suspicious. They were speaking with one another, I could tell, but they wouldn't leave each other's gaze. I smiled. Maybe she was meant to accompany us to Rivendell after all. Sighing, I turned back to Legolas.

"Where are we?"

"We are under the mountain. We couldn't go over it since we had the horses, so we found a path through it. It'll take longer than we expected, but it'll be a much safer way."

"My back is killing me." I groaned, laying my head back against a rough cushion. "How long was I sleeping?"

He frowned and scooted closer to me. "A day, maybe. We, saw, well, er, heard Orcs in the distance and we panicked. Our horses are very tired from the gallop, and are glad to be resting. We no longer need to straddle them."

I turned to him suddenly, remembering how nice he had been for me. I smiled as I ran my eyes along his features. His hair was still perfectly straight and clean, falling back behind his completely pointed ears which I hesitated from reaching out and touching, and his posture was straight and motionless. I was suddenly jealous of his gracefulness.

"Thank you, Legolas." I returned my gaze to his bright, blue eyes. "I know I must of been a pain."

He smiled and winked. "Amin naa tualle, arwenanim."

I narrowed my eyes. "What the hell did you just say to me?"

He laughed and reached out to brush off my hair, which lay back against me freely. I wondered who was clever enough to take apart my french braid, but waved the thought off as his hand lingered against my cheek. We both grew silent, and, surprising myself, I leaned in against his palm as my eyes fluttered closed.

I felt his warm breath against my cheek and knew he was only inches away from my face.

"Lle naa belegohtar. Lle naa vanima." His voice made my eyes open.

"Really?" I breathed, not actually knowing what he said. He grinned and nodded, leaning in closer to me. "Maybe you should teach me your language, and I could answer you."

"That sounds about right." He then stared at my lips for a long moment. "Let us start with the basic."

I nodded.

"Amin, means I." He looked back up to my eyes. "It could also mean my, and mine."

"Amin back hurts." I whispered.

He gave me a look and laughed. "Arwenamin, means my lady." He raised his hand. "Vendui', arwenamin."

"I'm guessing that means hello?"

He laughed again, his head shaking. "Close enough to that meaning, indeed."

"Teach me more?" I asked, my head pulling away from the now uncomfortable closeness. I mean, you would be uncomfortable too if you had an extremely attractive Elf breathing on you. Not that I gave a damn. "I still want to answer you, you stupid Elf."

He gave me another look but shook his head and smirked. "I would very much like it if you answered me in Elvish." And with that we spent most of the night speaking to each other in Elvish. I found out that this, out of all the languages I know and learned, was the most intriguing and influential tongue ever. Now, if only I could stop feeling even more jealous about the Elves, I could actually grow on the Elf in front of me.



This chapter is weird. Well, I think it is. I don't know why, but I do. Any comments, you can dispose them over at the review section. Blockbuster ain't got nothing on me.