Chapter Eleven

Stormy clouds rolled in overhead, the dark grey shadowing the landscape. Kayla looked up from her perch on the cold rock before glancing down at Midori who sat at the small campfire beside Legolas, conversing quietly. She looked back over the bleak landscape, not saying anything. 'He can do as he likes Kayla; it's not like you have a claim on him.' She shook her head slightly, as a new voice whispered treacherously in her mind with a sibilant tone. 'Stake your claim; you know he was right. Listen to his advice; everything you desire will be yours.' She hunched her shoulders closer as she stared out at the lone stretch of grass stubbornly, willing the voice to leave her be. That voice inside was not her in the least bit, yet it had been causing her the greatest amount of annoyance over the past few days.

"Kayla, dinner is ready." She turned at the sound of Midori's voice, quelling the voice's viperous response. "Thank you."

Coming over, she seated herself beside the fire silently, staring into the flames. She took the bowl that was placed into her hands. She looked up though when the hands didn't retract back.

"Yes Legolas?" she asked in a weary sort of voice, looking up at him.

"You seem tired. Is all well?"

She felt the voice inside vanish away at his kind genuine words. "Just a bit tired, that's all. I'll make sure to get a decent amount of rest after I eat."

Legolas nodded as he sat back down with his own food. "I don't think you've slept since we left Mirkwood."

"That much is obvious Legolas." Midori said as she blew on her food to cool it down. "The bags under your eyes aren't hidden Kayla."

She didn't say anything, staring into her bowl, the vegetables swimming in a thick fragrant sauce of some sort. A frown flickered across her face as she saw something different for a minute; the vegetables were rotten, worms crawling through them, a thin watery looking substance at the bottom. She flung the bowl on the fire in disgust before it ended. All she saw now was the perfectly good stew lying in waste on the fire. She glanced up and saw the worried glances exchanged between Midori and Legolas.

"I...think...I'll get some sleep now." she muttered as she rose and ambled off towards a shadowy rock.

It wasn't long before she heard their voices flying thick and fast, the Elven words creating a soft lilting sort of lullaby. She wrapped herself up in her cloak, trying to block it out. It was like with the flower; she suddenly saw the same field, just outside Dieppé, only blasted away with mortar and shells, the flowers that once grew thick naught but a forgotten memory.

'And you'll let them be?'

"Shut up." she growled, turning over sharply; that voice was annoying with its insinuations.

With a heavy sigh she pulled her cloak closer; she couldn't sleep, she hadn't slept in the past week that it had taken to reach Weathertop. Annatar would be there with his words and mirrors and lies; all the things she didn't like. Surely he would know that some things were beyond one's control.

"Or maybe he doesn't; if that's the case, what a fool." she mumbled in conversation to the rock; it was going to be a long night.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

"Midori would you please stop doing that?" Kayla asked in slightly irritated voice. "Or is this revenge for when I sang the beer song?"

"All right; and no it's not." Midori stopped humming the tune. "Did you sleep at all for the past few days?"

"I grabbed some sleep here and there in snatches." she shrugged. "Besides, the long part of the journey is over. Aren't you glad that we've arrived finally?" she was also glad that the voice had suddenly taken a leave of absence.

"Hai, I am." Midori didn't say anything for a few minutes. "I am glad that you like your axe."

"Hrm?" she smiled suddenly, her hand gripped the handle tighter with pride. Midori's words seemed tinged with shyness. "Something I know how to use well; not like that straw you call a sword. No offense."

"None taken."

Kayla watched as Midori gave her a mellow smile, her hand tracing out idle patterns on the sword's hilt. 'She must have improved her mood over the past two months.' She started twirling her axe around, watching the sun glint off its curves, the two opposing heads flashing like a strobe light.

"Are you ready for this test? Do you think you even need it?"

"Perhaps." Kayla said in a somewhat secretive voice. "I think that they want to assure themselves and see what level we're at." her body shook with the tremors of snickers. "Why do you ask?"

"I don't know. Are you sure you are all right Kayla?" Midori moved closer to her. "Legolas told me that you seemed to have trouble resting at night when you were in Mirkwood for the last few days."

"Well, what does he know?" she said in a low mutter. "No, I didn't mean that. What I meant was that he couldn't possibly know all that has been going on in my mind lately and it has been rather draining on me. After this I'll make sure to get a good night's rest. Forgive me if I am slightly cranky."

Midori gave her a critical look. "Elladan told me that's what you said last night when we arrived here."

"Yes, well...Elladan can suck a lemon for all I care at this point."

A small quirky mile came to Midori's lips at her words. "Everybody seems to be talking of you and you rather it not be that way?"

"Yes. So I have not rested in a while. If I was on the verge of crashing down from my horse, then I would and could understand. But I am not. You think he and his brother could have told us they were Rangers also."

"But that would have ruined their surprise." Midori giggled slightly. "And we couldn't have that."

"Oh Heaven forbid." Kayla rolled her eyes. "Don't ruin the surprise. Hey, can I ask you something?"

"Hai?"

"Firstly does 'hai' means yes and secondly...actually never mind the second one."

"Ne...hai does mean yes and what was your second query? Oh and ne at the beginning of a sentence means 'well'."

"Query?" Kayla looked at her before she shook her head. "You and Legolas...you were talking an awful lot on the way to Weathertop."

Midori shrugged nonchalantly. "He is very interesting; although he has something of an insatiable curiosity about the sea now and Vikings." she gave Kayla a sideways glance that said 'Your influence undoubtedly.'

"Ah well..." she said clearing her throat. "Is that...all you two talked of?"

"We discussed many things actually. Was there something you wanted to know?"

"No, not really." she finished lamely.

"Don't worry." Midori said giving her a nudge with her shoulder gently. "He spoke to me on a certain matter and we shall be resolving it soon. Don't be surprised if I am away at Mirkwood more often than not."

"Can I help? Surely you could use an extra pair of hands."

Midori shook her head. "Gomen nasai Kayla. Legolas expressly asked for my assistance and mine alone."

"That's all right then." she said, quelling the rising of the voice inside; just when she thought she had received freedom from the bane of its insidious whisperings over the past few days. "But let me know if there's anything you would need and such."

"Your trust would be much appreciated. If you get the urge to come sneaking after me, don't. I just may not end up happy with you."

Kayla smiled back somewhat weakly as Midori gave an eye crinkling grin. "Can't have that can we?"

"There you two are. Done hiding out?"

Looking up, she found herself looking up into Elrohir's face. "Is it time already?"

He nodded his head. "I would suggest you stay as far away from Elladan as much as possible. He...isn't in one of his better moods today."

"And watch, I shall have to fight him again." she said rising as she dusted her pants. "Come Kayla; we have 'business' to attend to."

Kayla rose, her hand tight around her axe as she followed after Midori and Elrohir. Perhaps this was what she needed at the moment.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Predawn stars twinkled down from the gaps in the trees. Kayla glanced over as she saw Midori's silhouette beside her through the leafy screening undergrowth. The scent of water was delicate upon the unheated air, cool and sharp.

"This way." Midori whispered before she slid through the trees silently, like a wraith.

Kayla followed trying to not grumble too much. 'But I suppose that this will come with the territory much more often.' Their task had been to hunt down breakfast while the other slept; they had to know how to find food in the wilds as well.

"You're kidding right?" Kayla said as the broke through the cover. "We're having fish for breakfast?"

"Fish is very good to eat first thing in the morning. Omega three fatty acids; it does wonders for the brain." Midori said as she took off her boots and sword. "Now the fun part will be finding them."

"You want to take the hard way?" Kayla rolled her eyes as she seated herself on a somewhat large rock. "Watch and help me all right."

She got to work quickly, making a sort of box with sticks that she had Midori fetch for her. The stout boughs were bound together by lengths of vines that grew close to the shore. After half an hour, the sky now a light pink blue, the entire thing was completed.

"Just what is that may I ask?" Midori looked at the contraption with curiosity, starting to poke at the small lattice holes and tug experimentally on the vines holding it together.

"It's a fish trap." Kayla replied, smacking Midori's hand away. "And we are going to leave it in the lake for a bit while we go and try to find some thing else to eat with the fish."

"True; one wants something more filling in the morning after they have woken up." Midori paused rethinking her words. "Ne, men usually want something filling to eat once they have woken up. And so far, I have seen very few women Rangers."

"I can agree with you there." Kayla said with a laugh as she stood up. "Come on, we'll go gathering and come back to get the trap before head back."

Midori nodded as she buckled her sword belt back on, followed by her boots. "I saw some edible plants back there. I think they may be potatoes."

"Potatoes and fish it is." Kayla started back towards the trees. "Midori, how did you learn Elvish?"

"I read about it. All the information I read was in English, which is called Westron here. Analyzing the language was fairly easy and conjugation was rather straight forward. But don't ask me to read Elvish script yet."

"Rivendell I suppose. Is the script hard?"

"It looks like a bunch of very pretty squiggles to me. A bunch of pretty squiggles that have dots and accents and it can give one a migraine."

"I think I'll take your word for it." Kayla said catching Midori's slight wince. "Are those the things you were talking about?" she pointed to the low patch of leafy tops.

"Hai. Let's hurry up. I'm sure they are starting to feel somewhat hungry; if they are even up yet."

"I say we clean the fish at the lake. Save us the trouble later of having to clean up the campsite." Kayla grunted as she pulled up a very large and very stubborn tuber.

"I'll gut and scale. I may not have known what a fish trap was but I have done that before."

Kayla looked up at Midori and smiled. "Then who's gonna cook?"

"Why, you of course." Midori replied back easily.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

With a grumble, Kayla poked at the fish sitting in the frying pan. It certainly looked very good with all the plants that she had found; at least she hoped. A loud pop from the pan caught her attention once more. She flipped the fish before she looked over at Midori who was cutting up some greens, the other fire beside her cooking the tubers.

"Midori, just what do you have in that backpack of your anyways?" she asked suddenly. "You lug it around with you everywhere and I've yet to see anything in it."

Midori looked up at her. "Not much really, just some trinkets I made and some favourite books...ah...a sweater, cooking utensils, a-"

"You have cooking utensils?!" Kayla bristled at that. "And I had to use this?!" she held up the rather worn blade she had been using the flip the fish.

"It...It never occurred to me. Hang on." Midori got up and retrieved her backpack. "Spatula sound good?"

"Yes!" she took the offered implement happily. "No longer shall this daunt me." she flipped the fish expertly, smiling at the satisfying smack it made when it landed. "Would you happen to have any spices I know of in there?"

"Yes, I was getting to that." Midori took out a package of red powder and tossed it to her. "That's paprika. Takeshi was supposed to teach me how to cook properly."

"You can't cook?" Kayla paused from sprinkling in the powder in liberally and looked at the bag before looking at her sister once more. "All these years and-"

"No. I know that is very sad. I tried; trust me. My cooking could kill a Orc, from what Strider told me they eat. My culinary skill does not go beyond ordering a pizza."

"Now that's somewhat comforting. All right then, leave all the cooking to me." Kayla said as she rapidly closed the bag and tossed it back. "I'd better see if this is paprika then ..."

She gave at Midori who had a worried look before she sniffed her fingers; it didn't smell like paprika. It smelled strangely peppery. Puzzled she promptly licked her fingers.

"Ah!!" she jumped up quickly, her lungs working at full capacity. "Water!! Water!! Water!!"

She tore through the campsite, searching for skins and waking the others, Midori following in her path and trying to take care of the damage. She finally found a water skin in a pack; she ripped the top off and drank down the entire contents in a breath. Her tongue still burned, leaving her to riff through the rest of the packs for a source of relief. Finally, after six water skins, she sat down with a heavy sigh, her tongue hanging from her mouth; it still felt tingly.

"Er...may I ask what that was all about?"

She looked up to see the entire company of Rangers standing there with somewhat amused expression; Strider however didn't look so. She looked past them to find half the campsite in shambles, Midori doing her best to clean up and put the packs back together, a row of water skins hanging from her arm.

"Mah tong." she said as best she could; her tongue was starting to swell up. "Mah tong wach burfed."

General chuckles went around at this before Strider's face cracked with the faintest of a smile.

"And what did you burn your tongue on?"

She shook her head. "Wift; I burfted mah tong wift tha pepfer."

Strider shook his head with disbelief. "Pepper?"

"I haf an awerhic weacion to pepfer."

"A what?" Aragorn looked half torn between laughter and solemnity.

"You do?" Midori rushed up to her. "Oh dear, I should have asked first. This is-"

"Mah fwalt." Kayla said quickly. "I waf coiking tha fwish-"

"Breakfast is done?" came a hopeful voice from the back.

"Elladan let her finish." Midori said. "And don't touch the fish" she added. "But you can eat the stuff on the other fire."

Some of the Rangers shuffled off at that, the thought of food overriding this current predicament. Kayla looked back up at Strider embarrassedly.

"I ah sorrwie for wakaing you uwp." she glanced up at him before managing to pull her tongue back in and shut her mouth.

"That is all right Lady Kayla. We are not supposed to sleep this late anyhow." he said. "Perhaps I shall leave to look after the water skins and Lady Midori to dispose of the fish? It may be best for you to refrain from talking for a bit. It doesn't appear to be much more than a mild burn."

"That's an excellent idea Strider." Midori said as she rose depositing the skins in Kayla's lap. "You'll be all right Kayla?"

She nodded waving her away. "Go anf swop Ewadan anf Elwohi fwom eting tha fwish. Ah can swe twem ba tha pwan."

"Maybe it would be better than that lemon in Elladan's case...."

Kayla smiled but pushed Midori away; one Elf running around looking for water was bad enough; they didn't need another victim. With a sigh, she took the skins that Midori had left beside her and started back towards the lake. She looked back, hearing some new ruckus, to see the somewhat comical scene that had unfolded. Midori was running away from Elladan and Elrohir who simply wanted to see what was in the pan and have a tiny taste much to the amusement of the few Rangers that had seated themselves and were eating their breakfast of potatoes.

'Now there has to be a source for the lake. Just hope it's not underground.' she thought as she moved across the shoreline easily.

She spied her objective a few feet ahead, almost hidden behind a clump of tall bushes. Making her way over the slippery wet rocks, she climbed a bit up before finding a secure position. Taking up a skin, she held in under the rushing water until no more air bubbles came burbling out.

'Now I can't talk for awhile. Great; last time that happened I almost married that jackass. Ugh.' She shuddered involuntarily as she recalled John's rotten teeth and not so pleasant body odour. 'Thank God Richard came back when he did; at least he treated me with decency.' She paused looking around as she filled the next skin. The faint colourings of dawn were starting to wear off, the sun rising high into the sky as she filled the skins, one by one.

When she started on the sixth water skin and looked up, she rose slowly looking around her. The area seemed different somehow; as if the sun couldn't quite penetrate whatever cloak of darkness lay wrapped around. She bent back down and filled the skin quickly, slinging them on her shoulder and skipping over the rocks easily.

"Morier [1]. Poikaen [2]."

The bare tortured whisper made her whip around, her dagger out and ready to strike. All she saw was an imperceptible retreating of the shadow as if something was calling it back. Dropping her dagger slightly, she walked back to where she was, looking around curiously. The dark had stopped its retreat and was only a few feet away.

"Whofm ah hu?" she demanded as best she could around her tongue.

The dark seemed to part somehow revealing a pit of black darker than what surrounded it. It glided forward like, wraithlike, until it stood half a foot away, the darkness coming over like a protective shield. 'It can't stay in the sun.' She realized as she reached out her hand slowly in an offer of greeting.

The sibilant voice didn't take her hand; it only spoke once more, leaving her puzzled but oddly shocked. "Amin nae Forobas [3]. Sii' amin naa dae [4]; Amin nauva tualle [5]."

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

[1] Morier - Dark one
[2] Poikaen - Pure one
[3] Amin nae Forobas - I was Forobas.
[4] Sii' amin naa dae - Now, I am shadow.
[5] Amin nauva tualle - I will be your servant