"We'll see you soon," Elladan assured her hastily, looking down at her,
staring straight into her eyes. He and his brother were mounted astride
their horses, standing in the front gates of Rivendell. The members of the
expedition had been named, and accepted, and prepared, and were now saying
their goodbyes.
Krystal stood between Elrond and Gandalf, surrounded by several other elves and humans, a smile in her eyes, though a worried frowned pasted on her lips.
"Quicker then you can say Middle-Earth," Elrohir agreed with a forced smile. He and Aragorn hadn't been too shocked when Krystal had finally accepted the fact that her role in the affair was to stay home, but Legolas and Elladan were completely flabbergasted. He flashed her an affectionate grin. "Be good."
She smiled crookedly. "Back atcha."
Having already said their goodbyes to their father and the old wizard, Elladan and Elrohir simply nodded at them. Glorfindel and the humans waited impatiently just outside of the gates, and with a sigh, Elladan nudged his horse. "Naamarie, Krystal." He called softly over his shoulder. "May your laughter guide us home quickly."
Krystal had no idea what 'Naamarie' meant or the proper response to any elven farewell or greeting, so she did the only thing she could do and echoed him, her accent badly mutilating the word. "Naamarie!" She called her voice loud. "And eh.. may you not get lost!"
Elladan chuckled to himself and Elrond shot her an amused glance, but Gandalf merely smiled, before turning to Legolas and Aragorn, who had been several paces behind the twins, saying their farewells to their friends.
Legolas's eyes locked on Krystal's and Krystal stared determinedly back. But as crystal blue and cerulean clashed, suspicion rose and Legolas felt a twinge of worry and the need to say something grew. "Krystal, I cannot say enough how proud we are of you," he said carefully, his eyes blazing into hers, watching her reaction.
She raised a sculpted brow. "What are you talking about?"
"I truly thought you would throw an immature fit about doing your part to aid the mission and staying home. But I am pleased to see I am mistaken."
Something flickered deep in Krystal's eyes, but Legolas could not recognize it. Guilt, maybe?
But he did not get a chance to interrupt it, because he was thwarted by a dazzling smile sent in his direction.
"Ah, Legolas." Krystal said dramatically. "Always so worried. Don't you trust me by now? I'll do whatever I need to to help the mission."
Legolas allowed himself a tiny smirk. "Trust you? Well, I don't know about that. I have, however, finally deduced that you are *not*, as formally believed, a thief."
Krystal laughed. "Well, that's a relief."
Several of the men's horses pranced impatiently, and Legolas glanced up as one of them began to mutter disgruntedly. "I believe that's your cue." Krystal said sadly, glancing over at the fidgety group.
Legolas nodded slightly, before leaning down off of his horse. His hands were wrapped tightly around the reins, but his torso leant closer, as if to tell Krystal a secret. Holding his breath, he slowly brought his lips to her forehead. Placing the lightest kiss on her skin, he leant down further and his eyes met hers. Both were dancing with mirth, but there was something deeper, something more painful, something neither of them dare think about. There was truly the chance that Legolas would not come back - or that any of them would.
"Good luck," She whispered achingly. "To all of you."
Legolas nodded slightly, reaching out and gently tugging a piece of her hair. "And to you."
He turned and straightened up, heeling his horse into a brisk trot without so much as a backwards glance, joining Elladan and Elrohir at the front of the party.
Aragorn had just finished his goodbyes to his father when Krystal turned to him.
"Be careful, you great big oaf," she muttered affectionately as he wrapped his long arms around her in a hug, being the only member of the party not yet mounted. He chuckled and held her tightly for a moment, before lowering his head in a mock bow.
"As you wish."
She chuckled and with a lopsided grin, the lanky young human swung onto his horse, heading towards the group. Falling into a single file, Glorfindel at the lead, the journey began.
Amidst a cry of cheers and farewells, the group of eight headed into the forest.
Krystal kept her eyes glued to the spot where they had disappeared for a long time. Everyone else soon drifted back to their respective jobs, but she continued to stand there, lost in thought.
Gandalf soon materialized at her side. "Are you ready, child?"
Her eyes didn't move from the spot as she nodded slightly. Her eyes dimmed a bit as the sun moved higher in the sky and the day grew later. Gandalf waited.
Finally, she turned, and nodded more firmly. "I'm ready," she told him determinedly, then added with a grin, "Let's get this show on the road.'
*******************
Hey, hey, everyone! I know, I know, sucky chapter. But I am in a hurry as I am going out with my friends and I wanted to get this written before I forgot and it really isn't *that* important of a chapter anyway, so you'll live, lol.
Thank you *so* much for all of your reviews! I really appreciate it! I don't have time to mention any names in particular, but I promise I will in the next chapter! Thanks again!
Krystal stood between Elrond and Gandalf, surrounded by several other elves and humans, a smile in her eyes, though a worried frowned pasted on her lips.
"Quicker then you can say Middle-Earth," Elrohir agreed with a forced smile. He and Aragorn hadn't been too shocked when Krystal had finally accepted the fact that her role in the affair was to stay home, but Legolas and Elladan were completely flabbergasted. He flashed her an affectionate grin. "Be good."
She smiled crookedly. "Back atcha."
Having already said their goodbyes to their father and the old wizard, Elladan and Elrohir simply nodded at them. Glorfindel and the humans waited impatiently just outside of the gates, and with a sigh, Elladan nudged his horse. "Naamarie, Krystal." He called softly over his shoulder. "May your laughter guide us home quickly."
Krystal had no idea what 'Naamarie' meant or the proper response to any elven farewell or greeting, so she did the only thing she could do and echoed him, her accent badly mutilating the word. "Naamarie!" She called her voice loud. "And eh.. may you not get lost!"
Elladan chuckled to himself and Elrond shot her an amused glance, but Gandalf merely smiled, before turning to Legolas and Aragorn, who had been several paces behind the twins, saying their farewells to their friends.
Legolas's eyes locked on Krystal's and Krystal stared determinedly back. But as crystal blue and cerulean clashed, suspicion rose and Legolas felt a twinge of worry and the need to say something grew. "Krystal, I cannot say enough how proud we are of you," he said carefully, his eyes blazing into hers, watching her reaction.
She raised a sculpted brow. "What are you talking about?"
"I truly thought you would throw an immature fit about doing your part to aid the mission and staying home. But I am pleased to see I am mistaken."
Something flickered deep in Krystal's eyes, but Legolas could not recognize it. Guilt, maybe?
But he did not get a chance to interrupt it, because he was thwarted by a dazzling smile sent in his direction.
"Ah, Legolas." Krystal said dramatically. "Always so worried. Don't you trust me by now? I'll do whatever I need to to help the mission."
Legolas allowed himself a tiny smirk. "Trust you? Well, I don't know about that. I have, however, finally deduced that you are *not*, as formally believed, a thief."
Krystal laughed. "Well, that's a relief."
Several of the men's horses pranced impatiently, and Legolas glanced up as one of them began to mutter disgruntedly. "I believe that's your cue." Krystal said sadly, glancing over at the fidgety group.
Legolas nodded slightly, before leaning down off of his horse. His hands were wrapped tightly around the reins, but his torso leant closer, as if to tell Krystal a secret. Holding his breath, he slowly brought his lips to her forehead. Placing the lightest kiss on her skin, he leant down further and his eyes met hers. Both were dancing with mirth, but there was something deeper, something more painful, something neither of them dare think about. There was truly the chance that Legolas would not come back - or that any of them would.
"Good luck," She whispered achingly. "To all of you."
Legolas nodded slightly, reaching out and gently tugging a piece of her hair. "And to you."
He turned and straightened up, heeling his horse into a brisk trot without so much as a backwards glance, joining Elladan and Elrohir at the front of the party.
Aragorn had just finished his goodbyes to his father when Krystal turned to him.
"Be careful, you great big oaf," she muttered affectionately as he wrapped his long arms around her in a hug, being the only member of the party not yet mounted. He chuckled and held her tightly for a moment, before lowering his head in a mock bow.
"As you wish."
She chuckled and with a lopsided grin, the lanky young human swung onto his horse, heading towards the group. Falling into a single file, Glorfindel at the lead, the journey began.
Amidst a cry of cheers and farewells, the group of eight headed into the forest.
Krystal kept her eyes glued to the spot where they had disappeared for a long time. Everyone else soon drifted back to their respective jobs, but she continued to stand there, lost in thought.
Gandalf soon materialized at her side. "Are you ready, child?"
Her eyes didn't move from the spot as she nodded slightly. Her eyes dimmed a bit as the sun moved higher in the sky and the day grew later. Gandalf waited.
Finally, she turned, and nodded more firmly. "I'm ready," she told him determinedly, then added with a grin, "Let's get this show on the road.'
*******************
Hey, hey, everyone! I know, I know, sucky chapter. But I am in a hurry as I am going out with my friends and I wanted to get this written before I forgot and it really isn't *that* important of a chapter anyway, so you'll live, lol.
Thank you *so* much for all of your reviews! I really appreciate it! I don't have time to mention any names in particular, but I promise I will in the next chapter! Thanks again!