Yep, characters=Tolkien

Chapter Four

Gimli sat down at the bed on the far opposite end from the elf.

-I'm sorry, Gimli said quietly and looked down, I didn't mean to push you. It's just that…I'm scared of the dark…

-Me too, Legolas confessed and smiled. But he wasn't really at all scared of the dark, he just said so to comfort the dwarf. They sat in silence for a while. Gimli fidget with a small knife and Legolas wondered how he was going to ask Gimli to leave without upsetting him too much. Legolas rubbed his shoulders. He certainly didn't want to offend the dwarf again thinking of his aggressive temper, but knew it would be the end of both their days if the Mirkwood king found them together.

-Gimli… Legolas started cautiously, I think maybe you should leave.

Gimli turned to the elf and Legolas sucked in some air and held his breath. But Gimli remained calm until he suddenly gasped. Legolas gripped the sheets of the bed, had he set him off again? He wrinkled his forehead in worry and slid farther down the bed.

-It's not that I don't want you here… Legolas swallowed the last bit of his sentence when he saw Gimli jumping out of the bed.

-I got it! Gimli yelled and grabbed Legolas shoulders. You have to come down and meet my cousins! Legolas raised his eyebrows and opened his mouth,

- Oh, come on! Gimli was dangerously excited and grabbed Legolas' arm and pulled it eagerly. His protests were rudely ignored and Legolas found himself stumbling after the dwarf through the door.

They ran down stairs and passed through several hallways. Legolas could sense by the air that they were moving underground. The harmonious songs of the elves faded out in the background and was soon overpowered by loud strange music and voices cheering in strange languages. Doors opened and many unfamiliar scents blew in his face. Legolas staggered backwards, stunned by this new environment, but Gimli grabbed his arm and guided him into the room where all of Gimli's relatives seemed to be having a party. Legolas was worried over how they would greet an elf, but the blissful party continued as if nothing had happened. There were loads of food on the tables, the chairs that were not occupied by snoring or eating little beings, laid tilted on the floor. Black shadows danced over the walls from dance and Legolas learned that this party was too wrapped up in moving with the music and with the food than to notice him. But he was not going to hang around to see if they eventually would and turned quickly to the door, but found it shut. He yanked and twisted the doorknob, but it was completely jammed.

The drums stopped playing and he could feel that he was finally being noticed. The ones that could walk crammed around the fair intruder.

~

Most of Elrond's guests had retired from the party, only the elves and some hobbits had gathered around the fireplace to sing songs and tell stories. Aragorn stood restlessly by the door, waiting for his chance to leave. Elrond cast him a short glance from time to time, to make sure that the boy wouldn't leave. But after some time Elrond was helpless against the sweet tunes fashioned by one of the many choirs of Rivendell. Aragorn could see that the elf Lord was totally swept away by the music and slid quietly towards the door, and once he was outside he ran as fast as he could to where the Mirkwood elves had been given rooms. Thranduil had joined the party some time ago, and he too seemed to be involved with the pleasant atmosphere in the dining hall. Aragorn didn't expect that any of them were thinking of leaving.

Just thinking of the Mirkwood king made his back chill, and the sound of Legolas painful moans circled through his head.

He found what he thought was Legolas room. The door was open, but Legolas was not there. Aragorn scratched his head. There was a possibility that the prince had run away and Aragorn didn't blame him if he had. Then he noticed his velvet cloak curled up at the floor and picked it up. Aragorn remembered vaguely Legolas wearing it the first time they had met earlier that day. And Legolas didn't appeared as someone that would leave his belongings on the floor. Especially with a father like Thranduil.

Aragorn glanced again around the room. The candles on the table were still burning and he could see that someone had been sitting on the bed. He wrapped the cloak around his shoulders and walked out in the dim hallway.

"Legolas…" He wisphered. He strained his hearing, but could only perceive the hollow shriek from an owl.

"Where are you?"

A light wind blew through an open window and a light breeze brushed across his cheek. It reminded Aragorn of Gimli. Aragorn reckoned he should go find him. Maybe he knew something about where Legolas was hiding. Walking down the vast, quiet halls, Aragorn noticed an object laying on the floor. He picked it up and was befuddled to recognize that it was Gimli's knife.