I live!
I was going to post this last night, but I ran out of time.
Okay..first, I'd like to start off with a profound apology about the fact that it's taken me nearly two months to get this new chapter written and posted. It was a combination of things (not least of which being that my hard drive self-destructed), but most recently it seemed like every time I was really ready to start writing it, something would prevent me from doing so. Misplaced my book, waited too long and lost the motivation, any number of things. Hopefully I won't be taking this long for the next chapter, what with school started and all (I write during class, heheh).
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Chapter Five: Ice-Reaper, Sun-Seeker
The Elf pulled his cloak tighter, in a futile effort to keep out the biting wind that had assailed them for days on their journey southwards. It was more reflex than actual need that prompted him to pull it tighter, and the memory of warmer (not to mention far less windy) places. They came this more difficult way in hopes of avoiding Sauron's spies, but the archer thought it unlikely that they would. In fact, to do so was impossible; for, after all, how could they avoid spies when there was one already in their midst, unnoticed and thought to be a friend?
Indeed, he walked behind the rest of the party as rearguard. Five days ago, when he'd been tossing edibles about the kitchen at Elrohir, he would not have imagined himself here. It had been with surprise that he had learned he was to be the Elven member of the Fellowship. Surprise, and more than a little pleasure. Such a position would allow him to keep close to the Ring and the one who carried it. He did not dare to try to take it for himself, no. It would be far too risky to do so, and already there were signs that he would never have a need to do so. The Man of Gondor, Boromir, began to show a weakness for it. The others had not yet noticed it, but the traitor had seen it in his eyes, just beginning to manifest itself. It would be some time yet, though this did not worry him. He had time, yes, he had a great deal of time. It was the fools with whom he traveled that were running out of time. They had been long before they even set out, since before any of them had been troubled by the matters of the Ring.
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After another day of traveling across the dreary plain, it was with great relief that Legolas at last lay down for the night. And it was with great chagrin that he heard (and felt) a particularly nasty 'squelch' when he did so. He sprang back up with an exclamation of disgust (something unintelligible, and probably not repeatable), at the expense of his Elven composure and dignity. This was met with great whoops of laughter from eight different directions, but the sound was greatest from the direction of a certain Man by the name of Aragorn son of Arathorn. Bending down swiftly, he scooped up the remainder of the mud (he didn't even want to think about what might be in said mud), and lopped it in the Ranger's direction. He hit his target precisely where he'd meant to (he was an archer, after all), and the smug look on Estel's face disappeared beneath a coating of mud. His revenge somewhat complete, he set to wiping the mud from his, err, hind end, to renewed choruses of laughter. Gandalf in particular seemed to find the situation particularly amusing, though Legolas couldn't quite figure out why.
Giving Aragorn one last wicked smile, he lay back down on his bedroll, now relatively free of things that go 'squish' in the night.
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Many days later the Nine Walkers now longed for the plain they had been so glad to leave behind them. And very soon now, they would be returning to it, in order that they might take another route, for the Redhorn refused to let them continue on their current path. The only one who was relatively undisturbed by the raging snows, Legolas often let his mind wander.
Before coming to Caradhras they had passed through Eregion, called Hollin by the race of Men, where only the stones of the earth now remembered the Elves that had once dwelt there. The crebain had flown over them, then, and until this past night they had had no fire. But need now dictated that they turn back, and so they would.
However, even that task would prove difficult. He had suggested that Gandalf melt a path through the snow for the others, to which Gandalf had replied that it would be rather useful if Elves could fly over the mountains and retrieve for them the Sun. Instead he now watched as Boromir, Aragorn following behind, tried to clear a path for the rest through the snow. Watching their slow progress (they seemed to be swimming, rather than walking), Legolas grew impatient, and turned to the others, smiling pleasantly.
"The strongest must seek a way, say you? But I say: let a ploughman plow, but choose an otter for swimming, and for running light over grass and leaf, or snow - an Elf."
Still grinning, he leapt away, calling back to Gandalf, "Farewell! I go to find the Sun!"
He waved to the struggling Men as he passed by, quickly disappearing from sight, leaving hardly a footprint behind him.
In the end, he could not fetch for them the Sun, but the Men succeeded in clearing their path.
Caradhras the Cruel had defeated them.
And deep within Legolas Thranduillion, the shadow slept.
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.endchapter.
There are a couple of parts I like (the muddy bit in particular), but other than that I really hate this chapter. The bits of Legolas speaking at the end are from the book, by the way. And the chapter title was completely random.
It's such a relief to finally have that done, I've been feeling guilty about it for ages. Now I just have to get up-to-date on my KH fic, and my conscience will be clear.
Oh, while I was writing this one of the fics I've read popped into my mind: "Differences (Did You Ever Find the Sun?)" by Brin (storyid=565298). It's a very nice one, I recommend it highly.
Nikki: I'm not going to stop, I promise. And hopefully, after this, there won't be as long a wait between chapters.
Katrina: I'm glad I'm not the only one who thought it was funny ^^. Hehe, I'll try to fit in a few more funny things as I go, it makes things so much more, well, fun. (Mm, chocolate..)
Loopy Lu: Why is he evil? That comes later *nods*. I'll let you guess until then ;).