Mint tea will conquer the whole bloody universe. MUHAHAHHAHAHAHHAHAHA!!!!!
Sorry for the long wait, my beta was sick, oh wonder Ewen, to be obeyed at
all costs. All credit goes to Tolkien of course. Oh, and by the way, you
steal my characters and I will kill you while you sleep. *innocent smile*
That being said, here is the long awaited chapter 5.
Chapter 5: Peace cut short "WAKE UP YOU LAZY ELF!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!" A very unwelcome voice cut through the drowsy morning air.
Miriel took the pillow of her head to give Ewen a nasty a glare. "What the heck?!?!?! It's." She paused for a glance out the window. "EIGHT O'CLOCK IN THE MORNING!!!!! ARE You IN INSANE!!!!???!!!"
"Probably," Ewen said with a happy smile a she skipped around Miriel's bed. "Good morning sunshine. Time to go."
"WHERE!!!!!?????"
"Outside. The whole city will probably be coming too, since you woke them up." "AAAARRRRRRRRGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!" This is abuse!"
"My brother is waiting outside." Miriel threw a pillow at her friends head.
"Go away. I want MY SLEEP!"
Ten minutes later a very rumpled looking elf was dragged out to the stables, Ewen pulling her by the arm. Snickers erupted around them as they.walked into the stable area. The whole company of Elven archers was standing, assembled, waiting for them to arrive.
"I hate you," Miriel muttered miserably.
"I have mint tea."
"You are my best friend in the world. Lead me to the tea!!!!!!" Miriel followed her friend into the stables, only to be confronted by a smiling Legolas holding a flask of tea. "YAY!!!!!!!! MINT TEA!!!!!!!!! MUHAHAHAHAHA!!!!" Legolas chuckled.
"A wonderful welcome, to be sure." Pouring the entire flask of tea into her mouth, Miriel noticeably brightened.
"I feel much better now. See SOMEONE has enough sense to bring tea"
"Yes, yes I am SO sure you are happy my brother is here." Miriel's glare was daggers in her direction. "That hurt." Miriel raised an eyebrow. "You are impossible in the morning. Call Larkiel. It is time to go." Miriel nodded, somewhat confused but willing to follow her friend. Her long whistle pierced the air. Yet, no horse answered her call. Miriel whistled again, but her horse failed to appear. The elf turned a snow white and ran towards the forest. Legolas followed, with a grim expression on his face.
Breathing hard, Miriel stumbled into Larkiel's clearing. Larkiel was there. At first Miriel thought she was sleeping. "Come on you lazy bum. Time to go." Then Miriel's eyes widened as she took in the puddle of blood surrounding her steadfast steed and companion. "Larkiel?" Her voice faltered. She ran to her horse and fell to her knees in despair. From this close up, she could tell that her horse's wound was mortal. Claw marks slashed her stomach and blood oozed slowly from her lacerations.
"Oh, by the Valar." Legolas came to kneel beside his beloved. "A crazed catamount. They are vicious creatures," he said sadly, surveying Larkiel's wounds. "There is no hope for her." Larkiel stirred and Miriel's eyes widened with hope. Her legs beat the air feverishly and she looked deep into her owner's eyes. Then, with a shuddering sigh, a wisp of mist escaped from her mouth as the great animal's eyes grew glassy. A lonely tear trickled down Miriel's cheek, followed by another. Tears were pouring down her face as she gently closed her horse's eyes. Legolas saw her pain and drew her into an embrace. She pulled free of him and ran, tripping over rocks and tree roots, with small branches whipping her face, she ran. She did not care if she ever stopped; she only knew that she had to keep running. Footsteps rang behind her, only giving her the encouragement to run even faster. A root caught at her foot and she fell to the ground in a dazed heap. Legolas caught up and came to her side. Tears no longer graced her face and she had the air of one that had seen too much for their years, far too much. Legolas's eyes deepened in sadness.
"Why do you run from me?" He whispered softly, almost to himself.
Miriel's gazed drifted towards the road, and then with wide, fearful eyes, they locked gazes. "I run to my freedom." She said quietly, and shyly. "When I was young I had all these dreams for myself. I was going to be the lone rider, wandering the terrain alone, with only my horse for company. I would never fall in love. Never." Her eyes closed with internal pain, almost too much for her to bear.
Legolas's gazed softened and he put his arms around her. Pulling her close he whispered into her ear. "I will never hold you down. You deserve to have your own way in life and may no one every hold you back." Her muscles were taunt and relaxed with his words.
'He understands. Of all the people I have ever met, even Ewen, he is the only one who understands the call to be free.' With those thoughts spinning in her mind, she buried her face in his chest, seeking comfort from him. His arms tightened and he pulled her chin upward. Turning her chin so she was looking directly into his eyes, he whispered sadly into her ear.
"I love you and I will NEVER do anything to hurt you. Please, trust me." His piercing blue eyes held Miriel's gaze, until she smiled weakly and nodded. "Thank you," she whispered hoarsely. He gave her a kiss on the mouth and stood up, pulling her to her feet. Legolas noticed that her legs trembled and she was barely holding herself upright. Sadness filled his heart. He could not bear to see her like this.
"All you alright, melamin?"
"I think so....." Just then her knees gave out and she fell against him. "I guess not," she whispered with a weak grin. Legolas pulled her up into his arms and walked back towards the company of elves. He walked lightly, like a cat and turned the corner to where Larkiel's body lay. Miriel's muscles were tight and her eyes and fists squeezed shut. 'It is going to hell. I am going to kill it. It will burn. Die! Die! Die! Stupid animal killed my horse..'
Legolas stopped by Larkiel's mutilated body and knelt down to cut a strand of hair from her tail. Miriel did not even notice she was so deep in her thoughts.
Legolas thought to himself. 'At least she will have something to remember her horse by,' as he stared ruefully at the hairs clenched in his palm. He sighed and stood up.
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
"What is taking them so long!?" Ewen whined loudly. "WE have to GO!!!" Just then Legolas and Miriel turned the corner. "Oh."
Legolas reached Piron and gently lifted Miriel onto his horse. Miriel snapped out of her reverie and looked mildly confused. Then realization light in her eyes and she went still. Legolas swung up behind her, and called out as he spurred his horse onward.
"We ride to Rohan!!!!" The company clattered off quickly to the east. Miriel sat tense on Piron's withers, her back straight and arms clenched.
Legolas laughed deeply behind. Her head snapped around to glare at him accusingly as they galloped across the wide-open planes of Middle Earth on their way to Rohan.
"Do you plan to amuse the Rohirrim by falling off the horse as we arrive?" Confusion registered on her face and she gave him a quizzical look. "Well if you intend to keep your muscles tight the whole way, it is only logical that you will fall off."
Her eyes narrowed menacingly. Legolas gave her a broad smile and turned his gaze to the long grasses covering the terrain. A young sun rose overhead and shone a weak light upon the crowd. "YOU are trying to manipulate me! That is not fair!"
"Well, I can not say that I have a problem with a pretty elf leaning on her the whole way to Rohan"
"Oh, you are so cruel," she muttered sarcastically to herself. She sighed and leaned back, relaxing onto Legolas's chest. Legolas smile and put his arms around her waist, taking one of her hands in his.
Ewen rode back among the troops until she was alongside them. A wicked smile graced her lips. "Awwwwwww. You just so cute!" She said sarcastically in a mock-baby voice.
Miriel groaned loudly, turned and buried her head in Legolas's chest in despair. Legolas just smiled more.
"I will leave you two to your cuddling." Miriel's head snapped up and a serious offended look in her eyes. "CUDDLING!!!!!!!!!!! EWEN PREPARE TO DIE!!!!!!!!!!" She turned to give Legolas a look and when he nodded with a smile, she grabbed the reins and galloped behind her friend. The elves smiled, all around them.
Ewen just laughed to herself and lead her friend across the desert, with the rest of their company following. Finally she slowed her horse to a tired walk towards the setting sun.
The commander In chief of the elves pulled up his horse and told the company to make camp for the night. Miriel swung tiredly off Piron and moaned loudly. "My legs! Owwwwwwwww!" Ewen grinned and danced around Miriel just out of reach, holding up her friend's sleeping bag.
"You want this, do not you not?"
"Ewen!!!! Give me my sleeping bag." She just grinned and ran around the camp, throwing her friends sleeping bag in the air and catching it again. "You cruel and unusual person."
"What else is new?"
"Not fair!!!!!!!!!!!! NNNNNNNNOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!!!!!!""""""""" Miriel screamed as her sleeping bag was thrown in the fire pit.
"Oops."
"You are so SCREWED!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!"
"Not if you can not catch me!"
"Get your ass over here right now!" Ewen smiled. Her evil plan was complete. Muhahahahaha. She pranced over to Legolas, looking like an adorable, innocent little sister.
"What was that for? She is traumatized. You should at least be nice."
"Where is she going to sleep now, huh? All alone? In the wilderness?" She smiled evilly. Legolas looked confused and then he grinned.
"You are a very bad elf."
"Muhahahahahahaha!"
Night fell upon the elf campsite, and yet Miriel and Ewen were still running around like insane maniacs, screaming at each other in very loud and obnoxious voices. Old news. Finally, one elf had the nerve to scream at them.
"SHUT UP!" Both elves turned to glare at the soldier. He winced.
"Fine."
"Whatever." Both of them turned to head towards their sleeping bags. Or the ground, in Miriel's case. "Oh right. I HAVE NO SLEEPING BAG!!!"
"I am sure my brother could help you there." All smiles and innocence, Ewen walked back to her sleeping spot. Miriel blinked, somewhat in shock, and slowly turned towards Legolas.
"Ewen can Aiya, auta miqula orqu." A smile graced his face. "Well have fun sleeping in your, nice, warm, fuzzy sleeping bag....I need to stop staring at that before I have a nervous breakdown."
"You can have my sleeping bag."
"Oh, well that is nice but where will you sleep? I mean, it is a big sleeping bag but..."
Ewen called out from the other side of the camp. "I am sure you two can share the sleeping bag!" Miriel blanched and Legolas smiled softly.
"Well, only if you do not mind. It is very cold, and....?"
"Fine, what an elf has to do to get a sleeping bag....." Miriel sighed and snuggled into the warm, green sleeping bag. "Much better. EWEN GET YOUR MIND OUT OF THE GUTTER NOW!!!!!!!!"
"Damn it. You are no fun when you're annoyed."
"Then stop annoying me."
"But I would have no reason to live." "I am sure." Miriel turned over to find Legolas sitting on a cold rock, wrapped in a blanket. He looked like he was about to catch hypothermia. 'Shit. Now I feel guilty. Damn Ewen and her evil, diabolical plot to control the world. Daaaaaaammmmmmmmmmmnnnnnnnnnnnnn. I can not help it, I mean I have to help him, there is nothing I can do.' Just keep telling yourself that, a little voice in her head whispered. 'Oh shut the hell up. And now I am talking to myself. Great.....' "Legolas?"
"Yes?" His voice was barely more than a chilled whisper, its sound fleeting on the open plains of Rohan.
"Are you frostbitten yet?"
"Not quite."
Miriel sighed. 'DAMN' "Legolas, it is really OK we share. I do not like waking up to find dead elves next to my sleeping bag. Do whatever you want."
"Thank you, Miriel." Soft footsteps sounded near her head and she felt Legolas slip into the sleeping bag, next to her. 'If this could have gotten more awkward, it just did. And something cold is against my back!' She turned over. "You are like a bloody ice cube" She took his hand and winced. "I can not feel my hands." She pulled him next to her. 'This is just so he does not die...' Snickers erupted from a certain sleeping bag across the camp. 'NOT NOW!' Legolas's arm draped around her waist, and she felt herself slowly drifting off to sleep in his arms. 'How ironic. Sleeping in someone's arms. Ewen will piss herself laughing at this.' But not matter what the little voices in her head told her, she relaxed in his arms and drifted off to sleep with a smile on her lips, some part of her knowing that this was exactly where she wanted to be.
***************************************************************************
Sun rose upon the sleeping travelers, bathing them in an armful of golden sunlight.
Miriel returned to consciousness to find her wrapped in Legolas's arms, pulled tight against his chest. 'What the in the name of Valar? Ohhhh rigggggggggghhhhhhhhhhtttttttt.'
"Good Morning Melomin." Miriel shifted uncomfortably.
"Breathing would be very nice." Legolas blushed and loosened his hold on her. Miriel struggled upright, only to see Ewen across the campsite, trying to hide a very big grin... "Excuse me." She leapt fluidly to her feet, and headed towards a small stream nearby. Stooping to grab a pail on the way there, she filled the bucket full of ice cold water, and winced as some of it splashed onto her skin. Her cloak flowing behind her, she made her way confidently across the camp to stand beside a yawning Ewen's sleeping bag. "Good morning Ewen. Was the night's entertainment satisfactory?" An innocent look crossed Miriel's face as she quickly upended the bucket over her half-awake friend. "What..MIRIEL, GO SMITE YOURSELF!!!"
"Now, now Ewen. Revenge is sweet."
"Oh, well I guess I deserved that, and you will definitely deserve being pushed into the river." Ewen sprang up, ready to throw her friend into the stream, when a scout's call pierced the air.
"The riders of Rohan approach!" Both elves looked at each other and ran back to their sleeping bags to put on their formal cloaks.
A band of finely bred, galloping horses rode up through the right side of the partially clean sleeping area. One of the Rohirrim, the one that seemed to be the leader of them, separated from the group and rode towards Miriel, Ewen, and the now standing Legolas. The Rohirrim removed his helmet and dipped his head in respect to the elves. Turning towards Miriel, a small smile played on his lips.
"So we finally meet, young elf. We have been waiting for you."
Chapter 5: Peace cut short "WAKE UP YOU LAZY ELF!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!" A very unwelcome voice cut through the drowsy morning air.
Miriel took the pillow of her head to give Ewen a nasty a glare. "What the heck?!?!?! It's." She paused for a glance out the window. "EIGHT O'CLOCK IN THE MORNING!!!!! ARE You IN INSANE!!!!???!!!"
"Probably," Ewen said with a happy smile a she skipped around Miriel's bed. "Good morning sunshine. Time to go."
"WHERE!!!!!?????"
"Outside. The whole city will probably be coming too, since you woke them up." "AAAARRRRRRRRGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!" This is abuse!"
"My brother is waiting outside." Miriel threw a pillow at her friends head.
"Go away. I want MY SLEEP!"
Ten minutes later a very rumpled looking elf was dragged out to the stables, Ewen pulling her by the arm. Snickers erupted around them as they.walked into the stable area. The whole company of Elven archers was standing, assembled, waiting for them to arrive.
"I hate you," Miriel muttered miserably.
"I have mint tea."
"You are my best friend in the world. Lead me to the tea!!!!!!" Miriel followed her friend into the stables, only to be confronted by a smiling Legolas holding a flask of tea. "YAY!!!!!!!! MINT TEA!!!!!!!!! MUHAHAHAHAHA!!!!" Legolas chuckled.
"A wonderful welcome, to be sure." Pouring the entire flask of tea into her mouth, Miriel noticeably brightened.
"I feel much better now. See SOMEONE has enough sense to bring tea"
"Yes, yes I am SO sure you are happy my brother is here." Miriel's glare was daggers in her direction. "That hurt." Miriel raised an eyebrow. "You are impossible in the morning. Call Larkiel. It is time to go." Miriel nodded, somewhat confused but willing to follow her friend. Her long whistle pierced the air. Yet, no horse answered her call. Miriel whistled again, but her horse failed to appear. The elf turned a snow white and ran towards the forest. Legolas followed, with a grim expression on his face.
Breathing hard, Miriel stumbled into Larkiel's clearing. Larkiel was there. At first Miriel thought she was sleeping. "Come on you lazy bum. Time to go." Then Miriel's eyes widened as she took in the puddle of blood surrounding her steadfast steed and companion. "Larkiel?" Her voice faltered. She ran to her horse and fell to her knees in despair. From this close up, she could tell that her horse's wound was mortal. Claw marks slashed her stomach and blood oozed slowly from her lacerations.
"Oh, by the Valar." Legolas came to kneel beside his beloved. "A crazed catamount. They are vicious creatures," he said sadly, surveying Larkiel's wounds. "There is no hope for her." Larkiel stirred and Miriel's eyes widened with hope. Her legs beat the air feverishly and she looked deep into her owner's eyes. Then, with a shuddering sigh, a wisp of mist escaped from her mouth as the great animal's eyes grew glassy. A lonely tear trickled down Miriel's cheek, followed by another. Tears were pouring down her face as she gently closed her horse's eyes. Legolas saw her pain and drew her into an embrace. She pulled free of him and ran, tripping over rocks and tree roots, with small branches whipping her face, she ran. She did not care if she ever stopped; she only knew that she had to keep running. Footsteps rang behind her, only giving her the encouragement to run even faster. A root caught at her foot and she fell to the ground in a dazed heap. Legolas caught up and came to her side. Tears no longer graced her face and she had the air of one that had seen too much for their years, far too much. Legolas's eyes deepened in sadness.
"Why do you run from me?" He whispered softly, almost to himself.
Miriel's gazed drifted towards the road, and then with wide, fearful eyes, they locked gazes. "I run to my freedom." She said quietly, and shyly. "When I was young I had all these dreams for myself. I was going to be the lone rider, wandering the terrain alone, with only my horse for company. I would never fall in love. Never." Her eyes closed with internal pain, almost too much for her to bear.
Legolas's gazed softened and he put his arms around her. Pulling her close he whispered into her ear. "I will never hold you down. You deserve to have your own way in life and may no one every hold you back." Her muscles were taunt and relaxed with his words.
'He understands. Of all the people I have ever met, even Ewen, he is the only one who understands the call to be free.' With those thoughts spinning in her mind, she buried her face in his chest, seeking comfort from him. His arms tightened and he pulled her chin upward. Turning her chin so she was looking directly into his eyes, he whispered sadly into her ear.
"I love you and I will NEVER do anything to hurt you. Please, trust me." His piercing blue eyes held Miriel's gaze, until she smiled weakly and nodded. "Thank you," she whispered hoarsely. He gave her a kiss on the mouth and stood up, pulling her to her feet. Legolas noticed that her legs trembled and she was barely holding herself upright. Sadness filled his heart. He could not bear to see her like this.
"All you alright, melamin?"
"I think so....." Just then her knees gave out and she fell against him. "I guess not," she whispered with a weak grin. Legolas pulled her up into his arms and walked back towards the company of elves. He walked lightly, like a cat and turned the corner to where Larkiel's body lay. Miriel's muscles were tight and her eyes and fists squeezed shut. 'It is going to hell. I am going to kill it. It will burn. Die! Die! Die! Stupid animal killed my horse..'
Legolas stopped by Larkiel's mutilated body and knelt down to cut a strand of hair from her tail. Miriel did not even notice she was so deep in her thoughts.
Legolas thought to himself. 'At least she will have something to remember her horse by,' as he stared ruefully at the hairs clenched in his palm. He sighed and stood up.
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
"What is taking them so long!?" Ewen whined loudly. "WE have to GO!!!" Just then Legolas and Miriel turned the corner. "Oh."
Legolas reached Piron and gently lifted Miriel onto his horse. Miriel snapped out of her reverie and looked mildly confused. Then realization light in her eyes and she went still. Legolas swung up behind her, and called out as he spurred his horse onward.
"We ride to Rohan!!!!" The company clattered off quickly to the east. Miriel sat tense on Piron's withers, her back straight and arms clenched.
Legolas laughed deeply behind. Her head snapped around to glare at him accusingly as they galloped across the wide-open planes of Middle Earth on their way to Rohan.
"Do you plan to amuse the Rohirrim by falling off the horse as we arrive?" Confusion registered on her face and she gave him a quizzical look. "Well if you intend to keep your muscles tight the whole way, it is only logical that you will fall off."
Her eyes narrowed menacingly. Legolas gave her a broad smile and turned his gaze to the long grasses covering the terrain. A young sun rose overhead and shone a weak light upon the crowd. "YOU are trying to manipulate me! That is not fair!"
"Well, I can not say that I have a problem with a pretty elf leaning on her the whole way to Rohan"
"Oh, you are so cruel," she muttered sarcastically to herself. She sighed and leaned back, relaxing onto Legolas's chest. Legolas smile and put his arms around her waist, taking one of her hands in his.
Ewen rode back among the troops until she was alongside them. A wicked smile graced her lips. "Awwwwwww. You just so cute!" She said sarcastically in a mock-baby voice.
Miriel groaned loudly, turned and buried her head in Legolas's chest in despair. Legolas just smiled more.
"I will leave you two to your cuddling." Miriel's head snapped up and a serious offended look in her eyes. "CUDDLING!!!!!!!!!!! EWEN PREPARE TO DIE!!!!!!!!!!" She turned to give Legolas a look and when he nodded with a smile, she grabbed the reins and galloped behind her friend. The elves smiled, all around them.
Ewen just laughed to herself and lead her friend across the desert, with the rest of their company following. Finally she slowed her horse to a tired walk towards the setting sun.
The commander In chief of the elves pulled up his horse and told the company to make camp for the night. Miriel swung tiredly off Piron and moaned loudly. "My legs! Owwwwwwwww!" Ewen grinned and danced around Miriel just out of reach, holding up her friend's sleeping bag.
"You want this, do not you not?"
"Ewen!!!! Give me my sleeping bag." She just grinned and ran around the camp, throwing her friends sleeping bag in the air and catching it again. "You cruel and unusual person."
"What else is new?"
"Not fair!!!!!!!!!!!! NNNNNNNNOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!!!!!!""""""""" Miriel screamed as her sleeping bag was thrown in the fire pit.
"Oops."
"You are so SCREWED!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!"
"Not if you can not catch me!"
"Get your ass over here right now!" Ewen smiled. Her evil plan was complete. Muhahahahaha. She pranced over to Legolas, looking like an adorable, innocent little sister.
"What was that for? She is traumatized. You should at least be nice."
"Where is she going to sleep now, huh? All alone? In the wilderness?" She smiled evilly. Legolas looked confused and then he grinned.
"You are a very bad elf."
"Muhahahahahahaha!"
Night fell upon the elf campsite, and yet Miriel and Ewen were still running around like insane maniacs, screaming at each other in very loud and obnoxious voices. Old news. Finally, one elf had the nerve to scream at them.
"SHUT UP!" Both elves turned to glare at the soldier. He winced.
"Fine."
"Whatever." Both of them turned to head towards their sleeping bags. Or the ground, in Miriel's case. "Oh right. I HAVE NO SLEEPING BAG!!!"
"I am sure my brother could help you there." All smiles and innocence, Ewen walked back to her sleeping spot. Miriel blinked, somewhat in shock, and slowly turned towards Legolas.
"Ewen can Aiya, auta miqula orqu." A smile graced his face. "Well have fun sleeping in your, nice, warm, fuzzy sleeping bag....I need to stop staring at that before I have a nervous breakdown."
"You can have my sleeping bag."
"Oh, well that is nice but where will you sleep? I mean, it is a big sleeping bag but..."
Ewen called out from the other side of the camp. "I am sure you two can share the sleeping bag!" Miriel blanched and Legolas smiled softly.
"Well, only if you do not mind. It is very cold, and....?"
"Fine, what an elf has to do to get a sleeping bag....." Miriel sighed and snuggled into the warm, green sleeping bag. "Much better. EWEN GET YOUR MIND OUT OF THE GUTTER NOW!!!!!!!!"
"Damn it. You are no fun when you're annoyed."
"Then stop annoying me."
"But I would have no reason to live." "I am sure." Miriel turned over to find Legolas sitting on a cold rock, wrapped in a blanket. He looked like he was about to catch hypothermia. 'Shit. Now I feel guilty. Damn Ewen and her evil, diabolical plot to control the world. Daaaaaaammmmmmmmmmmnnnnnnnnnnnnn. I can not help it, I mean I have to help him, there is nothing I can do.' Just keep telling yourself that, a little voice in her head whispered. 'Oh shut the hell up. And now I am talking to myself. Great.....' "Legolas?"
"Yes?" His voice was barely more than a chilled whisper, its sound fleeting on the open plains of Rohan.
"Are you frostbitten yet?"
"Not quite."
Miriel sighed. 'DAMN' "Legolas, it is really OK we share. I do not like waking up to find dead elves next to my sleeping bag. Do whatever you want."
"Thank you, Miriel." Soft footsteps sounded near her head and she felt Legolas slip into the sleeping bag, next to her. 'If this could have gotten more awkward, it just did. And something cold is against my back!' She turned over. "You are like a bloody ice cube" She took his hand and winced. "I can not feel my hands." She pulled him next to her. 'This is just so he does not die...' Snickers erupted from a certain sleeping bag across the camp. 'NOT NOW!' Legolas's arm draped around her waist, and she felt herself slowly drifting off to sleep in his arms. 'How ironic. Sleeping in someone's arms. Ewen will piss herself laughing at this.' But not matter what the little voices in her head told her, she relaxed in his arms and drifted off to sleep with a smile on her lips, some part of her knowing that this was exactly where she wanted to be.
***************************************************************************
Sun rose upon the sleeping travelers, bathing them in an armful of golden sunlight.
Miriel returned to consciousness to find her wrapped in Legolas's arms, pulled tight against his chest. 'What the in the name of Valar? Ohhhh rigggggggggghhhhhhhhhhtttttttt.'
"Good Morning Melomin." Miriel shifted uncomfortably.
"Breathing would be very nice." Legolas blushed and loosened his hold on her. Miriel struggled upright, only to see Ewen across the campsite, trying to hide a very big grin... "Excuse me." She leapt fluidly to her feet, and headed towards a small stream nearby. Stooping to grab a pail on the way there, she filled the bucket full of ice cold water, and winced as some of it splashed onto her skin. Her cloak flowing behind her, she made her way confidently across the camp to stand beside a yawning Ewen's sleeping bag. "Good morning Ewen. Was the night's entertainment satisfactory?" An innocent look crossed Miriel's face as she quickly upended the bucket over her half-awake friend. "What..MIRIEL, GO SMITE YOURSELF!!!"
"Now, now Ewen. Revenge is sweet."
"Oh, well I guess I deserved that, and you will definitely deserve being pushed into the river." Ewen sprang up, ready to throw her friend into the stream, when a scout's call pierced the air.
"The riders of Rohan approach!" Both elves looked at each other and ran back to their sleeping bags to put on their formal cloaks.
A band of finely bred, galloping horses rode up through the right side of the partially clean sleeping area. One of the Rohirrim, the one that seemed to be the leader of them, separated from the group and rode towards Miriel, Ewen, and the now standing Legolas. The Rohirrim removed his helmet and dipped his head in respect to the elves. Turning towards Miriel, a small smile played on his lips.
"So we finally meet, young elf. We have been waiting for you."