DISCLAIMER By now you ALL know who I own. Next chapter will introduce three (?) more of my original characters, but you should all know how Tolkien owns too!
* Nakni = Bite me (Quenya)
Aragorn just looked from me to Legolas and back to me. "Well," he finally said. "Won't Thranduil be surprised?" His smirk told Legolas that he had given his blessing. The man and Elf clasped each other's shoulders in a traditional male embrace. "Congratulations my friend!"
"Thank you!" Legolas beamed.
Aragorn turned to me. "And congratulations to you, my lady!"
I must have grinned from ear to ear. "Thank you!"
"I must leave you now," Aragorn said with a hint of apology. "Theoden and I must prepare for our defense against the Uruk-Hai." With a nod, he left Legolas and I alone.
"I cannot believe it is true!" Legolas murmured, caressing my stomach.
"It is a miracle." Legolas smiled and kissed me lovingly. Suddenly his features hardened just slightly.
"Come Rae," he said, taking my hands. "You must go into the caves where it is safe." He seemed in some hurry.
"They are not attacking yet, Legolas," I said jokingly. "I don't need to hide quite yet."
"You shouldn't joke about that!" he snapped.
I stopped and wrenched my hand free of his. "What is wrong with you?"
He kept his back to me. "It is dangerous here. You endanger yourself; you endanger our baby. Why did you have to run from Lady Galadriel's safety?"
Legolas apparently did not understand the hormones of pregnant women. "Lady Galadriel let me go. She sent me here! Do you doubt the Lady's word?" I shot back.
"I doubt she'd have willingly sent you into a war zone!" Royal elven pride reared its ugly head.
I was not in the mood to deal with this. "Nakni," I snapped at him.
He spun around. I suppose well-brought up Mirkwood maidens did not say such things. I just glared. Without another word, he took my hand again and led me deep into the mountainside.
We sat alone together towards the rear of the caves. The other refugees seemed far away as we sat in silence.
"Legolas?" I asked, breaking the awkward stillness. My anger had evaporated almost as quickly as it had come. He turned toward me. "What did you mean when you said the Fellowship had broken? And how is it that Gandalf has returned?"
"We do not know the details of Mithrandir's return," he answered, using Gandalf's Elvish name. "But he comes back to us now as Gandalf the White, much more powerful than Gandalf the Gray." His eyes then turned grim. "The Fellowship broke soon after we left Lothlórien. Two of our hobbit companions, Frodo and Samwise, left us on their own accord. They are headed for danger beyond any of us.
"Boromir of Gondor fell in a battle with a new breed of Orcs – Uruk-Hai."
"I remember him," I said softly. "He greeted me the morning you left. It was a simple gesture, but his kindness cheered me some that day."
"Yes. He was a valiant warrior as well. He died protecting the other two hobbits from the Uruks."
"Hobbits?" I asked fearfully.
"Yes. Merry and Pippin."
"What became of those two?"
Again the grim look appeared in his eyes. My stomach knotted with fear. "Boromir was unable to protect them. They were taken by the Uruks at Amon Hen."
"Captured?" I whispered. My heart ached and I fought not to cry as I remembered Pippin's opinion of my life as a human among Elves. An opinion uncorrupted by prejudice. I remembered Pippin's wave good-bye to me and his adorable childlike face.
"Rae? Are you alright?" Legolas turned my shoulders so that I faced him.
"I just remember how innocent Pippin was. So childlike." Tears spilled from my eyes. "I hate to think of how the Orcs are torturing them!"
"Shh, meldanya. Shh!" he said, stroking my hair. "Merry and Pippin are safe from the Uruks now."
I sat up to face him. "They are?"
He smiled. "Yes. They escaped their captors and are now under the care of the Ents of Fangorn Forest."
"You are sure?"
"Yes. Gandalf himself requested that the Ents protect them."
I sighed with relief. "Good."
Putting an arm around me, Legolas was quiet for a minute. Then I heard him murmur softly, "All we have to do now is protect ourselves." He kissed my forehead and got up to join the others preparing for battle.
"I'll be back before the battle. I promise."
I nodded and gazed up at him. "Good luck," I said quietly. He smiled sadly, then opened the gate and was gone.
