Disclaimer: I don't own any of this. Not even the quotes.

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"Let me tell you about the days of high adventure" – opening lines to
Conan the Barbarian

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Legolas stopped and cocked his head to one side.

She held her breath anxiously.

He had been acting jittery all day, just stopping and listening or staring off into the distance and it could get rather unnerving.

He was hearing something but was unable to place it.

They continued walking slowly in silence, Legolas's eyes scanning the horizon.

The sun was setting below the Misty Mountains, painting the sky purple and pink and casting a beautiful glow on the mountain snow. She stared at it in awe. No matter how many sunsets or sunrises she had seen, each one gave her pause at its beauty.

She was about to comment on it to Legolas when seemingly out of nowhere, a small band of Orcs appeared heading right toward them. The leading Orc spotted the two scouts and gave a howl of recognition that was answered by his companions.

"We need to get out of here and fast," she said anxiously as the Orcs closed in on them.

"Agreed," he replied, notching an arrow to bring down the closest Orc.

"The Anduin is near, start heading that way," she ordered and started backing away from the advancing smell.

"The river?" he grunted. "I can't swim very well."

"Neither can they," she pointed out. "And you've got me."

They retreated toward the river at break neck speed. Legolas easily outran the slower Annowe and turned to launch several arrows at their pursuers.

By the time they got to the river, she was panting heavily and Legolas was smiling grimly at her. "Shut up!" she managed to gasp at him and dove into the water.

With a swift glance over his shoulder at the remaining Orcs, he followed her into the Anduin River.

****** The water was quite cold and it took his breath away as he quickly sank beneath the surface, weighed down by his clothing and equipment. For a split second, he thought he would sink like a rock and be carried away but then a grinning Annowe grabbed his hand and pulled him deeper into the river.

She was in her element now and was greatly enjoying the unexpected swim. They could hear the shouts and splashes of the Orcs as they tried to locate the two submerged scouts.

She began to swim downstream, towing the elf behind her and keeping them both well under the water.

He held his breath as long as he could but soon his lungs were burning from lack of air and he struggled to surface. She would not let go of him. He was nearing the edge of panic when she turned to him. He put a hand to his throat as if he were choking.

Immediately, she pulled close to him, placed a firm hand behind his head and kissed him.

Or so he thought.

The action startled him into pulling away from her until he realized that she was breathing air into his mouth.

She held fast to him and her laughter bubbled through the water. "Trust me," she mouthed to him. The tips of his ears turned pink with embarrassment when he realized she was not trying to seduce him.

He relaxed and she placed her mouth over his and breathed into him. It was an odd sensation to have her lips on his but he found it rather pleasant.

They swam south, keeping well into the river. When he needed air, he would tug on her hand and give her the choking sign as he had before.

She would come to him and place her mouth on his, giving him the air he needed. She hoped he did not notice how she quivered when she breathed into him. Sometimes it could be very difficult for her to be constantly near him.

It was well past dark when she led him to the shore.

He stood up immediately, grateful to feel the cold night air in his lungs. He turned to help her out of the water and saw that she only had her eyes and nose above the surface.

Curiously, he watched as she breathed air in through her nose and expelled water from her mouth. She did this three times before she finally rose to her feet and joined him.

"It hurts when I just suddenly go from air to water or water to air," she said simply.

He raised a dark eyebrow in wonder. "I did not know that," he said.

They looked around the area and found they were on a rocky bank below a small cliff, shielding them from the woods above.

"We will have to risk building a fire," he said grudgingly.

"Agreed. I'm freezing," she wrapped her arms around herself and shivered.

They gathered some dried branches and built a small fire by the riverbank. Annowe began removing her outer garments to dry.

"I don't know what's worse – dripping wet and freezing or half naked and freezing," she grumbled miserably.

Legolas rolled his eyes at her as he removed his cloak. "Put your cloak next to the fire, it will dry quickly. Then dry the rest of your clothes," he scolded her.

She grinned, "Sounds like you've done this before."

He didn't answer but drew his dark brows together and stalked off into the woods. He was sliding into one of his melancholy moods and would return when he was finished brooding.

She sighed. She had never understood how he could take so many things so seriously. He was probably blaming himself for being surprised by those Orcs. In her opinion, as long as no harm came of it then it was in the past and not worth dwelling on. If it is gone, it's gone and it doesn't matter, was her philosophy. Then, again, she and her sisters tended to grow happier with age whereas elves tended to grow sadder and more introspective over the years.

After a while, he returned to the riverbank and found her huddled by the fire, wrapped tightly in a cloak with the rest of her clothing spread out near the fire to dry.

"Better now?" She asked him.

He sighed and sat down next to the fire. "I will be fine," he answered.

"That isn't what I asked you, young one." She only called him "young one" when she was about to remind him that she was older than him and therefore should be respected as his senior. Despite his mood, he smiled slightly. "Yes. I'm better now," he corrected himself.

She grunted. If he wanted to talk about it, he would.

"I will take the watch tonight," she told him. "I won't need to sleep after being in the water for so long." Legolas yawned delicately and tossed a blanket on the ground. "Good. I'm very tired," he said and lay down on the blanket, using his cloak for a cover. It wasn't long before he was fast asleep and dreaming of the sea.

*****