Chapter Eight:
The sun was slowly sinking behind the horizon when they reached the place
where they were supposed to meet Gandalf. They were right on the southern
edge of Lorien and Kayla got her first glimpse of a new part of Middle
earth. "May I join you, Lady?" Faramir sat next to Kayla.
"Certainly." She smiled at him. They sat together, looking out at the land
they had to cross. Kayla glanced at Faramir.
"You look troubled. Can I help?" Kayla felt concern for the young man next
to her.
"It is nothing, my Lady. Just thoughts of home and the like. I miss
Éowyn..." He tried to fob it off, but Kayla saw through it.
"Well if you want to talk, my ears will be open to it." Faramir smiled at
the girl. They sat for a while longer in comfortable silence and at length,
Faramir spoke.
"I wonder if I am over my head in this." Kayla looked at him. "How so?" she asked softly, urging him on. "I volunteered to go on this journey to honour my brother. But now I think that I am over my head. Boromir was always the brave one, I was the smart one. I spent my youth holed up in the library in the White City. I only learnt to wield a blade because Boromir felt that I was not a man until I could. And that got me thinking. Boromir volunteered to go out of duty and honour for Gondor, as the son of the steward. And even though he was one of the best swordsmen, he was brought down. So what will my fate be? Am I to go be with the spirits of my ancestors as well? Am I to die, leaving my beloved Éowyn behind a widow?" Faramir looked more troubled than when he began.
"I do not know the answers to your questions. But I do know this. Galadriel would not have called you to the meeting if you were to be of no use to the Fellowship. You were called for a purpose. And you may not be the best swordsman here, but you are here nonetheless. And that tells me that you are an irreplaceable part of the company. Do not let the knowledge of your brother's early death convince you that you are to share the same fate. In the coming days, we all have our own paths to walk, wherever they may take us." Kayla patted Faramir's hand, hoping that she had helped ease the young man's troubles.
Kayla and Faramir stood and made their way back to the group, where Sam had started to cook dinner. The smells of cooking stew made Kayla's stomach growl, making her realise how hungry she was. One of the other members had killed a pair of rabbits, and Kayla and Faramir talked. She found a place between Gimli and Aragorn and she sat, enjoying the warmth of the fire. The rain had stopped sometime during the afternoon, but Kayla's clothes were still damp. The other members of the Fellowship had changed out of their wet clothes and had their things drying around the small fire. Kayla removed her boots, unfastened her cloak and added them to the drying things.
Dinner was eaten and the group sat around the dying embers of the fire, talking softly among themselves. Kayla was lost in thought, wondering where Gandalf was. It was well into the night and he had yet to arrive. The Fellowship had set up camp for the night, and Kayla moved to where her pack was. She pulled out a blanket, hoping to get some sleep before her watch. As she settled down, using her pack as a pillow, she reflected on the day's events. *Who woulda thought I would be making friends with the Fellowship,* Kayla thought drowsily, drifting off into sleep.
Kayla awoke to a rough hand shaking her. Quicker than she thought possible she pulled the dagger she had hidden in her belt and held it to the attacker's throat. "Kayla, it's me." Merry's voice jolted her from her daze. She pulled her dagger away, replacing it in her belt. "I'm so sorry," she apologised. " Don't worry about it. It's your watch, Kayla," Merry said with a huge yawn. He moved off to where Pippin, Frodo and Sam were, and was asleep almost instantly.
Kayla rubbed a tired hand over her face and sat up. She groped around to find her sword and made her way over to the fire. She poked the coals with a stick, trying to decide if the fire was salvageable. She found the coals still warm so she grabbed some dry grass and started the fire going again.
With a small fire built, Kayla pulled on her semi dry boots, stood and made her way to check the woods around the small clearing. Finding nothing unusual, she made her way back to camp. Just on the outskirts of the clearing, Kayla heard a tree rustle above her and, drawing her sword, she peered up into the darkness. She was surprised to see Legolas sitting in the branches, looking down at her, playing with the chain around his neck. Nimbly, he jumped down, not making a sound as he landed. "I didn't think anyone else was awake," Kayla said softly, so as not to wake anyone else. "Elves need not sleep for days at a time." Legolas looked anxious. "What's up?" she asked him. "Dawn is nearing and still there is no sign of Mithrandir. I am worried that something has happened to him." "I'm sure Gandalf is fine. He's probably just taking his time. Making sure we are taking the safest route," Kayla reassured him. "I hope, for all our sakes, that you are right."
Kayla and Legolas walked back to the campsite to find Aragorn pacing beside the fire. Hearing them approach, he drew his sword and stopped to face them. Seeing Kayla and Legolas appear from the trees, he sheathed his sword and resumed his pacing. "Mani naa tai, mellonamin? " Legolas asked Aragorn. "Kai. " Aragorn brushed him off. "Aragorn," Kayla spoke up, "You don't have nothing face, you have something face and if you don't share I swear I will get it out of you. Even if I have to beat you up for it." Kayla threw him a smile and he stopped pacing and looked at her. *Legolas was right,* Aragorn thought, looking at Kayla. *She does understand Elvish.*
"But seriously, if you need to talk, I'm here." "It is nothing you need to concern yourself with." Kayla snorted at Aragorn. "And why not? Is it because I am new to the whole Fellowship thing or because I am a girl." Aragorn looked bewildered. "I meant no offence, Lady." "But you also meant it's because I am a girl. I may be a girl, but I am also a part of this company. And why do you all insist to call me 'Lady'? I have a perfectly good name, and I would appreciate it if you used it." Kayla was fuming. *How dare he be all chauvinistic on me? I have proven myself as much as anyone else here.* "Now look here, Kayla. There is no reason to get all worked up." "No? Then look me in the eye and tell me you didn't want me coming purely because I am a girl," she challenged him. Aragorn was livid. "All right. I admit it. I thought you would be a liability to us. Not only are you a girl, you are new to Middle Earth. You have no idea what you are getting yourself into. We should have left you behind, safe in Lorien."
Kayla was so mad, no words would form. Her face was as dark as a thundercloud. She started jamming her stuff roughly back in her pack. She grabbed her cloak and put it on, fastening it around her neck. She took off her belt, straightened her dress, and buckled the belt once again over the top. She unsheathed her sword, examined it, and replaced it. She then pulled on her cloak, picked up her pack, bow and quiver and slung them over her shoulder. She completed all these tasks in a matter of minutes, leaving the other two to look on.
"Where are you going?" asked Aragorn and Legolas simultaneously. "In case you haven't noticed, Gandalf is late," she said to Aragorn, knowing that Legolas was well aware of the fact. "I am going to find him." And with that she turned and walked out of the clearing. Aragorn and Legolas were left to stare after her retreating figure.
Aragorn was mad. He should not have let himself get so worked up. But Kayla being there reminded him that he had left Arwen behind. This was no exception to get angry, but thinking of Arwen made Aragorn realise that Kayla was just a child, barely nineteen years old. She was so unexperienced in this world. She was in more danger than any other of the Fellowship. And the dream Kayla re-told to him. He did not know what it meant, but Aragorn was worried that it would be a premonition. That Kayla had seen a glimpse of her future. And he did not want her to die, for the sake of Legolas. Or for that of the Fellowship.
"I wonder if I am over my head in this." Kayla looked at him. "How so?" she asked softly, urging him on. "I volunteered to go on this journey to honour my brother. But now I think that I am over my head. Boromir was always the brave one, I was the smart one. I spent my youth holed up in the library in the White City. I only learnt to wield a blade because Boromir felt that I was not a man until I could. And that got me thinking. Boromir volunteered to go out of duty and honour for Gondor, as the son of the steward. And even though he was one of the best swordsmen, he was brought down. So what will my fate be? Am I to go be with the spirits of my ancestors as well? Am I to die, leaving my beloved Éowyn behind a widow?" Faramir looked more troubled than when he began.
"I do not know the answers to your questions. But I do know this. Galadriel would not have called you to the meeting if you were to be of no use to the Fellowship. You were called for a purpose. And you may not be the best swordsman here, but you are here nonetheless. And that tells me that you are an irreplaceable part of the company. Do not let the knowledge of your brother's early death convince you that you are to share the same fate. In the coming days, we all have our own paths to walk, wherever they may take us." Kayla patted Faramir's hand, hoping that she had helped ease the young man's troubles.
Kayla and Faramir stood and made their way back to the group, where Sam had started to cook dinner. The smells of cooking stew made Kayla's stomach growl, making her realise how hungry she was. One of the other members had killed a pair of rabbits, and Kayla and Faramir talked. She found a place between Gimli and Aragorn and she sat, enjoying the warmth of the fire. The rain had stopped sometime during the afternoon, but Kayla's clothes were still damp. The other members of the Fellowship had changed out of their wet clothes and had their things drying around the small fire. Kayla removed her boots, unfastened her cloak and added them to the drying things.
Dinner was eaten and the group sat around the dying embers of the fire, talking softly among themselves. Kayla was lost in thought, wondering where Gandalf was. It was well into the night and he had yet to arrive. The Fellowship had set up camp for the night, and Kayla moved to where her pack was. She pulled out a blanket, hoping to get some sleep before her watch. As she settled down, using her pack as a pillow, she reflected on the day's events. *Who woulda thought I would be making friends with the Fellowship,* Kayla thought drowsily, drifting off into sleep.
Kayla awoke to a rough hand shaking her. Quicker than she thought possible she pulled the dagger she had hidden in her belt and held it to the attacker's throat. "Kayla, it's me." Merry's voice jolted her from her daze. She pulled her dagger away, replacing it in her belt. "I'm so sorry," she apologised. " Don't worry about it. It's your watch, Kayla," Merry said with a huge yawn. He moved off to where Pippin, Frodo and Sam were, and was asleep almost instantly.
Kayla rubbed a tired hand over her face and sat up. She groped around to find her sword and made her way over to the fire. She poked the coals with a stick, trying to decide if the fire was salvageable. She found the coals still warm so she grabbed some dry grass and started the fire going again.
With a small fire built, Kayla pulled on her semi dry boots, stood and made her way to check the woods around the small clearing. Finding nothing unusual, she made her way back to camp. Just on the outskirts of the clearing, Kayla heard a tree rustle above her and, drawing her sword, she peered up into the darkness. She was surprised to see Legolas sitting in the branches, looking down at her, playing with the chain around his neck. Nimbly, he jumped down, not making a sound as he landed. "I didn't think anyone else was awake," Kayla said softly, so as not to wake anyone else. "Elves need not sleep for days at a time." Legolas looked anxious. "What's up?" she asked him. "Dawn is nearing and still there is no sign of Mithrandir. I am worried that something has happened to him." "I'm sure Gandalf is fine. He's probably just taking his time. Making sure we are taking the safest route," Kayla reassured him. "I hope, for all our sakes, that you are right."
Kayla and Legolas walked back to the campsite to find Aragorn pacing beside the fire. Hearing them approach, he drew his sword and stopped to face them. Seeing Kayla and Legolas appear from the trees, he sheathed his sword and resumed his pacing. "Mani naa tai, mellonamin? " Legolas asked Aragorn. "Kai. " Aragorn brushed him off. "Aragorn," Kayla spoke up, "You don't have nothing face, you have something face and if you don't share I swear I will get it out of you. Even if I have to beat you up for it." Kayla threw him a smile and he stopped pacing and looked at her. *Legolas was right,* Aragorn thought, looking at Kayla. *She does understand Elvish.*
"But seriously, if you need to talk, I'm here." "It is nothing you need to concern yourself with." Kayla snorted at Aragorn. "And why not? Is it because I am new to the whole Fellowship thing or because I am a girl." Aragorn looked bewildered. "I meant no offence, Lady." "But you also meant it's because I am a girl. I may be a girl, but I am also a part of this company. And why do you all insist to call me 'Lady'? I have a perfectly good name, and I would appreciate it if you used it." Kayla was fuming. *How dare he be all chauvinistic on me? I have proven myself as much as anyone else here.* "Now look here, Kayla. There is no reason to get all worked up." "No? Then look me in the eye and tell me you didn't want me coming purely because I am a girl," she challenged him. Aragorn was livid. "All right. I admit it. I thought you would be a liability to us. Not only are you a girl, you are new to Middle Earth. You have no idea what you are getting yourself into. We should have left you behind, safe in Lorien."
Kayla was so mad, no words would form. Her face was as dark as a thundercloud. She started jamming her stuff roughly back in her pack. She grabbed her cloak and put it on, fastening it around her neck. She took off her belt, straightened her dress, and buckled the belt once again over the top. She unsheathed her sword, examined it, and replaced it. She then pulled on her cloak, picked up her pack, bow and quiver and slung them over her shoulder. She completed all these tasks in a matter of minutes, leaving the other two to look on.
"Where are you going?" asked Aragorn and Legolas simultaneously. "In case you haven't noticed, Gandalf is late," she said to Aragorn, knowing that Legolas was well aware of the fact. "I am going to find him." And with that she turned and walked out of the clearing. Aragorn and Legolas were left to stare after her retreating figure.
Aragorn was mad. He should not have let himself get so worked up. But Kayla being there reminded him that he had left Arwen behind. This was no exception to get angry, but thinking of Arwen made Aragorn realise that Kayla was just a child, barely nineteen years old. She was so unexperienced in this world. She was in more danger than any other of the Fellowship. And the dream Kayla re-told to him. He did not know what it meant, but Aragorn was worried that it would be a premonition. That Kayla had seen a glimpse of her future. And he did not want her to die, for the sake of Legolas. Or for that of the Fellowship.