Chapter Nine:
Merry and Pippin awoke to a whispered argument. Pippin was about to speak
out but was hushed by Merry. He wanted to know what was going on.
"You can't go after her. It's mad," Aragorn hissed to Legolas
"What's mad is a young girl wandering through dangerous lands by herself.
Especially in the state she is in. She will not be alert to her
surroundings. Anything could stumble across her." He was preparing to go
after her. As he spoke he slung his bow over his shoulder.
"She's hardly unprepared. She carries more weapons than the Fellowship
combined," Aragorn tried to get Legolas see reason.
"Nevertheless, she is in danger. I can't let her be out there by herself. I
can't let her die again." On the outskirts of the clearing, Merry and
Pippin looked at each other, confused. 'Again?" Merry mouthed to Pippin. He
shrugged in response.
"You can't just go charging off like this!" Aragorn shouted, not caring whom he woke. "You can't just abandon the Fellowship for some girl." "She's not just some girl. I love her!" Legolas stopped, shocked. He loved her? When did that happen?
The previous night, before she had woken to take watch, Legolas had sat in the tree watching her sleeping and thinking about her, and of Melian. Over the past days, it had become blaringly obvious how alike she was to Melian, but also how different. Melian was quiet, and never spoke out of turn. Kayla was quite the opposite. While never rude, she never hesitated to say what was on her mind. She lent comfort to those around her, and tried to see the good in every situation. And even though she shared a soul with Melian, she was her own person.
Aragorn smiled at Legolas. "I am glad you have finally realised it." "You knew?" Legolas was still shocked that he had admitted that he loved Kayla. He unconsciously touched the pendant Galadriel had given to him. "Ever since you told me about Melian, by the lake. I was just waiting for you to realise it in your heart." He patted Legolas on the shoulder. "Then you know that I must go?" Legolas was still determined to go after her. "You go. I'll wake the others and we'll follow on. If you do not find her before you reach Emyn Muil, wait for us there. We will take Mordor together." Legolas tucked the chain back inside his shirt, and laid a hand on Aragorn's shoulder. He smiled and Legolas took off after the woman he loved.
Aragorn sighed as he watched his friend disappear into the trees. He was happy that Legolas had realised his feelings for Kayla, but he was anxious for the remaining group. They had just lost their best warriors. Aragorn hoped that they did not come into any serious danger, until they had all met up again. It would be stupid to think they would not meet danger, he just hoped it would be later on their journey.
He moved to rouse the sleeping Fellowship. He decided to wake the Hobbits first; they usually took the longest to come around. He crouched down to shake Merry when a small voice sounded. "We're awake." Aragorn looked down into the faces of Merry and Pippin. "So they left us?" Pippin sounded slightly scared for them. "Will they be ok?" "They will be fine. They are capable of handling anything that crosses their path," Aragorn reassured them. "But I ask you, keep whatever you heard to yourself for now." The two Hobbits nodded in agreement. Aragorn left them to awaken Frodo and Sam and he then he moved to wake Gimli and Faramir.
"What do you mean, gone ahead?" Gimli was outraged. "I said it before and I will say it again. Never trust an Elf. He knows he needs a head start if he is to beat me in the body count." "I hardly think that is why he has gone," Faramir retorted. "I think it had to do more with the fact that a certain lady went off first." "This is no time to speculate. We have to leave now if we are to meet them before they reach Emyn Muil or even cross the Anduin," Aragorn said with a stern expression. Faramir felt a wave of sadness wash over him. Boromir had died when last the Fellowship had crossed the Anduin. He hoped the same fate did not befall him. Soon they were ready to leave so they shouldered their packs and set off after their friends.
"You can't just go charging off like this!" Aragorn shouted, not caring whom he woke. "You can't just abandon the Fellowship for some girl." "She's not just some girl. I love her!" Legolas stopped, shocked. He loved her? When did that happen?
The previous night, before she had woken to take watch, Legolas had sat in the tree watching her sleeping and thinking about her, and of Melian. Over the past days, it had become blaringly obvious how alike she was to Melian, but also how different. Melian was quiet, and never spoke out of turn. Kayla was quite the opposite. While never rude, she never hesitated to say what was on her mind. She lent comfort to those around her, and tried to see the good in every situation. And even though she shared a soul with Melian, she was her own person.
Aragorn smiled at Legolas. "I am glad you have finally realised it." "You knew?" Legolas was still shocked that he had admitted that he loved Kayla. He unconsciously touched the pendant Galadriel had given to him. "Ever since you told me about Melian, by the lake. I was just waiting for you to realise it in your heart." He patted Legolas on the shoulder. "Then you know that I must go?" Legolas was still determined to go after her. "You go. I'll wake the others and we'll follow on. If you do not find her before you reach Emyn Muil, wait for us there. We will take Mordor together." Legolas tucked the chain back inside his shirt, and laid a hand on Aragorn's shoulder. He smiled and Legolas took off after the woman he loved.
Aragorn sighed as he watched his friend disappear into the trees. He was happy that Legolas had realised his feelings for Kayla, but he was anxious for the remaining group. They had just lost their best warriors. Aragorn hoped that they did not come into any serious danger, until they had all met up again. It would be stupid to think they would not meet danger, he just hoped it would be later on their journey.
He moved to rouse the sleeping Fellowship. He decided to wake the Hobbits first; they usually took the longest to come around. He crouched down to shake Merry when a small voice sounded. "We're awake." Aragorn looked down into the faces of Merry and Pippin. "So they left us?" Pippin sounded slightly scared for them. "Will they be ok?" "They will be fine. They are capable of handling anything that crosses their path," Aragorn reassured them. "But I ask you, keep whatever you heard to yourself for now." The two Hobbits nodded in agreement. Aragorn left them to awaken Frodo and Sam and he then he moved to wake Gimli and Faramir.
"What do you mean, gone ahead?" Gimli was outraged. "I said it before and I will say it again. Never trust an Elf. He knows he needs a head start if he is to beat me in the body count." "I hardly think that is why he has gone," Faramir retorted. "I think it had to do more with the fact that a certain lady went off first." "This is no time to speculate. We have to leave now if we are to meet them before they reach Emyn Muil or even cross the Anduin," Aragorn said with a stern expression. Faramir felt a wave of sadness wash over him. Boromir had died when last the Fellowship had crossed the Anduin. He hoped the same fate did not befall him. Soon they were ready to leave so they shouldered their packs and set off after their friends.