You all kick so much ASS I can't even go into it. I have more than 40
reviews. FORTY. Do you know how cool that is?
Becca – Thank you so much. Yeah, I'm a Beatlemaniac too. They DO rock, don't they?
King Doom – Um...Thank you?
Andrew Joshua Talon – I know, I know, I'm sorry. I can't help it. You have made one very good point, however. I don't really know how to get her and Legolas together and have it, y'know, even remotely feasible.
JoyJoy – Thank you. Hugely. You have no idea.
Sylvia Viridian – That is honestly the first time I have EVER heard someone say: Legomance? Go for it! Except I have no idea how to get them together and have it not be overly Mary-Sueish. And what's wrong with some hot Gimli lovin'? Heh. Love you so much.
Snorkle – Thanks for the addy. You kick ass. I hope I can keep you happy!
Kirdan – The curse of a fair complexion. Sucks, doesn't it? Thanks!
ADC – Thanks again!
Valentia – Oooh, two votes to see Elladan and Elrohir again. And I wouldn't worry too much about Boromir. Thanks!
Catherine Maria – You really need to stop this. My head is going to explode if you keep it up. That makes THREE votes for Elladan and Elrohir, and three to save Boromir. I think he'll be okay. Thank you hugely, I hope you like this chapter!
~
Chapter 11
~
I don't know how long we've been here. I've lost count of the days, because there's not much difference here between day and night. It makes sleeping hell.
Boromir's restless. Aragorn's stoic. Sam's fussy. Merry & Pippin are hungry. Frodo's angsty. Mitanna's trying to crawl into Aragorn's leggings. Leilanni's looking for Legolas. And Legolas and Gimli haven't been seen in days. Legolas spends all of his time, days and nights, out amongst his kin. He's lucky – he has a place to hide. Poor Aragorn has no place to go.
Me, meanwhile, I've been sneaking off to practice with my knives and hanging out with the Hobbits. And there was this one time, the first couple days we were here, that the rude Elf guy from the border, the one who's name I can't remember, got done bathing and couldn't find his clothes.
But I had NOTHING to do with THAT, of course.
Hee.
In other news, Aragorn bathed. It's beautiful. His hair? It moves, now. In breezes and when he shakes his head. Boromir followed his lead. It's like, while we were on the road, they had to compete for everything – who could refuse the ring, who could last the longest on watch, who could stink the most.
MEN.
~
Well, anywho, here we are, packing up all of our supplies into those pretty pretty gray boats. I'm passing random packs to Boromir when Celeborn seeks me out to talk to me again.
We're standing by the edge of the forest now. He's watching Aragorn with narrowed eyes.
Ooh, that's right. He's Arwen's grandfather. I forgot about that.
He turns to me and presses a dagger into my hands. It's light and plain, with a leather-bound hilt. "I know my grandsons gave you others to defend yourself with."
I don't ask how he figured it out. Like he said, Galadriel's not the only power in these woods. "Yes, my Lord."
Celeborn smiles at me, a kind expression. "It's always good to have a backup, Kayli." He pauses, stares at me intently for a moment. "Be careful. 'Twould be a pity to lose such a light, in this world or any other." He turns and leaves, making a beeline for Aragorn.
OK, what the HELL did that mean?
~
Oooh, presents! Yay.
Except, yeah. I already got mine. The Lady approaches me, gently takes my hands in hers. I bend my knees and my head before her, and she draws me back up, pressing a kiss to my forehead. "Have hope, child. Not all love has deserted you." She smiles and traces the silver chain around my throat, the one that holds her gift. "Save these for that moment. It is not something that has been foreseen, but I sense it nonetheless."
I bow again. "Thank you, my Lady."
OK, is this Cryptic Day, or something? Is this some married-couple conspiracy to be as vague as possible?
Galadriel smiles at me, tilting my face up to hers. 'Patience, child. Patience.' She darts a glance at Legolas, out of the corner of her eye, where he's admiring his new bow, then she glances at me, one eyebrow raised. 'Tell me, child, what is it you wanted him to do? Something involving –'
I press a finger to my lips. "SHHH!"
She laughs, presses a kiss to my forehead, and moves on.
~
So here we are, just sailing along. Have I mentioned I can't swim? I can't even float. Water over my head scares the crap out of me. Which is why I am very intently NOT looking over the edge of the boat, and am instead listening to Gimli rhapsodize about Galadriel's hair to Legolas.
Oh, yes, I AM sharing a boat with Legolas. Was Leilanni ever PISSED!
Heh.
~Guess what?~
I was leaning over, tying off the last of the packs on the dock, when Leilanni and Mitanna came up behind me.
"I think you should ride with US, handmaiden," Mitanna said loudly. God, who was she trying to impress now? "You've neglected your duties long enough."
"OK, number one, I'm not your fucking handmaiden. Number two, my only 'duty' isn't to you. So piss off."
I turned back to the packs. I heard Mitanna suck in a deep, angry breath.
"I think the lass'll be riding with us," Gimli said firmly. I looked up. He's not very tall, but since it's all muscle, and he's as broad through the shoulders as he is tall, and he was leaning on an axe he spent an hour sharpening the night before, they backed off.
I gave him a relieved smile. "Thank you, Gimli."
He leaned forward to whisper to me. "Tell ya the truth, lass, I'm not real fond of them."
I grinned at him. "That makes, what, eight of us?"
He laughed.
~OK, OK, it's over, you can look now~
Oh, and speaking of gifts, mine was two rings, one bigger than the other, both made of what looks like woven mithril. They're slender bands, plain but beautiful. I love them. They're on a chain around my neck.
But, honestly, I have bigger things on my mind than a present from the not- as-scary-as-I-though-Elf-Lady.
Amon Hen. The place where are paths are going to change, where we're all going to go our separate ways. Merry and Pippin are going to be taken by orcs, and Boromir's going to die.
The big question? Here it is. Are you ready?
Can I change any of it? Can I save Boromir? Can I keep Merry & Pippin with us? Can I keep Sam and Frodo from going off on their own?
No, wait, don't want to do the last one. And, yes, I realize that was more than one question.
Am I in as much trouble as I think?
TBC...
Becca – Thank you so much. Yeah, I'm a Beatlemaniac too. They DO rock, don't they?
King Doom – Um...Thank you?
Andrew Joshua Talon – I know, I know, I'm sorry. I can't help it. You have made one very good point, however. I don't really know how to get her and Legolas together and have it, y'know, even remotely feasible.
JoyJoy – Thank you. Hugely. You have no idea.
Sylvia Viridian – That is honestly the first time I have EVER heard someone say: Legomance? Go for it! Except I have no idea how to get them together and have it not be overly Mary-Sueish. And what's wrong with some hot Gimli lovin'? Heh. Love you so much.
Snorkle – Thanks for the addy. You kick ass. I hope I can keep you happy!
Kirdan – The curse of a fair complexion. Sucks, doesn't it? Thanks!
ADC – Thanks again!
Valentia – Oooh, two votes to see Elladan and Elrohir again. And I wouldn't worry too much about Boromir. Thanks!
Catherine Maria – You really need to stop this. My head is going to explode if you keep it up. That makes THREE votes for Elladan and Elrohir, and three to save Boromir. I think he'll be okay. Thank you hugely, I hope you like this chapter!
~
Chapter 11
~
I don't know how long we've been here. I've lost count of the days, because there's not much difference here between day and night. It makes sleeping hell.
Boromir's restless. Aragorn's stoic. Sam's fussy. Merry & Pippin are hungry. Frodo's angsty. Mitanna's trying to crawl into Aragorn's leggings. Leilanni's looking for Legolas. And Legolas and Gimli haven't been seen in days. Legolas spends all of his time, days and nights, out amongst his kin. He's lucky – he has a place to hide. Poor Aragorn has no place to go.
Me, meanwhile, I've been sneaking off to practice with my knives and hanging out with the Hobbits. And there was this one time, the first couple days we were here, that the rude Elf guy from the border, the one who's name I can't remember, got done bathing and couldn't find his clothes.
But I had NOTHING to do with THAT, of course.
Hee.
In other news, Aragorn bathed. It's beautiful. His hair? It moves, now. In breezes and when he shakes his head. Boromir followed his lead. It's like, while we were on the road, they had to compete for everything – who could refuse the ring, who could last the longest on watch, who could stink the most.
MEN.
~
Well, anywho, here we are, packing up all of our supplies into those pretty pretty gray boats. I'm passing random packs to Boromir when Celeborn seeks me out to talk to me again.
We're standing by the edge of the forest now. He's watching Aragorn with narrowed eyes.
Ooh, that's right. He's Arwen's grandfather. I forgot about that.
He turns to me and presses a dagger into my hands. It's light and plain, with a leather-bound hilt. "I know my grandsons gave you others to defend yourself with."
I don't ask how he figured it out. Like he said, Galadriel's not the only power in these woods. "Yes, my Lord."
Celeborn smiles at me, a kind expression. "It's always good to have a backup, Kayli." He pauses, stares at me intently for a moment. "Be careful. 'Twould be a pity to lose such a light, in this world or any other." He turns and leaves, making a beeline for Aragorn.
OK, what the HELL did that mean?
~
Oooh, presents! Yay.
Except, yeah. I already got mine. The Lady approaches me, gently takes my hands in hers. I bend my knees and my head before her, and she draws me back up, pressing a kiss to my forehead. "Have hope, child. Not all love has deserted you." She smiles and traces the silver chain around my throat, the one that holds her gift. "Save these for that moment. It is not something that has been foreseen, but I sense it nonetheless."
I bow again. "Thank you, my Lady."
OK, is this Cryptic Day, or something? Is this some married-couple conspiracy to be as vague as possible?
Galadriel smiles at me, tilting my face up to hers. 'Patience, child. Patience.' She darts a glance at Legolas, out of the corner of her eye, where he's admiring his new bow, then she glances at me, one eyebrow raised. 'Tell me, child, what is it you wanted him to do? Something involving –'
I press a finger to my lips. "SHHH!"
She laughs, presses a kiss to my forehead, and moves on.
~
So here we are, just sailing along. Have I mentioned I can't swim? I can't even float. Water over my head scares the crap out of me. Which is why I am very intently NOT looking over the edge of the boat, and am instead listening to Gimli rhapsodize about Galadriel's hair to Legolas.
Oh, yes, I AM sharing a boat with Legolas. Was Leilanni ever PISSED!
Heh.
~Guess what?~
I was leaning over, tying off the last of the packs on the dock, when Leilanni and Mitanna came up behind me.
"I think you should ride with US, handmaiden," Mitanna said loudly. God, who was she trying to impress now? "You've neglected your duties long enough."
"OK, number one, I'm not your fucking handmaiden. Number two, my only 'duty' isn't to you. So piss off."
I turned back to the packs. I heard Mitanna suck in a deep, angry breath.
"I think the lass'll be riding with us," Gimli said firmly. I looked up. He's not very tall, but since it's all muscle, and he's as broad through the shoulders as he is tall, and he was leaning on an axe he spent an hour sharpening the night before, they backed off.
I gave him a relieved smile. "Thank you, Gimli."
He leaned forward to whisper to me. "Tell ya the truth, lass, I'm not real fond of them."
I grinned at him. "That makes, what, eight of us?"
He laughed.
~OK, OK, it's over, you can look now~
Oh, and speaking of gifts, mine was two rings, one bigger than the other, both made of what looks like woven mithril. They're slender bands, plain but beautiful. I love them. They're on a chain around my neck.
But, honestly, I have bigger things on my mind than a present from the not- as-scary-as-I-though-Elf-Lady.
Amon Hen. The place where are paths are going to change, where we're all going to go our separate ways. Merry and Pippin are going to be taken by orcs, and Boromir's going to die.
The big question? Here it is. Are you ready?
Can I change any of it? Can I save Boromir? Can I keep Merry & Pippin with us? Can I keep Sam and Frodo from going off on their own?
No, wait, don't want to do the last one. And, yes, I realize that was more than one question.
Am I in as much trouble as I think?
TBC...