Chapter 2: Childish Tendencies
"All fear what they can not understand."
Rhiannon looked around at the beauty that was Middle-Earth. Her land was beautiful, called the Emerald Isle because it was so green. But there the surroundings did not talk so. Everything here had voices, eyes, ears, and mouths. Ever little thing had a story and history to tell. And the land would tell it if it was provoked to. The land whispered of the what was coming. Rhiannon noticed that the elves did not talk as they traveled. Rhiannon found this slightly odd. Her people always desired to talk to each other. Someone always had and an adventure to tell. They would still listen to the surroundings but the voices were needed to offer a small bit of comfort. After traveling for quite sometime, so long Rhiannon's back was cramping, Legolas said,
"We will rest for a quick moment. Menepaurion, take the horses to the river for a quick drink and rest. Lostladion, come with me to search this area. Rhiannon, try not to cause any harm to yourself and stay here."
Rhiannon fought back the very childish urge to stick her tongue out at Legolas' back. She hated the fact she was being treated like a child. Although to these elves she must seem like one. She was twenty years shy of a thousand. Rhiannon looked around her, trying to find something to entertain her now that her companions had left. She needed something to distract her and quell the fear that was in the back of her mind. Such sadness, that such darkness must come to these people. She cocked her head to the side and heard very light footsteps. She opened an eye very slowly to see Legolas standing in front of her.
"What troubles you?" He asked
"Oh, now you have concern for my feelings."
"Are you always this irritable and sarcastic?"
"Do you always treat non-elves with such condescension? As if they are so far below you? I know that it is not because I am female. Your most powerful leader, the Lady of the Wood is female. And the most beloved of elves is Arwen Evenstar. So, it must be because I am not full elf that you would treat me with such flippancy. Well, I must tell you. I am ¾ elf and ¼ immortal human. In a sense my kind is more powerful than your own."
"You assume much my half-elven friend. My treatment of you is simply because I have many thoughts on my mind. Many worries. And because of your young age. You are but a child to most elves."
"Age is a matter of experience, not years. You may find, Legolas of Mirkwood, that before your return home, you will have more experience and feel even more aged than your father."
"How can you speak of such things, as if you know?"
"I am part what you would call wizard and gifted with the secundum visibili, my people's term for the second sight. I can see what might happen. But the future is never a definite thing."
"Then why do you tell me such things?"
"You go to Imladris to tell the Lord Elrond that Gollum has escaped. Gandalf is there because a hobbit, named Frodo Baggins, heir of Bilbo, now bears the one ring of power. Elrond is to conduct a meeting, with representatives of each of the free peoples of Middle-earth; to select a group to journey to the fires of Mount Doom to destroy the Ring. Someone must represent the elves. You are a good warrior and one of the best archers. I just assumed you would be the elf to go. But I could be mistaken." Rhiannon took a long breath then looked to Legolas, "Your companions are coming. How much longer till Rivendell?" Legolas, lost in his own thoughts mumbled, "We shall be there by nightfall."
Rhiannon was now riding behind Menepaurion, the other companion. He seemed extremely displeased that he must share his horse with her. Rhiannon did not understand the dislike and unease of this elf. Lostladion had spoken to her, if but a little, and there was always a tone of amusement in his voice. Even Legolas had treated her more kindly, since she had made mention of his behavior. This elf seemed tempted to throw her off the back of his horse. Rhiannon was very tempted to say something to Legolas; but she kept her tongue. As opinionated and hot-tempered as she could be she did not normally like to be the cause of trouble. So she decided to try something she had not tried with an elf for over a hundred years. She tried to send a mental plea to Legolas. She focused solely on him and asked the questions of why the rider distrusted her so, why he wanted her thrown off the horse, and if she was safe with such an elf.
Legolas suddenly halted, almost causing Lostladion to crash into him. He turned and stared at Rhiannon with wide-eyes. She nodded, signaling she had just sent a message to him. Legolas turned and looked forward. Staring off into space for some time. Then he continued on, his gaze focusing on nothing in front of him. A voice came into Rhiannon's head,
"How and why did you do that?"
Rhiannon silently answered him, "Legolas, all elves have the ability to speak to people with just their minds. It just takes lots of concentration and most elves cannot be bothered with it. I don't wish to yell my worries to you. Why does this elf in front of me, dislike me so? I guarantee when you are not looking, he will try to buck me off his horse."
Legolas seemed to consider her statement, but she could not tell because she could not see his face. "He was once engaged to a half-elven and still bears a bitter wound from loving her. He does not trust ones that are not pure elves. He does not even trust Lord Elrond. I do not know why he wishes to throw you off his horse but I can guess it is because of your looks. You do look remarkably like the half-elven that left him. I do not think that you should fear your safety, but I cannot guarantee it."
"Then I wish to ride with Lostladion."
"You seem oddly attracted to Lostladion."
"He has shown me kindness, I feel safe with him."
"Do you not feel safe with me?"
"I do feel safe with you; but I can only imagine the sight we would make."
"It would certainly put a frown on Menepaurion's face, let us stop this, my head is starting to ache."
"Ooh, you're not used to having to concentrate. Did the prissy elf find he is not good at something?"
Legolas suddenly halted the group once again. "My dear companions, I feel weary and would like to rest. The horses probably need the rest too. We are not that far from Rivendell and have no need to hurry the rest of the way, but let us do so just this once so we may get there soon and then have rest."
The horses then started to run at a break-neck pace. The elves rode bare- back, therefore Rhiannon had nothing to grab onto, save the elf in front of her and she did not wish to touch him. So she begged the horse to not buck her off and dug her hands into it's side. The horse seemed to understand her distress and did not once attempt to throw her. She looked up and her breath caught in her throat as she spied Rivendell at sunset. It was a sight she would not soon forget.
"All fear what they can not understand."
Rhiannon looked around at the beauty that was Middle-Earth. Her land was beautiful, called the Emerald Isle because it was so green. But there the surroundings did not talk so. Everything here had voices, eyes, ears, and mouths. Ever little thing had a story and history to tell. And the land would tell it if it was provoked to. The land whispered of the what was coming. Rhiannon noticed that the elves did not talk as they traveled. Rhiannon found this slightly odd. Her people always desired to talk to each other. Someone always had and an adventure to tell. They would still listen to the surroundings but the voices were needed to offer a small bit of comfort. After traveling for quite sometime, so long Rhiannon's back was cramping, Legolas said,
"We will rest for a quick moment. Menepaurion, take the horses to the river for a quick drink and rest. Lostladion, come with me to search this area. Rhiannon, try not to cause any harm to yourself and stay here."
Rhiannon fought back the very childish urge to stick her tongue out at Legolas' back. She hated the fact she was being treated like a child. Although to these elves she must seem like one. She was twenty years shy of a thousand. Rhiannon looked around her, trying to find something to entertain her now that her companions had left. She needed something to distract her and quell the fear that was in the back of her mind. Such sadness, that such darkness must come to these people. She cocked her head to the side and heard very light footsteps. She opened an eye very slowly to see Legolas standing in front of her.
"What troubles you?" He asked
"Oh, now you have concern for my feelings."
"Are you always this irritable and sarcastic?"
"Do you always treat non-elves with such condescension? As if they are so far below you? I know that it is not because I am female. Your most powerful leader, the Lady of the Wood is female. And the most beloved of elves is Arwen Evenstar. So, it must be because I am not full elf that you would treat me with such flippancy. Well, I must tell you. I am ¾ elf and ¼ immortal human. In a sense my kind is more powerful than your own."
"You assume much my half-elven friend. My treatment of you is simply because I have many thoughts on my mind. Many worries. And because of your young age. You are but a child to most elves."
"Age is a matter of experience, not years. You may find, Legolas of Mirkwood, that before your return home, you will have more experience and feel even more aged than your father."
"How can you speak of such things, as if you know?"
"I am part what you would call wizard and gifted with the secundum visibili, my people's term for the second sight. I can see what might happen. But the future is never a definite thing."
"Then why do you tell me such things?"
"You go to Imladris to tell the Lord Elrond that Gollum has escaped. Gandalf is there because a hobbit, named Frodo Baggins, heir of Bilbo, now bears the one ring of power. Elrond is to conduct a meeting, with representatives of each of the free peoples of Middle-earth; to select a group to journey to the fires of Mount Doom to destroy the Ring. Someone must represent the elves. You are a good warrior and one of the best archers. I just assumed you would be the elf to go. But I could be mistaken." Rhiannon took a long breath then looked to Legolas, "Your companions are coming. How much longer till Rivendell?" Legolas, lost in his own thoughts mumbled, "We shall be there by nightfall."
Rhiannon was now riding behind Menepaurion, the other companion. He seemed extremely displeased that he must share his horse with her. Rhiannon did not understand the dislike and unease of this elf. Lostladion had spoken to her, if but a little, and there was always a tone of amusement in his voice. Even Legolas had treated her more kindly, since she had made mention of his behavior. This elf seemed tempted to throw her off the back of his horse. Rhiannon was very tempted to say something to Legolas; but she kept her tongue. As opinionated and hot-tempered as she could be she did not normally like to be the cause of trouble. So she decided to try something she had not tried with an elf for over a hundred years. She tried to send a mental plea to Legolas. She focused solely on him and asked the questions of why the rider distrusted her so, why he wanted her thrown off the horse, and if she was safe with such an elf.
Legolas suddenly halted, almost causing Lostladion to crash into him. He turned and stared at Rhiannon with wide-eyes. She nodded, signaling she had just sent a message to him. Legolas turned and looked forward. Staring off into space for some time. Then he continued on, his gaze focusing on nothing in front of him. A voice came into Rhiannon's head,
"How and why did you do that?"
Rhiannon silently answered him, "Legolas, all elves have the ability to speak to people with just their minds. It just takes lots of concentration and most elves cannot be bothered with it. I don't wish to yell my worries to you. Why does this elf in front of me, dislike me so? I guarantee when you are not looking, he will try to buck me off his horse."
Legolas seemed to consider her statement, but she could not tell because she could not see his face. "He was once engaged to a half-elven and still bears a bitter wound from loving her. He does not trust ones that are not pure elves. He does not even trust Lord Elrond. I do not know why he wishes to throw you off his horse but I can guess it is because of your looks. You do look remarkably like the half-elven that left him. I do not think that you should fear your safety, but I cannot guarantee it."
"Then I wish to ride with Lostladion."
"You seem oddly attracted to Lostladion."
"He has shown me kindness, I feel safe with him."
"Do you not feel safe with me?"
"I do feel safe with you; but I can only imagine the sight we would make."
"It would certainly put a frown on Menepaurion's face, let us stop this, my head is starting to ache."
"Ooh, you're not used to having to concentrate. Did the prissy elf find he is not good at something?"
Legolas suddenly halted the group once again. "My dear companions, I feel weary and would like to rest. The horses probably need the rest too. We are not that far from Rivendell and have no need to hurry the rest of the way, but let us do so just this once so we may get there soon and then have rest."
The horses then started to run at a break-neck pace. The elves rode bare- back, therefore Rhiannon had nothing to grab onto, save the elf in front of her and she did not wish to touch him. So she begged the horse to not buck her off and dug her hands into it's side. The horse seemed to understand her distress and did not once attempt to throw her. She looked up and her breath caught in her throat as she spied Rivendell at sunset. It was a sight she would not soon forget.