Hello! I had some free time, so I decided to update! This chapter is about how it's advisable to keep your mouth shut sometimes! Hope you will like it!

P.S. By the way, Delawien is read as delΛwi'en

Enjoy!

Chapter 6 "Think twice"

Three of them approached the camp and immediately seven pairs of eyes were staring at two women disbelievingly as they were ghosts. No one was able to make a sound. Aurelia stared wide-eyed at four hobbits and a dwarf, because she'd never seen ones.

Gandalf cough to have everyone's attention and began with a soft smile:

"Gentlemen, I have a declaration to make. Hm…Meaning the latest events...I came to a definite decision, that after meeting these two young women, we are in charge of their well-being," he ignored an irritated glance from a black-haired woman, "so I made up my mind that they should come with us at least for now…"

"What!" Aragorn and Gimli cried out simultaneously.

"Aragorn, this is my decision, and it wouldn't be changed. You just have to believe me as you did so many times before," Gandalf looked Aragorn straight in the eye, like they communicated without words, and then gave a reassuring smile to Aurelia, who was very timid and nervous, since everyone stared at her.

"Hi…um…I'm…Aurelia," she barely whispered. For a split second there was no reaction to this, but then a little hobbit jumped up.

"Hello, I'm Peregrin Took, but everyone call me just Pippin. Nice to meet you," he said cheerfully, next his eyes fell on the other woman. "I don't believe I caught your name, lady…"

"I didn't give one," she stated simply.

"But how should we call you then?" Merry asked involved.

" Delawien Swett is my name. But you can call me Della as everyone does."

"Oh, great," Pippin returned with a smile, "Let me introduce everyone. Well, Gandalf you know, and this is my kinsman Meriadoc Brandybuck, but he's just Marry, then Samwise Gamgee aka Sam, over there is Frodo Baggins, well, he's just Frodo and we all are hobbits. And there's Gimli, he's a dwarf, and Boromir from Gondor and, of course, Strider also known as Aragorn son of Arathorn," Pippin blurted out even before anyone could stop him from telling the secret information.

"Isildur's heir?" Delawien exclaimed, turning paler than she usually was.

"I am, so what?" Aragorn asked challenging, suspicion written all over his face.

"Nothing," she stated forcefully, "just heard of him much." "Oh, hell, what are you doing, Della! Shut up before you slip one more time. Damn, it's getting really worse and worse.

"Oh, Legolas!" pippin broke their silent confrontation. "Over here, mate!"

Aurelia looked at the man pippin was addressing to, her breath caught in her throat. Right beside her stood a tall, well-built man with long blond silky-smooth hair and extremely handsome features, so her imagination began to draw various pictures of who he might be and so on, but had been before her eyes fell on his…ears. Her eyes grew wide, as she'd never see something like that earlier, and sooner than she could realize it, she had already cried out loud her thoughts:

"Oh, my! What's wrong with your… ears?"

The effect was unpredictable. Everyone went silent and looked at Aurelia as if she had been mad. Gimli uttered a constrained chuckle. As for Legolas, his cheeks turned slightly red and he looked so stunned, as never before, unable to say anything.

"Haven't you ever seen an elf?" Aragorn asked disbelievingly.

"An elf? Um…you mean green little men with transparent small wings, who fly from one flower to another. Oh, yes, I've heard about them in the legends!" Aurelia stated seriously, oblivious to the fact that everyone, except Legolas who looked shocked and Aragorn who tried to look serious, were giggling.

"Well, if this is your notion about elves," Legolas began in a hurt voice, " you either have a narrow idea of the world you live in or you've come from the place so far away from here, that such a narrow idea is considered a norm there!"

"Don't you dare to insult me or my country!" Aurelia exploded, forgetting about her guard for a moment, before Delawien elbowed her sharply in the ribs. "I mean the country I'm from. Besides, from the way you treat a lady I can say you have a very narrow idea of how to behave as a gentleman!" She stated angrily to cover up her previous slip. Everything went quiet. Was she crazy? Legolas wasn't a gentleman? But it's absurd! He himself was gravely pale now, but still held his head high:

"Your speech only makes me doubt in your nobility, My Lady," he said in a calm voice, turned around and left.

"Fine," Aurelia sniffed scornfully and turned in opposite direction. Silence was heavy, as everyone tried to understand what had just happened. The air was rigid.

"Wanna eat, anyone?" Pippin offered unnaturally over-joyed.

Legolas was standing among the trees, peering into darkness motionless. That was how Aragorn had found him. He was sure the elf heard him, but gave no sing of apprehension. Aragorn was no fool to notice that the girl's words did hurt him much. That girl, he was quiet sure, did it unintentionally, without thinking. The way she behaved, Aragorn could say she was merely a naive and immature child. He was though surprised by his friend's reaction, as Legolas seemed to take her words to close to his heart. Or wasn't it the words that offended him, but the fact that the girl had said them?

Strider came closer and put a comforting hand on his friends shoulder.

"Why are you taking offence at stupidity, my friend?" he asked in elvish. "She's just a spoiled overweening child."

"That's not the point, Estel. She raised the question of my nobility," Legolas' voice was bitter.

"I'm sure she didn't mean that. Look, everyone knows, that in the Fellowship you're the one in whose nobility it's impossible to doubt." Legolas turned around with a small smile playing on his lips and put his arm on Aragorn's shoulder in return. They stood like this for a moment, speaking with each other without words.

"Just show her you're much wiser and mature than she, don't pay attention to what she may say," Aragorn started towards the camp. "Are you going with me?"

"I think I'll examine the surroundings," Legolas reply quietly, his eyes thoughtful.

Back to the camp, everyone had already finished their supper and was getting ready to sleep. Aurelia was surrounded by Marry and Pippin, who told her stories about their race and Middle Earth, avoiding mentioning elves, as the incident wasn't yet completely forgotten. Gimli was sleeping soundly, Gandalf and the rest of hobbits tried to follow his example, Boromir was lying on the ground watching the stars and Delawien stealthily. She was sitting aloof, lost deep in her thoughts.

Aragorn took a cup of hot tea and made his way toward the silent figure. As he sat down by her side, she didn't even move, pretending she didn't notice him. She still wore the black cloak, apart from her head was now exposed. They shared a minute of silence.

"Where did you learn to fight so well?" Aragorn asked finally, trying to make a conversation.

"Life taught me," she answered after a moment, not looking at him, but straight into the fire.

"Strange, that a woman have been traveling all alone through the Middle Earth in these times," he looked at her intensively, attempting to make out who she really was and what were her real intentions.

She turned her head to meet his glance. Her eyes were cold and lifeless, and no matter how hard he tried, Strider couldn't see anything in them.

"Strange…" she drawled, "that "Isildur's heir himself, a man from Gondor, an elf , a dwarf, four hobbits and a wizard travel together in these dark times…"

She was interrupted by loud neighing somewhere not far away. Aragorn furrowed his brows: no horse walks without its muster. He instinctively laid a hand on his sword's hilt. As for Delawien, for the first time her face lit with a small, secretive smile, as she jumped up with a girlish lightness, that surprised Strider, and almost ran into the forest. There her best friend and companion was, longing for her care and attention. Delawien sprinted to the black stallion, embraced his mane and stroked his forelock.

"In der manx infero timerio, Nox," she whispered in his ear, so no one else would hear. He seemed to understand, as Nox nudged her lightly with his head. Della was so absorbed in this silent conversation, she didn't hear Aragorn, approaching her from behind.

"A good stallion you have," he noted softly. Della turned abruptly, while Nox snorted at this stranger, who could harm his mistress.

"Yes, one of the best, actually," she answered, smirking, and with word, she left him alone, her stallion close behind. Aragorn didn't know what to make of that girl.

It was a deep night, soundless and black. Everyone was fast asleep, the fire had already died out. Delawien Swett was lying on her back, eyes open, peering into the stars. Her mind was wondering, working hard on a new plan of actions.

What's now? Can it be that Saruman became Sauron's spy? Though, of course, Sauron always had his special way of creating alliances. But now, since it's happened, what I'm gonna do? What if I would fail my mission? No, no, Della, don't even dare to think of it! You are strong and wise, you should be! Do remember no mountain is too high, if you know how to conquer it. Now, you have only to think of a new plan. But Isildur's heir! The one whom I hated to see most! Dared not even to permit any thought of standing next to him! No, I should act natural. But could I pretend to be a friend to my enemy? He's smart, it's better to keep neutral. And that wizard, Gandalf… I should be careful not to get near him. He's not as simple as he wants to look like. The others…well, the others don't jeopardize my plans. Oh my, I should do what is destined to me, one way or another…