Disclaimer: The Lord of the Rings is property of Tolkien and there are many references throughout to Robert Jordan's Wheel of Time series. I only own what you do not recognize. The character Chinky is not meant to cause offence and is named after a real horse whose name has been shortened from a Fiat Cinquecento (Chinky – Chento).
Chapter 19: Nothing but a demon
Aragorn slept late the next morning. By the time he awoke, elves could be seen walking around and cooking breakfast. He stretched as he stepped out of his bed, cursing as he trod on his sword. Looking over he could see that the hobbits were still in bed, but were starting to stir as the smell of food wafted towards them.
Gimli was still fast asleep, so was Boromir, both still in their clothes, they had literally lain down and fallen asleep; Boromir had not even taken the shield from his back, Aragorn noticed with a smile.
Finally his gaze wandered over to the bed the other side of him. Legolas weapons lay on it, along with his cloak, coat and tunic. His soft boots lay on the floor next to the bed, but that was not what made Aragorn frown. The bed hadn't been slept in. Only a slight crinkle was on it, where he presumed the elf had sat down to pull his boots off.
Shaking his head he walked over to where a group of elves were cooking over what looked like a blue flame. Just as he was about to question one of them he saw Legolas and Amy sat just past the group. Smiling he walked over to them and sat down.
"Good morning, I was just coming to look for you. Legolas wasn't your bed good enough?" He said mockingly.
"I do not know, as I never slept in it." Legolas said with just as much humour.
Amy shook her head at the two males sitting either side of her. It was not until she noticed their conversation had stopped that she looked at Aragorn. His eyes were not on her face or Legolas's but on her hand, their hands. She blushed as she noticed that hers and Legolas's fingers were intertwined.
"Ah, that explains a lot! So you to are together now?" Aragorn asked with a smile. He took the embarrassed faces as a yes, and did not think anything else of it.
BREAK
The days passed quickly in Lothlorien and no one was keeping track of the time. Days turned into weeks, weeks turned into months and in the blink of an eye the Fellowship were preparing to depart.
The day before departing, the Fellowship were invited into Amy's talon for a farewell dinner.
Amy smiled as she opened the door, she looked round to see who had just knocked and frowned before it dawned on her. Looking down she saw the smiling faces of four hobbits. Opening the door fully they walked in and started a stream of mindless chatter.
"It's so nice of you to have us Lady Amy," Sam said.
"How long have we known one another now Sam? Call me Amy, I am no lady!"
Sam smiled shyly before helping himself to the jug of wine on one of the many small tables.
"Yes, I am very sad to be leaving, but these cloaks are very nice!" Pippin said spinning around and watching it fly out behind him.
"Yes they are spun by the best weavers, though they have a certain, magical quality if I might say." Amy said with a knowing smile.
The four hobbits stopped and stared at the cloaks in amazement while Amy opened the door to let in the rest of her guests.
"Amy so nice of you to invite us for dinner." Boromir said holding the door open for the rest to walk through.
"It is no problem, your company has kept me company on many a night. I have spent thirty years spending many a night alone, it is nice to have a few friendly faces around." She said smiling as Legolas slipped his arms round her waist.
BREAK
Towards the end of the evening the company had moved from the warm talon out onto the balcony, which offered a cooling breeze. The dinner had taken place about half way through, and due to Amy's lack of chairs they had all been sat on large cushions on the floor with all the food laid out in the middle.
The food had ranged from savoury stews to potatoes and vegetables, meats and pies had also been laid out. There were also lots of sweet dishes for Legolas and herself. Elves as a rule do not put on weight so they could eat as many sweet things as they liked, but much of the food that men ate was too heavy for their stomachs and bloated them out quickly, though it was still very nice.
"Amy this food is lovely!" Aragorn said picking up another serving of potatoes.
"Thank you I don't generally cater for many people so I didn't know how it would turn out!" She said blushing.
Though all too quickly the Fellowship had to depart for slumber. They had to be up early the next morning to check they had everything and set out. Though Legolas had a hinting that Galadriel would want to speak to them one more time.
Amy said her good byes, and received many hugs and kisses from them. She sighed as she slumped in a chair. Aragorn and Legolas also slumped down either side of her, as Aragorn had decided to stay the night with her, like they had done all those years ago.
"I have just found out why I do not hold many parties! They are too much like hard work!" She said laughing.
"You did a fine job!" Aragorn said stroking her hair. His eyes suddenly wandered over to her left hand. On the top of her left hand was a slight indentation. Taking his hand away from her hair he picked up her hand and turned it over. As he had originally thought there was also an indentation on this side. Curiously he ran his finger over the dent before a wave of remembrance hit him.
"Amy, is this the scar from the arrow?" Aragorn asked.
"Yup! Blasted orcs. I remember that day clearly." She said frowning slightly.
"Yes how could we forget? We run into a clearing and see a young girl fighting with as much skill with a sword as Aragorn, and more than twenty orcs laying dead around her!" Legolas said.
"I recon if you hadn't turned up when you did I would have given up! I am so glad you found me! If you didn't there would be no hope for Middle Earth!" Amy said.
"Yes, the only hope Middle Earth has is a hobbit and our Little Warrior." Said Aragorn.
"Do not worry Amy; we will let nothing happen to you. You will fight like your father but you will never fall. We will not let you." Legolas said with such meaning that Amy believed him.
BREAK
"Amy, Legolas if I fall out this time. I'm blaming you!" Aragorn said as he pulled the covers up over his nose. He fully remembered the last time he had fallen asleep in the same bed as the two elves. He had woken up on the floor the next morning.
"Do not fear! We will not push you out." Legolas said smiling.
"We didn't push you out last time!" Amy said laughing.
"I'll believe you!" Aragorn said turning onto his side.
No more than a few minutes later the three were asleep. When morning came Amy was the first to wake, she looked over purposefully at Aragorn to find him still in the bed. Just as well she did not feel like levitating him back into the bed if he had fallen out.
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Haldir was out early the next day. From his hiding spot behind a large tree he could see the Fellowship getting ready to board the boats. He had seen Galadriel present the gifts to them and as much as he tried to frown when he saw her give the bow to Legolas he couldn't. No matter how much he wanted to hate the elf he couldn't. Sighing he leant against the tree. He had been out into Lothlorien since they arrived and he even managed a respectable conversation with Aragorn and Legolas. But now all he could think of was apologising to Amy.
So deep was he in his own thoughts that he didn't here the Mirkwood elf approach.
"Haldir." Legolas said placing a hand on the elf's shoulder.
Haldir jumped and scolded himself for not hearing the younger elf.
"I know we have not got off on the best foot. We used to be such friends, what happened?" Legolas asked with concern in his voice.
"I do not know, my temper has worsened over the last few years, and I fly at anyone." That had been true. He had also gotten very jealous of anyone talking to Lureae. Despite knowing her real name, he refused to call her anything else. He had given her that name for a reason; she was a dark one. He knew her strength. If she ever went over to serve Sauron, the world would be lost.
"If it has anything to do with Amy I am sorry. There is nothing I can do. You know as well as I that matters with the heart cannot be messed with." Legolas said calmly.
"I know, though I still wonder why you would be taken by an elf such as Lureae." Haldir said. Though he seemed to spit out the word elf, as though it tasted bad.
Confused, Legolas looked at the elf before him. Did he not believe that Amy was an elf? "Why do you insist on calling her that? She is no darker than you or I." Legolas said getting slightly angry.
Haldir could feel the anger radiating off the younger elf and it annoyed him more. He stared at the elf hard before he noticed Amy's ring around his neck. He flipped, just like he had done with her.
"She may not be evil now, but you know as well as I what she is caperball of. What if she ever went to Sauron? That would be the end of Middle Earth."
Legolas could feel his temper rising, lifting his hand he grabbed Haldir's tunic and pushed him onto the tree behind him. "If you love her why do you torment her so?"
"Face it Legolas. I may love her, but she is nothing but a demon." Haldir said. As before, as soon as he said it, he regretted it as a well aimed fist hit him in the stomach.
"Don't you ever call her that again," Legolas growled pulling his fist away from Haldir's stomach and storming off to say goodbye to Amy.
He found her standing staring off into the distance over the river. Walking up to her he noticed two things. One, she had her eyes shut and two tears were falling lightly down her smooth cheeks.
"What is wrong Little Warrior?" Legolas asked turning her to face him.
"Haldir is right." She sobbed into his chest. Legolas felt his heart tighten as he realised she must have over heard their conversation.
"No, he is just jealous. I do not care what you are. I would love you even if you were a dwarf!" He said.
As he had planned this made her laugh and look up at him.
Aragorn walked up to Legolas quietly. "Come Legolas, we must leave now." Aragorn said putting a hand on his friends shoulder.
"I know, yet this departure is as hard as the last one." He said looking at Amy.
Smiling Amy wrapped her hands about his neck and kissed him deeply. Aragorn turned around to give them some privacy.
Reluctantly pulling away from Legolas she walked over to Aragorn and hugged him tightly.
"Do not worry about us." Aragorn whispered into her hair as he put his arms round her.
"I will not, do not fear. Our paths will cross again before too many dawns pass. I am sure of that." She said pulling away and turning to kiss Legolas one more time before watching him climb into the boats.
BREAK
Sighing she watched the boats until they were out of sight before calling Chinky. The Mearas came quickly to her. Amy vaulted onto her back and urged her to ride to the other side of Lorien with haste. She had a visitor to wait for.
