Chapter Thirteen:

The dining hall was bursting with the sounds of joyous laughter, clanking silverware, and chair legs scooting across the stone floor. Laurel, despite her past misgivings when it came to meal time, was enjoying herself. She had been invited by Lord Elrond to attend the feast that was to celebrate their upcoming departure, so naturally she couldn't refuse. She had made the excuse that she had already eaten a short while before the dinner and so she was not hungry, but there was no reason why she could not also celebrate and enjoy the company.

To her left sat the dwarf, Gimli, to her right was Glorfindel. Merry and Pip were across from her and they were currently regaling to her a ferocious battle they had fought in against the Black riders.

"Oh aye," Pip said with a smile, "We barely escaped with our lives! Had it not been for our outstanding courage and battle skills, all of Middle Earth might have ended up in the gutter!" Laurel laughed at the embellishments as she took a sip of water. There was never a dull moment around these two hobbits.

"It's true!" Merry added. "One of those riders had our poor, dear Frodo pinned down, just waiting for death. But then I swooped in and sliced off one of their arms!"

"Is that right?" Laurel giggled. They both nodded vigorously with cheesy grins.

"Pay no mind to their antics, lassie." Gimli slurred slightly from beside her. Clearly he had drank his weight in ale. His cheeks were flushed under his thick beard and a few hiccups escaped from him when he tried to explain what Erebor was. Laurel listened patiently with a smile, hearing Gimli recount his father, Gloin's, adventure with Thorin Oakenshield and their company, which included one spritely Bilbo Baggins.

Laurel was amazed that all of these adventures and wild journeys had gone on under her nose. Saruman never told her about what was happening in the world beyond the tower, just that things were peaceful, which apparently they were not.

When the small band of musicians in the corner struck up a more lively tune, the hobbits all cheered and raced from their seats. A few rolls and some forks clanked to the floor in their hurry, but Laurel couldn't help but smile when she saw them hooking arms and swinging each other around on the small dance floor. Merry and Pip broke away and ran to where she was sitting. They pulled her from her seat and Laurel let herself be drug to where Sam and Frodo were still dancing about.

She laughed easily and hooked arms with Pip as they skipped in a small circle before she switched and locked arms with Frodo. She had to lean down a bit to reach them, but she was having more fun than she had in a very long time! Gimli soon joined in the fun and she chuckled as she watched him teeter on his feet when he moved too quickly. She held him steady when they switched partners again, and Boromir and Aragorn were pulled into the throng. Gandalf clapped along with the merriment from his seat next to Lord Elrond's and Legolas smiled at them from his place next to Elladan.

However, the hobbits did not let the elf off the hook so easily. It took the strength of all four hobbits to pull Legolas from his chair. They pulled him into the moving circle of dancing bodies and Legolas gave a chuckle as he turned in circles with Aragorn. Laurel laughed brightly as she danced around with Sam and then Pip, her feet starting to ache slightly from all the times one of the hobbits accidentally stepped on her feet, not that she was complaining. When they traded partners once more, she smiled when she saw Legolas before her.

Legolas blanched when he saw her, but quickly schooled his features to resemble the classic blank look Glorfindel always wore. Laurel frowned when he looked reluctant to dance with her, so she switched directions and instead took the arm of Boromir. The strawberry blond man was more than happy to dance with her, having had his own fair share of wine this evening. He pulled her into his arms and spun her around, an easy chuckle falling from his lips as they bumped into Aragorn and Frodo. Boromir passed her off to Aragorn and she smiled at the ranger when he took her arm.

"How are you faring?" he asked as they spun each other around.

"I'm doing well," she responded easily. "How are you? And Arwen of course, I don't get very many opportunities to speak with her as frequently anymore." Aragorn had a smile on his face, but in his eyes she could see sadness.

"We are both well." Laurel nodded and sent him a warm smile as she turned to lock arms with Frodo. She danced with a few more hobbits and once more with Gimli before she excused herself from the dance floor. She was getting slightly dizzy from all the spinning and desperately needed a drink of water. She sat down in her previous seat next to Glorfindel and took a greedy drink from her goblet. Setting it down, she glanced back over to the dancing fellowship. She frowned when she watched Legolas spinning about with Frodo, an effortless smile on his face.

She felt her heart sink. Why was he upset with her now? He had seemed happy to see her when they locked eyes from across the garden a few days ago, but he had avoided her like the plague since then. Noticing her expression, Glorfindel nudged her arm with his.

"What has put such a sour look on your face?" Laurel sighed as she turned to look up at the elf beside her.

"Legolas has been acting strange around me again."

"Strange how?" Glorfindel pursed his lips. She shrugged and took another long sip from her cup.

"He's been avoiding me I think, and he didn't want to dance with me earlier, so I have no idea. We haven't spoken since he carried me to the healing hall." Glorfindel's eyes narrowed slightly as he cast a glare over her head to where the group was still dancing.

"I told you to be wary of him," he reminded her. She nodded absently, glancing over to where he was dancing. She couldn't seem to shake the image of him fighting in her mind. The little robins that she had spoken to a few days ago had shown her glimpses of him from when they had been in the Greenwood. His face had been cold and his fighting style was calculated and deadly. It was in stark contrast to the same elf that held her in his arms when she was crying on the training fields. She remembered seeing some of the elves from Mirkwood with strange markings on their necks just behind their ears. She didn't think Legolas had one of them, but then again she never actively looked for it, so she couldn't say for sure. Maybe she should ask Glorfindel what the markings were for. Although, he might have a biased opinion on the matter.

Laurel excused herself and said goodnight to Glorfindel. She thanked Lord Elrond for the meal and said goodnight to his sons and his daughter as well as Gandalf. She exited the dining hall in lower spirits than she had entered and silently made her way to her room. Kicking off her boots, she stripped out of the breeches and tunic and slipped into the tub of warm water that some of the servants had prepared for her. She soaked in the water for a while, letting her thoughts meander and rubbing a lavender-scented soap over her arms. She lathered her long hair and combed through a few tangles as she washed it.

Laurel lost track of how long she had been in the tub, but it was long enough that her fingers and toes became wrinkled. She was feeling slightly anxious about their departure in the morning, but she needed to get some rest. Drying herself off, she slipped on a pair of underwear and a comfortable sleeping shirt. She pulled back the duvet and slipped into the bed, resting her still wet hair on the pillow next to her. Sleep came easily enough, but the next time she would fall asleep they would be on the road to Mordor, not in the safety of her warm bed in Rivendell.

"The ring bearer is setting out on a quest to Mount Doom," Lord Elrond began. They had gathered the next morning in the courtyard and were about to embark on their journey. "On you who travel with him, no oath or bond is laid to go farther than you will." He met all of their eyes as he spoke, landing lastly on Laurel.

"Farewell, hold true to you purpose, may the blessings of elves and men and free folk go with you," he concluded. Laurel gave the elf a nervous smile.

"The fellowship awaits the ring bearer," Gandalf spoke up. All eyes turned to Frodo. The hobbit gulped and steeled himself. Slowly, he made his way through their group and they parted for him as he made his way to the front gate. He took in a deep breath and stepped beyond the walls of Rivendell. They all followed suit, passing through the gates with Gandalf and Frodo leading and Aragorn taking up the rear.

Laurel glanced back and felt sadness in her heart at the look Arwen had on her face. Aragorn and Arwen said a silent goodbye with their eyes, and Laurel wondered what that feeling must be like. She didn't envy them at the moment, but she did envy the love they obviously shared for each other. She walked in front of Aragorn and behind Gimli, next to their pony, Bill. She pressed her palm to Bill's neck and felt his excitement. Apparently, he did not receive as much attention in Imladris as the other horses, so he was excited to be doing something new. Although, he also felt a little bummed out that he had to carry most of their belongings, but it was nothing he couldn't handle.

They trudged on through the forests surrounding Imladris and into the flatter, tree-less scape that she partially remembered from her escape from Saruman. The sun was bright and high in the sky, so she had plenty of energy. She had almost chickened out while they were packing their bags, but Glorfindel had come in to help her pack and revitalized her confidence. She chose not to add her load to Bill's saddle and instead carried her small pack herself. There were two tunics and two breeches, a bedroll, a few pairs of underwear, some cloths for that special time of the month (unfortunately that was part of normal human physiology that she had still been stuck with), and a couple breast-holder things. She needed to find something better to call them, she thought to herself. She knew that Sam had packed the food, since he was the designated cook, and that he packed food her her as well. Gandalf had suggested that she take the offered food and simply replace it in the sack or pot when no one was looking.

They had been walking for well over three and a half hours before Gandalf called for them to rest. There was a collective sigh from the hobbits at the news and Gimli also seemed to be relieved. Legolas bounded up the next hill to scout their path and keep watch. Aragorn soon joined him and Boromir assisted the hobbits in their search for the water canteens before they tore everything apart. That left Laurel and Gandalf. She locked eyes with the wizard and pointed over to a small shrub where she figured a few birds might be. He gave her a knowing smile and a nod before taking a seat on a boulder.

Laurel padded off in the direction they had just come and found the shrub they had recently passed. She stuck her hand blindly into the shrub and waited a few moments. She smiled as she heard a bird chirp and felt its feet perched on her index finger. She carefully withdrew her hand, finding a small brown bird with black stripes down its back and a white underbelly.

"I need your help," she whispered to the little bird. "My friends and I are traveling West toward the Misty Mountains and we need someone to fly with us and watch out for trouble. Do you think you can help us?" The bird trilled and fluffed out its feathers, drawing a smile from her.

"Thank you so much!" she whispered, pressing a kiss to it head and watching it fly off. Luckily, there weren't many animals out here to follow her around, so that was good. But she had to think of a plan now for if that situation arose. Laurel made her way back over to the group and picked up a canteen of water, taking a few large gulps. She wiped her mouth on the collar of her tunic and replaced the container back on Bill's saddle, again thanking him for his efforts. She gave a silent sigh as she settled herself down on a patch of grass near Gandalf, not noticing until now that her feet were becoming a bit sore.

"Alright, let's keep moving," Aragorn called as he and Legolas returned to the group. Laurel inwardly groaned. She got back up and moved to stand by the hobbits. They picked up the same pace and committed to another two hours of walking before lunchtime. There wasn't much talking while they walked, save for Aragorn and Gandalf discussing plans and directions, and of course the occasional complaint from Gimli.

Two hours later, Aragorn called for lunch. The group practically dropped where they were. Sam looked like he was almost too tired to even get their lunch out of his pack. The hobbits rubbed their feet as they waited for their food. Laurel was feeling the ache in her feet now as well. Training with Glorfindel had not prepared her for hours of just walking. The fellowship sat in a circle as Sam prepared them a small meal of bread, cheese, and sausage. Legolas, being an elf that didn't consume meat, chose instead to keep watch again. Sam smiled at her as he handed her some food. She smiled in thanks and flicked her eyes over to where Gandalf was sitting between Gimli and Boromir. He gave her a look that meant to wait and she gave him an imperceptible nod. She took her food with her to stand next to Bill. Laurel brushed her fingers through his mane, ridding it of tangles and patting his neck affectionately.

After a while she noticed that everyone was finishing up their lunch and she casually walked back over, depositing her food back in Sam's pack while he was turned away. She brushed her hands on her pants and turned around. She froze as she saw Legolas watching her. He gave her a confused look and Laurel started to panic. He started walking toward her and she felt her heart start pounding. How would she explain this? Deciding to take matters into her own hands before he said something that the others might hear, she took a few steps toward Legolas and grabbed his arm, pulling him off to the side.

"Listen, Legolas," she began with an almost pleading tone, "I know you're probably wonder-"

"It's alright," Legolas interjected. Laurel snapped her mouth shut. Did he already know? Who had told him? Gandalf? Lord Elrond? Seeing her confusion, Legolas gave her a soft smile. "I must confess, I overheard a conversation you had with Glorfindel one evening," he gave her a sheepish look. Laurel blanched at his words, the color draining from her face in horror.

"I heard you say that you didn't have a family and that you weren't from Bree like everyone thinks that you are," he trailed off, gauging her reaction.

"Legolas, I'm so sorry! Pleas don't tell anyone!" Laurel rushed in a panic.

"I won't say anything," he assured her, seeing her relax slightly. "We all have secrets we would rather keep to ourselves, I understand that and I won't pry. I just want you to know that you can always talk to me." Now it was Laurel's turn to give him a confused look. Why was he being nice to her again? He had refused to dance with her the previous evening and now he says that she can confide in him?

"Thank you, Legolas," she said warily. He gave her a polite nod and a smile and stepped around her to rejoin the fellowship. Laurel was left standing there in a daze. Did that really just happen? Legolas knows that she's hiding something and now he's being cordial with her again. She huffed in thought, he would probably hate her again tomorrow she surmised, and followed him back to the group.

"We must hold this course West of the Misty Mountains for forty days," she heard Gandalf's voice say. "If our luck holds, the gap of Rohan will still be open to us. From there, our road turns East to Mordor." Laurel watched as Boromir had begun to spar with Merry and Pip, enjoying the two lively Hobbits' antics.

"If anyone was to ask for my opinion, which they're not, I'd say we're taking the long way around," Gimli grumbled in response to Gandalf's' plan. "Gandalf, we could pass through the mines of Moria, my cousin, Balin, will give us a royal welcome!"

"No, Gimli," Gandalf drawled. "I would not take the road through Moria unless I had no other choice." Laurel winced internally for Gimli at Gandalf's rejection. Her attention was drawn away from the two when she heard Merry and Pip shouting as they tackled Boromir. They laughed and hollered and even tackled Aragorn when he stepped in to pull them off of Boromir. Laurel laughed at the scene, but stilled when she felt a small weight on her shoulder. The little brown and black bird was perched on there, and it rubbed its small head against her cheek..

In her mind she saw a large flock of black crows headed their way. They appeared to be the same crows that she would occasionally see when Saruman would visit her tower. They were mean, nasty birds and they spelled bad news. She sent the bird a quick feeling of gratitude before letting it fly off. She quickly walked over to where Gandalf was sitting.

"What's that?" she heard Sam say. She turned to where he was looking and saw the flock in the distance. She turned, moving faster now toward Gandalf.

"Nothing, it's just a wisp of clouds," Gimli grumbled. Laurel placed a hand on Gandalf's arm when she reached him.

"Gandalf, it's Saruman's crows," she explained in rush. Seeing his eyes widen, she knew he understood the severity of the situation.

"Crebain, from Dunland!" Legolas called out. Laurel watched as everyone dashed for cover or grabbed their things that were out in the open. She turned to see Legolas grab her and throw them under the cover of a large bush. Laurel felt the breath leave her lungs as she hit the ground. Legolas was perched over her and his hair was in her face. They stayed motionless as they heard the loud caws of the flock as they passed overhead. Laurel cringed, gripping Legolas' arms. She remembered when she was in the tower she had seen some of those terrible birds ripping another smaller bird to pieces. She did not like those foul things one bit. Legolas gently ran his hand through the top of her hair in comfort while they waited. She looked up into his light gray-blue eyes, studying them. Likewise, Legolas peered down into her bright emerald ones, his face soft as he searched her eyes.

Once the birds were gone, she felt Legolas' weight being lifted off of her. She gasped and took in a large gulp of air. That elf was heavier than he looked. Legolas glanced down at her and held out a hand to help her up, which she accepted.

"My apologies," he said softly, checking her over for injuries. "Are you alright?" Laurel nodded in response, pulling a few twigs from her hair.

"Spies of Saruman," Gandalf huffed."The passage South is being watched. We must take the pass of Caradhas!" Laurel had no idea what that meant, but she gathered that it was a less favorable option to the gap of Rohan. The fellowship quickly packed up their things and replaced them on Bill's saddle. Gandalf and Legolas took the lead and Boromir and Aragorn made sure the hobbits were on their feet and moving. Laurel trotted over to where Gimli was and decide to walk alongside him. He gave her a gruff nod in acknowledgment and then the group started moving again.

They had turned around and left the sloping rocky ridges they had been on, back to the more grassy areas before rising in elevation again. The ground started to become more rocky than grassy, and before long snow began to fall. Laurel couldn't feel the warmth of the sun any longer and wrapped her arms around herself. With cold fingers, she undid the tie on her sack and pulled out the cloak she had almost forgotten about. She fastened it around her neck and trudged on with the group, an unpleasant feeling settling in her stomach.