Daniel eyed the long blades he'd just been given with apprehension, imagining the disasters that would result from trying them out. He knew from experience how sharp the elven forged long-knives were; his training had been intense, and Legolas wasn't above letting a little blood prove his point.
Speaking of elves, Daniel let his eyes wander to their tormenter. You'd think he'd never seen a bow before, the way he was staring at the thing. Daniel did admit that it looked different from the bow the elf had been using, and had beautiful etchings in the wood.
Still, it wasn't that great.
The settling of a warm weight on his shoulders drew his attention back to what was happening. Wyvern was setting a cloak around his shoulders, and secured it with a pin before stepping back. When they'd been told that the Lady had gifts for them, he'd been expecting perhaps something slightly arcane, but he was proven wrong. Apparently elves were more resourceful than he imagined. Everything they had been given served some purpose, especially SG1; each of them had received a set of long-knives and vambraces.
It seemed like only a few moments had passed before they were heading back to the docks to leave Lorien, their boats already loaded and waiting. Sighing, he looked to the east, where the sun was just starting to peak over the top of the hills. The whole of the forest seemed to be veiled in silver mist, almost as if in mourning.
"You do not wish to leave this place, do you, young man?"
Daniel looked down a Gimli, who was wearing the same stupid grin that he'd been wearing since Galadriel gave him a lock of her hair. "It just always seems like I'm leaving, never going."
The dwarf nodded solemnly, looking back to where the gift giving had taken place. "That I can understand."
The archeologist stopped for a minute, then looked to where Gimli was still walking, and back in the direction Gimli had glanced. He knew the look that was on the dwarfs face. It was the same look he'd worn for the better part of a year on Abydos.
Oh, man… the dwarf had it bad.
"If he was any happier, he'd be floating," Jack half whispered, coming up next to him.
"Yeah, he would," Daniel tried to laugh, but it fell short. At least Gimli was happy, happier than he could recall ever seeing him in over two months of travel. Shaking himself, Daniel unsheathed one of the blades and examined it. The weapon was well worn, but taken care of, and gleamed softly in the morning light. As he ran his fingers over the elvish script that ran the length of the blade, he wondered how many battles it had seen, how many eons.
"It reads 'I am Keth, bane of darkness,'" Haldir translated. "Its companion is Nenva, the 'Light Blade'."
Daniel shook his head. The elves named their weapons like most people named their guns. "I wanted to thank her, but Legolas warned us against it."
Haldir nodded appreciatively. "It is the gift giver who is saying thanks, Daniel Jackson, not the one receiving them. You would have embarrassed her."
The archeologist tried for a moment to picture the cool elf queen embarrassed, and failed. Some things were just too impossible.
"Daniel, you travel with Jonathan," Aragorn said as he passed him. It was then that he noticed he was the last person standing on the bank. Shaking himself, he started towards his boat, trying to remember whether Jack knew how to kayak.
"Good journey," Haldir called to them as they paddled away from the bank.
Yeah, good journey, Daniel thought later as the traveled further down the river. Occasionally they would see elves, either solitary or in small groups, watching them from the banks. Once he felt eyes on them and looked up to see one of them perched in a tree hanging over the river like a giant bird. The Silverlode, he let the words flow over him even as his mind translated Celebrant. It occurred to him that they hadn't even tried to speak English since they'd been given the languages of Middle Earth. Hell, he even wondered if they could still speak it.
Sighing, he watched the trees pass by, wishing he still had his meds. Allergies were bad enough on their Earth, but on this one they seemed to attack with a vengeance. Ever since they'd entered Lorien the headache that had been his constant companion had abated, but now it was returning. He'd wanted to ask Aragorn if he knew anything that would help, maybe an herbal solution to aspirin, but he'd decided against it.
"Hey, you okay Danny-boy?"
Daniel looked back, smiling into Jack's concerned eyes. "Yeah, Jack. I'm fine."
Aragorn worked his shoulders in small circles as Legolas secured the boats for the night. It had taken the better part of the day to wind their way down the Silverlode and reach the mouth of the Anduin, and he had no intention of forcing them to travel any further. The boats made it possible to travel leagues across country in a day, journeys that would take twice as long if they were on foot.
Silently, he let his eyes roam over the small group. Jonathan's people were moving with the experience of long practice as always, breaking out their bedrolls while Boromir took charge of the fire. The hobbits sat to one side with Gimli. The days travel had tired them all, for their camp was quiet.
"Legolas, khila amin," the ranger asked, moving into the trees.
"What troubles you Aragorn?" the elf asked after they had moved away from the group.
"Nothing, I simply wished to talk."
Legolas blinked. "You never simply wish to talk, Estell. Something is troubling you."
The ranger sighed. " Our journey is taking the very life from us, that is what worries me," he scanned the tree line, hoping they were still close enough to the elven realm to prevent any disturbances.
"It would take more than a trek cross-country to take the life from you, my friend."
"I worry about Frodo."
"As do we all."
"No," Aragorn shook his head. "He is changing. The ring is working against him in earnest now. Gandalf warned me of it before he died."
"Is this what the Lady spoke to you of?"
Aragorn didn't answer, instead he started walking further into the woods, drawing a sigh from his friend. He'd thought no one noticed his disappearance the night before, when Galadriel has called him to have a private meeting. As always, he learned that very little escaped the notice of an elf.
"You will find nothing in these woods that you seek, Aragorn."
Aragorn laughed grimly. "No, but perhaps I may find something I am not." He kept walking, releasing a silent sigh of relief when he heard Legolas start back to their camp. He needed solitude, if only for a few moments.
You will be her death, Aragorn…
He could hear Galadriel's words to him from the night before, taunting him, blending with Elrond's request that he let Arwen go. He trusted the judgment of both, for they had seen more years upon Middle Earth than any human could ever dream of, but his heart refused to listen to his head. Arwen was everything pure to him; she was his heart, his soul. He had loved her from the moment he first saw her, was enchanted by her laugh, her smile. Her very presence lifted his spirits when nothing else could.
His hand drifted to the jewel he wore, the symbol of her immortality, for only elves were gifted with star-jewels at their births. Little human blood there was in her veins, but there was enough to allow her to choose whether she would count herself man or elf. She had given her life to him, despite his fear, and it did run deep. For when he died he would, like all men, travel outside the world, while she, even after her death, would remain in it. Such was the fate of elves, to be eternally bound to the world, and when it ended none knew their fate. He knew not what awaited him when he breathed no more, but he did know he did not want to face it alone.
Our time is ending here… Arwen's time is ending…let her go…
He saw the logic in Elrond's words. The world as they knew it was changing. Galadriel had said as much, but he could feel it, had felt it for some time. The fate of the world was no longer certain. For years, slowly and quietly, the elves had been leaving Middle Earth, taking the straight road to the Western Lands, where no mortal could follow. Soon they would be little more than a memory, and then they would be myth, as much so as the Two Trees. And he could not follow her there, nor could he ask her to follow him into death, for that was all that awaited men at the end of their lives.
Aragorn shook himself. Musing on such melancholy thoughts would not help the situation. Now, at this moment, he had the welfare of his companions to worry over, not the demands of his heart. Walking back to the camp, he wondered what the morrow would bring even as he dreaded it. Each step towards Mordor was a step away from those he loved, a step closer to danger, and possibly to his death. And what would become of Arwen? Elves could die of grief, and it was a long, painful death indeed. Could he sentence her to that?
Aragorn sighed. He did not know if he could let her go, even to keep her safe.
Carter shivered as she dumped another boot-full of water over her head. The Anduin was cold, reminding her of the time when she and her father went hiking and she fell into a small tributary of the Colorado. The water had pierced her skin like knives, and by the time she was fished out the feeling in her fingers and toes was nonexistent. The water she was in wasn't nearly as cold, but it had the same bite. She knew that if she went any deeper the cold would be unbearable.
It was better than smelling like last weeks old socks.
Despite the protests of almost everyone in their company she had taken her turn paddling the elven boats down the river, and her muscles were currently letting her know how stupid that idea had been, especially since Teal'c had been more than happy to paddle until they stopped for the night. But no, she had to be her usual, 'I'm one of the boys' self, and damn near kill her arms.
She smelled like one of the boys too.
I'll be damned if I'll smell like something that cat drug in, she thought, scrubbing herself with a cake of soap she found in the bottom of her pack. Hopefully the colonel would take the hint and take a bath soon himself. His body took any excuse to produce odor with a vengeance.
You've smelled worse, you just don't want to warn off a certain elf…
I am not having this conversation with you, so SHUT UP, she thought back, wondering if the prolonged amount of gate travel was finally driving her crazy. She hadn't started talking to herself until after she joined the Stargate Program. After a few months, she was holding full fledged conversations with herself, not to mention arguments.
I am not an auditory hallucination brought on by constant high stress. I'm you, I just got sick of you not listening to what WE want.
Right, all hallucinations say that. Sam paused. How many of you are there, anyway?
Wouldn't you like to know.
She could almost hear the smirk. "All right, that's it. I must be going crazy. I'm arguing with someone who doesn't even exist. Not to mention talking to myself and taking a bath on the edge of a river just to impress someone who probably doesn't even realize I exist-"
"Samantha, are you all right?"
Sam froze, then dropped as fast as she could into the waist deep water, fighting the urge to jump back out again. She was sure those parts of her weren't meant to be this cold. Then again, the edge was starting to wear away, so either she was getting used to it, or she was about to loose feeling over everything below her neck.
"I'm fine," she called out, wondering if she could make a break for her thick cloak without showing too much skin. Right then a flash of brown caught her eye, and she dove after her soap as it tried to make a break for it.
And just missed it.
Damn damn double damn. She fought the need to smack the water around her. This was just not her night.
She turned back around, but Legolas was gone. She settled into the water, planning on sitting there until she died of embarrassment.
There was a plop in front of her, and she picked up the heavy bar of soap.
" You should keep a tighter hold on those things you need, Samantha."
The voice came from right behind her, and she turned. Legolas was a few feet away, eyes carefully averted.
"Thanks," she set the soap on a rock. "Would you mind handing me my cloak?"
She watched as the elf silently made his way to her small cache of things, then started back. He draped the cloth over a dry rock close enough so that she would have to streak to get it.
Come on, just one little peek, please?
Sam tried to ignore the voice as she climbed out of the river, appreciating the sandy shore. At least she wouldn't have to worry about getting slicked with mud. As she dried off she kept one eye on Legolas, who was still watching the shore.
Damn-it, just peek ya pointy eared elf!
"I'll be fine, Legolas. Thanks for checking up on me," Quickly, she pulled on her underwear, wincing as the cloth abraded her skin. She couldn't tell in the half light, but she was sure some parts were turning blue.
" You companions assured me you were well, Samantha, but I was not so sure."
See, see, he cares. Score one for the big S!
Sam laughed. "I've been taking care of myself since I was fourteen. You don't have to worry about me."
Legolas nodded. "Then I will leave you to dress."
Sam fought down the disappointment as she heard him leave. So, he wasn't interested. Too bad. As she slid her pants on she felt eyes on her, and turned around just in time to see him continue back to their camp, moving a little less gracefully than usual.
He peeked! He peeked! Break out the trumpets.
This time Sam couldn't argue.
A/N
Thanks so much for reading this. I cant believe that this story has lasted so long, and I've only gone mostly through the first movie!!!! YIKES! Thanks to everyone for reading my work.
Extra special sugar coated thanks goes out to Rolo Rooni (x3), Shanna, Kain Gallant, Kolinshar Jackie-chan Benito, Colonel Sho, J, Kaitland, Alexandra, Kieren Bloodblade she-elf, Kits, Kestryl O'Brien, joea64, lexie, G. Zan, Shalemni, Obsidian, Joe Black, Cheysuli, Brianne, Linda U, TaffyCat3, Tower, Stephanie Hall, steph, Katrin Glase, and Linda Underhill for all the great reviews!!!!!
I'm sorry about the long time between posts. My muse went AWOL and didn't show up again until tonight, and she's kicking me into overdrive. Hopefully I'll have another chapter up by Monday, but only if she doesn't ditch me again.
Remember, REVIEW!!!! I love hearing what people think about my stuff. Positive feedback is always placed on my shrine for moral support. Flames will be eaten with soy sauce and rum!!!!