Brother's Keeper

Note: The Elvish written here is in Quenya. By all rights, it should be Sindarin, but I don't know Sindarin. I may change it at some future date, but until then it's Quenya. Translation is not at the bottom because it's next to the Elvish.

Part 6

Legs and I sat by the river for a long time. He told me the very long history of elves and Middle-Earth, about Morgoth and Sauron and the Rings of Power. The sun had set long before he finished the story, and when he was done, I couldn't help but laugh.

Legolas wasn't amused by my behavior. "The plight of our world is a joke to you?" he asked angrily.

"No," I waved him off. "Not the plight...just the idiot causing the plight."

"I do not understand."

"Oh, come on, Legs...You're telling me that the biggest, baddest son of a bitch in your world sat around the house one day and thought to himself, 'Y'know, I ought to bind my life force to a piece of jewelry,' and not only does he do this, he gets it cut off by some stupid schmuck in a blind desperate stroke with a broken weapon. That's the funniest damn thing I've heard in a long time, buddy."

He thought a moment. "I've never heard Isildur described as stupid before, but I can see how your over-simplification might seem humorous." He gave me a grudging smile.

I smiled back. Maybe he wasn't inviting me to the family picnic, but he didn't hate me. I was happy with that. We headed back to camp together.

"A question, Todd," Legs said as we walked.

"What?"

"Why did you follow Frodo last night?"

I started at the mention of my sneaking around. "You saw me?"

He nodded. "Indeed I did. Elves do not sleep in the same manner as mortals. I saw you follow Frodo, and followed you myself."

"You did? I never saw you."

He smiled smugly. "Such is the way with Elves."

I shook my head at him. "Remind me never to become your enemy...But to answer your question, I just wanted to make sure Frodo was alright. I didn't see that he was following Queen Galadriel, and I wanted to keep him out of any trouble. Frankly, Legs, you and the Queen are the only elves I feel like I can trust. Celeborn hates me, Haldir despises me, and the rest around here think I'm a joke. I didn't know what could have happened to the little guy."

When we got back to camp, Gimli and the hobbits were asleep; Aragorn was sharpening his sword; and Boromir stared out into nothingness, lost in his own thoughts. Aragorn acknowledged us with a nod as we sat down on our blankets.

"We have been given word that we are to leave in the morn," he said.

I was a little deflated by the news, because I knew "we" didn't include me. It also meant that I'd be the only non-elf once they'd left...not a very encouraging thought to bed down with.

My mind wandered as I slept that night. I saw my parents and my cousin Carrie, who lived next door. They looked far away even though Mom and Carrie hugged me, and Dad shook my hand just like when I got on the bus to join the army. I saw my first drill instructor, the one with the weird facial tic every time he started yelling (which was a lot considering his job). He saluted me, then floated back into my subconscious. I saw many other faces that I'd known - more distant relatives, school friends, bunkmates. Every one of them gave me a goodbye in one form or another.

I didn't want them to leave. I reached out to them...to pull them back, but when I opened my eyes, my hand was empty, and the only thing I could see was the canopy far above me.

"Todd?"

I looked around. Legolas was kneeling next to me.

"Are you well, Todd? You cried out in your sleep," he said.

"I did?" I asked as I passed a hand over my face. I found tears on my cheeks and hastily scrubbed them off.

"Yes," he answered. "Were your dreams unwell?"

I tried to wave him off. "I'm fine. Just...just a weird dream." Though in my mind, I could hear a bad German accent, You fear zhat you von't ever be able to go home, zo you dream everyone you love zays goodbye. Ja?

Legolas handed me a plate of fruit. "Everyone else has already broken their fast."

I took it gratefully. I watched Sam pack a small kitchen into his knapsack. Everyone else seemed finished, or nearly finished, packing whatever gear they had.

I was munching on some juicy green grapes when Haldir showed up and announced that the Lord and Lady of the Wood wanted to see them one last time. The look he gave me clearly said I wasn't invited to the party. I put the plate on the ground. Somehow, the thought of being left behind with Hal and Celeborn ruined my appetite.

They all grabbed their stuff and left the little clearing. All that was left of the camp were a few blankets and pillows, neatly folded and tucked away in the crux of two huge roots.

And me...I was still here...sitting on a blanket...with a plate of uneaten fruit. Screw this, I was going to tell my friends goodbye too.

I jumped up and straightened my tunic. Damn...still had dirt on it from cleaning my rifle. Can't meet the Queen in this, I thought. I eyed my old army issue gear, did a quick calculation of how fast I could change clothes, and ended up putting on my old gear over my new elven clothes.

I set off in the direction they'd gone, back to the river. I saw them packing small boats with more stuff for their trip. Across the water, Galadriel and Celeborn watched them. More elves were on the knoll behind them, clearing away what was probably their breakfast.

I headed for Legolas, but before I could reach him, Haldir blocked my way.

"You will not join them on their quest," he commanded.

I glared at him. Dear God, how I hated him and his arrogance.

I gestured at myself and my severe lack of anything that might suggest I was going on a trip. "Does it look like I'm going on any quests today, Hal?" and shoved him out of my way. Probably not a smart move, but I didn't get an arrow in my back, so I didn't care.

Legolas and the rest had been summoned to Galadriel by the time I'd finished with Hal. By the time I'd reached the bank, they were on the opposite shore receiving gifts for their journey. When they'd each gotten something, they piled into their boats and slowly started downriver.

Dammit...I wanted to say goodbye. My eyes narrowed as a thought came to me. I checked the ground at my feet and found a nice round rock. I whispered a quick "Don't fail me, little buddy" and skipped it across the water.

Smack!

Legolas looked down at the side of his boat, then back at me with raised eyebrows. He steered the boat to shore, and I rushed to meet him there. Gimli looked none too pleased with the interruption, grumbling about dwarves not being sailors, so could they get on with things, please.

Legolas reached out and clasped my hand. "Nai hirlyë tielya. May you find your path."

"May you come back from yours," I replied. I reached into my pocket and pulled out my old Swiss army knife. I flicked open a blade so he could see what it was. "I know it's not as nice as that new bow, but I thought this might be handy." I closed the blade and pressed the knife into his hand.

He studied the eagle etched into the silver handle. "'Tis a fine gift, Todd. Thank you."

I reached into my shirt pocket and handed him my lighter. "Give this to Sam."

He smiled. "I shall."

I helped him shove the boat off the bank. He quickly caught up with the others, and they were gone.