More fluff! A little short as well, but oh well.
A small group of Orcs were traveling to Mirkwood Forest. They made sure to avoid the Palace and pass further toward the border. "Azog!" Bolg called. The pale Orc came over and Bolg held up a shredded piece of cloth. "The robes of the Elf."
Azog showed the scrap to his Warg, allowing the beast to find a scent. The Warg howled and led the group out of the forest. Azog grinned, "Soon"
(Spring)(Summer)(Fall)(Winter)
Tauriel led the small group of Dwarves around the lake silently. "Why can't we just cross the lake? Wouldn't it save time?" Fili asked.
"We do not have any way across. We will have to go around." Tauriel said.
Kili and Fili accepted this, but Dwalin continued to grumble. Kili decided to stay with Tauriel again, keeping space between her and Dwalin. He didn't mind, he was growing fond of Tauriel despite her coldness towards him. It would only be a matter of time before she warmed up to him, he was sure of it.
They made it a few more miles before stopping to rest. "You think we would have found the Prince already." Fili said as he unwrapped some food.
"I think that She-Elf is leading us on. This is all some ploy to get us away from our King." Dwalin hissed.
Fili gave him an incredulous look, "Do you honestly believe that Dwalin? That is the most ridiculous thing I have ever heard."
Dwalin merely shrugged.
A good distance away, Tauriel and Kili sat on a few rocks eating their lunch.
"What is that you hold?"
"A token from my mother. She gave it to me so that I would remember my promise?" Kili replied as he caressed the runes.
"And what promise was that?" Tauriel asked.
Kili looked up at the curious Elf and smiled softly, "That I would come back to her."
Tauriel smiled and looked down at the stone.
"She worries, she thinks I'm reckless." He sighed, tossing the stone up and catching it. "Can't think of where she would get that idea." He smirked.
Tauriel smirked as well.
"What do the Eldar cherish?" Kili asked.
"Nature, light. All light is sacred to the Eldar, but we Woodland Elves cherish Starlight above all else." Tauriel said.
"Starlight? I always thought it a cold light. So far away." Kili replied distantly.
"It is not cold, On the contrary, it is very warm." Tauriel replied.
Kili turned to her.
"It is memory, precious and pure." She smiled down at him. "Much like your promise."
Kili smiled back, pocketing the stone.
(Spring)(Summer)(Fall)(Winter)
Legolas and Aragorn were walking along the lake, making their way towards Erebor. "Do you think your father might be somewhere other than north?" Aragorn asked.
"I do not know. For all I know he could be in the town on the lake." Legolas sighed. "I just know that he wouldn't seek refuge with any other Elvin settlements."
"Then we continue to look in this area. If we do not find him, then we search elsewhere. We will find him Legolas."
"And if we do not?"
"You mustn't think like that. If we do not find him here then we look elsewhere and ask for help."
Legolas smiled gratefully. "You are a kind man Aragorn."
Aragorn smiled warmly.
(Spring)(Summer)(Fall)(Winter)
Bard doesn't give Thran the gloves when he returns to his house. He didn't even know why he bought them so they stayed inside his coat until Sigrid found them later that night.
"Da, what are these?" Sigrid held up the gloves, running her fingers along the small design.
"Oh, they're nothing. Just something a vendor convinced me to buy." Bard quickly grabbed the gloves and stuffed them back in his jacket.
"Da?"
Bard ignored his daughter and started cleaning the table for dinner.
"Da, did you buy those for Thran?"
Bard fumbled with the bowl he picked up, avoiding the amused smile of his daughter. "They are aren't they?"
"I do not know what you are talking about Sigrid." Bard replied.
Sigrid smirked, "Oh Da, you bought him gloves since he covers his hands." She giggled, "Will you be courting him now?"
"Absolutely not!" He exclaimed then looked around anxiously.
"Tilda and Bain took Thran on an evening tour of the town. Don't worry, he put a cloak on so that no one would see his features." Sigrid replied.
Bard sighed in relief.
"You know Da, it wouldn't be a bad thing for you to like Thran. He is very nice."
"We just met Sigrid. Don't you think that's a little fast?" His daughter shrugged. He sighed, "He is also a man; people around here don't look kindly on two men together."
Sigrid sniffed but didn't say anything.
"And even then, how do I know he would return my feelings? That I don't have." He added quickly when he saw Sigrid's smirk.
"I think you are being silly Da." Sigrid said.
"What about your mother?" Bard said after a small silence.
Sigrid looked at her father, he was staring blankly at the sink. She walked over to him and embraced him, "She would want you to be happy Da. She wouldn't want you to be alone forever."
Bard smiled and kissed her head. "What would I do without you Darling?"
"Wallow in self-pity perhaps?" She replied.
"Cheeky!" He swatted her arm playfully.
She laughed for a time before sobering, "Seriously Da, you should consider him. I doubt you will have any objections from us. Anyone else's opinion shouldn't matter."
Bard sighed, turning back to setting dinner out.
(Spring)(Summer)(Fall)(Winter)
The group of Orcs came to the shore of the lake where the scent trail stopped. "He must have crossed somehow." Bolg growled.
"Azog!" An Orc called out. The large Orc stopped and turned back to one of his scouts. "We caught the Prince's scent. He goes off northeast."
"Bolg, take a group and capture the Prince." Azog instructed. "We will take them back to Mirkwood and Dain."
Bolg nodded and led a small group away.
"The rest of us will continue on to the King." Azog said.
"But the trail is lost." One scout said.
"There is a town on the lake. There is a bridge on the west side." Another scout said.
Azog smiled, showing off his fang-like teeth. "Then we go west."
The group nodded and raced off.