Dedication: This one is for Jedi Kay-Kenobi! It's lovely to hear from you again!


CHAPTER TEN


"It is a pleasure to meet your acquaintance," Arwen replied, and Bilbo beamed at her.

"What are you doing here?" he asked after a moment of consideration. "If you're looking for Bree, it's just o—,"

"Not Bree," Aegnir shook his head, Legolas noted the distrust in his eyes.

"Oh," the hobbit pouted, seemingly disappointed. "Then, are you looking for the Shire? Because I'm about to go back. My mother said I needed to be home by midday," he grinned at them.

"No, Bilbo," Tauriel replied. She stepped forward and bent down to level her gaze with Bilbo. "We're looking for a plan—,"

"Can he be trusted?" Aegnir cut again, and the three elves turned to look at him. "We need to be wary," he answered, looking flustered. "There have been too many strange whispers and occurrences about, we should not risk telling anyone what we are here for."

Tauriel frowned at him. "There is nothing secretive about our travels. And he is but merely a child," she gestured at the hobbit, who looked like he was about to retort her. But before he could, Tauriel spoke again. "Do you really think he could cause us harm?"

Aegnir hesitated; he looked uncomfortable to have merited her sharp words. "It does not hurt to be careful; there are many creatures who would easily change their appearance to garner our trust."

"He is harmless," Tauriel stood now, and Legolas could see the frustration in her face. "And he might even know where to find it."

Before Aegnir could reply, Legolas placed a hand on his shoulder. The elf turned to look at him, his brows tight together. "Look at his eyes, Aegnir," Legolas said, gazing at the hobbit. There was nothing but curiosity painted there. "There is no evil in him, and there is no reason to suspect otherwise."

Aegnir stared at him and sighed, before finally stepping back.

Tauriel gave Legolas a grateful nod before turning towards Bilbo again. "We are looking for the healing herb, Athelas. Have you heard of it?" she asked.

Legolas held his breath as the hobbit quirked his head to the side, his eyes narrowing in concentration.

"Never heard of an Alethas," he shrugged, "Sorry."

Arwen was the first to react. She shook her head in disappointment. "That's a shame," she smiled at Bilbo nonetheless. "We would have very much appreciated finding it soon," she stepped back from him, smiling at Legolas and Aegnir in defeat. They both could only smile back.

But Tauriel was more persistent. She took Arwen's place, and bent to level her eyes with him. She walked nearer, and looked at him with unwavering intensity. When she whispered, the hobbit's eyes were directly on hers. "It is a small plant, a clump of green leaves that grows white flowers. It is often used to heal injuries," she paused as if letting Bilbo consider her words. "Have you never really seen it before?"

Legolas was about to tell her the hobbit knew nothing when Bilbo spoke up. "You mean the King's foil?" he asked, finally grinning excitedly. He reached into his pocket and took out a lump of leaves that looked exactly as Tauriel had described. "Aunt Ruby told me she needed some for a stew she would be cooking tonight. It's Primula's birthday today, you see, and Aunt Ruby told her about a new recipe she heard from the Proudfoots. She's never tried cooking it before, but she said "there's always a first for everything!" I'm not sure how it'll taste, but uncle Longo said it's good for headaches. " he stopped. Legolas was not sure if it was because he had finished his story, or because he needed to breathe. Bilbo then grinned at the silence. "Would you want some?" he stretched out his hand.

"Oh, Bilbo," Arwen exclaimed, leaning forward as if to embrace the hobbit, but instead grasped her hands together. She smiled at Bilbo fondly. "We have been looking for hours, and we are thankful for your offer but we seek the plant with its roots still attached," she told him.

Tauriel nodded. "We're planning to replant the Athelas, and for that we need the whole plant," she stood, also smiling at him. "Can you tell us instead where to find it?" she asked. "The forest is too wide, and it would help us tremendously if you could show us where they grow."

Bilbo frowned.

"What's wrong?" Legolas spoke to him for the first time since they had met.

Bilbo's gaze found his and he stood staring at him in silence. Legolas shifted uncomfortably when the hobbit just continued to stare. "They don't grow in this forest," he shook his head.

"But we were told they grew here," Tauriel said.

"That's what Aunt Ruby said, but mama told her the Men from Bree used too much. Them, and all the passing travellers. I've been coming back to check, but they've gone," he turned his attention back to Tauriel.

"Then where can we find them?" Arwen spoke. "Where did you harvest yours?"

"They grow by Brandywine," he explained.

Legolas sighed. "It appears we have a few more leagues to travel," he moved to turn back towards their horses.

"But they also grow at the Great East Road!" Bilbo piped again, and Legolas halted in his tracks. "There's a forest at the foot of the hills there. Where the watch-tower is? I wanted to go there to get the Kingsfoil, but mama said it's too dangerous," the hobbit pouted, his cheeks puffing up even more.

"Amon sul," Legolas whispered.

Aegnir sighed. "We rode right past it."

"At least now we know where to find it," Arwen said, smiling. "Thank you, Bilbo."

Bilbo nodded enthusiastically.

"And at least the prince was able to visit the East," Tauriel teased, before rising to a stand.

"Prince?" Bilbo was the first to react, his eyes widening into saucers.

"Indeed," Arwen nodded, and then gasped in surprise. "I have forgotten to tell you our names, dear Bilbo," she gestured to Tauriel. "This is Tauriel, my cousin; and Aegnir, a warrior from Mirkwood; and this is Prince Legolas, son of mighty Thranduil," she smiled at the gasp Bilbo gave. "And I am Arwen of Rivendell."

All the time she spoke, Bilbo did not tear his eyes from Legolas. He could see Tauriel smirk. "He does not glow, if that's what you await."

Aegnir and Arwen chuckled at her jest, but still Bilbo remained silent, when he tore his eyes from Legolas, his eyebrows were furrowed in worry. "You're the ones they've been talking about."

Tauriel straightened at his words, and Legolas returned her anxious look. "What do you speak of, Bilbo?"

"There is a rumor spreading along the Brandybucks. The hobbits there said that they received news from travelling dwarves. They were talking about seeing orcs, North of Carlodan," he related.

"Cardolan," Aegnir breathed quietly, correcting him.

"They said they avoided them, but that the orcs were looking for elves," Bilbo continued. "And that the travellers had an important elf with them."

Arwen withdrew her hand and gave a panicked look at Legolas. "Like a prince."

Bilbo nodded frantically.

"We should not dally," Legolas said, brandishing his bow again. But he was worried. He was not the only one in their party that the orcs would deem important. Arwen herself was of Galadriel's blood. And all of them were elves. The simple fact made their heads trophies in the orcs' eyes. "You need to go home, Bilbo. These woods are not safe."

Bilbo sighed, staring down at the ground. "Will you come visit again? Elves don't come very often," he said dejectedly.

This time, Arwen finally knelt down to envelope the hobbit in an embrace. "Someday, Bilbo," she was whispering, but in the quiet of the forest, they could hear every word. "For now, you need to hurry home, and thank you," she stood again.

"Be careful," Tauriel said when he turned away.

The hobbit nodded, and gave one last lingering look at them before running towards the deeper part of the woods.

"Let us make haste," Legolas told them, and they all walked away.

There was a tense silence between them, and it persisted on even as they rode from Bree. Bilbo's words were a disturbing reminder of the orcs' continuous attacks. On their days' ride to Amon Sul, Legolas spared a glance at Tauriel, the set of arrows resting on her back bounced with the movement of her mount. He felt uneasy, but calmed himself with the thought that she was armed. He remembered what she had told him: that she did not find the need for armour before. What would have happened, then, if she went alone? He would talk to Elrond as soon as they reach Rivendell, she should never have been allowed to go unaccompanied, nor any other elf.

They rode quickly. It was agreed that finding the Athelas and quickly heading back would be their best course of action. Dallying would not lead to anything fruitful. They travelled past trees and bare lands, only stopping to eat and rest. When they had finally come to the terrains below Amon sul, the sky had become crimson red, and the white face of the moon was peeking out of the clouds.

"It is not a wise thing for us to linger in these grounds when the sun withdraws, let us find the Athelas. And quickly," he instructed as they dismounted their horses. But the three did not need to be told, their eyes were already glued to the ground, intent on finding the herb.

They were in a land spread out with grass and small bushes. It bordered a small forest. "We should search the grasses first," Tauriel said. "It would not be best to check the forest without making sure it is not here," she cast a glance at the woods. Because of the towering and thick trees, the inside of the forest looked pitch black. Legolas could understand her hesitance, the gloom of the woods made him uneasy.

They searched, straining their sight even as the stars sprang out one by one, and their shadows began dancing in the moonlight. He had begun to lose hope when Arwen spoke, her voice seemed to echo in the emptiness of the prairie they stood in. "It's here!"

"At long last," Tauriel muttered, moving towards her.

Legolas made to follow, and he saw that Aegnir was already near the she-elf, his smile apparent despite the dark. That was when Legolas noticed the movement in the bushes of the forest. "Look out!" he called out in surprise, but before any of them could react, an arrow came flying from the shadows of the woods. When he had taken out his bow, Legolas saw them. There were more than a dozen of them

"Not again," Tauriel whispered behind him. He heard the panic in her voice.

As if to reply, the orcs grinned in the cover of the trees.

END OF CHAPTER


A/N: I was honestly tempted to not update. The reviews are dwindling, and it's a bit discouraging, but I promised, so here you go! :) Thank you to the reviewers who kept me going!

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Vee