Disclaimers can be found in chapter 1.
Special thanks to my beta, Scattered Logic.
Chapter 16: I veleg lend ned i neled noss… (The great journey of the three kindred.)
Aragorn laced and tightened Boromir's arm braces around his own wrists. The Ranger now bore the white tree of Gondor. A symbol of a future to come, a way of remembering the past and someone who had died regaining their honor. A great soldier, a dear friend, a brother, and a member of the Fellowship of the Ring.
The Ranger glanced at his companions. Kaitlyn and Gimli stood by the shore watching as the boat carrying Boromir's body became smaller and smaller as the currents swept it toward the falls. Kaitlyn had cried again despite trying to hold back her tears. Her eyes were red and swollen and her arms were crossed over her chest as she hugged herself. Gimli was leaning on his ax with one hand and his other hand was on Kaitlyn's arm.
Legolas came running down the shore pushing the remaining boat into the water. "Hurry! Sam and Frodo have reached the eastern shore!"
Aragorn did not answer. He finished tightening the brace and sighed deeply as Boromir's boat disappeared over the roaring falls of Rauros and out of sight.
Kaitlyn and Gimli glanced at the Hobbits across the lake who were making their way into the trees, as did Aragorn, but no one said a word.
Legolas turned to Aragorn and watched the Ranger observing the Hobbits. The fair Elf began to walk toward him. "You mean not to follow them." It was a statement.
"Frodo's fate is no longer in our hands," Aragorn told him.
Gimli joined the two taller men. "Then it has all been in vain. The Fellowship is broken," he said sadly and he lowered his head with a great sigh.
Aragorn shook his head and put a hand on Gimli's shoulder and the other on Legolas' shoulder. "Not as long as we keep true to each other."
The Ranger glanced worriedly at Kaitlyn who had not joined them and was standing alone by the shore gazing out at the falls.
"She's grieving in more ways than one, "Gimli told Aragorn. "The loss has hit her hard."
"She and Boromir did not get along but I do not believe that she ever wanted him to die," Aragorn offered.
"Nay. I do not believe she wanted that."
"Surely she is upset that they never had the chance to reconcile," Legolas said, settling his blue eyes on the mortal woman.
She was alone by the shore. Her small figure was almost lost in the mist from the falls that was blowing in her direction due to a shift in the wind.
The Elf had been there when Boromir had hurt Kaitlyn and he had known the tension between the two. But Legolas knew in his heart that Kaitlyn had forgiven Boromir.
"We must push these dark times behind us," Aragorn said patting his friends' shoulders.
Legolas broke his gaze on the woman and turned to Aragorn.
"Let us hunt some orc!" The Ranger cried out. "We have two young Hobbits to save. Leave all that can be spared behind. We travel light."
Aragorn went to Kaitlyn after sheathing a knife and gathering a few supplies. He stepped up beside her and glanced at her.
Her eyes were closed and she was listening to the sound of the falls while the mist of it touched her face.
He put a hand on her shoulder and she opened her eyes and looked up at him, giving him a sad smile.
"I know that you grieve, but not all hope has been lost," he told her. "We will save Merry and Pippin from torment and death."
Kaitlyn regarded him carefully. Aragorn was still grieving, Kaitlyn could see the hurt hiding in his eyes, but he was also glowing with hope. He believed that the Hobbits were alive and that they could save them.
"There will be much tracking and running," Aragorn continued. "It is good that we trained at Lothlorien; though for all the training we have done, I fear it might not be enough. The Uruk-hai are swift and strong runners. We will have little time for rest," he warned and he put a hand on her shoulder and squeezed it lightly.
"They already have a head start," she replied numbly.
Aragorn nodded. "Aye, they do. We must pack swiftly and go."
Kaitlyn nodded again and watched as Aragorn returned to Gimli and Legolas. Her mind was whirling over her brush with death and the passing of Boromir. She was shaken and running after the Uruk-hai that had escaped with the Hobbits did not ease her mind. But the thought of saving Merry and Pippin was something she could not walk away from. She would do exactly what she had once told Legolas. She would try to save her friends or she would die trying. They were all that she had in this world and she realized she would rather die than be faced with living without them.
She went to find her green pack, which was still on the beach where she had left it when she, Gimli and Legolas had gone in search of Frodo and Boromir.
Kaitlyn stood over the pack, glancing at it for a moment before running her fingers through her hair. She gave a sigh as her fingers caught in the tangles. She imagined what she must look like. Like some wild woman from a Conan the Barbarian movie or Braveheart with her tangled messy hair and dirty face. Her clothes were stained with blood, her own as well as from the dead Uruk-hai. She shuddered, remembering the dead bodies that lay in the woods. "What I would give for a bath and a soft bed right now,' she mused to herself. 'And passage out of this world…'
She sank to her knees on the sand and began to rummage through her backpack. If they were going to be running a great distance, she would have to lighten her load. She knew the CD player would have to go, as well as her collection of CDs. The player no longer worked so she had no use for it or the CDs. As she leafed through the small, blue, soft covered CD case, memories of where she acquired the different albums and memories of times she had listened to them entered her mind. She gave another sigh and placed the player and case beside the low burning flames of the fire they had neglected. A moment later, the player and CDs joined the ash and flame.
She turned away, unable to watch another piece of her past disappear.
Kaitlyn decided to bring her wallet, sunglasses, sketchbook and pencils and nothing else from home. She filled her now nearly empty pack with lembas and any other food left behind by the Hobbits. She left her blanket and bedroll, sacrificing the comfort of them to lighten her pack and conserve her strength.
She stood very still for a moment looking down at the dagger within its sheath that she had left on the beach while searching for Frodo. The sight of it made her tremble, but the Lady's words entered her mind.
"I believe my gift to you will cause you turmoil. But fear not, Kaitlyn Westerly. It will serve you well."
The dagger had not served her well just yet, but perhaps it would in the coming days. Without a second thought, she attached it to her leather belt.
She put her sunglasses on and rising to stand, she gave her companions a sad smile. "I'm ready now." Her voice still held a trace of pain. Whether from her incident with the Uruk-hai or the loss of Boromir, the others did not know.
Aragorn lead the small group through the woods, climbing first uphill through the trees, bushes and scattered remains of statues from the old days and eventually down the rocky slopes of the opposite side toward grasslands scattered with jagged rocks.
The sun was high in the sky, indicating that it was close to noontime. So much had happened in so few hours.
At first the running was not so difficult, but the farther they traveled the more weary that not only Kaitlyn, but also Gimli became.
The hours became long; the sun was hot and didn't aid the travelers as they raced onward. Kaitlyn felt as if her heart was going to burst through her chest. She was sweating and tired beyond belief, but she ran on. The thought of Merry and Pippin kept her going, as did the fear of being left behind.
The sun finally began to set in the west. Aragorn knew that Legolas was beside him. The Elf rarely showed signs of tiring and continued to run with ease. Aragorn was tired but he pushed himself to continue. He did not want the Hobbits' deaths on his conscience.
The Ranger turned his head as he ran toward the bright orange setting sun and noticed two figures far behind him. Gimli was one of them. The Dwarf was several hundred yards back. He was struggling, his heavy armor and ax were slowing him down, but continued to run. Further behind him, a taller figure moved at an extremely slow jog.
"She is falling behind." Aragorn said, turning to Legolas.
The Elf slowed his pace just slightly and looked back at the mortal woman. Even though she was far off in the distance, Legolas' eyes could see Kaitlyn as though she were only a few feet away. She was sweating, beads of perspiration trickling down her face. She was breathing heavily and was clutching the green straps of her backpack that fell over her shoulders so tightly, that her hands were bright red.
Legolas could not see her eyes, due to the strange dark glasses that she wore over them but he did not need to see them to know that she was in pain. The evidence was there in the way she bit her lower lip so hard that she had made it bleed. When she was not biting her lip, she was clenching her teeth or breathing through her mouth. There were lines on her forehead, a result of her lowered brows as she struggled. Her balance was off and she did not run in a straight line. She crisscrossed all over the plains.
"She is exhausted and in pain." Legolas replied in a distressed tone. His own eyebrows furrowed as he turned back to Aragorn.
"As we all are, other than you," Aragorn told him.
The Ranger hardly let on that he was tired. His mind was focused on the task of saving the Hobbits and he would not stop until it was necessary.
"We will stop when it is too dark to make out the trail, but that time has not yet fallen upon us. She will have to continue or she will be left behind."
Legolas did not reply. He looked ahead into the blinding, setting sun and continued to run.
Night fell several hours later without moon or stars. It was too dark to continue without the risk of losing the trail. In the blackness, not even Legolas could find the trail with his strong eyesight.
Aragorn would not allow a fire, which only made the night seem that much blacker. Kaitlyn huddled against a rock, her cloak pulled tightly around herself as she attempted to keep warm.
Aragorn felt guilty when he saw her though there was nothing he could have done, shy of leaving her behind.
The dark haired woman was shaking terribly. Steam was rose from her, a result of the heat her body had generated from running mixing with the rapidly cooling air of the night.
"Are you well?" he asked her as he approached. She shook violently and he frowned, guilt hitting him as hard as a kick in the gut.
She gazed up him, her eyes free of the dark lens of her glasses. She could see his distress and she cared little. "I'm fine," she lied and she lowered her head to her chest, closing her eyes.
Aragorn licked his lips, which had gone dry. "You must eat something. Come, we are going to open a leaf of lembas and drink some water. Join us," he beckoned.
"I'm not hungry," she told him. Her tone was one of annoyance. She adjusted the cloak around her and turned away from him, drawing her knees to her chest in an attempt to keep warm.
Silence fell and Aragorn realized that insisting would not do much good. He sighed and turning, he joined Gimli and Legolas who were eating lembas.
He sat on the cool earth with a heavy sigh and gazed up at the dark sky. The stars were beginning to appear, though they were too faint to give any light to the world below them.
"How is she faring?" Legolas asked, not bothering to mask his concern. He handed Aragorn half of a piece of lembas bread, which Aragorn took.
The Ranger looked at the Elf for a moment before he broke the bread with his fingers and ate a small piece. Then he gave a sigh.
"She is cold, tired and upset. I fear that Boromir's death still bothers her."
Gimli gave a great sigh and draped one arm over the knee bent toward his chest. "I think Boromir's death plays some part, but I believe what happened in the woods still haunts her."
"What happened in the woods?" Aragorn asked. The Ranger looked at Gimli, waiting for the answer but it was Legolas who responded.
"Gimli and I abandoned her in the woods. It was not intentional," the Elf said immediately. "She fell behind and we did not realize it until too late. We found her pushed roughly against a tree with an Uruk-hai trying to choke her. Her weapons were scattered on the ground and she was completely defenseless. If we had been any later in discovering her, she would have died. " The Elf lowered his head, closing his eyes. His fair hair cascaded down his shoulders at the movement.
In his mind, Legolas could still see the vision of her and the Uruk-hai and it made his heartbeat quicken. Kaitlyn struggling to survive, kicking and trying to pry the Uruk-hai's hands from her neck with all her might and it had not been enough. Usually calm and controlled, Legolas had lost temporary restraint of his emotions. He had killed the enemies with brutal force. Without guilt or shame, he had beheaded the Uruk-hai who had dared to hurt his friend, even though it was already dead. It was an act unbecoming of an Elf.
"Luck or fate was with her for you to find her when you did. But her weapons were scattered. Has her training done nothing?" Aragorn asked with an edge of frustration in his voice.
Legolas opened his eyes and raised his head to gaze at the dark haired man. The Elf did not answer.
Aragorn sighed and strained his eyes in the darkness to watch Kaitlyn. She was still lying in a fetal position with her cloak wrapped around her. She appeared to be asleep, her body rising and falling gently as she took each breath.
"Perhaps Boromir was right from the beginning," Aragorn admitted softly. "We should not have brought her along. A war is no place for a woman with no fighting skills."
Legolas gave a look of surprise, his eyes widening and his eyebrows raising. "You would have left her in Moria?"
Aragorn shook his head. "Nay, I would have left her within the safety of Lorien."
"Why did you not?" Legolas asked softly.
"I gave great thought to the idea, but then the gift that the Lady gave Kaitlyn made me erase the thoughts from my mind. I have a feeling the dagger means something, as all of our gifts do. Kaitlyn has a part to play in this quest, though that may seem unlikely at this point in time."
Legolas looked into Aragorn's eyes. "Gandalf believed in her and so must we," the Mirkwood Elf replied. "Her confidence will return with our devotion to her and her skills. She can fight. We have seen her do so against us. She will succeed if she can think and act as a warrior."
Aragorn's lips curled into a gentle smile. "You care for her, mellon nin, and that may be the key to her success." my friend
"She is my friend. Naturally, I want her to succeed," Legolas said honestly.
Aragorn nodded and regarded the Mirkwood Elf for a moment. Legolas had a kind heart as all Elves did. He enjoyed adventure and friendship. His camaraderie with Kaitlyn was not unexpected. She was a good-natured person.
Once she had gotten over her fear of Elves, she and Legolas had gotten along well. She had even gone so far as beginning to learn Sindarin.
Legolas was gentle natured and Kaitlyn no doubt relied on his sensible personality to help her get through things.
But now Kaitlyn was not relying on Legolas at all. She chose to walk alone and Aragorn knew that it must be hurting the Elf deeply. The fact that she still had not confided in Legolas about her past was no doubt like a harsh slap across the face.
"What shall we do with her?" Aragorn asked quietly.
The Elf jumped slightly; the sound of Aragorn's voice had jostled him out of his thoughts. His blue eyes lost their glazed appearance and focused, settling on the Ranger.
Aragorn looked between Gimli and Legolas, waiting for one of them to answer his question. When neither did he said, "I suggest that we begin retraining her once the hobbits are safe and we discover our road."
Legolas shook his head. "I do not believe that she requires retraining. She is skilled with blade and bow. She needs confidence to return to her."
Aragorn nodded. "Indeed. I think you may be right."
The Elf glanced quickly at the sleeping mortal woman and then at his Aragorn. "Until she is capable of defending herself, I vow to protect her. I swear oath to defend her as I swore to defend the Ring bearer."
Aragorn blinked and his mouth parted in awe. "This is not a light task you would swear to," the man said in astonishment.
"Istan sen," Legolas nodded slowly. I know this.
"Indeed, it is not a light task," Gimli said in reply to Aragorn The Dwarf did not know what Legolas had answered. "You could die trying to keep such an oath."
"Why?" Aragorn asked Legolas, before he could respond to Gimli's words.
The Elf looked confused, his eyebrows furrowed.
"Why do you wish to become her protector?" Aragorn asked.
"I owe her that much," Legolas replied softly.
"You owe her nothing," Aragorn told him.
Legolas shook his head. "Nay, I was at fault when she was left alone in the woods. Were she beside us, she may have been successful in battle. She may have drawn from our strength and experience," the Elf said fervently.
"You are not at fault alone," Gimli told Legolas. "I am as much to blame."
"There is no one to blame," Aragorn injected before the two could start debating the matter. "It was an accident. She lives and that is all that matters."
"I swear oath to defend her," Legolas continued, ignore Aragorn's words. "Gimli is witness to this oath if you will not be," Legolas told Aragorn ardently.
Aragorn tilted his head and regarded Legolas. "You would die for her?" he asked.
"Aye. I would give up my life for you, or Gimli or the Hobbits," Legolas told him. "Why would I not do the same for her?"
"I do not doubt that you would give your life for any of us. We would do the same," the Ranger said reassuringly. "But serving as the protector of someone who is currently unable to defend herself, is dangerous. You would have to fight not only for yourself but for her as well. Do you realize that?"
"Caron" I do.
Aragorn sighed at the Elf's unyielding tone. Legolas had already made up his mind, and though the Ranger believed it to be guilt that drove the Elf to make this decision, he could not be entirely sure.
"If you cannot be swayed, then it shall be so. Gimli and I are witness to this."
Legolas brought his hand to his chest and lowered his head before raising it to glance at the man and Dwarf. "Le hannon." Thank you.
No more was spoken about the mortal woman and the trio fell into silence until Legolas volunteered for first watch. Gimli and Aragorn lay upon the ground, their weariness catching up with them. And so they slept.
Legolas stood, arms crossed over his chest, his eyes scanning the valley and his ears picking up the barest hint of a whisper in the night. All was still, too still, he reasoned. The Uruk-hai were far ahead. They had gotten a large head start.
Legolas did not awaken Aragorn, Gimli or Kaitlyn so that they could take turns having watch. He was not as weary as his companions were and he let them sleep. He listened to their even breathing, to Kaitlyn's tossing and turning and Gimli's snoring until dawn.
Aragorn awakened at first light and questioned Legolas why the Elf did not awaken him for watch. Legolas told Aragorn that they needed rest and he did not mind taking watch alone.
The trail was visible now, the grass flattened and there were footprints in the dirt. After an extremely fast breakfast of lembas and water, the four companions set out again. Kaitlyn started off strong, keeping up with the men but it was only a matter of time before she fell behind again.
Gimli dropped back with her and the two of them jogged slowly while Aragorn and Legolas sprinted ahead.
"Keep going….lassie. You're….doing…fine," Gimli told her.
She gave the Dwarf a small smile, taking in his tired sweaty form. He was just as weary as she and it made her feel slightly better. She was not alone in this.
Gimli gave a breathless laugh. He had made her smile and it had been the first he had seen in nearly two days.
The Uruk-hai were far ahead and hope was beginning to dwindle, especially when Aragorn rested his ear against the earth.
"Their pace has quickened," he whispered to himself. "They must have caught our scent." Aragorn turned back to Legolas who was running up the hill. "Hurry!"
Legolas glanced back at Kaitlyn and Gimli. They were both struggling but he gave them credit for not giving in to defeat. "Come on, Gimli, Kaitlyn. We are gaining on them!" he called.
"That's so…easy…for him…to say," Kaitlyn told Gimli. "Elves can…just keep…going. We're not…Elves."
"Aye, he's…an Elf. An arrogant…one," Gimli replied.
The two shared a laugh that ended far too quickly when Kaitlyn tripped and fell flat on her face, narrowly missing contact with a rock.
Legolas heard her fall and halted to make certain that she was all right.
She was sitting up and spitting out dirt and grass that she had taken into her mouth during the fall. Gimli was beside her and was helping her to her feet.
Kaitlyn dusted herself off and frowned as she glanced down to see her broken sunglasses, which had originally been resting on the top of her head. She had smashed one dark lens with the fall and the other had come out of the rims.
"Damnit. My glasses." Another piece of home was now gone.
"It's all right, lassie. You did not break any limbs and that is what is important."
Kaitlyn nodded sadly and frowned again when she saw Legolas standing atop the hill watching her and Gimli. The Elf looked concerned, his eyebrows drawn together, his eyes not once leaving her form and she wanted none of it. She was furious enough with herself for how she had fought with Uruk-hai the day before and she was embarrassed from falling.
She tore her gaze away from him and flicked her ponytail back. "I'm okay, Gimli. Let's go before we hold them up anymore."
The Dwarf nodded in agreement, noting her annoyed tone.
Kaitlyn found some energy to run faster due to her fall. She didn't want sympathy from any of her companions. So she ran hard and fast to show them that no matter how tired she was, she could keep up.
They raced on over the plains. Aragorn said what they were accomplishing what had not been achieved between the three races of Elves, Dwarves and Men. They would be marveled for such a feat.
Kaitlyn's adrenaline began to wane as the day went on. She was hungry and tired of running and seeing bare and barren land. She wanted to see a town in the distance. Something, anything, but rocks and trees and grass and the backsides of her companions as they went.
On the grassy path between a rocky outcropping, Aragorn stopped when something glittered in the light of the sun and caught his attention. He crouched down and cradled his discovery in his hand.
"Not idly do the leaves of Lorien fall," he said breathlessly.
Legolas stopped running and fell back to see what Aragorn had found. The Elf's eyes widened at the sight of one of the clasps that he and his companions wore on their cloaks. "They may yet be alive."
Aragorn glanced down at the trail and felt the compressed grass and earth. "Less than a day ahead of us," he said standing. "Come." The Ranger started off with a renewed sense of strength, Legolas in tow. All their traveling, their determination and suffering might not be in vain. Merry and Pippin might still be alive.
Kaitlyn and Gimli were making their way down the hill towards Aragorn and Legolas when Gimli lost his footing and began to tumble all the way down.
"GIMLI!" Kaitlyn cried out. She feared the Dwarf had broken something with the way he had fallen.
Legolas turned at the sight of Gimli sprawled out on the grass at the bottom of the hill. "Come, Gimli! We are gaining on them!" he cried out and he continued running.
Gimli sprang to his feet, picked up his ax and began to run as if nothing had happened. Kaitlyn sighed as she made it to the bottom of the hill and watched him start to jog away. Gimli was certainly a tough and determined Dwarf.
"I'm wasted over cross country!" he yelled toward Legolas' retreating form. "We Dwarves are natural sprinters! Very dangerous over short distances!" Gimli waited to make sure that Legolas was not going to turn around and the Dwarf slowed his pace, waiting for Kaitlyn to catch up with him.
"Are you…all right? That was a hard fall," Kaitlyn asked her brows knit with worry.
"'Twas nothing, lassie. Come now, if we are to keep up with our companions."
Kaitlyn didn't reply. She could tell by how Gimli was carrying himself, his body erect and proud as he ran that he, too, had been embarrassed by his fall and he was covering it up. His pride had been shot, but he did not want anyone to know that. Kaitlyn admired him for continuing on.
They ran around a few large boulders and up another hill. Legolas was in the lead now, having rushed past Aragorn. He ran forward and then stopped, gazing out over the flat plans that came into view at the top of the hill. Aragorn stopped beside him, out of breath but hiding it well. He wiped the sweat from his brow and frowned when he saw where the trail had led.
Gimli and Kaitlyn made their way up the rock and gazed out over the land. The landscape looked no different than what they have been traveling over all day. Grasslands with sharp jagged rocks that littered the terrain.
"Rohan. Home of the Horse-lords," Aragorn said loud enough for all to hear. "There is something strange at work here. Some evil gives speed to these creatures. Sets its will against us."
Kaitlyn frowned at his words.
Legolas tensed and ran off ahead to a taller rock. He squinted against the sun and looked out over the land.
"Legolas!" Aragorn called out to him. "What do your Elf eyes see?"
Many leagues away, Legolas could see the figures of the Uruk-hai running across the plains. "The Uruk's turn Northeast! They are taking the Hobbits to Isengard!" the Elf yelled back.
"Saruman," Aragorn frowned.
"Isengard? Saurman? And who are the Horse-lords? Are any of these people friendly?" Kaitlyn asked.
Aragorn turned to Kaitlyn. "Saruman is our enemy and Isengard is his evil land. I do not know whether the Horse-lords will be friend or foe. Times grow dark and allies could be few and far between."
Kaitlyn sighed deeply. "Well, that's just lovely."
Aragorn glanced at the sky, realizing that the day was growing later. The sun was sinking lower. "We must continue before it becomes to dark to see."
Aragorn started off, following Legolas, who was sprinting over the land. The four companions ran hard. Kaitlyn forced herself to run quickly even though pain shot through her back and legs. She kept telling herself that Merry and Pippin's lives depended on her and she was determined not to let them down.
They ran and ran, the landscape hardly changing as they went. A barren grassy plain was their road. The sun dipped toward the horizon, and the companions continued to run toward it until it was gone and had taken all the light of day with it.
Kaitlyn chose to settle beside Gimli when they stopped to rest. She could feel the cold of night all the way to her bones. She shook and her teeth chattered. Gimli rubbed her shoulders to help keep her warm. She smiled at him and edged closer.
She didn't know that Legolas was behind her until a cloak was draped over her shoulders. He sank to his knees to draw it around her.
She gasped at his sudden presence, especially his warm breath washing over her cold ears. "Legolas! For goodness sakes!"
"Goheno nin," he said regretfully. Forgive me. "I did not mean to frighten you, merely to offer you my cloak for warmth."
His warm, soft voice against her face made her tremble even harder.
"I'm fine. I don't need your cloak, " she told him starting to brush it off her shoulders.
"You are heated from running," boomed Aragorn's voice. The Ranger suddenly loomed over them. "And the cold of the night could cause you to become ill. We cannot afford to nurse you back to health nor do we want to leave you behind. Do not refuse Legolas' generosity."
She grimaced at the Ranger's persistence and gave a sigh but did not speak again about the situation. She clutched the cloak, bidding Legolas a very quick thank you, and then she drew her knees to her chest.
Legolas frowned as he rose from his crouching position to stand. He was worried about her and the worry grew with each passing day. She rarely spoke to him or Aragorn and he had not heard her speak a word of Elvish in days. That hurt him far more than he had expected it to.
The Elf walked to Aragorn and stood beside him.
"You should leave her be," Aragorn told him.
Legolas sighed. "I cannot. Not when she is in so much pain."
"Pain? Physical pain?" Aragorn asked, his brows raised in concern.
Legolas leaned in closer and lowered his voice. "She is in physical pain but I do not believe it to trouble her as much as her emotional pain."
Aragorn sighed.
"Her pain is strong and it tortures her. I can feel it from where I stand at this moment. And when I stand beside her, it is so strong that it becomes my pain for it grips my heart so fiercely." The Elf lowered his head, his blond hair falling down his shoulders. "I feel so helpless."
"We all do. With not only her, but the ring, our future and the future of our world."
"I do not like feeling helpless," Legolas told the Ranger with a deep sigh.
Aragorn patted his shoulder and gave him a sad grin. "None of us do, mellon nin." my friend
Aragorn stepped away and addressed everyone at once. "Who will take first watch tonight?" he asked.
"I will." Kaitlyn offered before anyone could answer. She surprised the three men so much that it stole their words away.
"What?" she asked when they stood there in silence. "Just because I'm a woman, I can't do it? Is that what you're going to tell me? I don't see how I could mess up watching."
"It is not necessary for you to keep watch. You are weary from traveling and should rest," Aragorn told her. He had noticed her defensive tone. Part of her pain was no doubt due to her failure with the Uruk-hai and he could not fault her for being upset.
"We're all weary. We can take turns keeping watch so that everyone can sleep. I haven't taken a watch yet and taking one is the least I can do," Kaitlyn insisted.
"I will keep watch," Legolas told her and immediately he saw her tense. " I do not need sleep for I am not as weary." His tone was firm.
Kaitlyn got to her feet and looked at Aragorn, her eyes struggling to see his expression in the darkness. "Legolas and I will keep watch together," she said surprising the men for the second time that night. "He isn't going to back down and neither will I."
Aragorn nodded. "You two shall keep watch for the first half of the night and Gimli and I will take turns keeping watch for the second." Aragorn did not say another word and he sat himself on the ground, drawing his cloak around him, he lay down and prepared to sleep.
Gimli pursed his lips and sighed before nodding in agreement. "Good night." He removed his helmet and placed it on the ground, before he re-braided his long, frizzy brown hair. When he was finished with the task, he lay down and prepared to rest.
Kaitlyn and Legolas stood looking at each other in the darkness. Kaitlyn couldn't make out his expression while Legolas could see that she was furious with him. Her brows were drawn low over her eyes and her face was becoming red.
She sat herself on a rock on the outskirts of their camp and drew her cloak as well as Legolas' around her and gazed out into the night.
She gave a deep sigh. There was no moon, the stars were dim tonight and she could hardly make out what was five feet in front of her never mind what was in the distance.
"Do you intend to speak to me not?"
She jumped at the sound of Legolas' voice so near and she turned to find him standing directly beside the rock, arms crossed over his chest. He was looking straight forward and not at her. His blond hair and his tunic danced in the cool breeze of the night.
She gave a sigh and they remained in silence for a few minutes. Legolas did not move from where he stood, nor did he move his head to turn and gaze at her. She sighed again.
"Do you think that I'm incapable of doing something on my own? I know that I messed up really bad the other day…" her voice broke and Legolas turned to gaze at her.
His gaze was intense, his blue eyes bored into hers. "I do not think you incapable. I only wished that you would rest."
"I appreciate that, but I wanted to help. I've been nothing but a burden on this whole miserable journey."
He frowned at her broken tone. He shook his head slowly. "Nay, you have not been a burden."
"How can you say that?" she asked a little too loudly and she quickly lowered her voice when she realized that Gimli and Aragorn were trying to sleep. "How can you say that?" she repeated at a whisper. "You and Aragorn had to train me and I couldn't even defend myself after all that training." She lowered her head.
"You were frightened," he told her. "It was your first real battle. From what I understand of your past life, you did not have to fight. This world is a difficult change for you and you are coping. While it is regretful that your first battle was not fought well, it is understandable and we do not hold you at fault."
"You don't, but I do. I failed in the worst way possible. This wasn't some test I botched up back in college or a bank document that I made a mistake on and can fix. I could have died."
"Aye, you could have," Legolas said softly and then added, "But you did not."
"Because of you and Gimli." She lowered her head.
The Elf sighed. He and Gimli could have been the reason that she had nearly died, but they would never know.
"We are relieved that you are safe. That is what matters. I know you strive to defend yourself on your own and I vow to help you if you will let me."
She raised her head and looked into his eyes.
His gaze was gentle. "I will train you as often as you desire, if that is what it takes to rebuild your confidence," he offered softly.
"Why would you do that?" She lowered her head and glanced away when his gaze became too much for her.
His fingers found her chin and he lifted it so that he could look into her eyes. "Because you are my friend and I care about you. I do not desire to lose you," he added tenderly.
She diverted her eyes from his and closed them when she felt tears wet her dark lashes. She took a deep breath and when she opened her eyes, the tears were gone. She nodded slowly to him and he gave her a gentle smile.
He released her chin and they sat in companionable silence. Legolas glanced out over the land, his eyes seeing much more than hers were capable of. She attempted to keep watch, but felt she was a failure with that, too, because she couldn't see very far. So, she sat and watched as best as she could.
An hour later, Aragorn awakened. Kaitlyn could hear the sound of him getting up and walking toward them.
The Ranger stepped beside them looking rested and refreshed. "Rest, I will keep watch for now."
Legolas nodded patting Aragorn on the shoulder before he gently led Kaitlyn away from the rock.
"You should sleep," the Elf advised.
Kaitlyn nodded and Legolas waited until she was lying down on the grass before he stepped away.
He didn't sleep. He stood, arms crossed over his chest gazing out into the night.
Kaitlyn watched him for a while as he stood so still, only his hair and tunic moving. Then she closed her eyes, attempting to sleep. But Gimli was snoring loudly and she had too much on her mind to become comfortable and fall into slumber. She got to her feet not more than twenty minutes after she had laid down, still clutching the cloaks around her and walked to Legolas.
"You should be sleeping," The Elf said disapprovingly as he glanced down at her.
"I don't want to sleep, I couldn't possibly now. I…" she paused a moment and then looked him directly in the eyes. " Aníron peded a le." I want to speak with you.
Legolas' eyebrows raised in surprise. The sound of Sindarin rolling off her tongue and her desire to talk with him made his heart sing with unexpected joy.
"Pedo," he urged gently. Speak. He could hardly keep the delight out of his voice.
She lowered her head, a look of nervousness overtaking her. She was trembling slightly, her hands shaking and she held tighter onto the soft fabric of the cloaks to keep him from noticing but he had already seen.
"Not here," she whispered.
He was about to ask her why, when he realized that she wished for his ears alone to hear what was to be said.
Legolas nodded and held out his hand to her. She looked at him curiously.
"Aphado nin," he beckoned softly. Follow me.
She swallowed and placed her hand in his, feeling the warmth of his skin as his fingers wrapped around her own.
He led her a short distance away from Gimli, who was snoring, and Aragorn, who was keeping watch. Although mortal, Aragorn was one of the Dunedain and his sense of hearing was greater than most men. Legolas did not intend for the Ranger to accidentally eavesdrop.
Kaitlyn walked close to Legolas, her shoulders occasionally brushing against his arm as they went. The dark and quiet of the night was almost frightening and the realization that she was going to tell him about her past made her heart pound in her chest.
Legolas halted and gestured toward a rock, releasing his hold on her. "Havo," Sit
She shook her head. She was too jittery to sit down.
"What do you wish to speak about?" he asked gently. He noticed that she seemed apprehensive and rigid, more taut than a bowstring. He could feel the tension, the pain and the anxiety pulsing from her.
She looked down at the grassy ground and then away. When she slowly glanced upward, there was a strange look in her green eyes. She was anxious and nervous. Silence fell upon them for several moments before she was able to speak.
"It's about…um…" she looked down at her arm and Legolas followed her gaze.
Legolas felt his heartbeat quicken. She was gazing at the arm with the scar he had discovered days ago by the Anduin river. His eyes found hers and he tilted his head, speaking quietly and evenly. "You do not have to tell me if you do not wish to." He did not want her to feel obligated to tell him and then speak and regret it.
"I do want to tell you. I mean…If you still want to know." She paused a moment, glancing down and then she looked him directly in the eyes. "Gerich estel nin." You have my trust.
Before he could stop it from happening, Legolas exhaled loudly. His heart wanted to sing! Aragorn had been correct. Kaitlyn trusted him and she had come to tell him what was wrong. But his heart did not sing. She was afraid as well as upset and anxious and that bothered him. So many emotions were projected from her in such a short length of time that he could hardly make sense of them.
"It pleases me to hear this, for you also have my trust. Tell me what troubles you, Rodwen," he beckoned in a soft low tone. His head was tilted again as he watched her, his straight blond hair tumbling down his shoulders.
The sound of her nickname and his gentle voice, calmed her for a moment, but the feelings of anxiety and hurt came spiraling back all too soon. They attacked her viciously like a swarm of angry bees, stabbing her repeatedly with their stingers. She began to pace.
"It is an old wound yet it still bleeds freely," Legolas whispered as he watched her walk back and forth and back again.
Kaitlyn sighed heavily. Legolas was so perceptive. She doubted that there was anything that she could ever truly keep from him.
Legolas moved to step in front of her and she halted her pacing. He reached for her hand and took it into his, offering her comfort.
She lowered her head as memories surfaced. Could she really go through this again?
She bit her lower lip and realized that she had to do this. If she didn't manage to put the past behind her she would never be able to live for the future. Legolas deserved to know what was bothering her and perhaps he could help him move on.
Kaitlyn glanced up into his concerned face and took a deep breath.
To be continued…
I know, EVIL cliffhanger. Don't kill me or you won't know what happens next. *grin * Anyhow, this chapter was 17, count 'em 17 pages. By far the longest chapter I have written yet for this story. This should hold you over until the next chapter, which I am already working on.
Because I spent so much time on this chapter I did not have time to comment personally to everyone. Many apologies. However, I do read every single review and e-mail (as well as livejournal and greatest journal comments). I know who's reading, who's been around for a while and who's new. *waves to all the new readers* Pull up a chair and feel free to get comfy.
If you liked the chapter, feel free to leave me a review, if you thought something needed improvement, feel free to leave me a review. If you just hate the story, don't bother flaming because I just laugh at flames.
Thanks for reading all! 'Til next chapter!