Got another chapter for you! A good mix of action, romance, and good conversation. Enjoy!

Chapter 31

I made my way over to my tent and threw myself ungracefully on the ground. The intense activities of the day were catching up with me, and all I wanted to do was rest.

Someone was handing me some dried meat, and as I reached out to take it, I saw the smiling face of Radanir. I forced a smile in return and gestured for him to sit. I fell onto my back, eating and looking at the stars without really seeing them. He did the same. "Thank you," I said softly, finding I was ravenous.

"Resisting the forces of evil must make you hungry," Radanir joked, and I couldn't help but chuckle. "I must admit I was worried for a moment when you fell to the ground back there and we could not see you due to the brightness of the light, but I knew you could handle it."

"Ah yes, I can handle anything right?" I replied, shoving his shoulder with mine.

Radanir stayed silent for a moment, and I could tell he was hesitating. "What is it?" I asked.

"I know it is none of my business…" he started, and I interrupted him, "But of course you will ask anyway."

He chuckled, "I am known to be nosy at times."

I stayed silent and kept my eyes on the sky, unsure what he would say. Taking that as a sign to continue, he said, "What is your relationship with Candaith?" I found myself blushing and hoped he could not see in the darkening camp.

"Why do you ask?" I replied.

"Well, at first I thought you merely comrades and friends, but I sense there is more there between you?" He asked quietly, and I wondered at his tone. It almost seemed sad, but I could not understand why.

I did not know what to say; Candaith and I still hadn't discussed if or when we would make our relationship known to the group. I didn't even know what to call our relationship.

However, Radanir took my silence as an affirmation, "Ah, I see. You do not have to explain yourself Gwin. Candaith is an honorable man, and your heart will be safe in his keeping, if that is what you want." He laughed slightly but it felt forced to me. "I should hope to find something similar for myself someday."

I rolled on my side to look at him and was surprised to see him looking back. I could not discern what it was, but there was something in his eyes that made me pause. Determining that I would think on it later, I replied, "You will, I am sure of it. The ladies will be falling all over themselves to impress you once they hear of your heroic deeds." I was somewhat confused. Radanir had spoken to me of an Elleth named Elweleth, and I had sensed he had perhaps loved her. Had something changed?

After a moment, he seemed to decide something and grinned, "We shall have to get a drink at a tavern when this is all over, and you can see how I charm them with my devilishly good looks."

"Not one of the seedy taverns I hope!" I replied, wrinkling my nose jokingly.

"Because it would scandalize your delicate disposition?" He said, and I rolled my eyes.

"Hardly. I am not some delicate flower, and I have seen my fair share of foolery over the years. You would not imagine how ridiculous Elves can be when they have a little too much wine!" I then proceeded to briefly tell him the story Barachen and the docks at Celondim. He was laughing so hard he couldn't breathe, trying to imagine me dancing drunkenly on tables. "You…you should have known your…your friend would d-do that!" he replied, referring to Barachen pulling me into the water when I tried to help him out of it.

"Yes, and normally I would have expected such treachery, but I may have had too much Dorwinion and wasn't thinking clearly," I replied with a grin.

"You shall have to be careful when we get to Rohan," he said impishly, "Their ale is stronger than you think. One minute you're sipping your first mug and the next you are falling off your bench onto the floor when you try to stand up!"

"Well that simply will not do; I have to uphold the reputation of the Elves as graceful and much too intelligent to imbibe in such a way." I sniffed haughtily, and we both laughed.

After a moment our laughter settled. "Thank you Radanir, I appreciated the distraction. My thoughts had been turning melancholy," I said with a grin.

Radanir smiled warmly, "Anytime Gwin. I am always available to make you laugh. Whatever you need, I am here for you." He took my hand a briefly squeezed it. He then sat up and made his way over to the fire to chat with Saeradan, who also looked like he needed some cheering up. I was worried about him; ever since the initial encounter with the cursed gold, he had seemed withdrawn and sad. I was honest when I told him I did not blame him and that it was not his fault, but it still seemed to weigh heavily on him.

I turned on my back again and was yet again interrupted by the arrival of someone. Thankfully it was a very pleasant someone. "Hi Candaith," I said with a smile, my heart warmed…

…well, it was warm until I saw an odd expression on his face. "What is it?" I asked, confused.

"Ah, well, it is nothing." He said quickly.

"You cannot fool me Candaith; clearly something is on your mind."

He was fidgeting and seemed to wrestle with himself, and I grew concerned. Sitting up so I could look at him closer, I noticed he was trying to avoid my gaze.

Well I wasn't having that.

I took his hand and pulled him down so he was sitting beside me. "Will you not look at me?" I asked softly. "Will you not tell me what troubles you?" I noted his hands were gripping his cloak and he was twisting the fabric distractedly. It reminded me of his behavior in Imladris by the fire, when our previous argument happened. I hoped this conversation did not lead to something similar.

He remained silent, and I sighed in frustration, "If you will not tell me, I cannot help ease your mind. Would you prefer I leave you to your solitude?"

"No," he said abruptly, and he finally looked at me. "I am being foolish."

I couldn't help but smile, "We all are foolish at times, but let me be the judge of that." I reached for his hands and helped him relax his grip on the cloak, rubbing small circles on the tops of them. "Now, can we be honest with one another? You are struggling with something and I am concerned. Perhaps I can help?"

Candaith sighed and nodded. "I saw you with Radanir just now, and grew jealous," he mumbled quickly.

I held in a smile. "Jealous? There is no need to feel jealous. We are just friends."

He frowned in thought, "I am not so sure if he feels only friendship for you."

I thought back on our conversation and wondered if the expression on Radanir's face had been something more emotional than I realized. Shrugging, I said, "Perhaps, and perhaps not. However, that does not matter. Do you know why?" Looking at me quizzically, I smiled, "Because I am not interested in anyone else but you."

He relaxed the tension in his shoulders. "Like I said, I am being foolish. I know there is more than friendship between us." He smiled.

"Something much more," I whispered, but what was it? Putting this aside for now, I looked into his blue eyes. They had darkened, and it made my pulse quicken. It amazed me how something as simple as a heated glance could affect me in such a way.

Candaith glanced around him and I noted we were mostly in the shadow of my tent. Not inside of it by any means, but somewhat sheltered. It was also quite dark outside. Suddenly feeling a little flustered, I tried to keep myself together by doing something with my hands, like adjusting the clasp of Candaith's cloak. However, it became more difficult when he leaned in and whispered in my ear, "Do you know what I would do if we were alone?"

My breath quickened, but I was able to reply, "Tell me," in a breathy voice.

"I would undo your braids and run my fingers through your beautiful hair…it bewitches me."

"What else?" I gasped as I felt his lips brush my ear.

"I would kiss you so fiercely that we could barely breathe, and pull you into my lap," He continued, his voice rough with desire. "I would put my lips here," he touched my right ear, "and here", then my neck, "and then here," over my collar bone. He was brushing his fingers on my skin only slightly, barely enough to feel, but each touch was like fire. "Then I would unlace your tunic, as it is covering up too much skin for my liking, and remove it." My eyebrows rose, but the image was not unpleasant. "My hands would move…here." He swept his fingertips lightly over my breasts, and I wanted so badly for him to put his warm hands on me that I inadvertently pushed my chest forward a bit. It made him chuckle softly and I blushed red all the way to the tips of my ears.

"C-Candaith, if you do or say one more thing, I will not be able to stop myself from doing something that perhaps would not be well received by the group," I whispered shakily, and tried to calm my racing heart.

"Ah, that would be a problem indeed," Candaith replied with a sly grin. Regrettably he moved away from me, and I made a show of digging in my pack.

"I found some athelas potions for you; I hope they are not necessary," I said, my voice carrying somewhat but not too loudly.

Candaith smiled and nodded his thanks, before giving me a wink and ambling over to his horse. I could have sworn there was a swagger in his step, and I rolled my eyes.

Our attraction to each other felt completely natural, like it had always been there. However, I was unsure if there would be a true, real future for us. Things were so uncertain, and every day brought the risk of death. A stray arrow, a careless step...and I found it likely we would be thrown into at least one large battle.

I believed in my heart that the free peoples could win this war against Sauron, but the chance of Frodo making it to Mordor and having the will to destroy the Ring was admittedly slim. A world with Sauron and the ever-present threat of his triumph placed a shadow over my dreams of a life with Candaith.

Sighing, I entered my tent fully and curled up under my blankets. I knew we would be departing soon, but fatigue was making me sleepy. I let myself fall into reverie, and was awoken a short while later by Candaith. "I am sorry to wake you Gwin, but it is time to depart." Clearing my eyes, I gathered my weapons and joined my companions around the fire.

.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.

Wadu was with us, and looked both nervous and proud. "We must succeed in this. The lives of my clan have been sullied by the cowardly actions of these deserters, and it is only right we take back what is ours."

Halbarad nodded, and it was decided that I would join the small company, along with Elrohir, Candaith, Corunir, Golodir, and Halbarad himself. Corunir and Golodir were used to the dark, secret ways of Angmar, and stealth was their constant companion. This would suit them well. Saeradan had initially been chosen, but he declined. I was frustrated in his reluctance to do anything due to his personal misgivings of his ability to be useful. I was determined to speak with him after we returned; this could not continue. Halbarad seemed to agree, giving Saeradan a stern look but allowing him to stay behind this time.

We carefully went south and hugged the cliffs of the hills. There were many trees, and the stars were veiled by clouds. I heard their murmurs, but could not understand them. It reminded me of what had been happening to the trees in Mirkwood. Their spirits were dark, and their mutterings filled me with dread. It was one of the reasons I had avoided my homeland for so many years. Shaking off this depressing thought, I continued on.

It did not take long to reach the small encampment. I could hear crude laughter and the guttural language of the Dunlendings. However, it seemed many were sleeping, which would serve our purpose well. The fires were few, and low. My vision was sharp, and I silently gathered our group close together, pointing out the places they had piled the weapons carelessly. Wadu was visibly shaking when he saw the blood markers prominently displayed on spears and shields around the perimeter of the camp. I stayed him with a hand; I sensed he wanted to charge headlong into the camp and slay all the Dunlendings within. He glared at me and shook me off, but did not move forward.

Elrohir pointed out the men who were on watch; one was dozing off, and the others were chatting and not being vigilant in their duty. If it had been our aim to eliminate them, they would be dead in seconds.

We spread out, flanking the camp. Corunir and Golodir were tasked with gathering the weapons. Elrohir stood watch, his gaze sharp and alert for any movement that was unexpected, and I did the same. Candaith, Halbarad, and Wadu carefully removed the blood markers, as quietly as they could.

I was impressed at how the Dunedain could be silent as shadows, disguising themselves with their ability to move nearly unseen. Halbarad had spoken to me once of how the children of the Dunedain were taught nearly from birth how to track, fight, and be light on their feet. I had seen such skill in Aragorn, but I knew he had learned much under the teachings of the Elves. He fought with the skill of the Firstborn, although he tended to end up much filthier. I chuckled inwardly; it was one of the first things I noticed about him. When we met in Bree, I came face to face with a rugged, mysterious, and scruffy ranger. It was soon clear to me that he was more than just any ranger, and being on this journey with the Grey Company reminded me why the Dunedain are so loyal to him. He was a born leader, even if it took him many decades to come to terms with it.

Noting I had let my thoughts wander briefly, I focused my eyes once again on the actions of my fellows. There was no indication that the Dunlendings noticed our presence, and I was hopeful we could get out of here without trouble.

That is, until Wadu came across something that made him so furious he cursed very audibly. Seeing this, Halbarad pulled him to the ground and put a hand over his mouth, hissing at him to be silent. Wadu was much smaller than Halbarad, and was unable to move despite his anger. We waited uneasily for any sign the deserters had heard Wadu's foolish words. A muttering began among the men who were awake, but they were either too tired or too stupid to look closely at their surroundings. The other rangers had swiftly hidden themselves, and Elrohir and I had melted into the nearby trees. Once things seemed quiet, we gathered what things we had recovered and left as silently as we could.

After some distance of walking through the copse of trees, Halbarad deemed it far enough away to confront Wadu about his words. "Why did you cry out? You could have caused a fight to ensue."

Wadu had his fists clenched, and his face was red with anger. "I found this!" and he held in his hand a pendant, beautifully carved with the head of an ox and the letter "N" on the back. "It is my sister's! How did they come upon it?"

I looked at him in concern. Could they have kidnapped or killed her? "Wadu, when did you last see your sister?"

"Just yesterday she was in Lhanuch. We were at odds again; she wished for me to try and reconcile with our father, but he is ashamed of me as I am not the warrior son he hoped I would be. I have no interest in battle and only fight when I must, and both Nona and my father find this unacceptable, in different ways." He sighed. "Recently I traveled to Thror's Coomb, in defiance of our Brenin's order to fight in a skirmish with another clan that threatened to attack our home. I will not tell you anything of this journey except that when I returned, my father all but disowned me for my disobedience. Nona told me I shamed our family name." His gaze became stony. "Therefore, I set out to uncover why it was that a group of ranger Duvodiad were entering our lands, unwelcome and unlooked for. I hoped it would bring me some honor...but now I discover my sister may be dead. I must find out the truth!"

Halbarad looked at Wadu with a hint of pity in his gaze, "Things may not be as they first seem. We will need to travel to Lhanuch and see if your sister is there. If she is not...we will cross that bridge when we come to it."

"We will need to alert our party who still resides at Echad Dagoras of our change in plans," Elrohir added. "Lothrandir or Dagoras' presence would be helpful."

I nodded in agreement, but Halbarad had some misgivings. "Is it wise to approach Lhanuch at night? They may shoot first and ask questions later if we appear out of the darkness."

Wadu stared at him and did not answer.

Feeling uneasy, I said, "As…Duvodiad, we are outsiders and could be treated with hostility. It would make it much more difficult to meet with the leader of your clan."

Wadu stood in thought for a moment, before nodding slowly," As much as I wish my influence would be enough, you are likely correct. You shall return to your camp, and I will return in the morning.

Decision made, we quickly traveled back to Echad Dagoras.

Luckily, they successfully completed the mission. Will Wadu be able to safely get them into Lhanuch? Will Gwin and Candaith have more chances to be alone? Will Saeradan forgive himself? We shall have to find out! Read/review/follow!