“I beg your pardon?” Jei demanded in stunned disbelief. And she shook her head. “No. Absolutely not!”
“You can stop me, girl?” Gimli asked her, puffing himself up and lifting his axe. “I would very well like to see you try.”
Jei took a step around the table and Pippin and Merry instantly scattered in opposite directions, their chairs falling over as they scrambled out of her way. On the other side, now free of any obstacle, Gimli took a step to greet her, his short heavy frame bristling.
“You are not coming. I refuse to have you along,” Jei said to him with narrowed eyes, anger simmering in their depths. She felt Legolas take hold of her arm but she ignored him, even going so far as to try to break free of his grasp. “I will not be questioned at every turn nor will I have distrust in any party I will choose to take!”
All around silence had suddenly descended and though she did not look about she knew it was because they caused a scene. One more thing for Butterbur to argue about and hold against them. But she maintained her glare against the dwarf, figure stiff. On either side of them the hobbits were looking rather frightened, Merry standing awkwardly ready for anything and Pippin sitting on top of the table fearfully, lips parted.
“Enough,” Legolas hissed, leaning toward her but also speaking to Gimli. “The two of you cause enough of a distraction to lure the Ringwraiths and I for one would rather be well on the way before we run into them again!”
Jei whirled to look at him, her face bare inches from his. “He is not coming!” she repeated.
“We can not stop him if he wishes to,” Legolas said just the same. He turned his face toward Gimli and motioned toward the door with a curt nod. “We will speak more outside where we will not cause a scene.” And without another word he released Jei and turned, striding over to the door and out into the sunshine.
Jei looked at Gimli once more, jaw tight, as the hobbits quickly scampered after Legolas, Pippin looking back warily. “After you,” she said coldly.
Gimli shook his head. “Oh, no, I insist,” he said with syrupy sweetness.
With one last glare she turned and limped out, clutching her wound tightly as she went. And she heard Gimli follow behind, thumping his axe on the floorboards as he brought up the rear.
“Legolas, he is not,” Jei emphasized, leaning into the elf intimately. “I understand he is your friend, a very good friend, yes, I do! Believe me, I do. But I can not go toward Mordor knowing there is danger waiting for us, and knowing that it is not all from an outside enemy!”
“Gimli is not an enemy,” Legolas gave her a patient look, tilting his head.
Jei’s shoulders slumped with a sigh. “Not yours, perhaps, but he does not trust me. He will not trust me and he will not like me because you are coming along. You are very dear to him and I fear that while your friendship will survive this journey, I will not!”
Pippin and Merry stood about uncomfortably, and Merry studied Jei keenly, chewing on his bottom lip thoughtfully. And suddenly he leaned into Pippin and whispered something in his ear urgently, hopping up and down as he spoke. Pippin turned at least three shades of white before shaking his head. “Oh, no, Merry, I don’t think so-“
Merry dragged him closer still, whispering almost frantically now.
Jei turned back to Legolas, wanting to suddenly whine like a small child. “Legolas-“
But Legolas was looking toward Gimli who finally stepped out of the inn, strutting lazily. He swung his axe absentmindedly as he swaggered and upon reaching the group where they waited he said idly, “Where are we off to first?”
Jei sent Legolas a miserable look before turning away with a resigned whimper and leading them off down the muddy road.
Legolas pulled Gimli aside as they walked, leaning down into him. “One small question, if I may,” he said courteously, keeping his voice low. Ahead of them Merry and Pippin hopped along, back to their carefree manner, Merry looking the tiniest bit mischievous and Pippin as innocent as always. And in the front Jei walked slowly, hand pressed to her stomach, looking around blankly.
“Go on,” Gimli said gruffly.
“Why the sudden desire to go?” Legolas asked quizzically. “I must agree with her when she brings up the point that you do not like her much-“
“Not nearly as much as you do,” Gimli threw in rather huffily.
“I’m sorry?” Legolas asked, cocking his head, eyes widening at the charge. “You know very well that I go with her because it is my fault she is in the predicament that she is!”
Gimli looked up at him under a heavy brow. “Is that the only reason, then?”
The elf shook his head questioningly. “What other reason would there be?” he asked faintly, and he glanced ahead toward Jei where she was pausing before the stables. A smile crossed her face and she floated over to Stormrider, jubilant.
“My beautiful friend, it feels like an eternity…” she said as she patted the horse’s flank. She caught the attention of a stable boy and waved him over, calling, "Where is her saddle?"
Gimli sighed wearily, shaking his head. “If it is as you say then you should feel comforted in knowing that I follow you. My friend, it has been a long while since we have journeyed together and quite frankly, I have been feeling as if my life ebbs away. It is true that I visited the Glittering Caves not too long ago and the experience was…not as pleasant alone.”
Legolas studied him, eyes narrowing. “You see this as an adventure..?” he asked.
“As a way for me to keep you in line,” the dwarf answered. And his dark eyes met Legolas’, his face hesitant. “There is a first time for everything.”
Legolas blinked at his words but decided not to push the subject. It was obvious that Gimli would be along for the ride and so be it. The only problem now would be to convince Jei that he would be an asset to their Campaign.
Merry slowly approached them then, Pippin looking the slightest bit fearful. “We’ve decided…” Merry said reluctantly.
Legolas and Gimli looked at them wordlessly. “Decided?” Gimli asked gruffly.
“We shall come along as well!” Pippin cried and he instantly looked at Merry as if to see if he had done a good thing.
Legolas looked toward Jei, lips parting, and though she made it seem as if she had not heard he was almost positive he saw her bury her face into Stormrider’s side in defeat. He bit back a smile, if only for her sake, and looked at the hobbits once more before glancing toward Gimli. “One last Campaign, then?” he asked.
Gimli nodded, a small smile creasing his lips, dark eyes twinkling. “To Mordor, in honor of the departed.”
Stormrider was indeed lovely, proud and strong for a mare. She was saddled with some equipment that Jei had rode into Bree with earlier, most notably two long elven blades, strapped criss-crossed on one side. Legolas measured them quietly as they walked, admiring the flowing script and loops of the elven language along the sheaths. "Ivory and Ebony..." he murmured softly and the hilts were made of those same materials, darkness and light. Besides the weapons was a small kit of flint, fuel, and knives, rope of a silver sheen, and a backpack. At his side walked Arod, his own horse given him long ago. The animal, though getting on in age, was still strong because of the blessed care under his Master and Legolas looked at him gently, running a hand down his snout.
"The 'smith, if I may?" Jei asked them curiously.
Gimli did not answer, seemingly content to walk in dark silence. Pippin chatted cheerfully with Merry, patting Stormrider as they hopped along and the mare sent him a few withering looks but remained silent except for the clip clop of her shoes upon stones in the road.
Pausing further down the road Jei stopped the group and excused herself, entering the smith shop. She cast no glance at Legolas and he wondered if she was perhaps a bit angered by the fact that their group now consisted of four more people she had not wanted to begin with. Nonetheless he paid it no mind, looking about at the town of Bree. The wooden front gates were being repaired and he frowned for he did not remember them being in need of repair when he had first arrived only the day before. But the gates were being set again, lifted to stand where they seemed to have fallen into the mud and he realized it was due to the invasion of the Ringwraiths. He patted Arod absentmindedly, musing that the sooner they left the safer the Bree folk would be.
Jei was inside the smith shop for a while. Gimli began to make small comments under his breath about how it had to be taken into account due to the fact that she was a woman. Pippin and Merry had chosen the time to draw closer to the horse Stormrider, admiring her, and Merry quietly stole up to her, reaching to draw forth one of the blades strapped to the mare. The horse allowed him, looking far too innocent though her eyes shifted toward him, and as his hands wrapped around a hilt he grunted, straining with the effort to draw it from its sheath. "Bloody-" he cursed, lips tightening into a fine line. "It's heavy!"
Legolas frowned, staring at them as they began to struggle with the sword. "Heavy? It is an elven blade," he replied and he drew close as well, examining it curiously. It seemed much too fine and light to be as heavy as they claimed and after a moment more of watching them fight to draw the sword he reached out and did so himself, pulling it up and free. It rang as it was drawn, the tremor running from the weapon into his hand, resounding throughout his skin. It was absolutely enchanting, the sun shimmering across its length, and it was indeed heavy although he could easily handle it. He did not have much skill with longer blades, not the way he did with small blades and the bows, but he knew that though he could hold it, for a man and especially a hobbit, it was indeed weighty. He gazed upon the black hilt for he had drawn Ebony, and he found himself reflected in the mirrored darkness of the handle.
"They say she shows you your darkest desires," Jei said as she emerged from the smith shop and Legolas quickly lowered the blade away from himself at her tone.
"I apologize," he said and he returned Ebony to her sheath, pulling away reluctantly. "It was much too beautiful and I found myself drawn to her."
Jei nodded as if she understood and she was dressed a bit differently now. She held her discarded clothes rolled up in her arms and now she had another dark robe with a hood, but one that fit her frame better. No doubt made for a woman. Her armor she also held, large pieces of metal, and she took hold of her backpack, shoving in the armor as best as she could before strapping it back onto Stormrider. As she bent her throat was exposed a bit and something silver shimmered around her neck. A simple silver chain without ornament. Legolas gazed at it keenly, recognizing it as the one she had taken from Palin after his demise. Then she rose back to her full height and looked at him wordlessly. He returned the silent gaze, watching her as she tossed her discarded robe upon Stormrider’s back and undid the clasps that held the elven blades fastened to Stormrider’s side. When the blades came off he saw that they were tied together and she wound the straps around her shoulders, securing the blades in an X across her back. They rested along the line of her spine giving her easy access to both hilts should she need them.
“And you can wield them without a problem?” Legolas asked her.
She nodded, adjusting the hood to fall down and rest between the gap on her back made by the part of the swords. “I have had many years of practice with them,” she replied. She took the robe she had tossed upon Stormrider’s back once more and folded it carefully. She returned into the smith shop for a small moment and then came back empty-handed. “Perhaps one day, should I find Palin’s grave, I will bury the robe beside him for the earth to have all of him,” she murmured to Legolas’ questioning gaze.
He nodded silently as Pippin stole up once more, pausing beside him. “Perhaps we should find a pony as well, for Merry and myself?” he questioned. “After all, Gimli can ride with you but we hobbits can’t walk the entire way.”
Jei motioned toward the stables again. “We’ll purchase one, then. And also some rations to hold us for a while. I’m sure along the way we can stop by other villages and refill our stock.”
And she led them off once more, heading back toward the stables.
“Well, I will be honest,” Jei said quietly as they left Bree through the main road, laden with two horses, one pony and as much equipment as could be carried and handled. The South Gate had been left behind and now before them lay a road. It seemed to bend left a bit and sloped gently. Other small villages lay that way and some more North. “I haven’t the first idea which way to go.”
Gimli snorted loudly but did not venture a suggestion for her.
“Oh, we know!” Pippin said cheerfully, hopping up beside her and scanning the road and the wooded area all about. “We came by this way before with Strider.” He looked up at her as she cast a glance down at him in piqued interest. “Aragorn, rather. Aragorn, son of Arathorn.”
“Also known as King of Gondor and all Men,” Merry threw in nonchalantly.
“Then perhaps you would care to lead?” Jei asked with a gentle smile and Pippin flushed scarlet a bit. With a nod he went on ahead, leading them still along the road. Legolas found himself smiling faintly for he knew that because they seemed helpless, the hobbits always wanted to be useful in some form or fashion.
They went for several miles along the same road, trudging wearily as if they carried the weight of the world upon their shoulders. The sun beamed down upon them and it was going to be a hot day, brighter than the day before had been. As she walked Jei realized once more that all this had only begun the day before. It felt like a dream, as if she walked in a haze, lost and strangely bewildered but when she risked the occasional glance behind her and saw the figure of Legolas following silently it all came into perspective once more and she could face forward again with a stronger resolve. It was a comfort that though she walked with four strangers, she was not alone.
“I can lead you the way Strider led us,” Pippin called back to the group, Merry standing beside him, after they had gone for a long while upon the road. They waited up ahead a bit, looking about. “That way would lead to Weathertop but we would also have to pass through the Midgewater Marshes. However it will cut out a nice chunk of our walk.”
Jei nodded and she looked about, light eyes straying toward the sky apprehensively. “A shortcut, then. Lead as you will, Master Pippin, for all we can do is follow and hope you know the way.”
Pippin nodded and immediately left the road, delving into the heavily wooded area. He remembered when Strider had led and the ranger had taken various loops and turns so as to outwit any who had dared to follow but they knew that this time around no one followed, unless it was for the Ringwraiths. And there had been neither sign nor sound of Ringwraiths since their attack the day before. And so Pippin and Merry led them under the hot sun, careful to avoid all paths that crossed along their way. The fall season approached, visible in the vibrant colors the trees were beginning to turn and the wood was beautiful. Legolas found himself dazed by the foliage, swept up in color and dream. Shafts of sunlight slanted down between the trees, illuminating their path with fallen golden leaves and it felt, momentarily, as if he had stepped into another world, so beautiful was the forest. It was a familiar sensation, especially with the people he walked in company of.
Hours passed slowly and mostly in silence. Only very little did Legolas speak with Gimli or even with Jei. Mostly Pippin and Merry chatted, exclaiming dejectedly that they were missing all their favorite meals but it was Legolas who reminded them that they should eat only when necessary for they did not wish to run low on their reserves so early in the journey. Jei had silently agreed as she walked, her hand pressed to her healing wound. But it would be good if they could find their way close to a stream within a few days for she did not wish to run out of water. They had filled several lambskins full but even as she walked she felt strangely dry. Her body felt tight and she felt drops of sweat slide down the sides of her temples but she merely wiped them away, continuing silently even when she saw that no one else was perspiring the way she was.
Evening soon fell upon them, burning rays of red sunlight peeking through the trees. It would soon be time to settle for the night and for good reason. The group was weary and the horses as well no doubt, laden with the baggage. They walked for another hour in silence, fallen leaves dancing upon cool breezes around them. Then, in the tiniest clearing, they stopped for the night, unsaddling the horses and allowing them to roam free as they sat down to eat at last.
The night was complete. There had been a suggestion for a fire, Jei couldn’t remember who had brought it up, but Legolas had said that it would have alerted the Ringwraiths if they were in close proximity and Gimli had agreed. So the fire had not been made and Jei had remained silent. She didn’t want to think. She was weary and though her wound was numb she felt the surrounding skin pull if she straightened too much or took so much as a deep breath. She sat now propped up against a tree, lost in its dark shadow, lost in her own world as she gazed out into the night.
The moon hung overhead and the wood was unnaturally quiet. It worried her a bit that it should be so. Nothing good came from so quiet a night. Not even the sound of nature herself could be heard. In fact, she realized that she had not seen any living animal all day save for the horses.
In the darkness they had themselves a bit of hardening bread and pieces of apples that Merry miraculously provided. “They were a gift from sweet old Butterbur,” he said and the group did not question it as they tore into their supper.
“What else does old Butterbur send?” Gimli asked suspiciously, for Merry was eyeing his piece of bread.
“A bill to pay for any damages I may have incurred, no doubt,” Jei responded absentmindedly as she rose with an aching grimace. Munching on a chunk of apple she walked over to Stormrider and held another piece out to her. The mare gobbled it up, standing serenely as Jei murmured to her gently.
“You should eat more,” Pippin called over to her. “You’ll need any kind of nourishment.”
She shook her head, her back to them. “I can’t seem to keep anything down,” she replied as she eased a hand over Stormrider’s flanks. “I think I may be running a fever.”
The hobbits looked up at the same time, glances shifting toward her. “Then you should sleep!” Pippin said, face pinching in worry. “We will keep watch in turns.”
“Legolas needs the sleep,” she corrected and as he lifted his head she looked toward him. “He did not sleep last night and I fear he will soon be dead on his feet.”
The elf did not reply.
She turned away once more, making small noises to Stormrider. “I think perhaps I will take a look around,” she said after a silent moment.
“A look around?” Legolas questioned. “By yourself?”
“I shan’t go far,” she reassured him, glancing at him once more as she petted Stormrider. “Just some time alone to clear my head and…” she shrugged, “think.”
Legolas didn’t look as if he agreed but she cast him one of her patient looks.
“It’s nothing, really. I’ll take Storm along. I am sure if I get lost she will help me find my way back. And when I do return I will sleep,” she nodded. And not waiting for an answer from them she motioned for Stormrider to walk, leading her off into the wooded area. Legolas watched her go with a worried expression but did not stop her.
“All right then, I’ll be taking first watch,” Gimli said, standing up and stretching. “The three of you get some sleep and I’ll be waking Master Pippin up in two hours.”
“Me?”
“Yes, you. Now off to sleep with ye!”
Jei heard them argue for a bit as she left them, laughing inwardly. A strange group they made, but good friends nonetheless. She led Stormrider around several trees, feet kicking up brittle leaves as they went. It would have been best to be quiet but she wanted at least Legolas to hear her where she went and not worry. Of all of them Legolas had the most acute and sharpened senses and so long as he knew she was all right he would be content.
She found her thoughts straying to him as she walked, more and more as the day had progressed. The moonlight broke through the trees above, casting the woods into an eerie blue. And besides the occasional call of a bird, although it did not show itself to her, there was no sound to be heard. It was comforting however. When she had traveled with Palin he had been a silent one, given to speaking only when it suited their objective. He had never really given much information about himself and sometimes she had thought surely she would have gone mad with his silence.
Every once in a while someone needed the soft voice of another.
And Legolas’ voice was indeed soft. Very gentle and mellifluous. It was soothing in her ears and a great comfort. But of course it would be, the voice of an elf. Everything surrounding them was beautiful, even their silence, for though it carried no sound, it carried their sense of being. And all elves exuded that feeling of softness and haziness. It was a strange way to think but it made sense, if only to her.
Legolas Greenleaf. Even the name consoled her, soothed her weary limbs. It brought images of green trees and sparkling water.
She had been walking for a bit, she realized after several moments of merely chanting his name in her head. Perhaps it was best to turn back now, especially since she had not done what she had come to do in the beginning. She smiled at Stormrider, lifting a hand to her snout.
A moment later there was a sudden burning in her chest and she gasped, recoiling away from the mare and reaching into her robe for the chain that hung from her neck. Her hand closed around the ornament that dangled off the chain, hidden from where it lay along her spine and just as her fingers clasped the ornament her vision went black and she fell, slipping to the ground. She lay barely conscious for moments, the leaves around her face blurring in her vision, but she felt something take hold of her blades, first Ivory and then Ebony, and off in the distance came the piercing shriek of a Ringwraith. Then darkness swallowed her whole and she fell into its depths.