To Rivendell
Away from home, and on the road we go.
The wind is blowing on our backs,
And the sun is shining bright.
Where our feet shall carry us, we do not know.
Namaarie, namaarie, I hope we meet once more,
And if fate is good, I know we shall my friend.
Although I’ll travel far and wide,
To get to you, I’d travel shore to shore.
And when the nights grow frightening and cold,
And you feel like you’re all alone.
Just call for me, and I’ll be there,
To stand watch on your threshold.
Juliet sighed deeply, then looked up at the canopy of trees overhead. The elves had been singing for almost the entire trip, and she was just about ready to start hitting the ones that did so over the head with heavy objects. Standing up in the stirrups on her saddle, Juliet rubbed her butt. God it hurt.
They had been riding, practically non stop, for almost eight days now through woods, only coming out of them the two days before, . The elves, as they could sleep while horseback riding, had found no need to stop, besides for pee breaks. Finally, after Juliet had fallen off her horse for the sixth time, they had realized Juliet couldn’t sleep on her horse. They could have just asked, she could have told them that…
“How are you doing, melamin?” Legolas rode up next to her on his white horse.
“The cut on my hand hurts again,” Juliet gestured to a huge gash she had obtained while trying to find something that would pass as toilet paper, “and my butt hurts.”
Legolas leaned over and took her hand, beginning to inspect it. Leaning down he placed a soft kiss on it.
“Better?” he looked up at her, she smiled at him, nodding. “Do not expect me to do anything for your hind end, Juliet.” He smiled wryly at her.
“Aww… but it wants some kisses too…” She made a puppy dog face, and he let out a melodious laugh.
“I like your butt, melamin. But not that much,” he stated, sitting up straight. Juliet reached out and took one of his hands in hers’, he squeezed back reassuringly. The two of them fell into a comfortable silence, riding next to one another.
“Prince Legolas,” a voice stated from in front of them, and Thalitur dropped into step beside the pair. “Your father wishes to speak with you, about how the group should proceed to Rivendell. Demorin just returned with the other scouts and they have news about the High Pass.”
“All right, thank you, Thalitur,” Legolas nodded, then looked back at Juliet. “I shall be back in a short while melamin.” He then rode up to where his father was at the beginning of the procession.
Juliet glanced over quickly at Thalitur, who was giving her that unsettling, adoring look again. Silly elf.
“How have you been amaelamin?” he asked quietly. She glared at him.
“I’ve been fine, attempting quite well to avoid you, until now,” she snapped out. He chuckled, “don’t you have a wife to tend to?”
He sighed, obviously realizing she was right. Then the elf turned and trotted his horse back to where his wife was. Amanalata, his wife, had joined the group of elves going to Rivendell. She wished to visit her parents, who resided there. That made the group twenty-three. Fifteen guards, the king, Legolas, Thalitur, Juliet, Orin, Amanalata, Demorin, and Laurelin, who had at the last minute announced she was going as well. It was quite a challenge getting them all through the dense woods without going noticed by the large spiders that dwelt in Mirkwood. The group had been attacked several times in the night by the monsters. Thank god they had left those behind them. Now there was no fear of animal attacks, as almost no large beasts dwelt past the Old Ford over the river Anduin, which they had passed earlier that morning.
At the moment, there was the only a small whisper of the cold breeze and the sun was shining. But at night though, it would get very cold. They had experienced that the night earlier, when they had come out of the cover of the woods. Juliet was almost positive she was catching a chill, which wasn’t good at all.
“Ariolorea ata, melamin
“What’s wrong?” she asked, shifting in her saddle. God, she wished she had some pants right about now.
“As you know, Demorin has returned with the other scouts. They have reported to my father that the High Pass, which is the quickest way to Rivendell, is mostly blocked. Which is a problem, for if we cannot get through there, we must go all the way down through the Gap of Rohan, past the ruins of Isengard. That way would add over a month onto our journey,” Legolas sighed, re-adjusting his quiver.
“Couldn’t we go through Moria?” Juliet asked, and Legolas looked at her with an amazed look.
“Of course we cannot, melamin!” Legolas rolled his blue eyes at her, “Moria is still heavily populated by orcs. And anyway, how would we possibly get the horses through there?”
“Why didn’t I think about that? How do you always manage to make me feel foolish, Legolas?” she sighed, running her fingers through her hair. Yeck, she really needed a bath right now.
“You never look foolish, melamin,” Legolas leaned forward, taking up her hand and kissing it. That’s what their displays of public affection had been reduced to, hand kissing. “But sometimes you have the tendency to look a little bit silly.”
She smacked him lightly on the shoulder, and he let out a laugh. Then the both of them turned and looked at the Misty Mountains, looming in the distance. That was where they were headed.