Gwaedh [Legolas Love Story] - COMPLETED

X.

After breakfast in his room, Legolas leads Elarinya to Aragorn's council room, where he hopes to find all of his friends. Thankfully they are all there, and Gimli raises immediately at their sight "Ah Umbra, my favorite lassie!" 

Elarinya smiles "Hello Gimli," then bows to the king and queen "King Aragorn, Queen Arwen," she offers the elleth a smile "It seems your child is ready to come to this world." 

Arwen smiles "Only a few more weeks they tell me."

Elarinya turns to the hobbits "Merry, Pippin." 

Pippin clears his voice and walks to her, a coin bag in his hands "Miss Umbra, here is your payment." 

Elarinya looks at the bag for a while, conflicted whether she should take it or not. Though she does need the money, it feels wrong accepting it from what she almost considers to be friends. After some seconds of thought, she smiles at him and winks "Consider my services free, the payment is cancelled."

The room seems surprised and Aragorn is the first to break the silence "They appreciate. And a thank you is owed to you for dealing with the Haradrim last time." 

Elarinya smiles "I hope no more threats on your life have been made, sire." 

Gimli speaks "It is a most funny story. A month ago I went to a tavern and did indeed hear men speaking of threatning the king! I couldn't bear hearing such offense, so I threatened them myself, told them of a particular place I could shove my ax-"

"Gimli," Legolas interrupts, warningly.  

The room laughs. Aragorn speaks once more "When did you arrive?"

"A couple of hours before dawn. Prince Legolas was very kind to receive me." 

Aragorn nods, though he keeps his eyes on the elf for a few seconds. Then he turns to the woman again "Well, tell me all that happened." 

Elarinya recounts all she had spoken to Legolas that night. The increasing attakcs north of the Gladden, the encountering with the hobbits, the village attacked and sent to Rohan. 

"So there is more than what you dealt with in Moria," Aragorn concludes. 

Elarinya nods "Some of the people of the village were wanderers who had been previously attacked too, and said the orcs seemed to have come from the mountains. Besides, on our way here we found mostly small groups of orcs and not an entire horde, as if they were search parties."

"The problems begin east of the Misty Mountains," Gimli comments "There are plenty of hideouts and caves and tunneling systems among the mountains, it's where they could be coming from." 

Merry speaks excitedly "We showed Umbra the book and we noticed Bilbo and Thorin's company passed by such a place. They could be coming from there." 

"Goblin Town," Elarinya adds "It would justify the location of the attacks. And, as it is written, it's a vast complex that had hundreds of goblins, it could now be harboring hundreds of orcs."

Aragorn speaks "However, we have no certainties."

"We could follow the same plan as Moria," Legolas interjects after some seconds of silence "A small group goes and explores it. If it is proven to be true, an army comes." 

Aragorn ponders for a while and nods "I will present this plan to the war council, though I am sure they will accept," he looks at Gimli and Legolas "I take it you two wouldn't mind some more orc hunting."

Gimli raises his ax and cheers. Aragorn smiles and is surprised when Pippin talks "The Shire has been quite peaceful and we've been earning for some adventure. Could we be part of the Company once more?" 

The nostalgic proud smile that braces the face of Aragorn, Legolas and Gimli is enough of an answer. Elarinya crosses her arms over her chest "It seems I must go too, as it has been proven that without my intervention all members of this search party tend to have their lives endangered."

The hobbits smile and Aragorn looks at her, surprise evident on his face "You have no debt to pay, Umbra."

She nods "I know." 

Aragorn smiles warmly "Though I would like to go, my place now is here with Arwen and my child. Perhaps another adventure could reunite us in the future." 

"Don't worry Aragorn," Gimli says, patting the King on his back "One day we will hunt some orcs together again." 

Aragorn laughs and speaks once more "It is up to you to decide when you want to leave." 

Legolas was about to say one day would be enough to gather all things, but the hobbits start blabbing excitedly about all they have to do in Gondor and ask Elarinya if she has seen this or that in the city. The elf turns to the king "We stay one more week, they have had a long journey." 

Aragorn agrees and is sad to announce he must return to his duties as ruler, though Arwen is very please to lead them to her own garden inside the palace, where second breakfast awaits.

"I cannot comprehend," Elarinya comments, walking by Arwen's side "The amount of food they eat does not match the size of their bodies."

Arwen's laugh is sweet, soft and melodious "Hobbits and dwarves could empty our kitchens in a day. Though with the baby I have been appreceating eating more frequently." 

"As you should, my lady, for your child to grow strong and healthy," Elarinya reinforces with a smile "Although, being part elf, healthy and strong is certainly guaranteed." 

Arwen smiles at her "I take it you have no children?"

"No, your highness," Elarinya laughs "Not even a man. Considering my age, it's already a losing game." 

"I'm sure someone will be worthy and deserving of you someday."

Elarinya blushes, timid with the proximity and the queen's kind words. She responds in her tongue "Thank you, queen Arwen." 

The morning passes with them talking and resting in the peaceful and beautiful garden of the queen, Aragorn taking every little moment to escape there and socialize for a while too. As the hobbits take a small nap under the shadow of a tree, Gimli comes next to Elarinya and shares de news and developments of Moria. His kin are clearing the castle in the mountain and he speaks of the wonders of mithril, found in abbundance inside. He says she is a welcome guest anytime she wishes to visit both the Glittering Caves or Moria, and will be received with the astounding hospitality of dwarves. Elarinya deeply appreciates and promises to visit, and then comments how much she loved to read about the adventures of Bilbo and Thorin's Company, including Gimli's father. Gimli is happy to tell her tales of his father, and shortly after goes pick up his book and says Elarinya can spend these days before they depart reading the rest of the story. 

Between walking and exploring Minas Tirith with the hobbits, training and gathering supplies with Legolas and Gimli, and spending sometime solving small problems for the king and queen, Elarinya uses the nights to read «The Lord of the Rings», in a bedroom in the palace Arwen has insisted she uses instead of sleeping in the tavern. Quickly the week goes by, and the five leave for their twenty days of traveling from Minas Tirith to Goblin Town. 

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