The Second Heir

10.

I sighed as Legolas continued to push our little boat further down the river. Each stroke was powerful and we have been traveling for nearly three days now.

"Legolas, how about I row for a little while? I can row for a short time for your arms to get a brief rest." I looked back at the elf. He has constantly turned my request down insisting that his stamina is properly maintaining the needed pace. Stubborn elf, he's been spending too much time with Gimli.

"I need no rest. You know of our kin's endurance." He refused once again with an innocent smile. He was frustrating me though. I may be a woman, but I know how to work. I need something to keep my mind busy before it wanders too far to unwanted topics.

"Come on, it won't kill you to let me row for half an hour." He rolled his eyes, a sign that I had won.

"Half an hour." he said pausing in his rhythmic strokes and handed me the oar. I smiled at him before finding my own pace. He did not get the oar back for several hours much to his dismay.

We went by the river for several days and the scenery was changing day to day; from amazing forests to the cliffs of mountains. The forests seemed to go much further than I realized. The water itself was often crystal blue and full of fish and other life. Legolas would often hum soft elvish tunes that I barely heard over the waves of water hitting our small boats. We only stopped for very short breaks and for the night when the moon was high in the sky. We often set a small camp on the Western Shore but I felt constantly uneasy when we were ashore. I had a feeling we were followed from the Golden Wood since we left the protection of the Lady. I could tell Legolas sensed it as well. His eyes barely left the shores as we traveled during the day.

One day, we passed between two statues and I heard Aragorn mumbling something about his kin. But these were considered the kings of old of Gondor. Legolas called them the Argonath. Were they not my kin? Perhaps I misheard the ranger. Everyone stared in awe at the statues. They were carved out of the mountainside and that would've been no easy feat. Not long after that, we came to a vast and beautiful lake that held a waterfall on the opposite side. We yet again stayed to the Western shore as we continued on. When we were about halfway across we went ashore and made camp.

"We will cross the lake at nightfall and continue on by foot. We approach Mordor from the north." Aragorn stated as everyone unpacked our boats.

"Oh? It is just a simple matter of finding our way through Emyn Muil, an impassable labyrinth of razor-sharp rocks. And after that, it gets even better! Festering stinking marshlands as far as the eye can see." Gimili protested.

"That is our road. I suggest you rest to recover your strength master dwarf." Aragorn reaffirmed.

"Recover my strength?" Gimili huffed at Aragorn.

I scanned the forest around us and felt no good around us. There were no birds singing or wildlife about at all. Something was amiss. It was not safe here as Aragorn thinks.

A few moments later, I saw Legolas pull Aragorn aside.

"We should leave now." Legolas pressed and I causally got closer to listen in. Did he share my uneasiness?

"No, Orcs patrol the eastern shore. We must wait for the cover of darkness"

"It is not the Eastern Shore that worries me. A shadow and a threat have been growing in my mind. I think Mae senses it as well, she has been restless since we left the protection of our kind. Something evil is drawing near"

"To close for my liking." I piped in then realized that I spoke aloud. The two looked at me with narrowed eyes for eavesdropping. I put my hands up in surrender. Elven hearing can not be helped sometimes.