Not All Who Wander Are Lost (A Lord of the Rings fanfiction)

Chapter 9- The Horn of Gondor

He looked worried.

"What's wrong?" I whispered my smile fading.

"Celeborn said something about the Eastern shores being plagued with Urk Hai... I don't want to risk anything. We need to leave."

"Have you told anyone else?"

"Legolas and Boromir know. I do not wish to tell anyone else. I will not have a panic on my hands."

I nodded, swallowing hard. "We should leave then."

"Yes," he brought his hand to my face and smiled. "I see the way you look at him," he gestured to Legolas who was currently helping Sam and Frodo into Aragorn's boat. "And I see the way he looks at you..."

I gazed up at my brother, unsure of what he was implying. "What are you saying?"

"He looks at you the same way that I look at Arewn."

I blushed and averted my eyes from his and across the shore to Legolas. "He does?"

"Yes," he sighed. "My sister is growing up; I must accept this at one point. As your brother, I want to protect you... but as your friend, I desire that you find the same companionship as I have. You have my blessing, dear one."

I smiled, kissing his cheek. "Diol llie."

"You're welcome..."

We walked down to the shore and quickly the Fellowship assembled. With some brief instructions, we boarded our boats and shoved out onto the river. The sun was just rising as we paddled away from our campsite and into the rushing waters of the Anduin. There were no birds, no song, and no music in the air.

We were too far away from the lands of peace and too close to the lands of war. Gimli leaned forward, his face on the side of the boat, rocking us softly. It took me but a moment to realize that he was actually asleep. "Dwarves can fall asleep anywhere," Legolas chuckled.

I smiled, "It is a talent similar to that which the Hobbits possess."

"Indeed," he agreed.

"So," I looked over my shoulder at him. "What was it that you wanted to tell me?"

"You talk in your sleep," he confessed.

"What?" I asked in disbelief. "What did I say?"

"Don't worry, Rayel."

"No!" I objected. "Tell me!"

A little upstream, Boromir shot a look over his shoulder. There was a broad smile on his face and a twinkle in his eyes. "Yes, Rayel. We have learned quite a lot about you in these past few months."

My jaw dropped in disbelief. "I talk in my sleep?"

Legolas leaned forward, putting his lips to my ears and whispered. "Do my eyes honestly bewitch you?"

My skin tingled and I turned to face him, my eyes wide. "I said that?"

He nodded.

I burried my face into my hands, my face heating up with embarrassment. "Oh, no..."

I heard Boromir chuckle and caught sight of a wink he shot me, paddling past our boat.

Hours crept by and boredom set in. Gimli and Legolas took turns rowing, but refused to let me help. Eventually I dug out my sketchbook and sketched the image of the Lady of Light for my dwarven friend. I detailed her flowing, golden hair and her soft facial expressions, trying to put as much light as I could into the drawing.

"It's beautiful," Legolas complimented, sometime later.

"Thank you," I beamed softly, tearing the paper from the binding and tapping Gimli's shoulder. "This is for you," I handed the confused dwarf the sketch and his eyes softened.