Building Ithilien [Legolas] LOTR

Beyond Reach

Everything was happening much too quickly for her comfort, Miredhel decided, and now she had promised Legolas that she would ride with him to Gondor. Gondor! She slapped her hand to her forehead.

"Foolish, Foolish, Foolish," she muttered. She could barely stand seeing one orc, and now she was going to race against some odd thousand? 'Oh, Miredhel, what have you gotten yourself into?' she wondered, looking grimly at the woodsy Mirkwood path before her, vaguely wishing all paths in life would be so clear.

"Everything all right, my lady?" questioned a smooth voice from off to the side. Her head snapped up to see that captain, Adrendil, casually leaning against a tree. He corrected his posture and in an instant matched her pace to join her side.

"This is the outer reach of the camp, you know," he warned her. "Please, allow me the pleasure of joining you on this path." His eyes flickered fro a moment as he took in her casual garb, and the knife at her belt. "You know," he continued, 'orcs and other foul beasts have been frequenting the Southern Rim as of late. He paused and watched her face, "But of course, you would know this better than most."

She opened her mouth to say something contrite and quickly closed it.

He went on, "There was much discussion of you at the council last night, Lady Miredhel."

"So I have heard, " she replied evasively, determined not to look surprised by any comment he could possibly make, wondering what his aim was by this line of conversation.

She decided to take the offensive and steer the conversation away from herself. "I have also heard, Miredhel commented archly, 'that my brother, Lord Eledhel, dealt with you, well, rather abruptly?"

Adrendil's hand glided to his neck, which he rubbed uncomfortably. "That is not exactly how I would describe such an unwarranted attack."

"I have to admit that I was shocked to hear it," she paused and arched an eyebrow. "Eledhel, generally speaking of course--"

"Of course," allowed Adrendil, still massaging an ugly violet bruise on his neck.

"Eledhel usually shows so much more restraint in regards to his temper than I," Miredhel finished, flashing a charming smile at Adrendil before she continued, "but of course, he is very protective of his sister."

Adrendil was determined to look non-plussed by the warning in her last statement. He quickly returned with a charming smile, "Who would not be, with such a lovely sister?"

Miredhel frowned at him, thinking that despite the fact that his attention was completely unwanted and unwarranted, he was extremely handsome, in a roguish sort of way. He had high cheekbones coupled with smart brown eyes and thick sandy hair.

He smiled a slow smile again, for she had not rejected his compliment to her. He offered his arm to her, and she could hardly think of a reason not to accept it, so Miredhel allowed him the honor. After all, she really was not going to acknowledge her new courtship with Legolas, and she hoped more than believed that Adrendil was merely trying to be friendly.