Starting Anew

Earnest Child

OoOoO

The party had barely gotten into the tree line when calling from behind brought them to a halt. Thinking one of the ranger's wives had come after them for a final goodbye kiss, everyone looked with half teasing grins at Tollan, a freckle faced newlywed. As the high pitched shouting drew closer around the trail from the village it became clear though that this was definitely not a woman of four and twenty.

"Legolas, wait!"

The words were clearly distinguishable, and Legolas felt his stomach drop. It was Gelwin, racing along the path with her feathery blond hair making a cloud behind her. Ripples of silent laughter shot through the Dunedain, and both Elladan and Elrohir were having to bite their lips to hold in what were most likely ill advised comments.

"Wait, I overslept and didn't get to wish you luck!" The girl caught up to the back of the group quickly, her cheeks pink and flushed from running in the cool morning. Suddenly aware of the eyes of so many rangers watching her with bemusement, Gelwin flushed.

Legolas could feel his own face heating, but kept his expression carefully schooled into impassivity. "It is alright Gelwin, you needn't have come running so. We will not be gone but more than a month." Although he spoke with feigned nonchalance, all the rangers behind him knew that there was no guarantee of that, even if all went somewhat according to plan in the north.

Seemingly unaware of the fact that she was still in her nightshift, Gelwin shook her head. "That's not what Papa says. He says that it's terribly dangerous, where you're going..." Her eyes full of all the wistfulness of a twelve-year-old Gelwin looked up at him. "I wish I were old enough to be going too."

Somehow Legolas did not see that idea working out well. The six female rangers that were going on this venture were not only just as capable at fighting and woodcraft as their male counterparts, but also universally level-headed. Strider had chosen them out specifically for this quality. Still, there were other virtues to be had in the world Legolas supposed, earnestness being one of them.

"The wilds of Angmar are no place for one so young as you, Gelwin. Even one with as much spirit." Legolas felt his lips quirk with amusement. It was true, he could think of precious few others who would come running through the forest in their nightshift just to see the party off. Remembering Elladan and Elrohir's earlier bantering with the farrier's daughters, he chanced a quick jest. "Perhaps I shall capture one of those giant bats Elrohir was speaking of earlier and bring it back for you. Then you will know all there is to know about what is to be found in the north."

Elladan and Elrohir both snickered behind him, and Legolas made a mental note to collect a few stories about their escapades from Strider upon his return. A little blackmail never hurt from time to time.

"But...isn't your shoulder still hurt?" A teeny quaver snuck into Gelwin's voice; evidently the bat comment had failed to be funny. The girl seemed an incredibly small figure, standing on the trail behind the rangers. "What if something happens...?"

Stepping out from the column of rangers, fox-faced Asvard clapped a hand on Legolas's shoulder. It came almost as a surprise, and the elf had to work hard to avoid wincing as the nearly healed stitches twinged.

"Elves heal fast, see? Not even a squeak from him!"

Legolas had to bite his tongue to keep a rather sharp retort from surfacing. Just because he had let Strider and Nerwen handle his shoulder throughout the healing process did not mean the entire village now had permission to touch. Asvard for his part noticed the sudden glacial smoothness of Legolas's face and wisely backed off.