The Exile's Daughter

No Way Out

I reached up and kissed him. He responded gently, his thumb tracing my cheek. We pulled away slowly, sighing and lingering centimetres from each other's lips for a moment more. "I know you are." I whispered. "I love you."

"I love you too." He smiled wearily.

Hand in hand we walked out after a rushed breakfast, weapons on our backs and our belts, with packs on our shoulders. The others called greetings to us as we walked past, heading for the eastern path out of the valley.

It took us a while to scale the steep eastern slopes, and it started to drizzle after a time. Our hoods covered our heads completely, hanging halfway down our faces. Anyone who saw would think us little more than pedlars.

 When we reached the top of the valley, I turned and looked back for a moment. Far below us, there was no sign of movement, or any sight of the homely little camp we had left behind. In my mind's eye, I pictured the small figures of the rangers and their families scurrying back and forth, the tiny flames of a fire in the centre. Somehow, I missed them.

Legolas pressed his lips to my temple. "Sometime today?" He quipped, quirking his eyebrow. He frowned concernedly for a moment but seemed to decide to drop the subject on the tip of his tongue. I smiled, feigning obliviousness in the face of his worry, and let go of his hand, taking out my bow to hold instead.

"We are to take the right-hand path. Aragorn says it hasn't been checked in a week."

"Why?" Legolas asked in astonishment. I shrugged helplessly.

"To check every path regularly would mean using all the men, and a good portion of the women too. There must be fighters to protect the camp itself."

"If only I had brought with me a hundred of our bowmen." Legolas sighed. "This valley would be safer even than Imladris."

"Your kin have enough on their hands." I said darkly. "Come. Let us stick to the shadows."

We had decided on the day of the last skirmish, on the very slopes of the valley, that when we were guarding together, I would guide our movements, and he would make any strategic decisions. If we were to end up in a fight, he would lead us. Otherwise, I was to set our course and track any prints that we came across, a skill at which I was surprised to be adept. Legolas had enduring pride in my tracking and concealment skills, and forever encouraged me to take the lead on days such as this, even though he was just as proficient, and had far more experience. On that day, therefore, I set our course through the thin path and he watched the way ahead. 

"Something sets my teeth on edge." Legolas said quietly after an hour or so of silent walking. He had shot one warg dead already, but others were doubtlessly nearby. They were not solitary creatures, and I feared something more than just animals lay in wait for us. I was glad he had been the first to say it. I almost shivered to think of what may be ahead. The back of my neck had prickled uncomfortably all day.

"Mine also. Let's stay together. We will explain to Aragorn why we cannot cover more ground later."

"Splitting up would be a bad idea today." Legolas agreed, looking as relieved as I felt. He held out a hand, pulling me over a steep bank to our left and walking on top of it to get a better view at my suggestion. It was covered by high bushes so, though we could see around us, anything watching would have to have elf-eyes to see our careful steps and dark cloaks among the leaves.

Aragorn had been increasingly worried about this stretch of land, and now I could see why. No more than three men could walk the path abreast, and only elves like ourselves could spring up the steep banks when the need arose. It probably needed more men to guard it, but how would one achieve that aim with such a long, thin path to watch over?