Before we left our camp, Gandalf let me dress the cub's wound. I sat down on a log, and it flopped over my legs, its mauled left hind leg staining my trousers.
"Sam...have you got any sausages left?" I asked him.
"No. But I can whip you up a couple."
"Can you do it quickly?"
The hobbit nods, moving over to re-light the dying embers of the fire.
"What do you need me to do Raina?" Pippin asks me
"Can you get me some water? And Frodo, would you mind passing me that ointment and a cloth."
The two hobbits move to retrieve the things asked for, and I roll up my sleeves, ignoring for the meantime the prominent scars that lace my wrists. I can put that aside for him.
They pass them to me, and I receive them with a grateful smile.
"Thanks."
I stroke the wolf carefully.
"Its okay boy. I'm just gonna take a look at your leg."
"He'll need a muzzle first, Raina." Aragorn warns
"What's a muzzle?"
"Something to tie around his mouth to stop him from biting." Informs Legolas, appearing next to me with some thin rope.
"That seems a bit inhumane."
"It doesn't hurt him, nor does it stop him from breathing."
I nod.
"As long as you can promise he'll be fine."
The elf chuckles lightly at my ardent love and indestructible bond toward this wolf cub.
"I can promise."
Legolas sits beside me, which makes my palms dabble in sweat and my heart begin to race, but for the sake of my cub I ignore it, stroking it gently as Legolas approaches him with the rope.
The wolf snarls at him, but Legolas holds out his hand, and he sniffs, before licking gently.
"Sam, where's that sausage?" He asked the hobbit
"Coming."
Sam brought over a sausage, which Legolas used to gain the wolf's attention. He set it down on the floor, and while the cub was preoccupied, slipped the rope under his mouth, waited for him to finish, and secured the bond.
He tried to take it off at first, and whined and scratched in discomfort, but after a few more strokes and scratches behind the ear, he was soon relaxed and I was ready.
"Now.." I breathed heavily. This was, my first time, dressing a wound after all, and..well, I was asleep when Elrond did mine so I can't honestly say I know how. "Time to dress the wound."
I nodded, probably seemingly confident toward the others.
"Does anyone know how to dress a wound?"
Legolas chuckled, and from the corner of my eye I could see Aragorn smirk.
"I can help you, if you'd like." Legolas offered.
I nodded, my heat regaining their 1000 degrees temperature. Legolas crouched on the other side of me, gently moving the wolf's leg and eliciting a short moan.
"Sorry boy." I replied, stroking it.
"Hold him steady." He replies.
Legolas take the bottle of water, wets the cloth and rubs the wound gently. The wolf howls and tries to run in pain. I grip him tightly, my glasses sliding off.
"Get that for me, will you Pippin?" I grunt, struggling to hold the cub in place.
The hobbit picks them up.
Legolas works steadfastly, cleaning the wound as fast as he can, applying ointment (which almost causes us to lose the wolf) and finally bandaging up his leg.
Once he finishes, I release my grip and stoke the boy gently, who has finally stopped howling. Legolas removes the muzzle and the wolf relaxes on my lap, puckered out from his mini healing session.
"Good boy." I breathe
"Here are your glasses, Raina." Pippin hands them to me and my vision clears again when I put them on.
Sam comes up with the plate of sausages.
"Here you are lad."
He drops it by the cub, who responds by devouring every morsel. The fellowship and I look on eagerly in silence, watching the wolf limp around the camp once finished.
"He needs a name." I say, watching him ruffle through Sam's food supply bag. The hobbit goes to retrieve it.
"What can it be?" Pippin wonders "How about Silver."
I shake my head.
"Too common."
"Biter?" Merry adds
"No. Too...too violent."
I watch him trot around by Gandalf, sniffing on the grass for any more traces of sausage. He sniffs underneath the wizard's hat which lay on the ground beside him, and ended up with it on top of him, eyes constantly blocked by the falling rim.
With that hat on, he looked kinda like Gandalf's apprentice.
Like the wizard himself
I laughed, standing up to help.
"That's it! That's what we'll call him."
"What?" Merry asks
"Gandalf?" Frodo questions, and the wizard looks my way.
"Yes. Gandalf!" I laugh. "Gandalf II."
The hobbits share a laugh, and Gimli, Legolas, Boromir and Aragorn smirk at the wizard whose face mirrors storm clouds.
I hand the wizard back his hat, which he receives with a piercing look, and and I can't help but smirk at him.
"I think its time we move onward." He says
"Okay." I shrugg, and Pippin begins to walk forward, before beckoning the wolf over with his finger. "Come on Gandalf.."
We laugh. And that is not the only time we share a laugh. Or that the wizard launches a string of grumbles and complaints our way.
****
Although Gandalf seemed apprehensive at first about letting his apprentice-in-training, Gandalf II stay with us, he soon warmed up to the idea of having a pet travel with us. Sometimes I found him curled up under the wizard's cloak, hat on top to shield him, and other times, Gandalf would fees him little tidbits of meat that he no longer wanted. When he saw me looking once, he merely said:
"Waste not, want not."
I smirked to myself. Gandalf had grown fond of the wolf. We all had. Well, except Gimli, but considering the string of insults he dropped Gandalf II's way, I'm not surprised. When we had to release him back into the wild, his voice was the loudest in celebration
"Its about time that beast was on his way!"
Gandalf II had snarled at this, causing Gimli to recoil in fear with a murmur in Khudzul, and I stroked him, amused. Still, I could tell even the wizard was disappointed. Everyone was. Especially me.
Having Gandalf II here was like having a guardian angel. He use to curl up beside me at nightfall, or lay on my belt or legs, keeping my skin warm, and my blood from freezing. I use to wake up to find him there, look to the left or right and find him brushing against my side, an ever present source of comfort. Now he was gone, and there was nothing I could do.
Gandalf had been gracious to me though, delaying the time until he was released to five days, prolonging the time we spent together. On the day in which we reached the edge of Warg Territory, Gandalf halted the company, we had a late lunch, Sam frying sausages and meat, and left Gandalf II feasting on it, while we carefully snuck away, the cub none the wiser.
"I'm sorry Raina." Gandalf said after a few moments of steady travel. My hand gripped Bill's reins tightly. "But Mordor, and our quest, have no place for a wolf cub."
I sighed.
"Its okay Gandalf. I get it."
We walked on, silence rung, until Pippin spoke.
"Do you think he'll be alright?"
"Alright?" Gimli snorted "He'll be chasing rabbits and devouring them whole, coming and going as he pleases, disturbing travellers. Just as how he was when we found him. He'll be fine."
I placed my arm on Pippin's shoulder.
"Don't worry Pippin." I smiled, and he looked up at me "Gandalf II will be fine."
"How do you know?"
"Because...I have hope. If there is anything we should have, it's that."
The hobbit nodded, and we continued on with our journey.
****
"Gandalf!" Pippin whines "I'm starving. Let's stop for dinner."
"No."
"Please Gandalf!" Merry says "I'm hungry too."
"And me." Sam says
"And me." Frodo adds
"And I." Boromir comments
"Especially me." Gimli grunts
"I got the smallest piece of meat last night."
"Gimli," Aragorn began "Everyone had small pieces. I only managed to catch a small hen."
"Yes, well, if you had been dwarf-" Gimli murmured underneath his breath
"He would have failed much worse." Legolas finished, grinning
"What did you say pointy?"
Legolas ignored him and looks up to Gandalf "I would also like to eat something, Mithrandir."
Gandalf looks at me. I nod.
"Oh alright." He said "Though I was hoping to put a few more miles."
So, we settle around the campfire, and eat diligently. As the fire roars, conversation respouds, and although we are a happy enough company, everyone is still feeling the effects of fatigue. I sat next to Frodo, looking quietly at the Hobbit who use to be so joyful, but now went through so much suffering.
He smiles at me faintly.
"The Ring is getting heavier, isnt it?" I ask him
He nods
"How did you know?"
I fumble in my response
"I-I uh."
"Nevermind." He turns his head to the side and I breathe out a silent sigh of relief. "Sometimes it feels like an impossible feat we've got ourselves on." He begins "Like this is all for nothing. Like we should just let Sauron take the ring and be done with it."
I shake my head sadly. I know exactly how he feels. There were many times, where all I wanted to do, was cruel up into a little bal l, and die. But if we give in to evil, than all that is good will be no more. I can't let that happen.
"Frodo." He turns around and I grip his shoulders.
"Nothing is impossible." I smile "There is awayls hope. Even when it seems like the whole world is against, there is always a silver, always someone to lean on. If you would like it to be more, I will you be your sliver."
I squeeze his shoulders gently, before letting go and leaning back on my pack. Frodo looks across to me.
"How are you so hopeful?" Frodo whispers to me above the noise "How do you keep going?"
For a while I don't answer, because I realise, I don't have one.
"I don't have an answer Frodo. Often at times I lay awake and ask myself the same question. I don't have a reason for carrying on. Its probably because I'm afraid of death."
He nods.
"But..originally I joined this quest because I was excited to live out my dreams. Now I see I have the opportunity to make a real difference in this world, to save people that need to be saved, to stop people from losing everything." I take a deep breath "And that is something to be grateful for. I can't mess this up."
Dinner was served, and afterwards Frodo and I ate in comfortable silence. Once I finished, I handed my bowl back to Sam, and got as comfortable as possible. From my position, I could see Legolas, among softly.
My heart beat.
I smiled back.
"Goodnight." I whispered
He nodded, eyes sparkling, reflecting the moonlight. It took everything within me to pull away.
In that moment, he was so handsome, so alluring, so perfect.
I wanted to stare at him forever.
****
Legolas watched Raina as she slept. He had grown used to it by now. Each night, when it was his turn to guard the company, he would take up a position as close to her as possible, watch the rise and falls of her chest, listen to her murmurs and snores, watch her turn every so often.
The rest of the company were still awake, but that would not last long Legolas wagered. She said she found no rest in sleep, but Legolas found rest in watching her. It was like everything that was miserable, that had hurt her had slowly melted away and now a new day had dawned. Sometimes she smiled in her sleep, and Legolas relished those moments.
He was relishing it right now.
Unbeknownst to Legolas, he was also being watched. Not by the Ranger, but by the Wizard. In the hall, when the company were still in Rivendell, Gandalf had noticed the faint attraction felt between the two. It had grown to more than just an attraction now. Gandalf could sense almost a magical pull between the two. He did not dislike it, but he was worried that it could be a distraction to Raina's purpose. But, with no other choice, he had to bring her along. Although he hoped that both of them could keep a lid on their emotions long enough for Frodo to cast the Ring into Mount Doom. Yes, that was all he could do. Hope.
****
Water trickles in a nearby stream. The leaves of the trees are emerald, swaying lightly in the breeze, the sky azure, decorated with light pillows of cloud.
I'm sprawled out on the grass, watching this scene lazily.
Someone strokes my brow.
"Raina.."
I know that voice.
Legolas.
His blue eyes come into view, and he smiles down at me with that grin that always causes me to dissolve.
"Time to wake up meleth nín." Legolas bends down an kisses my cheek delicately, and the familiar heat returns to my cheeks. My chest hurts.
I sit up, half dazed and confused.
All I can manage is:
"What time is it?"
He laughs, throwing me a look.
"When are you going to learn how to tell the time owm, huh?"
I grin.
"That's why I have you, your my personal clock."
Legolas smirks.
"Am I now?"
I grin, gaze falling to the floor.
"Do you wanna be?"
He shrugs
"If its means being with you, I'd be anything."
I freeze at those words, staring into his eyes, bright and joyous. His gaze changes to enchantment, and he shifts forward, hand reaching for the curve of my neck. I gasp silently, looking down, ashamed. This isn't right. He shouldn't be kissing me. I'm not worthy of someone like him.
Legolas doesn't care though. His head moves below mine, and his lips arch move to meet mine. I gasp when they touch, sitting up stock straight.
Legolas' eyes are closed, and his other hands moves to my waist, causing my breathing to increase. As I'm pulled in by his spell, my eyes close, relaxing, and I feel one of the most beautiful feelings I have ever felt in my life.
Love.
"Raina? Raina?"
A voice sounds. I look around, but Legolas doesn't seem to hear it.
It sounds again.
"Raina?!"
I blink. I'm no longer in a garden, but a cold field on an early winter's morning.
"Raina?" I look above me to find Aragorn. "We're leaving now."
I nod. He walks away. So that was all it was.
Just a dream.Before we left our camp, Gandalf let me dress the cub's wound. I sat down on a log, and it flopped over my legs, its mauled left hind leg staining my trousers.
"Sam..have you got any sausages left?" I asked him.
"No. But I can whip you up a couple."
"Can you do it quickly?"
The hobbit nods, moving over to re-light the dying embers of the fire.
"What do you need me to do Raina?" Pippin asks me
"Can you get me some water? And Frodo, would you mind passing me that ointment and a cloth."
The two hobbits move to retrieve the things asked for, and I roll up my sleeves, ignoring for the meantime the prominent scars that lace my wrists. I can put that aside for him.
They pass them to me, and I receive them with a grateful smile.
"Thanks."
I stroke the wolf carefully.
"Its okay boy. I'm just gonna take a look at your leg."
"He'll need a muzzle first, Raina." Aragorn warns
"What's a muzzle?"
"Something to tie around his mouth to stop him from biting." Informs Legolas, appearing next to me with some thin rope.
"That seems a bit inhumane."
"It doesn't hurt him, nor does it stop him from breathing."
I nod.
"As long as you can promise he'll be fine."
The elf chuckles lightly at my ardent love and indestructible bond toward this wolf cub.
"I can promise."
Legolas sits beside me, which makes my palms dabble in sweat and my heart begin to race, but for the sake of my cub I ignore it, stroking it gently as Legolas approaches him with the rope.
The wolf snarls at him, but Legolas holds out his hand, and he sniffs, before licking gently.
"Sam, where's that sausage?" He asked the hobbit
"Coming."
Sam brought over a sausage, which Legolas used to gain the wolf's attention. He set it down on the floor, and while the cub was preoccupied, slipped the rope under his mouth, waited for him to finish, and secured the bond.
He tried to take it off at first, and whined and scratched in discomfort, but after a few more strokes and scratches behind the ear, he was soon relaxed and I was ready.
"Now.." I breathed heavily. This was, my first time, dressing a wound after all, and..well, I was asleep when Elrond did mine so I can't honestly say I know how. "Time to dress the wound."
I nodded, probably seemingly confident toward the others.
"Does anyone know how to dress a wound?"
Legolas chuckled, and from the corner of my eye I could see Aragorn smirk.
"I can help you, if you'd like." Legolas offered.
I nodded, my heat regaining their 1000 degrees temperature. Legolas crouched on the other side of me, gently moving the wolf's leg and eliciting a short moan.
"Sorry boy." I replied, stroking it.
"Hold him steady." He replies.
Legolas take the bottle of water, wets the cloth and rubs the wound gently. The wolf howls and tries to run in pain. I grip him tightly, my glasses sliding off.
"Get that for me, will you Pippin?" I grunt, struggling to hold the cub in place.
The hobbit picks them up.
Legolas works steadfastly, cleaning the wound as fast as he can, applying ointment (which almost causes us to lose the wolf) and finally bandaging up his leg.
Once he finishes, I release my grip and stoke the boy gently, who has finally stopped howling. Legolas removes the muzzle and the wolf relaxes on my lap, puckered out from his mini healing session.
"Good boy." I breathe
"Here are your glasses, Raina." Pippin hands them to me and my vision clears again when I put them on.
Sam comes up with the plate of sausages.
"Here you are lad."
He drops it by the cub, who responds by devouring every morsel. The fellowship and I look on eagerly in silence, watching the wolf limp around the camp once finished.
"He needs a name." I say, watching him ruffle through Sam's food supply bag. The hobbit goes to retrieve it.
"What can it be?" Pippin wonders "How about Silver."
I shake my head.
"Too common."
"Biter?" Merry adds
"No. Too...too violent."
I watch him trot around by Gandalf, sniffing on the grass for any more traces of sausage. He sniffs underneath the wizard's hat which lay on the ground beside him, and ended up with it on top of him, eyes constantly blocked by the falling rim.
With that hat on, he looked kinda like Gandalf's apprentice.
Like the wizard himself
I laughed, standing up to help.
"That's it! That's what we'll call him."
"What?" Merry asks
"Gandalf?" Frodo questions, and the wizard looks my way.
"Yes. Gandalf!" I laugh. "Gandalf II."
The hobbits share a laugh, and Gimli, Legolas, Boromir and Aragorn smirk at the wizard whose face mirrors storm clouds.
I hand the wizard back his hat, which he receives with a piercing look, and and I can't help but smirk at him.
"I think its time we move onward." He says
"Okay." I shrugg, and Pippin begins to walk forward, before beckoning the wolf over with his finger. "Come on Gandalf.."
We laugh. And that is not the only time we share a laugh. Or that the wizard launches a string of grumbles and complaints our way.
****
Although Gandalf seemed apprehensive at first about letting his apprentice-in-training, Gandalf II stay with us, he soon warmed up to the idea of having a pet travel with us. Sometimes I found him curled up under the wizard's cloak, hat on top to shield him, and other times, Gandalf would fees him little tidbits of meat that he no longer wanted. When he saw me looking once, he merely said:
"Waste not, want not."
I smirked to myself. Gandalf had grown fond of the wolf. We all had. Well, except Gimli, but considering the string of insults he dropped Gandalf II's way, I'm not surprised. When we had to release him back into the wild, his voice was the loudest in celebration
"Its about time that beast was on his way!"
Gandalf II had snarled at this, causing Gimli to recoil in fear with a murmur in Khudzul, and I stroked him, amused. Still, I could tell even the wizard was disappointed. Everyone was. Especially me.
Having Gandalf II here was like having a guardian angel. He use to curl up beside me at nightfall, or lay on my belt or legs, keeping my skin warm, and my blood from freezing. I use to wake up to find him there, look to the left or right and find him brushing against my side, an ever present source of comfort. Now he was gone, and there was nothing I could do.
Gandalf had been gracious to me though, delaying the time until he was released to five days, prolonging the time we spent together. On the day in which we reached the edge of Warg Territory, Gandalf halted the company, we had a late lunch, Sam frying sausages and meat, and left Gandalf II feasting on it, while we carefully snuck away, the cub none the wiser.
"I'm sorry Raina." Gandalf said after a few moments of steady travel. My hand gripped Bill's reins tightly. "But Mordor, and our quest, have no place for a wolf cub."
I sighed.
"Its okay Gandalf. I get it."
We walked on, silence rung, until Pippin spoke.
"Do you think he'll be alright?"
"Alright?" Gimli snorted "He'll be chasing rabbits and devouring them whole, coming and going as he pleases, disturbing travellers. Just as how he was when we found him. He'll be fine."
I placed my arm on Pippin's shoulder.
"Don't worry Pippin." I smiled, and he looked up at me "Gandalf II will be fine."
"How do you know?"
"Because...I have hope. If there is anything we should have, it's that."
The hobbit nodded, and we continued on with our journey.
****
"Gandalf!" Pippin whines "I'm starving. Let's stop for dinner."
"No."
"Please Gandalf!" Merry says "I'm hungry too."
"And me." Sam says
"And me." Frodo adds
"And I." Boromir comments
"Especially me." Gimli grunts
"I got the smallest piece of meat last night."
"Gimli," Aragorn began "Everyone had small pieces. I only managed to catch a small hen."
"Yes, well, if you had been dwarf-" Gimli murmured underneath his breath
"He would have failed much worse." Legolas finished, grinning
"What did you say pointy?"
Legolas ignored him and looks up to Gandalf "I would also like to eat something, Mithrandir."
Gandalf looks at me. I nod.
"Oh alright." He said "Though I was hoping to put a few more miles."
So, we settle around the campfire, and eat diligently. As the fire roars, conversation respouds, and although we are a happy enough company, everyone is still feeling the effects of fatigue. I sat next to Frodo, looking quietly at the Hobbit who use to be so joyful, but now went through so much suffering.
He smiles at me faintly.
"The Ring is getting heavier, isnt it?" I ask him
He nods
"How did you know?"
I fumble in my response
"I-I uh."
"Nevermind." He turns his head to the side and I breathe out a silent sigh of relief. "Sometimes it feels like an impossible feat we've got ourselves on." He begins "Like this is all for nothing. Like we should just let Sauron take the ring and be done with it."
I shake my head sadly. I know exactly how he feels. There were many times, where all I wanted to do, was cruel up into a little bal l, and die. But if we give in to evil, than all that is good will be no more. I can't let that happen.
"Frodo." He turns around and I grip his shoulders.
"Nothing is impossible." I smile "There is awayls hope. Even when it seems like the whole world is against, there is always a silver, always someone to lean on. If you would like it to be more, I will you be your sliver."
I squeeze his shoulders gently, before letting go and leaning back on my pack. Frodo looks across to me.
"How are you so hopeful?" Frodo whispers to me above the noise "How do you keep going?"
For a while I don't answer, because I realise, I don't have one.
"I don't have an answer Frodo. Often at times I lay awake and ask myself the same question. I don't have a reason for carrying on. Its probably because I'm afraid of death."
He nods.
"But..originally I joined this quest because I was excited to live out my dreams. Now I see I have the opportunity to make a real difference in this world, to save people that need to be saved, to stop people from losing everything." I take a deep breath "And that is something to be grateful for. I can't mess this up."
Dinner was served, and afterwards Frodo and I ate in comfortable silence. Once I finished, I handed my bowl back to Sam, and got as comfortable as possible. From my position, I could see Legolas, among softly.
My heart beat.
I smiled back.
"Goodnight." I whispered
He nodded, eyes sparkling, reflecting the moonlight. It took everything within me to pull away.
In that moment, he was so handsome, so alluring, so perfect.
I wanted to stare at him forever.
****
Legolas watched Raina as she slept. He had grown used to it by now. Each night, when it was his turn to guard the company, he would take up a position as close to her as possible, watch the rise and falls of her chest, listen to her murmurs and snores, watch her turn every so often.
The rest of the company were still awake, but that would not last long Legolas wagered. She said she found no rest in sleep, but Legolas found rest in watching her. It was like everything that was miserable, that had hurt her had slowly melted away and now a new day had dawned. Sometimes she smiled in her sleep, and Legolas relished those moments.
He was relishing it right now.
Unbeknownst to Legolas, he was also being watched. Not by the Ranger, but by the Wizard. In the hall, when the company were still in Rivendell, Gandalf had noticed the faint attraction felt between the two. It had grown to more than just an attraction now. Gandalf could sense almost a magical pull between the two. He did not dislike it, but he was worried that it could be a distraction to Raina's purpose. But, with no other choice, he had to bring her along. Although he hoped that both of them could keep a lid on their emotions long enough for Frodo to cast the Ring into Mount Doom. Yes, that was all he could do. Hope.
****
Water trickles in a nearby stream. The leaves of the trees are emerald, swaying lightly in the breeze, the sky azure, decorated with light pillows of cloud.
I'm sprawled out on the grass, watching this scene lazily.
Someone strokes my brow.
"Raina.."
I know that voice.
Legolas.
His blue eyes come into view, and he smiles down at me with that grin that always causes me to dissolve.
"Time to wake up meleth nín." Legolas bends down an kisses my cheek delicately, and the familiar heat returns to my cheeks. My chest hurts.
I sit up, half dazed and confused.
All I can manage is:
"What time is it?"
He laughs, throwing me a look.
"When are you going to learn how to tell the time owm, huh?"
I grin.
"That's why I have you, your my personal clock."
Legolas smirks.
"Am I now?"
I grin, gaze falling to the floor.
"Do you wanna be?"
He shrugs
"If its means being with you, I'd be anything."
I freeze at those words, staring into his eyes, bright and joyous. His gaze changes to enchantment, and he shifts forward, hand reaching for the curve of my neck. I gasp silently, looking down, ashamed. This isn't right. He shouldn't be kissing me. I'm not worthy of someone like him.
Legolas doesn't care though. His head moves below mine, and his lips arch move to meet mine. I gasp when they touch, sitting up stock straight.
Legolas' eyes are closed, and his other hands moves to my waist, causing my breathing to increase. As I'm pulled in by his spell, my eyes close, relaxing, and I feel one of the most beautiful feelings I have ever felt in my life.
Love.
"Raina? Raina?"
A voice sounds. I look around, but Legolas doesn't seem to hear it.
It sounds again.
"Raina?!"
I blink. I'm no longer in a garden, but a cold field on an early winter's morning.
"Raina?" I look above me to find Aragorn. "We're leaving now."
I nod. He walks away. So that was all it was.
Just a dream.