"She truly is a special one then." chuckled Gandalf a knowing smile on his lips.
"She truly is."
The next day y/n woke up because she felt soft fingers playing with her hair, only she wasnt aware that they were fingers quit yet, she just assumed it was wind or maybe a bug. A little annoyed she nuzzled her face more into her pillow. The movement in her hair stopped, letting a happy breath leave her lips. But the movement continued after only a few seconds. Her brows furrowed and her eyes opened only a bit. She saw the empty stone room they had fallen asleep in. The hobbits were still fast asleep and Gandalf was lightly stirring. Gimli and Boromir were awake and exchanging words in a hushed whisper. Aragorn was also resting. But where was Legolas?
Slowly she turned so that she was looking at the ceiling, then she turned her head a little further only to see the smiling face of the elf, her head was resting on. Even though he noticed that she was awake he did not stop playing with her hair. Now that she knew what was in her hair she was calmed and closed her eyes once more. Knowing that they were going to be walking all day she was going to use every second of rest that she would get. Besides Legolas didn't seem to mind.
She listened to the shuffling of the already awake fellowship just enjoying the peace of the situation.
"You look like you're enjoying yourself." the elf muttered. Y/n just smirked responding to him. "So do you."
After a while the shifting and stirring around her got louder.
"Time to get up?" she asked.
"It would seem so."
Y/n lifted her head and stretched out her arms with a satisfying pop.
The day went on slowly and seemed to stretch into infinity. All they saw were rocks, rocks and more rocks. Sometimes they were carved rocks, sometimes they were painted but more often than not they were quite destroyed. Y/n had made the mistake of walking next to Gimli for a while. She had been curious about the dwarf. But since then, all she learned was to never strike up a conversation with a dwarf while youre in an ancient mine. For what seemed to be forever he was going on about the different types of rocks, minerals and metals that were found in the mine, explaining what they were used for. And when they came by a Colum, guard rails or other things the dwarf considered art he talked about that. From why it looked the way that it did to the materials it was made out of, how it was made and by whom as well. She was starting to regret her decision but interrupting the dwarf when he was so happy and he seemed so at ease and calmed seemed just a thing too cruel, even for a pirate.
"So Dwalorin Ironhand was the first to design his Colums in such a manner, before with the Ikranori style they used quite softer lines but Dwalorin started using Augite instead of Sandstone which is harder but easier to find and also more common around these areas. We didn't use it before because it was so hard but he found a way to make working with it much better. What he did was-" the dwarf went on. She nodded her head and hummed in understanding once in a while even asking a simple question like: "Is that why it has such a blueish sheen?" or "Which do you prefer?" to further feign interest while her thoughts were trailing of.
She had almost forgotten what it was like to travel with someone talkative. Legolas while he wasn't silent, was rather calm. He didnt strike up many conversations, preferring to listen and sometimes respond. The only thing he seemed to do without being asked first was break out into song. Well elven songs, so he was just quietly humming or singing the words she didnt understand. That worked quite well for y/n since she loved talking and telling her tales and when she was done, she'd listen to him sing. Coming to think of it, compared to the other elves Legolas was quite talkative. Over the past few weeks, she had met many elves. The ones in Mirkwood were very standoffish. They only seemed to enjoy talking to other elves they were close with. When they were drinking together, they had intently listened to her tales of the ocean but other than that weren't interested in her. Except for Haleth, who had been nice too her but only when wine was present, they only seemed to talk to the elves they already knew and were close with. And the elves that had joined Legolas and her on their way to Rivendell didn't really speak to her at all. She had almost thought that they didnt like her but Legolas assured her that they didn't seem to mind her presence, which doesnt happen a lot. Especially after having met for only such a short while.
Legolas however had opened up to her rather quickly, telling tales of himself and quietly chuckling at her jokes. In the beginning she had thought that he was shy, maybe a bit untrusting but comparing him to the other elves he had accepted her with open arms. She really was rather fortunate to have met him that fateful day and not somebody else.
"Y/n!" it was Aragorn who had called her ripping her out of her thoughts, he was walking a bit ahead with Boromir, though Gandalf was still leading the way with the hobbits. Legolas was in the back, trailing closely behind her during the entire, one-way conversation with Gimli.
"If you would excuse me Master Dwarf." Gimli gave her a friendly smile.
"Just Gimli will do, lass." he assured the pirate. Y/n felt as though she had befriended the dwarf and that made her happy. Though truth be told she didn't yet understand the use of titles in this world. Legolas had called the hobbit in his story Master Hobbit, and the dwarf had said Master dwarf multiple times so she had just adapted to that. When she was alone with the elf, she had never used any titles and so he didnt either but in front of others he spoke to her and introduced her with Lady y/n, which felt a little weird, she was a pirate after all and not a lady.
The woman walked ahead to Aragorn who was already waiting for her.
"How have you been this morning?" he asked the pirate who in response quirked a brow.
"Is that why you called me over?" she asked. Looking the scruffy ranger up and down. She heard a chuckle from her left where Boromir was walking. She chose to ignore him.
"If you don't wish to speak with me, you're free to return to Gimli." Y/n froze up understanding what Aragorn had implied.
"Oh no. I wasnt complainin' mate. Me mornin was good. How've you been?"
"I'd assume you slept well." the ranger spoke in a teasing tone, ignoring her question. Again y/n raised her brow.
"If you wish to say something to me you can say it. I dont bite." she answered a small skip in her step. Both the Ranger and the stewards son laughed.
"You and Legolas seem to have gotten quite close, haven't you?"
"What are you trying to imply, Strider?"
"Absolutely nothing its just that you looked quite comfortable leaning on him. All night."
"Yer've never slept on a boat have ya? Getting all close like that is nothing new. Though I have to be fair and say that those times there wasn't really a choice but to huddle up close."
"That maybe so for you but elves are quite different in that regard."
"In what regard?"
"The one of affection and love, miss Y/n. You see, physical affection is rarely seen in elven relationships. Except for braiding hair of course." Without thinking and before she could stop herself her hands touched the braids that were placed at the side of her head.
"You don't say." she muttered making Aragorn chuckle.
"You shouldnt take it lightly; the love of an elf isn't easily given. Once it has been gifted there is no return, the one love they have will forever be placed in a their chosen one. And breaking that fragile yearning can break them. Many elves have lost themselves to nothingness and faded away. Succumbing to their own sorrow and passing on."
A shudder went down her spine. Death by a broken heart, she had only heard of a thing like that in fairytales.
"Aye. This pirate never takes feelings lightly." she spoke with an encouraging but unconvincing smile while her mind was racing. Did Legolas have feelings for her? Was that even possible? Y/n has never been in a serious relationship before. The most serious thing she had was with Jack, they had blurred the lines between friends, lovers or just allies many times. The only thing consistent about them was that they always found a way back to the other again, to travel the world once more.
What was she to do about it? She had still very much planned on finding a way back to the Caribbean. Could she take him with her? No that would be absurd. But staying here, growing roots. A cold shudder went down her spine. Being in one place for the rest of her life? That sounded terrifying. But disregarding the elf feelings felt so cruel. But what about her? What about her feelings?
She liked the elf, yes, but was it in that way? Had she ever liked someone that way? She couldnt even think about the word love. At least not in that way. The silly nicknames Jack gave were much different from actual love.
"It is not an empty word. That is if you don't remove its value by using it so nonchalantly." is what he had said to her when she first called him love. He had seemed upset, if what Aragorn had said about elven love was true, her using the word love in such a way was enough reason for upset feelings. Only that that worried her more. She hadnt been in a relationship before and then jumping straight into one with an elf? A serious commitment made to last till the end of time. That was such a giant responsibility that she surely wasnt ready for. Yet she did not know how to postpone these things as she just couldnt risk accidentally hurting the elves feelings. He seemed so sensitive. Or maybe sensible was the word? She didnt know and thinking more of this topic was giving her a headache.
Goddess, what would I give for a bottle of rum! So, she did the next best thing to distract herself and quickly turned to Boromir hoping that her thinking break hadnt been too long and suspicious.
"You must also have your fair share of experience to come on this mission. Bein' a stewards son n' all."
"Ah yes, well it is for Gondor that I do this, after all." he started. "I want to bring peace to our people and end these times of war once and for all."
"Aye, so youre quite the hero aint ya?" the pirate teased to which Boromir chuckled.
"But so is my brother. He is the front man on our borders, fighting of the orcs and reclaiming territory every day."
"So, a family of Heroes? Ain't that something."
Boromir continued with his and his brothers accomplishments in battle while y/n and Aragorn listened chiming in occasionally with their own comment or story. Like this they continued before the hobbits once again were complaining of tired feet. They had been walking for a long while but since it was a mine and there was no sunlight, they couldnt be sure how long they had walked for certain. Either way they soughed out a new chamber they could rest in for the night.
This time y/n took the first night watch and to no ones surprise Legolas offered to stay awake with her.
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Boromir being a proud brother <3
~2057 words