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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.
There was still Gelwin to consider though. They had to get going, and the girl clearly wanted something in the way of reassurance. With a sigh, Legolas tried to smile.
"We will return before the Summer Solstice, I promise. Now, back to the village, before you catch a chill in those nightclothes."
The reminder of just how lightly she was dressed worked just as well on the adolescent girl as Legolas had expected. With a start, Gelwin seemed to notice for the first time just how she had come running out of the house. Squeaking in embarrassment, she tried to cover her bare shoulders with her hands.
Suddenly aware of the presence of his own cloak, Legolas felt a stab of sympathy for the child. No doubt her mother and father would have it in for her when they got wind of how she had come running after a troupe of rangers like this. The weather was warming quickly now, and elves were more resilient to different climates anyways. Unfastening the pin at his throat he took off his cloak and handed it to Gelwin.
"Here, put this on. You can return it when we get back."
Her little face lit up as brightly as if she were being given the sun in a gift-box. Completely disregarding the onlooking gaze of more than two dozen rangers, Gelwin suddenly rushed forward and wrapped her skinny arms around Legolas's waist in a hug.
"Thank you Legolas! Be safe..."
Completely caught off guard and uncertain what to do, Legolas awkwardly patted the girl's back. Hugging was not something that adult elves were culturally accustomed to, especially not among the folk of the Woodland Realm. Lorien elves he had heard were only slightly more inclined toward such physical displays of affection, with the Noldo-Sindar elves of Imladris most likely to express themselves so. In fact, the last person who had embraced him was his mother, so many centuries ago. At that time it had been a much shorter Legolas with his arms wrapped around her waist though.
With Legolas's cloak held around her shoulders as if it were both a royal robe and a security blanket all in one, Gelwin turned and scampered off back toward the village. Legolas had a feeling he would be missing that scrap of cloth out in the wilds, but if anyone could make do without it was him. At least it was going on March rather than November.
"Well well well." Elladan called out, breaking the sudden silence in the forest. "Tollan, I think your new wife has some ground to make up. Gelwin is clearly in the running for the title of Most Devoted Lady in all of Fornost."
Both Tollan and Legolas's ears turned an angry shade of red. United in mutual embarrassment the sandy-haired Dunedain and the prince of the woodland realm rounded on the trail.
"We're losing time." Legolas said as tersely as he was able. "Beringil, get us going again."
"As you say, elf." The old ranger said with mirth thick in his tone. With a short command he set the party traveling north again along the old, winding game trail. For several minutes they walked on in silence, the only sound the rangers' boots over mulched leaves from the previous autumn.
"You do know you're not likely to get that cloak back now?" Elrohir said casually as he fell into step next to Legolas.
"Oh?"
Elladan grinned wickedly. "I'm sure Gelwin is making a nest of it on her bed as we speak. You'll have to pry it out of her reluctant fingers."
"Alright, enough you two." The auburn-haired ranger whom Legolas had taken note of during the warg attack interrupted the twins' bantering. "Leave my cousin out of your teasing, she is only just a child after all."
"From such children come more children." Elladan shot back under his breath.
Three leagues later, Elladan was still nursing the purpling mark under his left eye.
"A fine mess you're becoming." Elrohir remarked to his brother. "First Legolas nearly lays your throat open with a knife, then Kaylen gives you a bruise to rival your best shiners." The elder twin shook his head with a long-suffering sigh. "Soon I shall just have to be known as 'The Pretty One', leaving the title of 'The Mangled One' all to you."
"At least then we might be able to tell the two of you apart." Andris laughed. "Say Kaylen, come back here and hit him again!"
Her braid throwing sparks of red in the muted forest sunlight, the Dunedain woman didn't even turn around as she walked ahead of them. Legolas noted the height of her bow where it rested on Kaylen's back and marked the apparent draw-weight. No wonder Elladan's cheek was swelling.
The rest of the morning passed uneventfully enough, and the afternoon after that. Come evening they were already seeing more sharp crags in the landscape, tearing up through the forest in places like teeth. They made camp in the overhand of a rock wall, Legolas and the twins obligingly taking the lion's share of the night's watch. The mortals would need their rest while they could get it; the elves could get their reverie during the long and tedious walk tomorrow.
As the Dunedain slept and the campfire burned low, Legolas sat with his bow in his lap atop a large boulder. The night breeze rustled the pines and came whistling through the rocks. They would be into more mountainous country soon, and the song of the ranges would play through gullies and crags alike with each gust. Looking up at the waxing moon above, the elf wondered fleetingly if the trees were putting out their leaves yet in his homeland. He was not homesick yet, and wondered at that. This was one of the longest expanses of time Legolas had ever been away from his father's realm. Surely that was where his heart ought to lie? And yet, here on the open road, Legolas found in himself a deep sense of oneness with Arda.
A howl came floating down to the elf's ears, faint and distant on the wind. Briefly the hairs on the back of his neck rose. It was the cry of a wolf though, not a warg's fateful wailing. Settling back onto his rocky seat, Legolas listened for the far-off music of the wolves. This was a wild land, untamable and feral. It also felt like home.
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