A Face in the Crowd: Legolas

Chapter One - The Glittering Caves

Keren woke with a start at the sound of a man's shout. How she had managed to nod off on horseback she did not know.

She had possessed a total inability to control Léofric riding alone, and she had soon started irritating those around her, either stopping dead in front of them, or tutting and sighing and groaning more and more frequently. After a few hours of this Legolas had lifted her onto his own horse, Arod, with no time for her to argue. Gimli had silently slipped off Arod's back and mounted Léofric, with nothing but a raised eyebrow towards Gandalf as a comment. Gandalf had kept silent, a look of blank amusement on his face.

Legolas had grabbed her hands and wrapped them around his waist, laughing at her awkwardly waving arms.

"Hold on to me," the elf had said, "and I'll keep you safe from falling."

And indeed so safe had she felt that she must have fallen asleep, for now she had awoken with her head lolling forward onto his shoulders. She quickly snapped it back.

"Sorry," she said, even quicker. "I don't know how I managed to fall asleep."

"We slowed the horses to a walk a couple of hours past, if you remember," he replied. "You fell asleep almost immediately. I imagine it was the King's cry that woke you. Helm's Deep is within sight."

"My back's sore," Keren said, yawning.

Without thinking she let go of the elf's waist and stretched her arms out.Immediately she yelped as the rolling movement of Arod below her sent her slipping off the side of the saddle.

"Ai!" Legolas cried as he turned quickly to grab her and set her upright. "You and horses are a disaster together. You must learn to listen to them."

"But they don't speak!" Keren cried.

Legolas looked at her as if he did not understand her, and indeed he did not. He had little hope for Keren liking horses unless she was given many dedicated days of training.

Perhaps one day I could teach her, he thought fondly, but quickly stopped himself from going down that path. They were a long way from that future yet.

She did not, and could not, know. Not yet, perhaps not ever. She was still in pain over Faramir, her infatuation so strong it had almost made her lose her reason. But he would not laugh at her, nor chide her for her obsession, for was he now not able to understand? Her heartbreak over an unrequited love... His mind reeled that he now knew such a thing himself. His heart and his soul were no longer fully his own, and after thousands of years it was an unsettling shock. Never had he thought anyone could hold so much power over him. And he did not know if it was better or worse that she was - had to be - oblivious.

The wizard watched the pair. If he was right, and everything he suspected came to pass, then the world would not have seen the like before. But the path they were most likely to set out on together was full of peril, for both of them, and he pitied them, was fearful for them. He knew the elf would do well not to underestimate what had almost happened, what indeed could still happen, between the girl and the steward, for it had its reasons and, he suspected, its history. But if only he could have some confirmation... The crystal, that he imagined now sat in the pouch at her waist, called to him, but he knew it was not his place to answer. Not this time.

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Helm's Deep, Legolas told Keren, was a naturally defensive gorge set into the sides of the mountains that rose ahead of them, that had long been a place of refuge for the people of Rohan. At its heart was the Hornburg, a great keep with high walls and towers. Behind the huge Deeping Wall, never breached until a few months past, lay a great hall, kitchens, stables, and miles of caves and passageways for shelter.