O' weary traveler || lotr ||

23

Yayyyy important chapter time, its main purpose is to wrap up lose ends from earlier in the story

The elves of the fellowship sat in the branches of a grand tree. It was nice, Ithil thought, it seemed almost domestic. A nice change from the recent schedule of fight after fight.

Callon was sitting in the higher branches of the tree, her focus solely on hunting a bird perched on the tree next to them.

"here" Legolas's voice broke him out of his trance, he held out a piece of dried fruit to the dark haired elf who took it gratefully.

"is this the last of our original supplies?" Ithil questioned, even though he knew it was true. It seemed the Fellowship would be surviving on Lembas alone for quite awhile.

The blonde hummed chewing on a piece himself, Ithil joined him in nibbling his own piece.

The rest of the Fellowship was scattered, still in eyesight of the two elves and probably in earshot as well if they focused. But that was probably due to their enhanced senses.

"do you remember back at the start of our journey" Legolas began, "when the Crebain flew over us"

"yes, i remember" Ithil awnsered unsure of where this conversation was going.

"you didnt hear us telling you to hide. At the time i had thought it was because you where so deep in meditation but know i realise something" he said, his voice layered with evident curiosity

"hm? What did you realise" Ithil prompted smiling, it was rather fun to tease the younger elf.

Oh yes. To Legolas's horror it had been revealed in one of there conversation, while camping in Lothlorien, that the blonde was indeed the younged of the two. However despite being older than the woodland elf Ithil was still a relatively young elf compared to some of his companions back in Ilmadris.

"i realised something about your necklace" Legolas statef after awhile of deliberation, "you werent wearing it then"

"oh?" he feigned suprise before leaning back into the tree, "my necklace was a gift from lord Elrond, it grants me my hearing"

"you are deaf?" The blonde said in suprise, "an unusual thing for an elf"

But before he could reply he felt a shift in the tree and looked up only to see Callon misjudge her jump to the neighboring oak and fall back into her masters lap.

Melodilic laughter filled the air for awhile, and once it faded and the dark haired elf began to hum a tune instead.

This humming is what caught the attention of a certain Sam Gamgee who placed himself down at the base if their tree, when Ithil had concluded his song he looked down at the hobbit curiously.

He seemed very nervous, and it suddenly became apprent to Ithil that he had never really had a conversation with him. Aside from when he saved frodo, or when he had his little fight with Boromir. That meant he probably didnt have the best impression of the elf so far.

"Hello, sam. Do you need something" he questioned in a gentle voice.

"oh! i was just wondering if i might bother you with some questions. Im very intrested in elves you see" Sam said nervously in his distinct accent, Ithil wondered briefly why both Sam and Pippin had such strong ones when Frodo and Merry seemed not too.

"what do you wish to know" it was Legolas who answered this time, he blonde elf hopped down from the tree to sit opposite the Hobbit and Ithil shortly followed suit leaving Callon to sulk in the tree alone.

"i suppose your language, it seems so complicated" he said in dismay, "And your names they beautiful, much better than Samwise"

"i assure you, Samwise is a great name" Ithil consoled him, "but you are right, our languages are quite complicated"

"languages?" he seemed surprised

"oh yes, there is Sindirin, Quenya and Telerin" Ithil revealed to the hobbit, "Sindarin was originally spoken in Doriath, Beleriand, and later in the kingdoms of Lindon, Rivendell, and Lothlorien. Quenya was spoken in Valinor and later by the Noldor in Middle-earth, while Telerin was spoken by the Teleri elves."

"i see" he squeaked obviously overwheled by the information, "do all elves know all three"

"well, yes. Elves have lots of time to study all languages of the world" Ithil said, he personality knew all three alobg with some other dwarvish languages. Legolas nodded in agreement, he also spoke all three.

"i read somewhere that elven nanes have special meanings" he said enthusiastically

"hm? Yes thats true. My name quite literally is the translation for moon in both Sindirin and Telerin"

"my name means green wood in Sindirin" Legolas added, "and my last name is Thranduilion, it means son of Thranduil"

Sams eyes flickered to Ithil for an explaination he wasnt going to get from the blonde elf,

"elven surnames are often made up of there fathers name and son or daughter" he said simply, "however, some like me do not have a surname"

He nodded and took a second to think of his next question before he spoke again, " the elves in rivendell, they called you a wanderer. Why is that?" he asked taking Ithil by suprise.

"i am a wanderer" he relpied smiling, "i have walked through every forest or desert, kingdom and swamp of this world"

"but why,dont you every get tired? I know i already miss the shire" he said confused about the dark haired elves lifestyle.

"when you have had a ling a life as i, and have wandered far and wide. You will find there is a great deal to be learned from the creatures who dwell on middle earth. And though i may have walked thtough all of this world but I've never found a place to call home, like you do to the shire. Even when i am tired, I continue to walk the world, seeking knowledge and hoping that one day I'll find a place where I belong."

Sam nodded in uderstanding and soon conversation flowed easily between the hobbit and the elves, yet as the night grew they where forced to retire for the night. The would set back out at first light afterall.

To be continued