✓ Wizard's Apprentice | Legolas |

Book Two: Chapter One

We walked to the stables, talking about the king's decision.

"Who will defend them if not their king?" Gimli asked.

"He's only doing what he thinks is best for his people. Helm's Deep has saved them in the past."

"There is no way out of that ravine. Theoden is walking into a trap. He thinks he's leading them to safety. What they will get is a massacre," Gandalf pointed out, although he really didn't have to. Sudden anger fulled my chest and I slammed a nearby stall door, startling the others and even myself.

"Theoden is a damn fool! If he thinks that this is wise, someone needs to knock some sense into his thick skull. Particularly with an axe." They gawked at me like I had lost my mind. Which I may have.

"Arietta, you need to calm down this instant!" Gandalf ordered and I laughed unsteadily.

"Why should I? You expect me to lay down my life for a lost cause?" I asked, venom dripping from each word. Gandalf reached out to touch me but I shrank back. A worried look came across his face.

"Arietta, you're not thinking clearly. Your head is clouded with grief and insanity." I laughed ruefully.

"Clouded? I've never seen anything more clearly. As for insanity, I would rather know that I am insane instead of thinking that I am sane," I spat before I realized what I had said. It snapped me out of the fog that I was in. I looked around numbly at the four.

"Oh god, what happened Gandalf?" I whispered, scared of the answer.

"Dark magic. If it get's a foothold in your soul, Saruman will use your magic against us." I looked around at Gandalf, Gimli, Aragorn, and Legolas. The others had a stunned look on their face while Legolas had a curious look.

"I need to go clear my head. I apologize for my absurd behavior." Without another word, I ran out of the stables, trying to stop the tears that were now running down my face.

"Arietta!" Legolas called from behind me and I ran faster. I looked back after some distance and ended up falling into a man's cabbage cart. He helped me out of the cart and made sure that I was okay. I looked down at his damaged cabbages.

"I'm so sorry. I'll make-"

"Don't. It's fine, really," the man said quickly before walking away. By then, Legolas had caught up with me.

"Arietta, please tell me what's wrong?" he asked, sounding truly concerned.

"I want my mother," I sobbed into Legolas's chest.

"I want this all over. I want to be back home in Lothlorien with Celeborn, Galadriel, and my mother," I added. Legolas began rubbing my back as I continued crying.

****

We were walking to Helm's Deep and Gimli was talking about female dwarves.

"It's true you don't see many dwarf women. And in fact, they are so alike in voice and appearance that they're often mistaken for dwarf men." I saw Eowyn smile at Gimli and then Aragorn.

"It's the beards," Aragorn whispered.

"Hey Arietta, have you been getting any lip hair lately?" Aragorn asked jokingly.

"Haha, very funny. If you haven't noticed, the only things that I've inherited from the dwarves is bad eyesight, not being able to walk on top of rocks, and my drinking habits," I said, getting an offended "Hey," from Gimli at the bad eyesight. Eowyn gave a confused look at Aragorn.

"Arietta's father was Thorin Oakenshield, a dwarf, while her mother, Adalia, was the offspring of a wizard and an elf sorceress." Eowyn nodded. Suddenly, Gimli's horse reared up and ran off, knocking Gimli to the dirt. Eowyn helped him as he said,

"It's all right. Nobody panic. That was delibrate." Delibrate my ass.

"That was so not meant to happen, Gimli. You don't have to impress Eowyn by trying to say that was a cool, intended, stunt." Gimli's face turned red while the rest of us cracked up.

****

After sneakily changing the horrible soup from Eowyn into clam chowder, I sat down beside Legolas. He was staring ahead, deep in thought.

"What are you thinking about?" I asked, snapping him out of his daze.

"Nothing really. Just home." He gave me a sad smile, making my chest ache since this is the Legolas who was always light-hearted no matter what. I reached out and took ahold of his hand.

"You'll be back home soon," I said reassuringly. Legolas gave another sad smile and there was doubt in his eyes.

"You better sleep in case you need to use you magic," he said, changing the subject. I nodded as I laid down on the ground, surprised that is what soft.