Through Fire and Water (A Legolas Love Story)

Saying Goodbye

Eventually Sam and I manage to get our craft under control through me paddling extremely carefully and Sam sitting perfectly still in the exact centre of the boat, balancing the weight with some precisely placed parcels. I am beginning to relax into the journey and I’ve stopped paying quite so much attention to the water when we hit an unexpected eddy, causing the boat to jolt and me and Sam to both tense up. The boat jerks again as I stab my paddle into the water in an attempt to steady the craft and release us from the eddy. We start to rock and visions of the boat tipping and sending Sam and me into the freezing water dance through my mind when I feel the boat steadying. I open my eyes, which I didn’t realise were closed, to see that we have drifted out of the eddy. I exhale heavily and laugh it off.

“That’ll teach me to get relaxed” I say to Sam who grins, but he doesn’t relax again for a while. We move on in silence for some time and I gradually find myself getting used to the boat and actually developing some kind of ability to row safely. I look up at the sound of Aragorn’s voice and gasp. Before us are two enormous statues, one on either side of the river.

“The Argonath” father says, in awe of the sight before him “Long have I desired to look upon the kings of old… my kin…” We stare in stunned silence as the current takes us through the narrow gap between the statues’ feet.

We go on for about an hour and then make camp on the river’s shore to rest for a while. The boat shudders as it grinds on the beach and Legolas, who is already out of his boat, offers me a hand up. I accept it without a second’s hesitation. I’m done trying to be tough all the time. I clamber out of the boat with the aid of Legolas but when he lets go of my hand I almost fall over. I have become so used to the rocking of that silly little boat that standing on solid ground feels weird, like it is wobbling. I try to stand straight but my knees wobble and Legolas has to catch my arm again before I go plummeting to the ground. I give him a grateful smile as he steadies me.

“Ok now?” he asks.

“Yes, I’m fine” I reply and he lets go of my arm.

We begin to set up a small camp, slumping down on the beach around a small fire. I am exhausted, I don’t enjoy being in boats which has led to me having a very stressful and tense day. I lean back against a boulder, it is hard and rough but I am too tired to care. I close my eyes, feeling the heat of the fire warming my skin.

“We cross the lake at nightfall, hide the boats and continue on foot. We approach Mordor from the North” father says.

“Oh, yes, just a simple matter of finding our way through Emyn Muil, an impassable labyrinth of razor sharp rocks. And after that, it gets even better...a festering, stinking marshland, far as the eye can see” Gimli says, gloomily.

“What a lovely picture you paint for us Gimli, I can’t wait” I say, less than enthusiastically and Legolas smiles at me.

“That is our Road. I suggest you take some rest and recover your strength, Master Dwarf” father says rather coldly and Gimli simply grumbles to himself in reply. Legolas turns to father and begins to whisper to him, a worried look on his face and I think I know why. Something is out there, in the trees. I don’t know what it is, but it’s there.

“Where is Frodo?” Merry asks. At this the entire fellowship is suddenly alert, looking around for the hobbit. The entire fellowship apart from Boromir, the spot where he was sitting is empty…

“Where is Boromir?” Father asks but no one can answer his question, the two of them have slipped away unnoticed.

“We have to find them” I say and father nods his agreement.