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Chapter Three: The Avari

"I'm hungry."

Silence met Robin's words and he frowned, glaring at the backs in front of him. "I said, I--"

"Yes, we all heard you." It was the Ranger-- Elanor, who cut him off. "We're just all choosing to ignore your words."

Robin frowned again, "I won't do your king much good half dead from starvation."

Behind him, Gimli snorted, quickly covering it up with a cough. 

But a sudden blow to Robin's head sent him staggering and he tripped over a root, just barely catching himself.

Gimli's voice broke the air, "Durin's name, Thralor! Stop hitting the lad!"

"It was a little cuff." A low voice grumbled in response, "It's not my fault humans are fragile."

"Not human," Robin growled. But he fell back in line in front of Gimli, trying to distance himself from the bald-headed brother.

"Well maybe if you'd shut your yap--"

Robin clenched his jaw, straightening himself up. Good Mordor, maybe he would have been better off letting the elf shoot him in the back.

He had noticed Legolas hadn't said a word since they had started their trek and Robin realized with a bit of amusement, that he was still stumped on Robin's background.

He grinned at the ground, his boots scuffing on the forest floor.

It was more often that people balked when they caught glimpse of his curved ears. Sometimes they pretended not to notice, but he always caught their stares. 

With his short trimmed hair and way of dressing, elven nature was the exact opposite of what they expected. 

And Robin liked to use that to his advantage.

Once, he had long dark hair, much like his fathers. He'd adorned simple tunics woven by his naneth and a cloak gifted to him by his father on his five-hundredth begetting.

But after everything had happened... 

Robin forced away his thoughts, squaring his shoulders. That had been years ago, too long to still be lingered on.

"What exactly is he?" Elanor whispered to Legolas, although Robin could easily pick up her words. She glanced at him over her shoulder and he looked away.

"He is of the elven kind," Legolas replied softly. "But I cannot tell--"

Suddenly he stopped and they all came to a halt. Legolas turned back to Robin, his blue eyes sparking. "You're an Avari. Of the Unwilling."

Robin masked a grin, shrugging. "Perhaps. I could tell you-- for a price."

Legolas stared.

"My freedom," Robin stated. "And all your deepest questions and wonders answered."

This time, when Thralor swung, Robin was expected his cuff and ducked under the dwarf's fist, glaring at him. "Ego mibo orch!"

Elanor's eyes widened and Thralor stared for a moment. 

Then he rounded on Legolas, his face turning tomato red. "What did he just say?"

Legolas blinked, looking from Thralor to Robin, then back. He studied Robin in confusion, then shook his head.

"The Avari do not come west of the Misty Mountains," he murmured. "Tis not possible."

"Is that so?" Robin shrugged. "You have my price-- whether or not you want answers all depends on you."