I grasp the back of his shoulders suddenly, yelling, "Aragorn!" and then laughing after he flinches.
He chuckles. "Why try to frighten me, Vilora?"
"Because it's funny," I say like he should already know that. "Watch." I walk up behind Gimli who is in a deep conversation with Éomer. My hands grab his shoulders quickly at the same time I say, "Gimli!"
But the dwarf is so frightened he spits out the ale in his mouth and all over Éomer.
I hear the two hobbits start bursting into laughter and I hear Aragorn snickering behind me. I can't help but laugh as well as Éomer stands to his feet looking disgusted.
"Eh sorry," I laugh.
"That's alright. None of us were prepared for that," he sighs, wiping ale off his face.
"Do you want me to get you a towel?"
"It's alright—"
"Good I wasn't gonna get you one anyway."
He frowns at me, looking offended but I just start giggling.
He sighs and shakes his head.
I grab some food and sit with the others.
I had changed my clothes when I came back inside to a loose, white shirt with big sleeves but tight cuffs, under a red leather vest with broad shoulders that buckles in the middle of the stomach but still flatters my figure. I wear my same grey cotton trousers and the amber boots from Mirkwood.
My hair was tangled and wet but I ran my fingers through it until it set right, the small waves coming back.
"Pippin," I say and he looks up at me as I hold a grape.
He smiles and then opens his mouth. I toss it across the table and it hits his eye.
"Nice aim," Éomer says in front of me.
I stomp on his toe.
"Aagh," he complains.
I pluck another grape and try again. This time he catches it perfectly in his mouth. Merry lifts up his arms and cheers. I laugh.
Then when I see smoke I look to the left of me at Aragorn with a pipe in his mouth.
I tear it from him saying, "Put that out dog!" I wave it in his face. "This is a smoking free zone."
He looks at me with an insulted frown at first but then laughs and tries to take it back. I hand it to him and chuckle.
But then I catch him looking at me weirdly.
"What?" I ask.
"You seem rather joyful, more than usual," he says with a cute smirk.
I shrug but look back at my plate, biting my lip.
Just then I see Legolas enter the room. He does that smile with his eyes and his lips curve subtly. But I look down, trying not to let my cheeks turn bright red.
I play with the remains of my food.
.
.
.
.
That night I lie in bed staring at the ceiling, my heart beating in my ears. I look over to where Legolas sleeps and see that he is doing the same, staring into the wooden timbers. The others are passed out. I still wear my shirt and vest that actually was quiet comfortable.
But I try to dismiss my feelings. Remember what I had said? I need to protect my heart. It's out there now where he could stab it if he wished and I would die. I try to tell myself this but inside my head is screaming, telling myself different things. But when I quiet them I listen to the whisper... the whisper that says that I don't need to worry, that I don't need to protect my heart from him, that He has already given me his and I should do the same.
YOU ARE READING
Between Two Worlds
Fanfiction"Where is the horse and the rider? Where is the horn that was blowing? They have passed like rain on the mountains. Like wind in the meadow. The days have gone down in the west, behind the hills, into shadow. How did it come to this?" _____________...