My beloved elf

Chapter 6 - Whispered Words

-Er... I... leave you alone...- says Elaije leaving them alone.

-I'm sorry I didn't mean to interrupt you-

-You're starting to be arrogant, careful Legolas you're disappointing me.. -

-Then excuse me, Princess. –

-Arrogant, snooty but never disrespectful- she observes.

They remain in silence for some time by watching each other secretly.

Kayla is fascinated by the elf's appearance and behavior while Legolas is fascinated by the girl's strong temperament.

-So... you don't know what the plan is.. – she asks.

-No, not yet, no. For now, we just have to see how far they have gone and which villages can still be saved without the intervention of armies but only with our help-

-So if we see a big plume of black smoke what do we do? - asks Kayla peering in front of herself engaged.

-Well I think we'll have to think about whether to intervene.. - answers the elf not understanding what the girl was aiming at.

-Well think about it quickly- she says starting to worry, she turns to her father and others to warn them that not too far from them there was great black smoke.

They decide in a hurry to go and intervene when they arrive in the village, unfortunately, everything is unrecoverable... No one in the neighborhood... only corpses, ashes, and buildings destroyed...

-This village was called Elmir... Probably the attack was from the same group that we faced... there is no one and now there is nothing we can do, we continue...- says Aragorn, come back from the horses ready to start.

-How... and ... we leave them all here? So we don't bury our people?! - shouts Kayla to everyone, and they turn to look at her.

-Kayla...- Legolas approaches her to calm her down but she immediately interrupts him.

-No! Kayla nothing! All these people are innocent victims and they need a proper burial, don't you think?! - still screaming a few steps away from Legolas.

-Kayla we have to go on, we can't bury them all- tries to convince her father.

-But they have every right! -

-Kayla if it makes you feel better when we get back to the palace I'll send someone to bury them but now we have to go-

They get back on the road and stop only when it's dark.

Everyone's grouped around the fire... everyone except Kayla, she's sitting on a fallen log.

At one point Legolas approaches her from behind and lays a hand gently on her shoulder.

The girl gets scared, winces but when she turns around and sees that it is only the elf calms down.

Legolas sits next to her.

-You did not touch food, you're all right? - he asks her.

-yes yes, just wasn't hungry...-

-Why don't you come with all the others? – he insists.

-I don't want to... can you leave me alone please? –

To hear that tone of voice Legolas understands that there is something wrong.

He gently turns her face to her side by placing a hand on her cheek.

-Are you crying? - He asks when he feels her cheek wet in contact with his warm hand.

-It was a difficult day and that village.... we don't even know who died...- says then dodging the hand of the elf.

-So you cry for them? I thought you'd seen dead people before...-

-Yes, I saw them... but I knew their name and then they were honored as they were buried... Among the dead today there were men but also women and children and still elderly... people who had not gone to look for blades or blood or everything that touched them...- she whispers as he wipes the tears.

They remain silent, Kayla head down embarrassed by Legolas insistent gaze on her.

-I don't remember ever crying...- he whispers at some point.

-Really? - She asks in amazement.

He just nods his head.

-Well... I apparently do... I am a specialist in lost causes.. –

-Sometimes it's not always bad- he reassures her.

-Don't be sad... sadness turns off your face.. - whispers.

The princess smile.

-"Poet also?" – she asks in elfic.

-"I have many qualities"- he boasts.

-"I wish I knew them all"-

They look at each other smiling.

Real smiles that take away from their minds the long day, the fatigue, the pain of the back riding, the cold of the evening, the corpses, the blood, the battle, and more...