Tattoo Girl and Middle Earth

14

We had been running for what was a really ridiculous amount of time. Wait, it gets better, without stops.

And being neither an elf or ranger Gimli and I were struggling.

I finally caught up to them just in time to hear Aragorn ask Legolas what he can see.

"They're taking the hobbits to Isengard!"

They're taking the hobbits to Isengard gard gard ga ga ga gard!

Do not crack up. Remember that would be bad. So just don't.

The hobbits the hobbits the hobbits the hobbits to Isengard! To Isengard!

.

I'm next to Legolas not paying attention as Aragorn talks to Eomer. Legolas doesn't seem to be paying much attention either. Most of his focus has been on me these last couple of days.

None of the others saw or at least haven't mentioned my breakdown after Boromir's death. Legolas, however, has been watching me 24/7, barely leaving me alone. He doesn't trust me to keep myself safe anymore and I don't blame him. I don't trust me either.

"Hastful, Arod!"

Two horses come bounding up to us.

Two horses and four of us, which means I'm stuck with either Aragorn or Legolas.

Lovely.

At least there won't be more running.

My thoughts stop as I notice the Rohirrim have left us.

Gimli hops on, or at least attempts to, behind Legolas. Aragorn takes pity on me however and helps me up behind him.

Legolas seems disappointed, and I catch Aragorn smirk at him knowingly. Gimli just stares confused, and honestly so am I.

.

The running was actually better. And never in a million years did I think I'd rather run.

By the time we get to the pile of burning carcasses I've wanted to vomit for awhile now. Legolas and Gimli begin to shift through the piles searching for Merry and Pippin's dead bodies.

Personally, I'm focusing on not passing out because of the smell. It's awful. Kinda like burning plastic actually.

The lack of really actual not-lembas food is not helping.

For the second time this journey I feel the blackness coming and let it take me.

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Legolas POV

"Come on River!" Gimli calls behind us.

I stand on the edge of Fangorn Forest looking into it. I haven't checked on River for a while. I turn around and walk in away from the forest. Where was she? She would have been here by now.

Unless something happened.

I'm worried now. She wouldn't have stayed away from us this long. She can usually fight the darkness in her mind. So well in fact, I'm not sure if any of the others have managed to notice it's there.

I spot her sprawled on the ground, several meters away. Is she... No, no she can't be. I would have noticed if she were showing signs of wanting to harm herself.

I kneel next to her and notice that she's only unconscious.

Aragorn and Gimli run over to see what's happened. I pick River up, refusing their help, and carrying her with me as I make my way back to the forest.

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River POV

Not again.

Someone's carrying me. We're walking through Fangorn, I can tell because the air doesn't smell like dead orc.

I don't open my eyes and simply lean into the person carrying me instead, pretending not to have woken up.

"River, you're not fooling me," Legolas whispers, and I feel his hair brush my cheek.

"Well just pretend I am then," I murmur back.

I feel him chuckle at that and silently pray he's not going to drop me.

He doesn't and I keep my eyes closed, falling asleep.

.

I wake up to hear Aragorn saying something. Legolas is no longer carrying me and I have been propped up right against a tree.

I open my eyes and notice a bright white glow that all three of them have their weapons pointed at. Gandalf's back! Finally, I was sick of babysitting these three.

I stand up ignoring the others for the time and focusing on my legs and making sure they function. Then I calmly walk over to where all three of them are standing just in time to see Gandalf appear.

"Oh thank goodness you're back! These three are really quite the handful I expect to get a raise next time I have to watch them."

Gimli, Legolas, and Aragorn all send me confused (and some annoyed) looks as I continue my march forward. Gandalf laughs, and I sick out my tongue at them.

"Also to speed things up because all your talk can be boring, shut up, cause we're going to Edoras."

"Woke up on the wrong side of the tree, did we?" Gimli mutters.

"No I'm just not in the mood to fake paying attention."

Gandalf laughs and we all follow him out of the forest.

"Will you ride with me this time?"

"I don't see why this matters," I reply, as nonchalantly as possible.

Legolas sighs, "Is it that difficult to simply wish for your company instead of Gimli's on this part of the journey?"

See self, he doesn't have feelings for you. He never will, don't get your hopes up.

Blah I wrote this like a week ago and I'm finally publishing it. I think updates are going to work differently again. At least for this week. With school I'm having trouble forming a routine😅.