Shadow of Light (Uruk-Hai x She-Elf)

Krith

She spent the next day attempting to engineer a suitable vambrace to replace the sleeve that had once covered her wrist. She hadn't been certain where the Uruk went till he randomly stepped in the doorway, and tossed her bow and arrows at her feet. "You went back?" she asked.

"Come to this conclusion on your own, did you?" he muttered.

She frowned. "In polite society, that means "what happened" but seeing as you're not dead, I'd say not a lot!" she said in aggravation.

"You are not dead, and I would say a lot happened last time." he replied.

"You are impossible!" she exclaimed. He ignored her as he took some smoked meat from the shelf.

She heaved a sigh, seeing that this conversation would get her nowhere. "Did you get any armor?" she asked.

"Yes, but it needs refitting." he replied. She frowned, giving him a look of disgust. He rolled his eyes, "I feel certain he shall not be requiring them further." he said, but she said nothing. "Soon I must leave. But I must pack rations and plot the journey." he said.

"Where will you go?" she asked.

"I suppose I must return to Isengard." he replied.

"Well, that's a bit of a walk. Halfway from here to Murkwood." she said.

"Murkwood? Are you certain?" he asked.

"Yes, I know all from here to those woods. Isengard will be a few hundred miles south." she said He looked thoughtful as he stood in silence. She raised a brow. "Does that help?" he said nothing. "Is that farther than you thought?" she asked. He looked up to her.

"It makes no difference." he replied, "I shall simply need time to hunt." he sat down in a chair, mindlessly biting at pieces of the meat he held. She fidgeted with her leatherwork, thinking more on the random questions that danced about her mind. She looked to him curiously.

"Isengard? Isn't that a part of Rohan?" she asked.

"In a matter of speaking..." he muttered.

"Then why go there?" she asked. "I wouldn't think the men of Rohan would appreciate an Uruk-Hai." she said.

"Seeing as they were those that killed my troop, I should say that would be a reasonable assumption." he grumbled.

"But, then why go there if you're going alone?" she questioned, growing more and more confused with each answer. He looked to her as if she were a strange foreign creature.

"Know you nothing of the world around you?" she suddenly fell quiet, turning her focus back to her work. "What do you do?" he asked. She said nothing. "If you choose to interrogate me, then is it not fair to answer me?" he pushed. She was still silent, fighting to get a leather lace through a hole. "Elayin." she jumped at the sound of her name, unused to hearing it, particularly in the low rumbling voice of the Uruk before her. Seeing his undeterred expression, she heaved a sigh.

"I haven't really left this forest for a few months now. Ok?" she said sharply, looking back down. She could tell he wasn't satisfied from the feeling of his eyes against her skull.

"How many months?" he asked.

"I don't remember right now." she said abruptly. Still, his gaze persisted. She gave an exasperated groan. "I left when it was-... What year is it?" she asked.

"3017." he replied. At this, she went very quiet, setting her leather aside.

"3017..." she repeated dumbly. To think that not just months, but years had passed. She had intended to live alone, but for time to sneak away like that... She chuckled. "I wonder if my mom thinks I'm dead." she said. "I wonder if-.." she trailed off. Having suddenly remembered, she reached into the collar of her gown and pulled the necklace out for her to see. It was as beautiful as when she first saw it. Shining. Pure. Did he think she was dead? She felt something against her face she hadn't felt in centuries. Tears. Warm droplets, falling against her hand as it held the small trinket.

Looking up, she remembered to whom she was talking. She felt stupid for crying over a few years going by. She rubbed at her eyes with her wrist, now feeling both stupid and messy. "Sorry, just thinking." she murmured over her arm. Finally clearing her vision, she looked to the Uruk hesitantly but found him with a strangely nonpatronizing look. His brows were furrowed as he watched her with what seemed like confusion, and maybe sympathy.

"I'm sorry, I don't..." usually cry? Know what's wrong with me? She wasn't certain, so her voice just trailed off.

"What is Murkwood like?" he asked out of the blue.

"What?" she asked in bewilderment. "Um, well, it's dark and enormous." she said, dropping her necklace back down her collar. "There's good hunting around every corner, but then also things hunting you. It's deep and threatening, but give it time and you'll realize how beautiful it is." she continued. She wouldn't have really expected him to be interested, but he sat, listening silently, resting his face against his knuckles in mute thought.

She didn't mind talking, she hadn't spoken of her home in so long despite how much she loved it. It felt pleasant to think about and share the beauties she grew up surrounded with. Then she came to a small realization. She gave a laugh as she thought. The Uruk gave her a confused expression. Seeing it, she laughed again. "I was just thinking, if my mother knew I'd been casually talking with an Uruk-Hai, I think she'd have a heart attack!" she laughed. The Uruk let a small smile tug at the corners of his lips, if for but a moment.

He then suddenly rose to his feet. "Night is approaching." he said, before marching out the doorway to do some unknown task. She raised an eyebrow at his sudden departure but didn't question it much. He was a strange person after all.