LOTR || ⤜𝙨𝙝𝙤𝙤𝙩 → [Legolas x OC]

⤜ 6 → the three companions

They had been riding for a few hours now, and the sky was beginning to darken. Dusk was soon approaching. Rhythmic sounds of hooves clopping against the ground filled the still air. In front of Aragorn, the girl was starting to stir, slowly lulled awake by the gentle sways and steady trotting of Brego.

  *:･ﾟ✧ ･ﾟ (*^ -^*)/ *:･ﾟ✧

The sun caressed my face. Warm golden rays soothing the stiffness and lines of tension in my features. Soft movements swayed my body and my eyes fluttered, welcoming the serene feeling. I felt content, and in all honesty, like a baby being rocked to sleep. So I returned to my dreams, nestling back into the source of warmth behind me.

Ocean waves calmly rolled into the sides of the ship, gently rocking it from side to side. I preferred it like this. They were calm and tame today, far from what I remembered them to be last night- violent and ploughing into us like a beast. But, right now it was almost like sleeping in a big cradle. Almost.

Just... something felt different. The sounds of waves rolling over eachother became distant, and the usually loud gulls in the sky had stopped their awful raucous of squawks. I couldn't even hear their flurry of feathers flapping against the wind anymore. Slightly unsettled, I decided to wake up and find my father.

My eyes slowly opened and I squinted at my surroundings. However, the usual sight did not greet me.

Take the water, for example, which was looking rather green...

My eyebrows drew together. No-- no, there was no water. This was grass. And dirt. Even past the horizon. But that meant I was not on a ship either...

I looked down, my fingers curled around rough brown tresses of a horse's mane. "What--"

I jumped as a throat was cleared behind me. Whirling around, my movements paused as a pair of steel-grey eyes met mine. They considered me carefully.

"I hope you rested well." he said gently.

"..." silence.

I opened my mouth to say something.

The man waited. But when no response came, he continued.

"You fell unconscious in the woods," he explained. "Our journey had already been delayed and we needed to leave, but my companions and I did not have the heart to leave you in that state." He gestured to the right where two men rode beside us. One gave a simple nod in my direction, and the other removed the pipe he was smoking, grinning broadly through his beard.

"So we decided to take you with us!" He said buoyantly, puffs of smoke escaping with every word. A few seconds passed as they waited for my response.

And respond I did.

Perhaps they were expecting some form of gratitude, or appreciation maybe, for ensuring my safety. But the only thought above all others in my mind was one they did not expect...

"You kidnapped me?"

The dwarf drew in an accidental breath, spluttering out smoke "No! By Durin, lass, we did not kidnap you." he coughed and hit his chest a few times. Rings of smoke flew to the front of his companion's face, who irritatedly swatted them away.

The man behind me quickly interceded. "My lady, I can assure you we are no kidnappers," he said, but paused as I gave him a disbelieving look. For a second, he looked as if in doubt of his own words, but he shook the thoughts away and continued. "You are safe with us," he promised.

At my questioning look, the man went on to explain.

"I am Aragorn, son of Arathorn," he introduced, before extending his arm to the stout dwarf whose coughing had ceased. "This is--"