LOTR || ⤜𝙨𝙝𝙤𝙤𝙩 → [Legolas x OC]

⤜ 26 → captive

The ground was spread with four bed rolls - three of them currently occupied by myself, Aragorn and Gimli. Legolas was awake watching for the first part of the night. I could have been up for watch instead and it wouldn't make a difference seeing as I couldn't manage to sleep anyway. But now his shift was coming to an end, and he nudged Gimli with his foot before settling down in his own bedroll. Gimli awoke with a grunt and a grumble, shuffling out of his blankets so he could take up his watch for the second half of the night.

Minutes passes in silence. The dwarf was watching the darkness with the eyes of a hawk. I turned over in my bedroll to face the other way with a tired sigh - not because I was tired, but because I was tired of not being tired enough to fall asleep. When the change in position didn't work, I tossed and twisted around until I was facing everybody again. Legolas was already in deep sleep. Watching his features soften with every slow rise and fall of his chest made me slightly jealous of why I couldn't fall asleep as fast as him.

Just then, an abrupt snore caught my attention and my eyes landed on Gimli. He looked like he had just dozed off and was awoken by his own snore a second later. The dwarf wouldn't be able to stay awake much longer. And since I was the only one who seemed to have no trouble staying awake...

I pushed away my blankets and stood up into a long-overdue stretch.

"That you, lass?" Gimli called out, startled.

I trudged over to him. "Yes, it is me. I will keep watch for the rest of the night, Gimli," I offered him. "You can sleep."

I had never seen a dwarf thank me so fast before diving under the blankets of his bedroll. I giggled quietly to myself, and just when I was about to turn around, his head popped back up. "Wait, are you certain?" Gimli asked. "Because I—"

"Yes, I am certain," I reassured him with a small laugh. "I cannot sleep anyway. And if I do tire, then I can just rest in the boats tomorrow."

Seeming satisfied by my answer, Gimli nodded and lay back down. He was passed out within seconds.

I walked back to my bedroll and slumped down with a sigh, bringing my knees close to my chest and crossing my arms around them. The cool night breeze greeted me, caressing my face and playing with my hair as I inhaled deeply and closed my eyes. When I opened them again, the forest looked no different. Nothing had changed.

Except the fact that now I felt the sudden need to relieve myself.

Yes. I really needed to go.

Hurriedly, I got to my feet and looked around. Aragorn twitched in his sleep. Legolas looked like a perfectly carved statue. And Gimli was drooling a little. Everyone was asleep. Perfect.

I silently tiptoed over each one before making a dash for the trees, and when I felt like I had gotten far enough I came to an abrupt stop and leaned against a tree.

"Sorry," I apologised to the tree in advance for the extra fertilisation it was about to receive. My hands flew to pull down my breeches but they resisted. I tugged harder. More resistance. I began wresting with my trousers until I remembered — oh, right. The belt!

Slightly embarrassed, I lifted my tunic up to reveal the belt gifted by Galadriel. The silver buckle glinted in the moonlight. My fingers moved to undo the buckle but it wasn't unclasping at first. I groaned in frustration. "Come on, come on, come on. Open up." I did not know how much longer I could hold it in. "Please?" I begged, and finally the belt came undone with a sharp metallic click. I cheered at the small accomplishment and pulled out something sharp and shiny from the buckle.