Between Two Worlds

17

I grasp the back of his shoulders suddenly, yelling, "Aragorn!" and then laughing after he flinches.

He chuckles. "Why try to frighten me, Vilora?"

"Because it's funny," I say like he should already know that. "Watch." I walk up behind Gimli who is in a deep conversation with Éomer. My hands grab his shoulders quickly at the same time I say, "Gimli!"

But the dwarf is so frightened he spits out the ale in his mouth and all over Éomer.

I hear the two hobbits start bursting into laughter and I hear Aragorn snickering behind me. I can't help but laugh as well as Éomer stands to his feet looking disgusted.

"Eh sorry," I laugh.

"That's alright. None of us were prepared for that," he sighs, wiping ale off his face.

"Do you want me to get you a towel?"

"It's alright—"

"Good I wasn't gonna get you one anyway."

He frowns at me, looking offended but I just start giggling.

He sighs and shakes his head.

I grab some food and sit with the others.

I had changed my clothes when I came back inside to a loose, white shirt with big sleeves but tight cuffs, under a red leather vest with broad shoulders that buckles in the middle of the stomach but still flatters my figure. I wear my same grey cotton trousers and the amber boots from Mirkwood.

My hair was tangled and wet but I ran my fingers through it until it set right, the small waves coming back.

"Pippin," I say and he looks up at me as I hold a grape.

He smiles and then opens his mouth. I toss it across the table and it hits his eye.

"Nice aim," Éomer says in front of me.

I stomp on his toe.

"Aagh," he complains.

I pluck another grape and try again. This time he catches it perfectly in his mouth. Merry lifts up his arms and cheers. I laugh.

Then when I see smoke I look to the left of me at Aragorn with a pipe in his mouth.

I tear it from him saying, "Put that out dog!" I wave it in his face. "This is a smoking free zone."

He looks at me with an insulted frown at first but then laughs and tries to take it back. I hand it to him and chuckle.

But then I catch him looking at me weirdly.

"What?" I ask.

"You seem rather joyful, more than usual," he says with a cute smirk.

I shrug but look back at my plate, biting my lip.

Just then I see Legolas enter the room. He does that smile with his eyes and his lips curve subtly. But I look down, trying not to let my cheeks turn bright red.

I play with the remains of my food.

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.

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That night I lie in bed staring at the ceiling, my heart beating in my ears. I look over to where Legolas sleeps and see that he is doing the same, staring into the wooden timbers. The others are passed out. I still wear my shirt and vest that actually was quiet comfortable.

But I try to dismiss my feelings. Remember what I had said? I need to protect my heart. It's out there now where he could stab it if he wished and I would die. I try to tell myself this but inside my head is screaming, telling myself different things. But when I quiet them I listen to the whisper... the whisper that says that I don't need to worry, that I don't need to protect my heart from him, that He has already given me his and I should do the same.