"Bard! Everyone! Come take a look!" I hear Arley say behind us.
I look over my shoulder to see him popping out of the hold from under the large wooden hatch. Legolas and I exchange a look and then I hop to my feet. I run to where he opens the door and Bard stands there as well, following him down under the deck.
I take one leap down the steps and then look to where the few of us stare. In the hold are beautiful barrels that look rather familiar.
"Royal Wine from Mirkwood," Bard breathes.
"So they were thieves," Legolas says.
"Should we tell Epaphras?" I ask.
Bard thinks. "...No."
"He's going to find out," Legolas says.
"If he does then so be it. Let the man have some peace," he sighs and walks back up the stairs.
I follow him. "Are we to return it?"
"I don't see how," he answers as I follow him on deck.
"We could send it to the Woodland Realm on a nazgul dragon."
He turns around with a frown. "What?" he says in utter confusion.
"Ehh... nevermind," I stutter.
He squints.
I excuse myself by going down to the hold where Legolas still is.
I look at him as he stands in the same spot, though the other crew members have left. I walk down slowly, my feet stepping on the hard wooden steps.
"They stole from my father," he says as I walk up to his side. We stand down there alone in the dim light that seeps through the holes in the hatch door, the creaking of the ship echoing in the wood.
"And we stole from them," I smirk.
"Does that not make us as bad as they...?" he asks looking down.
I frown. He is probably right, as usual. "Is it stealing if it's already stolen?"
He thinks, looking about the barrels from his home, the smell of Mirkwood filling the air.
I place a comforting hand on his shoulder. "I miss it too, Legolas."
He doesn't look at me.
"That place has been my only home for twenty-three years."
"My home is not there..." he breathes, looking up ahead of him before he turns his head to lock eyes with me. "My home is with the people I love."
I smile slowly, the gaze he gives me letting me understand what he means.
Cluttered voices and scattering footsteps above us get my attention, tearing me from my elf's gaze. I frown and glance at him before I turn, running up the stairs and lifting the hold door. The sunlight stings my eyes as it is late morning now, and people run about the decks.
I keep the door open for Legolas and hurry over to Epaphras, resting my hand on the railing to the stairs that lead to the captain's deck. "What's happening?" I ask over the sound of the wind.
"Pirates," he answers.
I look back in front of us to see a ship about a mile away, headed our direction. "How do you know they are pirates?"
"The flag," Bard answers gathering a rope and a quiver of arrows. "To stations!" he commands the others.
Legolas hops up on the side of the ship, holding the ropes with one hand and leaning over to look at the coming ship.
YOU ARE READING
Between Two Worlds
Fanfiction"Where is the horse and the rider? Where is the horn that was blowing? They have passed like rain on the mountains. Like wind in the meadow. The days have gone down in the west, behind the hills, into shadow. How did it come to this?" _____________...
