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It was the first night the Fellowship of the Ring had set out from Rivendel. Worn from their long walk, the Men, Hobbits and Wizard were more then ready for rest. The only elf among them, Legolas of Mirkwood however, seemed content enough and perhaps able to travel further. Behind him as they looked for a place to camp, Legolas could hear Gimli son of Gloin grumbling about the endless energy of elves.
Smirking to himself, Legolas helped to gather firewood and sat with his back against a tree, absentmindedly stroking his bow which laid in his lap. Gimli and Gandalf sat smoking their pipes, weary to keep the wind blowing it away from the elf though Gandalf was the only one that knew why elves dispised pipeweed so much. Aragorn was to Legolas's left, huming an elvish song under his breath and staring up at the branches of the trees overhead. Huddled together the four Hobbits look remanicent of a litter of pups, speaking quietly to one another and occasionally giggling at strange little jokes. Boromir sat on Legolas's right, staring at the fire, hands occasionally twitching as if his thoughts were restless.
Gimli decided to take the first watch and despite Legolas's best attempts to take the watch the dwarf refused.
“A dwarf has eyes just as keen as an elf!” Gimli insisted stubbornly, knocking the flat of his ax blade against a tree trunk.
Wincing, Legolas frowned. “You seem unable to compreihend that I don't sleep as much as you dwarf. You'll be asleep and snoring before the hour is past!”
“Enough!” Gandalf barked, frowning at both the dwarf and prince. “Gimli shall take first watch, it is settled now let us get some rest.”
Shooting a meaningful look at Legolas, Gandalf settled himself comfortably and soon the wizard was asleep. One by one the rest of the Fellowship followed his lead starting with the Hobbits and then Boromir. For a while longer, Legolas and Aragorn sat awake, occasionally pointing out stars until Aragorn also dropped off to sleep. Glaring at the dwarf to pass the time, Legolas knew he should stay awake, certain the dwarf was going to fall asleep.
The quiet whispering of the trees however urged the prince to rest. They had watched the Fellowship toil and travel many miles and wished no harm to befall the prince of their kin to the north. Almost reluctantly the elf's eyes glazed and his head fell to one side, resting on Aragorn's shoulder, eyes staring blankly into the night.
Gimli jumped slightly as a loud snore from Pippin startled him to wakefulness. Blushing scarlet the dwarf realized he had fallen asleep. Glancing around the camp he found the wizard, Men and Hobbits still asleep. Hoping beyond hope the elf hadn't noticed, Gimli cast a weary glance toward the elf beside Aragorn. He did a doubletake so fast he felt his neck pop.
The elf was sitting up against a tree beside Aragorn, blond-haired head on Aragorn's shoulder. What startled Gimli was the elf's eyes. They were glazed and blank, staring at him across the camp but not seeing him. The embers of the fire threw eerie shadows over the elf's pale face, blowing dully in his blue eyes which seemed darkened to black.
“The elf is dead!” Gimli yelped, leaping to his feet and nearly kicking Boromir. Jerking awake the Man of Gondor sat bolt upright, unsettling the Hobbits. The yelps and noise thus woke Aragorn and Gandalf.
Aragorn sensing unease sprang to his feet and heard Legolas yelp which made them all start. Looking around, Aragorn found nothing out of place apart from the fact that it was past midnight, not dawn and he was awake. Gandalf was looking at Gimli, Boromir looking for danger, the Hobbits clustered together and Gimli staring at Legolas. Looking down, Aragorn saw Legolas push himself into a sitting position, having fallen over when Aragorn stood up. The prince looked confused and had a long knife in his hands, blue eyes slightly dazed.
“What happened?” Legolas asked as everyone shared confused looks.
“Gimli decided to get a start on the day” Boromir said, frowning at the dwarf and rubbing his back where he'd been kicked.
“I did not!” Gimli blustered, blushing as red as his beard.
“Then why pray tell are we all awake at this unholy hour?” Gandalf asked, looking expectantly down at the flustered dwarf.
“Him!” Gimli barked, jabbing a finger at Legolas.
Looking confused, Legolas raised a brow. “What?”
“He was dead!”
Aragorn couldn't hold back his laughter. The Man and elf both laughed, Gandalf joining in when he realized what Gimli had seen. Aragorn dropped to his knees beside Legolas, crying as he laughed and Legolas was holding his sides. Around them, Gimli looked fit to explode with rage while the Hobbits and Boromir looked thoroughly confused.
“Um, Strider, what's so funny about Legolas being dead sir?” Sam asked at last as Strider and Legolas quieted their laughter.
“Nothing Sam, nothing at all” Gandalf said, eyes bright with amusement. “Luckily however, Legolas is far from dead.”
“Aye, I am” Legolas agreed, wiping his eyes.
“He was dead I swear he was!” Gimli blustered furiously.
“He appeared so to your eyes Gimli, you are not used to elvish sleep” Aragorn said quickly, hoping to abate the dwarf's embarrassment. “Elves sleep with their eyes open and glazed for they do not truly sleep.”
“We wander through our memories and the world around us to rest and need not be still to do so” Legolas added.
“Really?” Merry asked. “So, you could sleep while riding a horse or walking?”
“Aye” Legolas confirmed, smiling. “We need not sleep as often as humans but it refreshes our souls and prepares us for the day if we do.”
Growling in dwarvish, Gimli frowned at the elf. “Don't do that again you bloody elf! I nearly had a heart attack!”
Shrugging, Legolas looked at Aragorn whom was once again sitting next to him. “It's not my watch yet, so I bid you all goodnight.” Nodding to the Hobbits, wizard, dwarf and Men, Legolas leaned back against the tree, staring at the sky.
Before the astounded Hobbits, Boromir and Gimli the elf's eyes glazed. Crystaal blue irises darkened to midnight blue and the pupils became unfocused. His breathing became shallower and there was a sense that the body was now empty but not as if in death, simply the spirit was wandering or had retreated. Gandalf settled himself down again and Aragorn did as well.
“Is he ok?” Pippin whispered to Merry.
Aragorn laughed softly. “Aye Merry, he is well.”
Glancing at his friend, Aragorn tilted the prince's head so it rested again on his shoulder. The last thing Legolas would need was getting a crick in his neck from sleeping with his head tilted back all night.
“I'll take the watch for now” Boromir volenteered, glancing at Gimli.
“Aye, you do that” Gimli growled, stomping over to a tree and leaning against the trunk with his ax close at hand.
As the group settled down again, Gimli glanced over at the elf and shuddered. No matter what the elf said or how many people knew it to be true, Gimli couldn't shake the feeling that the elf looked quite dead with his vacant eyes and lack of blinking. Grumbling unhappily the dwarf tried to find a comfortable way to fall asleep. He didn't see how Aragorn and Legolas could sleep against a tree all night. “Bloody elves” he grumbled. Out of the corner of his eye, Gimli could have swarn he saw Legolas's lips twitch in a smile.
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