~ The company continues their journey and makes camp by a lake. Wynne has plans. ~

40. Riddles and Lakes

"I'm glad they decided to let you come." Wynne smiled at the woman riding next to her with an orcling in front.

"I can be stubborn," Sidra smirked.

"Very," Nugu agreed with emphasis.

Wynne chuckled. It was great to finally be on the road again. She had forgotten how good it felt to ride with the open sky above, the sound of birds and crickets around her and the smell of earth and growing plants in her nostrils. And of course Vatna's smooth motions under her.

She would miss Sidra's bathtub though, and nice meals at a real table, but that was a small price to pay.

Nevertheless, the farewell had been a sad occasion. Their kind hosts had captured their hearts in the short time they had known them. Or perhaps not so short; they had spent many weeks in the uruk-hai abode, sharing meals, exercising together, enjoying pleasant evenings of music, games and conversation. Nodir and Bronedir in particular had become good friends with several of the uruk-hai, and not a few tears from both parties had been discreetly wiped off when they parted.

Wynne had naturally found the last days of their stay the most enjoyable. Legolas had come to her every night since that first one, and they had shared many kisses, albeit less passionate than she – and he too, she knew – wanted. It had simply been too risky with everybody so close, and the elves' hearing was uncanny.

All had gone along nicely until yesterday when Wynne had decided to take it a little further and pulled up Legolas' shirt to slide her hand underneath. The skin of his bare chest had been softer than a foal's muzzle; her fantasies had not made the feeling justice at all, not even close.

But then Legolas mimicked her action, letting a palm find its way to her breast, and that ruined the moment. Wynne had involuntarily flinched, causing him to hastily snatch his hand back with a whispered "sorry".

Her cheeks heated up just thinking about it. It was embarrassing, but infuriating as well, that her body would react that way. Most angry she was at the damn orc who had groped her. Somehow Legolas' touch brought back the memory of her capture, even though this had been nothing like that time. She wanted him to caress her breast, and every other part he wished to explore.

She had not been able to explain that, however, not when they must be silent, so she had kissed him again and hoped he would not be too put off by her reaction. And thankfully It didn't seem so, for he had kissed her back with the usual fervor.

Next time she would put his hand back to her breast, showing him it was alright while also teaching herself to associate the feeling with him instead of a long-dead orc. She wondered when the next time might be, though; iIt would be a lot harder to find moments alone now that he would be sharing tents with his father again.

But maybe tonight when it was his watch...

"Do you think the humans will sign the treaty?" Nugu asked unexpectedly. "You know them, right? The Gondor king is your relative."

"Yes, but only distantly. I never met him."

"Oh." He seemed disappointed. "It's just... I worry."

"Why so? I'm sure the kings will listen to Thranduil. Elves are very respected by us humans."

"What if... what if he tells them how the treaty came to be... The way... the way Dad gave him an ultimatum." Nugu looked tense.

"He will not mention that." Galion rode nearby, carrying the baby uruk-hai as usual. The boy was enthusiastically waving a wooden sword the elf had made him, accidentally hitting Hlaupari's neck every now and then.

Wynne frowned at the orcling, who stuck out a tiny pink tongue back at her.

"He might," insisted Nugu.

"Nay, he wants the treaty too," said Galion, turning around to make sure Thranduil was out of hearing range. "He likes Goltur."

"He does?" The uruk-hai looked incredulous.

"Aye. I know my king well after the many centuries I have served him. Trust me, he holds the healer in high regard, and not only for saving his son." He chuckled. "Actually... have you forgotten how Thranduil tried to bend your will in a similar way, not long ago? He threatened to kill your children unless you led us to your friends."

Nugu stared at him, a slow grin forming. "He did, didn't he? Guess it was only fair, then." He looked a lot less apprehensive after that.

oOo

The first day the company steered westwards across the hills, heading toward the Anduin. They would follow the river down to the Dead Marshes and try to find King Éomer's men there. The weather was overcast but warm and Wynne thoroughly enjoyed the ride.

At lunchtime they came by a mountain lake and Thranduil decided they would make an early camp there. He claimed the reason was that it seemed a good spot, near water and fresh grass for the horses, but Wynne suspected it really was for Legolas' sake. He still used the crutch when walking longer distances and riding was probably painful too.

The orcs had filled their packs with plenty of food and soon Sidra had a meat stew going.

"Are there any lembas left?" Wynne mumbled to Legolas.

The afternoon was peaceful. The elves engaged in weapon practice and Legolas did a series of stomach exercises that Goltur had instructed him to repeat daily. He still hadn't fully regained the strength and flexibility in his abdomen and back, which was crucial for successful archery.

"When is your watch tonight?" asked Wynne, who looked on, confident that Thranduil was too busy to notice.

"Second watch," he panted, holding his stance stoically, tall body stretched rigidly on forearms and toes.

"We are still short on tents," she mused innocently. "I was thinking I should sleep outside on Vatna tonight and let Sidra and Nugu use mine again."

He looked up, noticing her sly grin and smiled. "Well... that sounds... good." A few drops of perspiration trickled down his forehead.

Later Wynne told her friend of the plan.

"Oh Wynne, you are too kind. But what if it rains again?" Sidra peered at the cloudy sky. "It's unfortunate Dad had no tents we could borrow."

"Those look nothing like rain clouds, don't worry. I want to sleep outside tonight." She gave a meaningful nod in Legolas' direction.

Wynne had told her friend the previous day about Legolas' and her complicated relationship and their need for secrecy.

"Oh, I see. Of course." Sidra grinned wide. Bending closer, she added in a whisper: "But you really should talk to his father instead and insist he allow his son to make decisions for himself. I know he's a caring person underneath that icy surface."

"We will. After he has met the King and Queen of Gondor. He needs to realize an elf-human relationship can work."

After dinner they lingered around the glowing embers of the dying cooking fire. Galion, Nodir and Bronedir entertained with flute music and song, and then Sidra shared old tales from Harad. Those particularly captured the elves' interest; they had heard almost every story before, but Sidra's were new even to them.

She was a great storyteller and the tales captivating. There were an abundance of lightly clad princes and princesses in palaces of marble and gold, with jeweled fountains and lovely night gardens where peacocks cried their forlorn songs, and the colorful flowers never withered. In the menageries roamed horses with necks taller than the height of a grown man, warg-sized cats and wingless birds large enough to carry a rider.

Sidra had a way with words; Wynne felt like she had been transferred to those exotic places and seen the amazing sights with her own eyes.

When she had finished, Nugu surprised everybody with an extensive collection of riddles. The otherwise quiet uruk-hai apparently had an amazing memory for them, and several made even the elves puzzled.

"With ten heads and ten tails, forty feet, fourscore nails. What am I?"

"A flock of horses?" suggested Nodir.

"Horses have no nails," Wynne protested.

"A pouch with ten coins and... six hundred-and-forty spikes. Hm. Nay, that makes no sense." Galion screwed up his face in thought.

"A sow with nine piglets." Thranduil smiled smugly.

"Ai, you heard it before," accused Legolas.

"I did."

"Correct," said Nugu. "Try this one then: 'I become pregnant without conceiving, fat without eating. When my brood is born, growth follows. Who am I?'"

"The moon?"

"A fruit?"

"A pouch of coins?"

"You and your coins, Galion."

"Wrong, wrong and wrong. Shall I say?"

"Aye."

"Yes!"

"A rain cloud."

"Makes sense. Brood – the rain. And then growth follows. Good one."

oOo

When everybody had gone to bed Wynne kept herself awake. She lay in her usual position with her head on Vatna's croup, knees bent and her feet resting on the mare's shoulders. She quite enjoyed the prospect of sleeping under the open sky after many weeks in a dark storage. But not until later, first things first.

It was hard to measure time at night, but she knew the elves used the movements of the moon and stars somehow, and that the watches were roughly two hours each. They took turns in a rotating schedule; one slept throughout the night while the other four shared the watches between them.

This had not changed with the addition of Nugu, for a guard who refused to use weapons was not of much use.

Wynne finally noticed Bronedir move to his tent, a silent shadow in the summer twilight. When she was certain he had gone to bed, she slid off the horse and tiptoed to where she had spotted the silhouette of Legolas on a stone by the lake.

Long before she was close he turned toward her. There was no sneaking up on an elf.

"Hi." She sat on his lap.

"Good evening, my beloved," he murmured and put his arms around her.

After some very enjoyable kisses, Wynne rose, pulling him with her. "Let's swim," she whispered.

"Sadly, I cannot... Some guard I would be then." There was mirth in his whisper, however, and he let himself be hauled to the shore where he removed boots and hose but kept his tunic with the dagger belt. Wynne wore the light chemise she normally slept in.

Hand in hand they strode out into the cool water. When it reached Legolas' thighs and her waist she leaned back to float. "Someday we shall do this with no clothes," she suggested.

Heleaned down to give her a kiss. "You are such a teasing little imp," he breathed against her mouth.

She rose and wrapped her arms around him, not minding soaking his tunic, and the kiss deepened. His tongue tentatively touched her lips and she opened them.

Had an oliphaunt army come upon them right then they probably wouldn't have noticed.

Wynne broke the kiss and swimmed out further, trying to lure the elf to follow. "You are still too dry."

She didn't hear his reply, however. Something hard and lithe had wrapped itself around her leg, quickly pulling her down into the deep, murky waters.

A/N:

Oops! Maybe she should have stayed in the shallow end of the pool... O.o Anyone else who would not mind watching Legolas doing planks, by the way...?