What to do?

I sat with Elanor near our campfire, occasionally getting up to stir at the stew I was making for dinner. I looked around again, everyone had been a bit quiet today, what with Miss Ella's disappearance, Miss Rosriel gettin' all mad at Legolas, Miss Lira still bein' unwell what with her broken arm and all. Yes, very quiet indeed.

Legolas had gone after Miss Rosriel - before Miss Turwethiel had come back an' told us that she'd wanted to be alone - and neither of them had come back yet. I figured that once they did though, we'd all sit down to talk about what to do next.

We all looked up as Legloas walked out of the trees, alone I noticed. Aldarion stepped forward.

"Rosriel, where is she? Did you find her?" he asked tersely.

Legolas nodded, his brow furrowed. "Yes I did. She said that she wished to be alone a while longer." He glanced back at the forest, as if puzzled about something. "She should be here soon, in the mean time, I believe we should discuss what to do."

"What is there to do?" Elena spoke. "From the sound of the note, it sounds as if Ella wanted to leave, and did not want anyone to follow her."

I nodded in agreement, and saw a few others nodding too, but Legolas' face had a stubborn look to it. "I cannot just let her wander about Middle-Earth alone!"

"I think she can take care of herself," Elladan voiced his oppinion.

"What did Rosriel think? Did you ask her what she wanted to do? She is Ella's sister after all." Anarion looked questioningly at Legolas.

Legolas hesitated, "She said she did not wish to look for Ella."

That puzzled me. Why wouldn't Miss Rosriel want to look for her sister? I shrugged, and spoke up slowly, "Well then, if that's what Miss Rosriel said, than I think it would be fine to not look for Miss Ella. Miss Rosriel is her sister and should know what her sister would want and could do. And seein' as Miss Rosriel has the closest connection with Miss Ella, if she's fine with lettin' her go then it seems as if we should be fine with it too."

Elena smiled. "Never argue with good hobbit sense." She looked keenly around at the rest. "I propose that we let Ella go and continue on her way."

Legolas looked frustrated, but complied. "Very well then. As soon as Rosriel returns then we will go on." He walked off to sit by himself.

I got up to put more wood on the fire, casting a glance at Legolas' stiff back. "It's as plane as the nose on your face Samdo Took that Mister Legolas doesn't plan on lettin' Miss Ella go off on her own, but there'd be no use in pointin' that out just yet," I muttered to myself. "Well, maybe when Miss Rosriel gets back she'll talk him out of it."

And so we waited for her to return. And waited, and waited, and waited, but there was still no sign of her. At last Aldarion turned to Legolas. "Legolas, did she say she would be gone this long? The sun is nearly setting!"

Legolas looked worried, "She said she would be along shortly, maybe."

"Maybe?" Aldarion looked closely at Legolas.

"Those where her words," Legolas spoke. "Could she have gone to look for Ella herself?"

"Yet you say that she said she did not want to follow her," Elena pointed out.

Legolas nodded, "She did, and very firmly too. No, I do not think she went after Ella. I know Rosriel well enough to know that when she speaks firmly, she just as firmly intends to stay by what she says."

"Then something must have befallen her, we must look for her." Aldarion stood up. "I will go, Legolas, you will come with me and Elladan as well. The rest of you should stay here." He looked to Elena who nodded.

"Be careful."


~ Master Samdo