paradisalogs | (no subject)

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(no subject)

Who: Legolas and anyone.
What: NEW ARRIVAL ALERT! Oh, and exploring!
When: Oct. 25th.
Where: Just pick a place and we'll make it work. Love to anyone that finds the hippy elf in the forest.
Rating: G!

One moment he had been with Gimli, Aragorn and Gandalf, hearing messages passed to Gandalf from the Lady Galadriel. He'd been armed and ready to go to Edoras, content with the knowledge that Merry and Pippin were safe. Safer. And now he was...

Well, Legolas wasn't entirely sure where he was. He'd seen, in passing, the buildings of Men though never had he entered them. He'd been content enough to remain out of doors or in the forest. It reminded him very much of what he'd seen though. And this only raised the question of how he came to be here. Standing and doing nothing wouldn't answer his questions though, this he knew. Only by exploring could he find what he wanted to know and hopefully that would include a way back. It wasn't long after he started to explore that he realized that he was now also unarmed. His quiver was still on his back but it was empty of arrows and he no longer carried his knife or the bow that the Lady of the Golden Wood had gifted him. Guilt tore at him over the loss of such a precious gift. He knew that he could craft himself another bow but it would never compare to those of the Galadhrim.

Garbed in grey, most will find him, a cloak about his shoulders and unassuming. He was cautious, of course, because who knew if this was some trick of Saruman or of the Enemy.

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Well, perhaps some elves did but Legolas was not one of them. And he wasn't sure that any of the elves in Mirkwood did either, not any of his companions anyway. Had Bard smoked? Hm, he couldn't recall ever being around the Man when he did. If he had.

"No, not at all. It was merely a surprise. I almost thought I'd found one of my companions."

Clearly he was disappointed, if only a bit. Gimli was a good friend but he in no way needed the company of the dwarf. He just enjoyed it.

Bofur gave him a small smile, catching that disappointment.

"Y' keep company with dwarves often?" There was a hint of surprise in his tone, but no judgment. Bofur had never really spent enough time with an elf to know whether or not the grudge between their two races had any reason to exist.

"Just one. We've been traveling together for some time now, as a part of a group. He and the hobbits, I think, smoked together in Rivendell." He at least smoked with Bilbo, being Gloin's son and all. If he hadn't... well, that would have surely gotten him a word or two from his father.

The smile from Bofur made him feel a bit better about not finding a friend but he still already missed the dwarf. He'd been good company in Lorien.

"Hobbits too!" Bofur exclaims with a laugh, his eyes bright. "What sort o' travellin' company is that, then? Thought hobbits didn't like t' do those sort o' things."

Of course, Bofur only knows this because of what he's come to understand from Bilbo.

The laughter was almost infectious, a smile crossing Legolas' features. He seemed to know Hobbits well enough which meant that Legolas should have no trouble getting on well with him.

"Ours is a unique bunch of Hobbits. I'm not sure they even considered leaving the Shire before their cousin chose to." Grouping Sam in as Frodo's family worked well enough. Especially with how close Sam kept to Frodo before Boromir's death.

"Ah, I see." He gives a nod, leaning back against the wall and smoking thoughtfully.

"We sort o' tricked our hobbit int' comin' along," he admits with a laugh.

He bites back his own laugh, knowing a few terribly clever Hobbits that would give him such a look if they knew he was laughing over one of them being tricked. Well, he tries to bite the laugh back but it doesn't work and the elf takes a seat near Bofur not long after.

"And how, pray, did you manage such a thing?"

Bofur smiles as the elf joins him, not at all perturbed.

"Oh, th' usual. Ransacked 'is house without permission, drank 'is ale and ate 'is food. Then sang 'im a song and convinced 'im t' join us on a quest. Oh, an' I made 'im faint." The dwarf laughs.

He can't help himself, he just looks shocked. From what little he knows of hobbits, and that only comes from talking with them on the nights that they couldn't sleep, that would just put most into such a shock that they'd end up in an early grave.

"I have to know. Who was it that you convinced to join you after all that?"

Bofur has to laugh at the shock on the elf's face. Clearly he's familiar with hobbit mannerisms. Looking back, Bofur is honestly surprised Bilbo agreed to come with them after they had been so rude to him.

"One Bilbo Baggins. Finest burglar in all o' Hobbiton, I imagine," Bofur replies with a grin.

It's a good thing he's not eating or drinking anything or Legolas might choke. Bilbo was close off to one-hundred and thirty years old, he can't-

Oh.

Oooh.

"Bilbo?"

The question comes out unbidden. How is this even possible? It shouldn't be possible. Bilbo is old. And in Rivendell.

Bofur gives a short nod, surprised at how startled the elf looks. "Do y' know 'im? He's a good lad, good 'eart."

"Not so well as I know his cousin, Frodo. I travel with the young Master Baggins."

'Traveled' would be a better word for it since Frodo and Sam left them several days ago but that's not he needs to tell Bofur.

"Ah, I see." He smiles, giving a few thoughtful puffs on his pipe. He hasn't heard Bilbo mention such a cousin, but he understands that hobbits have large families, and it's not too surprising that he hasn't heard the name.

"Funny 'ow Bilbo was goin' on 'bout not bein' able to leave 'is 'ome because he's a Baggins an' all that, when 'is own cousin's doin' th' same," Bofur comments with a chuckle.

No sense in telling Bofur that it was Bilbo that inspired Frodo. None at all. This is too weird for him already. How could this be happening?

"Perhaps he had hoped to be a good influence for Frodo."

Bofur chuckles and nods. "Mayhaps." He continues to smoke thoughtfully.

"Strange place though, this. Never seen Thorin act so strange b'fore."

Breathe. Breathe Legolas. Could just be another Thorin. After all, Thorin Stonehelm was King Under the Mountain now.

"Strange how? If I may ask, of course."

Bofur shrugs. "Just seemed so chummy with me. Usually 'e's all...angry and keeps t' himself."

Legolas is quiet for a moment. Kind of sounds like the Thorin he's heard about.

"Being far from friends makes one appreciate them far more. Perhaps that is why he seems different."

"'S true." He lapses into silence, thoughtful. "Never realized 'e actually cared f'r me, is all."

"At least you've found out this way. There are worse times to learn if someone cares or not."

Like when they're dying. That's the absolute worse time for anyone, he's sure.

Bofur nods thoughtfully, looking over at Legolas. "'S true, I suppose."

He takes another long drag on his pipe. "Tell me a bit about y'self, Master Elf."

"There is little to tell. I make my home in Mirkwood and I'm a member of the kings guard. Though I'd been traveling before arriving here."

Where ever 'here' is. It could be worse though. He could have ended up somewhere with a swarm of orcs.

"And please, I am called Legolas."

"King's guard, aye? Impressive. My lot's 'eaded towards Mirkwood ourselves, if I 'member right."

He chuckles and inclines his head. "Pleasure t' meet y', Master Legolas. Bofur, at y' service."

"It's an honor to serve him." And it is, it's the best position he could have hoped for when he was young and more headstrong, eager to prove himself. And he had, the king trusting him to be his mouthpiece at the Council of Elrond.

"A pleasure, Master Bofur." Two can play this game. "Why are headed to Mirkwood? Few ever enter the forest."