“Legolas,” he heard Haldir say in a calm tone, “You must awaken now.”

“What did you do to me?” he muttered. He opened his eyes slowly, but the burning light of the morning sun blinded him and made everything worse. He closed them again.

“It figures that you should make such a comment, Legolas, but it so happens that I am not to blame for your current state this time. Do the words green pipe weed mean anything to you?”

“Not as such, no,” Legolas said, wondering what exactly Haldir was talking about, but only vaguely, as it hurt his head far too much to do any wondering. He wondered if he lay very still if Haldir would leave him alone.

“Legolas--”

“No such luck,” Legolas mumbled. He was starting to suspect that the hard bed he was on truly was a rock. He opened his eyes again, very slowly, and concentrated on focusing them. He smoothed his hand over the surface upon which he lay, confirming his rock theory. However, his hand encountered something he did not expect...flesh. He moved his fingers exploratively and heard Haldir chuckle.

“Wake her up, too. And put some clothes on,” he said.

“Ciendriel?”

“Who else?” Haldir said.

Legolas’ vision cleared and he saw that his hand was resting on Ciendriel’s nude behind. He was torn, as he knew he should remove his fingers from her person, but the sensation of her skin beneath them was absolutely the only pleasant thing he was feeling just then. She was sprawled out on the rock beside him, sleeping. After several minutes Legolas came to see that the rock was beside a stream, and Haldir was still standing there, fully clothed, staring at them irritably.

“How...did this come to pass?”

“I’ve already explained that,” Haldir replied.

Legolas thought about it, for what seemed like a long time. “Um...”

“Yes?”

“Green...pipe weed?”

“Very good, Legolas.”

“I don’t smoke pipe weed.”

“I know.”

“Are you going to explain this to me?” Legolas asked in exasperation.

“Perhaps. But not right now. I am waiting for you to get dressed, and to wake Ciendriel. We need to leave. Lothlorien is still many days’ walk from this place, and I am more and more eager to return home.”

Legolas rubbed his eyes with his fists and looked at Haldir, but the Marchwarden seemed unfathomable. Trying to pretend Haldir was not there (something that Legolas had learned long ago was impossible) Legolas cradled Ciendriel in his arms and kissed her lips softly, whispering gently for her to waken. She stirred in his arms, clinging to him. Her skin felt hot beneath his fingers.

“Legolas?”

“Yes, my beautiful one. Wake up.”

“My head...”

“Are you in much pain?”

“Were we attacked by Orcs again?”

“No, only by Hobbits,” Haldir put in, sounding rather smug.

Legolas watched as Ciendriel opened her eyes and tried to focus them.

“Haldir?”

“My lady.” Haldir bowed in what could only be called a mocking way. Legolas glared at him.

“What did you do to me?” Ciendriel muttered.

Haldir shook his head. “I am returning to camp, now that the two of you are awake and no longer in danger of rolling off of that rock and drowning in the stream. I suggest you dress quickly and join us.”

He turned and stalked away. Ciendriel looked up at Legolas, her eyes wide and hazy.

“I cannot remember last night,” she said bluntly. “We both appear to be naked...ah... do you think...that we...”

“No,” Legolas said regretfully. “I don’t think we did.”

She nodded. “Good. I should hate not to remember.”

“So should I,” Legolas said, sighing. Maybe the previous night would come back to them once their heads cleared.

He could only hope.

***

Pippin was humming softly as they traipsed through the woods, back on the road to Lothlorien. He was walking between Merry and Angelica, both of whom also seemed to be in spirits as high as his own. He had felt a little bit queasy when he woke up, but that wore off after Sam’s excellent breakfast.

Breakfast. Already it seemed so long ago, and he knew that Second Breakfast would involve only whatever they could eat while walking. Legolas occasionally let them stop to eat, but Haldir seemed to be in charge at the moment, and Pippin didn’t dare ask him for a break.

The reason Haldir was in charge had something to do with the fact that all the rest of the Elves were violently ill. They trudged along at a speed that even the Hobbits could surpass. It was a good thing the Elven horses were so obedient and followed behind without guidance. Orophin and Rúmil walked with their heads down, dragging their feet. They looked to Pippin as green as their tunics. Ciendriel and Legolas were trying to keep up with Haldir, but they didn’t seem to be much better.

Legolas had only reluctantly given up leading them. He and Haldir had argued in low voices while the camp was packed up. Finally Legolas had given in, and Pippin knew it was because he was too sick to argue. He felt vaguely guilty that the Elves had had such a bad reaction to the pipe weed, but it truly had been an accident.

Pippin was glad that Merry didn’t seem to be so sad any more. He had been in a mood for the time while they had been stopped in the woods, but after last night, he was back to his old self. That made dropping the pipe weed in the fire worth it to Pippin (though he wasn’t sure the Elves would agree.) He glanced over at Merry, and Merry winked at him. Pippin grabbed Angelica’s hand, and Merry only grinned.

Angelica looked up in surprise, and it seemed to Pippin than she glanced at Merry before she squeezed his hand. They followed along for hours, swinging their hands between them. Pippin wanted never to let go of her. Who knew a lass could be so much fun? But something had occurred to Pippin. What would happen when her memories were restored? Would she suddenly know of some other place she was meant to be, some other life she had left behind? Would she go back to it?

“Pippin?”

“Yes?” he looked surprised, as if Angelica might have known what he was thinking.

“What are you thinking?”

“M-me?”

“You suddenly looked...far away.”

“Did I?”

“Yes.”

“I suppose....I suppose I was just wondering what would happen when you...remember.”

She seemed to blush, a pink glow stealing over her features which made her so lovely that Pippin stopped looking where he was going and tripped over a rock. Angelica giggled. He caught his balance, then looked at her sheepishly.

“Are you all right, Pippin?” Sam called from ahead of them.

“Fine -- fine.” He looked back at Angelica.

“I...don’t know what will happen,” she replied. She bit her lip and looked away.

“I just don’t want you to...leave us,” Pippin said earnestly. “That is, could you make a life for yourself in the Shire? In Hobbiton?”

“I would love to make a life for myself in Hobbiton,” Angelica said slowly. “I just...don’t know--”

“Just-- think about it!” Pippin said urgently, cutting off her doubts. He didn’t want to know why she might not be able to, or even conjecture about it.

“I think about it constantly,” Angelica said softly.

“I can’t imagine my life without you in it...”

“I can’t either,” Merry added. “Forget about whatever you left behind. Er... Well.... I suppose you have, but, what I meant was... come back to Hobbiton with us, once this is done. Please, Angelica.”

“If it is possible, I will,” she said. “If I...have nowhere to go back to...”

Up ahead of them, Haldir made a noise that sounded like a snort.

***

Frodo Baggins took his dinner plate and went to sit on the farthest log from the fire, which was where Haldir was sitting. They had made camp after the sun set at Haldir’s command and Legolas’ pale agreement. For once, the Elves were as glad to make camp as the Hobbits were. Haldir aside, none of them looked much better than they had in the morning, at least to Frodo.

Ciendriel sat next to Legolas on the ground, leaning her head upon his shoulder. He was doing his best to sit up straight and appear to be his usual self, but he wasn’t fooling Frodo who had spent more than enough time with him to know when he was out of sorts. Frodo still found it odd, as Elves were just so rarely ever ill. Rúmil and Orophin weren’t even bothering to pretend they were all right. They just lay right down on the earth, refusing food, taking only a little bit of water.

Sam was cooking, as usual, which made Merry and Pippin glad, as they could concentrate on eating. Gimli was explaining to Sam about Dwarvish cooking methods, from what Frodo gathered.

“We roasted oxen whole! Each table held a dozen pheasants! Fourteen chickens! Fish from the rivers, baked to a golden brown.”

“What about taters?” Sam asked.

“Taters?”

Frodo looked at the others. Angelica had lost the nervousness she had seemed to possess earlier. Frodo had been listening to her conversations with Merry and Pippin all day, though he seldom chimed in. Sam broke in at times to tell them a very long story about Rosie, who Frodo knew Sam was missing. It was also his way of keeping from wanting Angelica for himself, Frodo suspected. She was so clearly a part of Merry and Pippin, even if she and Pippin perhaps had the tighter bond.

Haldir had sat apart from them all, and no one was paying him any mind. Frodo sat down next to him.

“Are you not eating?”

“Do you see a plate in my hand?”

This struck Frodo as funny, so he laughed. His second impression was that it was sad, and that no one had thought to offer Haldir any food.

“You can have mine. I’ll get another one,” he said, holding it out.

Haldir looked surprised, but then he took the plate. “Thank you.”

“I wanted to talk to you...about Angelica,” Frodo added.

“So with the plate comes a price?” Haldir said sarcastically, looking as if he were about to give the food back to Frodo.

“No,” Frodo said with disappointment. “I just...I wanted...”

Haldir sighed. “Forgive me, Frodo Baggins. I am not used to the ways of Hobbits.”

“Kindness is not peculiar to Hobbits.”

Haldir nodded, as if he didn’t quite believe Frodo. He picked up a slice of bread from the plate and chewed on it silently for a long moment. He swallowed, then said, “What is it that you would say to me?’

“You know her...secret.”

Haldir smirked. “I am her secret, Frodo. When she tells your little friends, they will probably slit my throat.”

Frodo laughed. “Well, maybe Sam would try.”

“What is it you wish? That I tell them? That I not tell them? That I grant Mistress Angelica my apologies? I am not sorry, Frodo, for what passed between us. It really meant nothing.”

“Nothing to you, maybe,” Frodo said with frustration.

“She is much happier with your friends than she was in Hob’s Corners in Long Cleeve. Maybe I did her a favor.”

“Certainly not on purpose,” Frodo said sadly.

Haldir did not reply for a long time. Finally he simply said, “No.”

“Ah.” Frodo didn’t know what to say.

“I won’t hurt her again, Frodo, if that is what is worrying you. I won’t betray her secrets, either. They are hers to tell or not tell as she sees fit.”

Frodo nodded. He was glad to hear this. “Thank you.”

Haldir merely inclined his head. “In any event, you will be rid of me when we reach Lothlorien.”

“I do not judge you, Haldir,” Frodo said.

Haldir looked at him, his expression unfathomable, and did not reply.