Chapter 38
Loki bit his tongue as he continued forwards, grateful for the Elves' presence yet at the same time rather frustrated by them as well. He understood that they meant well, they usually meant well, after all, but sometimes, it really just agitated him. He had done what was necessary, and yet, he had been scolded for it. Aragorn, at times, was really just thick in his head. Sometimes, all you needed was some really well placed words, and that was all. It would seem, however, that at times, the Heir failed to remember this. Sometimes, Loki wondered what was going on in his mind, not that he particularly cared all that much, but he would not ask, too nervous to do so. He much preferred the company of the elves above all.
Honestly, Legolas was probably his favorite person of the group. He had this sort of...ease with the Elf that he had not had with others, though he supposed that was something he would have to be careful of. The Valor were similar, and yet, look at where that had gotten him? Odin had banned him from the entire planet because he felt that Loki was doing nothing but merrymaking. As though Thor did anything else. The thought struck a chord with him, because he was not wrong. The most that Thor did was wander about having fun and tormenting him. Bloodlust and merrymaking made up the entirety of Thor's existence, and being compared really ate at Loki. A few hundred years before that, I would have been grateful for the comparison, but then...Not then. It had been not soon prior that I realized what sort of person Thor was, and Fa...Odin.
They finally reached the area that the Rider's had spoke of, pulling Loki abruptly out of his thoughts, his eyes casting a gaze about the place. The Urukai were piled high atop each other, burning to a crisp. Aragorn screamed kicking a helmet of one of the dead creatures. Loki just stared, his eyes wide and shocked at the sudden thrust of emotion coming from the man. He glanced back towards Legolas and Haldir, who looked similarly distraught. Am I the only one with any sense to think that perhaps two small people managed to escape during a chaotic fight? Loki thought to himself. Besides, despite the fact that they had seen the belongings of one of the hobbits, had they not also found the Lothlorian clip prior to this? Loki was surprised at the level of emotions at the moment.
Aragorn suddenly began to walk forwards, noting that he saw some footsteps walking away from the pile of burning corpses. Just as I thought. Loki mentally sighed to himself. I cannot hold them up to the same standard, I suppose. they are not thinking clearly and they have a closer tie to these...these hobbits than I do after all. Furthermore, with the disappearance of Gandalf, I suppose it is understandable. Loki stated to himself, trying to make sense of all of this at once. He sighed, it was hard, in some ways, to understand these people, and their swiftly moving emotions. Loki himself felt similar things at times, that was...that was before. Now? Now he did not really know.
"They went into the forest." Aragorn whispered. Legolas stared into the depths of the trees, as did Haldir, but unlike Haldir who had this blank expression on his face, Legolas had some form of apprehension in his eyes. Loki hummed, wondering what that was about, though as far as he understood it, Legolas seemed to have some connection with the forest, one that Haldir had not. It would seem that Legolas was obtaining something from the trees that perhaps none of them really understood. Then again, Legolas, from what Loki managed to gather, was from the Wood himself, a Woodland Elf? Similar to Haldir but also different in some way. It would seem as though perhaps the two were not entirely of the same race of Elf, that would definitely account for the difference in ability. Or perhaps Legolas just had a different ability that Haldir did not have. Loki was not entirely sure how it worked.
"If they went into the forest," Gimli stated, glaring at the woodland. "We should probably head in."
"No kidding," Loki stated, making his voice as sarcastic as he could. "I had no idea that would be a wise choice."
"That's enough, Loki," Legolas gently scolded. Loki rolled his eyes, folding his arms across his chest, but did not say anything more. He respected Legolas enough to listen to him, but he was rather agitated with the Dwarf. He was not sure what it was, but he just...made him annoyed all the time. It was likely because he had rather bad experiences with Dwarves. Though his Dwarves were far different from the kind that this world seemed to have, they had the same general style and occupation.
It was close enough in Loki's mind to be tied to bad memories. Still, it was not as though he would willingly admit such a thing, and he was not wrong. The constant statements of the obvious had the Elves also irked. He knew that and as such, he was not as worried about expressing his own frustrations with the Dwarf. He was not too far gone to disobey someone he respected, such as Legolas, however, and knew that the other was merely looking out for him, and as such, his mouth remained silent.
"Let's head in," Aragorn said, "Legolas, Haldir, please keep an eye out for anything disruptive." The two Elves nodded in sync. He glanced over Loki's eyes, Loki meeting his resolutely and defiantly. "Just help the Elves, please Loki," He rolled his eyes but nodded at the words. I intended to do that either way, but whatever. Aragorn's look at the Dwarf was stern. "Put the axe away."
"But..."
"Son of Gloin, put it away. We are about to enter a very old forest, with trees that likely have more history than your entire clan." Haldir spoke sharply, but his voice still elegantly carried over the wind. Haldir seems to be the more sharp of the two Elves. Loki noted, Yet Legolas has a sense of unbidden authority that Haldir also seems to lack.