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The elf took the warm bowl from the hobbit carefully and put it down at his side with nary a glance. As the rest of the Fellowship worked their way through Sam’s fine stew, the hobbit became more and more perplexed. How much longer could this go on? Surely the elf would drop soon if it continued.
Determined to get to the bottom of it, no matter how uncomfortable it may make him, Samwise walked over to the elf and sat closer than he ever had before. He took a moment to gaze at his companion. The elf was very tall, his bright gold hair was braided neatly away from his face, showcasing the leaf shaped ears. His large, bright eyes seemed fixed on a distant object that Sam could not see. The skin was very pale and seemed to gleam in the moonlight. He looked remote and beautiful, like a great statue in a vast city of men. Something to be admired, unapproachable. Samwise took a breath and steadied his nerves.
‘Mister Legolas sir.’ His voice stirred the air, a little louder than he had expected, and he winced to himself.
The elf looked at him with surprise, Samwise had never spoken to him directly before.
‘I beg your pardon, but I was wondering if wood elves had a different way of eating than Rivendell elves?’
Whatever the elf had been expecting, that clearly was not it. His eyebrows raised nearly into his hairline and he fixed his sparkling green eyes on the hobbit’s face.
‘I do not believe so Samwise, my people usually eat what we can grow and gather in the forest along with any game that we take down.’
His voice was gentle and lilting, it flowed over Sam like a soothing stream and he wondered at himself for never having spoken to this creature before.
Suddenly Pippin was in front of them, his open friendly face full of concern.
‘But then why is it that you haven’t eaten anything on our journey? Are you unwell?’ Clearly the youngest Hobbit had been dying to ask but couldn’t find the courage.
Legolas turned to Pippin in surprise, before turning his eyes to rest on the stew bowl.
‘Have I not eaten yet?’ He asked, a note of doubt in his voice.
‘Not a single mouthful.’ Piped up Merry from nearer the campfire, ‘And we have been on the road for six days!’
‘I can make you something else, if this is not to your taste…’ stammered Sam, anxious lest they offend the Elf.
The elf looked even more perplexed at this and seemed to be struggling for words.
‘Do not fret my young friends.’ Came Gandalf’s voice from near Merry.
‘Elves can go weeks without food or rest and this one is well known for regularly forgetting to do either, no harm will come to him.’
‘You forget to eat?’ Pippins voice was incredulous
The elf opened his mouth to respond but his words were drowned out by a cacophony of Hobbit voices.
‘How can you forget to eat?’
‘That is unthinkable.’
‘How terrible must be the plight of the wood elves.’
‘It doesn’t bear thinking about.’
Finally, deciding that the only way to end this most peculiar inquisition was with action, the elf grabbed the offending bowl and spooned some stew into his mouth.
The Hobbits settled down and all crowded around him, even Frodo moving forward, to ensure that he ate every bite. When he was done Samwise whisked the bowl away.
Three pairs of Hobbit eyes looked up at his face anxiously and he smiled at them and wiped his mouth on his handkerchief, which was met with general approval.
Gandalf smiled to himself as he heard young Pippin start to question the elf about his homeland and his people. Many of the questions were vaguely inappropriate and all of them highly amusing to Gandalf, it would appear the Hobbits were no longer in awe of their companion and for that he was glad.