My, my, my. I do love it when Aragorn and Legolas bicker, and you just know the war didn't stop their silly little arguments. I hope you all enjoy this fic, and leave a review if you feel so inclined. I do love them. You can find me at tumblr ( .com) for other lotr fics, headcanons and other goodies if you like what you read here.

Starsx

"You are unreasonable! You Valar forsaken creature – stop being so stubborn but once in your life!"

The call – though it could have been more accurately described as a bellow – spread through the encampment. A few of the men raised their heads in alarm, but finding no danger they returned to their occupations. Yet for Eowyn, the voice belonged to the very person she sought.

In her hand she held a generously sized pot full of steaming hot stew. She had made it herself, determined to do what she could for the war-effort while her uncle and brother were set on keeping her off the field. If she could see the men off with a hot meal in their bellies, she would have to be satisfied – for now.

All had been seen to, but there still remained a few generous bowlfuls and so she had been distributing seconds, though most the men's hunger had seemed sated. The only one left to see was the ever elusive Lord Aragorn, and he had been difficult to track down. Eventually one of the Rohirrim had taken pity on her and told her that he had been spotted a few tents west, sharpening his weapons and partaking of his pipe. And so she scurried along, as swiftly as she could without jostling the meal in the direction of what had now become shouting – though it was distinctly one sided, she noticed.

"You are not a bird! You cannot survive solely on berri- not before a war you can't, you insufferable Sinda!"

Whomever had incurred Lord Aragorn's wrath, was replying so quietly that Eowyn could not make out their words. Though she could not imagine whom he could have been addressing – and what on Middle Earth was a 'Sinda'?

"Do NOT go up that tree! I don't care what it is telling you, you will stay here or I shall be forced to fetch Mithrandir!"

Eowyn could faintly here something akin to snort at Aragorn's order.

Rounding the corner, the shield-maiden was thoroughly confused. What the tree was telling you? And when her quarry finally came into her view, she was presented with more questions than answers. There lord Aragorn stood, quite a way away from his tent next to a smoothed rock suitable for sitting and a slender but strong tree – it was a favourite amongst the men in this camp for shade, and she suspected it was vacant now because of the conflict unfolding before her eyes. For before Aragorn, stood the tall, willowy figure of the elven companion he had brought with him into Edoras. Aragorn favoured the elf with a look that would have sent many a brave soldier scurrying to obey, but the elf looked on with a coolly raised brow and a smile twitching at the corner of his mouth.

He opened his mouth to speak, and as close as she was Eowyn still could not hear him. Evidently however, it had not been to the liking of the future King of Gondor.

"How has your father put up with you for all these years?! How? I would have locked you in a dungeon. In fact - that is precisely what I will ask him to do when this is all said and done! Maybe then you should learn sense!"

A clear, bell-like laugh escaped the elf's perfectly formed lips – and Eowyn found herself smiling in response so warm and mirthful was the sound. "Ada would do no such thing penneth, as you well know."

Eowyn was now close enough to hear Aragorn's grumbling. "Aye. How you have managed to trick him into feeling any sort of affection for you I shall never fathom."

The elf rolled his eyes.

Aragorn furrow his brow even deeper – a sure sign that he was readying himself for another bout of verbal sparring with his fair companion, and so Eowyn felt that now would be a suitable time to intervene.

"My Lord Aragorn!" She called, hurrying forward with a soft smile on her face. Her arrival smoothed the anger out Aragorn's countenance, settling to a look of mild annoyance, yet the elf she noticed, looked positively delighted to see her.

"Lady Eowyn," Aragorn greeted stiffly. "What troubles you?"

"Naught my Lord, though I was seeking you – I heard your voice from across the camp."

The elf smirked at Aragorn, and Eowyn though she could see a faint pinkish dusting across the man's cheeks.

"You are as dulcet at the Naugrim, mellon-nin," he teased in his melodic voice.

"I hope I am not interrupting?" asked Eowyn, fearing Aragorn's displeasure.

Yet it was not Aragorn who answered her. "Fear not, my lady," the elf said jovially. "Our business is of no importance – as I am sure you no doubt heard."

Eowyn shared a small laugh. "I confess my lord elf, I could make no sense of Lord Aragorn's speech – talking of berries and trees. I should have thought he was playing a game with a child if I did not know any better!"

"I was," Aragorn murmured darkly. Though in a moment his face brightened, and a grin swept across his lips. "Eowyn, your timing is most opportune in fact!"

"My lord?" she asked, looking between Aragorn's glee and the elf's increasingly suspicious stare.

"You have been so kind – feeding the men with your fine...stew. But it would seem you have been remiss in your duties."

Eowyn looked appalled at the suggestion. "I assure you lord Aragorn, I certainly have not."

"Peace Eowyn – let me explain. My argument with Legolas here," he gestured towards the elf, "was over his complete inability to look after himself. It is a deficiency he has. The weight of elven years causes the minds of some to suffer."

Legolas has surpassed suspicion, and was glaring openly at his friend. Eowyn was shocked to see such a fair face marred by such a look. Yet Aragorn continued, nonplussed.

"You see, he has not taken in any sustenance these two days past. And if he is to be of use to us in the coming battle, he will need his strength."

Understanding blossomed on Eowyn's face. "Oh, of course! My lord Legolas you must not neglect yourself. I know very little of the ways of elves, but please, there is plenty of stew left. You must eat."

"Precisely what I told him." The smugness in Aragorn's tone was palatable.

Yet Legolas only smiled at Aragorn, and in a single graceful step of his long legs he was standing before Eowyn, gazing down at her from lofty height as he was taller than any man in the encampment. She resisted the urge to take a step back. Though she knew Legolas meant no harm, as he was a loyal friend of Aragorn, she understood nothing of him nor of his ilk. Yet try as she might, she found herself looking away from the piercing blue of his eyes.

"You are a good and kind lady, Eowyn, and care for your men deeply. This commends you to their hearts," he spoke, his voice smooth, soft and calming. "I do not seek to offend – but you say it yourself; you are unaccustomed to elves. Save your hearty food for one of the men, for the elves of the wood do not eat the flesh of animals if they can avoid it."

There was no other, in Eowyn's eyes, that could compare to the valour and courage of Aragorn son of Arathorn; yet as Legolas's voice, melodic like a song and so soothing to hear washed over her, his eyes never leaving her face, Eowyn's heart stuttered; and she felt as nervous as she did in her youth around a particularly handsome soldier of her uncle's guard who had taught her the rudimentary basics of sword-play. Truly the beauty of elves she believed must be part of their magic.

"But what shall you eat my lord?" She all but whispered,

"There are fruits and bread aplenty are there not?" Legolas smiled gently. "And perhaps even some palatable cheese. That shall prove more than an ample meal I think. And since our noble friend here," he gestured towards Aragorn, who looked on frustrated and perplexed, "has such a fine constitution, perhaps you can see to our grumbling rock-cleaver! Valar knows Gimli appreciates many a helping of his meals."

Eowyn nodded sagely at this. "Yes, dwarves do seem to need almost as much sustenance as those hobbits." Resolved, Eowyn smiled at the two companions. "Then Gimli's it shall be, but I shall leave it by Eomer's fire, to keep it warm. I have other duties to attend to and I cannot be chasing dwarves down with stew-pots! Will you tell him should you see him?"

With all their reassurances that they would, Aragorn and Legolas bowed their heads respectfully as Eowyn left them to their own devices. Thoroughly pleased with himself, Legolas turned back to Aragorn.

"You could not have taken a bowl simply to please me, could you?"

"Estel you are the very image of petulance." And indeed he was, as Legolas perceived his crossed arms, sullen expression and a mouth on the cusp of pouting. "You know very well that I eat flesh rarely. I spoke naught but truth. You are only annoyed with me because you did not think of my excuse yourself."

"Nor could I!" Aragorn exclaimed. "Do not eat flesh indeed, when she has seen me eat my way though a whole leg of chicken but yesterday."

Legolas wrinkled his nose at the memory.

"Not that, foolish mortal. But saving that...potion for the other men. I daresay she would have found you very noble indeed," he teased.

"You are not amusing. Never have been."

"You lie, Estel."

Legolas leapt onto a low-hanging branch of the great tree, which had been whispering to him since he had crept up on his human friend. He breathed a sigh of comfort as the life of the tree pulsed around him, welcoming him to its boughs. A slow easy smile curved his pink, petal-like lips as he let the sweet voice of the tree seep into his mind.

A warm chuckle reached Legolas as Aragorn walked towards him. Placing his hand on the bough, he looked up at the elf-prince. "You know, I was always envious of the trees when I was a child."

Legolas' sleek dark brows flew up to his hairline, his face bemused. "Envious of the trees Aragorn? What on Arda had you against foliage?"

Aragorn rolled his eyes at the prince's flippancy. "Because – they could always make you content in a way that I felt I could not. I feared you thought them greater friends than I."

"They certainly did cause me far less mischief."

Aragorn answered him only with a scowl.

"Come now, penneth. I distinctly remember a Spring morning where a human adopted a Sinda as his gwador, and it has been so ever since. Foliage or nor," Legolas teased.

"I am glad you are here with me," said Aragorn, clasping a rough hand around Legolas' dangling ankle. "Ada always said that you were one of the few who could stop me from getting myself killed."

"A trying and endless occupation."

Considering where they stood at that moment, Aragorn could only laugh.

"Come, elf!" he laughed. "Let us find you that palatable cheese you were so hopeful of. Once you are fed, my mind will be at peace."

Legolas leapt lightly down from his perch, his long legs falling into step with his friend who had already begun the walk back to the provisions tent. They teased and joked along the way, and the men whom they passed were left with lighter hearts at the sight. For truly, what were they fighting for if not for friendships such as that between the elf and the man?