Disclaimer: I do not own anything from Lord of the Rings. Nor the song from the movie Brave.
This belongs to their owners. I do own Ram and Tors Family.
I want to thank everyone who took the time to send me a review and/or subscribe to the story.
I hope you like it. Sorry for the long wait, but here it is. Enjoy!
The family had gathered around the fire, music was playing and the children were dancing.
Strider, Gandalf, and Halbarad had moved into a corner softly talking to each other. Ram had stayed with her friend Hilda. The tune of the music was happy and outgoing and the children were happy to dance. Soon Tors grabbed Hilda and danced around the room with her. Strider followed them with a smile around his lips. "I need your help, my friend. I have some tracking for you." "Did you lose something Gandalf?" The ranger chuckled. "As a matter affect I did. You know Bilbo's stories. I need to find the creature Gollum." Gandalf took a sip of his wine. "This wine is truly amazing." He sighed with content.
"So, why do you need this creature?" Halbarad asked. Strider's eyes were drawn towards Ram who was now being pulled to the dancefloor by Tors. The smile on her face was one he rarely saw as she turned around and quickly moved her feet. When Tors grabbed her and spun her around, her laugh could be heard above the music.
She needs to laugh more. He thought, taking a smoke from his pipe. Perhaps he could do something to make her laugh. "Strider, are you listening?" He noticed Gandalf had been talking to him, but his eyes were locked at Ram who had lifted her skirt to dance faster. "Aragorn?" The warm soft voice hid a chuckle and woke the ranger from his stare. Strider looked at the wizard.
"Where is your mind, my friend?" Gandalf asked with a chuckle. He took another sip of his wine.
"I think his eyes were distracting him." Halbarad laughed quietly. Gandalf followed Halbarads look, seeing the female ranger had jumped on the table, lifting her skirt and moving her feet fast like the wind. Striders cheeks had started to turn into a nice shade of crimson. but his lips bore a smile his friends had not seen on him for quite a while.
Both of Strider's friend smiled, looking at the man as his eyes were back on the woman again, a faraway look in his eyes.
But then Striders smile fell, his eyebrows knit together.
Both Gandalf and Halbarad turned their heads back to the group a bit further than them, wondering what changed their friends' emotions.
Kallen had joined her on the table, matching her quick feet. Both of them challenging each other to dance even faster. But Strider's trained eyes could see Ram was straining herself. She started to sway and lost her balance. Right into the arms of their fellow ranger. Ram laughed, as did Kallen who guided her to sit down. Strider felt a dull feeling in his stomach, seeing the two sit close together.
"Go, my friend," Halbarad spoke his hand on Strider's arm. But Strider sighed and looked at Gandalf. "You were saying something about Gollum." The wizard looked at the female ranger a bit further away.
"I have no idea what you are talking about Strider. All I see is a maiden who is in need of rescue." He pointed at Ram, who was quietly moving Kallen's hands off her. "Perhaps ask her to dance?" Halbarad advised. Strider felt his heart start to race, Kallen touched her face, but he could not see her reaction. He was about to get to his feet when Ram moved off the couch. "A song, for my friends."
She walked over to Rickard who started to play a fast tune.
When cold wind is a' calling, and the sky is clear and bright
Misty mountains sing and beckon, lead me out into the light
I will ride, I will fly, chase the wind and touch the sky
I will fly, chase the wind and touch the sky
La la la la
La la la la
La la la la la la la
La la la la
La la la la
La la la la la la la
Where dark woods hide secrets and mountains are fierce and bold
Deep waters hold reflections of times lost long ago
I will hear their every story, take hold of my own dream
Be as strong as the seas are stormy and proud as an eagle's scream
I will ride, I will fly, chase the wind and touch the sky
I will fly, chase the wind and touch the sky
And touch the sky, chase the wind
Chase the wind, touch the sky
La la la la
La la la la
La la la la la la la
La la la la
La la la la
La la la la la la la
And touch the sky
Chase the wind
Chase the wind
Touch the sky
Hilda and Vala had joined her singing with the chorus. She danced around with Hilda when the music played. A loud cheer came from the group. Halbarad gave his half standing friend a push. "Go!" Strider took a few steps, straightened his back and walked over to Ram who had moved to the corner of the room. His heart was racing and his cheeks felt like they were on fire. He hoped the darkness of the room covered it a bit. Ram turned and smiled at him. "Hello, Strider, enjoying the evening?" She asked. Handing him a mug of beer. She looked absolutely wonderful in her dark red dress. It reminded him of when she wore his tunic. It had brought up all kinds of feelings then, and it still did now. "Very much so, that was a lovely song you sang." Ram smiled before she looked down. "Thank you." She replied softly. "So.." She tucked a piece of hair behind her ear, something she did when she was nervous. "Are you going to join us in the festivities? I saw you talking to Gandalf." "We will talk about it tomorrow." He gave her a smile. "We need to celebrate the returning of the light." She smiled. " Strider…" She took a sip of her beer. Her voice slurred just a tiny bit. She looked up at him from the corner of her eye. "Do you dance?"
Strider nodded. "I have been taught dancing by Lady Arwen. She said I would need it in my life sometime. But I am afraid I only know formal dances." Ram smiled, mischief filled her eyes and Strider felt something stir. "Well then, luckily for you I know formal dances as well." She stuck out her hand. "Care to join me?" Strider grabbed her hand and lead her onto the dancefloor. He walked over to Rickard. "Can you play a rufty tufty?
Rickard nodded and stopped playing. "Alright, let's make some room. Anyone who can dance the rufty tufty can find a partner." To Strider's surprise, Hilda found Halbarad and even Gandalf grabbed Ellasta to dance along. Strider gave her a smile and together they danced. Their hands never leaving each other for a long time. They were enjoying and far too soon the dance was over. Ram moved closer and grabbed him pulling him into a dance he loved to dance. It was a dance that required the couples to turn around each other at a fast pace. Cailean was a good dancer, and Strider wasn't that bad either. Both of them sat down after a while and Ram grabbed her side, looking a bit pale. "Are you well, my lady?" Strider asked, earning a glare from Ram. "I am fine Strider, but I think I am done dancing for tonight." She grabbed her mug and drank some of the beer to relieve her thirst. "Time to get drunk." She raised her mug towards Strider who laughed and raised his. "Agreed." He spoke with a smile.
Ram moved slowly in her bed. Her head felt like it was going to explode. "Shit." she cursed underneath her breath and tried desperately to remember last night. But after the dancing, it became a blur.
Slowly she moved out of the bed to find something to eat and drink.
After that, she had found a place of solitude in the farm. It was too crowded for her, too cooped up with too many people. And all of them were too loud. It made her head hurt.
She needed her space, the outside air to breath in. Ram was sitting at the open window of one of the guest bedrooms. This window looked out to the courtyard, but since it was the highest room, it did not have a wall across it, and Ram could see the frozen fields in the distance. The cold wind was blowing in, and her cheeks stung with cold. But it was free air.
She thought about the night before. She still felt Strider's hands on her hips. A smile around his lips. He needs to smile more. She thought.
Ram sighed and hid her hurting head in her hands. A splitting headache was distracting her, pulling her good mood down.
The door behind her opened and Halbarad walked inside. The ranger looked like she was feeling. His hair was a mess, and he looked tired. But when he saw her, he gave her a kind smile. "There you are, Kallen is having a fit not knowing where you are." Ram laughed out loud. "Good, that boy is more trouble than he should be." Halbarad leaned against the window post. "I agree, he is a bit of a handful." He snickered. "But he will learn."
Ram sighed, wondering when the young man would give up his chase. "Strider told me he was after you." Ram laughed. "Kallen does not know how to play the game But, little boys that play with fire get their fingers burned soon enough. He will find out no means no." Halbarad snickered. "That is one way to put it. But Strider, on the other hand, is no little boy anymore, does he know how to handle the fire?" He asked, looking in the distance. Ram turned to her friend staring at him in amazement. "Excuse me?" Halbarad snickered. "Come on, we all know he likes you and you like him." Ram stayed quiet for a while looking out of the window.
"I think both me and Strider have other things to worry about." She spoke after a while. "Strider knows this. We have a job to do."
Ram hid her face in her hands and rubbed her face. Halbarad looked out the window. "You need to be careful. Hearts are easily hurt." He spoke softly. "And you both deserve a bit of love."
Ram inhaled, she felt the tears well up in her eyes again, looking out of the window. "Love is a strong force in the world, and I am not to one to say who deserves it or not. For I know others who deserve it more than me. But don't be alarmed Halbarad. I can not let him get hurt. I will keep him safe, even if it gets me killed." Halbarad put his hand on her shoulder. "I am sorry my friend, I did not mean to upset you. It will be alright in the end. Trust me. There isn't enough love in the world. We need more of it. But we hold that power if we let it into our lives or not."
He smiled at her, giving her a wink. "But let's not make things too difficult. It will be difficult enough traveling through the snow." Ram looked up. "Travel?" Halbarad nodded. "Gandalf asked Strider to go and find the creature Gollum. He wants to take you with him." "Now? It is the middle of winter! He can track it himself. I have no need to travel through winter to find something that wizard lost." Halbarad snickered.
"Strider thinks it is important. He wants you with him for your tracking skills."
"Then Strider can go find him by himself. Last time we almost died from the cold, where do we need to look anyway?" Ram crossed her arms, finding the idea utterly ridiculous. "Mirkwood," Halbarad said as he lit his pipe.
I am going to see the world, all of it.
"Mirkwood?" This changed Ram's perspective. She had never been to Mirkwood. Halbarad laughed. "I thought that would change your mind. You leave tomorrow."
Ram sighed, before taking a deep breath. "You are not coming?" Halbarad smiled, looking in the distance. "As far as Rivendell. Then I have to take back the horses Tors is lending us. Kallen and I have other things to do."
Ram's jaws pushed together. She did not like horses. And most of the time they did not like her. But it was the fastest way to get to Rivendell and probably to Mirkwood as well. And the safest. She touched the scar she gotten from the Witchking. Perhaps it was better to ride. She had her friends to aid her if she and the horse did not get along. "Well, I better start packing and saying goodbye."
Hilda was standing next to Ram as the ranger was brushing the horse she would ride the next day. "Furin is a good horse Cailean. She is gentle and easy to control. But she isn't spooked easily." Hilda softly stroke the mare's mane. "She is mine, so take care of her." Cailean turned and embraced her friend. "Of course I will Hilda. Next time I am in the neighborhood, I will come and visit again." Hilda let go of her and smiled. "Make sure you bring Strider. He is a good man." Her friend grabbed her upper arm and pulled her close. "Don't let him get away Cailean. I see a good future for both of you." Ram felt her stomach flutter for a second. Her cheeks warmed up when she thought about her fellow ranger that way. Perhaps... She quickly let go of that train of thought. "We will see Hilda." Hilda laughed and kissed her friend's hair. "We will, my dear, we will."
The next day goodbyes were said, and soon the Rangers left the warmth and comfort of the farm, on their way to Rivendell. It wasn't that far away and the snow left after a few days, though the cold was still around, it wasn't as cold as it had been. It took them less than a week to reach the lands surrounding Rivendell. Ram started to recognize her surroundings again. Halbarad was riding next to her. "We are almost there." He spoke kindly to her, seeing she was tired.
Ram looked over her shoulder, seeing Strider ride his horse very easily. Her behind was sore and her back hurt and she was feeling a bit miserable. For once she could not wait until they reached their goal. Furin had been as good as Hilda told her, and it was a kind horse. But Ram was just not used to riding. Kallen moved his horse next to hers. "How are you holding up?" Ram snorted. "I will live." She petted Furin on his neck. "She is a good horse, putting up with me." She adjusted herself in the saddle, but after 5 days of riding, she had no easy place to sit that did not hurt. "I am just looking forward to a hot bath." Kallen smiled at her. "I would like to join you in that thought." Ram turned toward the young ranger. Wondering what he meant by that. He smiled at her and winked, pushing his horse on to ride in front again.
Ram sighed in annoyance, looking away into the forest, trying again to find an easier spot to sit. Strider now came up from behind her, glaring at Kallen who had started to whistle.
The ranger did not say anything but stared down the younger ranger. "Kallen.." He barked at the man in front of them. "Quiet." Kallen was about to protest when they all heard a small rumble coming from a tight forest to their left. The horses got restless, and Ram had trouble to control Furin. The brown mare whinnied softly and started to move backward. Strider leaned over in instinct to grab her reigns, but at the same time, a giant wolf came storming through the bushes. Furin whinnied in fear and pranced. Ram was barely able to hold on. But then she bolted, and Ram held on for dear life. The horse took off with great speed, weaving between the trees that flashed passed her. Ram could do nothing but hold on, she heard her name behind her. But when she looked back for only a moment, she did not see her friends behind her. They were probably battling the giant wolf. Ram ducked her head in to avoid getting hit by a branch.
Furin ran and ran for what seemed for ages. When the horse finally slowed down it was getting dark. And Ram looked around the forest she was in. To her horror, she did not recognize a thing. They had stopped near a small stream, probably because Furin was thirty after her run. Ram softly stroke Furin's mane. "Where did you take us Furin?" The horse snorted and shook her head. Ram slowly got down, stretching her legs from the hard ride. Furin walked over to the river and drank. As Ram looked around, assessing her surroundings.
Seeing nothing but pine trees, Ram sighed and sat down next to Furin, softly stroking the horse next to her. "Well Furin, let's calm down, we will be with the others soon again." Ram knew how to survive in the wild and find her way. As she took a sip of water, Furin whinnied.
A loud crack came from the forest behind her.