Auroa clutched her blanket around her a little tighter. It had been several weeks since they had left Rivendale and still she was not used to sleeping outside. Actually it scared her. She knew that there was always a guard awake sometimes even two or three but she could never just relax. So far she'd manage to hide the fact that she'd only been sleeping a few hours each night from everyone.
She dozed in the day, they were travelling on horseback and so long as she held on she could kinda dose. This night it was windy, and although they were sheltered she could still feel it through her blankets. She started to shiver and buried her head in the crook of her arm. The wind scared her. It wasn't just cold it brought noises with it. It howled like wolves and a few times before she had shot up in terror.
She breathed deeply and tried to calm down. She was still shaking a little but at least with her head buried she couldn't imagine shapes of terrifying beasts in the darkness. Everything was silent for a moment while the wind died down. Then suddenly she felt something touch her shoulder and she shot up in alarm and panic. Standing above her was a dark figure and she whimpered too scared to actually scream. She started to back away hurriedly as it came closer to her. Her heart was pounding furiously until she heard it say her name.
"Auroa? Are you okay." She breathed a sigh of relief. It was only Elladan. "Auroa?" He seemed to be a little worried when she didn't answer so she hurried to reassure him. "I'm fine. You just startled me."
He came a little closer to her and kneeled down, "You were shaking before I startled you Auroa. What was wrong?" Damn that Elven sight. And damn the wind. And Damn Elladan. Actually no. He was being kind of sweet he'd just taken her into his arms when she didn't answer him and now he was carrying her over to where he was supposed to be keeping watch.
"Are you cold Vanwa?" He asked softly. Auroa nodded slightly and he brought his own blanket around her as well. "Was that the only reason why you were shaking?" He asked holding her tightly, "The wind." She whispered.
"The wind?" He said bewildered. "It sounds like wolves." She explained, "Sometimes I get scared."
"Sometimes? You've been scared more than once?" She nodded numbly and she could just make out his frown in the darkness, "Then why didn't you come to on of us?" His voice rose slightly in bewilderment and Elrohir who was lay not far from his brother shifted slightly, "Shhhh." Auroa hissed and went completely still hoping Elrohir wouldn't wake up she didn't need anyone else to find out about this even if it was only Elrohir.
"Auroa, it's only Elrohir and for that matter only me. What's so wrong that you won't even tell us?" He was sounding more confused by the second and had started to rub his hands up and down her arms as she began to shake even more.
"It's only the wind," She explained, "But it still scares me. I'm supposed to be the person that saves this world and yet I'm scared of noises that the wind makes."
Elladan sighed and rested his chin on her head, "Vanwa how many times must we explain to you that you do not need to be strong or feel as if you need to impress anyone. No one expects you to be fearless when you have no training and are still so young and inexperienced. If you'd been scared you should have come to me or Elrohir, we look at you the same way as we do Arwen and we want you to be able to trust us."
"Sorry." Auroa whispered turning her head onto Elladans shoulder and away from the wind. "I take it you haven't been sleeping well then?" Elladan asked the now falling asleep Auroa. She shook her head slightly and yawned. "Go to sleep now then." He sighed.
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When Auroa woke up it was to everyone else in her company bustling around packing up. Sitting up confusedly she rubbed her eyes and looked around at everyone who were all dressed and getting things ready for departure.
"Your riding with me today." A voice said from behind her and she twisted around to find Aragorn stood behind her arms crossed. Oop's she guessed Elladan had told on her. Though why that would mean riding with Aragorn she didn't know. "Erm okay but why?"
He bent down to her level and glared at her. Unnerved slightly she moved her head as far back as possible. "I seem to remember a time not so long ago when you hurt your ankle and tried to hide it from me." He said quite pleasantly which was odd considering he didn't look very pleasant at the moment.
"Well yes," Said Auroa, "Yes I remember that too."
"Then you should also remember me telling you later that when you are in my charge, such as if I was the leader of a company you are in, any problems you have should be brought to me."
"Erm, yes I remember that too." Auroa replied not sure where he was going with this. "Then you should also remember me telling you that things such as injuries would be problems on a trip such as ours and so I would need to deal with them quickly." She only nodded to answer in that. Maybe she could see where he was going with it after all.
"Then why has it taken several weeks for me to find out that you have been surviving on very little sleep and as such would not be alert if we were attacked."
"Umm, Elladan snitched me." She said stupidly trying to back away from the clearly annoyed ranger. "He was worried about you, you are riding with me today and sleeping throughout. Then tonight you can sleep with me or one of the twins but I can promise you there will be no more of this keeping you problems a secret. I don't care who you think you need to impress but you are a little girl under my care and I will not have you lying to me. Is that understood?"
She nodded quickly then stood up and was about to get changed but Aragorn held up a hand. "Stay in that, they are clothes so you don't need to be embarrassed but you don't need riding clothes on today."
After they had eaten and everything had been packed Aragorn lifted Auroa up onto his saddle and the company started off on their way to Mirkwood once again.
End notesAs always sorry for any spelling and grammar mistakes, I'm quite simply an idiot who can not spell and doesn't understand what a comma is.