A/N: For some reason it feels like I haven't posted a chapter in a long time. And I'm procrastinating packing to move from my dorm back home...but onto the responses!
Certh: We had our talk and I'm glad you don't hate me for rapid-firing chapters at you. Saturday, I promise to get you the next one.
Lystan: I hope it won't get you fired. Although, reading fanfiction was one of the least "against the rules" thing that I did at work...that came out wrong, but I'm keeping it. Take that as you will.
MinNinniach: Well, you've still got about 24 chapters left (not including this one), so there's still a lot of time for the forgiveness to come. Among other things...
brandi: I almost wanted Legolas to verbally lay into Eomer, but it didn't feel right. He hasn't really done anything worthy of Legolas's wrath (yet).
Lady of Sign: Patience, grasshopper, patience. Just enjoy the ride and what happens, happens.
: You and Lystan made me laugh so hard with your creative use of 'douche-canoe'. I loved that so much that I posted a Facebook status about it. While this is not the shortest chapter (that one has already passed), I could not expand it anymore without adding extraneous details. Also, thank you for clarifying that you changed your user name. It makes my job easier for something later (but no spoilers).
Also, I'm going to try something new. I'm going to be including a translation in the text in brackets as compared to having the translations at the end. Let me know which method you prefer.
Herio i narn! [Let the tale begin!]
I woke up sometime later, expecting to be on the floor in Legolas's arms. But instead, I found that I was asleep on his bed, facing the wall. I rolled over and looked around. There was a small fire and Legolas was sitting in a chair next to it. His eyes looked off into nothing, but his head was resting heavily on the back of his chair. I looked at him for another minute, even clearing my throat. But he did not. I scrambled to my feet and stood by his side. His eyes were glassy, and I felt my panic rising in my throat. I had not even checked to see if he was injured. Perhaps he had bled heavily during the night. I shook his shoulder violently, and I was relieved as he started and looked around violently. I sat in the other chair, clutching my speeding heart in my chest. Legolas spotted me and relaxed visibly.
"Good morning," he said, stretching slightly.
"You scared me, mellon [friend]. I thought you had been injured and died in the night," I said, laughing a little out of the sheer relief.
Legolas laughed heartily at my worries. "Elves dream with their eyes open. I'm sorry that I did not tell you, but I had not expected to fall into my dreams so deeply," he said, still chuckling slightly.
"Well, you were exhausted. You had to fight in that battle and then I…" I said trailing off.
I felt a little guilty now. I had burdened him with my grief when he had enough of his own to deal with. Legolas leaned across the distance and put a hand on my knee. I looked up at him and he was smiling.
"You were exhausted, too. I do not blame you for what happened. I welcome it. I promised that I would be strong for you when you need it, and I kept my promise," Legolas said soothingly.
I nodded and sighed. I looked out of his small window.
"I should find Éowyn. She will be worried about me," I said, standing.
Legolas also stood. I saw now that he was dressed in his full gear again, excepting the pauldrons.
"We should be leaving soon," Legolas said, handing me back my sword and bow and quiver.
I nodded and put them back on. I threw on my cloak again and he walked with me to find Éowyn. We found her preparing her horse in the stable. She smiled when she saw me.
"I could not find you, but Éomer said that you were safe," Éowyn said after Legolas had departed to take care of his own horse.
I felt my face fall at the mention of his name. The events of his return still played in my mind, and they left a bitter taste in my mouth.
"You did not seem happy after you saw him. I saw you running through the crowds with tears in your eyes," Éowyn said softly.
I did not respond but continued to saddle Narmírë.
"What happened?" Éowyn asked desperately.
"He was cold with me. I was overjoyed to see him, but he brushed me off," I said bitterly.
"He was just tired. Éomer is always a little cranky when he has not had his rest. Talk to him again when we all return to Edoras. My uncle has promised a great feast upon his return. We have to go back to Edoras with all haste to prepare," Éowyn said, trying to soothe me.
I nodded stiffly and we led our horses out of the stalls and stable. We found that the soldiers were escorting us back to Edoras, save a few that were going with Théoden, Aragorn, Gandalf, Legolas, Gimli, and Éomer to Isengard. I mounted Narmírë and looked around. The company was sitting on their horses, waiting to leave until the company for Edoras left. I looked at Legolas and smile. He put one hand to his chest and then raised it a little. I repeated the gesture, knowing it to be an Elven farewell. I looked to the opposite side of the line and found that Éomer was staring at me strangely. I felt my face fall as I looked at him and tears came to my eyes. He gave me a slow nod, and I considered not returning the gesture. But feeling that would be rude, I gave a curt nod before turning my horse and following the crowd out of the fortress.
The journey to Edoras was not nearly as long the journey to Helm's Deep had been. While we did have to stop at nightfall to rest, the air seemed lighter around the group this time. I spent most of my time in the tent, continuing to rest. My throat was still sore from the storytelling and singing, but it was passing quickly due to the drafts that the healers had given me. Some of them had traveled with us to treat the not so direly wounded. The severely wounded had stayed at Helm's Deep with their families until they were healed or died.
The group got an early start the next day, and we made it back to Edoras before midday. The rest of the day and the day after was a frenzy of activity. All of the refugees that had traveled with us, whether they were from Edoras or not, were staying for the feast and festival. Most of the refugees would be attending the dance that would be held in one of the squares about halfway through Edoras.
But the court was having a gathering of their own in the Golden Hall. I had been invited by Éowyn specifically, though I would have been more than happy to remain in my room throughout the festivities. I did not have the heart for merriment, despite having so much to be merry about. Éomer was back, but he most likely hated me. All of my friends had survived the battle and were relatively unhurt, save a few minor bumps and bruises.
Éowyn had convinced me to get a dress of my own made for the feast. She claimed that I did not have a proper dress for this occasion, but I was not as convinced. Any of my dresses would have done, but she dragged me to the tailor anyway and set the place to making a new dress for me. It was to be a gorgeous thing, a beautiful shade of green that brought out the green part of my eyes. She also was lending me the hair comb that I had used for Théodred's funeral.
It was to be a grand event, and all of the food that was being cooked showed that. I was unsure where all of the food had come from, but it was more food than I had ever seen in the city at one time. There was to be a pig roasted on the spit in the middle of the Golden Hall, along with all other kinds of delicious dishes.
A full day after we arrived at the Golden Hall, Théoden's company arrived and were accompanied by two very strange characters. They were no taller than my mid-chest, and had curly mops of hair on top of their ears, out of which poked strangely pointed ears. They wore their pants slightly cropped, and as I looked down, I could see why. They had truly huge feet, the tops of which were covered in thick hair. They introduced themselves as Merry Brandybuck and Pippin Took. They were delightful little creatures called Hobbits, which I found most curious, but it made more sense after Mithrandir explained that they were what Gondorians called periannath, or Halflings.
I found their company to be pleasant, but I was most grateful to have Legolas back. It nice to have him help me with my tasks, which I found curious. He was an Elven prince, after all. But when I questioned him about it, he explained that his mother had made him working one full year with the servants of his house to gain an understanding of how his world was kept in order. He found it to be a good experience, and relished in the manual labor.
But the day of the great feast dawned, and there was a great aura of excitement in the air. Everyone had rested and healed enough to enjoy themselves fully. The smell of cooking food, especially roasting pig, wafted through the Golden Hall all day, and I only ate small meals, knowing that I would eat my full at the feast later that night.
My dress arrived with mere hours to spare, and I was grateful. I bathed fully, and I oiled my hair with sweet scents that made my curls fall perfectly. I pulled some of my hair back and secured it with the comb. It was not the same one that Éowyn had given me for the funeral, because the dress had been altered slightly from its original design and the other clip no longer matched. This was more of a circlet than a clip or comb, but it only circled the back portion of my head. It was of intricate leaf and vine design and it was accented by small emeralds. I slipped into the dress and it fit me like a glove. It was fitted to me properly, the first dress of its kind that I wore that actually was. The neckline sat slightly off of my shoulders, an appropriate cut for a late formal feast. The sleeves stopped slightly after my elbows and scooped slightly from there, but a tighter layer continued to my wrists under it. There was a border of silver along the cuff of the larger sleeve, and around the neck line. My dark hair tumbled over my shoulders beautifully, and I could not help but feel like a queen. Éowyn had lent me a silver belt to wear at my hips, and the front of the belt draped down the center of my dress. But my favorite thing about the dress was the color. It was the shade of peat moss, and it made my eyes turn to a wonderful shade of teal. The dress also came with a wrapper of the same color that had a black fur, but I knew that I would not need it once the party began. I left it draped it over my chair in my room and I went to check on Éowyn.
I found that she was waiting in her room, fully ready. She wore a beautifully simple blue underdress, but she wore an extravagant corset with sleeves attached. The sleeves were split almost all the way up the arm so the beautiful fabric flared out when she raised her arms. The fabric was blue but had a gold sheen to it in the light that created these beautiful patterns. The front was incrusted in jewels, and it took my breath away. She smiled at me, and looked me over.
"You look stunning. There are very few people that can wear that shade of green, but I knew that you would be one of them," she said happily.
I had felt that I was beautiful until I stood next to Éowyn looking at us in the looking glass. I looked plain next to her, but she thought that I was extravagant. We left her room and went to the great hall where we could hear voices growing louder as more people arrived. The honored of the battle were invited to dine with us tonight, and the place was packed near to breaking.
Éowyn brought me to a table near the front of the room where many of our friend were already sitting. She sat me down next to her near the head of the table, and I felt uncomfortable. I should be closer to the end of the table with the king's lieutenant and personal guard sat. I did not belong among the royal family and their guests. I felt a little more comfortable as Legolas sat on my other side, but that comfort went away as Éomer sat down opposite me. Gandalf and Aragorn sat directly on the king's left and right respectively, but Éomer and Éowyn sat next to them, followed by myself, Legolas, Gimli, and then the periannath sat on Gimli's other side. The king had not arrived, but he was going to sit at the head of the table.
We were all seated and waiting for the meal to start. I could smell the food, and I felt my true hunger. I wanted to tear into the pig with my bare hands, but I waited. Legolas noticed when I was staring at it, and whispered a teasing remark in my ear. I laughed and nudged him with my shoulder. I could not help but to glance at Éomer. He was dressed handsomely that night. He wore a green-grey shirt and a red jerkin over it. It was simple, but Éomer was never one to dress extravagantly. I knew that there were the clothes that he wore under his armor, because he had several of each piece made because he liked them so much. He did it so he could always slip into his armor if he needed to, and not have to go through the hassle of taking off clothes only to put more back on. Éomer caught my glance and I looked away quickly, a little embarrassed that I had been staring. Legolas caught my hand under the table and gave it a gentle squeeze to show his support.
After what felt like a few awkward hours, Théoden entered the hall. Everyone stood and turned to face the king. Éowyn moved away and brought the king a very elaborate goblet. She bowed slightly before him and he took it. He held it out and looked at everyone gathered around the room.
"Tonight we honor those who gave their blood to defend this country," Théoden said loudly.
Everyone picked up a cup before them. I found my goblet of wine and picked it up.
"Hail the victorious dead," Théoden said, raising the cup slightly.
"Hail!" Everyone shouted back.
I thought if anyone I knew personally was missing from the festivities tonight, and my heart immediately went to Boromir, and Théodred. They did not die in the battle, but they gave their blood to defend their country.
We are all Men here tonight.
Éowyn's words came back to me at that moment, and I realized that it was true. The all-consuming evil that spread from Mordor did not just affect one land, it affected everyone. So I drank for Boromir and Théodred, because even though they did not die to defend the Hornburg, they died to defend Middle-Earth, and that made them part of the victorious dead. I noticed that Legolas had also hesitated in drinking, but I could see the sadness in his eyes. He must have lost someone close to his heart in the battle. I looked up at him curiously and he smiled.