A/N: Soooo sorry it's taken me so bloody long to get this one up! I was über sick on the weekend, and didn't feel like doing much except lying down and resist the urge to throw up. Ugh. Better now, though, and I bring more story. Hope you enjoy!

Chapter 21

Paige approached the stables where Aróf was housed, and a great many men were making their horses ready. Paige wove in amungst them, trying to blend in with the crowd. She felt a bit like Mulan in her attempts to be manly. None seemed to heed her however, and simply went about their business.

Aróf started when this strange boy approached, but settled immediately upon hearing Paige's calm voice. "Shhh! There there, Aróf. It's me. It's just a disguise. Shhhh! There, there."

However, Paige's heart faltered upon seeing that Aróf had not been saddled. I mean, sure! Paige had seen others do it several times for her, but she had never had to do it herself. Suppressing the urge to tilt her head, bat her eyelashes, and girlishly ask someone to help her, she took a deep breath and picked up the saddle.

And then dropped it. Fuck, it was heavy! How the hell was she going to get it way above her head and onto a bloody horse?!

"Stand back, boy!" a gruff voice commanded.

It took Paige a few moments to realize he had meant her, and she shuffled back in surprise. They sized each other up. He was old - far too old, Paige thought, to be marching off to war. His beard was long with lots of white, as was his hair.

"You have seen far too few summers to go to war," the old man said gruffly. "When do you become a man?"

"Uh..." Paige replied, her mind racing. "Uh...next summer?"

"Summer next, eh?" he said, skeptically, sizing her up and down. "I daresay it is five summers off, at the very least! Why do so wish to be killed, eh boy? Perhaps you had best stay home with your mother, and live a long life. Where we go, you've not a chance. We go to face the REAL monsters, now. Slit your throat quick as look at you. Not a place for milksops like yourself. Go on, be off with you now."

But Paige did not move, and instead held her ground. "Kay, I don't know what a 'milksop' is, but I'm guessing it's degrading, so that's just rude. And anyway, dude, what do YOU care if I'm off to die? Huh? I want to fight and do my part. You got a problem with that?"

Glaring, and not knowing what to make of the strange boy, he began to turn away, but Paige stopped him, quickly.

"Say, but before you go, would ya mind helping me saddle my horse? Pretty please with a cherry on top?"

"Where are you from?" the man said, baffled.

"Bree," Paige replied.

Nodding in understanding, he pushed Paige aside, and bent down to pick up the saddle. "I have heard stories of Notherners. They appear to have been true. Tell me, are all your countrymen mad?"

Paige blinked. "'Mad' as in 'GRRR!', or 'mad' as in 'coo-coo for Cocoa Puffs'?"

But the old man did not reply, and continued on saddling the horse, surmising to himself that it was an, 'Aye. We are all mad.' When he was finished he simply said: "War. Have you seen it, boy?"

"Not first hand, no. But I have like in movies and stuff, like Saving Private Ryan, and Lord of the Rings. Duh, right? But I'm thinking this is going to be more like Rome, which kinda freaks me out a bit, because I hate paper cuts, never mind cuts from..."

"Silence," the man commanded softly, and took a deep breath. "Courage. Every soldier needs it. But look not for it here," he said, poking her heart (and her boob a bit, if we're being honest). "Or here," he continued on, poking her in her stomach. "Look here," he said, at last poking her on her forehead. "It is there that your fear dwells. But courage must overcome all fears if it is to be victorious. Think not of saving your life. Accept that you are dead already. And then fight. Fight knowing your fate. Embracing it. Then... Then you shall find your courage."

Paige swallowed. And suddenly noticed that the barn was unusually quiet. She glanced around, and all eyes were upon them.

Yeah, this was the kind of attention that she had wanted to avoid...

"Thanks," she said dully at last. "I'll remember that. I promise."

He simply nodded his reply and strode away, and instantly, the barn became alive again and men began to mount their horses and depart. Paige had just clambered awkwardly onto Aróf when she heard a horn blast. Others heard it also, for they immediately began to trot out, and answer the call with their own horn blasts.

It was time.

Knowing full well there was no turning back now, she followed the others out, and down through the gate and out into the vale.

Kay, she didn't know where the heck Dunharrow was, but it turned out, it wasn't far. Just a few hours ride from Edoras. They arrived, nearly a thousand men amungst them, to a sweeping valley with mountains high bordering the distance.

But the valley was not empty. It was filled with soldiers, at least ten-thousand strong. Paige knew she could easily get lost in the sea of soldiers and horses, and so never let Háma out of her sight, for she knew, in the place of Éowyn, it would be Háma to welcome the king to Dunharrow.

Paige watched as they rode to a high pavilion, and knew that was where the king would go, so there it was that she made up camp.

And then the waiting started. In the hours that followed, she thought of many things. Of home, and family. Of the land surrounding her with it's massive black stones, protruding from the earth like giant teeth, ready to swallow them all up. But mostly, she thought of Éomer.

Would he miss her when this was all over? He had kissed her, and it had felt like a dream. But she knew he was destined for another. Who was she to mess with that? She had already messed up so much.

Would he cry upon finding her body, like he found Éowyn's in the movie? Try all she might, she couldn't remember what happened in the books... Would he ever discover her fate, or to him, would she have merely disappeared, as though she had ever truly existed?

She was beginning to feel as though THEY were the real ones, and SHE were the fictional character, which made her feel a little queezy.

And then, with the sinking of the sun, she heard the call. The king and his riders - Éomer - had arrived.

They rode up and were greeted by Háma, of which she had a perfect view. Her heart soared upon seeing Éomer. He appeared serious, but pleased upon seeing the numbers of soldiers. He turned, surveying the land, and she cast her head down quickly as she felt his eyes sweep past her.

How she wanted to go to him. Feel his strong hands upon her shoulders again; his soft lips touch hers.

But he wouldn't understand. Wouldn't listen. And so, she kept her distance, her heart leaping upon hearing his voice in the distance. For she would have recognized it anywhere.

A/N: So, what did you think? I hope to have another chapter up this week. Please review!