Chapter 29

Elahir POV

The following morning Elahir had risen early to fletch some arrows as the dawn struck. Aragorn soon joined her, smoking his pipe weed. She wrinkled her nose at the smell of the popular past time of men. He caught a glance of her face and offered his pipe with a smugness lightly flicking across his face, she looked at him pointedly and raised her eyebrows earning her a laugh.

"Ah, elves never did understand the joy of-" Aragorn began but stopped short, looking out over the mountains that looked down over Edoras. Elahir followed his gaz, there, on a rocky peak high above Edoras, she saw what he saw.

A beacon, burnt bright against the white and gray of the mountain. A bell began to toll urgently that had Elahir gathering her things with speed as Aragorn had already turned and run for the Golden Hall.

"The beacons of Minas Tirith!" he exclaimed bursting into the throne room causing Theoden to look up startled, as Elahir ran in behind him. "The beacons are lit, Gondor calls for aid!"

Eowyn and Eomer turned to look at their uncle, anxiety and anticipation written across their faces. Theoden lowered his head, his expression grim and wrought with concern. Slowly he raised his head to meet Aragorn's gaze.

"Then Rohan will answer," he said finally. He turned to look at Eomer whose face now shone with pride. "Muster the Rohirrim!"

The bell rang in the look-out of Edoras as the soldiers and horses prepared. Theoden hurried out to the courtyard flanked by Eomer and his soldiers.

"Assemble the army at Dunharrow," Theoden ordered to Eomer. "As many men as can be found. You have two days. On the third, we ride for Gondor ... and war!" He strode out onto the parapet. "Gamling, make haste across the Ridemarck. Summon every able bodied man to Dunharrow!" He looked down upon the courtyard where his soldiers hastened to prepare.

Inside the stables, Elahir also saw Eowyn preparing. It confused her as to why the Lady of Edoras would need to prepare but she thought better than to ask. Eowyn pulled on her riding gloves and turned to mount her horse but instead found herself turning to face Aragorn.

"You ride with us?" he asked looking at her attire. Elahir raised an eyebrow as she mounted Veriann, watching the scene before her.

"Just to the encampment," Eowyn answered moving past him, offering a small smile. "It's tradition for the women of the court to farewell the men." He returned the smile, but her smile fell as he reached past her to lift a cover that hid a sword, strapped to the side of her horse.

Elahir gritted her teeth. Eowyn was a good swordsman, she had seen her practice once. But that was it, she was a good swordsman. She had no experience in battle and she was no expert. She knew what Eowyn planned to do, she also knew it may have been her that encouraged the young woman to try and take the battlefield.

Eowyn quickly pulled the cover back down deftly. She looked back at Aragorn who looked back at her grimly. "The men have found their captain," she spoke softly. "They will follow you into battle, even to their death. You have given us hope."

Elahir rode Veriann into the courtyard. She looked around at the rushing men. She noted the tension in the air. Theoden stopped alongside her, glancing around Edoras, Elahir noted the sorrow in his eyes. 'He acts as if he will never see it again.'

"So . . . It is before the walls of Minas Tirith that the doom of our time will be decided," she heard him murmur under his breath. She cocked her head to the side, analysing the grim face beside her. He saw the movement and turned to look at her and then down to Tithen Lum, who had been dressed in her armour. "Lady Elahir, I hope you and your brave Lycan will fight bravely as you did for us at Helm's Deep."

"I know no other way, milord," Elahir answered with the slightest of bows. Tithen Lum gave a bark, puffing her chest out slightly. Legolas, Aragorn and Eomer rode alongside Elahir. Eomer looked to Theoden who nodded to him.

"Now is the hour! Riders of Rohan – oaths you have taken. Now, fulfil them all, to Lord and land!"

Elahir walked alongside Theoden upon his wishes, as they rode into the encampment, why she had no idea. She thought protocol would say that Eowyn should be beside the King of Rohan but she rode behind the King and beside her brother.

Tithen Lum marched alongside Veriann, her red armour shining through the dust thrown up around her. Elahir watched as he acknowledged a man who wore the uniform of a Rohan Marshall.

"Grimbold, how many?" Theoden asked stopping as they drew level with him. The marshall, Grimbold, glanced at her and then Tithen Lum curiously, before looking back to the king.

"I bring five hundred men from the Westfold, my lord." Another marshall stepped beside him.

"We have three hundred more from Fenmarch, Theoden King," he announced. Theoden nodded in thanks and began to ride again. Elahir looked over the men that had arrived. They all looked grim but determined.

"Where are the riders from Snowbourne?" Theoden asked Gamling who rode beside him now as Elahir dropped level with Legolas, who glanced sideways at her, a look of deep concern in his eyes. Elahir raised her eyebrows expectantly, but he said nothing.

"None have come, my lord."

Legolas POV

As the day drew on, Legolas saw Elahir watching from within the camp as Aragorn and Theoden spoke upon the bluff that overlooked the camp. Horses whinnied loudly behind her as Legolas and Gimli moved towards her. She turned to see a soldier fight to quieten one.

Elahir stood to greet them. Tithen Lum who was lying beside her snoozing in the last of the daylight pricked her ears and looked up towards the dark road leading into the mountain. Elahir nodded to Legolas and Gimli, who tapped her arm in welcome.

Legolas looked around and noticed a group of soldiers, they sat quiet and hunched. Not a single word spoken amongst them. He looked at Elahir who shook her head slightly with a grim look, her eyes still dark amber, it concerned him that such darkness seemed to be settling there.

Legolas looked to Eomer who carried a saddle and sat to polish it. "The horses are restless and the men are quiet."

Tithen Lum stood up, looking to the mountain. She growled deep within her throat, baring her teeth ever so slightly. Elahir stroked her head softly, it seemed soothing to her.

Eomer looked to Legolas and then back to the mountain behind him. "They grow nervous in the shadow of the mountain." Gimli and Elahir looked to a row of standing ancient stones that marked the entrance of the mountain path leading away from the camp. "As does your Lycan, my lady." Legolas considered the Lycan for a moment. She didn't take her eyes off the mountain path, her fur bristled ever so slightly.

"That road, where does it lead?" Gimli asked curiously.

"It is the road to the Dimholt," Legolas answered nodding to the mountain and moving to kneel beside Tithen Lum. Elahir looked down at Legolas in surprise, as he stroked the Lycan's muzzle, taking her attention away from the mountain. "The road beneath the mountain." His eyes met hers as he looked back up, she looked grim.

"None that venture there ever return," Eomer added. "That mountain is evil."

That night they sat outside Elahir's tent, speaking lightly of their homes and stories of their own adventures before they had journeyed to join the fellowship. Legolas sat facing Elahir with Gimli beside him. Tithen Lum lay on the ground between them, but she was not asleep. Her sharp eyes contantly roamed the landscape and occasionally would glance back at the mountain path.

Aragorn had retired to his quarters. Gimli spoke of his homeland to Elahir, who listened, but Legolas could see she too was preoccupied. He himself could barely focus on what the dwarf was saying, not that it was of much interest to him the different minerals to be found in the mines the dwarves called home. All he could think about was the darkness that seemed to have settled upon Elahir. It was while his mind pondered the cause, he noticed a dark, elven cloaked figure being led to Theoden's tent.

Elahir must have noticed it too. She held up a hand to Gimli and motioned towards the tent. Gimli looked from Elahir to Legolas in confusion and intrigue. Elahir sat up, closing her eyes for a few moments. He then saw Aragorn enter the tent.

He looked back to Elahir, her eyes were still closed, but he could see she was trying to control her thoughts. He then heard the chanting coming from Theoden's tent.

Elahir opened her eyes and looked at Legolas. He met her gaze and saw the golden amber flecks appear once more, but for a second. Then she grinned.

"Aragorn is going to Dimholt."