Four days we have been travelling and it is our last night in the wild, Haldir has said we will be back in Minis Tirith by first light if we ride through the night which of course I agreed to do and my heart is feeling lighter every step closer to him.
"Come we are nearly there I can feel it," I say urging my horse into a gallop over the plains in the pitch black of the night the stars and moon invisible behind heavy clouds. He doesn't reply but I can hear the hooves of his horse thundering next to mine as rain begins to steadily fall. By the time I can see the dim lights of the city the rain is stinging my skin with its ferocity but I barely feel it in my hurry to get home and into Aragorn's arms.
"Open the gates," I hear the shout even above the noise of our horses and the rain hitting the ground and pull my horse to a trot nerves suddenly filling me. increasing as we move into the city and up through the levels until we reach the stables where I finally pull my horse to a stop leaning forward and patting her soaking neck even as a stable hand approaches.
"My lady you are better," a soldier I don't recognise exclaims as he approaches and I jump down onto shaky legs glancing up at him, how does he know who I am?
"Lady Peyson, we were told you would not return until he end of the month," Faramir shouts appearing now and bowing to me. This is all very strange and surreal and I have to take a breath to try and steady my shaking limbs and look like the woman they clearly expect me to be. The woman, I suddenly realise, I am going to have to be.
"There was a change of plan, Lady Galadriel thought it best I came home before any news could reach enemy ears," I say quietly. "Tell me where is the King?" I add now not understanding why he isn't here and hoping that it doesn't mean anything has happened.
"I have sent someone to wake him, he should be her any moment I am afraid Lady Eowyn has been driving us both into the ground with wedding plans," he grins and I feel more relaxed than I had since arriving at hearing this although I do not believe the tension would truly disappear until I was with him.
"When is your wedding to be?" I ask with a smile and he looks both elated and terrified as he opens his mouth to answer an expression that makes my heart swell for my new friends.
"Our wedding will be a week after your own," he replies and I am just about to respond when a commotion in the doorway startles me.
"Peyson…" Aragorn has me wrapped in his arms before I am even register what is happening and it is all I can do to hold in the sob of relief that wells in my chest as I cling to him, feeling as if all the tension I had been holding these last weeks is finally seeping out and into he floor of the stables. "Oh little one how I have missed you," he whispers into my hair, so quietly I know that no one else could possibly hear his words.
"I am just glad to be home," I whisper back fearing that if I tried to say anymore at the moment I would loose my composure completely.
"I had not expected you… Gandalf sent word that…" he trails off as he takes me in examining me closely, "Faramir," he says now, turning to the man who stood a distance away to give us privacy, whilst never letting go of me his fingers digging into me almost painfully as if afraid that if he let go I would disappear.
"Yes My King," he answers immediately stepping forward and I can feel Aragorn sigh a tiny bit, I am guessing they have had many conversations involving him telling Faramir to address him by his name. The thought makes me smile a little despite the coldness that I could now feel was beginning to seep into my very bones.
"Please get someone to fetch Lady Peyson's maids and ask them to draw her a warm bath and prepare her rooms," he says and Faramir is gone before I can protest.
"Aragorn you shouldn't…" I start not wanting to wake the poor women but I am interrupted yet again.
"He is right my friend you are wet through and we have travelled hard over the past few days to reach here you should listen to your lover," Haldir says quietly behind me making me jump, I had forgotten he was even here in my excitement at seeing Aragorn.
"So are you," I say before I can stop myself instantly aware that I sound like a petulant child again and both of them laugh causing me to flush and turn away slightly in embarrassment.
"Aye, that I am and I will take my leave now to find my own room and rest, although as you well know My Lady as an elf I feel neither the cold or the effects of lack of sleep," he smirks and I glower at his receding back before turning to look up at Aragorn again as he pulls me closer.
"Come little one, let us get you warm and dry and then we shall talk properly about your adventures," he whispers leaning down and brushing his lips against the shell of my ear causing a shiver, that had nothing to do with the cold, sweep down my spine before leading me away from the stables and into the vast building that I now called home.
By the time we reach the door to my room I am almost ready to sob with relief, every muscle in my body seems to be aching and tired and the coldness is making it hard to function.
"My Lady welcome home," Marrianna exclaims as Aragorn opens the door and guides me through it and I offer her a smile unable to think of any response by this point, "come… oh you are like ice quick into the washroom with you and you stay here," she says to Aragorn and I almost want to laugh at the look he has plastered across his face. Before I know it I have been ushered into the washroom the door shut and I have been stripped and guided into the bath hissing as the hot water stings my frozen skin.
"Treya get into the room and make sure the King is sitting by the fire and is comfortable and nowhere near this room," a few minutes later the door opens again and I can see Treya's head poke through.
"Marrianna, the king says he must see her," she says in a slightly trembling voice,
"He can see her when she has been washed and changed and is in her bed," Marrianna replies sharply.
"But he is the king," poor Treya sounds terrified and my heart goes out for her caught between these two incredibly stubborn people.
"I don't care if he is the king he can wait three weeks until he is married to her before he comes anywhere near her in this state of undress I will not allow him to damage her honour," she says and I can hear his frustrated tones carrying through the room, knowing that he must be equal parts shamefaced and angry.
"Henriq, go fetch Lady Peyson's nightdress please and a wrap," Marrianna instructs now as she begins to clean and brush through my hair and I settle down closing my eyes and feeling the pins and needles in my limbs subside as warmth begins to slowly come back to me. I am relishing the feeling of being back at home and with my new mother figure, something I had not realised how much I missed before I came here when I feel the water draining away and instructions are being called out to bring me some food and a hot drink.
"Thank you," I whisper sleepily as she helps me stand and begins to dry me, so tired I can not even find it within me to be embarrassed by my state of undress.
"Come let us get you into bed Peyson and get some food into you, you are naught but skin and bone," she says gruffly as she pulls the long white night dress over my head and a swollen shawl around my shoulders before leading me into my room and under the covers where Aragorn is immediately beside me my hand is his despite the fact that I can barely keep my eyes open.
"How do you feel my love?" he whispers to me his thumb gently stroking the back of my hand sending me even deeper into my trance like state.
"Mm… tired," I slur back and I hear him chuckle slightly before I feel his lips against my forehead.
"Sleep little one you can tell me all in the morning," he whispers now and I am asleep before I can respond.
When I wake my entire body feels heavy and whilst I know I have slept well I feel exhausted and shivery. I seem to ache all over and cannot contain the tiny whimper that escapes me as I attempt to move and the sunlight burns my eyes causing me to screw them shut and turn away. The room is silent and empty and after a few minutes of laying there a powerful nausea rushes through me and I just about manage to scramble out of bed and into he washroom before I empty my stomach. Sitting back against the wall I try to calm my wildly beating heart feeling the sweat cooling all over my body and causing me to shiver again, my head pounding in time with my heart and then a knock on the door that adds to it. Somehow I manage to stand and walk back into my room using the wall to support me as my legs wobble and shake beneath me, glancing up I see Aragorn entering and closing the door.
"Good morning little one how are…" he trails off as he turns round and sees me and I can see the worry cloud his face, I must look as awful as I feel then.
"I think the cold must finally have caught up with me," I manage to whisper feeling my legs buckle as my head begins to swim.
"Peyson," his cry penetrates my foggy mind and I manage to open my eyes as I feel him pick me up cradling me to him as he carries me back to bed.
"Aragorn what is wrong?" that's Legolas' voice I realise and I turn my head to see him reach Aragorn's side and stare down at me in equal concern.
"Legolas, I have missed you," I whisper aware suddenly that my breath is harsh and rattling in my lungs loud to my ears.
"She is burning with fever," Aragorn says and the concern in his voice making my heart constrict a little and my hand reaches almost unconsciously for his and he grasps it in his own instantly.
"I shall go and get Haldir he can bring some herbs to help heal her and I'll fetch her maids to help bathe her she needs cooling down," Legolas says before he is gone.
"I am sorry," I whisper when we are alone and he grips my hand more tightly.
"You have nothing to be sorry for my love," he says his lips by my ear and I am suddenly reminded of the moments after I was injured at Helms Deep when he was with me like this, reassuring me in the same way.
"I am always worrying you it seems," I say now my voice feeling rough before nausea rushes through me again and I scramble to move, "I am going to be sick," I say and he rushes to get a pot and then holding it for me to vomit in his other hand strokes my back gently as he mutters soothing words.
"Where is she?" a booming female voice echoes through my head just as I finish vomiting and slump backwards again, "oh, dear you are a state right she needs to bathe in cool water to bring down her fever, I'll fill the bathtub and you bring her through we will put her in with her nightdress on," she says and I listen to her bustle around before Aragorn lifts me to him again and places me into the cold water making me whimper and yelp and cling to him like a pathetic child and his anguish at causing me discomfort is so audible in his voice as he tries to calm me.
"Aragorn," a voice calls out and he looks up his grip tightening even further as he does so.
"Haldir, through here," he calls back and Marrianna nearly has a fit when the two elves walk through but when they insist they are not leaving without giving me some medicine she relents and allows them to prepare and feed me a concoction of herbs that very nearly makes me vomit again before making me incredibly drowsy at which point I have just enough awareness to hear Marrianna ordering them out of the room and Treya and Henriq arriving to help change me into dry clothes before consciousness leaves me completely.
It is over a week before I am feeling back to my normal self and am able to leave my room and walk around the city again. Haldir and Legolas have been to see me twice a day with medici to help speed my recovery and Aragorn has only left me this past couple of days since my fever broke and he could no longer stay away from the meetings. The morning air is fresh and clean as I wander around relishing the feeling of being well eventually finding myself at the tree again smiling as I see the tiny blooms beginning to bud, the prophecy was true the tree was alive again because the rightful heir was on the throne.
"It warms my heart to see you well again little one," a voice says softly behind me as a warm and familiar hand gently grasps mine, fingers intertwining and leading me to a small bench where we can sit and look out over the country.
"Thank you for looking after me," I whisper after a moment and he smiles at me wrapping an arm around my shoulders and pulling me further into his side.
"I would do it a million times over for you my love, I was worried for a time that we would have to put back the wedding," he admits now and I laugh a little although I feel both guilty and embarrassed as I remember the state he found me in.
"Are you sure you still want to marry me after all you have now seen?" I ask not quite able to meet his eye despite my jovial tone and he sighs a little pulling my face round so that I am forced to look him in the eye.
"You are my destiny Peyson, you always have been and nothing would stop me from marrying you in a weeks time," he says seriously making me blush under his intense stare and as if sensing the change in atmosphere he adds, "besides I believe Eowyn would kill us both if all of her plans went to wrack and ruin," which makes me laugh.
"I would hate to disappoint her… or face her wrath," I giggle and he leans forward to kiss my temple.
"Come it is getting cold and I shall not have you catching another fever," he says pulling me up and leading me inside where I am immediately ambushed by said woman.
"Oh Peyson I am so pleased to see you well, come we have much to do and you must try on your dress," she exclaims whisking me away quickly and I am only able to catch a quick glance of his smiling face as we round the corner.
Just over seven days later and I am standing in my room surrounded by women fussing over me and feeling incredibly overwhelmed by everything in fact if it wasn't for the fact that Aragorn was waiting for me and he had to be king I would have suggested running away and doing this all very quietly.
"Be still Peyson you are making it very difficult to fix this," Treya says for what must be the hundredth time this morning and I scowl slightly in response.
"I am sorry but I am not used to such fancy garments," I reply and Eowyn laughs at me from her seat on the end of my bed.
"You shall have to get used to it my friend you shall be a Queen before the end of this day," she says and I blanche as I realise the truth in the words, blind panic washing over me like a wave.
"I don't think I can do this," I whisper feeling lightheaded.
"Do what?" Marianna asks as she fiddles with my hair,
"Marry him, be queen, I know nothing about being a lady… a queen," I stutter feeling the blood rushing away from my face even as I say it.
"Do you love him?" she asks now standing in front of me and I look at her startled by the ridiculousness of the question.
"Of course, more than anything," I reply instantly and she smiles.
"Right Treya, Henriq, go make sure the guests are ready we will be at the chapel in ten minutes," she says and they nod curtsying slightly to me and Eowyn before leaving Eowyn now fussing with my dress behind me.
"You need to eat more my friend this dress has had to be adjusted far too much," she says and although I cannot see her I can hear the smile in her voice and I smirk despite the fear still coursing through me.
"It is not my fault I have been ill," I reply and she laughs aloud this time.
"I shall go and make sure Legolas is outside and ready," she says squeezing my arm lightly as she leaves the room. Legolas was giving me away as my own father was gone and I had no other family.
"Now sit down for a minute Peyson I wish to speak to you," Marrianna says and I obey her quietly staring up at her as she fixes a tiara into my hair and attaches the veil. "You said to me when you arrived that you were not used to being treated like a lady," she starts and I nod a tiny bit, "I have heard that your own parents died in an ambush," he continues and I nod despite the tears already pooling in my eyes.
"They did, that is how I met Aragorn and joined the fellowship," I whisper, "I miss them so very much Marrianna but you have made it easier for me, for the first time I feel like I have someone like a mother in my life again," I say and she smiles tears in her own eyes as she grasps my hands in hers.
"You may not feel like a lady or a queen Peyson but you demonstrate the traits of one every single day. You are brave and caring and loyal, you shall make a fantastic queen of Gondor and it will be an honour for me to serve you just as it already is," she says and I pull her to me suddenly holding her tightly and crying into her neck. "Come now child you shall ruin all of our hard work," she soothers after a second pulling away and quickly fixing my face and pulling the veil down over my face before helping me to stand and guiding me towards the door.
"You look radiant my friend," Legolas says as he sees me and walks towards me taking my hand and looping it gently through his arm leading me down the corridor.
"This dress will be the death of me, I can barely breathe," I mutter to him and he chuckles a little,
"But it will be worth it when you see the look on Estel's face," he says making me blush and duck my head choosing to examine the intricate beading and needlework on the dress. The corset of which is pulling my waist in tightly and glittering in the sunlight, the full skirts flared out around me and trailed behind me with the veil, I had to admit that I did feel like a princess for the first time in my life and even if I did prefer to wear trousers and a tunic with a sword strapped to my waist I would be lying if right now, despite the nerves, I felt beautiful for the first time.
"This is it then," I say as we reach the doors behind which stood the guests and Aragorn,
"No turning back, are you ready?" he asks and I nod to which he smiles before squeezing my fingers gently.
I don't think I have ever felt so loved than I do right now and I don't think I shall ever forget the look in Aragorn's eye as I met him at the end of that aisle, if I had ever in my life doubted his love for me, I knew in that it was absolute and my heart felt whole. I shall never have to spend a night away from him again and I would finally be able to start my new life, I had a true family recognised by all and despite the fact that I was still terrified about the whole being a Queen thing, I knew that with him by my side I could do anything. Everyone was here too, Gimli and the hobbits had come back and so had Gandalf even Eomer and some of the others from Rohan had made the journey along with the elves of Lorien and I felt as if my face was splitting from the smile that had been plastered across it for hours now. By the time night has fallen I have managed to escape for a few moments and made my way outside to breathe the fresh air when strong arms wrap around my was it pulling me against a solid chest and a familiar smell fills my nose.
"Hello," I say quietly turning my head slightly to look up at him.
"Isn't it wonderful to know that I can hold you like this whenever I like now," he comments and I laugh a little.
"I think people may say something about it after a while," I say and he buries his head in my neck seeming to inhale my own scent.
"Well I am king and you are queen we shall make it law," he says and I laugh again before I gaze back out into he darkness of the night Galadriel's warning suddenly filling my mind:
"You are strong Peyson but you do not yet have full control over your power and there are those that would seek to destroy it… Trust in your strength Peyson and trust in your love… What you feel when you are apart from him… the pain it causes you it is linked to your sight, be careful,"
What could it all mean, surely I would not be separated from him again.
"Does something trouble you little one?" he asks now and I startle a little turning around in his arms and winding my own around his neck as he begins to dance us around to no music at all.
"No… I was just enjoying the stillness of the night, enjoying being with you without anyone else here, I think it has been quite a while since that has been the case," I reply and he smiles dipping his head to kiss me stopping the swaying of our dance as I moan quietly and he deepens the kiss.
"Come little one before I loose all control and take you back to our marriage bed before the party is over," he almost growls and I feel the shiver of anticipation run down my spine.
