XXV- The Eve Of Battle
The Deep seemed to thrive in the chaos that surrounded it, men were rushing to and fro, sharpening swords and collecting armour. Mirren tried to push her way through them as swiftly as possible, avoiding the men who were wary and untrusting of elves.
She had always known how to find him. Once in the Greenwood, many moons before, people had relied upon it and had sought her out, hoping and expecting her to know his location. She found Legolas now, sitting on the Hornburg wall, his eyes filled with doubt and sorrow as he stared at the horizon. In the distance a thousand torches flashed in the dark.
"We will not fail." She stubbornly told him, enticing a small smile that was almost gone before it arrived.
She perched next to the elf, dangling her feet over the edge as the sounds of the people of Rohan readying themselves for war rattled around them. Studying the way he frowned, she knew she shared his worries and his hopes.
"I was wrong to say so." Legolas accepted, "but still we are outnumbered by the Uruks five to one… and the men that defend this keep are not skilled enough to keep them out."
Mirren couldn't bring herself to counter him because she knew that he was right. Sighing, she thought of the closing of The Hornburg's gates earlier in the day and the fleeting thought of leaving that had intruded into her thoughts. She knew now for certain that she could have never acted upon it.
"I will still fight, I'd rather die here with those men than leave them to die alone." She knew instantly that she had said the wrong thing as Legolas tensed and turned his head way from her.
"I would not have you die... here or anywhere." He stated. Despite the ferocity in his tone she cracked a small smile at his worry.
"Yet, it is not in your power to make it so."
His eyes were stormier than she had ever seen them before, a cool blue turned grey with his determination. Clouds before a storm. And he shook his head slightly, taking her arm in a way that would be difficult to escape with dignity.
"Then I would make it my mission… " he murmured, his voice low, "My duty."
Raising her hand she grazed his cheekbone with her fingers, "And I would thank you for it and make your safety mine." She offered gently, all traces of humour gone. Her heart lept unconsciously at the softening of his eyes as they bore into her own.
"Stay Alive." She demanded firmly. "And I'll do my best to stay close to you."
Legolas bowed his head, nodding.
Reaching into his pocket, the Princeling held out a small offering, wrapped in a Mallorn leaf that had once held Lembas.
"Here."
Thinking it a gift Mirren shook her head,
"There is no need-"
"-I know, this is not a gift." He offered it again. "Take it, please and see what it is."
She did as he asked. Inside the wrap lay the wave and moon brooch. He had polished it, and replaced the pin but otherwise it was the same as she had given it. An impulse of the moment that only came to have meaning afterwards. And he had held it….across many leagues…
Until now.
She could see he was waiting for her to speak, "…Don't you want it?" She asked, grimacing internally at how small she sounded.
" Of course. What I want- it doesn't matter..." He stopped and began again on a new breath. "If I kept it, would it continue to have meaning?"
Comprehension came to her slowly and with visceral force. Since Lothlorien, she had not known the loss of him as she had felt the loss of others, of Boromir and Gandalf first, for a while, and then Sam and Frodo and Merry and Pippin. Through the last month, the knowledge that whatever happened, he held that brooch and would keep it, had nurtured a spark of life in her soul that had faded when Gandalf had fallen in the Mines. It was not something she needed to question.
Now, alone in his presence, sitting close enough to touch, she felt once again how she had felt in Fangorn and in so many other moments and places before. For once, he looked nervous and her heart uncharacteristically lept into her throat.
"It is yours." She said. Like my heart. But she did not say that now, with the imminent battle at the forefront of her mind. So instead she said. "For protection." And smiled, the same way she had smiled under the Mallorn trees, so long ago.
Legolas smiled warmly, "And for balance." he mused, curling his fingers around the brooch as if it could fade from existence in his palm.
Cursing her heated cheeks, Mirren's gaze was drawn back to the flashing of the Uruks war torches in the distance.
"…You need to speak with Aragorn." She said, standing. "Before the chance is lost to you."
Nodding, Legolas allowed her to pull him from the battlements and back into the stone fortress.
Slowly the two elves retraced their steps through the deep, finding the room set aside for them easily enough despite the soldiers running to and fro making last minute preparations.
Inside, Aragorn stood silent putting on chain mail and redressing himself with a hardened and solemn expression across his face.
Walking silently, Legolas stepped in front of Mirren and picked up the ranger's sword, holding it out to his friend.
"We have trusted you this far. You have not led us astray." The ellon said, softly. "Forgive me. I was wrong to despair."
Aragorn smiled forgivingly, albeit a small one, "There is nothing to forgive, Legolas."
Mirren grinned as the men clasped each other fondly on the shoulder, speaking without words. A huff sounded loudly from behind them and the trio turned to behold Gimli, drowning in a shirt of chainmail.
Spotting their eyes the dwarf looked up and dropped the gathered metal around his waist to the floor. "If we had time, I'd get this adjusted." He said and Mirren couldn't help but grin, seeing obviously that the mail was far too long for his dwarfish stature. "It's a little tight across the chest." He grumbled, seeing that all their eyes had dropped to the floor where the shirt had pooled at his feet.
Suddenly a horn rang out through the deep and Legolas confused eyes met Mirren's briefly.
"That is no Orc horn!" He exclaimed, running out the room, quickly followed by his companions.
It was easy enough to find the source of the horn, as they breathed the evening air, the sound of armored footsteps echoed around the deep. Turning a walled corner, Mirren could hear the King:
"How is this possible?"
Hearing the disbelief in Théoden's breath, Mirren smiled. She supposed not losing hope had its benefits and she was shown the true reward when she followed Legolas round another short corner and beheld a prepared army of Galahdrim: armed with brilliant bows and ready for battle.
Haldir of Lorien was speaking to the King and the elleth could merely gasp as he lifted his eyes to her companions and smiled, "An alliance once existed between Elves and Men. Long ago we fought and died together. We come to honor that allegiance."
Without hesitation, Aragorn bounded down the steps to greet him, hugging the elf firmly,
"You are most welcome!" He smiled, releasing the ellon, who patted the ranger kindly on the back in return. Following him, Legolas greeted the Marchwarden of Lorien traditionally, hope renewed in his yes.
"We are proud to fight alongside Men once more."
Still shocked, Théoden gathered his captains for a last time to discuss the placement of the elven forces and thus, the placement of his own men. With his absence, Haldir caught Mirren's eye and the elleth approached him slowly, dropping her head and swiftly placing her hand on her heart in greeting.
Reciprocating the action, Haldir gestured to Mirren's hand.
"Lady Mirren…. how is your wound?"
"Little more than a scratch, my friend." She smiled, flexing it to show him how well it moved now. She had barely noticed its healing since they had arrived in Rohan but over the last few hours it had ached a warning for the coming battle. "You have my absolute thanks for coming." she bowed her head once more and then clasped his shoulder tightly, grinning.
"We also bring a message from Lord Cirdan of The Grey Havens, your father." Haldir stated warily. The armoured elf was reminded of how he had mistakenly misidentified the elleth standing before him now when their company had first entered the Golden wood. She was the wildest looking elf he had ever seen and under the light of the moon, power glinted lively in her stunning sea-blue eyes. "He hopes this token will be a peace offering and a sign of affection towards his only daughter."
Parting, the company of elves revealed a singular golden-haired elf in a cloak of sea-green, taking off his helm Mirren recognised a face from her childhood and gasped, flinging herself, as Aragorn had at Haldir, towards the ellon.
Surprised, Galdor, Messenger to Cirdan and his most trusted friend, patted his Lord's daughter awkwardly on the back, raising his palm to his chest and bowing deeply to her when she stepped back from him.
"Galdor!" She breathed, "Are you well? How is my father?" She held his shoulders firmly and spoke directly to his eyes.
Taken back by the range of emotion in the usually stoic and sombre elleth's tone, Galdor simply surveyed Mirren for a moment. Finding her much changed, he bowed his head once more, smiling briefly.
"Both are well my lady… There has been little change in the West-" The elf raised a judging eyebrow as he glanced at the state of Théoden's men. "-Unlike in the lands of men, it seems."
Ignoring his comments, Mirren grinned, "It is mostgood to see you again."
A serious look filtered onto the ellon's face and he clasped his hands firmly in front of him,
"As Lord Haldir has said, my lady. I come with a gift from your father..."
Mirren shook her head slightly, still in disbelief at the elves entrance.
"Your arrival is surely gift enough, Galdor?"
The ellon raised his hand and one of the Galahdrim bought forth a great parcel, placing it gently into the palms of Galdor who, in turn offered it to the elleth.
"You may reconsider that statement once you open this."
The parcel was a large rectangle, slightly wider than the spread of Galdor's broad shoulders and relatively deep as he held it out to her. The box was dark in colour and under the falling night sky Mirren feared for a moment that she may not be able to see its contents well.
Opening it slowly, she couldn't have been more wrong.
The traditional armour was bright and newly polished, shining like a young star in the night. Picking up the silver chest-plate, Mirren found the metal to be thin and light, unlike the heavy chainmail of the men around her. Just by looking, she could tell it was made specifically for her and by one who knew her well. Next to the plate lay an armoured skirt. It's material was strange and Mirren furrowed her eyebrows at the design.
Legolas saw it at the same time from over her shoulders and breathed, "It looks like-"
"-fish-scales?" She finished looking questioningly towards Galdor who in turn, nodded as she reached out to touch them.
"Be careful." The old elf warned, pushing her hand away lightly.
Slowly Galdor pushed his pointing finger along the metal and Mirren could only watch, confused, as one of the scales disconnected from the skirt.
"They're knives?" She asked her eyes blown wide in amazement.
Galdor nodded, proud of the creation of his kin. "Each scale will deflect attack but each can also be used in offence, disconnecting to become throwing knives…" Mirren reached out once more and Galdor reminded her again, "The edges are sharp."
Holding one up, Mirren could see the true beauty of her kins craftmanship, the blade of the scale, though delicate and short in length, was definitely sharp.
"Incredible." She breathed, closing the box once more.
Behind her, Haldir and Aragorn had finished discussing logistics and called for Mirren and Legolas to join them.
"Prepare for battle," Aragorn advised, "Saruman's armies will soon be upon us. We have very little time."
Mirren noted the shining helmets of the Galahdrim and for a moment envied their added safety. If the men of Rohan had smiths akin to the elves further west, there would be no need for the conscription of old men and children in battle. Aragorn knew it too and simply clasped her arm in his own, squeezing his hand in the crook of her elbow in reassurance.
Dispersing once more, Galdor ensured to his Lady that his place was now with Haldir's company as part of the host sent by the elves of Middle Earth.
"I'll tell Théoden that the elves will be best placed along the Deepling wall. I'll find you both there before it begins." The ranger assured once more and Mirren nodded, hurrying inside with Legolas and Gimli to prepare themselves at last for battle with Saruman's vile forces.
"Legolas?" She asked minutes later, back in the room adjacent to the armoury of men. Mirren pulled her hair quickly from the back of her ears to the back of her head so that only half of it lay down her back. Her warriors braids tugged at her scalp but she knew she would prefer to have it securely fastened than flying free in the midst of the siege. "Could you help tie my armour?"
The Prince stepped forward, albeit a little hesitantly as she held the long leather straps of her skirt behind her, where they should be tied. Legolas stood close, enveloping her hands behind her back to take the straps in his own warm palms. She could feel his breath on the tops of her ears and tried to stop the light blush that fell upon her cheeks as he slowly tied the mail around her waist.
"You should wear a helmet." he said, having access to her mind. A breeze tugged at his own uncovered hair as she turned to face him.
"As you do?" She mused, lifting her hand to graze the single braid behind his left ear.
Legolas' breath hitched and for a moment he wondered how he could face a thousand Uruk-hai spears but still stand frozen in the face of this one woman.
"A hands breath of polished metal won't stop a flying spear or sword strike if the Valar deem it so... Besides, you might loose track of me."
The space between them stretched beyond endurance and Mirren realised they'd been talking to fill the silence and stopped.
Neither of them moved.
"Legolas-"
"Mirren-"
His smile was the grin of a youth under a star filled sky…and later under the weight of ancient trees. The sight of it lifted her heart into the sway of the valar; it burned her skin so that every nerve ending felt like it was on fire for him, an eternity of longing like she'd never felt before.
Slowly she reached out and traced the edges of his cheekbones with her fingertips, arching them across his lower lip until he caught her wrist and pressed a kiss on the inside of her palm and then, on the inside of her wrist where he could actually feel the beating and quickening of her heart...
"I don't suppose either of you know where Aragorn has taken himself off to?" The dwarf's voice shattered the peace of the room and they broke apart swiftly.
Mirren's cheeks felt as ablaze as her hand.. where Legolas had-
She stopped breathing and she thought it unwise to think of the ellon as she turned to address their friend.
"He uh- went to speak to the King." She replied, flustered.
There was evident humour in Legolas' voice as he cleared his throat and said, "Théoden wanted his opinion on the use of Haldir's guard."
"Well we better find him, the women and children have finished retreating into the caves." Gimli told them with a huff, still fretting with the smaller armour Mirren had found for him among the leftovers of the armoury "If only there was time to find me some real dwarven armour or at least get this adjusted."
If only there was time. Mirren thought, picking up her bow with her left hand.
As she moved towards the door, Legolas interlaced his fingers with hers for a moment that felt like a lifetime. And despite the coming of the bloody battle…she smiled.
A/N - OOooooh What do you think? They almost kissed! Sorry for dragging these before war moments out.. the Battle will comence next chapter i promise ;) What do you think is going to happen in the fight? Will Mirren get injured.. Will Legolas? Updates will come soon ! x - J