Annalynn sighed impatiently as she let herself be wheeled around by Thranduil. She had no idea what the Elvenking was up to, but she was sure that it would be a task that she was not likely to look forward to.
He woke her up just before the sun peeked over the horizon and simply told her to wear comfortable clothing. He had sent in an Elf to help her get dressed and prepare for the day. She was still unable to walk much on her own. She could take a few steps here and there with assistance. Trying to walk with her staff was unbearable, as it offered no real support for her body should she need it. This left her bound to the unforgiving chair that Imrahil had commissioned for her. While it was indeed a comfortable chair, she felt shame each time she sat upon it. Shame that she could no longer use her own faculties for even the smallest of tasks.
As they rounded a corner, Annalynn knew immediately where they were heading. "Thranduil, stop." He either did not hear her or was choosing to ignore her. "Thranduil please stop this." Again he ignored her. Growing fearful and frustrated, she grabbed onto the wheels of her chair. "I said stop!"
The chair came to an abrupt halt as her shouts echoed off the corridor walls. She tossed in her seat, and with heavy breathing, she released her grip on the wheels. Thranduil rounded the chair and kneeled in front of her. "What is the matter?"
"I know what you are doing, but please stop."
"It pains me to see you like this iellig."
"Do you think that I like this anymore than you?!" She shouted at him. "Do you think that being bound to this chair brings me joy?!" She felt the tears welling in her eyes. "If there was something that you or myself could do to help this then do you not think that I would have suggested it!"
"Let me help you Annalynn."
Tears fell from her eyes. How she wished that she could run away from this. But, if she could run away, then there would not be a problem to run from. They would not be here having this conversation. She would not be, once again, crying in this confounded chair.
"I am just so tired ada, I want it to stop."
Never in the years that he had known her did he ever once hear her say the words aloud. He was aware that she held the thoughts after first coming to his home, but she never acted or spoke of her feelings.
Taking her face in his hands, "I NEVER want to hear those words from her lips again." He hardly spoke in his natural tongue when it was just the two of them. "These are not the words of the daughter that I raised."
"But I'm not your daughter am I?!"
Yanking his hands off her face, Annalynn grabbed the wheels of her chair and did her best to move away from him, but she did not get far. Grabbing the chair, Thranduil turned her back towards him. Leaning over, in one swift move, he threw her over his shoulder and continued on their journey. "If you want to act like a stubborn child, then I will treat you like a stubborn child."
His shoulder dug into her stomach as she tried to remove herself from his hold. She shouted at him to let her go, she beat into his back, and with stinging pains radiating through her, she kicked her legs at him.
The familiar stench entered her nose and before she could say another word, he dropped her onto a bale of hay. "Do you think that a mere horse ride is going to fix this? I can not even ride a horse Thranduil!" Her shouting was unfazed and unnoticed as he entered a stall and remained there for a few moments.
"Yes, but does this look like a normal horse to you?"
She wanted to scream and shout at him, but the four legged beast that stood before her had effectively shut her up.
He looked the same as the day they parted.
Thranduil let go of the reins and let the horse go to her. He huffed as he neared her. Leaning his head down, his nose grazed her cheek and he let out a merry whinny.
"Eagon!" She cried, throwing her arms around him. "How I've missed you." He clopped his front hoof several times as she stroked his mane.
Thranduil stood back as he watched the encounter. He knew that it would not be enough, but he had hoped that it would be a start. She hugged the beast and cried, while whispering to him. He sensed her fear and laid down next to her. Together on the floor of the stables, the life-long friends reunited.
Running her hand down his side, Annalynn looked up at Thranduil. "I am sorry."
"You have nothing to be sorry for." He pushed off the wooden pillar and made his way towards them. Eagon rose as he approached. Taking the saddle that was draped over the door, he swung it onto the beasts back. Making sure everything was fitted appropriately, this time he gently picked Annalynn up and sat her onto the saddle. Once she was situated, he himself climbed onto the horses back. With a quick snap of the reins, they were off.
They slowly trotted from the stables and down the steps of the city until they reached the front gate. There two armored Elves await for them. The blazing red hair of one could not be mistaken. With a large smile, Annalynn waved at her as Thranduil urged the beast faster. Together, all three companions galloped outside the city gates.
It had been long since Annalynn had felt anything of the sort. It had been months since she last rode in this saddle. Months since she felt connected to anyone. Yet, in this moment, she felt a stirring in her stomach.
It was long forgotten, but still buried deep within her.
Gesturing for the reins, Thranduil gladly gave them over. "You may want to hang on."
Once in her hands, she gave a hard snap and yelled her commands at her friend. Eagon gladly obliged and with a jerk, gave way. Thranduil wrapped an arm around the young mortal and peered over his shoulder. The guards were having trouble to keep up with the stallion.
As the beast galloped across the plains and into a nearby forest, he felt the lightness radiating off the young woman.
Leaping over fall trees and stone, Annalynn began to feel more like herself. She was connected with her horse in a way that possible no one understood. When she was saddled across his back, she felt as if they were one. One being running freely.
Every step that he foot, she felt her own feet connected with the ground. Every gasp of air he needed, filled her own lungs. Perhaps Thranduil knew more about their connection that she thought he did. After being bound to either a bed or chair for the last weeks, running through these woods gave her a sense of feeling that she thought was long gone.
However, the feeling was not meant to last. The further they rode into the forest, an uneasy feeling stirred within her.
Slowing Eagon to a stop, she looked around the woods, determined to find the source of the unrest. "What is it?"
"I'm not sure. There's something here." Thranduil put a hand on the hilt of his sword as Tauriel and Florin caught up with them. He raised his other hand for them to stop. The two Elves saw to the command of their King, readying their own weapons.
Annalynn closed her eyes and took a deep breath. Her hand on Eagons shoulders rather than holding onto the reins. She searched deep within the grounds, and she felt the light stomping. "There." Urging Eagon, they turned East and raced on.
The quickened pacing and stomps into the soil told her that they were getting closer. The further they went, the more they heard it.
Roars and screams.
They burst into a small clearing and saw two fighting against a small band of orcs. The pair were doing well for themselves, but they could be seen to be tiring. Annalynn turned her horse so that Thranduil could jump off with ease. In the blink of an eye, the three elves that accompanied her joined into the fray. Within seconds, the orcs were dead.
Thranduil pulled his blade from the vile creature and looked towards the two that they had rescued. His brows nearly went into his hair as he saw who was before him. "What are you doing here?!"
The pair looked at them sheepishly. They went to respond, but Annalynn jumped in before they could. "Garreth! What in the name of Eru!" She brought Eagon closer, knowing that she could not dismount and walk to him. Annalynn surveyed him from her high seat, he looked to be intact, just as his companion did. Upon further inspection, she looked at what little remained around them. "What were you thinking?!" She hissed at him.
Thranduil waited for a response from one of them, glaring solely at the mortal man that stood next to his daughter. When none came, he yanked the reins from Tauriel. "Get on."
Naurhin did as she was told, Garreth not far behind her. "And what do you think you are doing?"
Garreth stammered for a moment as Thranduil stared him down. "Heading back to the city."
"Not on this horse." He pushed past him and mounted the steed behind his daughter. Annalynn moved closer and held a hand out for him. Once he was seated behind her, the now company of six, headed back towards Minas Tirth.
Their pace was slow, but she knew that they would make it back to the city within the house. They had just cleared the forest and were now out in the open plains and Annalynn had to have a word with the young man. "Garreth, I don't know what you were thinking. I know that you think because Sauron is gone that means that all is right in the world again. Yes the immediate danger is gone, but there are still evils lurking the dark. To think of what your mother and father would say if they knew! As soon as we reach the city, you are going straight to them and tell what happened. To top it all of, you were with the Princess of Mirkwood. You may not know what that means, but I do. Thranduil is less forgiving than I, and a lot more experience with a blade." She turned her head to look behind her. "Are you even listening to me?" He gave no response, but leaned his head against her shoulder. "Garreth, look at me when I'm talking to you?" She rolled her shoulder to make him move. She was successful, but not in the way she wanted. His head hung back lazily on his neck, his eyes were closed, and white foam could be seen in the corners of his mouth. "By Eru… THRANDUIL!"
She brought Eagon to a stop and did her best to turn around to look at him. Tauriel, who was closest to her, came galloping closer. "What's wrong?" She saw the fearful look in her friends eye and knew something was wrong. Bringing her own horse closer, she inspected the mortal boy.
Lifting his dark tunic over his stomach, Tauriel gasped at the sight. There was a large cut across his abdomen, blood flowing freely from it. What worried her most was the dark colored veins that surrounded the wound.
Poison.
"What has happened?" Thranduil took one look at the boy and knew he was in danger. "Let us hurry back to the city. Annalynn you have the fastest horse, make haste and head straight for the infirmary." Wiping the tears from her eyes, Annalynn did as she was told.
She paid no mind to the whimpering Elven princess, nor the racing of her own heart.
"Faster now Eagon." She whispered to her friend.
They tore through the plains, Annalynn had let go of the reins long ago. She wrapped Garreth's arms around her middle and held on for dear life. She knew that if he were to fall from the horse then it would only take longer to get him to the house of healing that sat in Minas Tirith. She prayed to the Valar as they rode. She prayed that he be saved, that they would make it on time, and she prayed that she would not have to bury another friend.
Bursting through the city gates, they galloped throughout the city. She did not care for the stares that they received nor did she care for them. She heard someone shout her name, but ignored it.
When they reached the infirmary, she shouted for help. To her surprise, Aragorn came barreling out of the door.
"Please help him. There was an attack just east of here in the woods. He appears to be poisoned."
Aragorn pulled Garreth from the saddle and laid him on the stretcher that he and another used to carry him into the infirmary. Another guard came and helped her off Eagon. She used him as a crutch to follow the others. She ignored the pain that radiated through her leg.
The guard sat her down in a chair besides the bed. Aragorn studied the wound and shouted for herbs. Annalynn grabbed Garreth's hand and held it as Aragorn began mixing the herbs together. With his fingers he plastered the salve across the wound. He put his hand over the boy's head and began whispering an Elvish incantation. It was something that she has never heard before, but then she recalled that he lived in Rivendell, home of Lord Elrond.
While he helped heal the boy, Annalynn kept his hand in hers and continued to pray. Tears fell down her face. "Garreth…" A soft whisper could be heard from the doorway. Annalyn paused to see Naurhin standing there, shaking.
The Elven princess took a spot alongside Aragorn. Her hands delicately took him into her own. "Is he going to be alright?" If not for the situation, Annalynn would have been impressed with how quickly she learned the common tongue, but that was most likely Garreth's doing.
"We will have to wait and see. These should help slow the poison and will put together another salve to heal him." Aragorn told him and went to Thranduil. They two kings left the room, undoubtedly to discuss what just occurred.
The day went on. Annalynn consoled Geoff and Odette. Held Godric and Grindin while their parents went to their brothers' side. Many came to see him and offer sympathies, condolences, and offers of help. Soon night took over the infirmary. The only three that remained were Odette, Annalynn, and Naurhin.
They took turns by his side. When one left to rest, the other would take their place. Although, they hardly got any rest. Naurhin refused to move from her spot. Even when her mother tried to forcibly remove her, Naurhin did not budge.
At this moment, her head laid on the bed, her hand still clasped around Garreth's. Odette was sleeping in the chair at Garreth's head. Annalynn looked down at the man she had once met as a boy. He was much different now than he was when they first met.
He had protected his family and home, fought in a war, and fought to protect the one that he held most dear. She almost laughed when she thought of how he reminded her much of Eomer. They were both strong, stubborn, and loyal to a fault.
With a heavy sigh, she intertwined her fingers together. "Please, if you can hear my prayers. Please do not let this boy die. Do not let his life be taken from him. There is much that he has yet to do and much that he is deserving of." She paused for a moment to think of that. He could still live his life with normalcy. He could live in happiness, and not in fear. He could do whatever he wanted. He could continue his father's work, or learn a new trade. She had heard Eomer mention once that he would make an excellent Marshall. This she knew to be true, for Garreth loved the peoples of Rohan just as she did.
He could marry, and have a life with children.
Closing her eyes again, Annalynn opened her heart so that they could see that she was true. "Please, take my life if but to spare him." Ending her prayer, her body felt stiff for sitting in one position for so long. She leaned back in her chair, doing her best to stretch her legs out to a more comfortable position. She leaned her head against the back of chair and felt her eyes droop.
The events of the day caught up to her and she found herself extremely exhausted. Maybe she could close her eyes for just a few moments. He was surrounded by three women who loved him and a handful of healers and nurses.
He would be okay if she just rested her eyes.