I do not own Lord of the Rings or any of the characters.

Evacuating

Rhanir glanced at Tauriel as they rode toward Edoras, the capital city of Rohan. It wasn't much of a city, as the cities of Men go. It was a bunch of one or two story houses built around a large hill with a castle at the top and a wall around the outside. However, that wasn't what mattered to Rhanir. Tauriel hadn't spoken in the two days since they'd been reunited with Gandalf, except to comment on how beautiful Gandalf's horse, Shadowfax, Lord of all Horses, was.

"Are you alright?" Rhanir asked softly.

Tauriel nodded. "Fine. Just thinking."

Rhanir opened his mouth to say something, but he wasn't sure what he would even say, or should say, so he closed it again. As they rode up to the gate, one of the banners tore free of its pole at the castle and blew out of the city, landing in the grass beside them. Rhanir frowned. Théoden must have been completely under Saruman's control. No king, regardless of Rhanir's belief that they deserve the title, would allow their own banners to blow away in the wind. They rode into the city in silence, the people around them staring in silence. Rhanir looked to the keep and saw a woman in an elegant-yet-simple white gown watching them and guessed that was Théoden's daughter.

"You'd find more cheer in a graveyard," Gimli said.

"Sh!" Rhanir hissed, looking back at the keep, seeing the woman was gone.

As they reached the keep, several guards walked out, informing them that by order of someone named Grima Wormtongue, a name which made Rhanir snort in amusement and get several glares, they were not allowed to bring their weapons with them when they met with the King. Gandalf nodded and they all handed over their weapons, Gandalf convincing the lead guard to allow him to keep his "walking stick" on account of him being elderly. As they walked into the keep, Legolas lent Gandalf his arm to help sell the old man lie. As they entered, the door was shut and barred. They started forward as the servants and staff from the keep, as well as more guards, began to enter the room.

"My lord, Gandalf the Grey is coming," Grima Wormtongue, Rhanir assumed by his slimy appearance and the fact that he was seated at Théoden's right side, whispered. "He's a herald of woe."

Rhanir stared at Théoden. He looked ancient. His hair and beard were long, thin, and wiry, the hair on top of his head was so thin his scalp was visible, his skin was pale and wrinkled, and his eyes were milky and sunken into his skull. His fingernails were long, and his breathing rasping so loudly that Rhanir could have heard it even without his circlet and the hearing of a Man.

"The courtesy of your court is somewhat lessened, of late, Théoden King," Gandalf said.

"He's not welcome," Grima hissed into Théoden's ear.

"Why...should I welcome you...Gandalf Stormcrow?" Théoden rasped, his voice frail and weak.

"A just question, my liege," Grima said before standing and turning to them. "Late is the hour in which this conjurer chooses to appear."

Rhanir glanced to the right, seeing soldiers walking alongside them as they approached the king.

"Lathspell I name him!" Grima said, rushing forward to get in Gandalf's face. "Ill news is an ill guest."

"Be silent!" Gandalf snapped. "Keep your forked tongue behind your teeth! I have not passed through fire and death to bandy crooked words with a witless worm!" He held his staff in front of Grima's face and Grima gasped loudly, backing away.

"His staff!" he turned on the soldiers. "I told you to take the wizard's staff!"

The soldiers rushed them instantly, but Rhanir and the others intervened for Gandalf, taking all of the soldiers down in seconds as Gandalf approached the throne. As Rhanir flipped the last one over his shoulder and slammed him down on his back, he noticed that the one who'd relieved them of their weapons had stopped another soldier from interfering. The soldier nodded to Rhanir, who returned the nod.

"I would stay still if I were you," Gimli growled, Rhanir looking over and seeing Gimli resting a foot on Grima's chest.

Rhanir turned to Gandalf just as Gandalf extended a hand, telling Théoden to be free of the spell. Except, nothing happened. Nothing but Théoden beginning to laugh.

"You have no power here, Gandalf the Grey," Théoden rasped, Rhanir realizing that Saruman was speaking through him now.

Saruman began to laugh again, only for Gandalf to throw off his grey cloak, exposing his white robes and straightening up to his full height. Saruman yelped in surprise, Théoden suddenly pressed back against his throne.

"I will draw you, Saruman, as poison is drawn from a wound," Gandalf said.

He jabbed his staff forward as he began to advance slowly, and Saruman let out a startled cry as Théoden slammed against the back of the throne. He began to struggle against Gandalf's power, fighting to keep his control. The woman from before ran into the room, but Aragorn caught her, telling her to wait.

"If I go...Théoden dies!" Saruman hissed.

Gandalf jabbed his staff, slamming him against the throne again. "You did not kill me, you will not kill him."

"Rohan is mine!" Saruman hissed, still fighting against Gandalf.

"Begone!" Gandalf ordered, jabbing the staff at Saruman yet again.

Saruman let out a cry like a cornered beast and lunged at Gandalf, but Gandalf struck him in the forehead with the end of the staff and Théoden slammed back into the throne one last time before slumping in it, gasping for breath. He groaned and began to fall out of the throne, and the woman rushed forward, catching him. As they watched, life began to flow into him again. His hair grew thicker and regained a light brown shade, his beard shrank into a neatly groomed goatee and turned a slightly darker shade than his hair, color flooded into his face like water freed from a dam, and the sunken look in his eyes faded as the skin tightened to a more youthful appearance, the film in his eyes dissolving. He stared at the woman for a long moment.

"I know your face," Théoden breathed. "Eowyn."

Eowyn let out a breath, smiling widely as her eyes watered. Gandalf stepped forward and Théoden stared at him, his brow creasing in confusion for a moment.

"Gandalf?" Théoden asked.

"Breathe the free air again, my friend," Gandalf said.

Théoden smiled and stood, with some help from Eowyn, then frowned, staring into the distance. "Dark have been my dreams of late." He ran his hands together, staring at them.

"Your fingers would remember their old strength better if they grasped your sword," Gandalf said.

The soldier who'd disarmed them at the door brought a slightly more decorative sword forward and Théoden rested his hand on the pommel for a moment before drawing the blade slowly. Grima took a stuttering, terrified breath and tried to crawl away, only for Gimli to hold him still by the hood of his robes and Rhanir to introduce his shin guard to Grima's face for good measure. Théoden, who'd been gazing at his sword as he basked in the memories it brought, looked over sharply at Grima's pained shout, fury filling Théoden's face at the sight of him.

He ordered Grima thrown out of the hall, and Tauriel and Rhanir complied instantly, grabbing Grima by the arms and dragging him to the door.

"Get your hands off of my, you filthy Elf-whore!" Grima spat at Tauriel.

Tauriel released him instantly, but as she did, Grima realized Rhanir was no longer beside him. Before he could even turn to look for Rhanir, the sole of Rhanir's boot crashed into Grima's back, sending him airborne a few feet before he tumbled down the steps of the keep.

"Forgive me, my lord," Rhanir said as Théoden passed. "I overstepped."

Théoden ignored him, directing his attention and wrath entirely at Grima.

"I've only...ever...served you, my lord!" Grima groveled while crawling backward away from Théoden and his sword.

"Your witchcraft...would have had me crawling on all fours like a beast!" Théoden snarled.

Send me not from your side!" Grima pleaded.

Theoden swung his sword up, but as it descended, Aragorn caught his arms.

"No, my lord!" Aragorn shouted. "No, my lord!" He dropped his voice to a whisper. "Let him go. Enough blood has been spilt on his account."

Théoden slowly calmed and nodded. Aragorn held his hand out to Grima, but he spat on it. Then, he scrambled to his feet, hobbling as he fled, shoving people out of his way.

"Hail, Théode King!" one of the guards shouted, the cheer being echoed through the city as everyone knelt, including Aragorn.

Legolas glanced at Rhanir, seeing him holding his left leg off the ground and massaging his inner thigh. He leaned in to whisper. "What happened to you?"

"Didn't you hear me?" Rhanir whispered back. "I overstepped."

Legolas shook his head, grinning.

"Where is Théodred?" Théoden asked. "Where is my son?"

Rhanir watched Tauriel in silence. She hadn't spoken to anyone all day. After Théoden had been freed from Saruman's control, the news had been broken to him that his son was dead. Then, refugees from the Westfold had begun to arrive, starting with two exhausted, starved children, reporting that the Westfold was under siege by orcs and barbarians, all serving Saruman. Rather than fighting an open war, Théoden had ordered his people to retreat to Helm's Deep, Rohan's strongest fortress.

"Has she said anything to you?" Legolas asked in Sindarin, riding up beside Rhanir.

"Not a word," Rhanir said in the same. "You?"

"Only enough to tell me to leave her alone," Legolas said. "Something troubles her, but she will not share it."

Rhanir nodded. He was worried, and he could tell Legolas was as well.

"You should talk to her," Legolas said in Westron. "You can understand her in a way I cannot. She may talk to you."

"I tried," Rhanir said. "She rode away from me before I could. I'm getting the feeling I may have offended her."

Legolas frowned and shook his head. "If there's one thing about Tauriel that I know, it's that if you had offended her, you would know."

Rhanir sighed and nodded. "She'd make it very clear...and painful. So what do you think it is, then?"

"I have only a suspicion," Legolas said.

"Would you care to share it?" Rhanir asked.

After a moment, Legolas shook his head, smirking. "I doubt you could understand it, being barely an elf."

Rhanir opened his mouth to snap back before hesitating. Legolas wasn't actually insulting him this time. He could see it in his eyes. He was joking around.

"Maybe you only don't know because of your swaddled upbringing," Rhanir smirked.

Legolas's eyes narrowed, but his smirk grew. "How is Boromir?"

"Nearly healed," Rhanir said. "Gandalf said he did something to speed it up, but I didn't really understand what he was saying. Boromir's side is healed, and his shoulder should be healed in about another day or so, as long as he doesn't use his arm too much."

Legolas nodded. "You did well to save him."

"High praise coming from you," Rhanir smirked. "Thank you."

Legolas nodded and spurred his horse forward to get to the head of the column. Rhanir rode in silence, his eyes never straying from Tauriel for long, until the column stopped for lunch. He sat by himself, picking at the last of his Lembas Bread. He glanced at Tauriel, seeing her staring out into the distance, lost to the world. He frowned worriedly, but left her be. Once everyone had eaten, they began to move again, not stopping until after nightfall. Rohan's soldiers set up a watch and Legolas and Rhanir agreed between the two of them to stay awake to help.

"She's doing it again," Legolas said, nodding to Tauriel, who was, again, lost in thought. "Go talk to her. If she gets mad, you can blame me."

Rhanir nodded and walked over to her, sitting beside her silently. At first, neither spoke, but finally, Tauriel broke her silence.

"After Kili died, I swore never to fall in love again," Tauriel said in Sindarin, her gaze dropping to the ground.

Rhanir responded in kind. "Is there a threat of that happening?" He paused, then grinned. "It's Pippin, isn't it? I can see why. He kind of reminds me of Kili, the one time I met Kili. He's short, hairy, not terribly bright."

Tauriel's lips curled into a smile slightly, but she glared at him. "Insult Kili again and I'll kill you."

Rhanir chuckled, knowing she was joking, but raised his hands placatingly. "Alright, alright. I'm sorry." His smile slipped slightly as her gaze grew distant again. "Is Legolas finally wearing you down?"

Tauriel was silent for a moment, hearing the seriousness behind his half-joking question. "My feelings haven't changed, nor will they." She glanced over at him. "What about you? I'm having a hard time figuring out what you're feeling lately. You've changed since the last time we met, and now again since we left Rivendell."

Rhanir's gaze grew distant, as hers had been, his eyes staring out across the field before them without seeing it. "There's only one person worth the trouble of changing for."

Tauriel grinned, shoving him playfully. "Uh oh. The big bad Elf mercenary's heart's been stolen. Who was it? Lady Galadriel?" Her grin widened. "Legolas?"

Rhanir snorted, shaking his head slowly as his gaze fell to the ground. "You were right. You really can't figure out what I'm feeling anymore. You don't know me very well, at all, if you don't know where my heart lies."

Tauriel frowned. "What do you mean?"

"Rhanir," Legolas said, setting a hand on his shoulder. "I need to talk to you about something."

Rhanir nodded and stood, following him away from Tauriel. Once they were out of her hearing range, Legolas turned to him, smirking.

"You almost told her," Legolas said.

"Yeah, thanks for bailing me out," Rhanir said.

Legolas nodded. "I couldn't risk you claiming her so easily."

"You know she doesn't feel that way about you, right?" Rhanir asked.

Legolas nodded. "But regardless of whether or not I respect your abilities, she deserves far better than you."

Rhanir's eyes narrowed before he sighed. "Yes, she does. I wish now I'd accepted Gandalf's offer when he tried to hire me as an escort for Thorin and the others."

"He did?" Legolas asked.

"Yes," Rhanir nodded. "But that was a long time ago."

Legolas nodded. "If you had, she may well be with Kili now."

"Better that than here," Rhanir said, switching to Sindarin. "This journey, this war, it's all suicide. My death during this journey may be for the better, but hers would leave the world lesser, by far."

Legolas stared at Tauriel for a moment. "We will not make it to Helm's Deep without being attacked."

"Agreed," Rhanir nodded. "Given the distance they'd have to cover to reach us before we reach Helm's Deep, I'd wager it'll be Wargs."

Legolas nodded. "Should we take over scouting?"

"We'll stay at the front, but we won't be the scouts," Rhanir said. "I'd rather not be too far forward to help if the Wargs fine the whole of Rohan caught unawares."

"Good point," Legolas nodded. What about her?"

"She can take care of herself," Rhanir said. "If I didn't have my natural advantage, she'd beat me every time."

Legolas grinned. "Without your advantage, Merry and Pippin could beat you every time."

"Cruel," Rhanir said, then smiled, shaking his head. "As much fun as it is to talk to you without arguing, I'm going to go walk the perimeter. Our conversation just made me paranoid about surprise Warg attacks."

Legolas nodded, and Rhanir walked away, Legolas heading the opposite direction.

Leave a review.