It had not been long since the company of Theoden had reached Dunnham but that didn't mean that Amdiriel wasn't already on edge. This had not been her first time to the mountain but the darkness that dwelled over it made it feel like it was.
Aragon and Amdiriel had both found their respective tents next to each other. Amdiriel was just taking off her daggers when she heard someone approach her tent. "Knock, knock." said a deep male voice before in walked Aragorn, hands covering his eyes. "Are you clothed, love?" he asked. Amdiriel giggled and went over and kissed his lips quickly. "I am." she chuckled causing Aragorn to remove his hand from his face. "All settled?" he asked while Amdiriel placed her bow and quiver down on the bed. "Do you know what numbers we are yet?" Amdiriel asked. "No, I figured you would want to see Theoden with me." Aragorn admitted.
Amdiriel was about to reply but a searing pain shot through her body, coming from under her right shoulder. "Ahh!" Amdiriel exclaimed as she grabbed her shoulder, Aragorn quick at her side. "Amdi, are you alright?" he asked as the woman exclaimed again in pain and reached for her lower right hip. "What is it, my love?" Aragorn asked as he held her and helped her to sit on the bed. Amdiriel's eyes clenched shut as a tear fell. But opened her eyes when she realized what it was that caused the pain.
"Faramir." She whispered and then shot up and began to grab her weapons to attach them to her body. "What are you doing?" Aragorn questioned. "He's hurt, it could be fatal. I have to go to him." Amdiriel replied urgently. "You are in no shape to ride all the way to Minas Tirith. It's a 3-day ride." Aragorn tried. "He's my brother, Aragorn. I have to try." "Thousands of orcs may stand between you and the city. You will be in no condition to fight them if you leave now. You are no good to Faramir or your people dead, Amdiriel." Aragorn told her.
"But-" Amdiriel tried but the ranger cut her off. "What would your brothers have you do?" Amdiriel sighed and sat down on her cot as she stared down at her hands. "They would have me rest and to come to the city with the army and not be reckless." She knew Aragorn was right as much as she may not have liked it. Aragorn stood in front of the woman with his hands out. Amdiriel sighed loudly and proceeded to remove the weapons from her body and hand them to the ranger who then placed them off to the side. Once that was done he joined her on the cot and wrapped Amdiriel in his embrace, her head on his chest while he leaned his head against the top of hers.
"You never told me you could feel their injuries." Aragorn said after a moment. "I guess it never came up. I only feel it when there is a possibility it could be fatal." Amdiriel replied. "How long?" Aragorn asked. "I don't really know. I only found out when I was 17. Faramir, Boromir, and I had been defending South Ithilien. During the battle, I was being overrun with orcs. I had my back turned and would have never seen the attack coming but Faramir did. He took the blow for me, resulting in a stab to the stomach. I thought he was going to die but he fought through it. That's how we found out." Amdiriel explained. "Did you feel it when Boromir-'' Aragorn stopped himself as his mind flashed memories of that dreadful day. Amdiriel nodded her head. "I'm sorry, Amdi...I know I can't take the pain away but know that Gandalf is there with your brother and will do what he can to save him. And like you said he fought the first time. I know he would fight with the hope of you coming home and him getting to see you again." Aragorn told her. Amdiriel nodded her head wanting to believe the man that held her close. "I just hope, Denethor has not broken that hope." She whispered more to herself than Aragorn but he heard it.
"Come let us see how many have gathered." Aragorn said as he unraveled himself from Amdiriel. The two then walked out of the tent together and soon found King Theoden standing near the edge of the cliff, looking down at the army that laid below their encampment.
The two join the king who is silent for a moment "Six thousand spears, less than half of what I hoped for." confessed Theoden. "Six thousand will not be enough to break then lines of Mordor." Aragorn informed him. "But it's more than what we had yesterday." Amdiriel noted. Theoden then looked at the two "And more will come." he said and was about to walk away but Aragorn spoke, making him stop. "Every hour hastens Gondor's defeat." Aragorn then looked to the king. "We have until dawn then we must ride." he informed the king who nodded in agreement.
A neighing horse then attracts their attention causing them all to turn and notice how much difficulty the men have in calming down the horses that seem to be nervous about something. Amdiriel ran over to the men and took reins from the man. "Careful my Lady." said the man but gave her the reins anyway.
"Shh, boy. Easy. No harm will come to you. Easy." she said in elvish as the horse slowly began to calm down enough so she could pet him. The simple act seemed to provide the comfort the animal needed. "The horses are restless and the men are quiet." Legolas noted.
"They grow nervous in the shadow of the mountain." Éomer explained as he looked back at the mountain. Amdiriel too looked at the shadow of the mountain.
"That rode there, where does that lead?" Gimli asked as they all turned to look at the narrow path that led in between the mountains.
"That is the road to the Dimholt, the door under the mountain." Legolas explained. "None who venture there ever return. That mountain is evil." Eomer stated before he walked away to tend to his horse while Amdiriel handed the now calm horse back to its owner who thanked her. Amdirile then goes to join Aragorn who glances at the narrow path. "You have been there haven't you?" he questions. "I have when me and my brothers were in our adolescent. Mother and father told us not to go but we had heard of the legend and ventured off. We made it to the doorway but something stopped us. Deep down we knew if we entered we would not return and none of us were willing to risk the others." Amdiriel explained as she stared at the path, remembering the eerie feeling she had all those years ago. Aragorn followed her gaze and stared at the path, both of them began to concentrate as they felt something calling to them. Soon they saw two green figures take place at the entrance of the mountain. Both of them recognize the first figure has a crown on his head.
Suddenly the two are startled from their concentration by their dwarf friend. "Aragorn! Amdi!" he calls out causing the two to jump but turn to him. "Let's find some food." says the dwarf before he walks away. The two take a deep breath, looking back towards the entrance but this time seeing nothing before they look at each other. Amdiriel instinctively reached for Aragorn's hand for comfort before slowly turning to follow after Gimli. "You saw it too? The King?" asked Amdiriel. "I did and there was someone with him. Something seemed wrong." "Like they were taunting us, daring us to come to them." Amdriiel finished. "Yes." "And surely they will be the reason I do not find sleep tonight." Amdiriel commented. "I'll stay with you all night if I have to. You know to protect you." Aragorn half-joked causing Amdiriel to chuckle.
Night came quicker than they had expected which no one really minded since they all needed plenty of rest for the hard ride and battle that laid ahead of them.
The company of men all gathered around the several fires that had been scattered around the camp as they ate and spoke of what might come. Aragorn, Amdiriel, Legolas, and Gimli sat around one fire with Eomer and Gambling. They had been discussing war strategies earlier in the day and resulted in speaking of fonder memories to help ease their minds.
"You did not save me, you lying rat. I saved your sorry butt from becoming orc steak and you twisted the story to impress that dark-haired waitress at the town's tavern." Amdiriel exclaimed. "You told me I could lie." argued Eomer but Amdiriel shook her head. "No, I said you could lie to the lady to save your ego, not that you could tell the whole bloody kingdom of Rohan! Besides those who know us well enough, know that you are the reckless one in battle." Amdiriel teased. "Hey! That's not true, right Gambling?" This caused Gambling to look up from his meal with wide eyes. The poor man looked to his captain and then to the Lady Amdiriel, both wearing stern expressions on their faces, both begging him to prove that the other was wrong.
"Uh, I don't think I am qualified to answer that question." Gambling resorted to causing the man, elf, and dwarf to burst out into laughter while Amdiriel and Eomer just grumbled under their breaths. "Some friend you are, Gambling." muttered Eomer unhappily.
Suddenly Merry exits the tent behind them while swinging his sword around following just behind him Eowyn."To the smithy, go!" Eowyn encourages the hobbit with a smile as he runs off. Amdiriel smiles at the action.
"You should not encourage him." Eomer then says from his seat by the campfire. "And you should not doubt him." Eowyn replies as the smile falls from both her and Amdiriel's face. "I do not doubt his heart, only the reach of his arm." Eomer said, causing Gambling to laugh under his breath till Amdiriel shot the man a glare. "Why should Merry be left behind? He has as much cause to go to war as you. Why can he not fight for those he loves?" Eowyn questions, she then turns to leave to go back to the tent but Eomer stands to his feet and faces his sister. "You know as little of war as that Hobbit. When the fear takes him" Eomer says as he now stands before his sister. "and the blood and the screams and the horror of battle take hold. Do you think he would stand and fight? He would flee. And he would be right to do so." Eomer says, he then puts his hand on Eowyn's shoulder and says "War is the province of men." before he walks back to his seat but before he can sit Amdiriel scoffs. "I am sitting right here, Eomer." Amdiriel told him with an eye roll.
"You are the exception Amdiriel, you know that. You were raised and trained in war from a young age, she was not." Eomer explained.
"I understand your concern for her safety Eomer but do not forget that the women of this country did learn even if it was long ago. Never doubt what a woman will do to protect the ones she loves. That is how I started." Amdiriel told him. "Like I said Amdiriel, you are the exception." Eomer answered. "You are right I am the exception and I know that. Do I recommend that Eowyn ride into battle with us so suddenly? No, I do not but I believe if she were to be put in a situation where she had to defend herself she could. Generalizing that women can do nothing is insulting especially after all that we endure at the side of men. We fight and we endure what the consequences of war have brought upon us, our families, and our home. We fight to move forward, to believe and hope that the men will come home and all will come to an end. And if I remember correctly you have yet to beat me in a duel." Amdiriel ended with a smirk upon her lips.
"Oh no, I know that look and I'd rather not have my pride bruised the eve before battle." Eomer said. "Scared are we, Captain?" Amdiriel teased. "No at all just smarter than you think." Eomer replied as Amdiriel chuckled. "That is what you think but I think it is best that we keep our judgments to ourselves. Seeing as I am the least reckless one in battle." "That was not proven, Gambling did not agree with either of us." Eomer argued. "No, he refused to answer because he did not want to endure your wrath by you making him the last in the company when we march on Minas Tirith." Amdiriel joked with a laugh but it was enough to annoy Eomer to the point of him standing to his feet in search of his second in command, grumbling about how he was going to prove her wrong. Amdiriel just continued to laugh even more as her old friend walked away.
"You just love to make trouble do you not?" Aragorn said, a sly smile playing on his lips. Amdiriel stopped laughing as she sat down next to him but a childish smile was still on her lips. "You try to grow up with two very competitive brothers and not pick up their habits." Amdiriel teased.
"I think it is time we rested. We have a long journey ahead." Legolas told them, knowing the three-day ride to Minas Tirith and then the battle that laid before them would not be an easy one, they would need all the strength and rest they could get. The four of them nodded in agreement before they headed off in the direction of their ents, bidding each other a goodnight before they entered but Aragorn and Amdiriel stayed out a moment longer. But they both did catch the knowing look sent to them by their dwarf friend. Aragorn did not hesitate to lace his fingers with Amdiriel's when Gimli disappeared into his tent. "Are you going to be alright? I know this place has you edge a little" Aragorn said. "I'll be okay, I may not rest much but I'll be okay." She assured him. "I could always come in and comfort you." Aragorn tried.
"My Lord Aragorn, the future king should not be lurking in the tent of a lady in the middle of the night. What would the people say? How scandalous!" Amdiriel teased the man. "It would not be so scandalous as you say if that woman was his future queen." Aragorn reasoned. "Still very scandalous, my Lord." Amdiriel stated. "I apologize, my Lady." Aragorn said as he brought the back of her hand to his lips, leaving a sweet kiss on them. Amdiriel smiled at the man in front of her. "I promise to come and find you should I not be able to sleep." Amdiriel said to him. Aragorn nodded as he leaned in and placed a sweet kiss on Amdiriel's lips. "Rest well, my love." he whispered to her. "To you too, my king." Amdiriel whispered back before she disappeared behind the fabric of her tent. Aragorn let out a sigh, thinking of how lucky he was, how in that moment of despair of what could be their doom, she still had a way of making him smile. Aragorn stood there for a second longer before he decided he should go to his own tent and settle down for the night.
