Thank you to all of the people who read and review this story. It really means a lot to me that people actually read my writing and enjoy reading it. I am currently working on two stories on Fanfiction.net: Twilight Star and Growing Up Royal (which has nothing to do with LOTR, and it's mainly inside jokes between my friends and I). I am also working on Song of the Nightingale, the sequel to Twilight Star. Yes, I know this story is not completed but it soon will be so I am working on the sequel. Keep your eyes peeled for it. Anyway, you know that the stories will be posted at a much slower pace since the Easter break is over. Please continue to read and review.
Chapter 15. The Grey Company
The company of twenty-five riders did not speak amongst themselves and the mood was sullen until a rider came up to Théoden with troubling news. 'We are being followed by a great company on horseback, I fear they are catching up with us and will overtake our small company shortly.' The king of Rohan called the company to halt and the riders drew their spears. Aragorn dismounted and drew his sword, but Aníron, Gimli, and Legolas remained on their horses.
'Halt! Who rides in Rohan?' Éomer's voice rang out from the rear of the company when the mysterious riders were less than fifty paces from their company. 'Rohan? That is a glad word, we have ridden far to find Rohan, for we have news that one Aragorn son of Arathorn is in Rohan.' Aragorn stepped forward, recognizing the mysterious man, 'And you have found him! Halbarad, of all the joys this is least expected!' Aragorn embraced Halbarad and spoke with him, but Aníron was preoccupied by a discovery that she had made.
'Elladan! Elrohir! This is indeed a surprise, you are far from Rivendell.' Aníron dismounted and rushed forward to meet two dark-haired elves that had dismounted and were standing near Halbarad. The twin sons of Elrond turned when they heard her voice, both of their faces expressing various displays of shock. 'Aníron, cousin, what are you doing here? Last we heard you were in Lórien,' Elrohir said as his brother embraced their cousin whom they had not seen for many years. Legolas gaped and even Aragorn showed surprise at this discovery. 'You are related to Lord Elrond?' Aragorn asked in disbelief and Aníron nodded, 'We are second cousins, on our mother's side.'
Elladan and Elrohir were very surprised to see their cousin on the warfront when she should have been safe in Lórien. Elladan took Elrohir aside to speak to him about this, 'We should bring her to Lothlórien, surely she would be safer under the Lady's protection than here.' Elrohir shook his head, 'War rises all around us, it would be almost impossible to gain access into the golden wood with all of the orcs guarding the border. We have not yet heard her reason for being here, we should wait until then to pass judgment on this situation.' Elladan gazed at Aníron uncertainly, not wanting her to take part in this danger, 'We should speak with Aragorn about this, perhaps he can convince her to stay somewhere safe.' His brother agreed and they walked to where the company was making camp, heading towards Aragorn's tent.
Aragorn was sitting in his tent, thinking over the messages that had been brought to him earlier that day. He looked up and saw the two grey-eyed sons of Elrond standing outside of the tent, as if unsure whether or not they should disturb him. 'Come in, my friends,' he called to them, and the two elves stepped inside the tent, seating themselves in front of Aragorn. Elrohir spoke first, 'We wish to speak to you about Aníron, and how she came to enter your company.' This was not at all what Aragorn had expected, and he was taken aback slightly by it. 'Alas, I only have a small idea of why she joined us, but I could call on someone who might know more on the matter,' Aragorn said, meeting the hard gaze of the twin brothers who nodded their approval. Twenty minutes later, Legolas strode into the tent and took his place at Aragorn's side, looking slightly confused at the reason why he was called. Aragorn turned to him, his grey eyes warm but his face solemn, 'You were called here to discuss the reason why Aníron chose to join us, for the sons of Elrond wish to know.'
Legolas' eyes widened as he heard this and he was suddenly aware of the hard grey gaze of the twin brothers on him. This was going to be harder than he thought. Legolas took a deep breath, and began to explain 'I first met Aníron when we journeyed through Lórien almost two months ago. She was acting undercover as a border guard before accompanying our company to Caras Galadhon. We became good friends and the friendship was beginning to grow into something more when our company left, I never thought I would see her again after that moment.' Here Legolas paused, looking around the room. Aragorn, having heard the story before was indifferent, as was Elrohir, but Elladan had his intense gaze fixed on the blue-eyed elf.
As Elladan heard this story he became more and more interested, and he fully intended on questioning the son of Thranduil after his brother and Aragorn were finished with him. Elladan had always been closest to Aníron out of all of his cousins, and he was protective of her, acting like an older brother when she visited Rivendell. This did not change when Aníron became a lady of Lórien; he took time to visit her when he was in the area, informing her of the outside world. Arwen would joke with him when he returned to Rivendell, saying that if Aníron was not his cousin he would marry her some day. Though he laughed at these jokes, he knew that his sister was right. Now, as he listened to Legolas' story, he found that his beloved cousin had given her heart to another elf and the idea devastated him, but also gave him much joy.
Legolas finished his tale, looking once more at the men he shared the tent with. Elrohir and Aragorn looked satisfied, but Elladan still looked troubled. The dark haired elf looked at Legolas and asked him a question he had been dreading and expecting, 'Will Aníron accompany you to Gondor if your path leads you there?' Legolas sighed, trying to prevent tears from welling up at the memory of the previous night, 'No, Elladan, Aníron has sworn to me that she will stay in Rohan, and will only follow if she is in danger at Edoras.'
Only then did the grey-eyed elf look satisfied and he adopted the calm look that his brother had taken on half way through the story. Legolas stood, 'If that is all that you wanted of me, I will be going back to my own tent.' Aragorn nodded and Legolas stepped out of the tent heading back to where Gimli, Merry, and Aníron were waiting. When he returned, Merry had fallen asleep and Gimli's eyes were just beginning to droop. Gimli stood, yawning just as Legolas returned, and walked over to his own sleeping mat, falling asleep immediately.
Aníron stepped out from behind Legolas, touching his shoulder lightly before he turned to face her. 'I do not think I will be seeing much of you in the following weeks,' she said mournfully, looking up into his beautiful blue eyes, 'and I fear that I will have nothing to remember you by while you are gone.' Legolas took her hands, kissing her fingertips gently before whispering, 'And I have no favor from my lady to give me luck in battle.' Legolas resumed kissing her pale fingertips and hands, holding her close to his body. At the exact same time they noticed the shining silver rings on the other person's hand and looked up at each other smiling.
Legolas removed the ring from his hand and placed it in Aníron's palm and Aníron did the same with her ring, placing it in Legolas' palm. She admired the intricate weaving pattern and the flawless sapphire, the color of a cloudless summer sky, in the center of the ring, before Legolas slid the silver ring onto her left-hand ring finger. Aníron's ring was silver with a simple weaving of gold through the band. A shining emerald was placed in the center of the ring, and she remembered the day her mother had given it to her as she slid it onto Legolas' left hand ring finger.
Legolas touched the ring he had just given to Aníron and sighed. 'That ring was given to me by my father when I was first recognized Prince of Mirkwood. He told me that the ring had been given to him by his father in the second age before the last alliance, and now I give it to you,' Legolas' eyes were shining as he told her this and he smiled when she embraced him, kissing his cheek softly in thanks. Aníron touched Legolas' hand, fingering the ring lovingly. 'This ring was given to me by my mother before she departed over the sea with Celebrian, her cousin. She told me to keep it safe, for Celebrimbor made it, and though it has no power, it was precious to her.'
Legolas bent down, kissing Aníron gently at first, but the kiss grew in intensity until Aníron pulled back. 'What if someone should see us like this?' she breathed softly, the intensity of the kiss intoxicating her. 'Let them watch,' Legolas said holding her close and kissing her again. Aníron laughed at his daring, but her laughter was silenced when his lips closed over the sensitive tip of her pointed ear. She closed her eyes, an expression of ecstasy clearly written on her face. Legolas picked her up and carried her into the tent, kissing her neck softly as if a butterfly's wings were brushing on her skin.
The next morning, Gimli awoke to Aníron's soft voice calling his name and he opened his eyes to see the elf maiden standing with her face an inch away from his. The dwarf's screams echoed throughout the plains, and the whole camp came running to see Aníron and Legolas laughing so hard they could barely breathe and Gimli looking furious, his bearded face red in anger and embarrassment. Aragorn had yelled at the two elves for half an hour before telling Legolas to go wake Merry, but not by frightening him. Legolas sulked off to the place where Merry was sleeping, obviously disappointed. When Merry had been roused, they set about packing their belongings while Gimli and Legolas told Merry about the battle that had taken place here only four nights before. Aníron remained quiet as they spoke of the battle and the orcs they had slain, not wanting to remember the pain that returned every night.
Théoden and Éomer were prepared to leave and they called out to Aragorn as he rode up with the Dúnedain, the sons of Elrond, and the remainder of the fellowship plus Aníron behind him. 'To where will you ride, Lord Aragorn, for the hour draws nigh that you should decide,' the King of Rohan asked him and Aragorn replied determinedly, 'I will take the shortest route to the Paths of the Dead and continue on through to Gondor if the Valar allow.'
Éomer's head was bowed as he answered, 'Alas, then our ways part here, I was hoping that you should ride with me to war, but that is not what the fates allow.' Aragorn smiled grimly adding, 'Merry wishes to remain with King Théoden and will be riding with you to Edoras.' Merry rode forward somewhat nervously and stood by the king. Éomer looked up and noticed that Aníron was mounted on Celebfindel and stood with the company that was headed to the Paths of the Dead and his heart leapt in panic. 'Surely the Lady Aníron will not be riding that treacherous road with you?' he asked, unable to hide the panic in his voice.
Elladan was surprised at this outburst from the horse lord. Was Éomer harboring feelings for Aníron as well? He pondered this as Aragorn assured Éomer that Aníron would be staying in Edoras while they continued on through the Paths of the Dead. The horse lord visibly relaxed and Elladan narrowed his eyes slightly, not sure of this mortal man's motives towards Aníron. He shook these thoughts from his head and rode quietly alongside his brother, both of them solemn in facing the task ahead of them.
Aníron rode with Gimli behind her. The dwarf realized that she was unusually quiet and her head was bowed as if someone close to her had died. The riders left Théoden and his company behind them, speeding over the plains while the King of Rohan went slowly over the hills. They reached Edoras just as the night fell around them and Éowyn greeted them, her eyes resting on Aragorn most of all.
'Greetings, lords,' she said proudly her eyes shining in the moonlight, 'You are weary and shall go to your beds tonight, but tomorrow better housing shall be found for you.' Aragorn raised his hand in thanks, but denied the lady's hospitality, 'We will only rest here tonight, for tomorrow we will leave at dawn's first light on the path appointed to all, save one of our company.' Éowyn was puzzled by his words, and Aníron stepped forward from the crowd, bowing slightly before addressing her, 'I will remain in Edoras for, alas, the road they take is not for me.'
Éowyn was taken aback by Aníron's decision, for she had heard of the elf maid's deeds in battle and she looked more than capable to handle anything. But then again, so was Éowyn herself, yet she was forced to stay behind and watch over the wounded. Was Aníron to share this fate as well?