Author's note: I made the amount of days it takes the group to travel shorter becuz err…yeah…I felt like it =P and err…I altered some info from the book… =X but hey! This story is slash! It's altered enough as it is!
Thx to everyone who's been reviewing!! I appreciate the comments… *toothy grin*
To layfield: AL FICS LIVE ON!!! This pairing is my favorite pairing…the only pairing I read actually… lol but omg~ I luv this pairing!!!!
Chapter 3: Meeting the Riders of Rohan
Gimli studied his friends as they walked briskly together. Both Man and Elf were silent, refusing to look at one another. Gimli scowled. What had brought this change between two of which were probably the closest of their Fellowship, besides Sam and Frodo? Whatever it was, Gimli did not like it, especially since he was attempting to bring the two together rather than apart. He had to do something to change the current predicament. If only he could think of what! He kept thinking so hard, he almost bumped into Legolas, who had stopped and was now looking out into the far distance.
"What do you see?" Gimli asked Legolas.
"Horsemen approach us rapidly." Legolas answered. "They are about five leagues away. Shall we wait?"
Aragorn nodded, still avoiding to even glimpse over at the Elf. "Yes, we shall wait."
The three companions sat down on the fields and awaited the horsemen. Legolas' ears perked as he listened to the sounds of oncoming horses. Soon, even Gimli and Aragorn could hear the distant sounds of hooves racing towards them. Crowds of horses galloped towards them and almost passed them until Aragorn stood.
"What news from the North, Riders of Rohan?" he called to the men. Hearing his shout, the men swerved back and turned towards the three companions. Their leader approached the three friends cautiously.
"Who are you and what business have you in our land?" he called to them.
"My name is Strider," Aragorn answered, "and I come from the North. My friends and I are hunting Orcs."
The man snorted. "Orcs? You must not know much about that foul race if you go hunting them in such a fashion. But how came it that we did not see you? Are you of the Elvish folk or do you have magical powers making yourselves disappear when you should wish?"
"Only one of us is an Elf." Aragon replied. "We come from the woods of Lothlorien where the Lady of the Elves gave us gifts and her blessing."
The man's eyes widened. "Lothlorien, you say? So there truly is a Lady of the Golden Wood! But legends say, few escape her nets and if you three have done so, you must also be net-weavers and sorcerers!" He glanced over at Legolas and Gimli, who had, up to this point, stayed silent. "And why do your two other companions stay silent?"
Gimli stood and puffed up as he glared menacingly at the man. "When you give me your name, I shall give you mine."
The man frowned. "As you are the stranger in our lands, you should declare yourself first. Nevertheless, my name is Eomer son of Eomund, and am called the Third Marshal of Riddermark."
"Then Eomer son of Eomund, Gimli son of Dwarf Gloin shall warn you to be careful of what you say of the Lady Galadriel. She is fair beyond reach of your thought."
Eomer flushed in anger and the Men of Rohan also muttered in anger at Gimli's intimidating words. "I would cut off your head and beard, Master Dwarf, if it reached my sword." Eomer threatened.
At this challenge, Legolas also stood up and fit an arrow into his bow, aiming it at Eomer. "He stands not alone." Legolas declared. "You would die before your stroke fell upon his head."
Aragorn then stood between Eomer and his two companions. He felt nervous that Legolas and Gimli would ruin their chances of perhaps befriending allies especially now that they were so vulnerable and in need of help. It did not help his panicked state to see weapons being pointed at Legolas. He put up his hands to Eomer. "I ask for your pardon, Eomer!" He apologized. "Should you hear our tale, you would understand why your words have angered my friends so! We mean no harm to you, your people, or your land. Hear our tale before you consider attacking us."
"That I will," Eomer decided, putting away his sword. He looked pointedly at Gimli and Legolas who glared back at him. "But your friends should learn to be less proud when they enter unfamiliar lands." He turned to the other Men. "Leave me a while to attend to these strangers. Assemble on the path and prepare to ride to the Entwade." Still mumbling grumpily over Gimli's harsh words and Legolas' threats, the Men slowly turned back and went off in the direction they had previously been going in before they had been stopped. Eomer faced Aragon and the others again. "Now then, what is your story?"
"We have come from Imladris where we set out along with Boromir, Steward of Gondor." Aragorn began. "Our leader was Gandalf the Grey, who fell into the darkness of the mines of Moria."
"That is heavy tidings!" Eomer cried. "To me and many others, at least. Others in our lands would care not and rather rejoice at his passing as you will see should you go to the king."
"Indeed it is tidings far more grievous than any in this land can understand." Aragorn agreed solemnly. "But when the great fall, the less must take lead so it has been my responsibility to guide our Company from Moria and through 'Lorien we passed. Then we came to the Great River and to the fall of Rauros where Boromir was slain and our Fellowship broken."
"Boromir has fallen!" Eomer cried out again. "Your news is all of only grief! But indeed you three must be great to have come so far. I sense that you tell the truth though perhaps not the whole truth. Will you not come with me to the king's house then to inform him of your news? Your alliance would be greatly needed now that we see what dark futures lie ahead of us. And my apologies go to Gimli the Dwarf and Legolas the Elf for my harsh words before."
"Your offer is kind, but we must go on to find our missing friends who were taken by those Orcs you had destroyed." Aragorn replied graciously.
"Then I shall lend you horses to aid in your quest only on one condition: that when you have achieved your quest or given up, you return the horses to Edoras where the king Theoden resides." Eomer said firmly. "Do not fail to return the horses for I put myself in a perilous situation by entrusting you with our beasts."
"We shall not fail." Aragorn promised.
And with the new addition of the horses, the three friends set off again on their course. Gimli saw a fleeting look of jealousy pass through Aragorn's eyes as Legolas took up the Dwarf to sit behind him. But at this moment, Gimli did not care as he clung tightly to the Elf for he greatly despised being atop a horse. He could not understand how Legolas could enjoy it so much. Oh, this constant shaking beneath him made him feel as though he would topple over only to be trampled upon by the heavy horse!
"Do not hold onto me so tightly," grumbled Legolas as they galloped down the passes. "Do you wish to have me die of suffocation?"
"It would be a better passing rather than dying of falling off a horse and being crushed." Gimli shot back.
Legolas laughed loudly, filling the air with the joyous sound. "Fear not, Master Gimli!" he shouted. "The horse we ride on shall not throw you for as long as I ride him!"
"So you say," muttered Gimli, "but you have tricked me much during this trip, Master Elf. How am I to believe you any further?"
Legolas pouted. "Now, Gimli is it my fault you are so gullible and fall for all my tricks?"
"Indeed it is!" Gimli responded. He frowned at Legolas' continuous giggles. "What is so funny?"
"Nothing, friend, nothing…" But Legolas' giggles faded away as Aragorn's horse slowed. Legolas pulled up beside Aragorn and Gimli noticed that the two were still not looking at or speaking to each other. Aragorn was studying the ground intently. Gimli saw many imprints made on the ground.
"What do they mean?" Gimli asked Aragorn.
Aragorn finally looked up. "I cannot read the tracks. The passage of the horsemen has confused what answers the tracks may hide. Now we must continue on but take care to pay close attention to the tracks on the ground and make sure no trace or footstep goes away from the main path. The Orcs will have known they were being pursued and they may have gone off into the woods."
They rode even slower now as they all three examined the ground. After a while, Gimli gave up for his eyesight was not capable of reading any stray footprints. Legolas and Aragorn, however, kept their eyes intently fastened to the sides of the road, taking tedious care not to miss a single track. As they continued on, they passed an occasional single Orc who had fallen on the path but they could find no trace of Merry and Pippin. Finally, the sun went down, leaving no more light to search anymore.
"We shall stay here till morning." Aragorn decided. He led them a little way from the path and they set up camp in a clearing. Gimli shivered in the night's cold.
""Let us light a fire," he requested, "for I can no longer stand the cold."
"If the hobbits are nearby, they would be attracted to the fire." Legolas reasoned, feeling pity for the shivering Dwarf.
"And so would Orcs and other such evil things." Aragorn murmured darkly. "Take care not to harm the trees of Fangorn then if you must make a fire."
Eagerly, Gimli went off in search of firewood and only Aragorn and Legolas were left. They went about the camp attending to their own business, uncomfortable in each other's presence. Both repudiated from looking at one another. To their relief, the heavy stomps of the Dwarf could be heard as he returned from his hunt. He dropped bunches of dead wood onto the ground and quickly set to making a fire. Soon a fire was burning and Gimli sighed in relief at the warmth. When he had fully become warm, he turned his attention to his companions.
"What happened between the two of you?" he asked casually. Legolas and Aragorn jerked their heads up and looked at him in surprise. Gimli was pleased with their reaction; it meant something had happened. "Ever since last night, both of you have been avoiding each other. Did you perhaps quarrel at the lake?"
"No." Aragorn and Legolas chorused.
"Then what has happened?"
"'Tis none of your business, Dwarf." Legolas mumbled.
"None of my business, eh?" Gimli asked, raising an eyebrow. "It is my business when two of my companions avoid each other, leaving me to play the middle man. Now is when we need to be the closest to look for our friends!"
"You speak wise and true words, Gimli," Aragorn agreed, "but
Legolas and I have not quarreled. You need not worry."
"Then pray tell me what has happened to cause such a gap between you two."
"Gimli! It is nothing!" Legolas yelled. Gimli and Aragorn both stared at the normally quiet Elf in shock. Legolas calmed himself down. "Enough of this useless talk." He lied down on his bedroll, facing his back to the other two. Gimli looked to Aragorn who also looked bewildered.
Gimli sighed. The interview had not gone as he had wished. Perhaps he was not as good at this matchmaking business as he had thought. "Sleep, Aragorn. I shall take first watch." Aragorn nodded and also lied down in his bedroll.
As night drew on, Gimli sat listlessly by the crackling fire. He looked around the fire and with a start; he realized an old man stood across from him. The man stood bent over a staff and he wore a large hat, covering his eyes. Gimli gave a shout, waking both Legolas and Aragorn. Both Aragorn and Legolas looked to the old man who did not make any indication he was watching them or even that he was alive.
"Father!" Aragorn called. "Come warm yourself if you be cold!" He waited for the man's response but he was given none. Then they realized the old man had disappeared along with the horses. The three friends stared at each other. Aragorn was the first to come out of his daze. "Well, the horses are gone. They will not return to us and we must now continue on foot as we have been till now."
"Feet!" Gimli cried out in dismay. He looked down at his worn boots. His feet were aching from the much walking they had been doing and being on the back of a horse had given them much relief. He sighed disgustedly but frowned. "Perhaps that old man was Saruman." He whispered in a low voice to Aragorn and Legolas.
"Perhaps," Aragorn shrugged. "But we will no worry about that right now. Rest now, Gimli. I shall stand watch for a while."
They slowly calmed themselves down and soon Legolas and Gimli lied down to rest. Aragorn sat, listening to Gimli's deep snores and watching Legolas.
The Elf's face, highlighted by the jumping flames, looked distressed even as he rested. Aragorn wished to ease the Elf's discomforts but it was not his place to do so. Nor would it ever be his place. That much had been evident the night before. Aragorn remembered his promise to keep hope that perhaps things would change but now he saw naught how anything could change. Legolas would never feel for him the way he felt for the Elf.
Why had he let himself fall in love with someone who would never return his feelings?