Aragorn shifted Savina to his other shoulder and paused, scanning the mountain suspiciously.
Legolas came to his side, "I can carry her for a time, Aragorn."
Aragorn shook his head, "I am stronger than you are, friend, I'm just happy we don't have to carry Gandalf."
Gimli stood next to them, his eyes red from crying.
Legolas patted the Dwarf tenderly on the shoulder, and looked at Aragorn, "please," he swallowed, "I would like to carry her."
Aragorn held her for a moment, feeling how vulnerable her small body was in his arms, it was amazing to think she had died and come back. But it had come at a high cost, Aragorn sighed inwardly, Gandalf had spent so much of his power to open the door that he had collapsed and been unconscious for two days. When he had awoken, he summoned up just enough power to perform a transport spell that would take him to Rivendell. And then there was the loss of the Kender.
No one had wanted to admit they'd grown fond of the cheery little Kender, no one except Savina. And now Tasselhoff Burrfoot was lost in limbo, leaving tears and guilt behind. The companions didn't know exactly what had happened because Savina had been unconscious for the last four days. She sometimes spoke in her sleep, moaning piteously and crying out "Tas…" in soft tones. But she didn't wake. Gandalf had said before he left that she might not wake for days, then he mumbled something darkly about how it had taken him nine days to wake.
With a sigh, Aragorn lifted Savina away from his body.
Legolas took her in his arms, one arm around her shoulders and one around her thighs, her head rested against his shoulder.
Aragorn gazed at her for a moment, wondering when she would awake, then turned back to the path and began walking.
Legolas pressed his cheek against her soft hair; he could feel the warmth from her body and hear her breathing. He walked after Aragorn, thinking how much he had come to love her in the last week or so. He could admit that, at first, his love had not been as true as he would have liked to say. His love had been desperate and self-imposed, he'd made himself love her in unconscious hopes that she would love him back and…he didn't even know what he had been thinking.
But these last few days were different…he'd loved her in her Tavern when she had dressed his wounds, he had loved her for all her resourcefulness and quick wit and the compassion she had for him, the way she understood him and talked to him. He admired and loved her dignity and sense of right and wrong when she had turned him away. He had loved her for her fierce loyalty to Aragorn and the way she had killed the Goblin leader. He loved her for saving his life again just a few days ago, for giving her life for him. Behind all that desperate love a true love had begun to flower.
Gimli followed behind Legolas, his head down and his heart even lower. The loss of the little Kender had been the hardest on him. He had always regarded the little thief with a certain gruff fondness, which manifested into love and respect when he saw the little Kender fighting bravely at his side and plunging headfirst into limbo to bring back Savina.
Now he was gone. They'd been traveling two days over the mountains and still Gimli glanced back, hoping to see the Kender running toward them, his ridiculous ponytail and many pouches flapping.
But he never came; in fact, they hadn't seen anything living since Gandalf had come out of the woods. Gimli wondered at that…he'd expected to be fighting Orcs and Goblins every night, but none ever came. He had thought hard about this and remembered the way the Goblin leader had tried to get Savina to come with it and the horror on the Goblin's face when it realized it had killed her.
Something wanted her.
Gimli frowned and hoisted his axe a little higher; they were going to have to kill him before he would ever let her be taken into darkness.
Aragorn picked his way over rocks, thinking of Gandalf, wondering if his transport spell had worked ok. He hoped it had. His thoughts shifted to Tasselhoff and his heart sank, he glanced back at Savina, wondering what had happened. He hoped she woke up soon so she could tell them.
He remembered seeing her standing halfway through the door, then turning back to the door, a look of horror on her face. He had seen her leap forward, back into the door, but it disappeared and she'd landed on the ground, sobbing uncontrollably before she fainted.
Aragorn scanned the mountains again. They were halfway down a mountain at the moment, and everyday the landscape got more and more foreboding and miserable. No creature had tried to attack them since Savina had fallen with the Goblin's dagger in her stomach. He suspected that Savina wasn't what she appeared to be, whether she knew it or not, and that she was needed for something. His eyes rested on The Dark Tower, which he could just see.
They weren't far now, two or three small mountains to cross and then the broad, flat land of Mordor and they would be at The Dark Tower.
"Aragorn!"
Aragorn turned at the sound of Legolas' sharp voice.
Legolas had laid Savina down on the ground and was crouching next to her, eh glanced up at Aragorn, "I think she's waking."
Indeed she was. Her eyelids were twitching. Then they opened.
Her black eyes narrowed for a moment, then widened and she whispered, "Tas!" sitting up ad scrambling to her feet. She looked wildly around, then her eyes rested on Aragorn, "we have to save-" She was abruptly cut off by a bout of vomiting. She doubled over, clutching her stomach, and vomited violently.
When she had finished, she staggered away from her vomit and collapsed to the ground, sitting with her arms wrapped around her knees and her whole body shaking violently.
Aragorn took his canteen and helped her drink, stroking her hair to soothe her.
She sat crying softly for several minutes, then wiped her eyes and stood up, no longer shaking. Her face was pale and set in a look of grim determination. Her dark eyes, looking empty and unfeeling, rested on Aragorn, "I am ready," she said softly, "please give me my pack."
Gimli, who had been carrying her pack, would have continued to carry it gladly, it wasn't heavy at all, but Aragorn nodded to him, so he took it off and handed it to Savina. As she took it, he grabbed her hand and held it for a moment, then let it go, brushing tears from his eyes.
As Savina passed Legolas, her eyes flickered, her face showing tenderness. Then it was gone.
Aragorn studied her for a moment, then nodded to Legolas and Gimli, who were looking gloomy and troubled, their eyes on Savina. "Let's continue."
They walked for the rest of the day and crossed two small mountains.
Savina didn't speak or look at anyone; she walked with her head bowed, trudging along behind Aragorn with a hollow look on her face.
Aragorn knew she blamed herself for Tas being lost in limbo. He knew she would have gladly stayed in limbo if she had known Tas would not return with her. He wondered what she had seen, but decided the time was not right to ask.
Legolas walked behind her, watching her carefully with a look of sorrow and pain on his fair face. He wanted to comfort her, he wanted to hold her and stroke her hair. He wanted to feel her pain for her, but he knew it wasn't possible. He knew that she blamed herself for what had happened.
Savina was the only one who blamed herself, the others knew better than to place blame on anyone. It was a tragedy that had happened, and was the fault of no one.
Aragorn spoke a quiet word and the companions came to a halt. Aragorn pointed.
They were standing at the top of the last mountain between them and The Dark Tower. Below them stretched a great, flat valley completely devoid of any life except for a few scraggly bushes here and there. Beyond the valley was marshland. And beyond the marshland was The Dark Tower, dark and imposing against the gray sky.
The companions stared in silence, then Savina spoke for the first time that day.
"I am not afraid."
With that, she brushed past Aragorn and continued down the mountain, her small shoulders straight and her head held high.
Legolas stared after her, his eyes sad, "how can such a small girl march into Mordor unafraid?"
Gimli watched her in silence.
Aragorn sighed and started after her, "she isn't a small girl anymore, Legolas, and she isn't afraid."