Disclaimer: I have re-written some parts of this story, because I was not
liking how the romance played out. So I have just been re-writing the old
stuff, but now it fits even better with the ending so I'll post that soon.
All these characters belong to Tolkien, except for Aralyn. This story is
better now, please go back and read, then you can enjoy the ending better.
Read and review please!
"They had no warning." Gandalf pointed out to the king. Theoden sat on his throne, a worried look settling on his face. The two children were sitting at the table, anxiously awaiting Eowyn's return with their food. The dwarf sat across from them, almost as anxious as the children. The human male stood behind the dwarf with Legolas, both of them facing the king. They didn't seem so concerned about food. I stood behind the children, keeping an eye on them. I noticed Legolas's gaze kept falling on me.
Eowyn entered carrying plates full of food, and she placed stew in front of the two children. They smiled up thankfully and delved into it, and the dwarf enjoyed his stew as well. The human male just reached over and grabbed an apple, and Legolas ignored the food.
She then placed bread and cheese on the table, and with a small grin placed a big mug of ale in front of the dwarf. For the children she had mugs full of milk.
As the children began to eat ravenously, the little girl looked up long enough to ask a shrill question.
"Where is momma?" She asked, fear in her eyes.
Eowyn tried to shush her, but I intervened.
"We'll find your mama sweetheart. Don't worry." I reassured her, placing a blanket on her shoulders. She smiled up at me and turned her attention back to her food.
The dwarf glared up at me, and I glared right back. I wouldn't let him intimidate me. Legolas noticed the shared glare and his hand went to rest on the dwarf's shoulder; the elf gave the dwarf a look of reprimand. The dwarf slightly blushed and stuffed the rest of the piece of bread in his mouth, washing it down with ale. Legolas then shot me a look of apology, but I shook my head. He shouldn't have to apologize for the dwarf, not to me. Legolas seemed awfully overprotective of me, and I didn't know why. His eyes locked with mine and he gave me a small grin.
"This is just a taste of what has been happening." Gandalf pointed out to Theoden. A sense of urgency added to Gandalf's next words. "Ride out to meet them. Draw Saruman away from your women and children."
"I will not risk open war." Theoden explained slowly, his eyes wearily falling on the two children.
"You are already at open war." The man claimed, striding forward and addressing the King directly. I almost gasped out loud. This man was a guest in King Theoden's court, and still he was speaking out of turn? Yet, these were strange times.
Fire burned in Theoden's eyes. "Last time I checked, Theoden was king of Rohan, not Aragorn. My people will go to Helm's Deep for protection, not war."
Aragorn? That's his name?
"Helm's Deep? But, my lord, you have to see that it is a trap! There is no way out. It just goes into the mountains." Aragorn argued.
"It has saved us before, it will not fail us." Theoden snapped, and turned to his doorward. "Hama, tell the city we will be leaving for Helm's Deep. Take no valuables with you, just the necessities. We leave as soon as possible." Hama bowed to the king then left the palace to carry out his orders.
"Don't run away from Saruman. Stand up and fight!" Aragorn argued.
The two stared each other down and the tension grew in the room. The little girl in front of me yawned as she finished her stew.
"We will not go to war." The King ordered, leaving the room still angry with Aragorn.
Gandalf shook his head and followed the king, obviously hoping to change his mind.
Aragorn just looked frustrated as he took his seat next to the dwarf, who hadn't seemed to notice the arguments around him. He was still chewing and swallowing away, obviously disregarding any table manners he had ever learned. If he had ever learned any to begin with.
"Come on children, let's go find you a place to sleep." Eowyn said, noticing the children's yawns.
"I'll clean up here milady." I said, and started to gather the children's bowls. I was afraid that if I got any where near the dwarf's bowl he would bite my hand off.
The children didn't complain and the little girl reached up to have Eowyn carry her to bed. Eowyn picked her up and cuddled the girl, who started dozing on Eowyn's shoulder. The little boy got up and started to stagger sleepily after them, but Aragorn was too quick for him. Aragorn swept the boy off the ground and carried him, following Lady Eowyn down the hallway to the guest chambers.
I felt the dwarf's glare on me before I saw it.
"Why did you give that little girl hope when there is none?" He demanded.
"When there is nothing to believe in, hope is what we survive on." I said coldly, feeling hurt he had no compassion for Rohan.
The dwarf muttered under his breath, so he thought I couldn't hear it. "Even Eomer claimed hope is forsaken in this land."
With my elven ears though, I heard him loud and clear. "Hope is all this land has and I will not deprive our children of it!" I raised my voice angrily, slamming the bowls angrily on the table.
The dwarf sat in stunned silence, cheese halfway to his mouth.
"Gimli, that was unnecessary." Legolas told him softly.
Gimli glanced up at me, face bright red. "I'm sorry milady. Sometimes I tend to be pessimistic." He apologized.
"Sometimes?" The elf grinned behind him.
"Quiet, elf." Gimli snapped, but with a grin on his face.
"I'm not the one who doesn't think before he speaks." Legolas said simply, and grinned at me.
"We should stop our childish bickering and prepare to leave." I said, smiling back at Legolas.
"Can I finish my meal first?" Gimli asked.
"I wouldn't take that bowl away from you unless you willingly gave it to me." I laughed.
From that day forth I had a dwarf for a friend. How strange, I never thought that would happen. Then again, in these dark days anything could happen.
"They had no warning." Gandalf pointed out to the king. Theoden sat on his throne, a worried look settling on his face. The two children were sitting at the table, anxiously awaiting Eowyn's return with their food. The dwarf sat across from them, almost as anxious as the children. The human male stood behind the dwarf with Legolas, both of them facing the king. They didn't seem so concerned about food. I stood behind the children, keeping an eye on them. I noticed Legolas's gaze kept falling on me.
Eowyn entered carrying plates full of food, and she placed stew in front of the two children. They smiled up thankfully and delved into it, and the dwarf enjoyed his stew as well. The human male just reached over and grabbed an apple, and Legolas ignored the food.
She then placed bread and cheese on the table, and with a small grin placed a big mug of ale in front of the dwarf. For the children she had mugs full of milk.
As the children began to eat ravenously, the little girl looked up long enough to ask a shrill question.
"Where is momma?" She asked, fear in her eyes.
Eowyn tried to shush her, but I intervened.
"We'll find your mama sweetheart. Don't worry." I reassured her, placing a blanket on her shoulders. She smiled up at me and turned her attention back to her food.
The dwarf glared up at me, and I glared right back. I wouldn't let him intimidate me. Legolas noticed the shared glare and his hand went to rest on the dwarf's shoulder; the elf gave the dwarf a look of reprimand. The dwarf slightly blushed and stuffed the rest of the piece of bread in his mouth, washing it down with ale. Legolas then shot me a look of apology, but I shook my head. He shouldn't have to apologize for the dwarf, not to me. Legolas seemed awfully overprotective of me, and I didn't know why. His eyes locked with mine and he gave me a small grin.
"This is just a taste of what has been happening." Gandalf pointed out to Theoden. A sense of urgency added to Gandalf's next words. "Ride out to meet them. Draw Saruman away from your women and children."
"I will not risk open war." Theoden explained slowly, his eyes wearily falling on the two children.
"You are already at open war." The man claimed, striding forward and addressing the King directly. I almost gasped out loud. This man was a guest in King Theoden's court, and still he was speaking out of turn? Yet, these were strange times.
Fire burned in Theoden's eyes. "Last time I checked, Theoden was king of Rohan, not Aragorn. My people will go to Helm's Deep for protection, not war."
Aragorn? That's his name?
"Helm's Deep? But, my lord, you have to see that it is a trap! There is no way out. It just goes into the mountains." Aragorn argued.
"It has saved us before, it will not fail us." Theoden snapped, and turned to his doorward. "Hama, tell the city we will be leaving for Helm's Deep. Take no valuables with you, just the necessities. We leave as soon as possible." Hama bowed to the king then left the palace to carry out his orders.
"Don't run away from Saruman. Stand up and fight!" Aragorn argued.
The two stared each other down and the tension grew in the room. The little girl in front of me yawned as she finished her stew.
"We will not go to war." The King ordered, leaving the room still angry with Aragorn.
Gandalf shook his head and followed the king, obviously hoping to change his mind.
Aragorn just looked frustrated as he took his seat next to the dwarf, who hadn't seemed to notice the arguments around him. He was still chewing and swallowing away, obviously disregarding any table manners he had ever learned. If he had ever learned any to begin with.
"Come on children, let's go find you a place to sleep." Eowyn said, noticing the children's yawns.
"I'll clean up here milady." I said, and started to gather the children's bowls. I was afraid that if I got any where near the dwarf's bowl he would bite my hand off.
The children didn't complain and the little girl reached up to have Eowyn carry her to bed. Eowyn picked her up and cuddled the girl, who started dozing on Eowyn's shoulder. The little boy got up and started to stagger sleepily after them, but Aragorn was too quick for him. Aragorn swept the boy off the ground and carried him, following Lady Eowyn down the hallway to the guest chambers.
I felt the dwarf's glare on me before I saw it.
"Why did you give that little girl hope when there is none?" He demanded.
"When there is nothing to believe in, hope is what we survive on." I said coldly, feeling hurt he had no compassion for Rohan.
The dwarf muttered under his breath, so he thought I couldn't hear it. "Even Eomer claimed hope is forsaken in this land."
With my elven ears though, I heard him loud and clear. "Hope is all this land has and I will not deprive our children of it!" I raised my voice angrily, slamming the bowls angrily on the table.
The dwarf sat in stunned silence, cheese halfway to his mouth.
"Gimli, that was unnecessary." Legolas told him softly.
Gimli glanced up at me, face bright red. "I'm sorry milady. Sometimes I tend to be pessimistic." He apologized.
"Sometimes?" The elf grinned behind him.
"Quiet, elf." Gimli snapped, but with a grin on his face.
"I'm not the one who doesn't think before he speaks." Legolas said simply, and grinned at me.
"We should stop our childish bickering and prepare to leave." I said, smiling back at Legolas.
"Can I finish my meal first?" Gimli asked.
"I wouldn't take that bowl away from you unless you willingly gave it to me." I laughed.
From that day forth I had a dwarf for a friend. How strange, I never thought that would happen. Then again, in these dark days anything could happen.