Disclaimer: The song at the end of this chapter I found in the book "The
Two Towers" by J.R.R. Tolkien. It laments the fact of the Riders of Rohan
being banished from Rohan by Grima. Hope you enjoy this story! Tolkien owns
all of these wonderful characters except Aralyn. This is a revision of my
earlier story. I think the romance plays out much better in this version
then the other version. Tell me what you think please!
I had avoided Legolas most of the day. The only time we had spent together since our kiss was smoldering glances to each other as we past each other during our daily duties. The thoughts that were rolling around in my mind were torturing me slowly.
Because of my eyes King Theoden had me up watching from the Keep most of the time. I spent my time consoling Lady Eowyn and waiting around for an army to attack. What a wonderful way to spend your days. That night when the women and children settled down to sleep, Eowyn and I sat on top of the Keep, talking and passing the time. We talked about our past and the years we grew up together, because those were happy times. We talked on an on about all the pranks that we pulled on Eomer and how angry he got at us for it. Then how him and Theodred always retaliated. The mention of Theodred and Eomer's names made us sad again.
"How has it come to this?" Lady Eowyn asked me, lamenting the fact of our country, retreating to Helm's Deep and waiting for our massacre.
"Blind hate." I said sadly.
"Why does Saruman hate us so much?" Eowyn asked, frustrated.
"We stand in his way of total domination." I spat out. Silence engulfed us as I peered out over the horizon, waiting for any sign of any movement. None yet.
"I miss him, Aralyn." She whispered.
"Miss who?" I asked, attention still focused on the horizon.
"Arargorn." She said softly. "I think I had fallen in love with him."
That got my attention. "Really? I had no idea."
Eowyn blushed and looked at her hands. "I don't think he did either. And no one else will know besides you."
I nodded and looked back out to the sunset. "How do you know you're in love with someone?" I asked softly.
"I think it's different for everybody." Eowyn said thoughtfully. "But I always wished that Aragorn would see me as more then just a woman to protect. That's how I knew."
Her words stung my ears. That's exactly how I felt about Legolas, but I didn't want to admit it to her.
"He saw you as a strong, independent woman, Eowyn." I said confidently. "No one can mistake you for a helpless woman."
"Eowyn!" a voice called from inside the Keep. It sounded like King Theoden.
"Coming!" She responded as she pulled herself up. "You're going to be ok out here, right Aralyn?"
"I think I can handle myself. Goodnight milady." I told her.
"Goodnight." She said as she disappeared inside the Keep.
The sun sank below the horizon and one by one the stars came out. I found the star named Nimrodel and thought about the story that Legolas told me. What a sad, sad story. But I felt so comfortable last night. And the kiss was beyond anything I could imagine. Is this what it's like to be in love?
'Get that out of your head, Aralyn.' I thought to myself as the stars twinkled. I knew he wasn't going to stay around forever. I knew that after his work here was done he'd go off with Gimli to some unexplored area and have an adventure. His thoughts wouldn't even dwindle back to the time where he spent with the people of Rohan.
He's an elf! And a prince. He would never fall in love with me. He just sees me as a woman to protect and to impress. I needed more then that.
A soft breeze blew through my hair, but I didn't even notice it. It was a silent night, as if it was the lull before a big storm. Shivers ran down my back as I thought of what could turn into a storm. I've seen battle before, and it wasn't glamorous, as some men try to make it. The vision of arrows and men falling from the wall of Helm's Deep filled my mind. Orcs jumped up and down for the joy of the dead men. They were banging on the door of the fortress, fighting their way in. Ladders were going up all around the walls, allowing orcs to climb up and kill my men at hand to hand combat. The men fought bravely, but the orc army was just too large. Slowly but surely we were being pushed back to the keep. And I was standing there, watching it all. Not able to do anything about the orcs or the dying men around me. I cried out in anger as the vision played in my head. My hands flew up to my head, trying to block out the visions and the screams of the men, but to no avail.
But as fast as it came, it was gone. I was standing alone in the keep, shivering and shaking, recovering from my vision. I shook my head as I tried to clear it. With no one to comfort me. But this is the way my mother taught me, so this is the way I'm going to survive. Alone.
The vision was terrible, but I was strong enough to withstand it. If that is what my people had to face, I will face it with them. I will not hide in the mountains with the rest of the women and children; I will stay up here and fight to my death.
"Aralyn." A voice said behind me.
"Yes, Hama?" I asked, turning around.
"Go get some sleep. I'll take over the watch for now."
I smiled my thanks to him as I climbed down the stairs to the sleeping quarters of the women. The stairs were long and hard to climb down in the dwindling light. I looked out over the lands of Rohan and a sad song came to my mind, so I sang it, leaning over the wall.
"Where now the horse and the rider?
Where is the horn that was blowing?
Where is the helm and the hauberk,
and the bright hair flowing?
Where is the hand on the harpstring,
and the red fire glowing?
Where is the sping and the harvest
and the tall corn growing?
They have passed like rain on the mountain
like a wind in the meadow
the days have gone down in the West
behind the hills into shadow.
Who shall gather the smoke of the dead wood burning?
Or behold the flowing years from the Sea returning?"
This soft song was about the riders of Rohan, and it pained my heart to sing it. I left the thoughts about tomorrow right there on the step and left to go sleep.
It was going to be an important day tomorrow.
I had avoided Legolas most of the day. The only time we had spent together since our kiss was smoldering glances to each other as we past each other during our daily duties. The thoughts that were rolling around in my mind were torturing me slowly.
Because of my eyes King Theoden had me up watching from the Keep most of the time. I spent my time consoling Lady Eowyn and waiting around for an army to attack. What a wonderful way to spend your days. That night when the women and children settled down to sleep, Eowyn and I sat on top of the Keep, talking and passing the time. We talked about our past and the years we grew up together, because those were happy times. We talked on an on about all the pranks that we pulled on Eomer and how angry he got at us for it. Then how him and Theodred always retaliated. The mention of Theodred and Eomer's names made us sad again.
"How has it come to this?" Lady Eowyn asked me, lamenting the fact of our country, retreating to Helm's Deep and waiting for our massacre.
"Blind hate." I said sadly.
"Why does Saruman hate us so much?" Eowyn asked, frustrated.
"We stand in his way of total domination." I spat out. Silence engulfed us as I peered out over the horizon, waiting for any sign of any movement. None yet.
"I miss him, Aralyn." She whispered.
"Miss who?" I asked, attention still focused on the horizon.
"Arargorn." She said softly. "I think I had fallen in love with him."
That got my attention. "Really? I had no idea."
Eowyn blushed and looked at her hands. "I don't think he did either. And no one else will know besides you."
I nodded and looked back out to the sunset. "How do you know you're in love with someone?" I asked softly.
"I think it's different for everybody." Eowyn said thoughtfully. "But I always wished that Aragorn would see me as more then just a woman to protect. That's how I knew."
Her words stung my ears. That's exactly how I felt about Legolas, but I didn't want to admit it to her.
"He saw you as a strong, independent woman, Eowyn." I said confidently. "No one can mistake you for a helpless woman."
"Eowyn!" a voice called from inside the Keep. It sounded like King Theoden.
"Coming!" She responded as she pulled herself up. "You're going to be ok out here, right Aralyn?"
"I think I can handle myself. Goodnight milady." I told her.
"Goodnight." She said as she disappeared inside the Keep.
The sun sank below the horizon and one by one the stars came out. I found the star named Nimrodel and thought about the story that Legolas told me. What a sad, sad story. But I felt so comfortable last night. And the kiss was beyond anything I could imagine. Is this what it's like to be in love?
'Get that out of your head, Aralyn.' I thought to myself as the stars twinkled. I knew he wasn't going to stay around forever. I knew that after his work here was done he'd go off with Gimli to some unexplored area and have an adventure. His thoughts wouldn't even dwindle back to the time where he spent with the people of Rohan.
He's an elf! And a prince. He would never fall in love with me. He just sees me as a woman to protect and to impress. I needed more then that.
A soft breeze blew through my hair, but I didn't even notice it. It was a silent night, as if it was the lull before a big storm. Shivers ran down my back as I thought of what could turn into a storm. I've seen battle before, and it wasn't glamorous, as some men try to make it. The vision of arrows and men falling from the wall of Helm's Deep filled my mind. Orcs jumped up and down for the joy of the dead men. They were banging on the door of the fortress, fighting their way in. Ladders were going up all around the walls, allowing orcs to climb up and kill my men at hand to hand combat. The men fought bravely, but the orc army was just too large. Slowly but surely we were being pushed back to the keep. And I was standing there, watching it all. Not able to do anything about the orcs or the dying men around me. I cried out in anger as the vision played in my head. My hands flew up to my head, trying to block out the visions and the screams of the men, but to no avail.
But as fast as it came, it was gone. I was standing alone in the keep, shivering and shaking, recovering from my vision. I shook my head as I tried to clear it. With no one to comfort me. But this is the way my mother taught me, so this is the way I'm going to survive. Alone.
The vision was terrible, but I was strong enough to withstand it. If that is what my people had to face, I will face it with them. I will not hide in the mountains with the rest of the women and children; I will stay up here and fight to my death.
"Aralyn." A voice said behind me.
"Yes, Hama?" I asked, turning around.
"Go get some sleep. I'll take over the watch for now."
I smiled my thanks to him as I climbed down the stairs to the sleeping quarters of the women. The stairs were long and hard to climb down in the dwindling light. I looked out over the lands of Rohan and a sad song came to my mind, so I sang it, leaning over the wall.
"Where now the horse and the rider?
Where is the horn that was blowing?
Where is the helm and the hauberk,
and the bright hair flowing?
Where is the hand on the harpstring,
and the red fire glowing?
Where is the sping and the harvest
and the tall corn growing?
They have passed like rain on the mountain
like a wind in the meadow
the days have gone down in the West
behind the hills into shadow.
Who shall gather the smoke of the dead wood burning?
Or behold the flowing years from the Sea returning?"
This soft song was about the riders of Rohan, and it pained my heart to sing it. I left the thoughts about tomorrow right there on the step and left to go sleep.
It was going to be an important day tomorrow.