The scream echoed around them and the other seven were in deep shock.
Destini yanked the Ring off, still screaming in pain. Aragorn's eyes grew
wide and he got to his feet, drawing his sword. The Nazgul raised its blade
again slowly. With a cry of anger, Aragorn rushed forward and began
slashing madly at the Nazgul. Raylee and Elwyn had dropped down beside
Destini, seeing how bad the wound was. With the help of the arrows from
Legolas, the Nazgul hit the ground, dead. Aragorn sheathed his sword and
moved behind Elwyn, whom barked out orders, "Get fresh water! NOW!"
Legolas sprinted down to the creek at full speed. He would have to use his quiver to hold the water. Back where they were hiding, Destini was shaking horribly and making small whimpers. Elwyn continued to speak Elvish words of comfort to her injured friend while Aragorn stood by, trying not to panic. Legolas came back and set down the water. Scooping it up into her hands, Elwyn slowly let the water drop onto Destini's wound, "Stay awake."
Raylee looked back at the men, "Give her space."
Elwyn worked for hours, occasionally calling for more water to clean the wound and put on Destini's face. They used Pippin's scarf to wrap the wound up and by nightfall, Raylee had to urge the men to sleep. Reluctantly, the men covered up with their blankets while Elwyn watched over Destini. Late into the night was when Destini stirred weakly, letting out a frail moan. Her blue eyes opened every so slightly and she could only whisper, "Where. is. Aragorn?"
"He is asleep," Elwyn said, her face showing fatigue, "You should be as well."
Destini frowned.
"Please. just sleep."
Eyes closing again, Destini sighed and fell back asleep. Elwyn lay down as well, too exhausted to stay away any longer. It seemed that her friend would pull through just fine.
In the early morning, Aragorn was the first to awaken. He sat up quickly and looked to see Destini laying on her back, resting peacefully. Moving beside her, he placed his blanket over the auburn-haired girl. She felt the sudden, extra warmth and lifted her head, "Aragorn?"
The Ranger hushed her but smiled kindly while Destini took his head and sighed in content. Legolas had also awoken after his elf ears caught the sound of Destini's weak voice. He watched the two in silence, thinking to himself, "If they can care for each other, then why cannot I do the same?" he looked to Elwyn.
Legolas sighed and pulled out one of his arrows, looking it over. "Maybe my love for archery is much greater," he tossed the arrow aside.
Once everyone had woken, the fellowship mounted their steeds and continued on their pilgrimage. Destini now rode with Aragorn for extra protection, leaving Raylee and Frodo to their own horse. Frodo was blushing furiously as Raylee wrapped her arms around his waist. For most of the time, everyone was silent except for Pippin sporadically saying, "I'm hungry!" It didn't take long until Destini had fallen asleep against Aragorn. In one arm, Aragorn held Destini's body against him and in the other, the reins of the horse. This comfort he showed the Ring Bearer only troubled Legolas more. Elwyn could sense the elf prince's uneasiness and guilt emotions that made her worry for him. Legolas did not usually act in this manner. "I'll talk with him tonight."
Aragorn's stomach felt strange as he held the injured girl against himself. He had to wonder. did the elves notice? Or the hobbits? His questions could not be answered easily. He felt Destini move in his arms and blinked as he was thrown back into reality. Destini made a soft groan, smiling to herself. Figuring she was still in deep sleep, he did his best not to wake her. However, the uneasy feeling in his stomach did not diminish and he shuddered at this.
It was Legolas' turn to stay on watch that night. He occasionally would poke the fire with a stick and watch it spark when he did so. Elwyn sat across from the elf prince, staring into the fire as well. Legolas watched the fire play across her fair face and he sighed, standing up, "Why aren't you resting?"
Elwyn looked downward.
"I can easily see your exhaustion as of late," he continued, "Especially from last night."
Elwyn glanced to Legolas. "I had to stay awake until Destini showed signs of recovering." She trailed off.
Gently, Legolas touched her face with his palm, "And you saved the Ring Bearer's life."
For a long while, they stared at each other in silence, their foreheads against one another's. Without warning, Elwyn leaned forward and gave Legolas a kiss on his lips. This shocked the elf but he too began to kiss the she-elf back. After a minute, Elwyn stopped him. "I love you. And I want to spend my immortal life with you."
"I do as well." Legolas whispered in her ear.
Merry and Pippin watched in secret from their beds, stifling their laughs of joy. Perhaps now, there would no longer be any tension. Or. they hoped.
At the dawn, Destini was feeling well enough to move without any help. Slowly, she limped beside Aragorn and gave him a nudge so that he would awaken. The Ranger woke with a mighty jerk, but relaxed when he saw it was only the auburn-haired maiden, "Amazing. Your injuries have healed completely. Are you feeling all right?"
Destini nodded. "Yes, I am. But I was feeling strangely moments ago. It rose me from my sleep."
There was a long pause until Aragorn stood, helping Destini to her feet. She looked at him with an unusual expression in her eyes.
"Aragorn. After being wounded, I feel that I am not strong enough to defend myself. You must train me defense or this journey will end in a blood lust."
The Ranger stared at Destini, almost in awe at such wise words coming from such a carefree woman. He nodded slowly and the two picked up their swords, heading to a meadow nearby. Once there, they unsheathed their blades and turned to face each other.
"Begin," Aragorn commanded.
With one swift movement, Destini hit her blade on Aragorn's own and both began to try to overpower one another. However, Aragorn was easily overwhelming the maiden. Sweeping her leg under his feet suddenly, Destini had knocked Aragorn onto his back. He quickly leapt back to his feet and his opponent's blade abruptly came forward, trying to slash his face. Aragorn was forced to jerk his head backward to avoid a nasty gash, "What are you doing? This isn't a real battle!"
"If that's what you believe, then you have just met your death!" Destini drove her sword into the abdomen of the ranger, causing him to cry out in pain and drop to his knees in complete shock. His vision filled with tears and blurred, he could only see the sadistic grin that remained on his love's face as he died.
Aragorn sat up suddenly with a loud yell before looking at his surroundings. They were still in the safe cover of the forest and he remained alive. He let out a shaky sigh, shrugging off the fear that had been in him during the nightmare. Glancing over to the form of Destini, he moved beside her when he heard her whimpers. She was clutching the Ring in her hand, shivering while tears fell down her face. "The Ring is growing heavier."
Embracing Destini without question, he held her close to him, "Only a dream."
Legolas and Elwyn came sprinting back to the campsite upon hearing the disturbance. Finding Aragorn holding Destini close, Legolas looked grim. "It has begun."
"The beginning of the end." Elwyn whispered.
Legolas sprinted down to the creek at full speed. He would have to use his quiver to hold the water. Back where they were hiding, Destini was shaking horribly and making small whimpers. Elwyn continued to speak Elvish words of comfort to her injured friend while Aragorn stood by, trying not to panic. Legolas came back and set down the water. Scooping it up into her hands, Elwyn slowly let the water drop onto Destini's wound, "Stay awake."
Raylee looked back at the men, "Give her space."
Elwyn worked for hours, occasionally calling for more water to clean the wound and put on Destini's face. They used Pippin's scarf to wrap the wound up and by nightfall, Raylee had to urge the men to sleep. Reluctantly, the men covered up with their blankets while Elwyn watched over Destini. Late into the night was when Destini stirred weakly, letting out a frail moan. Her blue eyes opened every so slightly and she could only whisper, "Where. is. Aragorn?"
"He is asleep," Elwyn said, her face showing fatigue, "You should be as well."
Destini frowned.
"Please. just sleep."
Eyes closing again, Destini sighed and fell back asleep. Elwyn lay down as well, too exhausted to stay away any longer. It seemed that her friend would pull through just fine.
In the early morning, Aragorn was the first to awaken. He sat up quickly and looked to see Destini laying on her back, resting peacefully. Moving beside her, he placed his blanket over the auburn-haired girl. She felt the sudden, extra warmth and lifted her head, "Aragorn?"
The Ranger hushed her but smiled kindly while Destini took his head and sighed in content. Legolas had also awoken after his elf ears caught the sound of Destini's weak voice. He watched the two in silence, thinking to himself, "If they can care for each other, then why cannot I do the same?" he looked to Elwyn.
Legolas sighed and pulled out one of his arrows, looking it over. "Maybe my love for archery is much greater," he tossed the arrow aside.
Once everyone had woken, the fellowship mounted their steeds and continued on their pilgrimage. Destini now rode with Aragorn for extra protection, leaving Raylee and Frodo to their own horse. Frodo was blushing furiously as Raylee wrapped her arms around his waist. For most of the time, everyone was silent except for Pippin sporadically saying, "I'm hungry!" It didn't take long until Destini had fallen asleep against Aragorn. In one arm, Aragorn held Destini's body against him and in the other, the reins of the horse. This comfort he showed the Ring Bearer only troubled Legolas more. Elwyn could sense the elf prince's uneasiness and guilt emotions that made her worry for him. Legolas did not usually act in this manner. "I'll talk with him tonight."
Aragorn's stomach felt strange as he held the injured girl against himself. He had to wonder. did the elves notice? Or the hobbits? His questions could not be answered easily. He felt Destini move in his arms and blinked as he was thrown back into reality. Destini made a soft groan, smiling to herself. Figuring she was still in deep sleep, he did his best not to wake her. However, the uneasy feeling in his stomach did not diminish and he shuddered at this.
It was Legolas' turn to stay on watch that night. He occasionally would poke the fire with a stick and watch it spark when he did so. Elwyn sat across from the elf prince, staring into the fire as well. Legolas watched the fire play across her fair face and he sighed, standing up, "Why aren't you resting?"
Elwyn looked downward.
"I can easily see your exhaustion as of late," he continued, "Especially from last night."
Elwyn glanced to Legolas. "I had to stay awake until Destini showed signs of recovering." She trailed off.
Gently, Legolas touched her face with his palm, "And you saved the Ring Bearer's life."
For a long while, they stared at each other in silence, their foreheads against one another's. Without warning, Elwyn leaned forward and gave Legolas a kiss on his lips. This shocked the elf but he too began to kiss the she-elf back. After a minute, Elwyn stopped him. "I love you. And I want to spend my immortal life with you."
"I do as well." Legolas whispered in her ear.
Merry and Pippin watched in secret from their beds, stifling their laughs of joy. Perhaps now, there would no longer be any tension. Or. they hoped.
At the dawn, Destini was feeling well enough to move without any help. Slowly, she limped beside Aragorn and gave him a nudge so that he would awaken. The Ranger woke with a mighty jerk, but relaxed when he saw it was only the auburn-haired maiden, "Amazing. Your injuries have healed completely. Are you feeling all right?"
Destini nodded. "Yes, I am. But I was feeling strangely moments ago. It rose me from my sleep."
There was a long pause until Aragorn stood, helping Destini to her feet. She looked at him with an unusual expression in her eyes.
"Aragorn. After being wounded, I feel that I am not strong enough to defend myself. You must train me defense or this journey will end in a blood lust."
The Ranger stared at Destini, almost in awe at such wise words coming from such a carefree woman. He nodded slowly and the two picked up their swords, heading to a meadow nearby. Once there, they unsheathed their blades and turned to face each other.
"Begin," Aragorn commanded.
With one swift movement, Destini hit her blade on Aragorn's own and both began to try to overpower one another. However, Aragorn was easily overwhelming the maiden. Sweeping her leg under his feet suddenly, Destini had knocked Aragorn onto his back. He quickly leapt back to his feet and his opponent's blade abruptly came forward, trying to slash his face. Aragorn was forced to jerk his head backward to avoid a nasty gash, "What are you doing? This isn't a real battle!"
"If that's what you believe, then you have just met your death!" Destini drove her sword into the abdomen of the ranger, causing him to cry out in pain and drop to his knees in complete shock. His vision filled with tears and blurred, he could only see the sadistic grin that remained on his love's face as he died.
Aragorn sat up suddenly with a loud yell before looking at his surroundings. They were still in the safe cover of the forest and he remained alive. He let out a shaky sigh, shrugging off the fear that had been in him during the nightmare. Glancing over to the form of Destini, he moved beside her when he heard her whimpers. She was clutching the Ring in her hand, shivering while tears fell down her face. "The Ring is growing heavier."
Embracing Destini without question, he held her close to him, "Only a dream."
Legolas and Elwyn came sprinting back to the campsite upon hearing the disturbance. Finding Aragorn holding Destini close, Legolas looked grim. "It has begun."
"The beginning of the end." Elwyn whispered.