Part 12

The people of Rohan packed their essentials in preparation for the move to Helm's Deep. Gimli sat sharpening his axe so when the inevitable battle found them he would be ready to take as many Orcs or Uruk-hai as he could. Gandalf had left on Shadowfax to bring Eomer and more warriors. Buffy was off to the side watching Eowyn training with her sword. Every once in a while she would correct a stance or encourage her to be more aggressive. She had laughed when Aragorn came up behind Eowyn and Eowyn neatly blocked a blow without turning around. The look on Aragorn's face had been priceless. A slim FEMALE had blocked one of his blows without looking. Buffy giggled just thinking about it.

Legolas and Willow were outside where he was showing her how to shoot an arrow from a moving horse. It had nothing to do with the fact that he rode behind Willow on the same horse or that he could put his arms around her and help her shoot her bow. Nope, it was purely defense training that he was teaching her to shoot from a moving horse.

Willow asked over her shoulder, "So how am I doing?"

Legolas squeezed her stomach and pulled her a little closer. Leaning into her ear he whispered, "I think you would do well in whatever you put your mind to."

Willow closed her eyes on the sensation of his breath in her ear and fought the overwhelming desire to turn around and kiss him breathless. Focus Rosenberg! Stupid sexy elf probably did it on purpose.

Legolas' elvish hearing picked up her quickened breathing and knew the lessons were over. He kneed the horse into some nearby trees.

Willow's eyes popped open when she felt the horse change directions. She smirked when she saw where they were heading. "Lessons over?" She innocently asked.

Legolas leaned down and placed a kiss at the junction of her neck and shoulder. "Those lessons anyway."

~~~~

Wormtongue cowered as he watched Saruman pace. "You say that there were two strangers with the travelers?"

"Yes, my lord."

"One had immense strength?" Saruman was quickly thinking of how to use them. Especially the one with strength. "And the other one?"

"She must have magick of some kind. Gandalf grabbed her hand when he helped Theoden."

So that was what he had felt when Gandalf had banished him. What he felt didn't come near to the power that he and Gandalf had but combined with their magick it must enhance it in some way. That was the only explanation to how Gandalf defeated him in Rohan. He waves his hand over a sphere and Theoden's great hall appears. He beckons Grima closer. "Which is the strong one and which is the magickal one?"

Grima cautiously approached the sphere and peered inside. He pointed to Buffy, "This is the one that had great strength." He then pointed to Willow, "This is the one that helped Gandalf."

A plan began to form in Saruman's mind. "So you think Theoden will leave Edoras?"

"He will not stay. It is too vulnerable and he knows this. He will probably flee to Helm's Deep, the great fortress of Rohan."

Saruman smiled as he listened to Wormtongue. "They must go through a mountain pass to get there. I think a diversion is called for."

He turns to an Orc and motions for the Orc to join him. "Send for your warg riders. See this woman? I want her brought to me alive but if that can't be done . . .kill her."

~~~~

Buffy's face split into a wide grin as she watched Willow hurriedly enter the hall with Legolas close behind. One of the warriors of Rohan had blown a horn to signal the others that it was time to leave.

Buffy began to laugh when she looked down and saw Willow's top was misbuttoned. Not one to pass up such a good opportunity to tease her friend she came up behind Willow, wound her arm through hers and asked, "Willow, are you alright? Were you attacked by a wild beast out there?"

Willow looked at her in confusion, "No, why?"

"I just thought that maybe Legolas had to check for blood and in his haste to get you here so fast for medical attention he misbuttoned your top."

Buffy laughed delightedly as Willow quickly glanced down and began to blush. Buffy stood in front of her as Willow turned to the wall and fixed her top.

They walked out of the keep and to the waiting horses. Theoden had graciously given them each a horse to ride on the journey to Helm's Deep so they wouldn't have to double up.

Legolas kneed his horse so that he was next to Willow as they left Edoras. The more he was with Willow the more his feelings for her deepened. He had made up his mind that if she chose to go back to her world he would follow her there but he hoped that she would choose to stay here and join him in Valar. But wherever his path led he knew he would walk it with Willow.

Willow kept glancing at Legolas and biting her lip in concentration. She was torn about what to do when this adventure came to a close. She was falling in love with Legolas. Deep, soulmate type love. The kind that if she were parted from him it would feel like a part of her was amputated. She finally understood what Buffy must have gone through that summer after sending Angel to hell. What she felt for Xander and even what she felt for Oz was nothing compared to how this felt. But could she leave her friends and stay here? She knew Buffy would understand if she chose to stay here but could she abandon her friends to fighting apocalypses while she stayed here? Maybe Legolas would come with her back to Sunnydale. Not that she could ask him to do that. He would be leaving everything that was familiar to him and come to a place where there were cars, computers and other things he would have no concept of. He would be lost. No, if they were to be together it would mean her staying here.

Legolas reached over and took Willow's hand. The touch of Legolas brought Willow out of her thoughts. She looked over into his smiling face and came to a decision. She would stay here. She would miss Buffy and the others terribly but it was time to move on. Time to live her life as an adult. Maybe Gandalf and Galadriel would be able to show her how to keep in contact. Sort of a magickal email.

Buffy smiled as she watched Gimli explain to Eowyn about Dwarf women. She and Gimli had the same conversation yesterday and she smiled when she remembered Aragorn mimicking that it was the beards the Dwarf women wore that confused others as to their gender. Aragorn reminded her so much of Angel. Last night Aragorn told about his time with the Elves and how he and Arwen came to be. Buffy told him of her life as a Slayer since coming to Sunnydale and how she and Angel met. When she told him about Angel leaving after graduation she felt he truly understood about circumstances separating you from your other half.
 
"Do you think you'll ever see Arwen again?" 
 
Aragorn fingered the Evenstar as he thought about Buffy's question. "I have hope that one day we will be reunited." He gave a little half smile and said, "She said if I trusted in anything I should trust in this."
 
Buffy smiled and twisted the Claddagh ring that Angel gave her. "This brought Angel back to me once. I hope someday we'll be able to be together."
 
The sound of horn blast from the front of the line caused everyone to look at each other.
 
"What is it? What's going on?"
 
Legolas looked into the valley.
 

"Wolf Riders."