"All the men on the Southern wall have been cared for. What else do you
need us to do?" Alex asked Eoywn.
"You have done enough. Rest, I can handle things from here."
"Good, I want to see how Haldir is doing." Terri humphed and walked toward the now conscious Elf warrior. Her friend smirked and followed. Legolas stood and bowed slightly as they approached.
"Hello Legolas, how is he doing?" Alex asked.
"I'm fine but this cave troll and his friend won't let me move."
"And you shouldn't. You are still healing, don't push yourself." He sighed and pushed a stray strand of hair behind his ear. Terri did a double take. She elbowed her friend. Alex turned to glare but Terri just very slowly brushed her hair behind her ear and rolled her eyes at Haldir. The blond looked at him and her eyes widened. Standing she pointed and sputtered, "oh my gosh! You're ears are pointed!" She looked at Legolas and to his surprise pulled back his hair and upon seeing his ears promptly fainted.
Terri blinked, "that was strange."
Legolas bent and picked Alex up. Placing her on the cot beside the other Elf he stepped back to let her friend tend to her needs. Aragorn found them sometime later followed by King Theoden and the white wizard.
"We will be leaving shortly. The young women will ride with us," he glanced at them and noted their interest. The king also saw them.
"Lord Aragorn, please introduce our guests. I have not met as of yet."
"Of course Lord," the girls stood, "This is Captain Terri Locks and Lady Alexia Sone. My ladies, this is King Theoden of Rohan." They bowed a little awkwardly.
Alex smiled brightly, "it's nice to meet you my lord." He smiled and nodded.
"It is time my lord," the tall man in the grey cloak told the king. Legolas leaned in to whisper in Alex's ear.
"That is Gandalf. The White Wizard." The girls looked at the old man with renewed respect. Somehow the thought of a wizard was easier to accept after meeting two Elves. They walked outside to where the horses were waiting. Legolas greeted a beautiful white horse, patting him softly on the muzzle and getting a light tug on his hair in response. A red roan came up and nudged Aragorn's shoulder. He smiled and ran his hand along the animal's neck.
The girls stood back and watched the reunion. There was a group of about twenty horsemen as well as the small party of friends.
A short man greeted Legolas. Terri recognized the man as Gimli from the earlier introductions. All the men mounted but the girls stood to the side beside Gimli who also had no mount. Legolas trotted over and held out a hand for Gimli to mount behind him.
"Wait Master Elf, I wish for Sir Gimli to ride with me and tell me more of His Golden Lady."
"Very well."
Eomer let down a hand and pulled the Dwarf up behind him. Suddenly Haldir walked out, limping slightly.
"There is no way you are leaving me behind. Get me my horse."
Aragorn open his mouth to protest but was silenced by a look from his friend. A stable hand left and came back leading a sleek dapple grey with dark grey socks.
The Elf thanked the boy and went to mount. Half way up the strength in his arms failed and he fell back to Earth. He growled and tried again with the same result.
Aragorn dismounted, "I will ride with Haldir to support him. You two ride Bregol." Alex smiled but Terri paled.
"Are you sure? I mean Eoywn needs me. I can just stay here."
Aragorn's eyes narrowed, possibly a spy? But Alex banished the thought with a laugh.
"You're not still worried about riding with me are you? You jumped off it wasn't my fault."
"You made the horse rear and I fell off," the brown haired girl frowned.
"Alright then, Lady Alexia will ride with Haldir and Captain Terri will ride with me," Aragorn announced.
Terri seemed relieved and followed the man to his horse so she could mount behind him. After Alex settled behind Haldir they took off at a slow run. Terri squeezed her eyes shut and wrapped her arms securely around the tall man's waist.
He smiled, "don't worry Captain, I won't let you fall."
She opened her eyes but the grip stayed taunt.
As soon as Haldir was in the saddle he tried to take the reins from Alex.
"I don't think so. You're injured, remember?"
He grumbled a bit but let her steer the horse.
"Is your friend as stubborn as you?"
"No, she's much worse. Whenever I'm in a bad mood she will talk to me 'til I can't help but answer."
He smiled, "you are very close?"
"Yes, very. We've known each other since we were 6 when some big kid chased my kitten up a tree. Terri ran him off and climbed the tree to save my kitty. We've been friends ever since."
"She is also very brave, huh?"
"Yes, but probably not as brave as you or Legolas."
"It comes with time."
"Tell me about Legolas."
"We met when his hunting party was traveling through my Lady's territory. He's a very skilled archer but somewhat shy around new people."
Alex giggled.
The day of riding was uneventful and soon they found a clearing and settled down for the night. Three men were chosen to stand watch while the rest gathered around the fire.
The conversation flowed freely, the men talked about the battle at Helm's Deep and how the unexpected sight of reinforcements brought hope to all that beautiful morning. Suddenly the banter switched to the young visitors
"Why do you dress so strangely? And in trousers not dresses like is proper?" one of the soldiers asked. Terri snorted, "Me? Wear a skirt? I think not."
"What she means is," Alex joined in, "would you want to wear a skirt all the time?"
The men around them scoffed and laughed.
"Then isn't it better to wear pants? You can run, climb, and ride with out the skirt getting in the way."
Aragorn nodded and smirked and Legolas. The discussion changed to other topics and Terri slipped away quietly. She climbed a tree still within the watch circle but away from the curious and watchful eyes.
She began contemplating about their situation. How did they get here? How were they to get home? A light touch on her knee made her jump.
"Haldir! How did you do that? No one can sneak up on me."
He smirked, "Elves move very quietly. Most humans don't hear us."
She arched one eyebrow, but before she could put a comment with it Haldir put a finger to her lips. Tipping his head he listened to the wind.
The faint sound of hoof beats reached her ears. One of the men on watch also heard the rider and alerted the camp.
"You have done enough. Rest, I can handle things from here."
"Good, I want to see how Haldir is doing." Terri humphed and walked toward the now conscious Elf warrior. Her friend smirked and followed. Legolas stood and bowed slightly as they approached.
"Hello Legolas, how is he doing?" Alex asked.
"I'm fine but this cave troll and his friend won't let me move."
"And you shouldn't. You are still healing, don't push yourself." He sighed and pushed a stray strand of hair behind his ear. Terri did a double take. She elbowed her friend. Alex turned to glare but Terri just very slowly brushed her hair behind her ear and rolled her eyes at Haldir. The blond looked at him and her eyes widened. Standing she pointed and sputtered, "oh my gosh! You're ears are pointed!" She looked at Legolas and to his surprise pulled back his hair and upon seeing his ears promptly fainted.
Terri blinked, "that was strange."
Legolas bent and picked Alex up. Placing her on the cot beside the other Elf he stepped back to let her friend tend to her needs. Aragorn found them sometime later followed by King Theoden and the white wizard.
"We will be leaving shortly. The young women will ride with us," he glanced at them and noted their interest. The king also saw them.
"Lord Aragorn, please introduce our guests. I have not met as of yet."
"Of course Lord," the girls stood, "This is Captain Terri Locks and Lady Alexia Sone. My ladies, this is King Theoden of Rohan." They bowed a little awkwardly.
Alex smiled brightly, "it's nice to meet you my lord." He smiled and nodded.
"It is time my lord," the tall man in the grey cloak told the king. Legolas leaned in to whisper in Alex's ear.
"That is Gandalf. The White Wizard." The girls looked at the old man with renewed respect. Somehow the thought of a wizard was easier to accept after meeting two Elves. They walked outside to where the horses were waiting. Legolas greeted a beautiful white horse, patting him softly on the muzzle and getting a light tug on his hair in response. A red roan came up and nudged Aragorn's shoulder. He smiled and ran his hand along the animal's neck.
The girls stood back and watched the reunion. There was a group of about twenty horsemen as well as the small party of friends.
A short man greeted Legolas. Terri recognized the man as Gimli from the earlier introductions. All the men mounted but the girls stood to the side beside Gimli who also had no mount. Legolas trotted over and held out a hand for Gimli to mount behind him.
"Wait Master Elf, I wish for Sir Gimli to ride with me and tell me more of His Golden Lady."
"Very well."
Eomer let down a hand and pulled the Dwarf up behind him. Suddenly Haldir walked out, limping slightly.
"There is no way you are leaving me behind. Get me my horse."
Aragorn open his mouth to protest but was silenced by a look from his friend. A stable hand left and came back leading a sleek dapple grey with dark grey socks.
The Elf thanked the boy and went to mount. Half way up the strength in his arms failed and he fell back to Earth. He growled and tried again with the same result.
Aragorn dismounted, "I will ride with Haldir to support him. You two ride Bregol." Alex smiled but Terri paled.
"Are you sure? I mean Eoywn needs me. I can just stay here."
Aragorn's eyes narrowed, possibly a spy? But Alex banished the thought with a laugh.
"You're not still worried about riding with me are you? You jumped off it wasn't my fault."
"You made the horse rear and I fell off," the brown haired girl frowned.
"Alright then, Lady Alexia will ride with Haldir and Captain Terri will ride with me," Aragorn announced.
Terri seemed relieved and followed the man to his horse so she could mount behind him. After Alex settled behind Haldir they took off at a slow run. Terri squeezed her eyes shut and wrapped her arms securely around the tall man's waist.
He smiled, "don't worry Captain, I won't let you fall."
She opened her eyes but the grip stayed taunt.
As soon as Haldir was in the saddle he tried to take the reins from Alex.
"I don't think so. You're injured, remember?"
He grumbled a bit but let her steer the horse.
"Is your friend as stubborn as you?"
"No, she's much worse. Whenever I'm in a bad mood she will talk to me 'til I can't help but answer."
He smiled, "you are very close?"
"Yes, very. We've known each other since we were 6 when some big kid chased my kitten up a tree. Terri ran him off and climbed the tree to save my kitty. We've been friends ever since."
"She is also very brave, huh?"
"Yes, but probably not as brave as you or Legolas."
"It comes with time."
"Tell me about Legolas."
"We met when his hunting party was traveling through my Lady's territory. He's a very skilled archer but somewhat shy around new people."
Alex giggled.
The day of riding was uneventful and soon they found a clearing and settled down for the night. Three men were chosen to stand watch while the rest gathered around the fire.
The conversation flowed freely, the men talked about the battle at Helm's Deep and how the unexpected sight of reinforcements brought hope to all that beautiful morning. Suddenly the banter switched to the young visitors
"Why do you dress so strangely? And in trousers not dresses like is proper?" one of the soldiers asked. Terri snorted, "Me? Wear a skirt? I think not."
"What she means is," Alex joined in, "would you want to wear a skirt all the time?"
The men around them scoffed and laughed.
"Then isn't it better to wear pants? You can run, climb, and ride with out the skirt getting in the way."
Aragorn nodded and smirked and Legolas. The discussion changed to other topics and Terri slipped away quietly. She climbed a tree still within the watch circle but away from the curious and watchful eyes.
She began contemplating about their situation. How did they get here? How were they to get home? A light touch on her knee made her jump.
"Haldir! How did you do that? No one can sneak up on me."
He smirked, "Elves move very quietly. Most humans don't hear us."
She arched one eyebrow, but before she could put a comment with it Haldir put a finger to her lips. Tipping his head he listened to the wind.
The faint sound of hoof beats reached her ears. One of the men on watch also heard the rider and alerted the camp.
