Disclaimer: I don't own anything.
Summary: After the death of his friend, Aragorn falls into a depression and there may only be one person who can draw him out of it.
~*Author's Notes*~ thanks to all my reviewers and the reviews that you send me!
A note to Maverick Girl. I guess that could be a possibility, but I won't tell if that's actually what is going to happen. "I'll never tell" LOL. Okay does anyone know where that is from or am I just strange because I remember lines from movies?
Thanks to LadySiri for your congrats! I appreciate it!
How Can I Survive
Chapter 37
"I think we should stop and take rest here" Glorfindel stated as they reached the base of the Misty Mountains.
"That is a good idea, tiredness is coming upon me" Elladan replied as he removed his pack and relieved himself of the extra weight. The others soon after followed his movements and also un swung their bags from their backs.
When Elrohir had taken off his bag he settled down with his back against a large tree. He definitely needed rest and was going to take it.
"Sorry to disturb you my lord, but would you care to join me as we are in great need of firewood and I have taken it upon myself to find some? If it wouldn't be any trouble." Glorfindel said as he came the lethargic prince of Rivendell.
"Oh of course. It's no trouble at all" the youthful elf responded as he got on his feet and brushed of his royal blue leggings. "Perhaps we should invite my brother as well" he suggested when he looked over at Elladan who was rolling out sleeping gear for them to lie on.
"I think that would not be such a good idea. In my opinion someone should stay here to keep watch over our camp" the elf lord said not directly looking at his companion.
"You mean you think someone should stay here and keep watch over Nessime. You and my brother don't have to tip toe around me on that subject you know. I am not going to get mad at you. Both of you knew my mother, obviously considering she gave birth also to Elladan and I know you were her friend. Nessime hurt us all and I am not about to defend her" the younger twin stated sincerely.
"I am sorry, you are right. I should have told you the truth to begin with, you are old enough for me to stop treating you like a child. Even after the many times I have told that to your father, it seems that I can't do it myself" Glorfindel apologized.
"It is alright, worry naught about it. But you are right, my brother should stay here to keep a watch on everything" Elrohir agreed.
*****
"How do you think they are making out?" Aragorn asked his beloved as they say on a bench on her balcony. He was sitting on one side of it and the evenstar was laying on the other with her head on his lap and she was looking up at the stars as she spoke to him.
"I think they are doing good. After all the experience my brothers have had on previous tasks, bringing one criminal to Mirkwood is child's play. As for Lord Glorfindel, he fought in the last alliance. That's saying enough" Arwen responded.
The man would have believed her statement if he didn't sense a substantial amount of nervousness and apprehension about her.
"You don't believe that do you?" he inquired.
She sat up and moved closer to him as the night winds blew her raven coloured hair and the stars seemed to light up her grey eyes. Estel was mesmerized by how beautiful she looked at that instant. He could see tears welling up but she was still the most stunning creature he had ever seen.
She looked into his eyes and it was as if she was reading his deepest and dearest thoughts.
"No matter how many times my brothers go on their ranger missions and no matter how many times my father has them go on assignments for him, I always think something terrible is going to happen to them. I can never get the image of them coming home injured or even dead, lifeless, out of my head. Even though I know that they are the best warriors in Imladris I feel as if they are always in danger" she admitted.
"Elladan and Elrohir have pulled through so many things no doubt they will get through this as well. Even when they had the problem of synchronized living, so to speak, they both got through it alive. It seems that no matter what is thrown in their path of life, it will never halt them or slow them down in any way. They both have been an inspiration and I know they will continue to be one to many other people. They will come home" Aragorn assured her as he took her hand in his own.
"Remember, they also have Glorfindel there to protect them" the dunadan jested causing Arwen to laugh a little amongst her whimpers.
"I know, you're right, it will just take time for it to settle in. I'm like this every time they go away even though they always come back. I don't think that will ever change" she confessed.
"It's natural for you to worry about them since they are your family" Estel told her.
"I don't know what I'm going to do when you go off to become a ranger" Arwen said as she gave his hand a squeeze.
"Well Halbarad won't be arriving for a few days and I'll only be gone two years. That's nothing to an elf" Aragorn reminded her trying to lighten her mood yet again. He didn't mind doing that for her though.
"Just because 2 years isn't a long time to elves doesn't mean I won't feel every minute without you by my side passing by me" the evenstar said as she touched his cheeks with the palm of her hands. She had a huge smile plastered to her fair face.
"Oh, we like to exaggerate do we?" the man joked as laughter gained on him as well as his lover.
"Well I better be getting some rest and you should too" Aragorn noted as he and Arwen both stood up from the bench that they had been occupying.
"I'll see you in the morning" Estel said as he kissed her goodnight and left her to her room.
*****
"I need to talk to you" Nessime said as walked over to the twin who was left to watch over camp.
"I am not Elrohir but he wouldn't want to talk to you either so just keep quiet and mind your own business and stay out of things that don't concern you" Elladan hissed very unsympathetically and insensitively.
"I just want to apologize and for the record, I knew it was you. I want to say sorry to you as well, I hurt you all. I am trying to do what's right here, why do you have to be so cold-hearted to me" Nessime demanded as she dropped to her knees beside where her companion was seated on a rock.
"Are you serious?" Elladan questioned.
"Are you serious? You want to know why I am being callous to you, I am being mean because you had my mother killed. And then you came to my home and acted as if you ere innocent, you pretended like you wanted to help us. You led my brother on and made him think you were someone who you weren't. You made him think you were a perfect wonderful cherub when all you really were was a manipulating wench" the older twin seethed.
"I love your brother" Nessime proclaimed as she stood back up.
"Oh give that a break" Elladan shot back as he to got to his feet. "Stop it with all of your lies. Haven't you got into enough trouble already?" he commanded.
"I am not lying and I don't appreciate you saying that I am. I would rather die then live and know how much I have hurt him" the sylvan elf declared
"We have the firewood" Glorfindel said as he and Elrohir arrived back at camp both carrying armfuls of wood.
"What is going on here?" Elrohir ordered as both he and the blonde elf lord wondered what had transpired during their absence but there would be no opportunity for an answer to be told for all of the companions would be needed.
"Orcs!" Nessime cried as a whole party of the foul beings emerged from the trees into the clearing that they were dwelling in. There had to be about 20 or 30 of them.
None of the elves had heard them coming because they were all occupied fighting amongst themselves and searching out wood.
"I guess we're in for a fight" Glorfindel sighed as he unsheathed his sword with the others copying him. Even Nessime carried a blade, she had received it from Jarden.
They all went back to back prepared to battle in to the early morning hours until all of the orcs were dead and no longer breathing. They all had about 5 or 6 of the beings to kill and to the males in the group that was usual but to the Mirkwood elf it was slightly difficult. Because of this the others unwillingly helped her leaving her only 3 to fall.
Glorfindel quickly beheaded one of his opponents and stabbed another through the heart. He was doing all different twists and turns to avoid the blows that were meant to kill him. He speedily ducked so a blade could do him no damage. His golden hair was flying all over the place due to his graceful but rash movements.
Elladan was doing very well himself. He could not use his bow because of the close distance between him and the enemy so he was using his elven crafted sword in place of it. He had already taken down half of his adversaries by a slicing of the throat and blade through the stomach type of actions.
Nessime, since she only had a few opponent had already killed them all. The training she had received when she would travel with her father was finally paying off.
Elrohir was just about done felling all of his enemies and he was on his last one. But because his back was turned and he was preoccupied with a screaming orc he didn't hear a rather loud being approach him, which was still very odd.
The unnoticed orc raised his blade and prepared to bring it down upon the prince's head but others noticed. Glorfindel and Elladan were to far to do anything but shout warnings that were heard by the youth who finally turned around. Nessime on the other hand was close enough to do something physical.
She ran as fast as she could to Elrohir and the orc that wished to end his immortal life. As quick as lightening she was when she put her body in front of the one she loved and underneath the incoming blade that went deep in her chest and out her back causing an expression of pain to erupt on her beautiful face. She fell to the ground and held her new wound with her hands. Elrohir now knowing the danger used his sword to decapitate the orc.
The other elves hastily sprinted over to them. The younger twin knelt down beside Nessime to check her abrasion.
"It's fatal isn't it?" she asked in a cracking voice as sparkling tears fell down her pale face. "Isn't it?"
Elrohir just nodded, because even though she had had his mother murdered he wasn't a monster and he couldn't gloat about what happened. She had saved his life. "I am sorry" he said as tears threatened to spill from his intense eyes.
"Don't be, it is not your fault" she responded as she shook her head. Elrohir felt her face and it was as cold as ice.
"Thank you" he managed to say.
"You don't have to thank me, I just did what I thought was right. I let your mother be killed, I couldn't let the same thing happen to you, not when I could have prevented it from happening. I know that I could have never been happy in this life anyway so there was no point in me living it. You on the other hand have everything to live for. The only way I could have been joyful was to be the one whom you give your heart to and I know now that I ruined my chances of that many a year ago. I would rather die than to live with the knowledge that I gave you grief of any sort."
Elrohir was doing all that he could so he wouldn't spill a tear. He bit down on his lower lip so hard that he could taste his blood on his tongue.
"Please do not be upset I never meant for my words to upset you. I just needed you to know that I am sorry and that I love you" Nessime whispered, and after she spoke those last words, her breathing ceased.
Hope you liked this chappie. Halbarad is someone who came to help Aragorn with his 'ranger duties and training.'
~*Judy Greenleaf*~
