Carrie tried to enjoy the last hours that she would spend with Legolas before he left for Gondor. She tried not to speak of their fast approaching separation, but it weighed on her mind. Once dusk fell, she became even more dejected; realizing their time together was growing short, for the men intended to ride out come sunrise.
They had walked as far away from the others as the mountain would permit. They were outside the opening that had so spooked the men and horses earlier, but all was peaceful at the moment. They sat down on a rock and stayed there silently for a few moments. Carrie had much on her mind to say, but could not find the words. Finally, Legolas spoke.
"I fear that my fate does not lie with these men."
Carrie turned to him. Had Aragorn spoken to him already of the Paths of the Dead? Would they still travel that road to Gondor, even though the Dunedain and Elrond's sons had not arrived yet? She decided to stay silent for the moment and let him continue. When he didn't she gently prompted him. "Oh?"
"Aragorn is restless. I fear our paths lay along a different course."
Carrie took his hands in hers. She decided that a vague comment would probably be her best bet at this time. "Yes, but I know that no matter where your paths lay, they will cross with mine again."
He looked at her intently and she could swear she felt the emotions radiating from him. He brought his hand up to her face and began gently tracing her jaw with his finger.
"What are you doing?" she asked. Whatever it was, it was making her whole body tingle.
"I want to remember." She looked deep into his bright eyes that currently held such sadness and felt tears spring to hers. "I want to remember you like this."
"Don't talk like that," she said fiercely at him. "We will see each other again." Suddenly both of his hands were on the sides of her face and he was kissing her. Her mind jumped back to the first kiss they had shared, which was much like this one. How stupid she had been then. How naïve. So much had happened since then, it blew her mind.
He released her and looked into her eyes, a determined look on his face.
"Promise me you'll leave."
She looked at him, puzzled. "What?"
"Promise me, you will have Eowyn take you to Lothlorien. The lady Galadriel can send you home." Carrie looked at him, shocked and not knowing what to say. She didn't notice that he had undone his cloak while he was talking until he held the elvish leaf broach out to her. "Wear this. They will not harm you and will grant you audience with the Lady."
Carrie pushed it back at him. "I can't. I can't take that."
He held it out again. "You must. You must take it and ride to Lothlorien. It is far too dangerous for you to stay. Too few have come. Our failure is certain."
Carrie thought about the two absent elves and the rangers that should have been there and hesitated for a second. But she had not come all this way and risked her neck riding all over the place on a horse to simply turn around and go home. Besides, Eowyn wouldn't even be around to take her anywhere. She refused the broach again and glared at him. "You don't know that. Why do you have no hope?"
"You must leave. Now." He looked at her sternly.
"No." She stared defiantly back at him. "I will stay and see the outcome."
With that his eyes snapped and he spoke as forcefully as she had ever heard him. "You know the outcome. You knew the outcome of Helms Deep or you would not have come. You knew of Aragorn's return."
Carrie looked at him with wide eyes and she answered him in the same manner as he had just spoken. "But I don't know the outcome of..." what she wanted to say was "us," but seeing his steely expression she changed it at the last minute, "this. I...I never finished reading the story," she lied.
He looked at her for a moment with slightly narrowed eyes and then took hold of her shoulders. "Why must you stay?"
She took a deep breath. "Because..." she didn't know if she could continue. She barely choked out the rest of the words. "I...love...you...too."
It was the first time she had spoken those words to him. His eyes widened and then he kissed her again, passionately, lovingly, fearfully, longingly. When he released her, she was oblivious to everything but him. She was oblivious to the tears streaming down her face. She was oblivious to the sound of the wind playing across the crevices in the mountain. She was oblivious to the dwarf standing over them.
Wait. The dwarf standing over them?
Carrie stopped crying briefly and turned and saw Gimli smirking at them. She looked at Legolas and saw he had a very impatient expression on his face. And it was directed at the dwarf. After a moment of grinning at them, Gimli spoke to Carrie.
"I leave you alone for one day," he raised his eyebrows at her, "and look at the objectionable company you fall in with."
Legolas regarded him coldly, apparently in no mood for his banter. "I suggest you tell us your purpose, or be on your way."
Gimli chuckled at his discomfiture. "Aye, laddie. Aragorn is on the move. We must be off."
Legolas turned back to Carrie and tried to hand her the broach again, but she shook her head, even though she saw his eyes pleading with her to take it. He closed his eyes, realizing that she would not relent. She reached over and gently touched his cheek with her fingers. He opened his eyes and they were filled with immense concern and worry. She curled half of her mouth into a slight smile, trying to indicate that she would be ok, hoping to dispel some of his fear for her. She saw him barely return the smile as he covered her hand with his.
They stayed like that for a brief moment before Legolas fastened the broach back on his cloak, got up and nodded at Gimli. Carrie grabbed his hand as he stood. He looked down at her and Carrie had to close her eyes to the pain she felt stabbing through her. When she opened them, the tears began to fall again. Legolas squeezed her hand before letting it go and walking over to his horse.
Gimli risked a look back at Carrie. "Take care of yourself, lassie." He gave her a brave smile before going off to join Aragorn.
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Carrie stood and watched as they entered the mountain, her tears falling freely. She jumped when she heard a bitter voice beside her.
"Yet again, the men have left us, waiting for their return."
She turned and saw Eowyn standing next to her, and although her words were angry, Carrie could see tears in her eyes, barely contained from falling. She moved to embrace Eowyn, as much to comfort the other woman as to find solace herself, but Eowyn took a step back. Carrie, miffed and a little hurt at Eowyn's rebuff, folded her arms across her chest as she listened to Eowyn's next words.
"Despite all this, I bring you some good news." Her voice was toneless. Carrie stood, silent and still, waiting for her to continue. "Lord Elrond from Rivendell is here. And although he is the reason for their departure," and she inclined her head towards the mountain pass through which Gimli, Legolas and Aragorn had disappeared, "you may ride back to Rivendell with him."
Carrie sighed in relief. "Oh thank goodness!" She smiled, forgetting her earlier displeasure with Eowyn because of the relief she was now feeling. In much better spirits, she was able to set aside petty grievances. "I had no intention of keeping you from riding out with the men."
Eowyn did not return her smile. "That's good, for I have every intention of going with them. I will not be left behind."
Carrie's expression hardened and she started to say something back, but Eowyn interrupted before she could start. "Go now! Go before Lord Elrond leaves and you are stuck riding to battle with me!" Although her words seemed teasing, her voice was harsh and her eyes were cold. Carrie gave her one last glance before running off to find Elrond.
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Carrie stopped short when she reached the tent where Lord Elrond was. She was afraid of what he was going to say to her. She felt positively ill with the prospect of confronting this man - elf - whom she had so blatantly disobeyed. She stood outside the tent for several moments, not wanting to burst in on the elf. After a long while, she gently tapped on the folds of the tent.
"Enter," she heard from within.
Carrie entered slowly and saw someone sitting in a chair with his back to her. She stood nervously for a minute before speaking. "Lord Elrond."
He stood up and turned to face her. "Lady Carrie," he said coldly. "The last time I saw you, I was beseeching you not to travel to Rohan."
Carrie hung her head contritely. She felt like an errant child. "I'm sorry," was all she could muster.
He continued, not acknowledging her apology. "And yet, you went anyway." Carrie looked up at him and instantly regretted it when she saw the icy look in his eyes.
"I am sorry." Carrie repeated.
Elrond raised an eyebrow at her, and his manner softened slightly. "You are much like my daughter." Carrie beamed at this. He had just compared her to Arwen, the Evenstar. But her excitement was short lived at his next sentence. "You are both headstrong and stubborn."
Carrie dropped her head again. She didn't feel that a third apology would do her any good so she remained silent.
Elrond took pity on her. "And you are both ruled by your heart over your head." At the change of his tone, Carrie looked back up to see him smiling at her. "Say your goodbyes," he said to her, "for we leave for Rivendell shortly."
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Carrie went wandering through the encampment, looking for Eowyn. She wanted to say goodbye before leaving for Rivendell, to smooth the rough edges that still remained in her and Eowyn's relationship. She realized it might be her last chance. She remembered that all the people she knew, except for Theoden, lived through this battle, but she did not trust her knowledge anymore. It wasn't only what Legolas had said in Helms Deep about her changing history. She had forgotten about that after they had won that battle, just like she remembered. But, what had happened to the elf army? And the more she thought about it, the more she was sure that it had been Eomer she had seen before that battle. Plus, although she was happy he was here to take her back with him, she did not remember Elrond being at the encampment in the third book. In fact, she really didn't remember them all being here - was this even Dunharrow? - at the same time. Didn't the Riders of Rohan arrive after Aragorn, Legolas and Gimli had already left for the Paths of the Dead? And come to think of it, what the hell happened to the other Dunedain and Elrond's sons? This was not good. This was most definitely not good.
Lost in her thoughts and not really paying attention to where she was going, Carrie ran right into Eomer. She was jarred out of her fog by his voice.
"Carrie. What are you doing? You're going to wander right off the mountain if you don't pay attention."
Carrie was shocked at the ease in his voice. After all, they were riding out to battle the next day. She was once again taken aback by the courage of these men.
"Oh." Carrie rubbed her temples. "I was just looking for your sister."
"She's in her tent." He pointed to a tent a few paces away and then turned back to her. He smiled and raised his eyebrows. "But whatever it is, you couldn't wait 'til morning? The hour grows late."
Carrie shook her head. "I will be returning to Rivendell with Lord Elrond. We ride out tonight."
Eomer's smile left his face. "Oh." He stood there looking thoughtfully at Carrie. "I suppose, then, I should bid you farewell tonight."
Carrie saw sadness enter his eyes. "Yes." She smiled woefully at him. "This is goodbye."
He stood there for a moment in silence before he said, "Well then I have but one regret."
Carrie looked at him quizzically. "What is that?"
He swallowed and then gave her a tight smile. "I regret that I did not have the chance to know you better. For anyone who attracts the attention of an elf is surely worth getting to know."
Carrie's eyes widened at him. Up until that night, she and Legolas had been so careful in front of other people, or so she thought. "I...I don't know what you're talking about," she stammered.
Eomer smiled without bitterness at her. "Surely you must see the way he looks at you." The smile on Eomer's face was replaced by a determined expression. "This may come across as bold, but seeing that we are all most likely riding to our deaths, I have no other choice. I just ask that you eventually forgive me." He took a deep breath.
"Forgive you for wha-"
Carrie was unable to finish her question because suddenly, without warning, Eomer's mouth was covering hers. Carrie was so shocked that all she could do was stand there. It lasted mere moments, but Carrie felt like she would never breathe again. Once Eomer released her, he stood for a moment looking at her. Carrie could do nothing but stare back.
"Goodbye Carrie. Be well." With that he turned and walked away without a backward glance. Carrie stood, rooted to her spot, staring after him. She did not hear Eowyn approach.
"You fickle, fickle woman." There was no amusement in Eowyn's tone. Carrie still stood, unmoving, not believing what had just happened. Slowly, it began to sink in. Eomer had just kissed her. Eomer was Eowyn's brother. Eowyn knew about her and Legolas. Slowly, Eowyn's words began to penetrate Carrie's haze.
"I..." Carrie was still reeling from the shock of it all.
"How dare you..." Eowyn was clearly seething.
Eowyn's tone snapped Carrie out of her daze. "How dare I what?" she challenged.
"How dare you...kiss...my brother." Carrie had never seen this woman this mad. It was not something she would ever want to repeat. But at the moment, Eowyn's anger rubbed Carrie the wrong way.
"I did not kiss your brother." Carrie stood with her hands on her hips. "For your information, he kissed me. I didn't want any part of it."
"Sure you didn't." Eowyn's eyes were like fire. "Your elf friend is not gone ten minutes, and already you have him replaced." Eowyn put her hands on her hips, mirroring Carrie. "Well you can jump from one man's bed into the next if it suits your nature, but it will not be my brother's."
"Oh that does it..." Carrie's anger flared. "Like I would ever even consider your brother…" Carrie's eyes narrowed as a thought came to her. "…after having been with an elf. Surely you must know that mortals are no competition for elves when it comes to a person's affection..."
Eowyn's anger abruptly faded into sadness. Carrie briefly regretted her harsh words, until the sting of Eowyn's accusation hit her again. She had half a mind to storm into Eomer's tent and tell him of Eowyn's intention to ride out with the men. That would put a stop to her grand plans, her stupid desire for renown. Carrie took a deep breath and tried to calm herself. No, she could not do that. Eowyn had an important part in this battle, no matter how much she had just pissed Carrie off.
Instead of rash actions, she looked angrily at Eowyn. "Have a nice life," she sneered at the woman and turned on her heel to go find Elrond.
Thank you reviewers! I have very little to say, for once. Hope you enjoyed this chapter.
Jack-Sparrow-Lover: Of course Legolas is perfect! He's an elf. Oh, wait, you meant my characterization of him. In that case, thanks! blushes
nap-003: Gee, I hope you didn't enjoy Carrie's peace with Eowyn too much. Looks like it's gone now…
PsychoPixie: Yay! I can post again. No more song parodies for me, the withdrawal from posting was too big a price to pay!
BtchieChrissy: Anything happens to the first one? --giggle-- Whatever could happen to the first one? --drool-- Ahh, my inner fangirl rears its ugly head once more.
Crecy: I am speechless.
Lainfaer: I'm so glad you love the story!
ElvenDragon: Heh heh, Leggy. I'm glad you love the chapter.
Lady Aranel: Oops. Sorry! Guess I should have told you it was a WIP? --hides--