**Ride to Pelargir**
"What kind of guardians are you?" Haldir asked harshly as he kicked Legolas' foot.
Legolas sprang up, and Gimli woke as well.
"Where is your charge?" Haldir asked again.
"Perhaps she rose early," Gimli said.
Legolas noticed all her things still there, and realized something was wrong. "She would not have left her things," he said. "Did you check the rest of the camp?"
"No sign of her," Haldir said. "Everyone is only now waking, so no one has seen her."
"And the watch?" Gimli asked as he picked up his axe.
Haldir scowled but said nothing. "I'm going to look for her," he said as he stormed off toward the horses.
"Did you tell Aragorn?" Legolas called after him.
"You tell him," Haldir said over his shoulder.
"No need," Aragorn said as he rode over to Haldir, leading his horse. "I've been told, and Halbarad has already found her."
Haldir gave a nod, and mounted up. He and Aragorn rode a short distance out of the camp to where Halbarad stood.
"Well?" Haldir asked as he and Aragorn dismounted.
"She is there," Halbarad said as he nodded toward the sleeping form half hidden in the grass. "But they will not let me approach," he added pointing to the ghostly figures that stood guard around her.
Haldir frowned at the ghosts and walked right to her. The spirits let him pass without a hint of protest.
"Miranda," he said softly as he knelt beside her.
She opened her eyes and smiled at him. "Good morning," she said, and then realized where she was. "Oh, no. I fell asleep. I'm sorry to wander off…"
"Forget it," Haldir said. "I am not here to scold you, it's time to leave."
Miranda nodded and the pair stood up to go but Miranda stopped in her tracks. The ghosts were still there, and she was surprised to see them so close.
"Ignore them, let's go," Haldir said.
"No," Miranda said. She looked at them, and gave them a smile. "Thank you for watching over me," she said quietly.
All of the spirits bowed low, and then disappeared.
Haldir put his arm around Miranda's shoulders protectively, and led her up the hill.
"What do you make of that?" Halbarad asked.
Aragorn stared thoughtfully at the scene before him. "The dead revere her for some reason," he said. "She must have gone for a walk and just fell asleep."
"That's what her tracks looked like," Halbarad agreed.
"I'll wait here with his horse," Aragorn said. "Make sure we're ready to leave in ten minutes."
Halbarad gave Aragorn a nod and mounted up. He glanced back at the pair that were walking back up the hill, and then rode back to camp.
When Haldir and Miranda reached the top of the hill, Aragorn handed Haldir the reigns. "You go on ahead," he said. "Miranda and I will be there shortly."
Haldir looked at Miranda, who stared at he ground, and then looked at Aragorn. He didn't want to let her out of his sight again, but reluctantly complied. He mounted up and rode back to camp without another word.
Aragorn sighed and looked at Miranda. "Walk with me," Aragorn said as he headed back to camp on foot.
Miranda fell into step beside him, and softly said, "I'm sorry."
"What was it that made you leave the camp?" Aragorn asked.
"I needed to clear my head," she said.
"Dreams?" he asked as he looked over at her.
"Memories," she said sadly.
"Want to talk about it?" Aragorn asked.
"Not really," she said.
"What if I was Haldir?" he asked with a smile.
Miranda blushed. "I would not tell him either," she said. "It would be…embarrassing."
"Hmmm," Aragorn said thoughtfully. "So, what do you think of him?"
Miranda's blush darkened. "I …think I love him," she said quietly. "These feelings are all so new to me."
"You know how he feels about you?" Aragorn asked.
"He has told me," she said.
"Do you understand what this means for him, an Elf, to tell you his feelings?" he asked.
"I don't," she said, "but I can guess that elves don't normally fall in love with..." Miranda stopped suddenly and thought of Arwen and Aragorn. It dawned on her just how much Haldir really loved her. "Oh," she said.
"Yes," he said with a chuckle. "You and I are in the same predicament it seems."
"Aragorn, what are the Havens?" she asked.
"For the Elves it is going home," he said.
"And if they choose to stay here?" she asked.
"Elves do not die except in battle," Aragorn said. "Do you have any idea how old Haldir is?"
"Probably older than I could guess," she said. "I must seem very naïve to someone with the wisdom of so many years."
"Haldir is the Guardian of Lorien," Aragorn said. "The years of growing darkness have made him hard and untrusting. He fought to keep Lorien safe from outsiders, but you have made him smile again."
"But I'm more of an outsider than anyone," Miranda said in surprise.
"If that is true, then tell me why I, the King of the Dead, am not the one they bow to?" Aragorn asked as he nodded toward the dark host that surrounded their camp.
"The more I learn, the less I understand," she said. She had no answer for that question, and she wished she did.
*****
When they reached camp, Haldir had already packed her things, and was waiting with her horse. Everyone was ready to leave, so she quickly put on her weapons and mounted up.
"What did he say?" Legolas asked her.
"Too much," Miranda said.
"Are you in trouble, lass?" Gimli asked.
"No," she said.
Haldir looked at Miranda and could see her struggling with some inner turmoil. She did not seem to notice her surroundings, but just waited for the sounding of the horn.
"Miranda?" Haldir tried to break into her thoughts.
"Oh, I'm sorry," she said. "I was just…are you all right?" she asked when she saw his face. He looked sick.
"I was worried when we couldn't find you this morning," he said. "I thought I'd lost you."
Miranda got a lump in her throat. She looked into his beautiful grey eyes and saw his overwhelming love for her. She wanted to hold him, and swear she'd never leave, but the horn sounded. For a moment longer their eyes were locked.
"You won't lose me," she said, "I promise."
Before Haldir could answer, they had to go. He was careful to keep pace with her horse and stayed close to her. They tore across the plains of Lebennin toward a port city called Pelargir. Before them was the fleeing allies of Sauron they had encountered at Linhir, and Aragorn set a break-neck pace. Miranda could feel the urgency of their journey from the first step into the Paths of the Dead. Today, the urgency bordered on panic. Gondor was in trouble, and Aragorn wanted to save his home. They traveled all through the day and into the night without making camp. The Haradrim and Corsairs of Umbar fled before them.
*****
In the early hours of the morning, the grey company finally came to Pelargir, and with nowhere left to run, the Haradrim turned to face their pursuers. Miranda looked out over the water and saw the fleet of the corsairs of Umbar. They were old wooden sailing ships with black sails, and they reminded her of pirate ships. Some were ancored farther out, and some were near the shore. As the riders approached, the enemy prepared to fight, but Aragorn stopped.
Elrohir sounded the horn and Aragorn shouted, "By the black stone of Erech I call you!"
The army of the dead that had been following suddenly surged around them. Their appearance seemed to become more substantial, and they were terrifying to see. Miranda could hear their war cries and the sounding of horns clearly, and the enemy fled to the ships, or tried to swim to the far shore. None of them resisted. The grisly army swept over the enemy like a flood and continued across the river and to every ship.
The sailors on the ships leapt overboard, and many drowned. Some in their madness even set fire to their ships. Only the slaves who were chained to the oars remained. The battle wore on through the day, with the dead seeking out every last hint of resistance.
When the riders rode through the battle field to the shore, Aragorn started giving orders. He sent one of the Rangers to every ship to comfort the captives and set them free. After a while, it was obvious that the captives on the ships were volunteering to stay, and the enemy was wiped out.
It was late evening when the battle was finally over, and Miranda felt near collapse with weariness. Aragorn had captured the entire fleet, and he chose the finest as his flag ship. It was moored by the docks, and he boarded, along with the brothers, and Legolas and Gimli and Halbarad. Miranda watched him standing on the deck of the ship like he'd sailed all his life and she smiled. Then several of his men sounded trumpets, and the dark army returned to the shore. She was still standing on the docks, and was suddenly surrounded by them.
Then Aragorn called to them, "Hear the words of the Heir of Isildur! Your oath is fulfilled. Go back and trouble not the valleys any longer. Depart and be at rest!"
All around her she could hear the murmuring of the dead as they faded, and disappeared. She sighed at their disappearance, and quietly said, "Now you can rest, king."
Then, as if she had called him, the king appeared before her and bowed. "When your journey is ended, light keeper, I will see you again," he said and then disappeared.
Miranda stood dumb struck, and just stared at the dock where he had stood.
"What did he say to you?" Haldir asked as he came up behind her.
"He said 'goodbye,'" she said, and headed to Aragorn's ship.
Haldir caught her arm, "Wait," he said.
Miranda turned to look at him. "Stop worrying about me," she said. "I can take care of myself."
Haldir could see how pale she was, and knew she wasn't well. "When was the last time you ate?" he asked.
Miranda tried to think back, and then she remembered, "You brought me breakfast," she said with a smile.
"That was two days ago," he said angrily.
"We've been busy," she said humorously, but her fatigue was catching up with her, and she was having a hard time standing. For a moment she thought she saw two of him standing there, and then she fainted.
*****
Aragorn was on the deck, giving orders for the ships to be prepared to leave when he saw Haldir carrying Miranda up the gang plank. She was white as a sheet and unconscious.
Halbarad just said, "Take care of the Lady, I'll see to the fleet."
Aragorn gave him a nod and met Haldir as he stepped onto the deck. "The captain's cabin has a bed," he said to the angry looking elf. "This way."
As they walked toward the stern where the crew's quarters were, Aragorn asked, "What happened?"
"Exhaustion," Haldir said. "And she hasn't been eating much."
Aragorn opened the door to the cabin, and lit a lantern. The bed was disheveled, but clean. Haldir gently laid Miranda on the bed and started removing her weapons to make her more comfortable.
There was a knock at the door, and Legolas and Gimli came in with a pitcher of water.
"What do you need?" Legolas asked.
"She needs rest," Aragorn said, "and a good meal."
Haldir was sitting beside the bed quietly seething. When he was watching over her, she was fine. But since the night he had been removed from that duty, she had wandered off, stopped eating and fainted from hunger and exhaustion.
Gimli looked at the Elf Captain and could guess his thoughts. "It's no one's fault," Gimli said. "We are all tired, but the lass is not like these Rangers. She was not meant to ride for days on end without rest."
"The dwarf makes sense," Haldir said to Aragorn. "I've tried to tell you that since Helm's Deep."
"Don't talk about me like I'm not here," Miranda said as she woke up.
"Iirima russë melda," Haldir said softly as he leaned closer to her.
Legolas and Aragorn's eyebrows shot up at the ease with which he used that endearing term. Aragorn wondered if Miranda even knew what it meant.
"Well, I'm sure he wasn't talking about me," Gimli said chuckling as he headed out the door.
"I'll go get her something to eat," Legolas said and followed Gimli.
"How do you feel?" Aragorn asked.
"Embarrassed," Miranda said. "I have been a lot of trouble lately."
"I knew everyone was tired," Aragorn said. "I should have allowed a little more time to rest."
"I'm sure those men from Harad and Umbar would have gladly waited for you to pursue them at your leisure," Miranda said dryly.
Aragorn laughed. "I'll let you two talk," he said. "I'll check on you later."
When the door closed behind Aragorn, Miranda turned to Haldir, "I'm sorry."
"Why?" he asked.
"I should have known better, but everyone else seemed to be fine, so…" she started to say, but he interrupted her.
"You do not have to be as strong as the Dunedain," he said. "They do not expect it of you."
"But there is no time for them to pamper me," Miranda said. "Besides, I am not a whiner, I never whine. Whiners are…"
"What?" Haldir asked, suddenly concerned over this sudden display. "Whiners are what?"
Miranda's eyes were misty and she was on the verge of tears when she realized she was repeating the words of Mr. Carver. 'Whiners are less than worthless. Whining will not be tolerated...' She didn't give Haldir an answer, but turned toward the wall.
"Answer me," Haldir said. "Please."
"Complaining was not acceptable where I used to live," Miranda said quietly as a single tear ran down her cheek.
Haldir reached over and gently wiped the tear away and said, "You don't live there anymore."
Miranda turned and gave him a smile.
Haldir poured a glass of water and helped her sit up. "Here, drink this and that is an order," he said.
"Since when do you give me orders?" Miranda asked with a cocked eyebrow.
"Since you fainted in my arms," Haldir said. "And since I decided that you are going to be my wife," he added.
Miranda nearly choked on her water. "What?"
"You don't seem to know what's good for you," Haldir said with a smile. "You need me."
"Aren't you supposed to ask first?" she asked in shock.
"Oh, I will," Haldir said confidently, "but you're not ready yet."
There was a tap at the door, and Aragorn entered with Legolas, Gimli and the brothers, and a tray of food. "Well, your color has returned," Aragorn said.
Haldir smiled, "She'll be fine."
Miranda gave him a confused look. "Are Elves always so…?"
"Confident?" Haldir asked with a twinkle in his eye.
"Arrogant?" Mirada corrected.
"What's that about?" Gimli asked Haldir suspiciously.
"Ask the Lady," he said.
Everyone looked at Miranda expectantly.
"Never mind," she said.
Haldir bent down and gave Miranda a quick kiss on the forehead, and then headed for the door. "You know I'm right," he said to Miranda. "Now get some rest."
The door closed, and Miranda was confronted by three Elves, a dwarf, and a King. They all stood staring, and Gimli started tapping his foot.
"Well, he's gone now, so you can tell us," Gimli said.
Miranda blushed and looked away. "I think he just proposed," she said.
"What did he say?" Elladan asked.
"What's for dinner?" Miranda said brightly, trying to change the subject.
"Oh, no," Aragorn said. "You're committed now, tell us."
Legolas sat in Haldir's vacant chair, Elladan sat at the end of the bed, and Elrohir and Aragorn pulled up the other two chairs.
Miranda bit her lip and glanced at Legolas. "He said he was going to ask me later, but that he had already decided that I would be his…wife."
"Told you," Elladan said.
"Well, pass the tray over, let's eat," said Gimli. "We can kill the elf later."
"What?" Miranda exclaimed.
Gimli burst into laughter.
"He's kidding," Legolas said with a smirk.
The group sat in the cabin and ate, laughing and sharing stories. Aragorn had wanted to cheer Miranda up a bit, and let her know they all had been worried. But Haldir's proposal had surprised him. Elves are not usually so impulsive. Miranda was smiling, and only mildly embarrassed. Aragorn wondered if Miranda would have said yes if Haldir had asked for an answer now.