Legolas had been perched atop the stable watching the stars of early winter when Faramir rode out in haste. He guessed that he was probably riding out after the soldier of the Rohirrim, who was obviously Éowyn in her brother's old clothes, that he had seen walking unsteadily away some hours ago. Shaking his head at mortal haste and breaking his vow to stop getting involved in the affairs of mortals, Legolas jumped down and called for Arod to follow Faramir.
"Faramir!" Legolas called as he caught up with the Steward just exiting the city.
Faramir turned but said nothing, nor did he slow down much. "Please do not try to convince me to stay here," he said with resolve.
"I had no such intent, Faramir," Legolas assured him. "However, i would like to know how you intend to find her if she has headed into the wood for shelter."
At that Faramir did stop. His voice was even but his eyes betrayed anxiety and despondency. "I do not know, Legolas. I had hoped she had not gone that far yet."
Legolas glanced at the sliver of a moon hanging low in the sky. "It was at least three hours ago that i saw her walking away. Let me accompany you, Faramir, and she shall be found all the swifter."
Faramir nodded in accordance before spurring his horse forward again, as did Legolas. Legolas quickly took the lead, able to follow her footprints even in the night. He found that she had indeed gone into Druadan, likely for shelter and thinking it a quicker route. Unguided, a person could easily become hopelessly lost in the woods.
"We shall have to dismount, Faramir," Legolas said as they approached for the forest. "Dartho," was the whisper in Sindarin to the two horses and the Elf and Man went into the wood.
Faramir could not help but admire the keenness of Legolas's senses. He has never really seen Elven perceptions at work before, and it was rather a thing of wonder. As the Elf peered about the dense trees, he would now and then narrow his eyes as if picking up on some slight motion that Faramir was utterly insensible to. It was no different with the Elf's hearing ability. While looking intently sometimes he would cock his head and stand perfectly still for a moment or two, discerning a sound inaudible to the mortal Steward. Every so often Legolas would spring up a tree to have a better look around, then jump down again from a high branch without hardly rustling a leaf.
For as impressed as Faramir was, it did not take long before worry overrode all else again. It had to have been an hour since they entered the wood, each calling to Éowyn every few minutes. Faramir began to grow weary and doubtful. "If anything has befallen her, i shall never forgive myself," he muttered as they moved carefully on.
"I do not sense any urgency, Faramir. You would do yourself, and her, better to think on the best," Legolas said confidently.
Faramir wished he could feel as the Elf did. The further they went the more drained Faramir became. When nearly three hours has passed Faramir took to leaning against trees as they walked. From there it was not long until he started to linger, with sleeping tugging at him, while Legolas went ahead and checked their route.
"Faramir," the Elf said, looking at his best friend's son with great sympathy for his mortal exhaustion, "allow me to continue on alone. Stay here and rest and if i should find her i will come directly here again. You can not continue in this manner, you shall drop over mid stride."
Faramir shook his head insistently and trudged on a few more steps, Legolas watching skeptically, before he turned and nodded, throwing himself to the forest floor. He reached out his hand and took Legolas's. "Promise me that you will find her?" he begged the Elf.
"You have my word, son of Aragorn." Legolas went quickly onward, following the slight signs of the passage of a lady and a horse through these dense trees. He knew he was not far now.
It has been no more than a half an hour since Legolas left the exhausted Steward of Gondor when he found another exhausted mortal. Éowyn was laying against the base of a tree, looking to Legolas's Elf eyes that she fell asleep because she had little power to do aught else. When he knelt beside her it was evident that she had been crying for some while before nodding off. Legolas tried to gently wake her but received no more response than something mumbled in a half-sleep in Rohirric.
Shaking his head, Legolas lifted the expectant Lady of Ithilien into his arms and went back toward where he had left Faramir. It was no struggle for the Elf and he was prepared to bear her back to Minas Tirith, but when he got back to Faramir, he found that he had no more luck in waking Faramir. Though at least he understood the Sindarin words that the Steward mumbled in his dazed state. Setting Éowyn gently on the forest floor beside her husband where they slept soundly, Legolas found himself a comfortable place in the tree above them and peacefully kept the night watch.
With morning both Faramir and Éowyn woke at the same time, both forgetting momentarily where they were, then wondering when the other had come to sleep by their side.
"Éowyn," Faramir breathed, sounding greatly relieved and putting his arms around her. "You are alright, thank the Valar."
"Faramir, forgive me, i do not know what i was thinking," she said desperately. "I am sorry. I must have been mad to walk out here. I knew i could not ride, though, and i was just so angry. I do not even remember why now, and last night i was in such pain that i think i cried myself to sleep."
"I believe you do, Lady Éowyn," said a light voice from above them. Legolas jumped down out of the tree, half-startling Éowyn, though Faramir was still sort of impressed that he made no discernable sound and landed with perfection, as though he had done nothing more than descend a staircase. "Do you wish me to bear you back to Minas Tirith, Lady, or shall we be continuing on to visit your brother?" Legolas asked, sounding innocent of complicity.
One look into Faramir's worried eyes was all the answer Éowyn needed. "We shall return to Minas Tirith, of course, Master Legolas. But there is no need for you to bear me anywhere. I shall walk."
Legolas shook his head decisively. "No, indeed, my Lady, you shall not. Not in your late condition."
Faramir saw immediately where this was going and bowed, wisely, out. Two of the most stubborn people in all of Middle-earth were standing there, each insisting on his (or her) own way. Legolas glanced at Faramir as he listening to Éowyn explain, again, why she was perfectly able to walk on her own. An idea came to him, and this time he consented to Éowyn's wishes, rather surprising Faramir.
On the way back, they passed a stream from which they filled their water skins. Legolas insisted that Éowyn take a sip from his, as he needed much less water than she would. That was when Faramir caught on to the Elf's plan and kept very near to Éowyn, ready to catch her when the watered down Mirkwood water took effect. It did not take very long. Legolas bore her back to the Citadel where she rested comfortably until the next morning.
