"I still can't believe you said all of that to him," Aragorn told Legolas a few days later as they and Gimli sat on the steps of an Edoras look-out tower. They'd been occupying that spot for the better part of the last few days since Mithrandir and Pippin left, hoping to see the beacon on the overlooking mountain light up.

"For my part," Gimli declared, "I'm glad someone finally said it. I just wish it had been me."

Legolas laughed. "I'm sure you would've told him may good things, friend Gimli," he conceded. "And if you had, you would probably now be in the dungeons getting a well-earned rest from the quest. Aragorn, Merry, and I would be visiting you at every mealtime."

Gimli snorted. "I could have done it without losing my temper," he protested confidently.

Aragorn and Legolas just stared at him for a moment. "So," Aragorn said finally, searching for a safe topic. "Does anyone know where Merry is? I haven't seen him since breakfast."

"He's down at the stable with Eowyn and that pony," smiled Legolas. "She's been teaching him how to ride."

"I'm glad she's been able to keep his mind off of things since Pippin left," said Aragorn. "She's really taken a shine to him, hasn't she?"

"Funny," chuckled Gimli. "She never struck me as the maternal type."

"I don't think her fondness towards our young hobbit friend has anything to do with maternal urging," mused Aragorn. "It's more that she understands what he's going through."

"Eowyn's definitely been in his position before," agreed Legolas. "Overlooked and underestimated because of something beyond your control. Left behind while everyone you love is going into danger."

"With nothing to do except wait for a signal," sighed Aragorn, glancing towards the mountains where the beacon remained unlit.

"Aragorn," said Legolas gently, "there's no need to worry yet. Even riding Shadowfax, they couldn't have come to the White City any earlier than yesterday. Give Mithrandir some time to convince Denethor to call for aid."

"If Denethor is anything like he was the last time I was in Minas Tirith that will never happen," said Aragorn grimly. "He's a proud man with little trust in or love for Mithrandir."

"If anyone can do it, he can," asserted Legolas. "He has to." He ran his thumbs over his fingertips. "He has to," he repeated in a whisper.

"Legolas, lad," said Gimli suddenly and a little too casually. "Let's go down to the stables. We can check on Merry and you can yell at that Arod for nearly biting off my hand the other day.

"What?" Legolas asked in confusion.

"You remember," stressed Gimli, giving him a meaningful look. "Just the other day in the stables. I need you to take a walk down there with me - so you can scold that horse for biting me."

Legolas knew that incident never took place, but was willing to follow Gimli's lead. "It's your own fault," he said as they both rose to his feet. "I told you to offer him the carrot, not try to guide it down his throat. You can't blame Arod for not putting up with your ineptitude. When a horse wants to eat something, you should let it go."

"Maybe I should go too," said Aragorn, his eyes glancing to the beacon once more.

"You want to stay here," replied Gimli. "Legolas and I will be fine. I can't say the same for a certain blasted horse."

"Watch for the signal," advised Legolas. "Smoke your pipe." The elf smiled at the surprised look on Aragorn's face. "I've seen you fingering that thing for days. I just ask that you wait until I'm down the hill before you light that awful-smelling weed."

"Hurry then," grinned Aragorn as he playfully shoved him away.

Gimli was silent and didn't join in Legolas' laughter as they walked towards the stables. He waited until they were a good distance from Aragorn before he spoke. "What's wrong with you, laddie?" he asked.

"What's wrong with me?" repeated Legolas, hoping that Gimli would think he sounded surprised only because he thought the question was ridiculous. After all, the dwarf didn't know anything about what happened. "Nothing's wrong, Gimli."

"Don't lie to me," scolded Gimli, grabbing Legolas' hands. "You keep rubbing your hands. Don't deny it. They're still cool, too; at least cooler than they were before Helm's Deep. Are you sure you're not ill?"

Legolas yanked his hands out of the dwarf's grasp. "I'm fine, Gimli," he got out through gritted teeth. "There are more important things to fret about than the temperature of my hands."

"Very well then," said Gimli. "If you won't tell me I'll just describe your symptoms to Aragorn. He's been trained in the healing arts of the elves. Perhaps he can let me know what's going on."

"No, don't!" cried Legolas in panic. The last thing he needed was for Aragorn to learn about his mortality from Gimli's interference!

Gimli looked at him and Legolas' mood softened at the look of worry and confusion in them. "Tell me what's wrong with you," Gimli urged firmly.

"I don't know how it happened," Legolas said, searching for the right words. "I just know that - I wasn't going to say anything yet - I'm -"

"Yes?"

"I'm mortal now," whispered Legolas. "I have been since Helm's Deep."

"What?" asked a shocked Gimli. "How could that happen?"

"It was going to happen anyway," explained Legolas. "In order to bind myself to Aragorn, I would've had to forfeit my immortality at some point. I don't know why it's happened now, but it has. That's why my hands are cool: the life of the eldar has left me."

Gimli sifted through the many questions on his mind and settle on one. "Does Aragorn know?"

"No," answered Legolas, "and you cannot tell him."

"You can't go through this alone!" burst out Gimli. "He needs to know. He deserves to know."

"He will know," promised Legolas anxiously. "Just not right now. Not while we're waiting to go to war and hoping the king will lead his people along with us. I'm afraid that if he knew he'd do something rash."

"Don't choose to suffer alone -"

"I'm not suffering," interrupted Legolas in a shaking voice. "This is just a lot to deal with, but I'm handling it fine. I just don't want to burden Aragorn with yet another worry, especially one that he can't do anything about."

"It's not my place to tell him," said Gimli begrudgingly. "But you should do so as soon as possible. He needs to know what's at stake before everything begins. Don't try to protect him from the truth."

"Legolas! Gimli!" a voice called out. The duo turned to see Merry waving from the back of his pony Stybba as he trotted around a small field by the stables. "Look at me! I'm a rider!"

"Very good, Merry!" Legolas called back.

"The White Lady of Rohan is an excellent teacher," said Gimli, smiling kindly at Eowyn.

"That she is," agreed Legolas.

"Well," said Eowyn with a small but proud smile, "he and Stybba are a good match in both spirit and stature. A rider of Rohan must, of course, be able to ride into battle."

"He is in the service of the king now," said Legolas, recalling Merry's impulsive pledge to Theoden. "Would King Theoden give him leave to do so?"

"There is no reason why Merry can't fight," Eowyn insisted firmly. "My uncle has no right to deny him the chance for renown on the battlefield. His cousin has gone of to a city that is about to be besieged if it hasn't been already. Two of his people are heading to Mordor as we speak! He would be ashamed if he were left behind."

Legolas looked at her thoughtfully, knowing full well that she wasn't just talking about the hobbit. "Has the king made a decision yet?"

"I don't know," answered Eowyn curtly. "He wouldn't talk to me about it if he had. I don't see what else he could do, though. Any simpleton can see that Rohan must go to war if the realm is to survive."

"I hope he sees it your way" muttered Gimli lowly so she couldn't hear.

"If we don't go," continued Eowyn, "then there will be no victory or peace for us no matter who the victor is. If the enemy triumphs, he'll spread his darkness and his armies all over the plains. If Gondor wins, they'll remember that we didn't honor the vow that Eorl took all those years ago when the king of Gondor granted him these lands to dwell in."

"Let's leave Merry to his riding," suggested Legolas. "We could go to the throne room. Your brother's there, my lady -"

"Eowyn," she interrupted. "I think we've been through enough together and understand each other well enough for you to call me Eowyn, Legolas."

"Thank you, Eowyn," he said. "Anyway, I'm sure you and your brother have a lot to talk about. Maybe we could even learn more about King Theoden's decision."

"An excellent suggestion," chimed in Gimli.

"Let's go," nodded Eowyn. "But I'm sure my uncle won't say anything until he has to. I don't think we'll have anything to worry about when the time come, though. He may be hesitating now, but he knows the truth of the situation. You'll see; everything will be revealed when the beacons are lit."

"Yes," murmured Legolas, unconsciously rubbing his fingertips again. He was keenly aware of Gimli's eyes on him. "When the beacons are lit, many things will have to be revealed."

To be continued...