Chapter 9: The Day Has Come

This is the day. It was the day that Gandalf was supposed to reach Minas Tirith, according to Legolas. Legolas also said that Gandalf would most surely take action as soon as he got there. Which didn't really surprise Lee, seeing as it was the kind of guy that he was.

Legolas. Now there was a man who REALLY ticked her off. He just… Lee had never met a man who bent her the wrong way that Legolas did. Well, except for Ben, and he had turned out becoming her friend. But they hadn't really been friendly…they had been more that friendly. They had kissed on a roof during a sunrise. It was one of the most romantic things a person could go through. And yet she was angry with him. Furious if possible. He was such…such…such a man.

Actually, he wasn't. He was and Elf. Which Lee had decided was ten times worse than being a man. Unlucky him.

Well Lee had no intention of even speaking to him, looking at him, (which would be hard since he was so good looking) or even thinking about him, (which would also be hard considering he had occupied her thoughts ever since she had gotten here) But she would do whatever she could to just forget about Legolas Greenleaf.

Eomer at the moment was a happy man. His sister was no longer threatened by that awful Wormtongue, his King was no longer under the spell of Saruman, Saruman himself had been stripped of his power, most (but not all for there were quite a lot of the Wild Men still out there) of the men torturing the people of Rohan were gone, and to top things off he had just met a very interesting woman who was quite beautiful. Okay, so not everything was perfect. They were about to go to war, (at least Eomer thought they were going to) and they would most likely die in the process. Thousands of men were going to die. And it made Eomer angry. Damn Sauron to the deepest depths of hell. Eomer prayed everyday to the Gods that, that small Halfling will reach Mount Doom and destroy the ring. But then again, it was all he could really do was hope.

He brushed his horse gently, his emotions never showing. Just like any other man of Rohan, he had the utmost respect and love for his horse. He had had this horse since he was a small boy. His father had given it to him actually. And the fact that his father had given it to him made him love the animal even more.

"It's a beautiful animal." A voice came from behind him. He turned almost lazily to see that it was Lee.

"Thank you." Eomer smiled fondly, and then said quietly, "He's more than just a beautiful animal. He's a good friend." Lee didn't say anything but only walked closer, standing on the other side of the horse, stroking its masculine neck. "My father gave him to me when I was just a boy."

"And what is your name?" Lee asked the horse as he nuzzled her affectionately.

"Firefoot." Eomer answered. "And it seems that he likes you."

"That's odd," she grinned at him. "Seeing as animals don't usually like me."

"Well it seems that your luck has changed." He noted.

"So it would seem." She agreed.

They stood in comfortable silence, until Lee, feeling very hesitant, asked Eomer. "Can I ride him?"

Eomer looked up. "What?" he smiled softly. "I'm sorry; my thoughts were drifting." he paused. "They seem to be doing that a lot lately."

"Right. Well, I asked if I could…if I could ride Firefoot."

Eomer looked surprised. "Usually he doesn't let others ride him, but he seems to like you, so it's alright with me. What do you think Firefoot?"

Firefoot gave a neigh and Lee grinned.

"I think that's a yes." She laughed, and Eomer grinned.

"Come on." He said. "I'll help you."

"I don't need that much help." She said defiantly, sticking her chin up.

"Do you now? What's this?" he asked, holding up a saddle that had been hanging on the fence nearby.

"Um…it's a…er…"

"That's what I thought." Eomer grinned again. "Come on. Like I said, I'll help you."

Lee smiled and said jokingly, "Now what lovely patch of green are you taking me to now, my Lord Eomer?"

"It is called the East Gate, my Lady. Now would you be so kind as to hold Firefoot while I get the riding gear on him?"

"Gladly." She laughed again. "Right so what's this thing called?"

"A saddle?"

"A ladle?"

"No, a saddle."

"A madle?"

He looked at her, raising his eyebrows. "I know you understand perfectly what I'm saying, my Lady."

She held up her hands in mock defense. "Alright, alright. You'd think a man could take a joke! But no… Mr. I is too much of a warrior for this. I is above all these jokes…" She imitated some kind of voice that sounded quite odd.

Eomer chuckled to himself as she went off into a full scale rant. It was good to have someone to talk to. And more importantly, someone who you knew was just as worried and freaked out as you were.

She was the most infuriating person he had ever met. And he had met a lot of people. In fact the only other person that he had ever met that pulled his hair the way she did was Gimli. And he was a Dwarf! It was expected.

When Legolas thought about it later, she had ever right to be mad at him. He had acted as lowly as a Dwarf. But he kept overplaying every conversation he had ever had with her in his head and every time he found that there was something that she had done that would make him mad.

Later they (they being Eomer, Lee, King Théoden and his advisors, and other men just going about their everyday business) had all ended up in the Golden Hall. They were all just doing what Lee would call "hanging out." Eomer and Lee were off to the side eating a late lunch. (looking very dirty may I add) King Théoden and some other men were pouring over maps of who knows where, plotting who knows what.

If you asked Lee, she thought that watching all of the hustle and bustle of the Golden Hall. There were just so many interesting people. Here and there you would see a servant carrying something and then running off to somewhere else. You might see a soldier carrying a spear or a saddle. Lee had been surprised at how many people were always running through the Hall. She had thought that the kind of throne halls would be just be used by a King to greet his guests or something of the vise-versa, but Eomer had told her otherwise. He told her (in a rather proud voice) that things were not the same in Rohan as they were in other places, such as Gondor. The way Eomer saw it, Gondor was too stiff and was too polite and had too many rules for every little thing. And Gondor's throne room was used just for what Lee had said; for the King to greet people and for the people of Gondor to get an audience with the King. But in Rohan, the Hall had so many uses other than the two.

The way Gondor sounded; Lee didn't know if she was going to like Gondor if she was forced to go there.

"Everyone is nervous." Lee said quietly. "I can feel it." She turned to Eomer. "When was Gandalf supposed to reach that city?"

"Minas Tirith." Eomer supplied. "And today."

"Today? No wonder." She turned her gaze to Théoden, who seemed to know that someone was watching him. He straightened up, slowly looking around as if to catch whoever was watching him.

His eyes locked with Lee's and she felt a kind of involuntary shiver run up her spine. It was if his blue eyes could see right through her. (really, what was there to see?) But it was also as if her gaze was having some effect on him. Like her eyes were creeping him out as much as his was creeping her out.

He bent down over the map again, but as soon as he did so, Aragorn burst into the room yelling at the top his lungs. "THE BEACONS OF MINAS TIRITH! THE BEACONS ARE LIT!" And then as he reached Theoden over by the map, he said in a slightly out of breath and more quiet voice, "Gondor calls for aid!"

Lee barely noticed Eowyn coming into the room. She could see the wheels so to speak in his head turning and coming to the same conclusion that Lee herself had come to. Although lots of men would die…although a lot of people will be separated from their loved ones…and even if it's all for nothing and the evil that lies in Mordor wins…

"And Rohan will answer." Théoden finally said. He turned to where he knew Eomer was. "Muster the Rohirrim."

Eomer nodded, put a hand on his sister's shoulder and walked away.

'It's amazing how quickly a man can go from happy go lucky to straight-faced and solemn.' She thought grimly. 'Eomer had been so…unwarrior-like only just a few minutes ago and the Aragorn had come in and said his bit…and then they were back to square one. Back to Mr. Stoned Face Eomer.'

Eowyn had noticed that Lee had also been standing close to her brother and was now just standing there by herself. The two of them shared a look.

"Nothing ever lasts does it?" She said quietly.

Eowyn, unsure of what to say, only nodded.

Lee nodded to and just walked out into a small hallway used by the servants. "Damn!" She yelled, pounding her fist against the door. "Now what happens," she looked up.

"Huh? Now what happens? Who's going to die now?" she whispered. "Who else are you going to take away from me?"

Hello- What is this? An update (two different stories mind you) in two days? What is the world coming to?!?! Well, I've had a lot of time, so there you go. Leave a review. Thank you.

"See you on the other side of what now?"

Liz