Interlude -- Aragorn
There are moments when I wonder why I do this. When I wonder why I ever agreed to lead a horse, let alone an army.
But then I think of Arwen. Of her beautiful smile, of her wise eyes, of her sweet laugh, and I remember that I do this for her. So that we can be wed, and spend our lives together, although I find myself wishing that she had sailed with her kin, or that I could live out my life as a ranger of the North, with no concerns of a kingly nature. But, as Elrond once told me, such is not my destiny.
And, well, it rather...what does Kayli say?...bites.
"Aragorn!"
Oh, bleeding hell, what now? Does it never end?
Kayli comes skidding to a hald in front of me, hair wild, an enormous smile on her face. Legolas is not far behind her, and I have noticed that he tends to stay close to her. But I'll pretend I don't see the look in his eyes.
"You can help them," Kayli blurts suddenly, and the words come tumbling out, right after one another, as they have a tendency to do....whenever she opens her mouth. "You can save them, and heal them! Merry and Eowyn and Faramir! 'Cause I was listening to one of the old women in the Halls of Healing, and you know how they are, god, they never shut up --"
Legolas coughs lightly, looking amused.
"--I didn't ask you, Goldilocks," she adds without missing a beat. "Anyway, the Healer chick, she said something about how the Hands of a King are the hands of a Healer, and that's how the rightful King is known, and this is a good thing, because then not only will you be healing people, you'll be proving that you have a right to the throne. And before you start going on and on and whining about how it completely sucks and asking why it has to be you, just remember that you're the only King we brought on this trip."
There's a moment of silence, and I can feel every eye on me. Even though they're behind me and I cannot see their faces, I know Elladan and Elrohir are trying not to laugh. Some brothers they are. GImli clears his throat.
"I do not whine, and I am not the only King," I say defensively.
"Don't you dare drag me into this," Eomer says firmly, holding up his hands and taking a step away.
Kayli sighs and rolled her eyes. "My apologies, your Reluctant Highness. We didn't know Kings would be in such demand. Are you coming or not?"
Eomer reaches over and clasps my arm. "Aragorn...if you can heal my sister...she is all I have left."
For a moment, I think of Arwen, of what she would want me to do, and I think of Eowyn, and I remember Theoden. I straighten, and meet Eomer's eyes. "Yes. The Halls of Healing."
TBC...
There are moments when I wonder why I do this. When I wonder why I ever agreed to lead a horse, let alone an army.
But then I think of Arwen. Of her beautiful smile, of her wise eyes, of her sweet laugh, and I remember that I do this for her. So that we can be wed, and spend our lives together, although I find myself wishing that she had sailed with her kin, or that I could live out my life as a ranger of the North, with no concerns of a kingly nature. But, as Elrond once told me, such is not my destiny.
And, well, it rather...what does Kayli say?...bites.
"Aragorn!"
Oh, bleeding hell, what now? Does it never end?
Kayli comes skidding to a hald in front of me, hair wild, an enormous smile on her face. Legolas is not far behind her, and I have noticed that he tends to stay close to her. But I'll pretend I don't see the look in his eyes.
"You can help them," Kayli blurts suddenly, and the words come tumbling out, right after one another, as they have a tendency to do....whenever she opens her mouth. "You can save them, and heal them! Merry and Eowyn and Faramir! 'Cause I was listening to one of the old women in the Halls of Healing, and you know how they are, god, they never shut up --"
Legolas coughs lightly, looking amused.
"--I didn't ask you, Goldilocks," she adds without missing a beat. "Anyway, the Healer chick, she said something about how the Hands of a King are the hands of a Healer, and that's how the rightful King is known, and this is a good thing, because then not only will you be healing people, you'll be proving that you have a right to the throne. And before you start going on and on and whining about how it completely sucks and asking why it has to be you, just remember that you're the only King we brought on this trip."
There's a moment of silence, and I can feel every eye on me. Even though they're behind me and I cannot see their faces, I know Elladan and Elrohir are trying not to laugh. Some brothers they are. GImli clears his throat.
"I do not whine, and I am not the only King," I say defensively.
"Don't you dare drag me into this," Eomer says firmly, holding up his hands and taking a step away.
Kayli sighs and rolled her eyes. "My apologies, your Reluctant Highness. We didn't know Kings would be in such demand. Are you coming or not?"
Eomer reaches over and clasps my arm. "Aragorn...if you can heal my sister...she is all I have left."
For a moment, I think of Arwen, of what she would want me to do, and I think of Eowyn, and I remember Theoden. I straighten, and meet Eomer's eyes. "Yes. The Halls of Healing."
TBC...