Everyone's leaving today. And I mean EVERYONE. Eomer and Eowyn are returning to Edoras, for awhile, anyway. Then Eomer's being crowned, and he and every Rider he has to spare are escorting Eowyn back to Minas Tirith for the wedding. The Hobbits are returning to the Shire, Galadriel and Celeborn to Lothlorien, Elrond and Glorfindel are returning to Imladris. The twins are staying for awhile. Arwen's convinced they're staying to torment her. Aragorn's convinced it's him.

Legolas is returning, temporarily, with his father to Lasgalen. Then he's going with Gimli to the Lonely Mountain. They'll be gone for months.

A big part of me -- a big part -- is going to miss him. A huge part. Another part of me -- also very big -- is very, very relieved. And I think he knows it. It's wonderful to have a guy who understands some stuff at least.

At this exact moment in time, the sun hasn't even risen yet. Legolas was still asleep when I snuck out. I'm sitting on the stable fence, petting Hershey. She -- yes, she -- is content, and also very pregnant. The hussy. Elladan's stallion. Why they put my mare in with his stallion is sort of beyond me, but, hey, they followed their instincts and I'm gonna be an aunt. I stroke a hand over her mane. I still think she's a hussy.

"You're awake early," Thranduil says from behind me.

I just nod. He steps next to me. "Will you miss him?"

I look at him sharply. "You know, life was a lot more fun before everyone was so worried about my life," i mutter. "But, yeah, I'll miss him."

He smiles slightly. Hershey pushes away from me and immediately heads over to him. "See? You're a hussy," I say to her.

His smile widens as he starts to stroke her mane. "I worry about him," he says softly. "Out of all my sons, Legolas was the only one who was constantly in trouble."

I laugh. "Somehow, I can believe that."

Thranduil reaches out and touches my hair, then touches the rings around my neck. "He loves you, and I would not see either one of you hurt."

I smile. "I know." I lean over and kiss his cheek. "Thank you."

"What's this?" Legolas asks from behind us. "Should I be worried, love?"

I smirk at him. "Maybe."

Thranduil rolls his eyes. "Oh, yes," he mutters.

Legolas slips his arms around my waist. "Why are you out here so early?" he asks, meaning 'why are you awake this early' in the 'I hate mornings' language.

I shrug and lean back against him. "Couldn't sleep."

Thranduil pushes away from the fence. "We leave soon," he says quietly, then walks away.

Legolas smiles slightly, looking out over the grounds. "I will miss you," he says softly.

I snuggle back against him. I'm not gonna see him for awhile, so I might as well get in all the sugar I can, right? "I'll miss you, too."

"But you're releived that I'll not be here," he adds. He's not smiling anymore.

I stop and think for a second before I speak. Yes, think. Sometimes I do think before I open my mouth. It's rare, though, so don't get used to it. "Part of me," I say, eventually. "I need time to think, and you make that hard."

Whoops. I think that might've come out wrong.

He frowns at me. "I do not mean to push you, Kayli, but--"

I shake my head. "No, you're not. That's not what I meant." I squeeze his hand. "Just being around you makes it hard to think."

Legolas smiles suddenly, and my stomach does this funny sommersault thing. "I'll take that as a compliment," he says, and kisses me.

111

OK, now I'm depressed. I'm sitting in one corner of the hall, taking refuge in some pastries. I really shouldn't, or at least I should have something else with them. Just pastries are bad for breakfast. But since Arwen and Faramir are doing the same thing, I think I can get away with it. Aragorn is sitting next to Arwen, holding her hand and not saying anything, which is probably the best course of action right now. The Hobbits are stuffing themselves, which is really nothing new. Faramir just looks depressed.

Eowyn's gone, in case you hadn't guessed. They had a tender goodbye -- they really did, made me want to cry, but that could just be everything else -- and Elrond and Glorfindel left just after dawn. With Thranduil and Legolas and Gimli. So this is not a cheerful meal.

Honestly, I don't think I've ever been this depressed in my life, but I honestly think I'm at the end of the Depression Line. I mean, Arwen's never going to see her father again, and Faramir's a mix of panic and depression. It's sort of cute, in a disturbing kind of way. Honestly, much more of this, and I'm gonna cry. I HATE to cry.

We clean up the meal -- seriously, there's not a crumb left -- and head out to the stables. We still have one long gushy goodbye to get through before I can go and crawl back into bed.

Boromir is kneeling, having a final word with Merry and Pippin. Frodo is hugging a tearful Arwen goodbye. Sam is listening intently to Elrohir, who's handing him some seeds and leaves. Boromir hugs Merry and Pippin, and they come over to me. I lean down.

"We'll miss you, my Lady," Merry whispers.

"I'll miss you, too, my LORD," I say. Merry makes a face, and I laugh. "Take good care of each other, all right? And visit. And we expect letters."

"Lots of letters, Kayli," Pippin promises.I hug them both again, and they hurry over to say goodbye to Aragorn. Pippin kneels, and Aragorn urges him back to his feet. I keep forgetting Pippin's a Knight of Gondor now.

Sam comes over and hugs me quickly. "Goodbye, my Lady."

I kiss his cheek. "Goodbye, Samwise. Take care of Frodo."

He nods. Frodo elbows him gently. "Frodo can take care of himself, thank you," the Hobbit says, and smiles at me. It's nice to see Frodo smile. Honestly, I didn't see much of it during the Quest. He bows to me. "Goodbye, my Lady. We shall visit soon."

I kiss him, too. "You'd better. And take care of Sam," I say. "I expect you all to take care of each other, hear me?"

Frodo grins at me, then bows deeply. "Yes, my Lady."

Hobbits. Self-appointed palace comedians, the lot of them.

Another round of hugs and kisses and promises to write and they're mounted on their ponies and riding out, chattering about what it'll be like to be back in the Shire. Personally, I think they're going to send the entire place into a collective convulsion. They're all richly dressed, Pippin wearing a tunic with the White Tree, and Merry wearing Rohirric armor. Even Frodo and Sam are decked out in the best Gondor has to offer. And they're all armed.

I shake my head.

"They're going to send the place into an uproar," Boromir predicts, but he's smiling.

Aragorn smiles as well, clapping him on the shoulder and wrapping his other arm around Eowyn's waist. "Indeed. I wish I could see it."

111

"My Lady?" I hate being called that. Hate it.

"Yeah, what?"

Iariel flinches at my tone. "King Elessar sent for you, milady."

I sigh and slap my book down on the table. Yes, I am still on the same book. I've at least gotten through the first five or six PAGES. "Yeah, OK."

I wander downstairs. Aragorn's sitting behind his desk, which is piled with papers, looking rather frazzled. He glances up and waves one hand. "Please, Kayli, sit. I'll be with you shortly."

I sit down and cross my legs, pulling my feet up under my skirt. Bare feet are considered un-Ladylike. Aragorn finally shoves the papers off the edge of the desk and sits back. "Why did I want to do this?"

"You didn't," I remind him. "In fact, I think you would have done just about anything to get out of it. If not for Arwen."

He smiles wryly. "Aye. If not for Arwen."

I smooth my skirts over my legs. "You wanted to see me?"

Aragorn shifts some papaers around on his desk. "Yes. It's here somewhere."

I laugh. "I think you have NO organizational skills."

He laughs at that. "None," he admits, not looking too ashamed of it. "But I know it's here." He pulls out a sheet of paper. "Ah, here it is."

I raise my eyebrows. "What is it?"

"New orders," he says calmly, laying it on top of the mess on his desk and looking straight at me. Uh-oh. "For you."

"Me," I echo.

He nods. "Aye, for you. I have one troop of Men, based here, out of Minas Tirith, who now lack a commander." He settles back into his chair. "Boromir suggested you."

I run a hand through my hair. "You shouldn't listen to him, you know. He's occasionally delusional."

Aragorn actually laughs at that. "At times," he admits. "But I agree with him. There are few others I trust with my Men."

I smile at that. "Thanks, but they won't trust ME. I'm a woman, remember?"

Aragorn smiles. In a certain light, it would look evil. No, wait, it looks evil in all light. "You shall have to work hard to prove yourself."

I make a face, get up, and bow deeply. "Yes, your Majesty. Whatever you say, your Majesty."

He laughs and throws a peice of crumpled up paper at me. "Out! You begin tomorrow, meeting them at the training grounds. Now out!"

I slip out the door and resist the urge to beat my head on the nearest wall. I am going to kill Boromir.

TBC...