Chapter 27; The Road to Edoras and Gratitude for Fellowship

"Laura, daughter of William, I grant you clemency for your insubordination against me," Théoden said as I genuflected before him with my head bowed. Aragorn, Gandalf, Legolas, and Gimli stood behind me and watched with exhausted and relieved faces. "but only if it is promised that you will return to Edoras with the riders who are unable to accompany me to Isengard." I was unhappy but replied respectfully,

"My lord, I will return with the riders to Edoras, and await your return from Isengard." At this Théoden smiled compassionately and said softly,

"Do not be ashamed, I ask for your return to Edoras so that you may become well." I lowered my head once more as I replied,

"Yes my lord." With that Théoden extended his hand and I took it as he helped me to my feet. As I rose to my feet I began to feel the aching and tenderness that resulted from the Uruk warriors' pummels. Théoden walked away with his men to fetch their horses as I turned back to Gandalf and the rest; he smiled at me as he said,

"It is hard to succumb to what one does not want to do. I am proud of you Laura." I smiled as I said,

"Thank you Gandalf." His words did not ease me; after all that happened in the past day I felt frail, weak, and disappointed. Aragorn smiled and rested a hand on my shoulder.

"You are weary from battle…" he observed, paused, then said sincerely, "Go to Edoras; rest and recover your strength." I put a hand on his shoulder and as he left he patted my cheek gently. Gandalf too walked past me with Gimli at his side. Gimli grunted as he passed,

"Laura, I know that you wanted to show that coward Saruman a thing or two; and since you cannot accompany us I assure you that he will receive no mercy or understanding from THIS dwarf!" I laughed at him and watched as he walked away beside Gandalf. Legolas remained; he walked to me slowly and asked,

"How are you doing?"

"I am well, knowing now that Gimli will take care of Saruman." At this Legolas laughed a little then said,

"You did well, Laura, and I am happy to see you well." I sighed and replied half-heartedly,

"Though I clearly am not well enough to ride to meet Saruman alongside you." I paused for a moment then dropped my bitterness to say, "I am glad to see all of you well." Legolas nodded then said to me earnestly,

"Go to Edoras, Laura, and get well. The battle here has ended and there will be much more to come." I nodded in reply. He smiled as he looked at me, "Do not be unhappy that you can not ride with us to Isengard," he said, "it is now only a place of ruin and shattered evil." I smiled as I answered,

"I would not go to look upon Isengard, I would go to tell Saruman that neither he nor Sauron owns me…I am not Sauron's crystal ball. I will not do what they brought me here to do." I looked down then laughed as I said, "Me…a 'Seer' of Sauron…what foolishness." I looked to Legolas who returned my gaze fondly as he rested a hand on my shoulder.

"Saruman will be brought to justice. We will see to it." He said then, "Take care, Laura." I rested my hand on his shoulder as I replied,

"I will." He squeezed my shoulder then left to retrieve a horse.

The men who rode with Théoden to Isengard left that day while the men, and woman, who were to ride to Edoras, were given the night to sleep. I roomed in the same chamber as before, but I did not sleep; it was strange and unsettling to have the people who I had grown so close to far away from me. I slept restlessly as I wondered what would happen to them. What would happen when they met Saruman? Would arrive safely? Would Saruman, or worse Sauron, know of their coming? Morning came all too soon. I went down to the stables and found Hasufel waiting for me; it wasn't until I saw him again I realized how worried I was about him. He tossed his neck and I smiled as I pet him.

"Hasufel mellonamin." I said happily and he whinnied. I stroked his forehead and patted his neck.

"My lady, allow me to saddle your horse…" Said a voice as an armored man brushed past me and entered the stall. He saddled and bridled Hasufel quickly and led him out of the stall for me. I grabbed the reins and thanked the man as he left the stables. I watched him leave then looked back to Hasufel.

"Who was he?" I asked but Hasufel only tossed his head and neighed quietly as I patted his neck and replied, "I don't know either."

The ride to Edoras passed much more quickly than the ride by which I arrived at Helm's Deep. We set out dawn and arrived at dusk; though the ride was less tedious than the first trip it was twice as painful. At times I found it difficult to keep hold of Hasufel's reins as he ran with the other horses to Edoras. The pain from the beatings I had received from Uruk blows took a toll on my body; I was accustomed to taking hits before but not beatings to the extent that I had received. Two hours before we reached Edoras I became so weary that I could no longer ride at the same pace as the other riders. It was strange for me to ask help from them, as I was in the company of strangers, but they were kind to me; I rode with the man Grimbold as another took Hasufel. I was asleep when we arrived and the women bombarded our group with hundreds of questions about their husbands or sons.

I was then carried to a bed in Meduseld and learned later that I had slept for an entire day before I awoke. When I did wake, my body was rested though my heart was remorseful; I regretted not riding to Isengard with my friends. It was strange to be away from Aragorn, Gimli and Legolas and though I did enjoy the company of countless women, I still missed my "Men." In the days that the king had not returned I spoke and became closer to Èowyn. She told me more of herself and her brother, the king and the past when her days were happy. I was relieved to have at least one dear friend near.

By the time the week was through, I was fully rested and back on my feet; I spent the greater parts of my days waiting before Meduseld for the return of my friends. It was during this time I began to realize what I should have long known; my friendship with Legolas had grown greatly in the past months and upon last seeing him I was happy and comfortable. The thought of feelings such as these would have been laughable a month ago, but now they seemed incredibly realistic. My nights were restless and my days were incessant; I found myself living to see my friends ride over the plains to the gates of Edoras until finally, as I sat waiting, I saw them. I felt my stomach leap into my throat and my heart beat like a drum as I saw the vague shapes in the distance.

"They're back." I whispered, asking my brain if what I saw was real. I then smiled and laughed as I repeated, "They're back." I sprung to my feet and burst through the doors of Meduseld. Èowyn was inside occupied as I yelled, "Èowyn! They've returned!" This immediately caught her attention and she ran out through the doors with me to look at them. I saw Gandalf, Théoden, Aragorn, Legolas, and the other men more clearly than before. I laughed as I saw Èowyn smile.

"They have returned." She said. I couldn't stop laughing; I was relieved that my friends were alive and returning in a happy way. One by one, more and more people came to watch them ride to the gates. When they finally arrived, the women and servants who waited with us on the steps rushed down to the king to retrieve his horse and help the other soldiers. Èowyn remained with me on the steps as I looked upon them. I looked at Gandalf and Aragorn then Legolas' smiling face as he looked up at me. I shook my head and laughed until I saw something I did not expect: two children riding before both Aragorn and Gandalf. As they dismounted their horses I realized they weren't children at all.

"Merry! Pippin! They've found you!" I ran down the stairs to greet them. Merry and Pippin laughed as we ran to each other; I hugged them both tightly as I said, "I've missed you two! You were in Isengard all this time?" they nodded and I said happily, "Well, you put us on some wild chase!" Pippin laughed as Merry answered,

"So we've heard! We had quite a long ride so to pass the time we heard all about your search for us."

"And all about how much grumpier this new Gandalf is compared to the old one!" Pippin said with a roll of his eyes. I laughed as he continued, "We, in fact, were quite safe and for some part quite content! Weren't we Merry?" Pippin chimed in. Merry then reached into his vest as I kneeled down to have a better look at them. He pulled out a leather pouch as he asked excitedly,

"Laura, do you know what this is?" I laughed as I shook my head 'no' and Pippin nearly squealed as he said to Merry,

"She doesn't know what it IS Merry!" Merry smiled as he told me,

"This, my friend, is 'Longbottom Leaf.' It is the finest smoking weed in ALL of the south farthing-"

"AND WE BOTH GOT A BARREL EACH!" Pippin interrupted excitedly. I laughed in awe of the only two creatures able to find something to be glad of in such a time of unhappiness and grief. I hugged the both of them again and said,

"You are unbelievable! I really missed you!" I rose to my feet and saw Aragorn behind the hobbits. I laughed as I spoke to him, "You brought me gifts? From Isengard?" at this Aragorn laughed and hugged me.

"I thought our return and the hobbits return would be gift enough… but I suppose there is no satisfying you." He said jokingly. I hugged him back, smiled then saw Legolas behind him. It was now awkward to be close to him. For a week I felt these emotions and now he returned. I looked to the ground as I said quietly,

"Hello Legolas." He smiled while I said, "I am happy to see you all return safely."

"Thank you." He said in reply but I left before he could say anything more to me.

That night, the king held a great feast in the name of victory and the souls who lost their lives at Helm's Deep. The feast took place in the throne room where rows and rows of tables were assembled. I sat with Merry, Pippin, and Gimli and raised my cup along side them as the King made his toast. I finally had my well-deserved drink and I was to drink it with my friends at my side. It was strange though, when time came to drink, the ale did not taste as sweet or as rewarding as I would have hoped it to. Once the toast ended I set down my cup and looked around the room; I saw Aragorn, and Gandalf, but I could not find Legolas. I saw him emerge from behind one of the columns and I was relieved.

"Do you want my Ale?" I asked Merry as the music began to play and I stood from the table. He took it gladly as I tried to move across the room to where I last saw Legolas; however, moving through a crowd of somewhat tipsy, Rohan men was not as feasible as I thought it would be. After being offered numerous amounts of ale, nearly being squashed by a drunkard, and being whisked to dance in front of the musicians with a drunken soldier, I finally arrived in the spot where I originally saw Legolas only to find that he was no longer there. I paused for a moment, wondering why I was set on searching him out then disregarded my thoughts and continued to look. The party was soon becoming wearisome; I saw an open door across the hall that could prove to be an escape from the mass of intoxicated denizens of Rohan. After pushing and forcing my way across the room, I finally stepped into the cool and breezy night.

The temporary change of scene worked like magic on my briefly dampened spirits. I was alone on the stone walkway that seemed to enclose the outside of the hall. It appeared to be the same walkway that was outside the room where I slept. I looked up at the cloudy night sky and walked down the stone deck till I was in front of Meduseld. I sat on the steps and smiled; all the houses in Edoras were emptied for the feast that I was trying to evade. I was alone once more as I watched men too drunk to walk, wives scolding and directing them back to their homes and men rolling their eyes out of annoyance or perhaps intoxication.

"Interesting isn't it?" I heard Legolas ask from behind me. Butterflies flew rampant in my stomach as he spoke, "How men will willingly handicap and make fools of themselves."

"I suppose," I replied with a smile and tried to relax. "I have never thought of it that way." He stood beside me and as we looked over the fields of Rohan I felt like a fool. I seemed like a foolish girl with a crush; I knew nothing I could possibly say to him. I knew no words that would please him. Thankfully he said something before I could.

"The night is restless; we spent many a night on this quest though few were restless." I looked up to the night sky and replied,

"Yes." 'YES?' I ridiculed myself, 'That is ALL that you could possibly say? YES? You are such a fool.' I then thought of something, "Legolas," I addressed him and he looked at me. I met his eyes for a moment but I had to turn mine away so that I could keep composed. "I believe that I need to thank you."

"For what?" He asked and I replied,

"You kept your promise you made to me. And not only did you keep it once, but twice." 'Ha HA!' I thought to myself happily, 'He's bound to remember the promise he made me at Helm's Deep! Nice move!'

"Promise, Laura?" he asked. 'Oh no, he does not remember? Quick! Say something!'

"Yes, you promised that all of you would return safely. You have kept your word…twice." My heart pounded as I waited for his reply.

"Laura," he finally said, "there is no other way that I could possibly return." A smile came to my lips as I thought, 'YES! Nice recovery!' "I could never not return to you." In this moment I felt my heart stop. Everything slowed and I saw Legolas' hand reach toward mine; he took my hand in his and squeezed. I felt such bliss in those few moments that I could not help smiling. I looked to him and in that moment of sublime ecstasy I told him what I had been aching to tell him.

"Legolas, I care for you." He looked at me as I continued, "I have grown to care for you so much; during the days you were gone I found myself praying and only living to await your return." I paused and looked away. "I hope that you are not offended by what I say for I don't mean to offend. I say this…to let you know…" As I said these words reality and fear began to set in. I let go of his hand and said, "If you do not feel the same…sentiments that I do, I understand and will hold you to nothing; I will think no less nor speak no evil of you, and I ask that this will not hinder our friendship." I looked at him once more as I finished. "But, I wish that you will not leave me in shadows of doubt. If you feel, please tell me." I watched as Legolas looked at me and smiled. As he turned his face to mine the moonlight made his blue eyes seem like crystal and his passionate face entrancing. He took both my hands and said as he held them,

"Laura, I heard you speak to Lady Èowyn, before we made for Helm's Deep. You spoke of the worth in sacrifice. Laura, I do not understand many things. I do not understand how someone's will is to spread darkness over a world, how men keep faith when there is little hope, how you came here to Middle Earth, or how after so many physical and emotional wounds you stay strong. I heard you speak those words to Lady Èowyn and I knew that you cannot be of your age." He brought my hands closer to him and spoke more intimately as he told me, "There is so much passion, so much emotion and care that you possess, it pains me to see you hurt." He leaned toward me as he said with a smile, "What I wish to say is this: I care for you deeply, and if I could, I would insure that you never feel hurt ever again." At this I lost my breath and something happened, Legolas kissed me. As his lips touched mine I felt a wave of warmth spread all over my body: it capped my fingertips and touched my toes, brought air into my chest and cradled my heart. I was so happy. Legolas drew back from the kiss and I said with a smile.

"I am so happy, Legolas. You have made me so happy." Legolas let go of my hands, ran a gentle hand through my hair and rested the other on my face. I kissed him in turn then hugged him tightly; this was the most wonderful way to end the evening.

I am SO SORRY for the huge gap between updates. I have had the BIGGEST writer's block EVER. I can't even START chapter 28! Please, as the play I'm in is about to open I would ask for patience becauseit is so hard to multitask! Thanks for all of the wonderfull patronage!

Chapter 26 Review thanks!

Thanks to:

elvenladygreenleaf4ever, TriGemini, Ms. Unknown, grlwivblkboots, Elwen of Lórien, heatherika, Starchii, J Dog #2, enyamorntuilr, Dragonmount, and Isabel