"We should stop for a bit, you look exhausted" Legolas called to Arariel, just as they passed into the realm of Gondor.

"I didn't sleep all that well, I had too much on my mind"

"You mean like your sister marrying a man you all have known as a brother"

"Yes - to an extent"

Legolas pressed her no further. He wanted to know everything that she thought, everything she dreamed, but he knew that she was tired and needed rest. Also, he reminded himself, do not get involved.

"Where shall we stop m'lord?" called Arariel.

"I can see some caves up ahead, we will rest there I think. We are not far from Anduin. There will be fresh water there"

Arariel pulled her horse to a halt, and dismounted. She watched as Legolas did the same. He began to unpack their blankets from Arod. Arariel went over to help him.

"'Tis alright m'lady, I can manage. Besides you need rest" He said, turning towards her with an arm full of blankets.

Arariel took them in silence and made her way to a secluded spot and laid them out.

"Are you sure you don't want any help?" she called.

"No, you get some rest"

Arariel laid her head down on the masses of fur blankets and watched him as he unpacked the rest of the blankets and food. When he thought she was asleep, he removed his tunic and rested against the stone wall of the cave. Arariel watched the firelight dance across his smooth chest, wanting to reach out and touch it. She shook her head and rolled over, so that she was now facing the stone wall. She knew he would not feel the same way as she did for him, even though, just a few days ago she thought him arrogant and cocky. She sighed, finally drifting off to sleep.

Legolas watched her until he saw her breathing become even, and he knew she was asleep. He sighed, looking at her was heaven to his eyes, but he knew better. His father had already arranged the wedding of the year, to a woman he had never met! Lady Ancalime of Lorien. He did not intend to marry this elf. Surely, Arariel felt the connection between themselves. If she did, she did not show it, he reminded himself. He knew she probably still thought him arrogant and cocky, and all the rest.

Legolas shifted in his spot, straining his elven ears, for a single sound. He was sure he had heard one. He heard it again. He looked over at Arariel, now facing the fire, fast asleep. He wondered if he should wake her, he could not fight the orcs on his own. Deciding it was the only thing to do to save them both, he gently shook her awake.

"Wha- What is it?"

"Arariel, you need to wake up. There are orcs headed this way and they are after us. They have been following us since Lorien. You need to help me fight them, do you understand?"

"Yes.. yes of course"

She climbed up and grabbed her bow and sword from her horse, and waited.

"They are here" Legolas whispered after some time.

A noise sounded in the cave, like an arrow being fired, and a horses whinny.

"No!" screamed Arariel, "Not Glandril!"

Her horse fell to the ground, with one final snort. She fired an arrow into the darkess and got the response she wanted. An orc cry and a loud thud. She began firing arrows into the darkness. She heard a cry, as the last arrow was fired and silence rung in her ears.

"Legolas!" she screamed. He was lying on the floor of the cave, writhing in pain.

"NO!" she ran to him, and pulled the arrow out of his shoulder. He cried out again.

She tore a strip of material from her dress and plunged it into the hot water beside the fire. She cleaned his wound, struggling to hold him down. His strength was greater than hers, even when he was injured.

"If you don't hold still I can't heal you!" Arariel cried.

Legolas immediately stopped wriggling, and resigned to letting out grunts of pain. He couldn't hear what she was saying, but a strange white glow was beneath her hands, and was penetrating his skin. The pain was going away. He was seeing clearly again. He blinked, staring up at her.

"You have healing blood in you" he said, in a cracked voice.

"Here drink this, you need some water" she said turning away.

He drank slowly, letting the cool water fill his mouth.

"You are a healer" he said.

"Yes, my father passed it on to me. No one else in my family got it. Not even Arwen."

"Thankyou" he said, after a while. She bandaged up his shoulder, and sat beside him, watching him.

"I will need to ride with you tomorrow." she said quietly.

"Yes, of course"

"You will need rest, anyway I suppose you can't even move your arm."

Gingerly, he tried to move it.

"It will be fine.."

"No it won't. I will ride tomorrow. You will rest" she said.

"Thankyou, for helping me m'lady"

"'Tis alright m'lord. Now, rest"

Thankyou all for reviewing, it helped me heaps. Anyway, here are the responses from me...

Reader Comments:

Princess-Unicorn-Kyla: Thanks Kyla, i suppose I did base her on me... he he oh how I wish I was her....

Alykai: I know it's not completely accurate, but in The Return Of The King didn't Theoden say to Eowyn, "The people are to follow your rule, should the battle go ill"? Or am I dreaming.. oh well..

Please review.....you know the little button below... you know you want to!