I have finally come to a desicion about the romance thing. I shall put it in BUT AT THE END! HAHAHA! I'm so evil. Anyway, I'm awfully sorry that this story is a bit slower than your usual action packed malarkey but be sure that some fighting will be coming up VERY SOON! Another note about this story, do NOT expect anything from the movies since I will be strictly holding to the book (after all, this is supposed to be about someone who could very well of existed in Middle-Earth and that requires going STRICTLY with everything in the book). Spoiler: Rhov won't be with the Fellowship (THERE WERE ONLY NINE PEOPLE), I've noticed A LOT of people on this site can't count. Sorry but it's been botherin' since I don't know when. HOPE all you loyal fans of Rhov will enjoy this chapter. (Couldn't resist adding a little Galariel memories in there).
Rhov rubbed his eyes the next morning, feeling far more cheerful than yesterday. Not only was that incredibly bossy Legolas going away for a while, but Aragorn and himself were leaving for a most interesting trip to meet the rest of Aragorn's followers: the Dunedain. Now that the ties were broken for good, there was no looking back and wishing for something that never happened. Today was today and there was no reason for him to be sad about the inevitable.
Hopping out of bed, he disregarded the bowl and dumped the entire pitcher of water over himself. The cold water felt so good gliding down him that he stood for several minutes letting it drip off his tunic. An extremely sarcastic voice broke through his thoughts, "Washing ourselves are we? At least you've washed more than just your head today, the stink nearly knocked me down last night."
Turning, Rhov expected to see Legolas leaning against the doorframe with his usual smirk pasted on his face. Elrohir, however, was no blond smirking prince, oh no; he sat on the edge of Rhov's bed with the guileless, innocent eyes of a newborn baby and they didn't fool Rhov one wit. He, himself, had used the innocent stare before, it had worked the first couple of times, and then it had lost its usefulness when the Elvenking realized just how deceptive that look could be.
"Mine?" Rhov snorted, "what about yours? I swear it will take me at least another week to rid myself of your cloying horse stink."
"If you would really like to know what horse stink is, travel to Rohan before you pass judgment on this poor, tired elf."
A new voice cut through what could have been the beginning of an argument with the gentleness that only Arwen could muster. "Come lads, fighting among yourselves already? That is no way to start a morning as beautiful as this one. We have a dear and honored guest we must bid farewell to and then your own journey to prepare for."
Rhov stared at Arwen for a moment before stuttering, "Your? I hope you meant only me."
Elrohir jumped up from the bed and dusted imaginary dust off his robe, remarking, "Of course she means you… and me of course. Whenever we've finished with our orc hunting, Elladan and I journey with Aragorn and his Rangers until we feel the urge again." He glared at Rhov and added, "But it will be a long time until we can fight any mountain goblins thanks to your lot."
Arwen smiled sweetly at Rhov as she grabbed Elrohir's arm, dragging him out of the room. Before shutting the door, she said, "Hurry and get dressed little brother, we shall be eating very soon."
"Aye!" shouted Elrohir through the shut door, "Aragorn is already there and he has a most monstrous appetite, therefore if you want breakfast I would hurry as my lovely sister wisely councils you!" With that, Elrohir was bodily dragged down the hallway by his sister who was speaking to him in a soft but firm voiceRhov poked his head out the door and shouted to Arwen, "Before you go, when are Bilbo and Gandalf arriving?"
"Three to five months, Rhov, now hurry and get prepared for breakfast!" she said abstractedly as she tried to keep the wriggling Elrohir in her grasp.
Three To Five Months Later"That one!"
"Which one?"
"THAT ONE!"
"Oh, yes, that one."
"Excellent shot my friend. The beer last night did not seem to addle your mind too much." Sigh. "Mores the pity. However, I believe I can give as good as I got; wouldn't you agree?"
"By all means, try to best me."
Old Man Willow was watching the two people in the clearing of his lovely forest. Both were tall, strong looking, and carried bows of the same make. That was precisely where the similarities ended. The tallest of the two was brown just like the men of the Haradrim, his eyes were a green that matched the rustling leaves above his head, a mischievous smile permanently plastered on his cheeky, roguish face as he pulled the string taut on his bow. Hair as black as a raven's wing and wavy to boot was held in place with a leather cuff. An elf by all that was holy! How very, very interesting.
The other was a man most certainly and one the Willow had seen many times before, usually alone. He had eyes that were gray like the proverbial ocean after the proverbial storm. A serious minded man if the Willow remembered and not prone to laughing as he was now; but after all, the Old Man liked the elf himself even though Willow didn't even like hobbits or most elves. Perhaps he was getting senile in his old age. Old Man Willow fell asleep thinking of all his long lifetime as the two younger creatures went about their business.
"Ah, a lovely shot my good elf but perhaps you would like to continue our journey?"
" O, of course my excellent ranger, I have looked forward to seeing Bilbo since the Battle and doubtless you would like to meet him as well?"
"By all means, let us depart for I swear upon my honor that there is no other desire in my heart but to see the famous hobbit."
Rhov scuffed his toe in the earth for a moment and grinned down at the ground as Aragorn put on his lofty, kingly look that all respected and thought appropriate on such a distinguished personage. However, the dark-elf rarely thought Aragorn looked more like a Ranger than a King, which was technically true considering he didn't have the Sword re-forged as of yet.
Rhov and Aragorn had slipped out of Rivendell the night before their departure date because Aragorn wanted to show Rhov the Ranger's stomping grounds before Bilbo arrived in Imladris. They had both decided three to five months was not enough time to become aquainted with the rest of the Dunedain so they had agreed upon a quick trip to the Ranger's usual places of guardianship. Now they were on their way back to Rivendell to meet Bilbo and explain the whole incident to an almost predictably furious Elrohir.
"Are we going to pick up those coneys or not?" Rhov asked politely, trying not to laugh aloud at Aragorn's face.
"If you want dinner!" said Aragorn who finally gave up trying to look noble and grinned.
Rhov laughed heartily and Old Man Willow shifted slightly at the delightful and almost familiar sound. It was good to hear that after all these years of tittering hobbits and guffawing men. Yes… very nice.
Two weeks later"Not only did Beorn trounce the ugly thing beautifully but Gandalf blasted it's partner ten feet in the air! 'Twas great fun I assure you." Said Bilbo, who was sitting in the Hall of Fire excitedly telling Rhov all about the strange adventure he had taken with the Skin-changer and the Wizard.
Aragorn had not stop chuckling since they had arrived, probably the headiness of being near his love far sooner than he had expected and the infectious laughing of hobbit and dark-elf was beyond normal human control. Rhov had not said much, letting Aragorn and Bilbo become acquainted, something that did not seem to take very long at all.
"And then I must tell you about the wolves of the Northern Reaches, absolutely disgusting creatures really."
"You saw the wolves of the North! 'Tain't fair I tell you, I have tried so very many times to escape up there to give them all a good dressing down and here is a little hobbit who has done it before me!" Rhov said in mock-annoyance.
Bilbo merely smiled and continued his story until he nodded off in between the horrific troll and the dastardly hag. Rhov covered him up with a blanket and walked outside to enjoy the cool night air. He would be leaving in a week with Gandalf and Bilbo for the Shire and he was looking forward to it immensely. Aragorn would be accompanying them for a short ways then branch off into the wilderness to find his companions and inform them of their new comrade-in-arms. Eladan had decided to stay in Rivendell but Elrohir had immediately begun packing the second Rhov entered the Homely House.
"I must needs bring an extra cloak, nights get chilly out there you know." He had mumbled in greeting to Rhov and continued on chunnering to himself completely ignoring the dark-elf. Rhov hadn't minded and merely watched clothes, bows and arrows, packs, and various other things fly around the room, reveling in the chaos.
A slight breeze rustled through the branches above him and seemed to be almost liquid in it's freshness. The sound of falling water and laughing from the Homely House rose in unison to the star-studded sky bringing Rhov's head in pure delight at the simplicity of it all. Even Lothlorien could not compare with the sweetness of Imladris.
Even as he thought it, he could vividly remember the golden leaves falling around him as he walked down a solitary path with his mother. Making her laugh was his chief desire when he was a child and today was no exception.
"Mother, why must I wear shoes?"
"What a silly question, my pet. They protect your precious brown feet from becoming injured."
"Don't be silly, mother. What could injure me on this path? My toes need to breathe and they are suffocating right now! I can feel them wriggling in their death throes!"
She had laughed then, making Rhov's eyes widen with disbelief at the beauty and music of it.
"I shall make you laugh more often, mother, your laugh is the most beautiful thing I've ever heard!" he said in an awed voice.
Galadriel smiled and picked up the little brown boy, brushing his short curly locks away from his face. "Nay little one. If only I could make you laugh more for your joyous voice is life and health to many."
He patted her cheek and pouted. "Don't be silly, Arwen swears she shall kill me before long, that I will be the death of her yet. How can I be life and health to anyone?"
She smiled once again but did not answer. Beginning to sing, Galadriel stoked his back, head, and arms as she sang him to sleep. Depositing him in his little bed, she kissed his forehead and whispered into his ear, "I had no happiness until you came into my life, my love. The Valar took away my daughter only to give me a son, bringing life into my tired soul. Sleep, my child, and do not fear for I shall always be here for you."
Rhov rubbed his eyes clear of the tears that had welled up in his eyes, remembering how he had cried after Galadriel had left. He had been awake ever since she had put the coverlet over him but had wisely pretended sleep, wondering if she would answer his question. He had felt so sorry for his adopted mother that from that day on, he never gave up trying to make her laugh aloud.
"What's this? Not crying I hope because I would immediately pour my wine over your head!" Elrohir roared.
Rhov whipped around and dodged to the left just in time as a cascade of dark red wine splashed onto the stone. He shook his finger under Elrohir's nose, clucking like a mother hen. "Tut, tut my friend. A waste of good wine that was, you should play nicer."
"Bah!" Elrohir waved his hand airily, his eyes on the tree branches above. "I did succeed in my original plan which was to knock you out of your melancholy, which, you have to admit, worked amazingly well. You have no idea what your long face can do to people, Arwen is crying buckets right now."
Rhov grinned and threw his arm around Elrohir's shoulder, grinning widely. It wasn't a sweet grin to say the least. "Perhaps we should go cheer her up then?"
Elrohir mimicked Rhov and together they walked back into the Last Homely House with a pair of evil grins plastered all over their roguish faces. Arwen would regret telling Elrohir how sad Rhov was by the next day. Honey is extremely sticky, especially on door handles, pillows, hair, and most presumably, on cloth as well.