Chapter 6
"You both sing wonderfully," Eowyn said with a small laugh. "But then again, you are elves." Naurrîn gave a wicked smiled to Zefron.
"Are we there yet?" Zefron groaned and rubbed his temples with his good arm.
"What have I gotten myself into?" Templa nickered and nodded her majestic black head up and down making Eowyn laugh again.
"'Tis as if she can understand us…" Eowyn said to no one as she stroked Templa's neck. Naurrîn and Zefron exchanged weary glances.
"Umm… she can Eowyn." Zefron stated walking a bit faster and taking Templa with him. Eowyn put a hand on his right shoulder and stopped him.
"She can what?"
"She can understand Common, Western and certain types of elvish." Naurrîn replied for Zefron. Eowyn looked a bit skeptical but nodded when she saw the look Templa was giving her.
"Can she talk back?" Eowyn asked starting to pet Templa's neck again. Zefron shook his head and tried to move his left arm, but a shooting pain quickly stopped him.
"She never learned how to do so." Zefron replied biting his tongue to keep from cursing. Naurrîn looked at him with a delicate eyebrow raised.
"And you did learn Zef. Please enlighten us on why you do not use that knowledge to say that your shoulder is paining you?" Naurrîn asked. Zefron looked straight ahead and didn't say anything.
Templa nudged his right shoulder quite hard, which caused a chain reaction. Him to bumping into Eowyn with his left shoulder, his cursing and falling to the ground and Naurrîn saying: "Did I not tell you so? If you had said something this would have never happened my friend."
"Avo Bedo." (Don't speak) hissed Zefron standing up again.
"Naegrear," (That hurts) stated Naurrîn pretending to look hurt.
"Dol lin lost Naurrîn, coth nîn." (Your head is empty, my enemy) Zefron snapped back. Eowyn looked at the two bickering elves with much interest even though she didn't understand a word that they were saying. They had also brought much attention to themselves from the curious villagers who had just seen the two go from singing together to fighting at each other's throats.
"Pen um." (Evil one) stated Naurrîn throwing her hands up in defeat and walking away. Zefron looked smug, as he knew that Naurrîn would be back any second and act as if nothing had happened.
"What were you two talking about?" Eowyn asked looking very interesting. Zefron laughed a bit.
"We were insulting each other in Sindarin." Zefron replied looking a touch sheepish. Suddenly he felt something being thrown at the back of his head. He turned around to see Naurrîn walking over with only one shoe on.
"You selfish, arrogant, ignorant… prince!" Naurrîn stated hobbling over to them. Eowyn chuckled at the scene in front of her having seen it before when she threw her shoe at the future king of Gondor.
"You are a prince Zefron?" Eowyn asked clearly surprised to hear that in Naurrîn's sentence. Zefron nodded silently. He bent down and picked up Naurrîn's shoe and handed it to Templa, who then grabbed it in her mouth and started running away with it.
"Now see here Templa! Give me back my shoe or I shall have to use force!" Naurrîn yelled after the pure black mare. "I shall deal with you later wizard. Templa! Get back here you oversized warg!" many of the villagers looked at her strangely as she ran past them trying to get to a horse who had a shoe in it's mouth. Eowyn looked at Zefron surprised yet again.
"You are a wizard?" she asked. Zefron rolled his eyes and turned towards her.
"How else do you believe I sent a double of Naurrîn to speak with your uncle?" replied Zefron. "Although I may not be the most powerful wizard in all of Middle Earth but I am nothing less than a conjurer at that." Eowyn nodded knowingly and continued to walk along in silence.
It was dark quite soon after that and everyone began to set up camps. Zefron took out his whistle and blew into it to call Templa. She came trotting over within a few minutes with a soaking wet Naurrîn trailing her.
"What happened to you?" Zefron asked trying not to laugh. Naurrîn shot him a deadly glare.
"Your cursed horse pushed me into a lake and then threw my shoe in after me." Templa snorted and nodded her head. The edges of Zefron's mouth twitched as he tried not to laugh again.
"What happened to you milady?" Legolas asked walking over to them.
"Do not ask," was her reply before she stormed away to find Eowyn and some dry clothes. Legolas looked at Zefron for an answer.
"She fell into the lake while she was chasing Templa who had her boot." Zefron explained before taking Templa's reigns and walking away to set up his own camp.
"What…?" started Eowyn when she saw Naurrîn walking over to her.
"Ask and I shall hurt you," Naurrîn interrupted. "Do you happen to have a spare dress I could borrow while this one dries?"
"Yes, but only if you tell me what happened." Eowyn replied walking into her tent and starting to rummage around for a spare dress for the unfortunate elleth.
"Templa pushed me into the lake and also threw my boot in so I had a little swim today." Naurrîn replied wringing out her long, dark hair. Eowyn walked out of her tent with a dark green dress with a blue shirt for underneath in her arms.
"Here you are, and please do not go and get these wet too." Eowyn stated handing the clothes to Naurrîn. The elleth made a face at Eowyn.
"I am not making any promises with Zef and Templa out there Eowyn. But I thank you for your hospitality. Good night," Naurrîn said taking the things out of Eowyn's arms and starting to walk away. Eowyn shook her head and went back to preparing something to eat.
On the way to Helm's Deep: Day three…
"Naurrîn? Naurrîn wake up, we leave at sun up." Zefron whispered shaking the young elleth, trying to get her up somehow.
"Go away you annoying wizard." Naurrîn muttered rolling over in her bedroll.
"Would you like to get wet again? Because it can be arranged." Zefron stated. Naurrîn sat up quickly and nearly slapped Zefron, but luckily he moved out of the way quickly enough.
"You would not dare," she said.
"Now that you are awake you shall never know." Zefron said with a cheeky smile as he started walking away.
"Wait Zef, how is your shoulder today, and no lies." Naurrîn asked getting out of her bedroll and starting to pack up everything she had.
"Not much better," admitted Zefron. "I can barely move it now without it hurting." Naurrîn grabbed a long piece of cloth and motioned for Zefron go come over.
"Here you are, this is so you are not be forced to hold it all of the time." Naurrîn tied the cloth to go as a sling for his left arm. Zefron rolled his eyes but didn't say anything.
"Are you two coming or not?" Aragorn asked walking over to the two young elves.
"But of course Aragorn. I would not miss out on nearly killing myself for the world." Zefron muttered walking past the future king of Gondor, who hadn't heard it clearly. But Naurrîn had and was very confused.
"Zef! Zef, what in the name of the Valar do you mean?" Naurrîn called picking up her things and the hem to her skirt before running after the black-cloaked wizard. Zefron didn't stop or even turn around as he heard her running towards him.
"What are you talking about milady?" Eowyn asked catching up with her elven friend. Naurrîn gave up on Zefron and turned to face Eowyn.
"I am talking about how Zef never tells me anything and not to mention is not listening to me again!" Naurrîn said throwing her things down on the ground and walking away, only to stop and grab her things from the ground before continuing.
"You tell me that oh so very often milady." Eowyn sighed and began walking towards Helm's Deep once more. Naurrîn was very angry and stayed clear of Zefron for the day while she tried to calm down by either hitting Aragorn, Legolas or Gimli and blaming it on Zefron, either that or by hitting random things.
Night fell to slowly for Naurrîn's taste as she watched all of the pretty colours of the sunset from atop quite a large hill. Away from the villagers as she started to grow annoyed at them.
"May I join you?" asked a voice form behind her. Naurrîn leapt up, whipped her daggers out and held them at the ready only to face a double of Zefron with his hood down and a cloud of mist. She smiled and nodded then sat down again.
"Of course Zefron, what other answer to that question would there be?" she replied before staring back out towards the setting sun. Zefron's double walked over and sat down next to her and put his arm around her shoulder.
"I apologize for the actions of Zefra and myself." Zefron said. Naurrîn smiled and rested her head on his shoulder.
"Apologies accepted my prince." She said quietly as she looked up into his deep blue eyes and he into her hazel/aqua ones.
"Am I interrupting something?" asked Zefra's double appearing in front of them. Naurrîn and Zefron quickly pulled away from each other and blushed.
"N-nothing at all Zef," Naurrîn said trying to stop her cheeks from burning red. Zefra laughed.
"Nothing at all? Are you sure there is something I should know?" Zefra questioned raising an eyebrow. Both Zefron's double and Naurrîn shifted uncomfortably and avoided each other's gaze. "Wait a moment… I know the answer to that question and I do not want to be involved so I shall go, and so should you Zef." And with a small burst of white mist, Zefra was gone as quick as she came. Naurrîn watched as Zefron disappeared the same way his sister had.
"Why are you all alone up here Naurrîn?" Aragorn asked walking up behind her. Naurrîn jumped and whipped her daggers out and around again. Aragorn jumped back as he knew that Naurrîn would have had his head if she had a chance.
"Sorry Aragorn, I failed to hear you come up." Naurrîn put her daggers away and received an odd look from Aragorn that said, 'You failed to hear me?'.
"What are you two doing?" Eowyn asked walking over with Zefron by her side, favoring his left arm still even though it was now in a makeshift sling.
"Yes, what were you doing?" Zefron said looking smug.
"May you die a slow and horrible death." Naurrîn hissed looking at her friend with a death glare. Aragorn and Eowyn looked at her with strange looks on their faces.
"Did I ruin a moment?" Zefron asked tilting his head to the side in question. Naurrîn opened and closed her mouth, searching for an answer.
"You are impossible!" she yelled before storming away with the tips of her pointed ears a bright red colour.
"Indeed you are Lord Zefron," Eowyn stated running after her elven friend. Aragorn looked at Zefron with a puzzled look upon his face.
"I would not ask her if I were you Aragorn, she can hold quite a grudge and likes to threaten any race to get what she wants." Zefron said, as Aragorn was about to say something.
"Has she done so to you?" Aragorn asked. Zefron nodded his hooded head.
"Sometimes she can be even more stubborn than I." He said watching Naurrîn in amusement as she took her anger out on a sack of clothes. Aragorn followed his gaze and saw it too, with Eowyn now trying to get Naurrîn to calm down.
"Is that even possible may I ask?" Aragorn questioned turning to the elven wizard for an answer. Zefron sighed.
"According to Naurrîn there is no other more than I but I do believe that my –umm- sister had been." Zefron replied wincing as he accidentally moved his shoulder again. "Well I should go and get a bit of rest, I bid you farewell milord."
Aragorn nodded in acknowledgement as he watched the young elf walk over to his horse than to his tent.
"What a strange elf Zefron is milord." Eowyn said walking up behind him. "Though he is quite mysterious."
"He has been quite the asset throughout all our journey, although I must agree with him being strange." Aragorn said. "And somewhat untrustworthy…"
On the way to Helm's Deep: Day Four…
Naurrîn groaned and rolled over as something nudged her in the shoulder.
"Leave me be," she muttered batting her hand at whoever it was. A soft nicker was the response; Naurrîn laughed and blinked a few times before looking up at the great black horse above her.
"Templa, I thought I told you and your master not to wake me up this late… late!" Naurrîn cried jumping up and looking at her surrounding in horror. Everyone had left without her!
"Oh Valar! For Eru's sake Templa why did you not wake me sooner!" Naurrîn cursed as she quickly packed her things up into her small pack. Templa bent down a bit to help the elleth on.
"I am going to kill Zef for not waking me! That arrogant, self-centered…" Naurrîn continued to rant for the next few hours until she finally caught up to the Rohirrim in the back.
"What are you doing on the wizards horse milady?" Frieda asked as Naurrîn pulled Templa up beside her and her brother.
"'Tis Zef's entire fault let me tell you, oh when I get my hands on that wizard…" Naurrîn said wringing Templa's reigns at emphasize her point. Frieda and her brother looked at her very oddly as Naurrîn pushed Templa into a gallop and tried to get near the front to unleash her wrath upon her elven friend.
"Naurrîn! What a pleasant surprise to see you mellon-nîn." Zefron stated as if she had been there all morning.
"Why did you not wake me… Zef? Zef are you listening to me?" Naurrîn questioned jumping off Templa and walking over to Zefron, who had suddenly just stopped. "What a perfect time to get a vision. Go ahead, escape my wrath for now."
"Oh Valar!" cursed Zefron falling to the ground as he came out of his vision. Naurrîn, who had started walking away before, ran over to the fallen wizard.
"Zef, what is the matter? What did you see…?" Naurrîn's worry was cut short by a loud growl and a battle cry up ahead a bit.
"You do not want to know," Zefron replied quietly before getting up.
"What is it? What do you see?" Theoden asked riding up towards a small hill.
"Wargs! We're under attack!" Aragorn yelled as he ran down the hill from where the noise had come from.
"That is what," Zefron simply stated.
"Wargs!" screamed many of the women of Rohan. Naurrîn and Zefron covered their sensitive, pointed ears from the many high-pitched shrieks.
"You must lead the people to Helm's Deep." Theoden said to his niece.
"I can fight…" protested Eowyn.
"No, you must do this, for me." Theoden stated. "All riders to the head of the column!" As he rode up the hill a bit.
"I am fighting too!" Naurrîn called as Zefron hopped onto Templa.
"You are absolutely doing no such thing Naurrîn." Zefron said firmly. "I have seen the future of this battle with you in it, and let me just say that there was much death and I do not want to face the wrath of him if you die."
"I do not care! I am fighting and that is that!" Naurrîn argued.
"I am sorry for having it come to this my friend. But I shall see you in Helm's Deep."
"Wha-?" Naurrîn started to say when Zefron hit her in the back of the head and knocked her unconscious.
"I am terrible sorry, but you would have followed me otherwise." Zefron stated simply. He called Eowyn over and told her that Naurrîn had fallen and knocked her head on a rock.
"I will take her to Helm's Deep, put her onto my horse milord." Eowyn said. Zefron quickly did so and nodded his thanks to her before swinging onto Templa, very carefully though, and heading off into battle, bent on revenge.
DarkAngelPearl- Yes I know I should have, but then he would have sent you to Mordor. And if you had said 'Are we there yet?' once more before the song… you will never find out. (Cue evil laughter)Jousting Elf with a Sabre- I feel SO SPECIAL now! I'm SO glad you liked it! And I'm glad I'm only an evil one not an Evil evil one. Hope this chapter was to your satisfaction!
Legolas's Girl 9: Yes Zefron is an elf and don't worry, we all have blond moments… or days too.