When the black breath blows

and death's shadow grows

and all lights pass,

come athelas! come athelas!

Life to the dying

In the king's hand lying! ¹

- - - Aragorn - - -

Almost as soon as Legolas, Gimli, Grace, and I were done searching the battlefield for survivors of our side, I was called to the healing room to help care for several people. When I entered I saw Faramir, Merry, and the beautiful Éowyn. They were all lying unconscious. When I looked closer at the Steward's son, I saw he had slight burns on his body.

I saw that without help, they would soon become mere memories for Éowyn and Meriadoc had already passed into the dreams of shadows and Faramir's fever was far beyond breaking point. I hurriedly asked a healer if they had athelas within the city. When she said there was none, I wanted to despair, for nothing else could save them. Gandalf sent her off in search of even a leaf of kingsfoil. She sent an herb-master back. He was no help to me, repeating old folk-lore.

After a long while, as I stood by Faramir's side, calling his name quietly over and over, a boy came running in, holding six leaves of athelas for my use. I crushed it in between my hands and used it to tend to Faramir quickly, before he was lost to the land of the living forever.

I decided then that we would rest the night in Gondor. In the morning, along with the remaining Gondorian soldiers and Riders of Rohan, we would make our way Mordor to distract Sauron from keeping a watchful eye out for Sam and Frodo. Though this seemed like suicide to many, Gandalf had persuaded us that it was for the best. If the hobbits were to succeed on their mission, we would have to give them time.

- - - Grace - - -

We watched Aragorn hurry away from the battlefield with Gandalf as we continued to pick for survivors. I saw Legolas turn and scan the field for something. When I saw him start to move, I called to him.

"Come, mela. There is someone screaming."

I was a little sceptical at first until we saw a young man - a boy really - lying on the ground, clutching his stomach one hand, and unable to move his other arm due to the fact that it looked to be broken. I almost immediately closed my eyes and turned my head so I wouldn't have to look at this mess of a person.

I must have been swaying on my feet because Legolas came up beside me and tilted my face up to look at him. "Be strong Grace. This boy needs us to help him." Realizing this was true, I turned again and tried to focus on the boy's eyes and nothing else.

I knelt down beside him as Legolas did as much as he could with cloth, and then went to bring the nearest horse as a transport. "What's your name?" I asked him.

"I am - Br-" He seemed to be in so much pain that I clasped his hand with my own. I felt him squeeze back surprisingly strong, which I took to be a good sign. "Brantin... Son of Brantil."

"I'm Grace," I told him. "How old are you?"

I shuddered as he said, "Sixteen." That was too young to be witnessing these kinds of things.

Legolas arrived back at that point with one of the Riddermark. Together, we pulled Brantin up and set him, as comfortably as possible, in front of the Rider. His horse sidestepped and Legolas said some quick words in elvish and patted it between the ears before it took off at a steady pace towards the city.

"War isn't a pretty thing," I said sadly as Legolas and I walked slowly towards the closest hole in the great wall of the city. Gimli was strolling not far in front of us, and I slowed down, not wanting to be with other people, yet not knowing why.

"It never has been. I have seen countless wars and not one ended beautifully." Legolas sighed and I reached for his hand. There weren't many times when I noticed the time of Legolas' life wearing on him so I felt the need to comfort him when it did.

Even though we weren't moving quickly, we soon came up beside Gimli. He looked like he was about to collapse from exhaustion and seeing him covered in dirt and blood, stumbling towards the city, made me long for a bath and a soft bed.

Once in the city, we were located by one of the Steward's servants. He escorted us to a large, clean room up near the top centre of the city. The walk was so long I thought Gimli and I would both have to be carried by Legolas for half of it. But we made and it was worth it as I saw red hangings around the biggest bed I'd ever seen in my entire life.

"Lord Aragorn will be escorted here also, as soon as he is finished in the House of Healing."

Legolas nodded as the servant left. He started to smile as Gimli removed his boots, chest plate, and helmet and took straight to the bed. I shook my head and made for the bathroom that was attached to the room. Gasping, I saw a bath that was easily three times the size of any I'd seen before it. It was filled already and there were rose petals floating on the top of the water.

Even in the midst of war, the servants were still drawing baths and tending to guests. It baffled me.

I slid eagerly into the water and cringed as I watched it turn a light shade of red-brown. My clothes lying on the floor were stained that colour and I wondered how I could have worn them ever. I closed my eyes and relaxed at the feeling of the warm water caressing my tired muscles.

The next thing I knew, Legolas was kneeling beside me, brushing the back of his hand across my cheek. I started and sat straight up, only to realise I was completely naked. I curled my legs up to my chest and sunk down until the water was up past my mouth.

"I am sorry, mela. But you were asleep and I did not want anything bad to come of you. Aragorn has arrived and is waiting for his chance to clean himself. Clean clothes have been left for you with the towels." He gestured to his left. "I will go now."

He stood to leave, looking remarkably clean after just fighting a war.

"Legolas?" I called. He turned to look at me. "I - Will you braid my hair when I'm dressed?"

Instead of looking upset I hadn't asked him to stay (I think he knew I wasn't ready for that yet), he smiled down at me. "Of course," was all he said before he turned again and left the room.

- - - Legolas - - -

When Grace emerged from the bathing room, fully dressed in a long nightgown the maids had left for her, Aragorn let out a sigh of relief. "Women!" he said exasperated, and went to wash off.

Grace looked at me almost timidly and padded across the room quietly. I sat her facing the wall with her back to me as I carefully started the braiding process. She started asking me questions and telling me bits of her life. When on the quest, I forgot how different our backgrounds were. She was still young by human standards, but by elven standards she would have still been an infant.

I found it odd that none of this mattered to me as we sat there talking for the better part of an hour as I braided her hair.

"Spiders?!" she asked disbelieving, turning her head to look at me. "Like, the little web-spinning things with eight legs, right?"

"Yes," I answered and turned her head back gently with my hand. "Except they aren't so little in Mirkwood. Some get to be the size of a horse, easily."

She let out a noise of disgust as I finished her hair and slid a bit closer to her. When she felt me move, she leaned back onto me and closed her eyes. I brushed a piece of hair off her face as I leaned down and left a light kiss on her neck, above her collarbone. Her eyes snapped open and she sat up.

I watched as her eyes darted from mine, down to my mouth. I smiled gently as I realized she had only sat up out of surprise and not fear. Slowly, so much like the first time we had kissed, she leaned forward and tentatively touched her lips to my own. I slid a hand under her hair, along the back of her neck and her fingers reached out to grasp the neck of my shirt and pull me closer.

I was so absorbed in Grace at that moment that I didn't hear anything until a loud, "Ahem!" came from the bathroom. Slowly I felt Grace move back. I kissed her quickly again before turning and seeing Aragorn leaning against the doorframe and smirking at us.

"If you two don't mind, I'd like to go to sleep."

"Does it look like we mind?" Grace asked him.

Aragorn laughed at her. He easily looked ten years younger after refreshing himself with a bath. A yawn came from Grace and she stretched her arms high over her head, drawing out the scars on her wrists until they were only thin, white lines.

Aragorn understood that I wouldn't exactly appreciate laying beside the dirty dwarf all night so he crawled over Grace, who was already laying with her eyes closed, and moved the covers up to cover him. I moved Grace under the blanket and I lay beside her, tracing my fingers lightly up and down her sides. She opened her eyes tiredly and looked at me.

"G'night Legolas," she mumbled.

"Sleep well mela," I replied.

(A/N: Sorry for the long time updating. Don't beat me, please! Here's a long[ish] chapter for you to make up for it. Review, mmmkay? I know this chapter sucked, but don't be brutal.)

¹ The Return of the King, page 847