A/N: Ai, so ye be wanting longer chapters, do ye? Well, I shall have to oblige. Okay, I'll give you a hint: Something's going to happen in this chapter that's probably going to make most of you say "FINALLY!"

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Eaoden was in something of a daze as he wandered the battlefield. He had a deep cut to his right side, and his left arm was broken. At least three of his ribs felt like they were shattered, and he believed that he would soon collapse. Sometime after he avoided being killed by the Mumakil, his helm had fallen off. His cape was torn, and his armor was dented.

Basically, he looked like death.

But at least it was over, for the time being. Eaoden had survived. Up ahead, he saw several figures that were blurred from his weakening vision. Eaoden stumbled towards them, not really seeing, and tripped over an Orc corpse. "Eaoden!" One of the figures cried. Dimly, Eaoden felt someone grab his arm and support him. "Eaoden, friend! Are you all right?"

"Elegost?" Eaoden murmured.

"Yes, it's me. Here," He pulled the Rohirran's arm over his shoulders.

"You… you all survived the Paths?" Eaoden asked.

"Yes, we did. Fear not, we'll get you help." Eaoden forced himself to move forward while Elegost led him on. It seemed like forever until they stopped, and Elegost started to speak to Aragorn. Carefully, he lowered the Outrider to the ground. Aragorn began to mumble, passing his hand over Eaoden's torso. The Rohirran man stiffened, but his body gradually relaxed, and the pain that had once so viciously stabbed at him was gone.

Eaoden, suddenly feeling stronger, sat up. Not a twinge of pain was left in his arm, side, or ribs. "Thank you," he said gratefully to Aragorn. "I am in your debt, Lord Aragorn." Aragorn smiled.

"You are not, Eaoden. I heal others because I can. You are my friend- did you seriously think I would allow you to suffer?" Eaoden returned the smile, but then he became serious.

"Where is King Theodan?" He asked urgently. Aragorn's smile faded quickly, and he was solemn. Behind him, Elegost lowered his head in respect of the dead.

"King Theodan perished," Aragorn said softly. "The Witch King broke his spine. Eowyn slew the Nazgul in her anger." Eaoden gaped.

"Lady Eowyn smote the Witch King?" He said in barely a whisper. Elegost nodded.

"With the help of Merry and Morwen. I have not been able to find the latter, but Merry and Eowyn have been taken to the Houses of Healing. Berethor is also unaccounted for." He explained. Eaoden went cold. The King dead, his niece near death and two of his friends unaccounted for.

"This is ill news," Eaoden said gravely, standing up and brushing his cloak off his shoulders.

"Indeed," Aragorn agreed. Just then, Legolas and Hadhod came up to them.

"Lord Denethor is dead," The elf said. "He was caught on fire and leapt from the seventh level. Pippin, Gandalf and a young woman claiming to be Berethor's sister witnessed it." Eaoden gaped. Another leader was dead? This had been a costly battle.

"How did he catch on fire?" Elegost asked, his brow furrowed. Hadhod snorted.

"The crazy old fool finally lost his mind. The story is long, so ask Gandalf if you crave details. We just know the outline." The dwarf said.

"Have you found Berethor and Morwen yet?" Legolas asked. Aragorn sighed.

"No." He replied.

"Actually, yes." Idrial and Gimli came forward, and all eyes were on them. "Morwen had several broken ribs, and Berethor has both that, a concussion and a broken leg." Idrial recounted. "I'd say Morwen got off easy."

"Aye," Gimli said. "Did you hear? Lord Denethor-"

"Yes, we heard he's dead." Eaoden interrupted. Gimli gaped.

"He's dead? There's something young Adelaide left out!" He saw the confused looks, and added- "One of Berethor's sisters. She told us that Denethor went mad, and tried to burn his son Faramir because he thought he was dead!"

"Yes," Idrial confirmed. "Even when Pippin kept telling him that Faramir was alive, he would not listen."

"Where are Berethor and Morwen now?" Aragorn asked.

"Houses of Healing, the third and fourth beds down from the right-hand end. Eowyn and Merry as well." Gimli said.

"I'd better see to them," Aragorn said.

"I'll go with you," Elegost said. "I have the sudden urge to get dead drunk." Hadhod waved his axes lightly.

"I second that motion," He said.

"As do I," Gimli muttered. He turned to Eaoden. "Wish to join us, laddie?" Eaoden groaned.

"No, I've learned my lesson about drinking. I'm just going to sleep." He looked at Idrial and Legolas. "Coming?" He asked.

"I'm not," She said. "I'm afraid I dropped something back at the dock, and I must go look for it."

"I'll go with you," Legolas volunteered. Aragorn and Elegost exchanged fleeting looks, and smirked privately with one another.

"If you wish," Aragorn said. He shot a sly smile at Legolas. "Have fun," he said. Legolas went pink, and turned to follow Idrial.

"What did you drop?" He asked as the distance between them and their friends widened.

"A pendant my brother gave me when we were children," She smiled wryly. "Serves me right for wearing it in battle." They reached the dock, and the two elves began to scan the ground for anything that resembled a pendant. Legolas spotted a glint of a light, milky-blue color in the midst of the dead Orcs. He bent down to examine it, and pulled out a necklace with a beautiful blue stone attached to it.

"Is this it?" He asked, holding up the pendant. Idrial turned, and smiled.

"Yes, it is. Hannon lle, Legolas." She reclaimed the pendant, and found that she was less than a foot away from the other elf. She noticed a fairly large cut on his cheek, and she carefully reached up and brushed it. "Where did you get this?" She asked. Legolas reached up and touched the cut.

"I don't know… I didn't know it was there until you mentioned it. Is it bleeding?" Idrial shook her head.

"No…" She mumbled something under her breath and gently pressed her hand against the small slash mark. The skin knitted itself together in seconds, as though nothing had ever happened.

"Thank you," Legolas said. Idrial smiled, and tilted her head to the side a little.

"Consider it a show of thanks for finding my pendant." There was a pause, and not for the first time, Idrial discovered that she was smack dab in front of Legolas again. Funny how that always seemed to happen. It was about two seconds after this first observation that she realized her hand was still on his cheek. She blushed, but he did not seem to mind. Her hand unconsciously moved to his neck, and before she was overly aware of what was happening, he had an arm around her waist. And they were kissing.

Idrial's mind was too clouded to berate herself for this. If anything, she leaned into it. The difference between this kiss and Berethor and Morwen's kiss was that no one was around to interrupt them, and so both could go on until they had to pause for breath.

When they did, Idrial turned an interesting shade of crimson. She opened her mouth to say something… and the words died on her tongue. What could she say? Legolas also seemed at a loss for words. They simply stood there, in the same position they had began. Finally, Idrial carefully pulled her arm away from his neck, however reluctantly, and brought it back to her side. Legolas pulled his arm back as well. There was a long and awkward pause, and Idrial looked at the ground.

"…Shall we go back now?" Legolas asked. Idrial looked up, knowing full well that she was still blushing. Still at a loss for words, she simply nodded, tucked her pendant into her pocket, and started walking. Along the way, though, she felt Legolas reach down and tentatively squeeze her hand.

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Berethor and Morwen were awake when the two elves returned, but were being forced to lie still by Eaoden and Elegost. "You've both had massive injuries, and you're tired as h-ll. Just humor us and lie still, all right?"

"No!" Morwen snapped, attempting to get up again. "Not all right! I'm fine, restless, and I want to get up!" She snarled, sending Elegost a look that would have made a cave troll cower.

"You're just telling yourself that. Lie back." Hadhod snapped. Legolas and Idrial exchanged amused looks, and then Legolas went to find Gimli and Aragorn. The other six noticed the elf and fell silent. There was a pause, and they all exchanged looks with one another.

"So," said Berethor, sitting up. "Our company has reunited." There were nods from all, some more slow than others.

"We have come far," Idrial said. "From Eregion… to Moria… to Lothlorien…"

"To the Emnet Gullies," Elegost added, leaning against the wall.

"To the Rohan," Hadhod continued.

"To Helms Deep," Morwen said.

"And then to Gondor. We have endured so much." Eaoden finished.

"Aye," Hadhod agreed. "More than most companies can endure." Berethor smirked.

"We are no simple company, Hadhod. We are of all races- human, elf, dwarf, and we all come from different places. Elegost is from Ithilien, Idrial from Lothlorien, you from the mountains, Eaoden and Morwen from Rohan, and I from Gondor. How many people from so different places get along so well without murdering each other?"

"With a high bit of tolerance and much ale," Hadhod grunted. Idrial and Morwen laughed.

"Come, Hadhod, it hasn't been too bad," Elegost chuckled.

"Eh. I suppose not." The Dwarf admitted. Idrial suddenly went serious.

"You all speak as though the war was over," She said quietly. "When we still have yet one more battle to face." Everyone's smiles dropped immediately. They all knew she was right- they had won the battle, but not the war.

They still had to face Mordor head-on.

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The story's winding to an end! The tension builds!