Aragorn looked at a servant who entered the room.
"I am sorry my Lord, but there is a girl outside, she is much persistent that we allow her to see you, forgive me."
"Do not fear, I was doing nothing of importance." And Aragorn followed her, secretly wondering who it was that had interrupted his recording of a very old friend…
---oOoOo---
Aragorn stepped into the blacksmith's shop. 'The best in town' he had been assured. Behind the desk was a young woman, who looked to be no more than fifteen. She was absently brushing strands of straw colored hair from her face as she polished a metal plate with an old rag. He stood waiting patiently for her to look up.
"Oh! Sorry My Lord, Papa always tells me I must stop daydreaming," she wiped her hands on her brown and green skirt and smiled.
"My name is Scildides, I am the black smith's daughter. How might I help you, Captain?" she had clearly noticed the bands around his arms. He smiled and nodded.
"Yes my lady, I have some chain mail that has come loose from constant abuse, I am rather fond of it and would prefer to have it fixed rather than gather new mail."
"Well, if it's broken it makes more sense to get new mail, but I shall see what I can do." She took the offered chain mail and examined it.
"This is elven make or I have not a bit of sense in my head."
"Indeed it is My lady."
"I do not remember introducing myself as Lady, Captain."
"And I do not remember introducing myself as Captain."
"Then your memory fails you, for you have given me no name," she replied with a simple smile.
"Where I come from it is not custom for a girl to challenge her elder," he replied smoothly.
"I would not think it a custom in Rivendell, but we are not there, and still you give me no name."
"Which name would you like? For I have many."
"The name by which those you trust call you," she replied, beginning to hammer the mail.
"Then that would be Strider or Estel," he replied.
"Hope?"
"You know the elven tongue?"
"Nay, but I met an elf several years ago when I was but a girl. He said he had a little brother I reminded him of, the child's name was Estel."
"I was no child then, Scildides, I was far older." She smiled at him.
"This mail, your brother gave it to you, he showed me elven work, he made it while here. I can repair it, and you have him to thank."
"Then indeed I came to the right blacksmith, but what are you doing here, in the middle of all this war?"
"I am doing what I do best, I am fixing the armor." She smiled, and held up the mail. "Only two were broken, twas easy to fix," she said.
"How much, Scildides?"
"No charge," she replied.
"Surely your father will be mad?"
"Consider it a thank you; your brother saved my baby sister. Perhaps you will meet her yet Strider."
"Perhaps." She smiled and nodded, going back to her polishing, she looked up again when she realized he was still there.
"Is there something else I may help you with, captain?"
"I am not certain, but perhaps you would be willing to fix something for my friend, I will pay you of course."
"As I told you once before, you will find no charge from me," she said. "Papa! I must go make a call, I shall be back soon!"
"Very well, be careful Scildi!"
"Always Papa."
"Scildi? If it's not too much trouble, take Fingaer with you."
"May I take the child?"
"Aye, my friend would be delighted. But may I ask, a child with an elven name?"
"You brother saved her, five years ago, I asked him to name her. I had hoped to journey with her to Rivendell once, so he could see her, but when Mama died I took over the smithy, Papa was never good at it. Fingaer! Come along child, we are going to help someone!" A five year old girl with the reddest hair Aragorn had ever seen ran around the corner and stuck her little hand into her sister's.
"She is lovely," Aragorn said sincerely, smiling at Scildides.
"Tell your brother that, is has been five years since they last met, now, I believe you have something that needs fixing?"
"Yes, follow me." Scildides nodded, and tugged the five year old behind her, on their way out she grabbed an apron and two packs and handed one to the little girl. Tying the apron about her waist she smiled and squinted in the sun.
"Stars it has been a while since I've been outside, oh, here comes Blanca, now I am going to be goaded into dinner again…" she sighed. "Remind me to stop feeding the soldiers sometime," she said to Aragorn. The Gondorian captain nodded smiling softly.
"Why, hello Scildi, what are you doing outside, you should be in there polishing your armor!" the new man teased. Scildides fixed him with a glare that would have fried bacon.
"I'm on a call if you couldn't tell by my clean apron!" she replied, grinning brightly.
"That's clean?" both men said at the same time. She frowned shaking her head and muttering something that Aragorn was quite sure his brother had taught her. They continued walking, and Scildides got the message that Aragorn wished the other not to come with them, she wasn't sure why, but whatever he thought best she would listen to.
"Blanca, I have work to do, farewell," she said smoothly, the transition from joking to business seeming effortless.
"Ah yes, sorry Scildi, farewell." She nodded and watched him walk off. She shook her head.
"Sorry Captain, he just likes to follow me. Finny! What are you doing, come back here!" the girl swooped her little sister into her arms, heedless of the heavy packs they both carried. Scildides sighed.
"Scamp," she said affectionately. They reached a tent and Strider stopped, frowning slightly.
"My friend is not doing well, he was taken captive two months ago, and left to die two weeks ago, he is still jumpy, I warn you so that you are not alarmed."
"I have seen far worse, Strider." He nodded and opened the tent flap. In the back sat a figure on a bed, he watched her approach with narrowed eyes.
"Estel?"
"I am here mellon nin," Aragorn spoke from just behind the girl. "This is Scildides and her sister Fingaer, they know Elladan."
"Call me Scildi," Scildides said quickly, frowning as her eyes adjusted to the darkness.
"Finny!" the five year old said happily. The figure stood up, smiling easily.
"Legolas," he said in way of introduction.
"Prince Legolas of Mirkwood?" she asked suddenly with widening eyes.
"Yes…" the elf answered hesitantly.
"You are the one who caused Elladan to shoot himself in the foot," she said, putting the elf at ease.
"Aye, that would be me," the elf replied. A loud knock rang in the tent.
"I heard elf speak Captain! Let me take care o that beggar for you!" a voice of a Rohirric soldier sounded outside. The elf visibly flinched.
"Strider, keep Finny and your friend in here," she said already starting for the door. She stepped into the sunlight, her freckled face set in a glare.
"Heoru! You come from a more noble line then that! How dare you speak so to me and my sister, and your captain no less. For shame! That was a most rotten thing of you to do. You will tell no one of what you heard, or you will have me to deal with, understood?" she hissed. The angry chiding had been entirely in Rohirric, but Aragorn had understood every word. He translated quietly in elvish.
"Sorry Scildides," the man muttered turning and walking quickly away. She rolled her eyes and walked back inside to a small applause. Rolling her eyes again she sighed.
"And he honestly thinks I'd take him for a husband," she muttered, studying the elf. "Do not take his talk to heart; he is truly an obnoxious person. But my, are you skinny!"
"I was not often fed in the corsair camp," the elf said softly. She shook her head.
"If I didn't know better I'd say you were no more than twenty, however I do know better. I am going to cook you two some food. And might as well add Eorllic in too, he is a small child." Sighing she looked at the bemused faces of the elf and captain.
"She reminds me off Elladan," Aragorn said to the other, causing the first smile to grace the elf's face that Aragorn had seen in two weeks.
"I do not want to know," Scildides said with finality. She ducked outside the tent.
"I'll be back, and you can keep Finny for me, also, if Heoru comes back and gives your trouble let me know, he doesn't listen very well." With a slight wave the girl had left the tent, her main of straw swinging in a braid behind her has she walked down the path, greeting people familiarly.
"She is to young to be in a war camp," Legolas said.
"She has no choice, she is helping her people as best she may, she reminds me of Theodwyn, does she not?"
"I have not met the Princess, I most likely will not Estel, no, do not give me that look. You don't need to protect me, I am fine, truly I am."
"I think Scildides disagrees," another voice spoke from outside the tent. Legolas jumped, causing Aragorn to scowl at the intruder.
"Sorry, I did not mean to interrupt, but Fingaer can be a handful and I would be happy to watch her for you, Scildi's been talked into ordering some things, so it will be a bit before she comes back." The blond haired Rohirrim whom Aragorn recognized as Blanca smiled.
"Hello Finny, how are you little one?"
"Good!" was the enthusiastic reply. Aragorn nodded to the man, he could see the slight tremble of Legolas' hands. He was not ready to trust anyone just yet.
--oOo--
Death. The field reeked of death. Scildides stood beside her prince, both equals on the battle field as they surveyed the destruction.
"STRIDER!" her voice rang out through the clear air. "Legolas! Strider!" she called again, horror etched on her face.
"My Lady, none out there are alive," Théoden said softly, sparing her a saddened glance.
"They are not dead. They are NOT!" her voice shook, and she took off at a run, her hair flowing behind her in streamers.
"Strider! Legolas!" she cried out, again and again. Her whole frame shook, her eyes brimming with tears. Then she saw him, the elven prince's silver hair gleamed in the sun, nearly obscured by the heavy corsairs that surrounded him, and next to him lay Aragorn. His own dark hair matched that of the Gondorians' and were it not for the elven Prince beside him she would not have known him.
"Strider!" her voice was horse to her ears as she fell to her knees beside the prone figures.
Aragorn opened his eyes, though it took effort. Honey colored eyes hovered above him and Aragorn had to think for many minutes on who she was.
"Scildi? Is…Legolas?" she shook her head.
"I do not know, let me check," but before she leaned towards the elf prince she called for help.
"Prince Théoden! Princess Theodwyn! Some Gondorian survivors!" The Prince and Princess, nearly equals in height and looks were running towards her. She leaned over the elf Prince and gently touched his cheek. The elf flinched, ducking to the left to avoid her touch.
"No…" his whisper was hoarse, "Estel…"
"Hush Legolas, hush," she managed through grateful tears, they were alive, they were both alive. Her hands shook as she pulled the elf of, knowing that he was barely excepting her touch and would not take kindly to others. She could see the gentle tremble of his graceful limbs and the slowly falling tears.
"Estel," he said weakly. She smiled.
"Estel is safe," she replied. He frowned at her.
"Then why are you crying?"
"You're both alive. I was scared…I thought you would die. I am just glad you live."
---oOoOo---
Aragorn stared in disbelief at the girls before him. One had hair the color of straw, the other had hair redder than any he had seen, except on one girl.
"Strider?" the taller one spoke, a smiling spreading out over her features as she grabbed the man in an embrace.
"I am sorry Lord Estel, she was persistent," a servant murmured.
"Scildi!" he said in surprise. "But, what are you doing here!"
"I told you I was going to take my sister to see her savior someday. Finny, come here, do you remember Thorongil and Legolas?"
"How could I forget the first elf I ever met?" the girl replied shyly. Aragorn was surprised at the difference between the younger, shy girl and her older, outgoing sister.
"Not your first Fingaer, there is someone I have wanted you to meet for many years," Scildides replied smoothly. Reminding Aragorn of the child he had met, he smiled.
"Elladan! Come out here for a moment!" he called into the house. The elf walked out, looking confused. Scildides smiled broadly.
"Elladan, I would like you to meet Fingaer." The elf's eyes widened.
"Little Finny?"
"Aye, milord," the small redhead said instantly. The elf watched her with disbelief, then hugged both her and Scildides.
"I can not thank you enough for saving my brother and Legolas," Elladan began. But Scildi waved him off.
"It is like what I always told your brother," she replied smoothly, "No charge."
-----After the Crowning of King Elessar during His first month of Rule---
King Elessar of Gondor watched in amusement as two guards carried a squirming girl into his throne room.
"Valar, she looks like she might actually plan on fighting them," Legolas remarked into his ear from the left.
"Hush, I am supposed to be a great King, remember?" he hissed back.
"My King, this commoner says she has an important message," one of the guards said.
"I do, and put me down!" said girl cried indignantly.
"Put her down, now, how can I help you child?"
"I carry a message from one you have not seen in thirty years. She says that she will see you only if you can figure out whom she is."
"What is the message then?" the king asked, his curiosity piqued.
"You look to skinny, I wish to make you a meal; my skills are less than what they were. But they are yet decent. I would ask also to see your chain mail. Oh, and Strider, no charge," the girl read from a note. Both the King of Gondor and Prince of Mirkwood laughed till tears ran down their faces.
"Guards! Release her; this is a lady of noble birth if my guess is correct. My child, tell Scildides I accept if she will only tell me the place and time!"
"I will lead you to her house next week, she asks you bring Legolas and if your lovely wife would allow it herself. She desires to meet the Wife of one she holds very highly."
"Tell her we shall be there, but I wish to know, what relation have you to her?"
"I am her niece, my mother and I live with her."
"Send Scildi my regards, and Fingaer as well, tell them I look forward to our meeting." The girl nodded and left, not dropping a curtsey. She simply smiled at the King and prince and left. Aragorn and Legolas shared another chuckle at the bewildered guards and Aragorn went to inform his wife of this development.
--oOo--
Aragorn and Legolas stepped into a brightly lit room, the small house was simple, but homey and well lit. It reminded Aragorn of his home in Rivendell. A woman excited one of the rooms. Her face was oval shaped and her hair mixed with strands of straw colored hair and hay. She was dressed in a simple green dress, akin to those she had worn in Rohan. Her smiled broadened as she embraced the two she knew well, and smiled broadly at the elven queen.
"It is nice to see you, in his few letters, Strider has spoken of you," she said in a conversational tone. Her hands idly brushing strands of hair out of her face, making Aragorn remember the young girl he had met forty years ago. She motioned for them to sit down, smiling warmly at the queen.
"I believe she was the subject of your last letter?"
"Aye, he was, I am sorry, kingly duties you know!"
"Ah, but you weren't a king two years ago, if you were you would have known I moved to Gondor. Tell Eowyn I would like to meet her before my death won't you? The daughter of my best friend is important. But come, tell me of yourself!" Legolas and Aragorn grinned and proceeded to tell her of all that had happened, but when the young woman who was her niece left the room Scildides face turned serious.
"She has no future in Gondor, Strider. She deserves better. She has all my spirit, but not the friends to express it with. She is scorned by the few girl's we live near due to her Rohirric heritage. I would not ask this of anyone else, but I will not see my niece rot away in this house. Strider, is there any way she could join that hobbit lass as one of your wife's ladies?"
"Of course!" Arwen answered immediately. "But I must insist you move up to the palace, surely…"
"No, I need to move again. I believe I will go back to Rohan. I may only be sixty, but my time comes soon. I lived a good life, but I need my plains again. Eomer has agreed to take me back when he leaves. Fingaer will stay here, she is in her element about these noble's." She smiled ruefully.
"I am glad to be able to see you."
"The world will be a sadder place when you leave it Scildi," Aragorn said.
"I do not think so, though it may be more calm…" she murmured, her eyes looking out the window towards the setting sun.
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The end! This was a rather odd one shot that came to me whilst I was watching "A Knight's Tale" Scildides is loosely based on the character Kate. Please review and tell me what you think!
Disclaimer: I do not own LotR. I own only Scildides and Fingaer. And Blanca and Heoru.
Note: Scildides is Rohirric for Shield Maiden. Thank you dreamingfifi!