Disclaimer: Not mine.
To My Readers: Thank you to all of you who reviewed! Here's the next chapter, as promised, if a bit late. Please continue to read this story, I've spent a whole bunch of time writing this and it would be terribly disappointing to know that I'd wasted all that time on something that no one enjoyed.
Now, on with the show:
Celeborn angrily read the message from her daughter that he eagle had brought him. Consent and condone the love of a March Warden and a Princess! It was pure folly! And what was now worse was that that Warden had the Estelara hanging from his neck!
He angrily tossed the letter across his desk, leaning back in his chair and closing his eyes. He tried to think of a suitable punishment for Haldir but none came to mind. He did not wish to send him to exile, for the first place he could go would be Edoras. Yet he longed to have his daughter back among the golden trees of Lorien. He refused to compromise.
Should he send his forces to Edoras to retrieve her? Or would that cause conflict with Rohan and begin a war?
"When did this come in?" A light voice asked, disrupting his thought. He looked up into the watery eyes of his wife, she held the letter from Naltariel in her hand. She had read it.
"Just now." He replied. "Safely in Edoras! Ha! They probably forced her to write that note."
"And they would know to tie it with strands of her hair? Or to write it in elvish, few Men understand the language." Galadriel said angrily. "Had you not of made up that excuse for Lord Lathun coming here she would not have fled! And still you refuse to accept their love! She has given him the Estelara, such gifts are not given lightly!"
"What will the people say when they hear of this?" Celeborn demanded. "Haldir is beneath her, and you know that!"
"Love does not come in levels, Celeborn! And Haldir is not beneath her, as you say, he is equal to her. I had foreseen this when they were children, and so did you! You knew it would happen sooner or later and now it has. Had you made no preparation for it, Celeborn the Wise?" Galadriel cried.
A light knock sounded at the door and after being called in Haldir appeared, the Estelara hanging openly from his throat. Celeborn sucked in an angry breath, his cheeks red with fury.
"She will not come." Haldir said emotionlessly.
"Old news, Haldir." Celeborn snapped angrily, gesturing to the letter in Galadriel's hand. "So did you commence your love while you were at it?" He demanded spitefully.
Haldir's cheeks reddened a bit but he lifted his chin proudly. "I am sorry, underneath the stars with five score of overprotective Men only a fathom away did not see like the best place to do it."
"The Estelara does not belong to you." Celeborn said, his eyes falling angrily on the jewel.
"She gave it to me, so I would say that it does." Haldir said defiantly.
Haldir and Celeborn's eyes locked in a war of wills, each glaring at the other. Galadriel finally stepped between them. Her face was angry, but her eyes were filled with unshed tears.
"I give you my blessing, Haldir." Galadriel said quietly. "I just want her back."
Celeborn gawked at his wife so willingly giving consent to an Elf below her daughters stature. She was the Morning Hope and he was but a border guard. What good would come of it?
"Gather the troops of Lorien, we will send as many as we can to Rohan. Word will come to them tomorrow of the armies of Isengard. We cannot leave them to stand alone, we go to honor the Last Alliance." Galadriel ordered, quickly dismissing Haldir.
Haldir bowed to both the Lord and Lady and quickly exited the room, his heart soaring above the clouds. He had the blessing of Lady Galadriel and he would be travelling to Rohan as soon as his people could be gathered. Things were finally looking up.
*
Naltariel woke the next morning and went to find Lady Eowyn, she had a bad feeling. She found her kneeling sadly over the body of a young man weeping, he had been poisoned by an Orc weapon.
"Hiro hyn hidh ab wanath." (Let him find peace after death) Naltariel whispered.
Eowyn spun around staring at her in confusion for a moment. "I didn't hear you enter." She said after a moment.
"It would be very poor indeed if you had. Elves are supposed to be silent when they walk." Naltariel said quietly, stepping into the room. Her eyes were drawn to the man who lay upon the bed, he was so young . . . too young to die.
"He was my cousin, Theoden's only son. Now Rohan has no heir." Eowyn said sadly.
"What of Eomer?" Naltariel asked.
"He has been exiled. Disinheirited." She replied bitterly sweeping past Naltariel, wishing to be alone.
Naltariel sighed sadly and sat down on the side of the bed beside the boy. "Cuile selma voro eylen mi i Fanyar Marde." (Life will continue for you in the White Halls) She whispered, brushing her hand over the boys cold forehead.
A sound startled her and she quickly turned around to find the receding shadow of the King's advisor scurrying down the hall. She angrily got up and left the room, closing the door firmly behind her.
"Yasse nar elye vanwa, Ango?" (Where are you going, snake) She muttered, following him silently but tormenting his mind with questions and accusations as she went.
He led her to the throne room and that's where she stopped, sighing she gave up her chase and sent outside to take in the morning air. She found Eowyn doing the same, but she was looking at something to the east. Naltariel followed her gaze and saw three horses galloping to the gates.
She turned back to Eowyn to ask if they were expected but found that she had disappeared. Naltariel sighed and looked back to the visitors as they rode through the gate. Their horses were taken by stable hands as the approached Meduseld and they walked slowly up the steps. Now she recognized them.
"Firi! Lendente ator quettanta!" (Men! They went back on their word) Legolas cried when he saw Naltariel standing near the door to the throne room. He ran up the stairs to meet her.
"Legolas? Man na raica?" (What is wrong) She asked in concern at the expression on his face.
"Why are you here?" He hissed quietly.
"I came by choice, Legolas. I will not be wed off to once I do not love." She said stubbornly.
"You ran away?" He asked in surprise.
"Well . . . I guess, yes." She said slowly. His hand went to her head and found no scar from her wound.
"You were healed by Elves." He said.
"I went home for one night, then departed the next morn with the Men of Rohan." She explained, drawing him into a hug. They had been friends in earlier years, he had come to stay in Rivendell for some time when she had been residing there.
"Nar elye tanca elye nar varna?" (Are you sure you are safe) He asked quietly, the rest of his companions had come up the stairs and were waiting patiently for their reunion to end.
"Inye nar varna." (I am safe) She said firmly. Then she turned to the others. "Aragorn it is good to see you well. And you Gandalf, it has been quite some time since we last met. I am afraid I have not been introduced to you yet, Master Dwarf." She curtsied slightly, she could see Legolas holding in laughter from the corner of her eyes. The expression of the Dwarf was quite unique, but it would be rude to laugh.
"Gimi son of Gloin at your service, my Lady." The Dwarf said, bowing deeply in awe.
"I thank you for that, Gimli son of Gloin." She replied,curtsying again. Then led them to the doors. After the commotion with Hama, the door guard, for they all loathed to relinquish their weapons, they entered the throne room.
*
Haldir's men were assembled and as he looked upon them, he could not help the feeling of pride that came to his heart. It had been many long years since the Elves of Lorien had marched to war and now the feather shaped helms of the glistened in the rising sun.
"Proud Elves of Lothlorien!" He called clearly. "Today we march to the aid of Rohan. Lady Galadriel has foreseen the armies of Isengard marching out to crush these Men. We cannot let this happen. We will march to Helm's Deep, for the Lady has foreseen the people of Rohan fleeing Edoras to the protection the fortress provides. We go to honor the Last Alliance."
The Elves nodded and began to march swiftly from Lorien and towards Helm's Deep. He smiled, only one sight was fairer, in his eyes, than the graceful motions of the Elves marching to war. That fair sight was Naltariel, the Morning Hope and with any luck he would see her too before all this was through.
Only the bare minimum of soldiers that would be needed to watch over the borders were left behind. Galadriel had wished him luck and safety and the blessing of the Valar before he had gone to rally the soldiers.
*
"Edoras is to be emptied by order of the King. We will go to Helms Deep!" The messengers cried outside Naltariel's window. Galdalf had come and removed Saruman and Grima Wormtongue's hold on Rohan and now they fled to the safety of the mountain fortress. She shuddered, Eowyn had told her of the deep. She would be sent down into the caves with the rest of the women and children. The dead, lifeless caves of Ered Nimrais, and she would be stuck there for perhaps many days.
A light knock sounded on her door then was opened, it was Eowyn, dressed in a long brown travelling gown. Her sword was sheathed at her side. "Tell me of Aragorn." She ordered.
"What of him?" Naltariel asked, he had come to Rivendell near the end of her stay. He had been seventeen when she'd left.
"What is he like? Who is he really?" She asked cryptically, coming to sit on a chair in the room.
So Naltariel told her many stories of his childhood, his kindness and loyalty. His ferocity when those he cared for were in danger. The trouble and many incidents he had gotten into when he had first arrived at Rivendell. Him trying so hard to be an Elf and weeping when he could not tread as lightly or hear and see as well as them.
But she spoke nothing of his romance with Arwen Evenstar, even when asked directly who his heart belonged to. She had feigned that she did not know, and she wondered at that later. Why did she not tell the truth to Eowyn? That Aragorn son of Arathorn's heart belonged to Arwen, the Evenstar of the Elves, the daughter of Lord Elrond, Naltariel's niece though she was younger.
"You seem to know him well." Eowyn observed.
"He grew in my presence. I was there when he was first brought to the Elves and stayed until only three years before he left Rivendell. He has always been kind to me, and it saddens my heart to see him now." Naltariel said quietly.
"Saddens you?" Eowyn asked in surprise.
"I'm afraid his time in the wilderness has effected him deeply. He did not used to be so . . . I don't know the word. Perhaps harsh, yet he is not if you are a friend. Distant maybe, yes, distant. He tends to keep to himself more now than he had when he was younger, indeed he used to be quite a flirt, bringing flowers to all the elf-maids." She said, a small smile coming to her lips at he memory. "He was perhaps seven when he asked to wed me. It was sweet for a child of his age."
"So he feels for you?" She asked.
"He felt for every fair maiden in Rivendell when he was a child, that cannot be held against him. He has no romantic sentiment for me." Naltariel replied, the last of her things packed back away into the pack she had brought. "He has a kind and noble heart, Eowyn. Someday he will be a great king and all his people will love him."
*
Eomer sighed, looking up at the stars as he lay back on his sleeping mat. He had yet to get sleep this night, but still the dreams of the unwaking world eluded him. He closed his eyes and the face of a fair and beautiful Elf maiden came to his eyes, he opened his eyes again swiftly.
What was wrong with him? Why couldn't he just forget her and move on? Why did she continue to haunt him. It had been three days now since he had left her in Edoras and it had been three days since he had last slept.
A rustle in the grass drew him back from his thoughts, he turned his head to find Marik looking upon him with an expression of concern on his face. The man tossed down his own sleeping mat and sat down on it.
"What ails you, My Lord?" He asked.
"Nothing ails me, my friend." Eomer replied, looking back up to the stars above.
"Then why do you not sleep?" Marik asked.
Eomer sighed and sat up, he could see that many of his men were looking on their conversation in concern. "I wonder what would have happened, should we not have taken her to Edoras."
"You wished to keep her as a possession?" Marik asked in surprise.
"No, not a possession. A companion." Eomer said quietly. "She haunts me now. I cannot even close my eyes without seeing her face. I remember after the third battle when I took her out of harms way . . . I remember the contentment I felt as she just lay there in my arms, peacefully sleeping. And I wonder if she felt the same."
"But her heart has already been claimed." Marik said. "The Elf, Haldir. Her lover, her friend, her mate."
"I know, but what if her feeling for him were not as true as she thought. Perhaps she could be persuaded to love another." Eomer said slowly.
"A Man. You are a Man, Eomer. She is an Elf of the Golden Wood." Marik said, shaking his head. "There are rumors of the Elves leaving this land to go back to the lands of their ancestors."
Eomer hesitated, she had told him the tale of Aragorn and Arwen. Arwen would have to choose between her family and her lover. Would he be able to put her through the same choice? Would it be fair? Haldir would at least sail across the Sea with her.
He sighed and lay back on his mat, looking up at the stars. "Such rumors are true. And I am aware of the fact that she is an immortal Elf and I am but a Man."
*
"It would be an honor, Master Dwarf, if you would use one of my mounts on this journey. For my dear friend Legolas has told me that you ride." Naltariel said kindly to the Dwarf who stood before her.
"Not willingly!" Gimli said stubbornly. "But since you have asked, Fair Lady, I will ride one of your mounts. That silver one reminds me of the treasures from home, it would be a fair mount."
Vaiwa shook her mane happily and stepped forwards, as though it had known their conversation. She nuzzled her snout against the stout Dwarve's shoulder and knelt down on the ground for Gimli to mount her.
"Well I'll be!" Gimli cried in surprise, climbing up onto the back of the beast without any mishap. "This is far better than the pushing and pulling of mounting Arod!"
Naltariel smiled and lightly leapt up onto the back of Laurea, her leg was fully mended now and she was in as free of spirits as though she were a colt. She felt someone leap onto the mare behind her and press a quick kiss to her cheek.
"Hullo, Lady Naltariel." Legolas said happily. "It is a fine enough day for a ride, is it not?"
Naltariel smiled, it was Legolas' custom to kiss her on the cheek when they met but he had forgotten in his worry at their first meeting. "Quite, My Lord." She replied. He wrapped an arm around her and then they were off on their way to Helms Deep, a place she did not wish to go.
AN: Yay! I FINALLY got my computer back from Future Shop. Plz Read and Review :D
To My Readers: Thank you to all of you who reviewed! Here's the next chapter, as promised, if a bit late. Please continue to read this story, I've spent a whole bunch of time writing this and it would be terribly disappointing to know that I'd wasted all that time on something that no one enjoyed.
Now, on with the show:
Celeborn angrily read the message from her daughter that he eagle had brought him. Consent and condone the love of a March Warden and a Princess! It was pure folly! And what was now worse was that that Warden had the Estelara hanging from his neck!
He angrily tossed the letter across his desk, leaning back in his chair and closing his eyes. He tried to think of a suitable punishment for Haldir but none came to mind. He did not wish to send him to exile, for the first place he could go would be Edoras. Yet he longed to have his daughter back among the golden trees of Lorien. He refused to compromise.
Should he send his forces to Edoras to retrieve her? Or would that cause conflict with Rohan and begin a war?
"When did this come in?" A light voice asked, disrupting his thought. He looked up into the watery eyes of his wife, she held the letter from Naltariel in her hand. She had read it.
"Just now." He replied. "Safely in Edoras! Ha! They probably forced her to write that note."
"And they would know to tie it with strands of her hair? Or to write it in elvish, few Men understand the language." Galadriel said angrily. "Had you not of made up that excuse for Lord Lathun coming here she would not have fled! And still you refuse to accept their love! She has given him the Estelara, such gifts are not given lightly!"
"What will the people say when they hear of this?" Celeborn demanded. "Haldir is beneath her, and you know that!"
"Love does not come in levels, Celeborn! And Haldir is not beneath her, as you say, he is equal to her. I had foreseen this when they were children, and so did you! You knew it would happen sooner or later and now it has. Had you made no preparation for it, Celeborn the Wise?" Galadriel cried.
A light knock sounded at the door and after being called in Haldir appeared, the Estelara hanging openly from his throat. Celeborn sucked in an angry breath, his cheeks red with fury.
"She will not come." Haldir said emotionlessly.
"Old news, Haldir." Celeborn snapped angrily, gesturing to the letter in Galadriel's hand. "So did you commence your love while you were at it?" He demanded spitefully.
Haldir's cheeks reddened a bit but he lifted his chin proudly. "I am sorry, underneath the stars with five score of overprotective Men only a fathom away did not see like the best place to do it."
"The Estelara does not belong to you." Celeborn said, his eyes falling angrily on the jewel.
"She gave it to me, so I would say that it does." Haldir said defiantly.
Haldir and Celeborn's eyes locked in a war of wills, each glaring at the other. Galadriel finally stepped between them. Her face was angry, but her eyes were filled with unshed tears.
"I give you my blessing, Haldir." Galadriel said quietly. "I just want her back."
Celeborn gawked at his wife so willingly giving consent to an Elf below her daughters stature. She was the Morning Hope and he was but a border guard. What good would come of it?
"Gather the troops of Lorien, we will send as many as we can to Rohan. Word will come to them tomorrow of the armies of Isengard. We cannot leave them to stand alone, we go to honor the Last Alliance." Galadriel ordered, quickly dismissing Haldir.
Haldir bowed to both the Lord and Lady and quickly exited the room, his heart soaring above the clouds. He had the blessing of Lady Galadriel and he would be travelling to Rohan as soon as his people could be gathered. Things were finally looking up.
*
Naltariel woke the next morning and went to find Lady Eowyn, she had a bad feeling. She found her kneeling sadly over the body of a young man weeping, he had been poisoned by an Orc weapon.
"Hiro hyn hidh ab wanath." (Let him find peace after death) Naltariel whispered.
Eowyn spun around staring at her in confusion for a moment. "I didn't hear you enter." She said after a moment.
"It would be very poor indeed if you had. Elves are supposed to be silent when they walk." Naltariel said quietly, stepping into the room. Her eyes were drawn to the man who lay upon the bed, he was so young . . . too young to die.
"He was my cousin, Theoden's only son. Now Rohan has no heir." Eowyn said sadly.
"What of Eomer?" Naltariel asked.
"He has been exiled. Disinheirited." She replied bitterly sweeping past Naltariel, wishing to be alone.
Naltariel sighed sadly and sat down on the side of the bed beside the boy. "Cuile selma voro eylen mi i Fanyar Marde." (Life will continue for you in the White Halls) She whispered, brushing her hand over the boys cold forehead.
A sound startled her and she quickly turned around to find the receding shadow of the King's advisor scurrying down the hall. She angrily got up and left the room, closing the door firmly behind her.
"Yasse nar elye vanwa, Ango?" (Where are you going, snake) She muttered, following him silently but tormenting his mind with questions and accusations as she went.
He led her to the throne room and that's where she stopped, sighing she gave up her chase and sent outside to take in the morning air. She found Eowyn doing the same, but she was looking at something to the east. Naltariel followed her gaze and saw three horses galloping to the gates.
She turned back to Eowyn to ask if they were expected but found that she had disappeared. Naltariel sighed and looked back to the visitors as they rode through the gate. Their horses were taken by stable hands as the approached Meduseld and they walked slowly up the steps. Now she recognized them.
"Firi! Lendente ator quettanta!" (Men! They went back on their word) Legolas cried when he saw Naltariel standing near the door to the throne room. He ran up the stairs to meet her.
"Legolas? Man na raica?" (What is wrong) She asked in concern at the expression on his face.
"Why are you here?" He hissed quietly.
"I came by choice, Legolas. I will not be wed off to once I do not love." She said stubbornly.
"You ran away?" He asked in surprise.
"Well . . . I guess, yes." She said slowly. His hand went to her head and found no scar from her wound.
"You were healed by Elves." He said.
"I went home for one night, then departed the next morn with the Men of Rohan." She explained, drawing him into a hug. They had been friends in earlier years, he had come to stay in Rivendell for some time when she had been residing there.
"Nar elye tanca elye nar varna?" (Are you sure you are safe) He asked quietly, the rest of his companions had come up the stairs and were waiting patiently for their reunion to end.
"Inye nar varna." (I am safe) She said firmly. Then she turned to the others. "Aragorn it is good to see you well. And you Gandalf, it has been quite some time since we last met. I am afraid I have not been introduced to you yet, Master Dwarf." She curtsied slightly, she could see Legolas holding in laughter from the corner of her eyes. The expression of the Dwarf was quite unique, but it would be rude to laugh.
"Gimi son of Gloin at your service, my Lady." The Dwarf said, bowing deeply in awe.
"I thank you for that, Gimli son of Gloin." She replied,curtsying again. Then led them to the doors. After the commotion with Hama, the door guard, for they all loathed to relinquish their weapons, they entered the throne room.
*
Haldir's men were assembled and as he looked upon them, he could not help the feeling of pride that came to his heart. It had been many long years since the Elves of Lorien had marched to war and now the feather shaped helms of the glistened in the rising sun.
"Proud Elves of Lothlorien!" He called clearly. "Today we march to the aid of Rohan. Lady Galadriel has foreseen the armies of Isengard marching out to crush these Men. We cannot let this happen. We will march to Helm's Deep, for the Lady has foreseen the people of Rohan fleeing Edoras to the protection the fortress provides. We go to honor the Last Alliance."
The Elves nodded and began to march swiftly from Lorien and towards Helm's Deep. He smiled, only one sight was fairer, in his eyes, than the graceful motions of the Elves marching to war. That fair sight was Naltariel, the Morning Hope and with any luck he would see her too before all this was through.
Only the bare minimum of soldiers that would be needed to watch over the borders were left behind. Galadriel had wished him luck and safety and the blessing of the Valar before he had gone to rally the soldiers.
*
"Edoras is to be emptied by order of the King. We will go to Helms Deep!" The messengers cried outside Naltariel's window. Galdalf had come and removed Saruman and Grima Wormtongue's hold on Rohan and now they fled to the safety of the mountain fortress. She shuddered, Eowyn had told her of the deep. She would be sent down into the caves with the rest of the women and children. The dead, lifeless caves of Ered Nimrais, and she would be stuck there for perhaps many days.
A light knock sounded on her door then was opened, it was Eowyn, dressed in a long brown travelling gown. Her sword was sheathed at her side. "Tell me of Aragorn." She ordered.
"What of him?" Naltariel asked, he had come to Rivendell near the end of her stay. He had been seventeen when she'd left.
"What is he like? Who is he really?" She asked cryptically, coming to sit on a chair in the room.
So Naltariel told her many stories of his childhood, his kindness and loyalty. His ferocity when those he cared for were in danger. The trouble and many incidents he had gotten into when he had first arrived at Rivendell. Him trying so hard to be an Elf and weeping when he could not tread as lightly or hear and see as well as them.
But she spoke nothing of his romance with Arwen Evenstar, even when asked directly who his heart belonged to. She had feigned that she did not know, and she wondered at that later. Why did she not tell the truth to Eowyn? That Aragorn son of Arathorn's heart belonged to Arwen, the Evenstar of the Elves, the daughter of Lord Elrond, Naltariel's niece though she was younger.
"You seem to know him well." Eowyn observed.
"He grew in my presence. I was there when he was first brought to the Elves and stayed until only three years before he left Rivendell. He has always been kind to me, and it saddens my heart to see him now." Naltariel said quietly.
"Saddens you?" Eowyn asked in surprise.
"I'm afraid his time in the wilderness has effected him deeply. He did not used to be so . . . I don't know the word. Perhaps harsh, yet he is not if you are a friend. Distant maybe, yes, distant. He tends to keep to himself more now than he had when he was younger, indeed he used to be quite a flirt, bringing flowers to all the elf-maids." She said, a small smile coming to her lips at he memory. "He was perhaps seven when he asked to wed me. It was sweet for a child of his age."
"So he feels for you?" She asked.
"He felt for every fair maiden in Rivendell when he was a child, that cannot be held against him. He has no romantic sentiment for me." Naltariel replied, the last of her things packed back away into the pack she had brought. "He has a kind and noble heart, Eowyn. Someday he will be a great king and all his people will love him."
*
Eomer sighed, looking up at the stars as he lay back on his sleeping mat. He had yet to get sleep this night, but still the dreams of the unwaking world eluded him. He closed his eyes and the face of a fair and beautiful Elf maiden came to his eyes, he opened his eyes again swiftly.
What was wrong with him? Why couldn't he just forget her and move on? Why did she continue to haunt him. It had been three days now since he had left her in Edoras and it had been three days since he had last slept.
A rustle in the grass drew him back from his thoughts, he turned his head to find Marik looking upon him with an expression of concern on his face. The man tossed down his own sleeping mat and sat down on it.
"What ails you, My Lord?" He asked.
"Nothing ails me, my friend." Eomer replied, looking back up to the stars above.
"Then why do you not sleep?" Marik asked.
Eomer sighed and sat up, he could see that many of his men were looking on their conversation in concern. "I wonder what would have happened, should we not have taken her to Edoras."
"You wished to keep her as a possession?" Marik asked in surprise.
"No, not a possession. A companion." Eomer said quietly. "She haunts me now. I cannot even close my eyes without seeing her face. I remember after the third battle when I took her out of harms way . . . I remember the contentment I felt as she just lay there in my arms, peacefully sleeping. And I wonder if she felt the same."
"But her heart has already been claimed." Marik said. "The Elf, Haldir. Her lover, her friend, her mate."
"I know, but what if her feeling for him were not as true as she thought. Perhaps she could be persuaded to love another." Eomer said slowly.
"A Man. You are a Man, Eomer. She is an Elf of the Golden Wood." Marik said, shaking his head. "There are rumors of the Elves leaving this land to go back to the lands of their ancestors."
Eomer hesitated, she had told him the tale of Aragorn and Arwen. Arwen would have to choose between her family and her lover. Would he be able to put her through the same choice? Would it be fair? Haldir would at least sail across the Sea with her.
He sighed and lay back on his mat, looking up at the stars. "Such rumors are true. And I am aware of the fact that she is an immortal Elf and I am but a Man."
*
"It would be an honor, Master Dwarf, if you would use one of my mounts on this journey. For my dear friend Legolas has told me that you ride." Naltariel said kindly to the Dwarf who stood before her.
"Not willingly!" Gimli said stubbornly. "But since you have asked, Fair Lady, I will ride one of your mounts. That silver one reminds me of the treasures from home, it would be a fair mount."
Vaiwa shook her mane happily and stepped forwards, as though it had known their conversation. She nuzzled her snout against the stout Dwarve's shoulder and knelt down on the ground for Gimli to mount her.
"Well I'll be!" Gimli cried in surprise, climbing up onto the back of the beast without any mishap. "This is far better than the pushing and pulling of mounting Arod!"
Naltariel smiled and lightly leapt up onto the back of Laurea, her leg was fully mended now and she was in as free of spirits as though she were a colt. She felt someone leap onto the mare behind her and press a quick kiss to her cheek.
"Hullo, Lady Naltariel." Legolas said happily. "It is a fine enough day for a ride, is it not?"
Naltariel smiled, it was Legolas' custom to kiss her on the cheek when they met but he had forgotten in his worry at their first meeting. "Quite, My Lord." She replied. He wrapped an arm around her and then they were off on their way to Helms Deep, a place she did not wish to go.
AN: Yay! I FINALLY got my computer back from Future Shop. Plz Read and Review :D