Chapter 25
I brushed out Herenvardo's chestnut brown coat gently. The guard who had brought him to me that morning said that it had been one of late Théodred's leisure horses. I knew then to take special care of the horse, and so I had decided to brush it.
All of the men were readying their own horses, saddling and bridling. The women of the court were riding to the encampment with us to farewell the men, as Èowyn had explained to me. I knew that she would try to persuade Théoden to let her ride to war with us.
Legolas walked up then, carrying Arod's old saddle and bridle in his arms. Upon seeing me, one hand against the horse's side so that I could lift my left foot off of the ground, he laughed. He set down the bridle and saddle.
"Legolas I want to steer." I told him without turning.
"No." He shook his head. "I will steer."
"Legolas you are making me feel completely useless!" I shouted, dropping the brush and hopping around to face him. "I'm not some housewife who sits around watching the children all day!"
"Adette calm down-" He came forward with his hands out to touch me but I interrupted with such a fierce tone that he raised his hands in defense.
"I will not calm down! I am perfectly fine to steer and you have no right to tell me what to do." I began to walk forward, unaware that I was standing on my left foot. Legolas noticed.
"Adette-"
"Why do you always treat me this way? I am not a child!"
Only when I felt my ankle shaking did I realize that I was standing on it. Before I could lift my foot it gave out and I fell forward. Legolas jumped forward and grabbed my arms, but we ended up falling forward anyways.
"Are you alright?" He asked in a concerned tone. I just burst out laughing, and Legolas soon joined in. I buried my head into his chest, trying to catch my breath as we continued to laugh. He patted my back rhythmically with one hand while the other held the back of my head.
"I'm sorry that I fell on you." I lifted my head and rested my chin against his chest instead, his hand gently stroking the hair on the back of my head. I stuck out my lower lip for effect. He chuckled.
"No harm done." He then moved to get up, and so I got up so that he could too. I was careful to not stand on my left foot. Legolas looked down at me, moving a wisp of hair behind my ear. "I don't mean to treat you like a child dúlinn, or that you are useless. I know that you aren't. I'm treating you like a husband does his wife when he loves her and especially when she is hurt."
"I'm not hurt Legolas." I assured him. "My head is fine now and my ankle should be back to normal in a few days."
"Adette, please just let me steer." He then pushed out his bottom lip. I couldn't believe that he pulled it off better than I did. He looked so unbelievably pitiful, and so I rolled my eyes and gave in.
"Fine." I sighed. His face lit up and he gave me a quick kiss.
"Thank you." He seemed very grateful, his eyes nearly spilling over with love for me. I sort of felt guilty when I punched him right after he said it. He touched his arm, his face surprised. "What was that for?"
"For using my own tactic against me." I placed a finger on his bottom lip. He grabbed it and kissed it, grinning down at me.
"It worked though." He then went on to saddle and bridle Herenvardo. I looked out as the men started departing. Aragorn rode up beside me, looking me over. Gimli sat behind him.
"How does your ankle feel?" I wondered if he had seen Legolas and I tumble.
"I still can't stand on it…but it doesn't hurt as much." I shrugged. "I should be able to stand on it soon right?"
"Hopefully, but don't push yourself sister." I gasped when Legolas's arms went tightly around my waist and I couldn't breathe. Aragorn grinned at me as Legolas lifted me onto the horse, following close behind.
"Did I startle you?" He asked, leaning down in front of me, smiling. I would have yelled at him but that smile was so warm that I just couldn't help but smile back. He kissed my cheek before leaning back behind me and leading Herenvardo after the others.
"Now is the hour, Riders of Rohan, oaths you have taken! Now, fulfill them all! To Lord and Land!" Èomer shouted. We all shouted out in reply before riding out of Edoras. I was surprised when Legolas did not wrap an arm around my waist.
"Legolas," I gently pulled at his arm to tuck around my waist, "this I don't mind."
I heard his laughter, as he tightened his grip on me, over the horses' hooves pounding into the ground.
We made it to the encampment at Dunharrow a few hours later. There were thousands of white tents pitched, thousands of men were looking frightened, and thousands of horses tied to posts. I noticed that the horses seemed very funny about the place. Legolas seemed to notice too.
"The horses are restless, and the men are quiet." He said as he lowered me from the saddle.
"They grow nervous in the shadow of the mountain." Èomer said as he walked past. He stopped before us. Gimli, too, joined us in our group. He eyed something further away, and I turned my head to see a trail leading up the mountains.
"That road there, where does that lead?" He asked. Legolas tensed beside me.
"It is the road to the Dimholt, the door under the mountain." He said quietly, linking an arm through mine. I placed my other hand on his arm, gripping it gently. Obviously something about the road bothered him.
"None who venture there ever return. That mountain is evil." Èomer then took his leave, seeming just as solemn as the rest of the men. We continued to stand there, staring at each other. Finally, Gimli spoke up.
"Come, let's find some food." He walked away, Legolas going to follow until he realized I wasn't following.
"Adette?" He asked.
"I'll be there in a second." I told him without looking away. He simply slipped his arm from mine and followed Gimli into the swarm of tents.
My eyes found the trail once more, gazing at it. I was curious about this trail, about what Legolas and Èomer had said. What happened to the people who ventured down it? What could have been so evil to make them vanish? Suddenly I saw something green flicker up the trail, and my eyes widened. Something or someone was there. I took a step forward to go and investigate when someone grabbed my arm.
"Get away from there sister." Aragorn told me, still holding my arm. "There is evil there."
"You saw it too?" I asked quietly, turning to face him. He didn't say anything else, but let go of my arm and nodded slowly.
"Let's go find Gimli and Legolas." He half smiled at me, and linked his arm through mine to help me hobble away. I looked over my shoulder to look up the trail one more time, but the green shadow had vanished.
That night we sat around a fire, telling stories and jokes. We seemed to be the outcasts, I had noted, for we laughed and spoke of pleasant things while the rest of the men wallowed in the miseries and woes of war and death.
"Legolas?" I said suddenly, breaking my trance from the end of the camp. From there I couldn't see the trail. He turned towards me.
"Yes?"
"What is the story Dimholt?" He seemed reluctant to tell me, but he finally began the tale, speaking in a hushed voice so as not to frighten the men anymore than they already were.
"Long ago the Men of the Mountain swore an oath to the last king of Gondor, to come to his aid, to fight. But when the time came, when Gondor's need was dire, they fled, vanishing into the darkness of the mountain. And so Isildur cursed them, never to rest, until they had fulfilled their pledge.
Who shall call them from the gray twilight? The forgotten people. The heir of him to whom the oath they swore. From the north shall he come. Need shall drive him. He shall pass the door to the Paths of the Dead."
Aragorn got up from the group then.
"I'm going to bed, we have a long day tomorrow." Without another word he walked away to his tent. I shifted, thinking about going after him but I refrained and instead turned to Legolas.
"I think I'll go too."
"Then I will follow." I got to my feet, but Legolas picked me up before I could move another inch. The expression on his face told me that he was thinking about the war ahead, and so I didn't put up a fight. He carried me swiftly to our tent and set me down on the small bed. He then took off his cloak and laid it on the ground beside the bed.
"What are you doing?"
"Going to sleep."
"Legolas you aren't sleeping on the floor." I said sternly.
"I'm not sleeping in the bed."
"Well then neither am I." I scooted off of the bed and fell gently onto the ground. I sat cross legged on Legolas's cloak, looking up at him. He looked down at me, his face still troubled. I sighed and patted my legs. "Come here Legolas."
He slowly got down on his knees, hesitantly lowering himself into my lap. I coaxed him there gently, running my fingers through his hair and stroking his neck and face. I leaned down and kissed his temple and then his hair.
"Go to sleep nin bein maethor." I whispered against his ear before sitting back up.
(My handsome warrior.)
"And what about you?"
"Shh, don't worry about me. Just go to sleep." I ran my fingernails gently from his cheek to the bottom of his ear repeatedly, being careful so as not to scratch his delicate skin too hard.
"Adette-"
"Lay down,
your sweet and weary head.
Night is falling.
You have come to journey's end.
Sleep now, and dream
of the ones who came before.
They are calling,
from across the distant shore."
Images of Frodo filled my mind, his tired face and his blue eyes.
"Sam is right Frodo, you should sleep." I whispered.
"I can't." He answered simply.
"Sure you can." I sighed and got up from my squat to sit beside him. I reached for his shoulders but he flinched and turned to face me, his eyes wide. "Just relax Frodo."
"What do you mean to do?"
This time when I reached for his shoulders he didn't flinch. I gently pulled him down so that his head was resting in my lap, the side of his face nuzzled my thighs and I could tell that he was much more comfortable than he had been. He stretched his legs out across the rest of the log and sighed heavily. I hesitantly ran a hand through his curls, and when he didn't protest, I continued to do so.
"Why do you weep?
what are these tears upon your face?
soon you will see.
all of your fears will pass away.
safe in my arms,
you're only sleeping."
I looked down on Legolas with love, watching his eyelids slowly twitch as he tried to keep his eyes open. For his eyes to want to close, he must have been very weary. My poor husband, with so much on his shoulders. I'm sure I didn't help matters either with my knack for finding trouble.
"Dúlinn, please wake up." Legolas's broken voice begged.
"Legolas." I whimpered, my eyes fluttering up to meet his. He leaned down and brushed his lips against my forehead, and then against my eyes. As his lips touched them, I realized that they were wet.
"You were dreaming." He told me softly, holding me closer. I was being held in his lap, my head lolled against his chest. My legs were lying off of Legolas's crossed legs, his arms wrapped around me.
"I can't keep having these." I gasped, trying to steady my breathing. He allowed me a great deal of time to do this, keeping his forehead against mine the whole time. When I had finally calmed down considerably, he pulled back.
"What was it about Adette?"
Before I could stop myself, I placed a hand over my flat stomach. Legolas saw my actions and his face became sad and incredibly pained. One of his arms left from around me, and he placed his hand over mine.
"What can you see,
on the horizon?
Why do the white gulls call?
Across the sea,
a pale moon rises.
The ships have come,
to carry you home.
And all will turn,
to silver glass.
A light on the water.
All souls pass."
Boromir and Haldir – two friends who had perished during these times of battle and hardship. They had given their lives for us so that we could continue our fight for Middle Earth.
"Boromir." I gasped, bending over at the waist. My face buried into the dirt and leaves as I cried. I cried not just for Boromir, but for Gandalf, for Frodo, for Middle Earth. Would this be our destiny? To die before accomplishing our goal?
Legolas had released me from his arms, but his hands rubbed my back. As if reading my mind, he spoke.
"We must not lose hope."
"Hope fades,
into the world of night.
Through shadows falling,
out of memory and time.
Don't say,
we have come now to the end.
White shores are calling.
You and I will meet again.
And you'll be here in my arms,
just sleeping."
Poor Pippin and Gandalf, who had lost hope for their friends and in themselves.
"Is there any hope for Frodo and Sam?" I kneeled down in front of him, taking his arms into my hands.
"Of course there is Pippin, there is hope for everything."
"There never was much hope. Only fool's hope." Gandalf grumbled, setting down his pipe. My eyebrows furrowed as I stood, letting go of Pippin. I face Gandalf although he faced out towards the sky.
"There is hope. Saying there is no hope is like saying that there is no wind, because although you can't really see it you can still feel it. I feel hope for them although everything I see around me is trying to disprove it." I said angrily.
"Don't count on it my dear." He said, turning his head to look at me. His face was solemn, his mouth set into a thin line. He had given up hope on Frodo and Sam, it was clear on his face. I, however, refused to give up on them. Galadriel had told me to never give up.
"What can you see,
on the horizon?
Why do the white gulls call?
Across the sea,
a pale moon rises.
The ships have come,
to carry you home.
And all will turn,
to silver glass.
A light on the water.
Grey ships pass,
into the West."
Legolas's eyes were closed, his breathing steady. I dared not move, for I wanted him to sleep and forget all of his worries. I leaned down and kissed his forehead carefully.
"Goodnight Legolas."