Hey guys! Oh my goodness! I am so sorry with the time it has taken for me to upload this, there are no excuses except I had brain freeze with how to proceed with this one, but it is finally done! I am quite happy with it now, and I hope you all will like it as well. I'm not sure when the next chapter will be done. I will be typing it up as soon as this it uploaded, but whether I can get it done today remains to be seen. Thank you all for your patience xx
Review responses;
Crystal-Wolf-Guardain-967 – I'm glad you did!
Rohirrim Girl 2187 – Here's the next chapter! Sorry it has taken a while!
MajesticLunicorn - :D I'm glad I have her how you imagined her to be!
Yeah, I was on a roll that day. . .miss those times now thanks to depression :(
Wow, even more than rainbows? I'll happily take that as a compliment :D!
Even though it's cold enough to get snow over here, we hardly get any. Just enough to coat the streets at most. Not like it used to be when there used to be like three feet of it.
Kionforever89 – It is a beautiful song that she sings and let's face it, Faron could make anyone feels better :D!
Blushingpixie - I'm glad you do! Here's the next chapter!
Applejax XD – Yes! Thanks to Gandalf, Theoden is finally free from Saruman's control!
loney (for chapter 1) – I'm glad you did! And I hope you continue to do so!
Starfire23 – I'm glad you think so! And I'm glad I seem to be getting better with writing! Don't worry, there will be more interactions with Legolas, it's just been a matter of when and where is a good enough moment to have these moments. But I will say, there is a small moment at the end of this chapter. I'm also a romantic, and can't wait for the moment when they're together :D!
MajesticLunicorn - Yeah, I wasn't very clear with that was I? It was supposed to be supressed or forgotten memories trying to return. When I do a redo of the story, I will make sure to take that bit out, because it doesn't really make sense with how it is.
Leaving Edoras
When we return to the Golden Hall, the two are both given clear health, (apart from dehydration, hunger and exhaustion), by a healer and we get the children eating. Èowyn and I stay by their sides as they tell us what had happened. Èowyn stands to speak to her uncle.
"They had no warning. They were unarmed. Now the Wildmen are moving through westfold, burning as they go, every rick, cot and tree."
"Where's mama?" the little girl, Freda, exclaims.
I put my arms around her and soothe her as the men talk.
"This is but a taste of the terror that Saruman will unleash. All the more potent for he is driven mad by the fear of Sauron." Gandalf says to Théoden. "Ride out and meet him head on. Draw him away from your women and children. You must fight."
"You have two thousand good men riding north as we speak. Èomer is loyal to you. His men will return and fight for their king." Aragorn speaks up.
Théoden stands and starts pacing slightly. "They will be three hundred leagues from here by now! Èomer cannot help us. I know what is that you want of me. But I would not bring further death to my people. I will not risk open war."
"Open war is upon you, whether would risk it or not."
I look up as Théoden walks to Aragorn.
"When last I looked, Théoden, not Aragorn, was king of Rohan."
A moment's of silence is broken by Gimli burping, which causes me to roll my eyes.
"Then what is the king's decision?" Gandalf asks.
Hama addresses the people of Edoras. "By order of the King, the city must empty. We make for the refuge of Helm's Deep. Do not burden yourself with treasures. Take only what provisions you need."
Gandalf, Aragorn, Legolas, Gimli and I walk to the stables as everyone is packing up to leave.
"Helm's Deep! They flee to the mountains when they should stand and fight. Who will defend them if not their king?" Gimli grumbles.
"He is only doing what he thinks is best for his people. Helm's Deep has saved them in the past." I answer as Aragorn and I walk with Gandalf to Shadowfax's pen.
"There is no way out than that of ravine. Théoden is walking into a trap. He thinks he is leading them to safety, but what he'll get is a massacre." Gandalf turns to Aragorn and I. "Théoden has a strong hold but I fear for him. I fear for the survival of Rohan. He will need you before the end, Aragorn. The people of Rohan will need you. The defences have to hold."
"They will hold." Aragorn answers, I nod in agreement.
Gandalf turns to Shadowfax and pats his mane. "The Grey Pilgrim. That is what they used to call me. Three hundred lives of men I've walked this earth and now, I have no time." he then mounts the horse as Aragorn and I open the pen doors. "Good luck. My search will not be in vain. Look to my coming, at first light, on the fifth day. At dawn, look to the East."
"Go."
Shadowfax sprints out of the stable, Legolas and Gimli having to jump aside before they are trampled.
"Where is Gandalf going?" Legolas asks as we walk over to the pair.
"Look for help." I simply answer.
"Let us hope he is successful." Gimli says.
I nod as I watch Gandalf riding further away from us.
Later on, as Aragorn and I are saddling Hasulfel and Haleth, we look up as we hear a commotion further down. We see two men holding onto ropes as they try to control a raging horse.
"That horse is half mad, my lord. There's nothing you can do. Leave him." a man says to Aragorn as he approaches.
Ignoring the man, Aragorn begins to speak to the horse in Rohirric, making sure not to give eye contact. He takes one of the ropes and it stops rearing. One of the men leaves. Aragorn unties it from the bridle. He continues speaking softly and the horse becomes gentle. The other man leaves. I smile as I stay back and watch, not wanting to cause the horse any more distress.
"Fæste, stille nú, fæste, stille nú. Lac is drefed, gefrægon. Hwæt nemnað ðe?"
"His name is Brego." Èowyn speaks up from another pen. "He was my cousin's horse."
"Brego? Ðin nama is cynglic."Èowyn walks over as Aragorn continues to speak in Elvish to the horse. I can tell she's intrigued by the language. "Man le trasta, Brego? Man cenich?"
"I've heard of the magic of Elves, but I did not look for it in a Ranger from the North. You speak as one of their own."
"I was raised in Rivendell, for a time. Turn this fellow free. He has seen enough of war."
I smile as he walks over, taking his saddle back from me and we continue to saddle up our horses. Soon after, Théoden leads us all out of Edoras and towards Helm's Deep.
While travelling across the plains, I ride beside Aragorn, Gimli just in front of us on a brown horse which Eowyn is leading as she walks beside him. I am grinning away as Gimli is talking to Eowyn about dwarrowdams.
"It's true you don't see many dwarf women. And in fact, they are so alike in voice and appearance, they are often mistaken for dwarf men."
Èowyn glances back to Aragorn and I.
"It's the beards." Aragorn whispers, running a hand down from his chin to indicate a beard.
Èowyn lets out a small laugh as she turns back, I bite my tongue to keep from laughing as Aragorn and I grin at each other.
"And this in turn has given rise to the belief that there are no dwarf women. And the dwarves just spring out of holes in the ground!"
Èowyn and Gimli laugh.
"Which is of course ridiculous. Whoa!"
Gimli's horse suddenly takes off, causing the dwarf to fall to the ground with a thud. I laugh as Èowyn rushes over to him with a laugh of her own, the people around stopping to watch.
"It's all right! It's all right. Nobody panic. That was deliberate. It was deliberate."
I scoff at this, still smiling away. Sure it was deliberate.
Théoden rides up next to me, also grinning.
"I have not seen my niece smile in a long time. She was a girl when they brought her father back dead. Cut down by Orcs. She watched her mother succumb to grief. And she was left alone to tend her king in growing fear. Doomed to wait upon an old man who should have loved her as a father."
I reach out and place a hand on top of Théoden's. "Do not blame yourself, my friend. These are dark times indeed, and there are even darker times to come. It is not too late. She loves and looks up to you, I know she does. Now that the darkness has gone from your mind, there is time to become the man she needs."
Théoden smiles as he pats my hand. "Thank you, Faron. I must say, I have missed your guidance and friendship these past few years."
I smile back. "Any time that you need me, I am here."
He continues to smile as we ride on.
Just before the sun is due to set, we make camp. The horses are kept into a makeshift pen as everyone gets the camp set up, fires are going and food is soon cooking. Aragorn, Gimli and I sit together and talk before Gimli soon leaves.
"No, I couldn't. I really couldn't." I hear Gimli's loud voice.
Looking up, I see him walking past Èowyn, who is holding a pot. She soon approaches us.
"I made some stew. It isn't much, but it's hot." She gives Aragorn a bowl and spoon.
"Thank you."
I watch as he puts the spoon in his mouth, biting my lip to keep from laughing as it lingers longer than it should. Trying not to grimace, he looks up at her expectant face. He soon nods.
"Mmm. It's good."
Èowyn smiles wide. "Really?"
"Mmm."
Èowyn begins to walks away. Aragorn turns to pour out the stew, but Èowyn turns around. He recovers, spilling some on his hand. I again try not to laugh at the pained expression in his eyes.
"My Uncle told me a strange thing. He said that you both rode to war with Thengel, my grandfather. But he must be mistaken. Faron I can understand with her being an elf, but you?"
Aragorn and I smile at each other as I answer. "Théoden has a good memory. He was only a small child at the time."
Èowyn kneels with us, a look of surprise on her face. "Then you must be at least sixty." Aragorn gives a small grin and a shake of his head. "Seventy? But you cannot be eighty!"
"Eighty-seven." Aragorn confirms.
Èowyn stands. "You are one of the Dúnedain. A descendant of Númenor, blessed with long life. It was said that your race had passed into legend."
"There are few of us left. The Northern Kingdom was destroyed long ago."
"I'm sorry. Please eat!"
I clear my throat in order to hide a laugh at the look of disappointment on Aragorn's face, especially when Èowyn stays where she is, as if to watch him. I take this time to slip away, patting Aragorn on the back, causing him to give me a slight glare. I laugh to myself when I am at a safe distance from the pair.
That night when the sun has set and everyone has long since retired, unable to sleep, I send one of the men to get some sleep and take over his watch. Standing on a boulder, I look out at the refugees, but instead of seeing men, I see dwarves and the meagre possessions they were able to save from the inferno of the dragon many years ago. I sigh to myself as I close my eyes. The years may have gone by, and my kin may have finally been given a chance to get their lives back thanks to my father, but I just hope and pray for the day the darkness is well and truly vanquished from this world and all the people can finally live in peace once more.
"Not sleeping?" I hear Legolas ask.
Turning, I see him walking towards me.
"I couldn't sleep." I answer as I turn my gaze back.
"What is wrong?" he asks as he stands beside me.
"Just thinking. . .and remembering." at his look of confusion, I explain. "Seeing everyone like this reminds me of when we were driven from Erebor by Smaug."
A look of understanding comes across his face. "This must be a painful reminder of those times."
I nod. "It is. But those times also made me determined to grow up, learn to fight and to help others to not know of the struggles we went through. That makes me determined to see these people get safely to Helm's Deep."
He looks to me for a moment before he smiles. "If more people had such selfless thoughts, maybe this world would be a happier place to live."
I smile as I remember similar words being spoken to Bilbo by father before he died. My thoughts then turn to our own hobbit, who is Mahal knows where with Sam and the Ring, on his own journey towards darkness.
"Maybe. . ."
Well, there it is, finally. I hope you all enjoyed it. Please keep leaving your lovely reviews, I love hearing from you all xx
Translations;
"Fæste, stille nú, fæste, stille nú. Lac is drefed, gefrægon. Hwæt nemnað ðe?" - Fast, quiet now, fast, quiet now. A battle is stirred up, they heard. What is your name?
"Brego? Ðin nama is cynglic." - Brego? Your name is kingly.
"Man le trasta, Brego?" - What troubles you, Brego?
"Man cenich?" - What did you see?