I almost laughed at how panicked Legolas looked. What does he think I'm going to do? Bite him? Sure, he was jerk the other day, but I'm kinda over that already. It was a stupid argument, anyhow.
"Stop looking at me like that!', I yowled. "I'm not even near as scary as my mavwen and you look like you're about to be facing off a troll!"
He blinked for a moment before his lips turned up into a grin.
"So now you're a troll? And all this time I thought you were an elf...', he muttered playfully.
"Ooooo! You are so lucky my brothers are making me stay in bed!', I huffed, trying to look irritated. If my brothers snickering was anything to go by, I probably ended up looking like an angry bunny.
"And here we thought you were going to bite off his head.', Elladan said with no little amount of humor, wearing a smile that matched his brother's.
Crinkling my nose, I stuck my tongue out at him.
"I would be more worried about your own head.', I said underneath my breath, making his smirk widen.
xXx
"We are gathering our forces to march upon the Black Gates."
"A diversion.', I nodded knowingly. I had already been filled in on the other things that had been happening by Gandalf, and I was relieved to find out that things had not changed much from the original plot. Denethor had indeed succumbed to madness, which I felt slightly guilty over, but Gandalf had assured me that the Steward's insanity had begun long before the broken Horn of Gondor had been found.
Elrohir had decided to spend the afternoon with me before they were to leave tomorrow, and we sat in companionable silence for a few minutes before he began to speak again.
"You will be all right? Here by yourself?"
I smiled, touched at his concern.
"I'll be fine. Besides, Éowyn is still rooming next door. We can be bedrest buddies!"
He shook his head, laughing softly.
"And we can trust you to stay in the Houses until we come back?', he pressed, still hesitant to leave me here by myself.
"Are you kidding?', I gaped. "I mean, have you seen the way Ioreth treats me? She would have the royal guards out searching for me if I so much as disappeared to use the bathroom! She seems to think I'm going to break if I so much as lift a finger!" I held up my hand and wiggled the digits for elaboration.
Elrohir laughed again, standing to his feet from where he had been seated on the end of the bed.
"We will come see you before we leave.', he promised on his way out the door. "And a word of advice, Riley... I would not depend too much on Éowyn's company. She seems to be... occupied." He shot me another cheesy smile before his disappeared, his footsteps going unheard by any but me.
My eyebrows came together as I thought on his 'word of advice'. Listening for any sign of Ioreth— who had had a fit the last time she caught me out of bed— I quickly wriggled out of the sheets and peered through my window to the garden where Éowyn normally would walk on warm afternoons.
"Ewww! Yuck!', I spluttered, pulling my head back into the room as fast as I could. Elrohir had been right— she was definitely occupied, seeing as how she was currently kissing a man I could only assume was Boromir's brother.
"There went my idea of hanging out with her.', I muttered, quickly laying back down. "I am not going be a third wheel. Especially if they keep that up."
xXx
Those in the fellowship (with my two brothers added into the mix, of course) decided to cheer me up before they left. Namely by smuggling all sort of goodies past Ioreth, bringing them into my room so we could have a small going away party of sorts.
They were trying, I'll give them that, but it was still a rather solemn group that had gathered, regardless of the half-hearted jests that were tossed about.
Éowyn eventually came to see what all of the noise was about, dragging a confused Faramir behind her, which led to a hilarious explanation when Boromir demanded to know why they were together. I saved them from answering by nonchalantly mentioning that they were in love, at least as far as I knew.
Poor Boromir almost fell out of his seat at that announcement, Faramir looked shocked, and Éowyn looked like she was about to explode from laughter at their faces.
"Pardon me for saying so, but I do not believe we have met?', Faramir said, the confusion still evident in his voice and expression.
"She is the one who stares at the ceiling!', Pippin called out giddily, dancing around the room that had suddenly become much smaller when fourteen people decided to cram inside.
Faramir's eyes scrunched up in thought for a moment before he began to laugh, obviously remembering something that had taken place not too long ago.
"Pippin!', I hissed. "What did you tell him?"
"Only that you talk to the ceiling!"
"You said what?!', I gasped out, mortified that the little hobbit had noticed the odd quirk that only showed itself every once in awhile.
xXx
The armies of the free people's had been gone for two weeks. Two long, harrowing, horrible weeks, yet it seems that they were the ones who came out of the fray victorious.
I knew instantly when the Ring had been destroyed. If the small tremor in the earth had not been enough to prove Sauron's defeat, then the feeling of darkness that had suddenly been lifted from the atmosphere certainly was. Ioreth had begrudgingly allowed me to leave my room for the first time, and it was on this day that I got my first glimpse of the Eagles.
Gandalf had arrived on the back of one, while two others appeared carrying the two unconscious hobbits who had braved Mordor to save the rest of Middle Earth. The Houses of Healing were thrown into an uproar until Ioreth managed to take the helm and steer things back into a slightly less agitated state.
Peter Jackson's portrayal of Frodo and Sam did not nearly do them justice. They were hardly more than skin and bone, and that says much for two little hobbits who had gone away looking to be on the chunky side. Frodo's neck was red and raw with sores from where the Ring had weighed on him, and both his and Sam's feet were battered and blistered from the rough terrain and fires of Mordor. Their tongues were swollen from lack of water, and their clothes hung loose and ragged on their shrunken frames, making my eyes water at how much the had truly suffered.
Ioreth ordered two stretchers, going into healer mode as she bustled about the small heroes. Gandalf watched in silence for several moments before glancing up and catching my eye. He smiled, making his way over so he could envelop me in a grandfather-like hug.
"They did it.', he whispered, almost as if he was still trying to believe it himself.
"Yes.', I replied just as softly. "They did."
xXx
"Riley? Is that really you?"
It had been three days since Gandalf had arrived in Minas Tirith with his two ill charges, neither of them waking up, until nw that is. Frodo was still asleep, but by the bleary eyed halfling that sat before me, Sam was most definitely awake.
"Good morning, Sam.', I grinned. "I suppose you're hungry?"
Gandalf had decided to sit with Frodo, leaving me to stay with Sam, seeing as how I was already staying in the Houses of Healing. The blonde hobbit, who had sat up quite suddenly, flopped back into the comfy mattress with a comical groan.
"If I never get up it will be too soon!', he murmured, fully intent on fulfilling his statement as he snuggled deeper into the warm covers, only to be interrupted as his stomach gave a loud growl of hunger. His eyes opened again to gaze at me pleadingly.
"Maybe I could go for some food..."
I laughed, going to the door to call for someone to bring a tray— with hobbit sized portions.
"Is that a thing?', Sam asked curiously upon the mention of portion sizes.
"Ever since they had Merry for a patient.', I giggled. "Though I will admit to having asked for hobbit sized portions before. They seem to think elves don't eat meat." I wrinkled my nose at how ridiculous the notion was.
Sam blinked at me for a moment before he dissolved into loud bellows of laughter, bringing Ioreth to the room.
"Lady Rielásse! What on earth is that racket...?" She trailed off as Sam disappeared underneath the blankets, her stern reprimand frightening the hobbit. "Oh! Forgive me, Master Samwise! I had no idea you were awake!"
The somewhat frightening healer retreated out of the room, but it was several minutes before the curly hair of Samwise Gamgee appeared out from underneath the blankets.
"Is she gone?', he said in a low voice, his eyes darting wildly around the room. Biting my lip to keep the laughter at bay, I nodded.
"Yep. But if that scared you—" I gave a mock shudder. "I would hate for you to have seen the day she caught me out of bed."
"Bed?', he asked confusedly. "Why did she want you to stay in bed?"
"Long story short, I had an 'extended' stay in the room a couple of rooms away from here.', I smirked. "But for now you should eat and get some more rest. I'll go tell Gandalf you're awake."
xXx
"It's been four weeks!', I sighed, pacing back and forth in the small garden that sat off to the side of the healing halls.
"Four weeks total.', Gandalf reminded with a wry smile. "It is a two-week march to where the battle took place, and perhaps a longer march back as they will be traveling with the wounded. You need not fret Riley— they are safe."
By 'they' he obviously meant the fellowship and my brothers.
I sighed again, much to the wizards amusement.
"How is Frodo?', I tried, veering off of the topic for the sake of my sanity.
"He is still unconscious. But as long as the healers can manage to get some sustenance into him, I think our small friend will be alright."
"Good.', I muttered. "That's good."
Our conversation was interrupted when the sound of trumpets made me jump.
"Gandalf?', I asked uncertainly, trying not to dance around in excitement.
"Yes, Riley?', he drawled, a smile slowly spreading across his lips as he took note of my childlike anticipation.
"Is it— is it them?"
"That would be the logical explanation, would it not?', he asked, an eyebrow raised in amusement. "Go.', he finally said with a small chuckle. "Go and meet them."
I gave him a cheesy grin before leaving to do just that.