Chapter 17

*Year 40 of the Fourth Age*

"Eldarion!" Evelyn yelled, urgently trying to get the ten year olds attention.

"Sorry," he mumbled, bringing his focus back to the pony under him. He did not mean to let his mind wander, but it was just so hard to focus when he was on the lounge line. Circles were just so boring!

Evelyn shook her head, knowing the child's attention span was not very long, at least not when it came to the technical learning of riding. If they were out rising through the woods or through the village there was no issue.

"When you can get him to shorten and lengthen his stride on your signal, then we will have some fun." Evelyn bribed him. Normally she would not have pushed him as hard, he had his whole life ahead of him to learn to ride, however, Aragorn had specifically asked her to keep him from the city until midday.

"Remember drive from your seat, apply gentle pressure with your legs, and don't throw away those reins!" She watched the young prince furrow his brow in concentration. The pony often wanted to rush, speeding up his pace rather than lengthen it, a common issue when they first learned. Hence, why she kept him on the lounge, she could step in and slow him down, while still letting Eldarion focus on asking correctly for what he wanted. She watched, dragon start licking and chewing, trying to figure out what was being asked.

"There! Perfect, now don't lose it, keep quiet in the saddle." Evelyn praised, watching the boy smile in triumph.

"Now, bring him back to a nice working trot, use a half-halt if needed. Good."

Evelyn brought the pony to a stop and unhooked him from the lead. "Let him walk around for a bit, and cool off." She whistled for Granat, who trotted over from where he was eating grass. "Is there anywhere you would like to ride today?"

"Can we ride towards Ithilien? We never go that way?"

Evelyn felt her stomach drop. When they first started riding out, they had gone that way often, the landscape there with its rolling hills and abundant wildlife always offered gorgeous views. That was before Evelyn learned that Legolas had moved there. Since that day, she made a point not to drive that way for fear of seeing him. Not that she expected to see him riding out, but just being in Gondor was close enough. She sighed, knowing she could not tell him no without giving him an explanation. It was not something she could make a ten-year-old understand anyway, so she nodded her consent and they turned towards the new city.

Eldarion spoke none stop the entire ride, though Evelyn was barely listening, she was not sure she would be able to repeat his last words if her life depended on it. She was much too busy watching for riders coming their way. Granat felt her anxiety and was a bundle of nervous energy under her, barely able to contain himself. He pranced and tossed his head in protest.

She was turning her stallion in a circle when she heard Eldarion call out, "Look! Riders!"

Jerking her head around, her heart stopped. Raising her eyes to where the child point, she saw the riders in the far distance, crossing the bridge, making their way towards Gondor. They were not the banners of Lord Faramir, which could only mean one thing. It was elves. The elves from Mirkwood precisely that now resided there, which meant Legolas could be one of them.

"Shit." The word was out of her mouth before she even had time to think.

"Aunt Evelyn!" The child exclaimed looking at her in amusement.

"Come, we need to get back in haste." She did not bother to apologize for her slip in language or to see if the child followed her as she kicked Granat into a fast canter away. She quickly heard the pony galloping up beside her.

They reached the city quickly, the party from Ithilien would be a few hours behind them traveling slowly. Luckily, noon was fast approaching, so she did not have to offer the child any other explanation for their hasty return. Normally she would have waited around and watched him groom Dragon as she did the same for her mount, today however, she quickly handed over the stallion to the groom as rushed to her rooms.

Sinking into the tub, she closed her eyes, rubbing her face with her hands. There had been whispers the past years, whispers of movement in the countries to the south. The maids spoke in hushed tones in dark corners of more soldiers being sent south, of battles being fought. Tensions were high between the leaders, though they all tried to hide it from her, she knew more than they thought she did. In the past year, her dreams had returned. Just as vivid and horrid as before. The difference was the landscape. The desert in her dreams was slowly turning into dry prairie…the land was turning into Gondor.

Pushing herself up from the now cold water, she went to the dresser, towel wrapped around her and combed through her hair. Evelyn had two options. Ignore her dreams and keep to herself, and avoid Legolas. Or, she could go down to the council room, and help them, putting her in direct contact with Legolas. The hairbrush dropped from her hands as they shook at the thought of seeing him again. Around forty years had passed since they parted, and still the mere thought of him brought a stabbing pain to her heart. Clutching her chest, she rose and opened her wardrobe. Evelyn decided, she might as well look her best when she saw the Prince of Mirkwood, she might as well make a good first re-impression.

The doors to the council room, usually stayed unlocked, and today was no exception, as Evelyn walked through them. The men gathered around the table, looked up and nodded. Most turned their gazes back to the table, but the twins kept their eyes on her.

"Arwen is not with us today; you might check her gardens." Elladan told her, assuming that was who she searched for.

"I am not here to see Arwen, though her gardens would have been my first choice. I am here to feed my curiosity." She replied, watching as the others looked at her now as well. She could see their confusion and well as concern, Evelyn lifted the corner of her mouth in a knowing smile.

"What do you mean? I highly doubt you would find our talks interesting." Elrohir spoke up. Aragorn, in the background, shot Celeborn and Glorfindel a questioning glance, that Evelyn did not miss. Clearly they had debated back and forth what to say and not to say to her in regards of the issues at hand.

"Oh?" she said with a smile forming on her lips as she walked forward and they moved to block the table. "I think I would find the occurring battles with the Haradrim quite interesting." The men's mouth dropped open in surprise.

"How did you know?" Elladan questioned, looking rather guilty.

"Firstly, maids talk, there have been whispers. More importantly I've seen the battles, I have seen them on and off for the last five years. I will admit I had hoped to ignore them and they would go away. Then when the rumors started I knew I could not, though you never decided to include me."

"We did not want to bring any undue pain to you. We did not know how you would handle it." Both twins spoke at the same time.

"While I do appreciate your concern, I will decide what I can and cannot handle. You may be like brothers to me, and have a right to feel protective, you do not have the right the make my choices."

Both mumbled, incoherent words of apology, rather embarrassed at their rebuff.

"Oh! Don't be embarrassed, that was meant for all the men gathered here in the room, Celeborn and Glorfindel included. But, what is done is done." She waved her hand in dismissal and pushed between Aragorn and Faramir, glancing at the map and grimacing internally at the locations of attacks. "What I am much more irritated at is the fact that a host of elves from Ithilien rides here and not one of you thought to tell me. A little more warning would have been appreciated." Evelyn eyed each one of them, not happy they had forced her hand in such a way. Clearly she would much rather hide and never see Legolas again, but the lives of all the innocents were much more important.

Before anyone could reply to her, a messenger came in, breathless from running.

"My king, the host from Ithilien has arrived."