As awareness seems to wash back over me my eyes flutter open and I see that I am back in my room and tucked neatly under the covers.
"Peyson you are awake how do you feel?" the female voice startles me slightly expecting to hear Aragorn's voice and it takes me a few minutes to focus on the woman beside me but when I do a small smile spreads across my face.
"Eowyn," I say, my voice hoarse as if I had been crying and noticing she quickly gets me some water and helps me to take a drink, "I have missed you my friend, how are you feeling I was worried?" I ask and she laughs.
"I am well my friend although it is I who should be worrying for you not the other way around," she says.
"I am well, just a disorientated," I reply and she smiles the door opening before I can say anything else.
"Lady Eowyn thank you for sitting with Peyson while I was engaged with the council," Aragorn says and she laughs.
"There is no need to thank me Peyson is my friend and I owe her many things including my life and my happiness,"
"Wait… I don't…" I begin trying to work out what is being said here whilst stilling the now pounding headache I had suddenly begun.
"You helped me into battle and kept me strong and because of that I was able to meet a wonderful man whom I shall marry," she says and I try to leap out of bed and hug her only to me stilled by the pain in my head and their hands stopping me and admonishing me for being so active.
"That is wonderful news I am so happy for you, who is he? Have I met him? When will the wedding be?" I babble causing them both to laugh.
"I believe you met him just a couple of hours ago," she says and I glance at Aragorn's smirk before yelping out loud again and pulling her to me.
"You mean Faramir?" I ask and when she nods in confirmation the smile on her face at risk of splitting it wide open I can feel my own expression mirroring hers. "I am so pleased for you my friend he is a noble and kind man and will treat you as an equal… and if he doesn't he shall have me to answer to," I say beaming at her and she beams back before bidding me a farewell with the promise of a catch up and wedding planning session soon.
"How are you really little one?" Aragorn asks sitting in the seat Eowyn had vacated after pulling it closer to the bed and watching me squint slightly against the pounding in my head and sink back under the covers a little.
"My head is pounding as if a pack of orc are in there doing a dance but other than that I am well, if a little confused," I confess and he sighs a little leaning forward to take my hand gently in his.
"What happened?" he asks after a long silence and I turn to him and offer him what I hope is a confident smile.
"I had a vision as soon as she touched me it was like the others I was suddenly in her life as a child and then something different… I saw the future, I think, that's never happened but the visions were shimmery and different. Maybe I didn't though it might not have been…" I finish hoping for reassurance but before he opens his mouth I know it is not coming, I can see it in his face.
"They brought her sister into the infirmary twenty minutes ago, she suffered a head wound whilst playing with her brother. You saved her life my love,"
"So I saw the future?" I ask in a shocked whisper and he nods offering me a slight smile although I can read worry in his expression too.
"As soon as her sister regains consciousness I have asked the young woman, the maid who ran into you,"
"Why?" I ask in confusion,
"Little one, your gift… it is special, few in Middle Earth are gifted with sight and it is important that until you have had a chance to perfect your skills that they are kept hidden," he explains and the worry in his face is increasing and it makes the slight panic in my blood pump more quickly.
"Why must it be kept hidden though?" I ask still confused, the pain in my head making it harder to focus on things.
"There are still enemies out there my love, enemies of peace and enemies of me, it is well known that you are to be my wife and I do not want you in danger,"
"I can look after myself you know," I say immediately trying to ignore the fact that I can hear the petulance in my voice and the frustration in his answering sigh.
"I am well aware of that little one however there is little point in putting yourself in needless danger when we could avoid it,"
"But what if I never perfect this sight, we cannot possibly keep it hidden forever unless you mean to keep me locked away where I can come in to contact with no one," the tiny amount of fear is evident in my voice now and growing quickly and he immediately moves himself onto the bed beside me pulling me into his arms and cloaking me in his own warmth and safety.
"I would never lock you away just as I would never put you in needless danger, I have faith in you, your strength and ability you will control this. I have sent for Gandalf and he will be here in a few days to begin your training," he whispers into my hair and I make a little noise of contentment as I burrow further into his chest relishing the comfort I find there.
It is a soft knock on the door that stirs me and the grunt by my ear tells me that Aragorn had fallen asleep with me and even as he kisses me on the side of the head and pulls away to see who is at the door I am struck by the feeling that soon we would be able to fall asleep and wake up in one another's arms every day.
"Are you well?" his voice drags me from my thoughts and unable to keep the content smile from my face I nod my head slightly and pull myself into a sitting position.
"My king you asked to see me," the young woman says as he opens the door to reveal her standing on the other side of it.
"I did please come in," he replies stepping aside and gesturing for her to sit beside my bed in the chair he had been sitting in.
"My lady, I hope you are feeling better," she says quietly as she sits beside me and looks at me and I can't quite hide the smile that wants to become a nervous giggle at being looked upon and spoken to in this way by a someone who looked to be my age.
"I am well but for a slight headache," I respond and she smiles back at me before we both look to Aragorn to continue.
"Miss…"
"Annabeth, my name is Annabeth," she supplies as he falters and he smiles at her,
"What were you doing in the corridors this morning?" he asks and she looks almost startled for a second as if she were in trouble.
"I work here my lord, I am maid,"
"To anyone in particular?" he asks and she shakes her head with a nervous little giggle that makes me feel instantly sorry for her, I was the same as this girl if I had been born in this city and never met Aragorn I would be the same.
"I am not lucky enough to have a job like that I just do general cleaning and fetching and carrying, I was on my way to get some more logs for one of the hall fires when I ran into you," she explains and he nods along.
"The reason I wanted to see you Miss Annabeth, what happened earlier…"
"My little sister she…"
"How is she?" I interrupt speaking for the first time and seemingly surprising both of them as they spin to look at me.
"She is healing my Lady, you… you saved her life," she says falteringly blinking away the tears in her eyes.
"I am glad," I smile and she smiles back albeit with a trembling lip.
"How did you know?" she asks quietly staring at me with wide eyes and I look to Aragorn suddenly understanding that people might not understand, suddenly feeling the fear that had eluded me earlier.
"You must not speak of it Annabeth do you understand? What Lady Peyson saw, what she told you, you must keep it to yourself," Aragorn says urgently stepping forward and she nods her head emphatically.
"Of course My Lord… I mean King, I will not breath a word," she says staring at him in utter reverence and I once again spend a moment marvelling over how this wonderful and perfect man could have chosen me of all people.
"Your parents?" Aragorn asks now bringing me back down to reality and into the room again.
"My mother died when my youngest sister was born and my father was killed in the battle here," her voice is soft and she doesn't cry yet I can sense the pain in her words and I feel the pain of my own parents deaths all over again.
"Both Lady Peyson and I know what it is to lose those that you love, to lose parents in battle, if you do as I ask and keep quiet about what happened you will be well looked after here," Aragorn says equally as softly as she had and she looks up at him and even from my angle I can see the tears in her eyes as she tries to blink them away.
"Thank you… thank you so much I don't know what to… I won't breathe a word I promise you," she stutters and he smiles graciously at her as he ushers her out of the room and shuts the door.
"Do you think we can trust her?" I ask after we have sat together in silence for a while and he looks at me as if startled from a trance and remembering that I am there for the first time.
"What do you think?" he asks and I gaze back at him for a while whilst I sort out my thoughts.
"I think we can, I think she is honest and honourable,"
"Yes she reminds me of you in that respect," he smiles and I feel my cheeks flush a little not just at the compliment but because I get the distinct impression that he knows that I was thinking she reminded me of me.
It is three days before Gandalf arrives and in that time I have been kept well away from everyone and am about to go completely insane. I get that we are all worried that I'll have another insane vision and collapse in front of everyone and they have made up this excuse about me being taken ill and so only Eowyn, Legolas, Aragorn and Haldir have been allowed in to see me but I was never good at being kept inside.
"Ah Peyson my dear," A gruff voice exclaims from the doorway as I pace up and down by my window.
"Gandalf!" I cry rushing to him and throwing my arms around him in delight, partly for seeing him and partly in delight at the fact that I would finally be allowed to get out of this room again.
"It is good to see you looking so well my friend," he chuckles as I pull away from him and I frown at him slightly.
"What do you mean, I am perfectly fine?"
"The word around Minis Tirith is that you have fallen ill some three days ago and the king is mightily worried for his future wife,"
"Oh that, well…" I trail off not knowing what to say but he starts laughing,
"Aragorn has told me all child, now you must pack we leave in an hour," I smile and move before freezing in my tracks.
"Wait… what? I don't understand?"
"Your training cannot be done here Peyson it is too risky, you will travel with Haldir and I to Lothrein and will train under both myself and the Lady of the wood, she is to leave soon, to sail to the Grey Havens and we time is short," he is explaining everything so quickly that I can barely keep up.
"But… Aragorn," the mere thought of being dragged away from him again makes me feel like my heart is being ripped out and my throat constrict.
"He has been informed just before I came in here and is with Legolas now who will stay here with him and Gimli until the time of your return and your wedding,"
"But…" I try again not knowing what to say injustice and hurt welling up inside me.
"It is the only way to ensure everyone's safety Peyson including yours… and Aragorn's," he adds seeing me about to intervene and I eventually stop arguing and just nod my head mutely whilst he leaves me to pack and to presumably send Aragorn in.
Half an hour later I have packed my bags and am just getting my weapons together after having pulled my boots on when the door to my room opens and Aragorn walks in closing it behind him, standing with his back leaning against it as he watches me only stepping forwards as I move to strap my sword to my waist his hands stilling my actions.
"You must leave without your weapons strapped to you," he says in a voice that is almost too controlled and void of emotion.
"But…" the idea of going anywhere without my weapons is so ludicrous I almost want to laugh,
"Haldir will take and you on his horse to keep up the pretence of your illness them and after you are out of sight of the city you will be able to transfer to your own horse," the heaviness in his voice is audible this time as is the worry and it makes my heart ache.
"It is not fair," I sigh quietly trying to keep the tears, that are so desperate to spring forth, at bay as I speak to him.
"I said the same thing to you once do you remember?" he asks his arms finding their way around my waist and pulling me towards him where I bury my face in his chest. Unable to speak for fear of crying I simply nod and his grip tightens slightly as if he knows what I am feeling. "The thought of being away from you pains my heart greatly too little one but it is the only way. You must have faith that it will not be for long and I hope that the thought of coming home to me will speed you in your training," he whispers into my hair and the tears I had been fighting break free from their barrier despite my best efforts.
"I do not want to leave you," I whimper and his hands stroking my hair and gripping me to him tightly are the only signal I have that he has heard my muffled words. For a long time we stand like this in silence my quiet sobs the only sound in the empty room.
"I do not wish for you to ever be out of my sight, I had hoped that the end of the war meant that I could keep you by my side always but it seems that fate is to intervene once more. It will not be for long little one I trust in that and whilst you are gone I shall make preparations so that when you return we will marry right away," he says smiling through the pain I see in his own eyes as he pulls away.
"I suppose we should get going then," I say walking towards the door before he stops me again.
"I must carry you," he says not quite meeting my eye as if he knows what my reaction will be.
"No way. You cannot be serious, I am fine… I will not…" the embarrassment making my cheeks flush and my voice falter.
"I know you hate to appear weak little one but it must appear that you are still ill and you are leaving to be healed by the elves," he says and I sigh heavily through my nose and very nearly stamp my foot as I glare up at him.
"I hate this… I hate this sight, I hate this situation, I just want to be normal," I sulk and he smiles a little at me stepping forward and taking my face in his hands.
"You will never be normal my little one and I understand your frustration but one day we may live to thank the Valar for your gifts, trust that they know what is best for us," he says softly, his breath ghosting over my lips and making my own breath hitch a little before his lips are suddenly moving against mine, soft and warm and yet undeniably passionate in a way that takes my breath away.
"Yes I suppose we had, besides they have done remarkable things for both of us before," I smile a little breathlessly and he returns my smile as he picks up my sword and bow throwing them over his shoulder before gently taking me into his arms and I bury my head in the crook of his neck as he carries me through to the stables where Gandalf and Haldir are waiting.