The muttering and giggles is what first penetrates her foggy mind, followed quickly by the feeling of being incredibly warm and safe. For a moment she just grumbles and bury's herself further into that warmth and safety until it breathes. Her eyes fly open immediately as she takes in her position, wrapped around Aragorn, their limbs entwined and her face flushes crimson as he moans a little in her sleep attempting to pull her closer to him, fingers flexing against the bare skin on her back where her tunic had ridden up in the night.
"Aragorn, wake up," she mumbles quietly, glaring at the hobbits and Gimli who were all staring and laughing at them openly.
"Just a little while longer," he replies his voice rough with sleep, a sound which sends a shiver through her despite herself.
"I think we have already given our friends quite enough of a show," she whispers desperately, feeling humiliation roll through her and continue to heat her already flushed skin.
"What… oh Valar," he mutters as he finally opens his eyes and gazes around, forcing her to stifle her own giggle as she watches his own face flush with embarrassment.
"My friends I am glad you are awake we must make ready to depart, the Lord and Lady are waiting to bid us farewell," Legolas grins as he steps into the camp and they both spring to their feet and busy themselves in gathering their things together.
Less than an hour later they find themselves standing on the river bank, elven cloaks being drawn around them as Lord Celebron explains what an honour it is for them to be given these cloaks and the fact that they will shield them from enemies. Next Lady Galadriel steps forward and begins to present each of the fellowship with a gift. She presents Legolas with a new bow and the look of wonder on his face makes Meduineth smile with happiness for her friend, in fact she is so caught up with watching him that she almost misses Merry and Pippin being presented with shiny new daggers or indeed Sam getting his elvish rope. She looks away when Galadriel approaches Aragron, she's not sure why really but she feels like it is too personal what is being said and she doesn't want to intrude and so instead she busies herself with adjusting the lorien leaf clasp that held her cloak secure.
"Child," the voice startles her as she looks up to find Galadriel standing in front of her and smiling gently.
"My lady," she responds respectfully ducking her head until she feels gentle fingers grip her chin and pull her face back until she is forced to look the lady in the eye.
"You take much responsibility on my child, do not be afraid to share your burdens with those around you and remember that they need you too, remember that," she says cryptically and she look at her as she attempts to work out what it means.
"Thank you," she says after a moment and Galadriel laughs a little before holding out a beautifully crafted sword out to me which she takes tentatively.
"It is beautiful," she murmurs smiling brightly as she takes out her old sword and places the new one in the scabbard.
"We shall keep this safe for you here until you return for it, just as with Legolas' bow," she smiles and and Meduineth thanks her again. "Oh and Meduineth," she calls as the girl is turning away from her.
"Yes," she replies suddenly nervous,
"I think perhaps it is time that necklace found its home on a new neck," she whispers to me before pausing and pulling away slightly to take in my shocked face, "be safe granddaughter, I would see you again when this is over," she says now and Meduineth nods managing somehow to smile and soon finds herself sitting in front of Aragorn in a boat as they begin their journey anew.
When night has fallen and the fellowship are asleep on the bank of the river Meduineth still sits pondering the Lady's words as she keeps watch.
"What is troubling you Nin dilthen mysterui, you have been too quiet today?" Aragorn says quietly as he sits beside her and she starts a little as she looks round at him, watching him in the darkness as he lights his pipe. Her fingers find themselves fingering her necklace and she suddenly realise what Galadriel had meant, what Arwen had meant. Could it be that she was in love with Aragorn? The thought both exhilarated and terrified her, it was all wrong, she could never hope for him to love her back in that way, he saw her as a child, as someone to care for and protect but not to love and marry. Besides, it was hardly the time for love, they were on a quest to destroy evil but perhaps she could offer it to him as an act of friendship.
"Aragorn…" she starts after a moment already pulling the chain from around her neck,
"What is it Medui?" he asks with a little smile as he turns to look at her and she smiles back at him before grasping his hand in hers and putting the necklace into his palm.
"I want you to have this," she says in a voice that is barely audible and he gasps as he looks at the glittering jewel in his hand.
"Meduineth…" he begins moving his hand back towards her but she closes his fist over it quickly and pushes it into his chest.
"Please Aragorn, I want you to have it, you have been… I… I would feel better knowing you have it so that if we… if I… if we are separated for any reason I would feel like we were still together somehow," she stutters out her explanation feeling her face flush crimson.
"I would be honoured but you are mistaken if you think I shall ever let you be separated from me again," he murmurs handing her his pipe so that he can place the chain over his neck, the jewel landing on his chest where it nestled just below his tunic's neckline.
"Thank you," she whispers to him and he smiles again pulling her to him and kissing her temple,
"I am supposed to be thanking you, now will you do me a favour and get some rest so that you are ready to journey at dawn?" he asks and she nods her head settling down by his side.
"I do not want to be away from you," she says by way of explanation and he chuckles a little before pulling her into his lap where she settles and is asleep within minutes and he tries very hard not to think about how much he craved this connection and contact. How he would miss it if it was ever taken from him and he tried very hard indeed not to think about the way he would feel if she ever rejected him. He shifts her in his arms slightly to free a hand which goes up to finger the necklace. Oh how he hoped that her giving this to him meant what he wanted it to!
Three days drift by slowly as they make their way down the river only stopping to rest for a few hours each night and although he does not comment on it Legolas notes with a smile that Aragorn now wore Meduineth's even star necklace and that his fingers often strayed to touch it. On the afternoon of the fourth day that Aragorn points out the Aronath and Meduineth is caught in the reverence in his voice as he tells her and Frodo about them and how he had so longed to see them.
"We cross at sundown," he says as they set up camp and she wanders off towards Merry and Pippin as Legolas and he begin a conversation.
For a short while Meduineth potters around before heading silently into the forest to gather some wood to build a fire so they might cook some food, she knew how much the hobbits loved their food and wanted to see them smiling again. She had not got too far when she heard voices, freezing for an instant she listens avidly until realising that it is Boromir talking and so heads forward breaking through the tree line only to freeze again, this time her blood like ice in her veins as she sees Boromir attacking Frodo, trying to take the ring from him.
"Stop," she screams launching herself forwards and trying to pull the man off of the hobbit. He rounds on her then delivering a blow to her face that has her seeing stars and tumbling backwards. Gasping for breath and trying to breathe through the stinging pain she attempts to stand.
"You should have been mine," Boromir bellows, his attention now on her and the terror that engulfs her as she sees him advance on her is unlike anything she had felt before and as he tackles her to the ground she has never before wished for anything as much as she wished that Aragorn was with her to save her once again.
"Run, Frodo," she manages to shout before his hands close around her throat,
"Always taking what should be mine," he is shouting, his face red and his eyes empty as she struggles to get free of him. Her fingers scratching at his hands as black spots began to dance in front of her eyes, her consciousness slipping away from her, Aragorn's face the only thing she could see.
"Where is Frodo?" Sam asks suddenly back at the camp and Aragorn and Legolas spin round to survey the camp,
"Boromir is gone too," Gimli notices and as his eyes search the area Aragorn's heart clenches uncomfortably as he realises that Meduineth is also missing.
"We must find them now," Legolas says urgently and leaving Sam in the camp with Merry and Pippin they disappear into the tree line.
"Frodo," Aragorn exclaims in relief as he crashes through the trees to see the tiny hobbit, terror etched into his features.
"It has taken Boromir," Frodo murmurs, fear evident in his tone.
"Where is the ring Frodo?" Aragorn asks with such intensity that Frodo stumbles away from him.
"Stay away!" Frodo shouts scrambling further away from the man even as he moves towards the hobbit.
"Frodo," Aragorn murmurs the name and something in his own tone of voice makes the hobbit stop moving away, "I swore to protect you," he continues trying to pour the truth he felt into his words, his expression.
"Can you protect me from yourself?" he asks in a trembling voice as he holds out the ring in the palm of his shaking hand, "would you destroy it?" Aragorn swallows thickly, every doubt about his weakness swimming to the forefront of his mind as he steps slowly towards the hobbit his eyes fixed on the ring, hearing it whispering to him. Kneeling before the hobbit his own hand reaches towards the ring and then so suddenly he almost starts Meduineth's face appears before him and the whispers stop because as always she has given him the strength he needs.
"I would have gone with you to the end, into the very fires of Mordor," he whispers as he closes both hands over Frodo's and pushes the tiny fist, in which the ring is now encased, back towards the hobbits chest.
"I know. Look after the others, especially Sam. He will not understand," Frodo says with a sad little smile, "you must go and find Meduineth she saved me but…" Aragorn feels as if his heart has stopped altogether as he hears those words.
"But what Frodo? Where is she?" he asks hearing the desperation seeping into his voice.
"Boromir attacked her, they were fighting, she made me run," he says before gasping as Aragorn stands pulling his sword and looking down he can see that Sting is glowing.
"Go, Frodo. Run. Run," he yells before turning to face the oncoming army, one hand briefly clasping the jewel that hung about his neck, "I'm coming Melamin," he mutters before letting out a roar and charging into battle.