Thank you to the following reviewers and hi to all new followers.
Aralinn - Glad you are enjoying this one! Legolas is very confused and utterly terrified but, you'll find in this chapter he is useless at the distance thing. Enjoy!
WickedGreen13 - Yes! Nearly there, couple chapters off and yay, more action scenes! Well, the kind I like, maybe not the ones you are waiting for. hehehe!
ElizabethUndomiel - Thank you!
loney - Cheers
Woman of Letters - Hehe Aragorn is all, how dare you and Legolas basically shat bricks! Was fun to rework that scenario! The word in Sindar is Desire. I was going to use love but then that could have come across as friendship love and thats not what Legolas is trying to fight so Aragorn pointing it out is making it real.
ThePassiveReader - Thanks for your lovely review on the last chapter. Glad you are enjoying it all.
tobi256- Thanks! If only I had more time to write!
A bell tolled from outside and stretching, Aerlaer opened her eyes to be met by pale sunlight. She had slept, not just slept but slept perhaps better than she had in a long time. Peering across to the other side of the bed, she realised she was alone, Legolas had gone.
With a grin she sat up, wondering why he had not awoken her when he had risen, by the tolling of the bell, she needed to get ready quickly.
Hopping out of bed, she changed into the other dress which had been left for her; the light green one with intricate ivy patterns across the bodice and loose sleeves.
Hastily she turned to the mirror, to untangle the strands of her hair before deftly putting it into a half braid which fell loose over her shoulder. Aerlaer buckled on her sword belt and donned her cloak and shrugged her quiver over her shoulder.
Throwing her blanket back over the bed neatly and re arranging the pillows, Aerlaer smiled when she detected the faint smell of woodland trees. I hope he slept just as well as I. She thought, gathering her clean garments into her arms and heading out the chamber.
She set out to the stable, where she could stow away her belongings in one of Arod's saddlebags. As she turned the corner of the stables a tall, bay stallion swept out of the open doors, skidding suddenly to a halt before her.
"Forgive me, I nearly ran into you." The horse apologised. "Arod told us of your coming to Rohan, it is an honour." He bowed his head to her.
"Do not bow, friend, tell me your name and why such haste?" Aerlaer said, a little bemused.
"I am Brego; the Ranger who now rides Hasufel has set me free." He replied.
"Then if Aragorn has bid it, I will not stand in your way, go now and run as the wind across the plains." She smiled and with a nod, he cantered down the path towards the gates of Edoras.
Entering the stable, she was greeted by a chorus of whinnies and in turn greeted the horses around her as she made her way down the walkway to Arod who stood patiently in his stall, already saddled. "I see Legolas has beaten me to it in tacking you up my friend." Aerlaer said to the grey as she affectionately stroked his neck and scratched behind his ear.
"Yes, but I sensed his mind was elsewhere, he did not speak to me as he normally would." The horse replied, ears flickering as Aerlaer placed her belongings in one of the saddle's packs.
"I'm sure he is okay, maybe thinking of the long journey we must make to Helms Deep. I must head back and speak with the King." As she walked out of the stable she called to the horses. "We might all be carrying extra riders; I am unsure how the King wishes to proceed moving his people, would you be willing to carry another if the need arises?" She smiled at the horses' responses, they were all willing to do their part. Thanking them, she headed to the King's hall.
…
Aragorn caught sight of Aerlaer as she entered the hall, seeming to purposely ignore the gazes of the King's men as she approached. Slowly he lowered his sword from where he'd held it in defence against the Lady Eowyn's.
"Morning, where is the King?" The Elf asked pleasantly.
"Morning Aerlaer, perhaps the stables?" He suggested. He'd expected her to ask after Legolas.
"No, I have just come from the stables."
"Try the armoury." The Ranger suggested and turned back to Éowyn as the Elf left the hall.
"You have some skill with a blade." He complimented, returning to their earlier conversation.
"Women of this country learned long ago that those without swords may still die upon them." She said proudly. "I fear neither death nor pain." Her words were fierce, bold and Aragorn wondered at them. She spoke as a young soldier, raring to the battlefield, not aware of the horrors and fear which lay in such places.
"What do you fear, my Lady?" He watched as her eyes flickered about the great hall, before returning once more to gaze steadily back at him.
"A cage. To stay behind bars until use and old age accept them. And all chance of valour has gone beyond recall or desire." Bitter her words were and he heard the taint of fear within them. A desire for more, for adventure, she reminded him a little of the Elf who had just left the hall.
"You are a daughter of kings, a shield-maiden of Rohan. I do not think that will be your fate." He said kindly. "I think you would get along well with Aerlaer for your spirit seems fierce and proud, much like hers."
"I truly would not know how to speak to her, I do not know anything of the ways of Elves, and I admit I find her a little intimidating." Éowyn confessed, appearing rather shy, a far cry from the fierceness of her demeanour but moments before. Aragorn found himself chuckling quietly, Aerlaer did have the tendacy to appear unruly and dangerous but only when it was necessary of her, just like her grandmother.
"She is kind; I have known her for a long time. You should get to know her." He smiled with an encouraging nod. The female company would surely do Aerlaer well too.
"The guards and riders are very much enthralled by her." Éowyn said quietly so the other men in the hall would not hear. "They think she is very beautiful."
"She is a fierce warrior, who could slay any of them in a moment. They should be enthralled by that." said a voice flatly from behind them. Aragorn turned to see Legolas gazing coolly at them.
"Do you not think she is beautiful then?" Éowyn asked Legolas in surprise. The question seemed to take him aback a moment and a brief flicker of that same torment Aragorn had noticed in his dark eyes, earlier that morning, showed once more before his features resembled cool marble.
"What I think is that she is a lethal fighter and I can appreciate her skill." He replied curtly and stalked away. Aragorn watched him leave in surprise.
"Does he really think that? Does he not see her beauty also?"
"He sees it more than any of us but he will not admit it." Aragorn murmured, turning back to the young woman. "You would do well not to repeat that." He flashed her a grin and after a moment she returned a small smile.
"Here is the King." She suddenly gestured and Aragorn turned to see Théoden sweeping into the hall, Aerlaer, Gimli and the guard, Hama, following closely.
"I do hope you are all prepared to leave. The Lady Aerlaer has spoken with our horses and they are willing to carry an extra rider if needed." Théoden looked over his subjects as they nodded they were indeed ready and then strode forward. "Let us leave now before the day is truly upon us, we have many miles ahead."
Sheathing his sword, Aragorn moved towards his companions, noticing Legolas had appeared once more, his attention focussed on Aerlaer from afar.
"Will you ride beside us?" Éowyn broke him from his musings regarding his Elf friend.
"Yes, it would be an honour." He replied and Éowyn smiled brightly, looking truly pleased.
…
Legolas had planned on keeping his distance from Aerlaer but his resolve disappeared once she had entered the hall. As the King had spoken and then directed his men to leave, he had hung back, watching her, noting the pretty, green dress she wore, taking in the details, checking her quiver was full, her blades present, her bow well strung. He felt eyes on him but refused to look to Aragorn. Aragorn knew too much and it terrified him.
What he was feeling was terrifying him but he could not stop himself from falling into step with the elleth as she passed him, Gimli by her side. She flashed him a smile and he smiled back, feeling better for her presence, like it was something he needed, like air. This too scared him.
Gimli waited outside, grumbling about horses, as he entered the stable alongside Aerlaer. Finally, a moment alone to ask her what had been gnawing at him.
"You were sleeping when I left, does that mean you slept well?" He asked lowly so no one could overhear.
"Yes." She replied just as quietly. "And you? He gave her a quick smile and nodded as a stableboy handed him Arod's reins. Leading him from the stable, he turned and leapt into the grey horse's saddle and waited for Gimli so he could help him up. He'd helped her, it was a wonderful feeling.
Aerlaer shifted to horse form and Legolas held back a snicker as a couple of nearby guards who had been watching her jumped back in fright. She flicked her tail good naturedly and trotted down the line of horses and people. Such an imp. He shook his head, grinning to himself as he moved Arod towards Aragorn and the King's horse.
Finally, the entire city's occupants were trailing out of the gates of Edoras and onto the plains. This will be a slow journey. He mused as Arod fell into comfortable stride with Hasufel and the Lady Éowyn's, bay mare. Aerlaer trotted on the mare's other side and for the first few miles, they all travelled in silence. Eventually Éowyn spoke, turning to Aerlaer, as the pace slowed to a walk and she shifted back to Elf form.
"Forgive me for asking, Lady Aerlaer, how do you shift from one form to the other and remain clothed in Elf form but not in horse form?" Éowyn asked curiously.
"The Edhelroch can imprint clothing to them as if it were their own skin. I simply touch the material and will it to be a part of my Elf self and it becomes so. If I were to wear a saddle in horse form I could imprint to it but if I shifted to elf form it would be gone as it was a part of my horse form."
"Well, I must say that sounds very useful as well as convenient." Éowyn replied with interest. Legolas, decided the very idea of a saddle upon the Elfhorse was horrifying although he kept his opinion quiet, content to listen to the conversation.
"It really is." Aerlaer laughed lightly and his thoughts turned to whether she had forgotten to imprint as she had but the day before, in a more compromising situation. It was both an amusing thought and one of slight mortification as his mind then flashed back to the elleth lying asleep, blanket tangled in disarray that morning. He swallowed, quickly focusing on Éowyn's next question.
"Are, are you able to tell me a little more about your kind and Elves?" The young woman asked tentivley. "I admit I have no real knowledge of any other race in Middle Earth but my own, we never see any other kin in Rohan." She explained.
"What would you like to know?" Aerlaer asked smiling at the other lady and beaming, Éowyn jumped down from her mare to walk beside Aerlaer and learn about Elves. Next to him, Aragorn grinned down at the two as they fell into animated conversation, his gaze turning to Legolas who returned his grin.
It seemed Aerlaer had gained a new friend although it did not surprise him, her company was rather favorable. He certainly enjoyed it. with that thought, he dropped back to ride with the King and Aragorn followed suit. Concerning Aerlaer, he was treading deeper and deeper water and if he wasn't careful, he'd drown.
…
A few hours had passed and Éowyn had finally exhausted her many questions about Elves and now Aerlaer asked her about her own kind.
"Tell me, what of the race of men? I have only known Aragorn and his people and the eldest son of Gondor who we lost to Uraks on this journey which has found us here." Aerlaer felt a pang, thinking of Boromir. How many more would die before the end? Boromir had called it a fool's quest. She refused to believe it.
"There is not much to tell but the men and woman of Rohan are loyal and brave." Eowyn spoke, pulling Aerlaer from her sudden trail of thoughts. "I do not know of the people of Gondor and then there are the Wild-men of the mountains who are barbaric. Like the different kinds of Elves, we are different." Aerlaer nodded at the woman's answer.
"That makes sense. There were men, Woods-men, who resided between my father's realm and Legolas's father's woodland. I think perhaps they were a little like your Wild-men. My father forbade any of us to venture near their small, rough villages for fear of capture." Éowyn gazed at her in surprise and Aerlaer smirked.
"My brother and some of us other yearlings snuck in close to their villages sometimes. Their language was foreign to us and we were too swift for them to catch us. They were rather stupid." She chuckled, recalling the time she and Aerthor had used Thenid as bait and lured a group of six of these men into the Wilderlands and lost them in the depths of a mist filled ravine.
"How long have you known Aragorn?" Éowyn asked casually.
"A while." Aerlaer laughed, shooting a look back to the Ranger who was now riding back with the King, Legolas and Gimli. He was talking to the King and instead, Legolas's eyes locked onto hers and he shot her a bright, boyish smile and she returned the smile before turning back to Éowyn trying to push aside the strange feeling of butterflies which seemed to suddenly erupt in her belly.
"I've known Aragorn since he was a young boy. I taught him to ride when he was only five years old in Rivendell." She smiled fondly at the memory of the young boy grasping to her mane and confidently sitting proudly upon her back in the gardens of Rivendell.
"You allow people to sit upon your back? I admit I am surprised, you are so akin to the Meara, I did not think you would." Éowyn murmured.
"Only sometimes and, if the need calls for it. I carried the Hobbits often as we journeyed from Rivendell. I am fully prepared to carry any of Edoras's people who fall behind." She said honestly and then smirked. "Except the soldiers, unless maybe they are very injured."
"They are fascinated by you." Éowyn laughed.
"I noticed." Aerlaer replied, also laughing. "I guess they have all heard the tales of old of the Elfhorses who once roamed across these plains too." Éowyn nodded, but Aerlaer noticed an amused smile playing on her lips.
"What?"
"Nothing." She shook her head, still seeming amused and Aerlaer decided it was possibly some human amusement she would not understand.
"I'm going to head back along the line and check for stragglers. Care to join me?" She asked her new friend as she shifted back to horse and Éowyn nodded and remounted her bay mare, Windfola, and both horses cantered back down the line.
Aerlaer noticed a small group of four people struggling to keep up as they reached the end of the line. Two children, a young pregnant woman and an older lady.
"Lady Éowyn and Lady Aerlaer, greetings." The two woman spoke politely, bowing their heads. The young children, two blonde girls, stared in wonder at Aerlaer, their eyes bright and curious, as blue as the clear skies.
"Your mane is so pretty." Said the smallest little blonde girl in awe.
"Nellwyn! Manners!" The pregnant woman chastised the blonde girl. "I am sorry my Lady, my youngest does not remember her manners."
Aerlaer lowered her head down to the girl, Nellwyn's level. "It is okay" she whispered to the girl. "And thank you, I like my mane too." She said giving it a little shake to which the little girl laughed happily. "And what is your name?" Aerlaer asked, turning to the slightly taller, older girl.
"My name is Fayre my Lady." The girl mumbled shyly.
"You can both call me Aerlaer. Do not worry about the lady title, it's too many words." She told both girls and received one shy and one beaming smile. She looked up to the two women. The older woman was watching her thoughtfully and spoke.
"Those are my grandchildren and my daughter here is Farrah and I am known as Rodwen."
Aerlaer looked at her in surprise. "But your name is Elvish." She exclaimed and the lady chuckled.
"Indeed, it is, I am a quarter Elf, my father was a half-Elf." This news surprised Aerlaer. The only half-Elves she knew were Lord Elrond and her cousins.
"Rodwen I never knew this." Éowyn said just as surprised as Aerlaer felt. "Rodwen is our head maidservant in Théoden's house." Éowyn said to Aerlaer.
"Then I feel it is you I must thank for the beautiful dresses left in my room in Edoras. They were certainly to the taste of an Elf." She said appreciatively.
"I am glad you liked them, the old woman smiled, her eyes twinkling.
"I think maybe you four might like to ride for a while? We still have a long way to travel before nightfall." Éowyn said. I am happy to walk and you may ride Windfola here. She will not mind."
The two girls nodded eagerly and their mother smiled gratefully as Éowyn dismounted and Aerlaer asked Windfola to kneel so the pregnant lady and two children could climb on board. "I do love children." The mare thought happily to Aerlaer.
Aerlaer then lowered herself to the ground. "Rodwen, up you go, we are not going to leave you behind."
The older lady stared at Aerlaer in wonder. "Are, are you sure?"
"Of course, or I would not offer." She said encouragingly and the old lady carefully climbed upon her back and held onto her mane.
They made their way up the line and fell into step just towards the front. Near Aragorn, Gimli, Legolas and the King and as group, they walked for a while making idle talk among themselves.
It was pleasant, Aerlaer decided, learning much about the older woman, Rodwen, and just how she had come to learn much of the race of Elves through her half-Elven father and why she had chosen a mortal life.
Eventually, Aerlaer set Rodwen down to walk again and let the two blonde girls take turns sitting on her back while she raced back and forth up and down the line to give their mother a rest from their growing boredom. She hated to pick a favourite between them, but she found Nellwyn to be a natural rider and utterly fearless.
The sun was just sitting four hours' past noon when the King called out and pointed ahead. "In about two miles we will stop and make camp for the night. Not far now." His words were met by sighs and exclamations of relief from those who walked and those who rode. The day had been warm and long.
…
The Rohirrim had set their simple camp for the eve and as the day drew to its end, Aerlaer watched the setting sun, perched up on a high rock which jutted out from one of the three rocky knolls, the camp below.
She sensed movement and turned to find Legolas approaching and moved across making room for him beside her.
"We do not have to worry about being on watch for the third night running." Legolas said happily, taking the offered place beside her. He had removed his weapons as she had, save for his vambraces.
"Oh, but I've seen you keeping an eye out on our way here anyway, despite being surrounded by guards." She teased him.
"Old habits die hard and very old habits don't die at all." He replied.
"Yes, and you are simply ancient." She taunted, smirking.
"I feel it sometimes, being surrounded by so many men but then some of their wisdom runs deep and I feel no different." He shrugged. "What do you think?"
"I think you think too much." She laughed and nudged him on the arm with her elbow. "Éowyn asked me how long I had known Aragorn today. I told her since he was five. That was eighty-two years ago I was teaching him how to ride and today I was teaching a five and seven-year-old how to ride. It's such a small span of our lives but to me, it does feel long ago. I certainly see Aragorn as the adult he is now, not the boy he was."
"Now who is thinking too much? He said and playfully nudged her back to which she laughed, glad he had found her. He had barely spoken to her all day as they had travelled, remaining with Aragorn. I surprised her now, how she had missed their easy conversations.
"Did you eat?" She asked him.
"Éowyn made a stew but Aragorn told me under no circumstances to try it." He smirked.
"I will see what Rodwen can find you, pity you can't just eat grass if you need too." She laughed and jumped up and skipped down to the encampment of people and tents to find the old half-Elf.
Éowyn looked up as Aerlaer searched around for Rodwen. "Aerlaer would you like some stew? I made some."
"Thank you but no." Aerlaer replied as kindly as she could.
"Oh." The young woman replied slightly crestfallen. "What about Legolas? Has he eaten?" She asked hopefully.
Aerlaer smiled at her friend. "I am sure your stew is lovely, Éowyn, but Legolas and I do not eat meat. I am looking for Rodwen now to try and find some fruit or something for him." She explained and Éowyn's face lit up.
"I can show you where to find fruit and vegetables, follow me."
"Lord Legolas your feast awaits." Aerlaer addressed the other Elf with curtsy and a playful smirk, as she returned to their rock above the camp. She handed him the metal dish of sliced oranges and mellon fruit.
"Thank you." He murmured as he took the plate and spied two apples in her hand.
"Don't even think about it, I had to grovel for these apples." She warned him and flopped down beside him and bit into one blissfully. "Oh, they are good too!" She said between mouthfuls, sneaking a look at him.
"You are horrible you know." He said to her, eyeing the second apple longingly.
"I have no idea what you are talking about." She said solemnly and tossed the apple high in the air so it would fall towards him. He caught it easily and handed it back to her but she shook her head.
"I got it for you."
"Thanks, you didn't have to." He said smiling warmly, even his eyes were warmer.
"No, but I wanted to." She shrugged and suddenly felt butterflies again like she had earlier in the day. Confused, she glanced around for potential danger, but there was none. She turned her attention to silently contemplate the sunset and if she was unwell.
We should go back down, before it gets too dark and work out where we are sleeping." Legolas broke into her thoughts after quite some time and she realised the sun was but a sliver of gold on the horizon now. He stood and silently she followed him down the tussocky slope to the centre of the camp.
"Aerlaer, will you be sleeping with us women?" Éowyn asked, a grey blanket in her arms. It had not occurred to Aerlaer that she would spend the night away from the rest of the Fellowship. "There is plenty of room in the tent." She added, looking hopeful.
Glancing uncertainly to the others, she found Aragorn, who had joined them, to nod and Legolas seemed nonchalant, gazing away towards where the horses were tethered.
"Thank you, yes I will, I will fetch my bed roll." She decided, not wishing to look as if she relied on the others.
Quickly she made her way to the pile of tack resting nearby Arod and Hasufel. Legolas's bedroll was also still tied to the saddle and she unfastened both. Standing, she made her way back, meeting Legolas half way and handing his bedroll over.
The sun had now sunk, moonlight and starlight taking its place in a now darkening sky. It gave enough light to see the other Elf easily by.
"Thank you." He murmured quietly and her heart seemed to skip off beat a moment as the moonlight in the clear sky illuminated his eyes making them sparkle like stars in dark water. Just like the lake near Moria which reflected starlight, they had passed. "Sleep well, Aerlaer." He said and turned quickly away before she could reply.
Not that she knew what to say, she didn't feel well at all and she turned away herself, hoping a night's rest would help. "What is wrong with me?" She quietly asked the stars, gazing up at their brightness before retreating to the tent Éowyn had entered earlier.
…
Legolas heard the barbaric cries and laughter of orcs and he tried to urge his horse faster but it would not go faster than a trot. Frustrated he leapt off it and ran as swiftly as he could towards the noise.
He entered the limestone clearing and lifted his bow arm, reaching back with his other for an arrow, but all he felt was air behind him and he held no bow. He was weapon-less. He heard an anguished cry out and ran towards the noise, through the tall stones. Rough arms suddenly grabbed him, seemingly from nowhere, and he fought uselessly to break free and run forward.
A towering Orc appeared before him laughing cruelly. It turned and Legolas could see a third Orc, holding onto someone he could not quite make out. The vile creature shifted aside and his eyes fell onto an all too familiar face, blue-green eyes locking onto his, blue-green, glinting brightly as tears fell, streaming down pale cheeks. Those eyes were frightened and pleading and fear lanced through him.
He struggled harder but to no avail. The largest Orc took a filthy blade and examined it thoughtfully before moving to the other captive. Those eyes locked once more onto his and he could not look away. There was no struggle, no cry of pain or scream as the blade was slowly plunged into the others heart but the pain, the fear, was evident and haunting in those near green eyes.
Legolas watched, powerless, devastated, as the bright light dimmed and slowly left them…
He flew up, tearing the light blanket off him, breathing hard as he looked warily about. His heart thundered behind his ribs. It had been a dream, a terrible, terrible dream. He snatched up his bow and quiver and stalked from the tent, needing air, needing to reassure himself they were safe, to let his pounding heart settle.
He'd had trouble falling asleep and had spent the past few hours tossing and turning or sleeping fitfully. This dream was the last straw, he'd take his bedroll and sleep against his saddle by the horses and hopefully being under stars would suffice.
No guards noticed him walking through the camp and now his heart had calmed, he felt the area was quite safe. He walked back to the tent and quietly picking up his roll, walked back out toward the horses and set the roll down and his weapons beside it and laid down, dragging his cloak over himself.
He watched the stars a while before closing his eyes. Again he saw those terrified and agonized blue and green eyes from his dream and shot his own eyes back open and tried blinking the memory away. He tried closing them again, but they were still there. He opened his eyes again and gasped in surprise. The very same eyes were looking down into his although there was no green in them or terror or pain, only a cautious curiosity, blue and silver in the moonlight.
"I'm sorry I did not know you were out here." She whispered awkwardly and turned to leave. He realized she had her bedroll and cloak in her arms.
"Aerlaer?" She turned back to look at him as he pushed himself up on his hands. "Stay." He uttered softly, the single word past his lips before he could take it back. She gazed back a moment longer before returning and dropping her bedroll to lie beside his.
"Sleep now." She murmured and knowing now she was safely by his side, that they were indeed safe and no enemy lurked, no harm could befall her, he settled back, letting his eyes close, now only seeing starlight and hearing the soft shifting of the elleth beside him as she too settled to find rest.
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