~Ghosts of the Past~

The night deepened and leaving the vale, they now climbed up, ever up, in haste to reach the Hill of Erech. The sky was dark, and the stars veiled, and the Elves could just pick their way through rock, tree and shrub.

Gimli felt immensely weary in body and mind and he thought even the Elves seemed tired as they ran before he and Aragorn. Aragorn though seemed to run tirelessly, his single determination to reach the stone driving them on and keeping their spirits remaining strong.

They ran down into another vale and paused for but a moment to drink from a cold stream. The icy water hit Gimli's stomach with a biting chill. Then they were running again, and he gritted his teeth as a stitch formed in his side.

Climbing up another towering hill, through shrubs and trees and rough stone felt like an entity in the darkness and the pain in his side added to the struggle. The trees began to thin, and they reached the crest of the large hill and Gimli forgot all about the stitch in his side as he beheld a great ominous looking round, black stone.

It stood like a great globe, easily the height of a grown Elf and easily towering over him. Walking towards it with his three companions, he realised more of the black stone must be beneath the earth. He had heard tales of this stone. Some said it had fallen from the stars. He now understood why.

"The stone of Erech, brought out of the ruin of Numenor and there set by Isildur at his landing." Aragorn murmured to them and then cleared his throat and stepped up to the great stone.

"I summon you to fulfil your oath." Aragorn commanded. Suddenly the spirits which had followed them from the mountains appeared and surrounded them upon the hill. From the wisps of men and horse, stepped a crowned ghost. Gimli held his axe a little tighter, watching warily where he stood beside the Elves.

"None but the King of Gondor may command me!" The ghost hissed, and Legolas drew an arrow to his bow, aiming it at the ghostly figure. As he raised his sword, the Elf released his arrow, but it only passed through the spirit, followed by one of Aerlaer's.

"Your weapons are useless here, young Elves." The Ghost King cackled as he swung his sword towards Aragorn. The sound of metal on metal crashed through the deathly silence, startling Gimli.

"That bind was broken!" The Ghost King exclaimed angrily.

"It has been remade." Aragorn replied regally and parried the ghost's sword away.

"Fight for us, and regain your honour. What say you?" Aragorn cried out to them, but they were met with silence.

What say you?" He demanded again. Beside him Legolas eyed the ghostly army around them intently, eyes bright in the darkness.

"You waste your time, Aragorn! They had no honour in life, they have none now in death." Gimli muttered, hoping to bait the army into some sort of response but still they remained silent.

"I am Isildur's heir. Fight for me and I will hold your oaths fulfilled! What say you?" Aragorn cried out again, staring at the Ghost King.

The crowned leader appeared thoughtful as he observed the Ranger and then he smirked to them. Surely, he would agree to help? To Gimli's dismay, he was wrong. Slowly the army began to fade away.

"Stand you traitors!" He growled, twisting his axe angrily in his hands.

"Does honour mean nothing to you?" Aerlaer challenged beside him, hair sparking copper. Still they faded.

"No!" Aragorn called out desperately, but Gimli felt the chill leave the air as the spirits faded away into the darkness.

"No." Aragorn choked out quietly, his voice now devoid of his earlier hope. He fell to his knees beside the round stone. Legolas went to stand beside him, placing a comforting hand on the Ranger's shoulder as Aerlaer sank down onto the ground beside him, wrapping an arm around him.

"We'll find a way." She murmured quietly. "We have to. All is not lost yet." She added fiercely, and Gimli hoped with all of his heart the Elf was right.

"We will spend the night here." Aragorn said wearily, and he and Legolas nodded as Aerlaer stood and removed her quiver and unclasped her cloak, casting it down on the grassy hilltop a few meters away from the Ranger in the darkness.

Legolas shrugged off his own quiver and leant it against his leg as he unclasped his own cloak. Gimli, suddenly feeling all his weariness return on top of the devastation of the ghost army refusing to aid them, flattened his own cloak out and settled down on the other side of Aragorn. Tiredly, he watched as Legolas tentatively placed his own cloak between the Ranger and Aerlaer, closer however to the she-Elf, and sank down upon it. Gimli let his eyes close and sleep almost instantly claimed him.

…

Legolas glanced to where Aragorn lay silent in his own thoughts as he stared up at the dark sky and then turned to the Elf near him. Aerlaer too gazed up into the darkness and he could just make out the glint of her bright eyes and then the glint of a chain. He realised she was toying with whatever pendant hung from it.

She seemed more at ease than when she had left the cave but still the anguish she had shown plainly worried him. What could hurt her so much? Would she tell me if I asked?

"In the mountain, were you thinking of the herd?" He asked quietly and the chain at her neck became still.

"No." She replied softly. "It was just a long-ago memory, nothing more." With a pang, he realised she had been remembering the ellon, Elladan had spoken of. "It got you out of the mountain safely and that is what matters." She added quietly.

"Guren glassui." He murmured gratefully to her as the gravity of what she had put her own heart through to get them out became clearer to him.

"Losto Vae Legolas." She whispered and fell silent beside him, her hand entwined in the chain of her pendant and he wondered if perhaps it had come from the mysterious Elf. He dared not ask, for the answer would surely break him.

...

Hours passed, and Legolas did not sleep. Awake he lay, longing to pull the other Elf into his arms like he had the past two nights. Afraid if he should fall to sleep he would unconsciously seek her out and do just that. With no Elrohir to use as an excuse his only option was to lie awake for he did not wish to leave her side.

Quite suddenly the air became cold and he snapped his eyes open, reaching a hand to his bow. Aerlaer murmured incoherently and turned onto her side facing him, curling into herself from the chill now in the air, still asleep. Cautiously he sat up and looked around in the darkness but could discern nothing. Aragorn and Gimli slept on also, the Dwarf lightly snoring. As he thought to lie down once more, the wispy figure of the Ghost King emerged to regard him.

"Follow me, young Elf Prince." The ghost beckoned and warily, Legolas stood. The ghost turned and walked away.

Legolas made to follow and then stopped. He glanced back at Gimli and Aragorn and then Aerlaer uncertainly, reluctant to leave her. He felt the ghost just behind him.

"No harm will come to your companions, or your mate." The Ghost King said solemnly, and Legolas sensed he could believe him.

"She is not my mate." He muttered, correcting the ghost but the King just chuckled as he walked eerily down the hill. Halfway down the steep hill, he turned to Legolas.

"How do we know we can trust Isildur's heir?" He asked. "How do we know he will not use us and then break to his word?"

"I have known Aragorn since he was but a child, he is true to his word. He is not his ancestors." Legolas replied honestly.

"And to us you are but an Elfling, and yet many lives of men have you lived already but not so many as we have endured between life and death by force of curse. We crave for peace. We crave to finally leave this world. We are weary but we cannot rest." The Ghost King hissed out and to Legolas his voice sounded tormented.

"Aragorn will not betray you." He said with conviction and the King regarded him thoughtfully.

"Your honesty has convinced me." The King said slowly. "We will fight for him but if he should deceive us, leaving your conviction lacking, you will pay Princeling. If he does not fulfil this oath, then we will take the life of the one you care for most in this world.

"No." Legolas immediately replied, enraged he would deign to use such bargaining power upon him. "You may have my life if he does not fulfil his oath, but you will not harm a single hair upon her head." Legolas counter bargained angrily and the Ghost King grinned.

"So be it." He replied with an amused chuckle and faded away into the darkness.

Legolas swiftly bounded back up the hill and breathed a sigh of relief to see his three companions still sleeping and un-harmed. Realising his heart had been pounding in his chest the entire time, he retreated to his cloak and sank down upon it, drawing his knees up to his chest. He let his head rest upon his knees, tilted towards the dark form of Aerlaer, rising and falling softly in sleep. He took deep, slow breaths, trying to steady his still pounding heart.

Being close once more to the other Elf helped, and he wanted to reach out and touch her, draw in some of her calming presence. Calming like the soft warmth of the embers of a fire. He knew he still could not trust himself to sleep, and let his mind wander for a time. A cheery tune of the Greenwood eventually entered his consciousness and softly and slowly he sung the words without thought.

"There's no way to say this song's about someone else,

Every time you're not in my arms I start to lose myself.

Someone please pass me my wine

Another drink I've just downed

All I want is to see your eyes shine,

When I spin you round and round."

He looked down in open wonder as strands of Aerlaer's hair which fell tumbling down her back and over her shoulder, framing her peacefully sleeping face, began to softly glow.

"Yet I'm feeling like,

There is no better place than right by your side.

I had a little taste.

And I'll only have to leave here anyway

Everyone is looking fine

But you're the only one on my mind."

He softly sung the next verse to the song and her hair steadily shone brighter and in the soft light it created, he discerned a small smile upon her lips. This song has significant meaning to her. He continued to sing softly as he gazed wonderingly at her long tresses.

"When I'm gone I'll think of you." He sung the last words quietly for the song also had meaning to him.

"Don't go." She suddenly spoke, and he froze before peering warily at her face but she was still asleep.

"I'm not going anywhere." He replied softly, a little amused.

"You nearly fell." Her sleep filled voice whispered. The trepid fear, the note of lostness caused his breath to catch.

"I am here." He found himself replying, unsure why he needed her to know that. A small smile flickered across her features.

"You really are, aren't you?" She asked quietly almost as if she were uncertain and he took her hand in both of his, wrapping his fingers securely around hers.

"I am here." He repeated, and her hair glowed a little brighter making him smile.

To speak such to him, she was truly deep in the realms of sleep and exhaustion. He imagined it was emotional exhaustion from their trek beneath the mountain.

"I wish I had told you." She muttered sadly, the glow of her hair softening.

"Told me what?" He asked the sleeping elleth. Her words were becoming confusing.

"It doesn't matter, you're here now." She sighed, seeming content once more. "And I promise I'll never leave you again." She murmured ever so softly to him and he brushed fingers tenderly through her glowing hair. "Death will never separate us, not really." Her last words were a sigh, but they flooded Legolas to his very soul, however as his heart finally deciphered their meaning, it fractured.

Her words were not meant for him. They were meant for another. He smiled ruefully down at her, wishing it was he who held her heart for he knew he could never take back his own. It was hers and he could not help but answer her promise.

"And I will never leave you."

...

Aerlaer lay upon her side, curiously gazing at the sleeping Elf mere inches by her side. She had not moved from how she had awoken, her left hand clasped gently within his, resting upon the small grassy gap between them.

The action was comforting yet confusing. She wanted to know why but after the eve before, their argument and the cruel words he had spoken, she would not ask. No, Aerlaer would wait, she wished to know what he would do upon awakening.

Despite the harrowing events of the day before, Aerlaer felt refreshed. She had slept soundly. Legolas too seemed to sleep deeply, a ghost of a smile upon his lips, strands of silvery hair falling over his cheek and across the bridge of his nose. In the night and the beginnings of dawn, his hair, she had noticed, took on a true silvery shine. It reminded her of pure moonlight.

Nearby a bird took up the cry of the dawn song and Legolas began to stir. Relaxing down into the grass below her, Aerlaer closed her eyes, feigning sleep. It was a sneaky trick on her part, but she only wished to know a little where she stood with him.

His breathing changed, although he did not move, and then he let out what could only be a sigh of discontentment and she felt his fingers move around her own. Immediately Aerlaer blinked her eyes open, focusing on his expression. He looked... bewildered.

"You're awake." He mumbled, eyes casting away from her, dropping to their hands. She made to ask him why he held her hand but suddenly words rushed quietly from him. "You were restless, dreaming perhaps, I thought it might help." He explained, staring pointedly at their hands as he pulled his slowly away and pushed himself up to sit. Aerlaer was uncertain what to make of that.

"I don't recall any dreams, I thought I had slept soundly." She murmured, pulling herself up to peer across at him.

"It was a while after everyone took their rest." He replied.

"Oh..." She bit her bottom lip. "I am sorry if I disturbed your rest, Legolas." He snapped his gaze to her.

"Do not apologize, I did not mind." He looked away again, seeming to war over something.

"Is there something wrong?" She asked, his words and actions confusing in their differences. So far she had determined nothing, only that she was more confused by him.

"No, not at all. I'm glad you were able to rest peacefully, Aerlaer." He suddenly smiled, no smirked. "Your hair shone rather brightly." She quickly looked away from him, worried.

"I don't know why it does that when I sleep." She lied.

"Oh? Elrohir told me it changed depending on your current mood." He noted casually, and she felt tricked. She was meant to be figuring him out, not the other way around!

"Maybe I had a nice dream." She muttered.

"About what?" He swiftly asked, shocking her.

"I, I don't know, I don't remember." Aerlaer did not know but for such a reaction, it was one of two subjects she could have been dreaming of, and one was currently gazing curiously at her, making her nervous. "If it bothers you, I'll sleep with my cloak pulled up." She mumbled, wondering why it was such a big deal to him. Perhaps it was the light, perhaps that kept him awake.

"I do not mind." Legolas promised. "I just wondered why." He paused, as if debating his next words. "I wondered too if it were the same memories you dreamed as we walked through the mountain…" He confessed, now looking vulnerable.

"I…"

"You do not need to answer." He spoke over her, looking away. She watched him, trying to understand. She did not have an answer, not one, nor two she could easily explain. Her dreams of late were confusing, at least the ones she recalled when she awoke. Always filled with silver and golden light, peaceful and happy to her fea and her heart.

"I don't know." She sighed. He nodded silently and stood, picking up his weapons to strap on. She stared up at him with a frown. "Where are you going?" He looked down and then his eyes widened.

"Manwë, I forgot to tell you, the Ghost King and his army will help us after all!" He rushed out, a smile now forming.

"What! How in Arda could you forget to tell me that!" She leapt up, hope now bursting within her. "Do the others know?" He shook his head. "We must awaken them, especially Aragorn, right now!" Aerlaer glanced to the sleeping Ranger, noting the dire frown upon his weary features.

"Should we not let him rest a while longer?" Legolas countered.

"No, he'll want to move on, and his heart will be lighter, and energy surely renewed for the news he is about to receive!" At that Legolas grinned at her.

"Very well, but Aerlaer?" She turned back to him after buckling her own quiver. "You are happy now yes, with this news?"

"Of course, it is wonderful, I feel as if all hope has been renewed." She smiled at him, now tugging at her vambraces.

"Then should not your hair be glowing, if you are happy?" She paused at that, peering at him from behind a wayward fall of her hair she had not yet swept properly aside. He was watching her curiously again.

"I'm begging to wonder if you have an obsession with my hair." She stated, raising a brow, baiting him.

"I, um, no. It is lovely, of course, but I mean well it is scintillating in all its colours, beautiful… everyone says this of course, that it is beautiful. I am just…" He swallowed and turned away, focusing on his bowstring, checking it.

"Just what?" Aerlaer pressed quietly, hopefully."

"Merely stating a known fact and opinion." He replied. "Now, let us wake the others and leave." She internally sighed, no closer to an answer, and turned her attention to the slowly stirring Ranger.

...

Aragorn awoke an hour or so off dawn and lay there on his back, staring desolately up at the slightly lighter sky than he had fallen asleep to. To his right he heard the soft murmurs of Aerlaer and Legolas humouring one another in elvish over her hair. Their curious banter felt wrong in his anguish. He felt disjointed from it.

Arwen was dying and the one hope they had to attempt to even their odds against Sauron had failed. He'd failed them all. Elrond had been right. They could not win this. He felt utterly broken down. Who was he to think his linage meant anything of significance that it might enable him, one man to turn the tide of a war that was unwinnable? The laughter of the elves drifted to him and suddenly a set of brown eyes and blue were peering down at him, dancing with mischief in the half light.

"Such a sluggard of a Ranger, wouldn't you agree Aerlaer?" Legolas asked the other Elf.

"Yes. Here he slumbers while there are sea pirates to outwit and ships to commandeer and many miles in between." Aerlaer grinned down at him.

"He'd make a good pirate I think." Legolas mused. "He has that filthy quality about him, the look that suggests he needs a wash." He smirked.

"Oh, I thought he looked rather kingly. One must look kingly to command the army of the dead." Aerlaer commented and he pushed himself up at her words.

"What?" He asked in bewilderment and both Elves gave him huge grins and gestured to just behind them where the Ghost King stood before his army.

"We fight." He said solemnly to Aragorn and then he and his army faded away. The Ranger shook his head in amazement, those two words filling him with near euphoric hope.

"How?" He asked the Elves and Aerlaer shrugged her shoulders unknowingly but Legolas averted his eyes and walked over to Gimli to rouse him. What had he done? Whatever it was, they now had a chance. He grinned and leapt up, feeling jubilant.

"Wake up lazy Dwarf!" Legolas poked at Gimli but he only grumbled and rolled over, ignoring the Elf.

"Pull his beard!" Aerlaer called out loudly and suddenly Gimli struggled up in a hurry.

"I'm up, I'm up!" He grumbled and standing, straightened himself out. Aragorn could not help but smirk at the disgruntled Dwarf as he looked bewildered at the grinning elves.

"What's going on Aragorn? The pointy ears are far too cheerful far too early." He grumbled and Aerlaer snickered.

"We must make haste to the sea, my friend. The Ghost King has sworn his allegiance." Aragorn replied as he fastened his cloak and shrugged on his quiver.

"About time he saw sense." Gimli replied, and Aragorn could see relief on the Dwarf's face.

"It's a long journey we have now today to intercept the Corsair's, we'll be running through all of today." Aragorn said and Gimli grinned.

"Well what are we waiting for?" He asked and took off down the hill. The Elves followed him and after murmuring a thank you to the Ghost King, Aragorn too raced down the hill, following them with a renewed energy as the dead army silently followed a little way behind.

...

They ran swiftly and late into the morning through the mountain range. A rough path through the inside slopes of the mountains enabling them to easily lessen the distance between them and the mouth of the Anduin, Aragorn led them towards. The land was fair, Aerlaer decided. Grass grew well in these mountains and birds sang from up in the fir trees which grew scattered amongst the lichen covered rocks which an assortment of hardy bushes grew around. The sun beat down warmly but it was a dry warmth the sun bathed this land in.

They travelled up, still light of heart along a rocky path towards the summit of the last of the mountains and she lithely sprang from one rock to another and then leapt to the one Legolas stood upon and knocked him off it.

"Imp!" He muttered, amused, and she smirked as she ran past him and leapt up on to another rock. Gimli's axe suddenly swept out, stopping her ascent, and she wobbled on the high point of the rock she was on and then felt herself being shoved off it.

"Ha! That got you!" Gimli chortled as Legolas smirked down at where she had landed nimbly on her feet. She narrowed her eyes at them and then grinned.

"I'll get you back for that." She threatened and Gimli chuckled as she ran on ahead. Not long after, the Dwarf cried out as the branch of a tree swung into him, knocking him to the ground.

"You're next, Sinda!" She smirked back at Legolas and he grinned.

"You can try." He retorted and immediately she began plotting her revenge, feeling very much like Elrohir. She wondered how her cousins and Taurorn were faring. Aragorn must have noticed the change in her for he glanced towards her from where he ran just ahead of her and gave her a small smile.

"We'll see the sea in a moment I should think." He murmured and Aerlaer grinned. Finally they reached the summit and she felt her heart sing with joy as she beheld the expanse of deep blue along the horizon. Her gaze was drawn towards the right of the coastline. Anfalas lies somewhere over there. Where my kin first dwelt.

"Calembel lies below us." Aragorn pointed and Aerlaer dragged her eyes from the sea and gazed down to the grassy land below, dotted with the buildings of men. "Down there we can find food and water on our way." The Ranger added and Aerlaer scrutinized the dwelling from their high point.

"I think it is deserted." She looked around to the other Elf. "Legolas does this village-" Her words fell short as she realised he was completely fixated on the sea. She stepped to his side.

"Legolas?" She asked cautiously as Aragorn and Gimli came to peer at him with anxious expressions.

"I can smell it." His voice was a mix of fear and intrigue. Aerlaer realized he was ever so slightly trembling and quickly took his hand in hers.

The refreshing breeze ruffled through their hair and he closed his eyes and tilted his head up and inhaled the salty, earthy smell. She had not seen or smelt the sea before either and she was excited to finally be going to it, but Legolas's reaction worried her. His eyes were dark and tumultuous and Galadriel's words to him rang in her head.

Gently she shook the other elf's shoulder. "Come, we must keep going then you can see it in all its magnificence." She pulled on his hand gently and to her relief, he turned away from it and followed.

...

Aerlaer had been correct, the village below had been emptied. She and Legolas found a large orchard and raided it for fruit, leaving with apples and winter left oranges. Legolas had been out of sorts since he had caught a glimpse of the sea.

He very much wanted to run off and see it and reminded himself that it was the sea they were already travelling towards. The idea of it worried him though. It was his doom they were travelling towards. He realised Aerlaer was watching him intently and turned to look at her, her dark sapphire eyes were full of worry.

"What bothers you?" She asked him as they walked back to the well Gimli had found and had been drawing water from for them all.

"Could you hear it? The sea?" He asked, and she nodded.

"The sound is wondrous, it seemed to draw me in, but it terrifies me too. I don't understand it. I am afraid something bad will happen." He quietly admitted and for a brief moment her eyes filled with pain, shocking him. She reached her empty hand up to hold his face and gazed steadily into his eyes and he felt calmed.

"Nothing bad is going to happen. I will not let it." She bit out fervently and then turned to resume walking. "My kin dwelt by the sea, surely I have some passed down instincts to keep you out of trouble." She turned and flashed him a grin but still her eyes held a hint of worry.

The last thing he wished to do was worry her, but he was gladdened for her words. It was moments like this he could let himself imagine that her words held more than just the care of a friend. Like the way she had told him not to let go of her when he had nearly fallen in the mountain.

As they reached Gimli and Aragorn and took turns drinking their fill the sea was forgotten from his mind as Aerlaer mischievously flicked water at him and he retaliated by threatening to dump the entire bucket of water over her head. She dashed off out of reach, grinning impishly behind an apple as she bit into it.

He shook his head grinning back at her and turned away to lower the well bucket to the ground, carefully scooping and holding a handful of water. Aragorn noticed what he was doing and smirked at him.

"Aerlaer, may I have one of those apples?" The Ranger called and Aerlaer jogged back over to them to offer him some of the fruit. Swiftly Legolas raised his hand and let the cold water splash on her head.

"Ai!" She cried out in surprise and he and Aragorn burst into laughter as she glared at him. She shook the water from her hair, causing the droplets to rain on them both and smirked. Legolas was gladdened to hear Aragorn laughing happily beside him. He barely did so anymore, anything that cheered him was truly a gift.

Gimli stood a little way off looking amused by their antics. He grinned at his short, bearded friend as Aragorn beckoned them to leave, looking all the lighter of heart.

...

The sun was high in the noon sky as they ran fleetly across the low rolling hills and fields of Gondor's southern fiefdom, Lebbinin. Legolas wondered what plants and trees had grown wild here before the land had been hewn and changed to suit the crops of farmers. The land was certainly fertile, he noticed as they ran through the healthily growing crops of wheat, corn and other various vegetables. The villages were mostly deserted, and he guessed all men had been summoned to Minas Tirith to arms.

Every step they took, ever heavier his heart felt, Galadriel's words weighing down on him. He could still hear the sound of the sea in his head. He didn't know what to think to forget it and so instead he thought of Aerlaer and it helped, she was becoming as bigger mystery to him as the sea itself. He was sure she had been speaking as if to that other Elf in her sleep, perhaps in her dreams but her words had felt as if they were for him.

She had awoken cheerful and with no recollection of the night whatsoever. She had not even been bothered she had also awoken to her hand safely in his although he wondered if that was because he had made up a slight excuse for his actions. No, it was likely because she had been so excited to learn the dead army had agreed to aid them.

It had thankfully halted a conversation which had grown awkward. In her excitement, he had no reason to mention the deal he had struck up with the Ghost King, or that he had effectively offered up his life in place of hers. Somehow, he did not think that would sit well with her.

He glanced across to where she ran beside him, hair streaming out behind her, sunlight rippling through each strand as it moved each time her nimble feet found the ground again. Her eyes were a contented blue-grey as she bounded along effortlessly looking ahead with interest.

She too glanced at him giving him a brilliant smile and he felt his heart flip a little. He wondered why the song from the Greenwood had resonated on some level with her. The only explanation he could think of was the Mirkwood Elf had sung or played it to her perhaps or maybe she had been to some celebration in the woods. The latter seemed unlikely, he was sure if she had been at any celebration hosted by his father, he would have noticed her. Who wouldn't notice her hair or carefree laugh or her wild beauty?

He wondered if he knew this Elf. He decided it was probably one of the Elves that had dwelt in the woods out of the city gates in order for them to have met. Or possibly a guard, but he had never heard any of the ellons under his command ever mention Aerlaer on a personal level, they only spoke of how they wished to know her. No, it must have been an Elf who dwelt in the trees, a Silvan likely. Perhaps it was one of the rarer, Avari, more mysterious and some said dark, in their ways. There were certainly small numbers of Avari in the wildest parts of the Greenwood, the opposite end to his father's halls.

They ran now through an orchard of nut trees and he watched as Aerlaer snatched at almonds which still hung on some of the branches as she ran, putting them in her cloak pocket. The almonds changed to high rows of walnut trees and he remembered Elladan or was it Elrohir? No, Elladan going on about walnuts. The Imladris Elf came out with such strange things.

"Aerlaer do you know much about walnuts?" He asked, and she turned her head curiously to him.

"Well they actually aren't your typical nut. They are just the seed of a drupe nut. The trees take many years to give a crop too." She added, and he laughed as it wasn't exactly the answer he expected from a healer. "Why do you ask such an odd question?" She looked at him, bemused.

"Elladan was going on about walnuts before we left. Something about not forgetting them, although I have no idea why?" He answered and Aerlaer chuckled.

"His emotions were all about the place the morning we left, he kept grinning like a complete idiot at me." Aerlaer said.

"Same here, I think he has lost his walnuts, maybe I should pick some to take to him?" Legolas mused and Aerlaer laughed again.

"He truly comes out with some strange things. He told me he was doing a research project. A research project? Elladan does not do research projects." Aerlaer scoffed.

"Oh no, he is." Legolas explained. "He is gathering information on eye colour per Elven realm, he asked me for the statistics of my father's realm."

"Yes, that's right, he was going on about the ratio between blue eyed to brown eyed Elves in your father's court." Aerlaer chortled.

"So, you know I am quite outnumbered then." He chuckled humorously and suddenly Aerlaer halted and he stopped too, turning to her in confusion. Her eyes locked onto his, searching, their intensity taking him by surprise.

"Hurry up. Elves!" Gimli called as he passed them and Aerlaer broke her gaze, her eyes filled with her own confusion. She shook her head forcefully as if trying to clear some thought from her mind.

"What is it?" He asked in alarm, searching her own tormented eyes. What had she seen in his?

"Nothing." She brushed off his question. "So, what do you wish to know about walnuts?" She asked as she leapt back into a run and he bounded back into pace with her glancing at her curiously but her face. Aerlaer gazed ahead revealing no clue to her abrupt and intense look moments earlier. What had that been all about?

"Did you forget what colour my eyes were?" He teased, hoping to gain an answer and was surprised to see a couple strands of her hair spark copper.

"Of course not." She said with an aloofness which only sparked his interest more.

"Then why did you stop?" He pressed and noticed more strands of her hair sparked copper as they trailed behind her.

"It does not matter." She replied in agitation, but he was now desperately curious, he had to find out.

"Something does, will you not tell me?" He asked and heard her hiss with annoyance under her breath as she instead ignored him. She looks very annoyed, I cannot fathom why. He decided to try a different tactic to get her to answer him.

"Do you not like my eyes?" He asked innocently, watching her as they ran.

"No, I mean yes!" She rushed out with exasperation.

"Which one is it?" He pushed, trying to keep his expression neutral. Ahead of him, Aragorn chuckling quietly.

"Yes, now do you want to know about these nuts or not?" She asked, hair sparking to match the annoyed tone of her voice, but he was happy by her answer. He was happy she liked them. He knew he had annoyed her but still he wanted to play a little more. It was driving the sound of the sea from his mind.

"Why do you like them?" He asked mischievously, knowing he was really starting to play with fire now, but to his surprise, Aerlaer grabbed him by the arm stopping him. Again, she looked into his eyes, not searching, not questioning, just looked into them. It felt as if she looked into his very soul and all his secrets lay open for her to see. He held his breath and it felt like an eternity before she spoke.

"Because they are yours." She replied simply and then she turned her dark, wild warm gaze from him and continued running. He forced his legs to resume moving, holding back from catching up to her as he processed her words. He felt a lump in his throat as his heart seemed to soar. She had no idea how her simple words had affected him. All his life, he'd felt shunned because they were exactly the same as his mother's, her memory forever mirrored in their depths to any who knew her and gazed upon him. Especially his father, who chose not to look at him. He shook his head, banishing away such memories. That life was behind him.

"Do you want to know about the walnuts or not?" Aerlaer called back to him and coming to his senses, he raced up to and fell into stride with her once again.

"Yes walnuts, what can they be used for?" He asked, glad for the distraction of a normal conversation again as he reached up and grabbed some of the nuts which remained on a branch, pocketing them in his own cloak. Elladan had obviously been trying to convey something to him and for all he knew it could be something to do with whatever fate they were running towards.

"Well they are a source of magnesium, the ones you eat." Aerlaer murmured "There are black walnuts, they are used for stomach upsets sometimes. I'd imagine they were a part of that concoction Rodwen made you when you decided to drink Edoras out of liquor." She teased, and he laughed secretly thinking how stupid he had been that evening.

"They can also be used to darken things such as fur, hair or material." She added. "That is about all." She laughed. The walnuts he had just picked weren't black ones and he remembered Elladan had specified black. He'd have to keep an eye out for black walnuts. Surely the sea will not give me an upset stomach? I am not stupid enough to drink the water. He thought as he they ran through the remaining orchards, the sea air once again teasing his senses on the breeze as they traveled ever closer to its salty shores.

Thank you to all you lovely reviewers, hope you had a wonderful Yule/Solstice/Christmas etc. I would love to answer you all, but will have to be next chapter, its 1am here and I think sleep is in order! my eyes are blurring!

A xx