~Commandeered~
"What do you have there, lass?" Gimli asked as Aerlaer quickly unraveled something from a fold in her dress. She glanced back to where Legolas was slowly making his way before turning back to him, holding a large white shell.
"You never saw it." She whispered, swiftly stowing it away in a space in the bottom of her quiver before the other Elf reached them. "I'm keeping it for Legolas, don't tell him." She added with a smirk which Gimli mirrored, now understanding her secrecy.
"What are you two whispering about?" Legolas raised a brow, and Gimli peered up at his friend. To think he had been close to death only an hour or so earlier… The healing of Elves was a baffling thing.
"Nothing which concerns Wood-Elves." Gimli chuckled, and the Elf grinned back down at them.
"Aerlaer will tell me." He said, grin turning roguish. The lad was in a brilliant mood now he realised Aerlaer cared for him. Now he just had to do something about it. If he didn't, Gimli certainly would.
"No, Aerlaer won't." She replied with a laugh and a shake of her head. The elleth stood, slower than she usually would, but Gimli supposed it was to protect the shell as she swung her quiver onto her back. He walked beside Legolas, following her to where Aragorn spoke with the Ghost King. Those ghosts gave Gimli the wobbles, he didn't like them at all.
"There might be slaves again." Aerlaer stated, her brow creasing.
"I thought similar, I have asked the Ghost King to spare any men or woman in chains." Aragorn replied. The elleth nodded, and they fell silent waiting, weapons in hand as the Corsair ships glided towards them. Despite his grievances towards them, there was a smug reassurance in knowing the ghost army lay in wait.
"You may go no further." Aragorn called out and the men on the incoming ships eyed them. "You will not enter Gondor." There was a ripple of laughter from the boats as the captain of the closest and most elaborate ship stepped forward.
"Who are you to deny us passage?" He called to the Ranger.
Watching the captain, Aragorn addressed the princeling. "Legolas, fire a warning shot just passed the boson's ear." Beside Gimli, Legolas drew an arrow from his quiver and fitted it to his longbow.
"Mind your aim." Gimli warned, growing bored with Aragorn's diplomatic approach. Let the ghosts have at them and get it over with! As the Elf made to release the arrow, he nudged the bottom of his bow, skewing his aim. The arrow soared through the air and landed in the boson's chest. There were cries of shock and anger from the ship as the man dropped dead.
"Ooh!" Gimli gasped in mock horror, ignoring the glare from Legolas and shared look from Aragorn and Aerlaer. "That's it, we warned you. Prepare to be boarded." He chuckled. The ship's occupants merely laughed back, and the Captain spoke up.
"Boarded? By you and which army?" He raised his chin in arrogance. "Although I see you've brought us a pretty piece of entertainment." He added, and even from the distance, Gimli noticed how the occupants of the ship eyed Aerlaer. "By all means she can board, and we shall have some fun." He and the men hooted. A guttural growl erupted from his side as Legolas whipped an arrow over his shoulder and sent it streaking to home in on the Captain's groin. The man howled in shock and agony, collapsing to the deck of his ship.
"Aww right in the jam bags!" Gimli cackled. "That'll teach him for having ideas!"
"Scum." Legolas hissed, spitting the words out in utter rage, taking both he and Aerlaer by surprise with his outburst.
"Board the ships." Aragorn instructed, ignoring the Princeling's temper. Gimli suppressed a shudder as the ghosts gave a chilling battle cry and materialised along the beach before them. Cries of panic travelled to his ears from the ships as the army of the dead slew the corsair pirates down without mercy.
…
Once the ships fell silent, Aragorn signalled to board the closest one. Aerlaer made to head first into the water to have Legolas grasp her arm, halting her.
"I'll board first." He muttered, not looking at her as he let go and stalked on ahead into the water.
"I am quite sure they are all dead." Aragorn called to him, but he just shook his head, plunging through the calm waves towards the side of the ship. Aerlaer watched with caution although he was in no more danger from the sea. Galadriel's prophetic words had come to pass although she was unsure of what the call of the gulls signalled. She would ask him. She pushed herself through the water, realising with dismay it took an effort to do so.
As she reached the ship, Legolas, who'd already boarded the vessel, tossed a rope down to them. Aerlaer grasped it gratefully and let him pull her up. She was glad his attention went to pulling Gimli up next, for as she stood upon the deck her body swayed, a wave of exhaustion rolling over her. Once it had passed, she looked around, glad no slaves were on board this ship. In fact, not a single fallen body was in sight. The only evidence they'd been there at all, smears of drying blood from where Legolas shot down both boson and captain earlier. Confused, she turned to him.
"I would not have you spend a single moment in their filthy presence, living or dead." He explained, but Aerlaer heard the hint of malice still simmering below his calm exterior.
"Thank you." She murmured, grateful for his quick consideration. She made to turn and stumbled when a larger wave knocked the ship.
"Aerlaer, are you well?" Legolas asked, immediately before her, eyes concerned.
"Yes." She laughed, covering the truth from him. "I have never been on a sea vessel, I must find my sea legs!" He studied her, eyes narrowed. Aerlaer held her breath, willing him to believe her.
"Well you best find them." He smirked as he nodded towards the wheel of the vessel. "It appears Gimli, very much wishes to captain the ship!" He chuckled as Aerlaer shook her head, amused as both Ranger and Dwarf argued.
"Fine." Gimli grumbled as he allowed Aragorn to captain the ship. "But as second in command I get to boss the Elf." Gimli strode towards them. "Legolas get up there and give us a heading!" He ordered with a smirk.
"We already have our heading." He said with a chuckle but dashed up the ships lookout, humouring him. Gimli, satisfied, strode purposely back towards Aragorn. Alone, Aerlaer walked towards the other side of the ship, away from the spilt blood and rested against the railing. She gazed down at the waves as the light left the sky and the waning moon began to rise. With Aragorn setting their course, the ghost army navigated the Corsair fleet in neat formation towards the mouth of the Anduin River.
Aerlaer had not moved from where she rested against the wooden side of the boat, afraid that without its support she would stumble again or fall. The creak of rope and the soft ripple and flap of the sails in the breeze, mixed with the lap of the waves against the hull of the ship lulled her. She was so weary. So, so weary. At least she could rest a little during the night as they sailed, but she was certain it would not be enough. She barely startled as Legolas appeared beside her.
"Aerlaer, are you sure you are well?" He asked, voice soft with concern. She wasn't, but if he learnt what she'd done for him… She turned, flashing him a smile and it was real for she was gladdened to see him.
"I am." She answered, but he only furrowed his brows in worry and tilted her head up by the chin, so she would meet his gaze.
"You're lying." He stated and searched her face. Guilt riddled her, but she had to see this through.
"Sorting you out I will admit has tired me." It was the partial truth. "I have only read in papers how to remove fluid from the lungs." The other thing she'd done she'd never seen written in any papers. "Lungs are always a challenge." She added with a smile, but his own face looked anything but happy.
"I am truly sorry Aerlaer." He started, but she held a hand up to his upset face, shaking her head. The action dizzied her, and she gripped the side of the ship a little firmer.
"It does not matter, I chose to do what I did, I was hardly going to let you die." She laughed. How true her words were yet he need not know their true meaning. If he did, well his remorse for her being tired from what he thought was simply healing his airways would probably be trivial to the guilt he would feel if he knew what ailed her.
"What can I do?" He asked, still holding her face. She realised he was not going to leave her be until he'd helped her in some way. All she wanted to do was fall asleep. Her heart beat out a slow, tired tempo
"I just need to rest." She sighed. Legolas nodded, determination forming on his face.
"Then rest you shall." He declared and stepped back and behind her, his grip gentle upon her shoulders. In her weary state he easily manoeuvred her around and eased her down to the wooden deck. Aerlaer was asleep before her head had even come to rest against his steadily beating heart.
...
Legolas looked up as Aragorn approached him with quiet strides. He gave a questioning nod towards where Gimli now steered their course.
"Has our vessel been mutinied by a dwarf?" The elf smirked.
"Afraid so but I do not think he could run into any strife along a near straight river." Aragorn replied with his own smirk and Legolas chuckled.
"I should hope not!" Legolas looked towards where Gimli stood behind the wheel grinning with glee as he navigated their way.
"She sleeps deeply." Aragorn noted, and Legolas's brows furrowed, looking back down to the elleth.
"I confess I am worried. I understand healing can tire her; she tired after healing many at Helm's Deep but today she only healed me, yet she seems wearier." Legolas voiced what had been bothering him to the ranger knowing he would have the answer. He waited as Aragorn observed her before speaking.
"I think it may be an accumulation of everything." He said slowly. "Our relentless journey to intercept the ships and whatever happened when she was separated from us in the village and what memories she re-lived under the mountain. I would never have asked that of her if I had known it to cause her such pain." Legolas nodded, swallowing the lump now forming in his throat.
Since reaching the sea he had forgotten what had occurred under the mountain and the strange conversation they had shared as she slept at the Stone of Erech. He began to doubt his earlier resolution. "Lungs are difficult to work with so I imagine she had to use more lifeforce to clear your airways." He gave Legolas a small smile. "I think mostly she is just emotionally tired. Legolas what is wrong? Why do you suddenly look so forlorn?" Aragorn's expression changed to one of worry and Legolas shrugged, heart filled with a hopelessness once more.
"You're not going to tell her, are you?" The Ranger asked, and Legolas sighed with a shake of his head.
"I know you and Gimli are adamant, but I am still unsure." He quietly confided.
"Why Legolas?" Aragorn asked. "What more must be proven to you?" He ran a hand through his dark hair and Legolas knew he was annoyed with him. He could not help it, what if they were wrong? What if he was wrong? The consequences would change everything. A confession like that, there was no going back from that, he knew this.
"I'm afraid her heart lies in the past. Elladan spoke of an Elf long ago she was forbidden to be with. I am sure it was the memory of him which caused her such joy and grief as we took the path of the dead." He explained.
"I've never heard such a story or heard her ever mention another in all the years I've known her." Aragorn said, confused.
"Elladan said she does not speak of it for the memories pain her."
"Maybe that is so, but you have spoken to me of a mystery Elf you near tore your father's kingdom down searching for, and then of Tauriel. Tell me what here is the difference? Neither of you have faded now have you over what now lies in the past? If you had witnessed what Gimli and I did today, then no doubt would remain in your heart for she would do anything for you and you alone." Aragorn stared hard at him, willing him to believe. Legolas thought over what he meant, brushing his fingers through Aerlaer's hair. Is there anything softer, more silky in all of Arda? It began to faintly glow.
"Strangely it is only when she is in your presence her hair glows so light and soft." He chuckled. "If my words have made no difference to you, maybe you should open your eyes and see what is right in front of you, for there is no lie in the actions of those who sleep." The Ranger smiled, and Legolas looked back up to him, uncertain.
"You need to tell her." Aragorn's words were firm, but still Legolas was unsure even though the proof glowed against his heart. Even so, she had mistaken him for that other Elf in her sleep the eve before. He couldn't be sure. Oh, there is nothing I want more than to tell her, but if her heart truly does still lie in the past, my words will simply fall like shards of glass and rip through my soul. How can one make me feel so alive and joyful and utterly hopeless and terrified all at once? Like the waters we have left. He was torn.
"If you don't, Gimli is going to devise some scheme, so you have no choice in the matter." Aragorn threatened casually, and Legolas looked up and over to the dwarf.
"He better not." Legolas growled out, near panicking at the very thought of being cornered into confessing his feelings.
"Do something about it then." Aragorn said with a smirk and his stomach began tying itself in knots at the thought. He chose to ignore Aragorn's comment. Surely Gimli would not do that to me? We are friends!
He noticed the chain of Aerlaer's pendant hanging loose from her neck and removing his fingers from her hair, lifted it up to inspect. It was a smooth, near round sea pebble. In the moonlight he could make out a perfect tree carved into the stone. He turned it over in his hand and felt the tiny imprints of three hoofs.
"The Seastone." Aragorn explained. "One hoof print for each age the Edhelroch have roamed Middle Earth. Hopefully one day a fourth print will be carved upon the stone." He smiled down at the sleeping Elfhorse a moment. "Take some rest Legolas, you too have had a trying day." The Ranger murmured as he placed a hand briefly on his shoulder before turning and heading back towards Gimli.
Legolas sighed as he rested his cheek against Aerlaer's hair, smiling as a spark tickled his face every so often and recalled the argument they had both had the morning before. He dearly hoped the following morning would not play out the same as he closed his eyes. He would take this stolen moment of peace with her now for as long as it lasted and for now forget they sailed to battle, forget she may not love him too, forget that she was not really his, forget that her hair glowed for another.
…
Aerlaer vaguely heard a soft voice saying her name and then a gentle hand upon her face. Slowly she opened her eyes to concerned brown ones.
"Aerlaer, you wouldn't waken." Legolas's voice shook. "Do you feel well?" He searched her, but she knew the only thing he would see was her own surprise. She recalled now how Legolas had offered himself as a place for her head to rest, and realised that was the reason she was now waking up securely against his chest, dark eyes looking down at her from that perfectly angled face. She listened to his heart which her head rested against. It beat strong and steadily, which meant he was in perfect health. She knew she could not say the same for herself, although she did not feel as bad as she had the previous eve.
"It seems you must make a very good pillow, if I did not wish to awaken." She smirked up at him. "I feel well rested, thank you Legolas." She added softer, and he gave her a relieved smile.
"I am glad." He replied and gently stroked her cheek which his hand still held. "I was worried by how tired you were yesterday eve after healing me." He searched her eyes again. She shrugged against him and flashed him a disarming grin, keeping up the appearance of truly being well.
"Lucky you're worth it." She laughed and made to stand up and he let his hand leave her face. She stood gazing down at him with a feeling of loss. Why didn't I just stay where I was? I could lie there all day. Instead I must be as normal, and we must fight Sauron's army and save Gondor. She sighed, slightly annoyed and then realised her mistake for Legolas was watching her curiously.
"You look disappointed. Why?" He asked. She shook her head. "Oh, it is nothing." She dismissed his question and his brows furrowed as he stared quizzically up at her.
"It sure didn't look like nothing." He said quietly, a hint of hurt in his voice that she had brushed off his former question. She shrugged, now embarrassed.
I really was quite comfortable and now we must go to war. It's unfair really." She admitted, and he burst into laughter as he too stood.
"I'll take that as a compliment to be adequately comfortable enough for a princess to rest her head." He smirked, looking rather happy with himself and she gently punched him on the arm in response. Hiding her slight embarrassment, she walked to where her weapons lay and went about fitting them to her body.
A recently awoken Gimli approached with a long yawn as Aerlaer ran a hand through her hair. "Well that is unusual, there's not a single tangle in my hair." She mused flipping it over her shoulder and caught Gimli grinning at her, eyes twinkling.
"What?" He only shook his head.
"Oh nothing, glad you are looking brighter this morning is all, lass." Was his nonchalant reply. She frowned a moment before dismissing his cheeky grin as nothing more than his words.
"I see you have returned the ship to Aragorn finally." Legolas smirked at his friend and Gimli laughed, straightening out his beard and fitted his helm on his head.
"Aye lad but I'm a better captain." He replied to the other Elf's laughter
"Well you didn't crash us." Legolas quipped, shrugging his quiver onto his back. Aearlea companions made their way to where Aragorn stood at the wheel.
"We will arrive in the port of Harlond very shortly." Aragorn said quietly and Aerlaer and the others nodded. "Aerlaer head up the mast and see how many of the enemy await us there.
"Yes captain." She saluted him with a smirk and dashed away.
...
Aerlaer's keen eyes beheld the dockland they were approaching and beyond, a never-ending field subject to a terrible battle. Fear rippled through her. Her cousins were out there and so too where her friends and Taurorn. Taurorn was somewhere. She hoped with all her heart they still lived for even from the Anduin, she could see how the grass had been torn and ripped. The bodies of many men and horses as well as the enemy lay crumpled upon the red-stained fields.
A Nazgul flew over the field, and she heard the terrible cries of its fell beast as men scattered away from it in fear. Further, heading towards the battle from the East, she saw a line of great beasts. Where they Mumakil? She stared. They were, and they looked enormous. Aerlaer had read of the Mumakil, wild beasts which stood over fifty feet tall with six dangerous tusks and a rampaging nature. How had these beasts been coerced into allowing the great basket like platforms to be strapped upon their backs? She could vaguely tell the enemy upon the closest mumakil were not orcs but men.
Before heading back down to the others, Aerlaer steeled herself a moment to fully assess how she fared without being subjected to Legolas's worrying eyes. Her lifeforce was a little stronger than it had been the eve before, but there was only just a quarter of it pooling from her heart. Her heart which still felt laborious beneath her ribs. While she had rested well, she was still weary.
Climbing the mast had tired her a little, but she was certain as long as she remained in good spirits and acted no different than usual, the others would not notice. She could still fight, and she would. Aerlaer just hoped she would last, what she had done would still inevitably take its toll upon her, but with battle ahead and moments away, there was nothing to do but cross that path if it did come before her.
Sure in herself she would likely see the battle through provided they won, Aerlaer swung back down to the deck, delighting in startling Aragorn as she landed silent by his side.
"You have no idea how much I dislike it when you and Legolas do that." He muttered, slightly annoyed, and she tilted her head at him.
"Legolas does that too?" He nodded.
"You two are far too much alike in your stealth for your own good." He replied as Legolas and Gimli came to stand before him. "What did you see up there?" Aragorn asked, again serious.
"There are maybe eight-hundred orcs and other foul looking creatures awaiting us ahead on the docs with one I only assume to be their commander. Upon the fields many have fallen and the battle rages. The enemy is great, and a throng of Mumakil and strange men are heading now towards the battle lines. There is a Nazgul too upon his fell beast terrorizing the city." She reported, and they each nodded, features grim.
"We are nearly upon the dock now, let us hide and give them a bit of a surprise." Aragorn decided before turning from them.
"Now comes the time for you and your army to repent your sins of old. I ask you now to follow my lead into battle." He called to the empty deck. The Ghost King materialized after a moment and inclined his crowned head.
"We will follow you, Isildur's Heir." He replied and Aerlaer held back a grin. Those orcs will not know what hit them!
…
As the corsair ship glided to rest alongside the dock, Legolas grinned across to Aragorn and Aerlaer upon hearing the confused voices of the orcs. To their enemy the ships would appear empty. Gimli, who knelt beside him, chuckled deviously.
"Come on pirate scum! There is work to be done! You are already late as usual!" An orc called out to the silent boats and Aerlaer snickered.
"Come on ya sea rats! Get out of ya ships!" The same orc called out again, voice holding impatient demand.
"Shall we?" Aragorn smirked and received three returning smirks as the four companions leapt up and then over the side of the ship, landing simultaneously on the dock. Legolas drew his bow as the others readied their own weapons, striding toward the confused orcs before them.
"There's plenty for the three of us." Gimli mused which drew a grin.
"I believe I will be beating you both this time." The Legolas declared, intent on doing just that. He could lose to a Dwarf again! Aerlaer merely snickered at his right side.
"We'll see about that." She retorted as they finally raced forward on Aragorn's signal, the Army of the Dead spiriting through them to swarm the enemy. Her arrow flew into the fray, sinking into one of the enemy but Legolas was not worried and laughed, he was already on his third.
I'm not dead! Just really, really crazy busy!
Thank you to all reviewers from the last chapter and hi to all new followers! You all rock!
xx A