~Two Rings to Bind Them~
Aerlaer awoke to the pale light of dawn filtering through the copse, her cheek resting against the crook of Legolas's shoulder, her heart resting against his, beating steadily as one. She shifted carefully to peer down at him. He had fallen asleep too, and now morning had found them. He looked as peaceful as she felt, his face devoid of any worry or pain or thought of war, almost innocent.
This was the elf she had met so many years before. She had loved that elf. She loved the elf he had become so much more. She didn't want to wake him just yet and looked about the trees which surrounded them and then down to the ring on her finger. She noticed the small pouch which it had been in beside her and absentmindedly picked it up. There were two small pieces of waxed material parchment in it. Curiously, she pulled them out and went to unroll them. No, these were Legolas's, not hers to read. Still, she was now curious about what her grandmother had written. He didn't want to sleep in the first place so he won't mind if I awaken him, especially if I do it nicely. She conspired and turned back to him and softly sung into his ear.
"All I knew this morning when I woke,
Is I know something now, know something now I didn't before.
And all I've seen since eighteen hours ago,
Are brown eyes like a fire and your smile,
In the back of my mind making me feel like."
She felt lips brush against her cheek. "Did you know the percentage of brown-eyed elves in-"
"Shush you." Aerlaer laughed as she silenced him with a gentle kiss before sitting up and picking up the small pouch and handing it to him.
...
Legolas sat up and pulled out the two small pieces of parchment which were neatly folded and rolled up. "Have you read them already?" He asked as he unrolled them and Aerlaer laughed and shook her head.
"They were given to you, but I am intrigued to know what my grandmother has written." She replied as he read the first one aloud.
" 'Legolas, some souls will always find their way back to one another. Mithrandir knows. I have asked him to oversee the exchanging of these rings.' "
"Oops." Laughed Aerlaer mischievously as he groaned. Although exchanging rings alone had felt right to him. He read on.
"' This is going against our usual elven customs as you are both aware of. This does not mean you can bond with my granddaughter without the standard one year wait which applies to all royalty."' He felt his ears warm at the thought of very nearly doing just that. Aerlaer snickered as she watched him.
" 'If light prevails, the trees of gold and those of silver will need you both and the truth shall be revealed.' "
He looked up to Aerlaer. "I don't exactly wish to go back." He pushed his hair back behind an ear. "Although I wish to know why we were kept apart." Legolas unrolled the other small letter. "This one is addressed to you." He handed it to her, watching as she read it out.
" 'Aerlaer, Young one, you are more than you seem.
There are powers which flow rich in the red of the stream.
Light by darkness,
Hope by despair,
Love by hatred,
Life by death,
Your soul will ignite when dawn rises from shadow,
And when gold and silver together glow,
Only then can you vanquish those darker than night,
When both swords will be but light.'"
"Well, that is cryptically meaningful." Legolas said, not sure how to take the words of Galadriel. "Red stream is blood. I should think she is referring to any power and abilities she has passed down to you." He mused as she returned her small letter to the pouch with his.
"I am not silver though. However, you are, if this has something to do with lifeforces and souls." She whispered, looking up at him worriedly. " And the rest makes no sense." He bit his tongue as he gazed at her. He was sure this had something to do with either the Nazgul or Sauron himself, and he felt uneasy for it. He wanted to say something, but he knew he was not meant to. Especially if this puzzle was for her. He would have to be tactful about this.
"Someone once told me it is best to wait for the answers." He teased instead, nudging her gently in the ribs, and she laughed, mood lightening.
"Legolas! Aerlaer! You have until the count of ten and then we're looking for you!" A deep voice called out from beyond the trees.
"Manwë, that was Gimli!" Legolas exclaimed as they both lept up to their feet. "We better go!" He made to leave but Aerlaer grabbed his arm, pulling him back and he turned to face her
"Are you not forgetting something?" She smirked, and he realized he could not be certain when they would be entirely alone again. He pulled her in close and kissed her soundly, delighted by the way she responded with her own lips. She pulled away a little breathy and grinned up at him.
"That was not quite what I meant." She said mischievously and looked pointedly at his chest, smirking.
"Four! Three!" He heard Gimli's voice.
"Manwë,m y tunic!" He snatched it off the ground and shaking it of soil and leaves, threw it over his head and Aerlaer brushed any remaing debris from the fabricas he did the same to her dress.
"Two!" Legolas remembered he'd loosened the knot of Aerlaer's dress and quickly reached around her neck to re tie it as she ran her fingers through his hair, removing any tangles.
"One!"
"Eru, I've not braided my hair yet!" Legolas muttered as they both dashed hand in hand towards the camp.
"It's fine." Aerlaer reassured him as they reached the fringes of the trees and stepped out.
Gimli, Aragorn, the twins, Taurorn and Merry and Pippin were waiting for them all looking rather amused, much to Legolas's horror, and Gandalf watched them intently. Legolas felt like an elfling who had been caught out under his inquiring gaze, and he almost wanted to hide behind Aerlaer. He'd been on the receiving end of the Wizard's scorn enough as a youngster to know he should be worried.
"We were about to form a search party." Gimli rumbled. "Everyone is ready to leave." Behind him Elladen and Elrohir snickered, and it seemed Elrohir had calmed down from the morning before. He noticed Aragorn had a quiet smile playing on his lips as he purposely looked to where his and Aerlaer's left hands joined, and then into his eyes knowingly.
"Legolas you are wearing a ring." Pippin noted curiously as he walked up to them both. "I didn't know you wore a ring." He said, and Legolas's eyes shifted hesitantly to Gandalf's.
"I believe if you look carefully, Master Took, you will find Legolas is not the only one wearing a ring." Gandalf said as he looked back at Legolas, a twinkle in his eye. Aerlaer adjusted her hand in his and both rings caught the light. Pippin gasped in wonder.
"Thorin's beard!" Exclaimed Gimli, rushing towards them. "What did I tell you Aragorn, silver and gold, together scintillating and together unbreakable." He beamed up at them, and Legolas was moved to see such happiness in his friend's eyes. Gimli engulfed them both in a hug, stunning Legolas further. "Bless you both." He said happily before releasing them and stepping back, and Legolas saw unshed tears in the dwarf's eyes. He coughed suddenly and looked down. "Ah right well you both best hurry up or you'll be left behind." He said gruffly and strode off.
"We should speak with Gandalf." Aerlaer spoke so quietly he knew he was the only one to hear her and he squeezed her hand, leading her towards the wizard.
"Couldn't wait for an old wizard to wake up?" Gandalf asked, his brows furrowed as he looked at them both.
"We didn't find the letters until this morning." Legolas replied sheepishly as Gandalf continued to hold them under his now calculating gaze. Manwë, are we in trouble?
"Are we in trouble?" Aerlaer asked what he had been thinking, sounding more like an elfling with her worried tone, and he instinctively leaned a little closer to her as they awaited Gandalf's answer.
"No, no; you are not in trouble, in fact I find the whole elven spectacle of exchanging rings rather tedious, really. I'm sure it was much more meaningful without involving me." Gandalf replied with a twinkle of mirth in his eyes and slowly Legolas allowed a grin along with Aerlaer. "Galadriel might be happy to bend rules somewhat, but when Thranduil finds out, you might have a hard time swaying him from following customs." Gandalf chuckled. "Now young Aerlaer, Éomer was looking for you, I suggest you find him and you're to be lifemate here can find the rest of his clothes and prepare for the both of you to leave."They both nodded and reluctantly, Legolas let go of Aerlaer's hand to go their separate ways.
...
As Aerlaer went in search of Éomer, Taurorn raced up to her, almost barrelling her over in a hug. "You two are so rebellious!" He chuckled and pulled back, peering into her eyes, searching for… well, he was not sure. He couldn't see anything odd. "You don't look any different." He mused and realising what he was up to, Aerlaer elbowed him and resumed walking.
"That did not happen." Aerlaer hissed, and Taurorn burst out laughing when she glared at him.
"Where did the rings come from, anyway?" He asked as he took her hand and examined it as they walked through the Rohirrim men preparing their horses to leave. He made a show of making the ring gleam in the light as they passed a few Gondor soldiers, who upon seeing the shining circlet upon her finger, looked most put out. He smirked deviously.
"It seems my Grandmother has either been gazing in her mirror or she had these made over six-hundred years ago. I imagine she has seen something in her mirror, for letters accompanied them."
"Then how did Legolas come by them if he's been oblivious to your feelings all this time?" Taurorn chuckled in bafflement.
"She gave him a small tied pouch and told him he must not open it until he had found what he was looking for." She said simply, but Taurorn could see a smile playing on her lips and a couple strands of her hair sparked lightly.
"I am happy for you." He said and threw a brotherly arm around her; wondering if he could get away with ruffling her mane of hair.
"Now you just have to convince that nice healer in Minas Tirith just how wonderful you are." Aerlaer replied, an impish grin rounding her cheeks.
"Indeed, that will be a challenge." He mused, hoping very much he would return to Minus Tirith to see Aida once again. If he survived this, he'd somehow convince her to marry him, perhaps.
...
Legolas had not even made it to where he and Aerlaer's belongings lay before the twins pounced on him. Elrohir grabbed one of his arms and Elladen the other, and together they looked curiously into his eyes.
"Ha! You owe me twenty pieces of gold!" Elladen chortled to Elrohir.
"Truly?" Legolas shook his head in exasperation. "Is there anything you two don't bet on?" Both twins shook their heads, grinning.
"We had a bet on how sorry you would be once we found and dealt with you if Elrohir had won this bet." Elladen smirked.
"We also had a bet going on how badly Aerlaer would hurt us if we so much as misplaced one strand of your silvery blonde hair." Elrohir added and Legolas laughed.
"We're thrilled, just don't ask me to dance like a Sinda at the celebration, and I'm ah sorry about yesterday." Elrohir tacked on an apology, nudging Legolas with his elbow. "Now put some boots on, we're heading into Mordor you know, we can't all be as mad as Aerlaer, prancing around without boots." He chuckled merrily as he and Elladen strode away. Legolas shook his head at their retreating backs, and set to checking over his and Aerlaer's weapons, and preparing to leave.
When he came to Aerlaer's sword, so similar to his new weapon, he recalled Galadriel's puzzle to had taken brief notice of the light gold patterns on the weapon and now he realised they twisted from the hilt and flowed in smooth, vine-like spirals to end along the sharp edges and finally the tip similar to his own. It was a beautiful weapon, and he was sure the lines to the edges, similar to his own sword, had something to do with Galadriel's puzzle. He re-sheathed it and, swinging her quiver onto his back, picked up their belongings, and made his way towards where Arod stood patiently while Aragorn fastened the straps of his bridle.
...
"Hannon le, mellon nin." Aragorn looked up from as Legolas placed he and Aerlaer's belongings by Arod, and gave the horse a greeting rub behind the ears, before taking over from Aragorn, securing the horse's girth and checking his stirrup leathers as he pulled them down. There were subtle changes in his friend; a current contentedness about him, and a purpose which had not been there before. It gladdened his heart to see Legolas like this. More so in the face of near inevitable destruction and the Nazgul's threat; it was as if the war, the darkness across the land could not touch the blonde elf's spirits.
"Let me see your ring." He said as he picked up the bedrolls for Legolas to secure to the back of the saddle. Legolas held his hand out, unable to keep the grin from his face, and Aragorn grinned back at him.
"Gandalf and I wondered just how long it would take you to figure it out." He chuckled, and Legolas paused in his tying, looking up at him in surprise.
"You knew? For how long?"
"Only since after Aerlaer woke up. Gandalf told me." Aragorn replied with a chuckle. "Although from the way Gimli spoke yesterday evening, I wondered if you were going to be a different elf come morning." He smirked.
"It may have nearly been the case." Legolas admitted in a mumble. "But no one need know that." He added quickly and Aragorn chuckled again.
"And to think not two weeks ago, you were convinced she did not even care for you?" He teased as Legolas fished around in a pocket and pulled something out and handed it to him. Carefully, Aragorn undid the pouch and pulled out two letters. He read the first one and snorted in laughter, shaking his head before reading the second. His brow furrowed and silently he re-folded the material parchment and replaced them in the pouch, handing it to his friend. Finally he looked up to meet Legolas's dark, worried gaze.
"Do not worry so Legolas." He placed a reassuring hand on his shoulder. "The way I read it, we have a secret weapon which is even secret to us." He smiled and Legolas nodded, looking more relaxed over Galadriel's words. "These words give me more hope, I do not know what the Lady has glimpsed in her mirror but by her letter to you, she believes we will win this." Aragorn added and Legolas smiled too.
"I hope so."
…
Aerlaer had found Éomer and together they had spoken to the leaders of the other contingents of the host of riders proceeding to the Black Gates. Prince Imrahil was all for their plan and Aerlaer now made her way back through the preparing to leave Gondor soldiers to find Legolas.
"My Lady." A man's voice called out to her, and she paused, glancing back to see a brown-haired soldier approaching her. He was built much like Boromir, tall with a heavy-set strength. She internally sighed, irritated as she realised it was Bregon. Of course, it was Bregon. Maybe the ring will finally deter him.
"Is there a problem, Bregon?" She asked neutrally as he reached her.
"No, my Lady Aerlaer." He said as he gazed at her. "I only wished to gaze upon your exquisite fairness one last time before we ride to our doom." He breathed and Aerlaer could not help but feel saddened towards the soldier before her. Such little hope seemed to remain in the hearts of the Gondor men.
"Have hope, soldier of Gondor; I do not think this will be your end, our end." She replied softly and his eyes lit up hopefully.
"No, no, this will not be our end." He brought his hand to her cheek, and Aerlaer's instincts stirred uneasily in the pit of her stomach as the look of hope in the man's eyes morphed into one of desire.
"I must get back to my companions." She took a step back, but was not quick enough in her politeness. Bregon grabbed hold of her right hand.
"Why do you run from me?" He asked huskily, and she resisted the urge to harm him in his vulnerable position. "I am still certain you feel the same as I feel for you." He pressed and made to step closer to her. Aerlaer lifted her left hand before her, halting him.
"I am sorry you think so Bregon, but I assure you, again, my heart lies elsewhere." She replied, wishing she still had Taurorn with her. Better yet, Legolas. The presence of her companions would have kept Bregon distanced. The man noticed the ring encircling her third finger and snatching up that hand too, examined it.
"It matters not what that elf has promised you." He said and Aerlaer heard the anger in his voice as he grasped both her hands in his, almost hurting her. "I could offer you more." He whispered suggestively. Her instincts writhed at the implication he had caught her hands, was effectively trapping herm but she kept her fears and temper under control. He could not best her. She was an Elf, an Edhelroch.
"Let me go, Bregon." She warned, wriggling her hands in his grasp, trying to free them without a spectacle.
"Not until you get a taste of what you could have if you chose me over the elf." He replied with that possessive look back in his black eyes. She understood his intention immediately, bu the way his gaze dropped to her mouth, and as he made to pull her towards him, she ducked and twisted. He cried out in surprise, as she twisted his arms at unnatural angles, grunting as she shoved him to the ground.
"I do not think so." She seethed down at him. "Don't bother me again." He glared up at her, and then his features shifted to hurt and remorse.
"Forgive me, my Lady, I overstepped." He said pitifully as he pleaded up at her. "Would you be so kind as to help me up?" He asked, but he did not fool her.
"No." She said flatly. "My only form of forgiveness will be not mentioning this to Legolas, and unless you have a death wish by him, I suggest you don't bother me again." Before he could utter another word, she whirled and stalked away to find a certain silvery-blonde elf, with every intention of kissing him senseless before they departed for the black gate.
...
Her hair is sparking darkly. Why is it sparking darkly? Who has annoyed her? Legolas watched as Aerlaer approached him with a swift and lethal grace. As she caught his eyes, her hair dimmed back to normal. She reached him and he peered into her eyes, their colour a dark tumultuous sea.
"What bothers you?" He murmured, as he unfolded her cloak, he had been holding, and placed it over her shoulders, bringing his hands to her throat, to fasten the leaf clasp.
"Nothing now, just dealing with Gondor soldiers." She replied and a certain soldier crossed his mind. He cast his gaze towards where the men of Gondor were situated.
"Do I need to deal with him?" Aerlaer huffed out a laugh.
"No, I dealt with him accordingly. I think he has taken the hint." A smirk played at the corner of her mouth, and Legolas grinned. He loved how capable of anything she was. No one trifled with her without getting crushed. Just another way she reminds me of the sea.
"And now I have returned, we have a moment for this." Her smirk grew as she encircled her arms around his neck and pulled him down into a deep kiss, taking him unawares. All rational thought was driven from his mind, as he encircled her in his own arms, pulling her in close. After a long moment, but not nearly as long as he wished, she broke the contact from his lips to look up at him, her eyes now like that of the warm and friendly sea, an endless deep blue with warm sunlight filtering through.
"Aer." Legolas whispered as he brushed lightly at the strands of her hair which framed her face. "You are like the sea to me. Wild and dangerous, but warm and gentle too. And, altogether beautiful." He spoke his thoughts, and she beamed at him. "And if I should ever wish to see the sea, I only have to look into your eyes." He smiled down at her. "Aer nin."
"Are you two elves ready?" Gimli called as he strode towards Arod. Legolas let go of the other elf reluctantly and shrugged her quiver off to hand it to her and remembered what Aragorn had said.
"I showed Aragorn the letter from Galadriel." He said. Aerlaer turned to him, eyes full of questions."He thinks you are a secret weapon of sorts. I've been thinking; remember how Gandalf joked on our first journey to Edoras that you were our secret weapon? I think he meant more by it."
"But how? How can I be a secret weapon if even I do not know the secret?" She asked with a skeptical frown
"I don't know, but you have your grandmother's power, perhaps more. You brought me back from the dead, and that is no easy feat."
"And you know the only reason I survived that was because you came back in time." She replied. "I had no control over what I was doing." She looked helplessly to him. He reached behind her and drew her sword and held it horizontal between them.
"What do these patterns mean?" Aerlaer lifted and dropped her shoulder in answer.
"I do not know. It was forged in Lothlórien like yours, a gift from the time I dwelt there." She replied as she scrutinised her blade, nibbling at her bottom lip.
"I think it's more than it seems. The patterns begin from the hilt and then each swirl ends at the blade's edge. I think you could conduct power through this sword." He voiced his suspicions.
"It's possible…." She mused as he replaced it in the sheath at her back.
"When you caused sparks in Rohan and what you did when confronted by the Corsairs—do you do that purposely or is it like your hair, uncontrolled?"
"I can't control it, it happens when I am angry." She admitted, gaze dropping sheepishly to her bare toes. "If this sword can conduct power, I do not understand how to do so. Your sword is much the same in pattern, so it might do the same."
"I don't see why it would, I have nothing to pour into it." Legolas laughed lightly. "Perhaps it is forged the same, in case you needed to use mine?" He shrugged.
"Perhaps." Aerlaer murmured, brows furrowed in either deep puzzlement or thought he was unsure.
"You will figure it out." He said, and she gave him a half smile. "It seems it is time to leave." He added, and as if on cue, Aragorn called for the rangers to mount their horses as Éomer called out the same command to the Rohirrim. Legolas placed a chaste kiss upon her cheek and his nose rankled; muscles tensing up as he caught the scent of man upon her skin.
"If that Gondor soldier lays a hand on you again, I will kill him." Legolas seethed, controlling the urge to find Bregon and deal with him. Aerlaer laughed.
"Do not worry so, that is the exact warning I gave him after I threw him to the ground." She replied. Mind at ease, Legolas grinned, brushing his lips against hers.
"Good." He murmured against them before kissing her properly.
"Thorin's beard will you two hurry up!" Cried Gimli. "I can't direct this damn horse to the Black Gate on my own, and I highly doubt you two can fight like that!" Laughing, he and Aerlaer broke apart and made their way towards Gimli. Legolas placed a reassuring hand upon Arod's nose while Aerlaer smirked at Gimli.
"We could try fighting like that; it might give old Sauron something to watch while Frodo and Sam sneak that ring into Mordor."
"That I highly doubt it would be an orc's blade run through the both of you for your silly inattention." Gimli scoffed down at them both.
"We are much too clever for that!" She laughed deviously as Legolas swung up into the saddle and Arod gave a tiny buck, causing Gimli to yell and curse.
"Blasted horse! You asked him to do that!"
"I may have, you will never know." Aerlaer replied mysteriously as Legolas laughed. She shifted to horse form, as Gandalf rode up with Pippin astride, followed by the twins on their grey mares.
"Anyone would think you are all mad, laughing and carrying on when we are about to meet Sauron himself at his gates." Elladen teased.
"Then we shall defeat him with our cheeriness." Pippin answered with a cheeky grin of his own. Their current comradery was wonderful, and for a moment, Legolas felt more as if they were going on a leisurely ride out, not to the Black Gate. He hoped the feeling would last them through the day.
…
They had been riding onwards for a couple hours and Aerlaer mind whirled at how quickly the land changed about them. Beneath her hoofs, the ground felt uncomfortably warm and hard; each footfall passing a negative energy into her, making her nervous. The air was warm and dry but it felt dead, in fact everything about this land felt dead. Even the rocks were broken and ragged, and there were great pit holes in the ground, and some emitting a thin, trailing black smoke from their depths. She did not like the land they were in at all. Her instincts screamed to turn back, but she ignored them, swishing her tail in annoyance to such a weak inclination. She cantered beside Arod and every now and again Legolas would reach across and rest a hand on her shoulder or neck. It was a reassurance all would be well, for he was by her side. Still, her grandmother's puzzle niggled at her mind. What am I supposed to do? What am I supposed to know and why, oh why, must Legolas be dragged into it? She worried over it until it was all she could think of as she tried in vain to figure it out. The surrounding horses slowed down to a walk, and Aerlaer dropped to the lower pace with a sigh.
"We will walk half a mile." Aragorn called back to them all and so she shifted back to elf as Legolas dropped to walk beside her, leading Gimli still from astride Arod.
"Aerlaer, you are overthinking it." He chastised, and she looked across and into his concerned brown eyes and sighed again.
"I know, I cannot help it. We are so close now." She worried at her bottom lip, and he gently wrapt an arm around her shoulders as they walked.
"You will know when you need to." He said, and she looked quizzically at him.
"You are in a sage mood."
"Not really, just contemplative."
"Oh?"
"It is nothing; I would rather talk with you for the next half of a mile and enjoy it."
"What do you want to talk about?" She asked, happy for the distraction.
"Let's talk about after we win this, what shall we do?"
"Well, you promised me we were going back to Helm's Deep." Gimli called down to them with a grin and Legolas smiled. So much had happened since that day travelling through Fangorn.
"Yes, I did and we will, and go to Fangorn too like you promised."
"And Ithilien, I think we should go to Ithilien and the Sea again, and maybe to Anfalas too." Aerlaer said dreamily.
"Yes, all of those places." He placed a kiss upon her cheek which warmed her heart and chased all confusing thoughts on puzzles away.
Hey! So I'm thinking let's try midweek updates as a thing!
Thank you for your lovely reviews, glad you guy's are still here! It does scare me a bit though, and one of my reader's pointed it out in my Witcher fic re their fav writers, but with so many of you guys being from the states and Europe, hit so hard with the virus, not seeing familiar names pop up is a bit worrisome. I'm hoping everyone is safe and well and busy in their endeavours. xx A
Elerrina - Thank you! Won't be long now until we all find out the truth!
Captnschick58 - No worries, and glad you are!
PrettyRecklessLaura - Hey! Here's more! Hehe!
Tobiramamara - Aww thanks! Was good fun to write!
zikashigaku - Gah, I know! Those rings inspired my own wedding ring! :D
Katara Melody Cullen - Thank you!
mystarlight - Oh thank you! I felt pretty elated having something to post up! I'm so excited to keep adding chapters each week again, just like old times! :D
Song lyrics in the start of this chapter are adapted from Taylor Swift and Ed Sheeran, not mine. But I can sing them. :D