A few days later, Leila was just finishing up a training session with Eowyn when Soriel approached her. "I seek your friendly wisdom again. My heart seems to have decided to speak up," she said.

"I am happy to hear it," Leila told her. "What is it saying?"

"Well, I had a dream," Soriel began. "Boromir came to me, and we had a chat about Eomer."

"Oh?"

"He told me he wants me to be happy, and that I should not turn Eomer away on his account," Soriel continued.

"I think this dream Boromir makes a fair point," Leila pointed out. "Perhaps now his memory will not come between you and Eomer."

"Perhaps," agreed Soriel. "I am not sure entirely of my feelings towards Eomer, but I do feel much lighter. Lighter than I have felt in some time."

"I am happy to hear that, my friend," Leila said, smiling. "See? You hardly needed my friendly wisdom. It must be rubbing off on you."

Soriel chuckled. "Yes, it must be."

A few more days passed when Aragorn revealed that the Beacons of Gondor had been lit and Théoden agreed to ride to Minas Tirith to help. They would head to Dunharrow in three days' time while Eomer summoned the Rohirrim. When they heard the news, Leila saw Eowyn sweep from the room very quickly, so she followed.

"Where are you off to?" she asked.

Eowyn turned to her. "To pack my things," she replied.

"Will you be joining us?" Leila asked, excited.

"It is tradition for the women of the court to accompany the men to Dunharrow," Eowyn said.

"Is that so?" Leila continued. "Well, I hope you can go much farther than that," she finished, giving Eowyn a knowing look. Eowyn nodded and went to pack.

When they arrived at Dunharrow, Leila and Soriel set up a tent for themselves near the king and the rest of their friends. It would be an impatient wait for Leila as Rohan gathered an army to take on the forces of Sauron in Gondor. Leila was starting to become fearful. She had not been anywhere near Gondor since she became pregnant against her will in Ithilien. Even though she knew she would be safe now, she was still very uncomfortable. At the time, she had hoped never to return here. It was night time on the first night they were there when a marshal of the Rohirrim sped past them to get to Théoden's tent.

"What do you suppose that's about?" Leila asked.

"If it concerns us, I am sure someone will fetch us," Soriel said, and Leila nodded.

Surely enough, Legolas retrieved them and brought them to the King's tent, where Aragorn and few other men were waiting for them. These men were revealed to be the Dunedain, the rangers of the North, and Aragorn's former comrades. Their leader introduced himself as Halbarad, and accompanying him were the sons of Elrond, Elladon and Elrohir. They explained that the danger was not just coming from Mordor. They said that Sauron had forces ready to storm the river as well. This devastated the company. They barely had enough men to go to Pelennor Fields, they did not have the men to send a sanction to the river as well. Halbarad suggested that Aragorn go into the mountains and summon the army of the Dead. These soldiers still owed a debt to Isildur's heir, and Aragorn could use them to win this battle. Suddenly, Eomer and Théoden entered the tent.

"Soriel, would you come with us for a moment?" Eomer asked. After a glance at her friends, Soriel left with him.

Aragorn now turned to Legolas, Gimli, and Leila. "I would not ask you to come with me," he said. "I want you to think it over and at midnight, if you wish to come with us, meet me at the top of the trail into the mountain," he said, nodding at them each in turn. Leila left the tent as quickly as she could, knowing her answer.

Leila went back to her tent, hoping to find Soriel there, but she had not returned just yet. Leila felt her curiosity growing, when Soriel finally entered. "When do you depart for the Paths of the Dead?" she asked.

"I am not going," Leila told her. Soriel looked shocked. "I wish to ride with the Rohirrim. They need every fighter they can spare, and I cannot abandon them on the eve of battle. I have already said farewell to Legolas," she lied, so Soriel would not worry. "Are you not going?"

Soriel shook her head. "Eomer is sending me with this man, Hirgon. We ride to Minas Tirith tonight so I may be the messenger for Théoden. I am to tell Denethor that Rohan is, in fact, coming to Gondor's aid," she replied.

"I think that is wise," Leila told her. Leila was also selfishly happy because should she survive the battle, Soriel would be there waiting for her. It brought her some comfort that she would already have a friend waiting for her in Gondor.

"So, we are all separating," Soriel said. Leila felt her heart sink and they looked at each other for a moment. Then they embraced. Leila let her tears fall, and she could hear Soriel cry a little as well. They had not been parted since Soriel found her in the mountains, and now it was hard to imagine Soriel not being near. Now that they were so close, Leila felt like a piece of herself was leaving.

Soriel pulled away and sniffled. "Be careful," she said. "And look after Merry."

"You as well," Leila replied. "And keep an eye on Pippin."

With that, Soriel left her, and Leila let herself cry. She knew that her likelihood of survival was small, but she still hoped to see her friend once more.

Leila was in a tent with Eowyn getting Merry prepped with his armor when Legolas walked in. "May I speak with you?" he asked, and she nodded. Once they were well out of earshot of the camp, he told her his plan to accompany Aragorn into the cursed mountain.

"Legolas, this is folly," Leila protested. "We cannot just leave these people on the eve of battle. Not when it was we who insisted they come to Gondor's aid."

"But we must follow Aragorn," Legolas argued. "We swore our weapons."

"No, you swore your bow," Leila said. "I made no such promise."

There was a pause. "What are you saying?" Legolas asked, a hint of panic in his eyes.

"I am saying that I will remain here with the Rohirrim. They will need every sword and shield they can muster tomorrow, and I made a promise to fight alongside them," Leila told him, tears welling up, causing her voice to crack. "I'm sorry. I will not leave Merry here with only strangers for comfort."

Legolas suddenly wrapped Leila up in his embrace. She was surprised at first, but clenched her fists around his shirt and let more tears fall in his chest. He took her by the shoulders and looked her in the eyes. "We will meet again," he insisted.

She smiled at his optimism and touched his cheek. "In this life or the next," she added.

Then Legolas did something he had never done before. He crashed his lips onto hers for the most intense kiss Leila had ever experienced. He was passionate and sweet all the same time, and she wrapped her arms around his neck. Her head was spinning as if she were drunk and she felt her heart light up with ecstasy. For a moment, the world was not at war, and they were not to be parted. For this moment, there was only them and their love for each other.

When Leila returned to the tent, she saw Eowyn had been crying. "What happened?" Leila asked her friend.

"Aragorn left," answered Eowyn, looking at the floor.

Leila sat down beside her and rested her hand on top of Eowyn's. "I am sorry, my friend," she said, and Eowyn gave her a weak smile. "You will have your chance at love," Leila continued.

"I don't want another chance at love," Eowyn said, rising from her cot. "I want to fight for and alongside those I love. It's not fair they should include you and not me."

"They do not care for me as they do for you," Leila said. "That is why they let me fight."

"They also have more faith in you, because you're an elf," Eowyn said.

"Elves have a different culture regarding women fighting," Leila continued.

"Well, it's not fair. Why shouldn't I be allowed to fight? They're not going to let Merry fight either," Eowyn added.

Leila paused for a moment. "Just come with us," she said suddenly. "Put on some armor, wear it over your hair. Put on a helmet, and ride with us."

Eowyn stared at her. "Will I not be noticed?"

"You brother and uncle will be much too busy getting everyone ready. You will blend in right alongside everyone else."

Eowyn smiled at Leila. "You will help me?"

"Of course," Leila said. "Eowyn, I have been training you for months. You are ready for this fight. You deserve to be included, you have no less love for your country than any of these men. In fact, you might even be braver than some of them," she joked, and Eowyn laughed. Then her eyes softened as she met Leila's gaze.

"You did not accompany them through the mountains?" Eowyn asked, and Leila shook her head.

"I never swore an oath to the fellowship as they did. I promised to help fight with the Rohirrim, which will be even easier now that you will be there too," Leila said.

Eowyn's smile grew wicked as Leila finished her sentence. "Let's go steal some armor," she said, and they left the tent to prepare Eowyn.