A/N: Revised (8/25/07)

Rangers of the North

The birds twittered happily from their branches. They welcomed the sun and all of her beauty as she lighted their paths of flight. Swooping and dipping they greeted one another. Swallows conversed with sparrows in passing and all praised the splendor of the morning. Gentle clouds rolled through the sky promising a day free of spring rainfall. Every once in a while an easy breeze troubled the treetops. When noon came, the sun pierced through the overlapping branches of a small forest beneath her. There she saw three travelers on horseback.

Yes, the day was bright and clear; a distinct contrast with Arnen's mood. Her entire body was sore from riding mile after mile upon the blasted creature she had loved so much when they left Rivendell a week ago. Now he seemed to have been bred for the torture of young women who were not used to long hours of travel. Voron shook his black mane, restless with the way the maiden who sat on his back was acting. He was called Faithful, but the cinnamon steed could not take much more of her constant grumbling.

For the twins, however, the Wild was the terrain they were most familiar with and both were happy to be rid of their clothes as young Lords so they could don the gear of Rangers. Both were wrapped in cloaks of silver-grey and silent mail. Bows were on their backs and swords at their hips as they rode one behind and one in front of Arnen. Elladan's cream horse came to a halt, making the two behind him stop as well. To the hurting rider this was a blessing and a curse. Arnen realized just how sore her body was. A few curses she learned from a very helpful hobbit played on her tongue; but she fell silent when she finally heard why Elladan had stopped.

On the air, one could hear the faintest rustling in the leaves. Trees surrounded the trio, so Arnen could not be sure where it was coming from. Anor played with the shadows around them. Every movement she saw made her more and more aware of the fact that she had no idea how to fight. Elrohir, who was searching the forest with his piercing gaze, tuned his attention to Arnen. The elf could not help but smile. Trotting his horse to her side, he pried the dagger she held in a death grip away. The look she gave him seemed to ask if he had gone insane. Elrohir just laughed and called out to the trees, "'Tis a sad day when we begin to believe we must hide from friends, my brothers."

"A sad day indeed," a deep voice answered from the wood. Arnen jumped and audibly squeaked when a host of men stepped from the trees, all clad in cloaks of dark grey with a brooch pinned upon their left shoulders. The owner of the deep voice laughed at her unnecessary fright.

"It is also a sad day when you bring maidens as bodyguards," he said lightly.

Arnen forgot her fright and glared at the man before her. His hood was thrown back and she could see that he looked much like Aragorn. His eyes were undoubtedly a stormier grey, though. A strong jaw and sure stance made him seem like a lord. The grin tugging at his lips showed that he was amused by her attempt to intimidate him.

'Yes,' thought Arnen wryly, 'he was definitely one of Aragorn's kinsmen.'

"But I do the lady an injustice by not requesting a name," his voice was sugary sweet.

Arnen snorted (a very unladylike thing for her to do, as Bilbo pointed out whenever he could). "In other words, even though I am with the lords of Imladris I still have not passed the inspection."

The ranger's eyebrows arched. 'I have quite a handful before me.'

"Since you must know, my name is Arnen. I travel with Elladan and Elrohir on an order from Gandalf and Lord Elrond."

Now the ranger's eyebrows really shot up. He had heard her name before, he just could not place it.

Elladan cut his eyes at Arnen when she did not give a complete introduction. She would most likely say she just forgot, but that did not excuse her. Sighing he offered a hand to his stiff sister and assisted her in demounting. The elf heard Voron sigh. He ruffled the horse's mane and spoke a few encouraging words to him while Halbarad and Arnen continued to study each other. When he was certain that the exasperated steed was mollified, he addressed the ranger.

"Due to Arnen's forgetfulness of protocol, proper introductions are left up to me. Halbarad, this is Lady Arnen, Aragorn's, Elrohir's, and my adoptive sister. Arnen, this is Halbarad, Ranger of the North. Now that it is done, Halbarad, must we stand out here long or are you going to take us to get some rest?"

"Rest! Is the elf finally admitting he can feel such a weakness?" Halbarad exclaimed mockingly.

Elladan's pride would have gotten the best of him if it was not for Arnen's groan. He turned to her and offered his arm so she could better walk. If she were not so sore, the young woman would have refused. At the moment, though, she decided that her own pride could be set aside for a second. Comfort was a welcome replacement.

T.A. 3013

Arnen awoke to the sound of silent murmurs. Drowsy orbs began to focus, and she realized that she was lying on a bedroll. She chuckled dryly, 'I do not even remember falling asleep.' When she started to support her weight on her arms so she could straighten up a dull throb erupted in her shoulders. With a cry of pain she flopped back down, causing a hiss to escape her lips as she bruised an already sore body. She reached over her shoulder to rub the tender area, but that also caused pain to shoot through her body. Hopeless, Arnen laid still. How could she move when the moment she did some form of pain would go through her back? Arnen went to thinking dark thoughts when someone broke through her unladylike daydreams.

"Well, good morning. I trust you slept well?" an all too cheery voice asked from over her.

"Go away, ranger," she growled through her teeth.

"Are you still sore from yesterday's training, Magien?"

Arnen wanted to yell at him, 'You are damn right I'm sore! Did you think my body was going to get over the fact that you and the twins drove me so hard yesterday?' If she did scream all this, she would undoubtedly feel a lot better. The downside is that Elladan would hear her, and he did not take kindly to the fact that she slipped a colorful word into her sentences when she was angry. 'That elf knows he can scold just as well as atar.'

"Sarcasm is not well received at the moment, Halbarad."

Halbarad chuckled. For the past five years, Elladan, Elrohir and he trained the young woman with the blade, dagger and bow. Yesterday, she displayed that her skills in blade and dagger were advanced, and she could only be taught helpful tricks now. Thinking about her skills with the bow, though, Halbarad winced. She spent more time on that weapon than any other, and yet she was not any better than when she first began. The only target she could shoot in the center was from a distance of nine feet. Her stance, they had all decided, would never improve. But Halbarad did give her credit for being persistent. He turned his grey eyes on Arnen's prone state. She still did not try to move, but looked up at him expectantly.

"Get up, Magien. We pack up camp and head for Bree in less than an hour." Halbarad stood and slowly walked across the grass. 'Five, four, three, two…'

"Halbarad! Help me up, now!"

The ranger turned laughing. Gently he supported his young pupil as she gingerly stood to her feet. Even though she should be used to the way a bow tries her muscles her body would still become sore from time to time. The twenty-two year old stood with a hiss when Halbarad decided to slap her back "companion-like". She had reached her breaking point with the playful man. Turning on him, she ignored her body's cries of indignation as she tackled him to the ground.

The camp did not even stop in their daily activities. At first, they would have jumped to end the quarrel, but after a month of the sudden fights the rangers stopped trying. They knew that Halbarad deserved whatever Arnen did to him. He would not hurt her, but she would most certainly give him a few bumps.

Sure enough, when Arnen's temper calmed she came out with a few scratches. Halbarad, on the other hand, had a small trickle of blood coming from his lip and a lump on the back of his head. He took it all in good cheer. She was not a threat and her fiery temperament was endearing to him. He also took pride in the fact that he had taught her how to fend for herself. The ranger knew it would only make her angry, but he smirked at her disheveled appearance.

Arnen shoved Halbarad away. Hiding her discomfort, she walked back to her bedroll. A heather cloth pack rested at the foot of her makeshift bed. It had survived through many falls and storms. The sturdy material had been sown together by Gilraen when Arnen was a child. Picking through the contents of her bag, the grumbling woman pulled out a liquid ointment Elrohir had created. It was clear and would be mistaken for water (An unfortunate mistake to make, for the contents would make the drinker very ill if ingested.) if one was not careful. Retrieving a few pieces of cloth and her water skin, she made her way to the man who still sat a few feet away from her bedroll. Silently, she cleaned his lip and applied the ointment. Searching his face for any other injury, she finished her job and passed the items over to him. A hiss sounded from her teeth as she waited for him to finish his inspection. Halbarad cleaned her scratches that needed attention, checking her face in turn.

He was going to tease her again, but Elrohir approached and he thought better of it. If he and Arnen got into it again, the elf would never let him live it down when he came out with more than a few scratches. He stood and offered his hand to Arnen. She took it graciously. Their fights always softened her up to the infuriating ranger and lately she found that being his friend was not such a bad experience. He was like Aragorn, and so she found she could be at ease with him.

"Please don't stop your caresses at my expense, mellyn. I did not mean to interrupt," Elrohir urged Halbarad.

The ranger chuckled while Arnen went to her frequently visited dark thoughts. The elf's grey eyes were jumping with mirth as he watched his "sister" begin to grow angry…well…livid. Deciding he did not feel up for a duel of wit with the sharp mortal, he went right to the point of his appearance.

"Gandalf sends a letter to the Lady Arnen as well as a small gift."

Arnen forgot her anger and quickly snatched the letter and pouch from Elrohir's hand. Without even muttering an apology she went to her bedroll and broke Gandalf's seal. The wizard's flowing writing scrolled across the parchment:

Dear Hên,

'Haha, Gandalf,' she thought.

The last I saw you was two years ago and you were faring well. I hope that is still the case. I will not use too much parchment trying to explain my doings. Just know that where I go fro time to time, I hope you will never have to venture. In the pouch I hope is safely delivered to you there are new crystals (I have a feeling that a few have suddenly "disappeared" as you like to put it.) and a fresh vial of Helwa. You should have run out by now. Aragorn sends his apologies for not seeing you for a few months and also sends his love. Please find time to practice and be careful.

Sincerely,

Gandalf

P.S. Remember to do away with this letter after you have finished reading it.

Arnen crumpled up the beige parchment and threw it into her pack, along with the grey pouch that came with the message. She had run out of Helwa but had hoped the old wizard would not guess. The woman looked up to see two rangers standing before her. Their expectant eyes amused Arnen, so she just shrugged them off and began to pack.

"Well," Halbarad began, "what news from Gandalf?"

"Is your name Arnen?" the young woman asked innocently.

Elrohir laughed, "In other words, what was written is no business of ours."

"If you want to put it like that…"

Halbarad stared at his pupil when Elrohir turned and left. Arnen ignored his presence until he finally decided to say something.

"Are you going to tell me?"

Arnen looked at Halbarad steadily. "Just because you are the commander at the moment does not mean I have to report to you. Your authority over me is limited, Halbarad, do not forget that."

A struggle of wills pushed between the friends. Arnen practiced the wisdom Gandalf, Elrond, and Aragorn tried to give her from time to time. She lowered her eyes first. This threw Halbarad off, yet he said nothing and turned away. When he finally was out of earshot, the maiden smiled and sighed, "Men and their incorrigible ways."

Helwa means light blue in Quenya (once again, not very original, but easy to remember).