Sup fellaroonies hows my fav bunch of mates?? Choice i hope. Grab some kai and your whanau and read on!
The Lady Eowyn showed us to our sleeping quarters, away from Legolas's.
"Yo, dat jacket is tight son! Yaw meen!" Nicky proclaimed.
Eowyn turned round; "One day you must teach me the language of your land."
"Language? Who wants to learn Maori?"
"I think she's referring to slang Nikki."
"What did you just say?" Eowyn asked.
"I said, 'Yo, that jacket is tight son, you know what I mean?'" Nicky said.
"Ummm, what does that mean?"
"It means I like your clothes."
"My Lady, you don't happen to have any spare garments for us to use do you?" I asked, thinking of all the fully rich clothes she probably had in her cupboard.
"I'm sure I would have some that would fit you perfectly. I used them when I was your age." She said. "Come."
So we followed her to her rooms, where she had chest upon chest of clothes for us to chose from. "You might like to choose something nice as evening attire, and then a few ordinary dresses for everyday wear."
"Shopping!" I squealed.
"Minus the price tag." Nicky said delightedly. We rushed forwards and almost leapt into the chests. We were like little kids at Christmas time. In the end we had each picked out several everyday dresses, much like the one that Eowyn was wearing at the present time. But we had also chosen a couple of nice ones. I had picked a periwinkle blue gown, for dinner that evening, and also a gold one with silver trimming for more significant occasions. Nikki had chosen a red one for tonight and silver one also.
Considering we had just bathed, we each changed into the gowns on the spot.
I walked over to the full-length mirror and gasped. I looked wonderful. I turned to Nikki, "Like it?"
"Yep." She walked over to the mirror too. "Looks like I'm getting decked out for the school ball."
We walked to the hall with Eowyn our gowns swirling round our feet, thank God no one could see them, we were still wearing our sneakers.
I went and stood in front of a dumbstruck Legolas, I twirled round and said, "What do you think?"
"I am very appreciative of the Lady Eowyn." He said breathlessly.
"How bout you appreciate me instead?" I asked, playfully pulling his head towards mine.
He smiled, "If you wish."
"Oh I wish alright."
As our lips met we heard somebody coming towards us, and heard Nikki say, "Shhhh! You're disturbing them!"
I turned to find her chastising a laughing Aragorn.
"OK guys, show's over now, you can go away. Hint, hint." I said over Legolas's shoulder.
Nicky grinned at us wickedly, "I'll show you where she's sleeping." She said to Legolas, then she turned and sauntered away, tugging Aragorn along by his sleeve.
"Stay away for a couple of hours tonight." I whispered to Nicky as she left.
"Oh, I'm sure I can find some… entertainment somewhere." She said, eyeing up a hot young local across the hall.
I laughed and resumed my work, then whispered cheekily to Legolas, "Would it be right for me to show you myself?"
Legolas laughed, "I wouldn't mind it very much."
"Step right this way." I giggled, and needless to say, we disappeared for a while. Until dinner, that is.
Meanwhile Nikki, regardless to her plans about the local, had stuck with Aragorn, who had walked back to where the King was seated. As they walked over the King looked up. His eyes went wide when he saw her. "Quite a change Lady Nikki." He said, standing up to bow over her hand.
"I know I know, I'm gorgeous." She said haughtily.
Aragorn raised his eyebrows; "I seem to remember you trying to assure me that you were ugly."
"Paching, Of course I am."
"Yet you just said that you were gorgeous." He said.
Nikki rolled her eyes, "Jeez Aragorn, you really need to figure out when I'm serious, and when I'm not."
"Were you serious when you said you were ugly and looked like a boy, or were you serious when you said you were gorgeous?" He asked.
"You can't be this stupid! Maybe your just blind, I was serious with the ugly boy bit."
"You could have just said that in the first place." He said easily.
Nikki shook her head, "Men," she said, "are stupid."
"I'm no ordinary man." Aragorn replied.
"No, you're just stupid." She said, a wicked smile blooming.
Aragorn closed his eyes, "What did we get ourselves into when we agreed to take you two along?"
"Don't despair Lord Aragorn, it'd be no fun without us. Specially for Legolas, imagine how bored he would be?" Nicky said, nodding in the general direction of where Legolas and Carmen had disappeared.
Aragorn smiled, "Poor Legolas, look what he has got himself into? I don't think I'd survive being alone with one of you for this long."
Nikki grinned evilly, "You have no idea."
"Lord Aragorn?" The Lady Eowyn had come up to them unnoticed. "I trust this evening finds you well?" She said sitting next to him.
"It does Lady. And you?" He replied.
"Oh, I'm very good." She said.
Back in my bedroom where I was seated on Legolas's lap, snogging like my life depended on it, a bell sounded, Legolas broke away immediately, "Dinner!" He said.
I sighed and rolled my eyes, "Men and their dinner!" I stood and Legolas stood next to me. We walked hand in hand into the dinner hall.
I spotted Nikki straight away, sitting with Aragorn, Theoden and The Lady Eowyn.
The Lady and Aragorn were talking. Nikki was sitting back in her chair looking thoroughly bored.
She saw us immediately, and grinned wickedly, "Looks like fun, I must try it sometime." She said as we reached her.
"Try what?" Legolas said.
"Try snogging the hell out of some hot elf." She replied.
Legolas started blushing, "You do have an innocent mind." Nikki said, to his further embarrassment. We sat down, and waited for food to be brought to the table. When it was, Nikki straightened looking at the food hungrily.
Theoden noticed her eagerness to eat and laughed, she glared at him. He stood up and said in a loud resounding voice "Eat and be Merry!"
I reached forwards to pick up a chicken drumstick when Nikki snagged it from right underneath my hand, I glared at her and she said innocently, "What?" As she bit a huge chunk from it.
"Good thing my fingers don't look like food eh." I said seriously.
Nikki raised her eyebrows, "Like the fact that they don't look like food would stop me."
"OK, you just stay away from my fingers you hear." I said, and applied myself to putting my napkin on my lap.
"Oh don't worry, I think that Legolas's fingers look much tastier." She said eyeing up Legolas's hands and licking her lips.
"Cannibal…" I muttered, edging my chair away from her, towards Legolas.
Nikki laughed, "Wonder if they have much for desert?" Her plate was chocka full of food.
"It's the same at home," I whispered to Legolas, "She never stops eating."
"Mmmm." Legolas murmured, not really listening, trying to find my hand with his under the table. His fingers were warm and slender and soft. They wrapped around mine and I felt my face growing hot. Legolas was so sweet.
"What do you say about skipping dessert?" He whispered to me.
"Let me think…OK, I'm done thinking. Let's do that," I said earnestly, "But let's go outside and enjoy the starlight."
"That would be wonderful." He sighed.
Indeed, it was a wonderful night. The sky was full of stars and there were no clouds to veil them. The moon was young and pale, casting a glow upon the earth.
I sighed deeply. "Wow, this is a beautiful land."
"It is beautiful. But my heart yearns for my homeland. Mirkwood calls to me. I miss the trees, there are no trees here." Legolas said sadly.
"No, there isn't." I said, noticing for the first time the lack of forestation.
"I hope when this is over, that you may have a chance to visit Mirkwood. I would show you my home and our customs. I would sing you songs in the Great Hall and we would sit in my Fathers company." Legolas said, gazing ahead.
"I hope I do come to visit Mirkwood. It would be fun as." I said.
"Carmen, there is something that I wish to give you," Legolas said, turning towards me. He took something out of his pocket; it was a necklace. A beautiful silver chain with leaf on it. The leaf was bronze and shone fitfully. In the middle of the leaf was a gem, shaped as a star. It seemed to be crystal, but shone as if it were a star itself. "It is a token of my House. And my love for you." Legolas said, reaching around my neck and fastening the necklace. It gleamed brightly.
"Oh, Legolas. It's so beautiful! Do you really love me?" I said, not daring to believe any of this.
"I do love you." He whispered.
"Nobody's ever said that to me." I said back, wondering how people in movies reacted to this kind of scenario.
"Do you love me?" Legolas asked me.
What was I supposed to say? Legolas was soooooo amazing, yet I was only sixteen. Was what I feeling love?
I remembered what somebody had told me once. 'Stare deep into his eyes and if you feel something jolt inside you, then you know'.
I lifted my head and gazed intensely into his eyes. And I felt it; like my heart had seized for a couple of seconds. I grinned, "I do love you." And I started laughing. I don't know why I was laughing. I think I was just amazed at what I just said.
Legolas laughed too, "You're awesome Carmen."
I stared at him in amazement, "Where did you learn to say that?"
"From Nicky." He said promptly.
"Heh, you're awesome too Legolas."
Suddenly, he became silent and wary, as if he were listening for something. "Do you hear that?" He asked.
I listened, nothing. "What?"
"I think you're bedroom is calling to us!" He said earnestly.
"I hear it too!" I said, trying not to cause a ruckus.
"Let us go!" He cried.
"Sshh!" I giggled, grabbing his arm and leading him into the house of Meduseld.
Nicky better not be in tonight…
OK, first of all, nothing serious happened between Legolas and me. I was just glad nonetheless that Nicky had decided to camp with Gimli. The next day started off merry enough, apart from the fact that Gandalf woke us up so early that I dared not think what the clock would of read. Nicky had much to protest to Gandalf then.
"First of all I get no sleep 'cause Gimli was snoring all night, second I've only just got to sleep and then I have to get up!" She said crossly.
"We have much to do today," Gandalf told us all gravely, "I have been up long counseling with the King. Today we are to go to war." A grave silence followed his words.
"War?" I said. This was the last thing I had expected.
"Yes. Saruman's forces are mounting and they will be launching an attack on Rohan. We must face this attack in Helms Deep. We cannot hope to defeat them if we are in Edoras. We ride today." Gandalf said to us all, as we had gathered in the main hall.
Scouts had been sent to all major places within Rohan, urging people to gather what possessions they could, and travel to Helms Deep. The company and myself were the last ones to leave Edoras.
It was a sad moment, looking back at Edoras and the golden land of Rohan. Here, I would never forget. This place was special to me now, with Legolas revealing his love for me here.
"I hope we come back from this." I said to Nicky, as we rode along with the entourage.
"Yeah, we better. I still haven't got me an elf yet." She replied.
"You know, I feel guilty that we left Eowyn behind." I said, turning round once again to look back.
"Someone had to stay and look after the house I suppose. Why is it always us women that get stuck house cleaning?" Nicky said, with disgust.
"I dunno. You could see that she wanted to come with us. She wants to fight in the war. Gain some honour or shit like that." I said dissmisively.
"Oi, she wants to fight with Aragorn. Didn't you see the way she was coming on to him? She fully likes him." Nicky said earnestly. Aragorn gave a slight look behind him.
I smiled; love is in the air…
We rode on tirelessly (even though some of us were tired), swift and meaningful. Apparently, need drove us. Our destination was the Fords of Isen, where we were supposed to meet up with the Kings' men that held back Isengard. We stopped at nightfall, and made some kind of a bivouac.
"Can't we light some fires?" I asked, wanting to break the gloom.
"No, it's too dangerous." One of the men said.
"Dangerous? Come on, living in Iraq is dangerous." Nicky said, yawning.
"And come on, how are we supposed to sing kumbaya?" I giggled.
"Do NOT crank out the guitar!" Nicky teased. Needless to say, we were sent to bed pretty pronto.
We were woken up at dawn, stiff and tired. We resumed riding, to the dismay of our backsides, and longed for the sight of Helms Deep. It started to get really dark around mid afternoon, as if a great storm was about us. The air was heavy and hot, with a sweet fragrance of rain.
"Not rain. Not now." I grumbled.
However, the storm held on, and the sun sank beneath its canopy. Just then, riders at the head of the colony gave a cry. A horseman was riding towards us.
He was weary and beaten. He came before us, and dismounted. Gandalf and all the 'important people' went forward and spoke to him. The news didn't seem to be good, as we could tell from the looks on their faces. Then, without warning, Gandalf suddenly cried aloud:
"Ride Theoden! Ride to Helms Deep! Go not to the Fords of Isen, and do not tarry in the plain. I must leave you for a while. Shadowfax must bear me now on a swift errand," he turned to Aragorn and the Kings men, "keep well the Lord of the Mark, till I return. Await me at Helms Gate! Farewell!" And he shot away on Shadowfax, and was gone in the blink of an eye.
We sat silent on our horses, me, assured that Gandalf had suddenly lost his marbles.
Nicky turned to me; "A swift errand? What, did he forget to get milk or something?"
I laughed; "Yeah, probably."
So we turned and headed southward, towards Gandalfs' requested destination. Night fell. Finally, we reached the feet of the mountain. We could faintly see a gap in the mountainside, as if a knife had sliced down it.
"So, this is Helms Deep." I said, peering forward.
"No offense to these guys here, but I don't feel really safe." Nicky said, looking round herself. Suddenly, harsh cries and horn blasts were heard behind us, I whipped around. Many tiny pinpricks of light had appeared, sometimes larger ones roared up. The Orcs were burning us in. They were still far away, and it would take them still several hours to get here, but all the same, they were too close for my comfort.
"Fuck. Now why didn't we bring fire?" I asked angrily to Nicky.
"I dunno, but the Orcs have beaten us to it." She said grimly.
"It's not just Orcs there," Aragorn said, turning to us, "there are evil, Wild Men from the mountains."
"Wow. That makes me feel much better. My mind feels far much at ease now that we have more enemies." I said staring evilly behind me.
"Come! We must fly to the Deep! The enemy is upon us!" Theoden cried, and urged his horse with all speed towards the mountains.
We finally reached Helms Deep. I must say I breathed a sigh of relief, but then started coughing loudly. We had been forced to put our old clothes back on. Need I say anything about the smell?
"Why the hell did we agree to put our old clothes back on?" Nicky asked, as we stood in one the many halls in Helms Deep with Aragorn, Gimli and Legolas while people rushed about, preparing for the war.
"Because it would have been extremely difficult to fight in one of your dresses." Gimli said, eyeing us.
"Psssht, we could have turned it into a mini!" I said indignantly.
"Hell yes! A war mini!" Nicky said, giving me high-five.
Legolas cleared his throat loudly; "Carmen, could I speak to you?"
"Sure. We'll be right back." I said to the others.
"Last minute pash eh…" Nicky muttered as I passed. I grinned.
I led Legolas to the next chamber. He closed the door after himself and lent against it. He looked as if something major was bothering him.
"What up?" I asked, sitting down at a table.
He looked sad, almost; "Are you sure you want to go to war? It's too dangerous. The chances of you being hurt are far greater than they should be. You are not part of this world, you should not have to put yourself at risk for us." He came and sat down next to me.
I looked at him; "Of course I have to be in this war! What else am I supposed to do? You guys accepted Nicky and I into the Fellowship. I have as much right to fight as you."
"Of course, I am not doubting your heart. You are so brave, but I could not stand it if you were hurt." He said, taking my hand in his strong ones.
"I will not stay behind like some common housewife Legolas." I said, perhaps a tad too dramatically.
Legolas bowed his head. My heart ached for him. He was such a gentleman, making sure I'm safe and protected. Well, I'm part of this war now, and I am woman, hear me roar.
"Come on Legolas, you know me too well. My mind's made up now. Oh, and another thing, you make sure you take care of yourself out there as well. We're bound to get split up at one point or another, so make sure you look after yourself." I told him, giving him a warning finger.
"No," he crowed, taking my hand again, "I will not be separated from you in life, and I will not be separated from you in battle."
"Awww, so cute. OK, I suppose it would be kind of cool to fight side by side in battle with you." I said, giving him a cheeky wink.
Legolas smiled; "I will not leave your side."
Inside, my heart was moving funny. I was definitely liking this side of Legolas.
"Whatever happens, I love you Legolas." I whispered, gripping his hand tightly.
Legolas stiffened, and held onto me as if we were super glued; "I love you with everything in me." He whispered back.
I broke our connection.
"OK, lets go kill some Orc then."
A/N: OHHH YEAAHH! Helms Deep here we come! Orcs?? Pah! Orc shmorck! Nicola wanted to write something here but she has to tell me what it is first so you'll probably here from her next chappie. Shes got LOTS to say guys (just a lil warning) lol na nicks you know i love ya!