Tears blinded my eyes and I refused to let them fall as I walked through Edoras blindly, not knowing or caring where I was going. I needed to be alone.
I left the city walls and went out into the plains, walking this way and that before I finally came to a boulder, not a half a mile from Edoras and sat on it, wiping my eyes with my sleeve. I shouldnt have said all those things. I thought bitterly, I know Aragorn wouldnt treat me like that... Oh what am I doing here? I cried in my head. I should be back at Edoras. The sky was growing dark as I looked up the first stars were coming into the sky. Wiping my eyes one last time I walked away from the boulder and took off at a quick pace to the Golden Hall.
I stood in the back of Meduseld as Theoden addressed his people, Legolas and Gimli on the other side of the room from me. Legolas made to come to me but Gimli held him back. I smiled sadly at the Dwarf, who gave me a wink.
"Tonight we remember those who gave their blood to defend this country." Theoden said to the standing men. I could see Eowyn and Eomer standing on either side of their uncle and Aragorn in the front. Looking at the sad look on his face I felt guilty and turned away. You overemotional fool. I thought but when the man in front of me turned to glare at me, thinking I was speaking of his King did I realize that I had spoken aloud. "Hail the victorious dead."
"Hail!" was the chorus from the men and they drank heartily. I watched each of their faces, some of them sad, others proud.
Festivities were held that night in the dining halls of Meduseld, singing and drinking and eating. I held an apple in my hand, pausing only as I walked to see Eowyn hand Aragorn a goblet of wine and him drink it before approaching Gandalf, standing beside him.
It was a few moments before he spoke. "I know what happened in the stables, Rhasslairiel." He said. I sighed and looked down.
"It was how I felt at the time." I said quietly, watching Pippin and Merry dance and sing a joyous song, dancing on the table as men and women gathered around them, laughing and clapping to the beat of the song. "It's just this confounded injury..." I said, shaking my arm. Gandalf looked at it. "No one else in our company was hurt like I was... and not that it's much its just... well Legolas wanted me to stay in the caves with the women and children, they constantly insist on taking care of me all the time... and it may be that they just care more than others but... I dont know Gandalf... could I be overreacting?" Gandalf seemed to think for a few moments.
"No, Rhasslairiel." He said, "But shouting out like that was most unnaturally rude. I've never seen that from you. It is true that you are the only woman, though an elf you may be, who travels through such perils with us... I think that the fact that there is only one woman with us and you are such good friends with Aragorn, makes the ones who care most about you so protective. I do not think that they doubt your capability to handle yourself because you are a woman... but the fact that you are female does add to the problem. It does contribute to their actions I do not doubt." I could see Aragorn coming out of the corner of my eye and hastily turned back to Gandalf, who was laughing at the two Hobbits singing and dancing.
"I do wish to apologize for my actions to them and bid them my love, though keep my argument strong... but I just dont know if they'll accept it." Gandalf turned to me and smiled.
"Sometimes the hardest things in life is talking to those we care about... for they are the ones we are most scared of to lose." Aragorn was standing behind me and I looked once more into Gandalf's eyes before nodding and walking away, grabbing a bit of bread and walking outside, standing on the side of the terrace, my feet planted on the ground apart from each other. I sighed.
Footsteps behind me made me freeze, my hand resting on my stomach and my other hanging on my side. I could tell by the quick light steps that it was Legolas. He was alone.
My hood was drawn over the sides of my face but I could still see that he was standing next to me, not talking, not moving. Finally I turned to him.
"Legolas."
"Rhasslairiel."
I smiled, "Legolas, I am sorry for the way I acted this afternoon. I felt like I was being babied... I didnt like it."
"You were being babied." Legolas replied simply, "You were right. We do pay closer attention to you because you are a woman... and the one that we care for the most... we cant..."
"You cant help it." I said, "You're men." Legolas smiled.
"Yes..." he said, "We are male..." but I wasnt listening anymore. Tilting my head up, my hood still on my head I let my lips meet his, wrapping my arm around his shoulders. Legolas's hand brushed my cheek and I smiled.
"I can take care of myself." I said and turned from him before smiling wider. Legolas turned his head to see Aragorn coming to stand just feet behind me, though more to the right. I could see him from the corner of my eye. He held a pipe in his hands.
"The stars are veiled." Legolas said quietly, "Something stirs in the east." I exchanged a glance with Legolas as I began to feel it too. "A sleepless malice. The eye of the enemy is moving."
"Oh I can't take it anymore!" I nearly shouted, turning to Aragorn and meeting him in the face. "I'm sorry alright?" Aragorn smiled and stood beside me, his boots making soft thumps on the ground. I looked at him as he ran his fingers through my hair, brushing it out of my face.
"You are my dear friend of many years, Rhasslairiel." He said quietly. I looked back at him, "It would pain me greatly to see you hurt and I would blame myself for the rest of my life as I do with that arm of yours. I should have let you go first I should have-" I smiled and shook my head.
"No," I said moving my arm to hold my shoulder, "This was my fault."
"But I still feel responsible." Aragorn said, his deep voice ringing through my eardrums like an old friend.
"It's alright Aragorn..." I said giving him a kiss on the cheek as we did so often, "I'm sorry I shouted at you. I overreacted. I just wanted to be treated like an equal." Aragorn smiled widely.
"You're better than equal." He said. I smiled and stepped away from him, pointing at his chest.
"I'll remember that." I said and laughed, turning back to the scene before us.
"Did you really kill more Uruk-hai than Legolas and Gimli?" Aragorn asked curiously. I smiled.
"I beat Legolas by seven and Gimli by-"
"He is here." Legolas's voice made me start and turn, looking at him cautiously. I shut my eyes.
"Yes, he-"
"Gandalf!" There were shouts from the inside of the home outside of the castle that we were residing in, the servant's quarters I believed it was. The three of us exchanged glances and ran toward the door.
The sight that awaited me made me stop and stare in horror. Pippin had the stone that he had found in his hands, fire erupting from it as he thrashed on the ground, his mouth open in a silent scream.
Aragorn immediately reached down with a cry and grabbed the ball, sweat immediately running down his face and his eyes rolling up into his head. I caught him as he fell as Legolas grabbed his shoulders. Gandalf threw his cloak over the ball.
"Fool of a Took!" He cried and turned, facing the young Hobbit. Aragorn opened his eyes and stood, his hair falling into his face.
"I'm fine." He whispered in response to my worried look. I turned back to the scene before me.
Gandalf knelt down by Pippin, one hand on his face and the other holding his hand. Pippin seemed to be lost in a dream, his eyes half open, his face not moving. Gandalf put his hand to his forehead, and across his face.
With gasps of fright Pippin began to breathe, turning his face into Gandalf's hand.
"Look at me." Gandalf said nearly unemotionally. Pippin looked into his face.
"Gandalf? Forgive me..."
"Look at me! What did you see?"
Pippin closed his eyes painfully, "A tree... there was a white tree... in a courtyard of stone... it was dead... the city was burning..." Aragorn and I exchanged glances, Aragorn's face more troubled than I had ever seen it.
"Minas Tirith... is that what you saw?" Gandalf inquired.
"I saw... I saw him! " I stood up straight, away from my leaning down position, my eyes wide. "I could hear his voice in my head."
"What did you tell him... speak! "
"He asked me my name... I didnt answer... he hurt me." I closed my eyes.
"What did you tell him about Frodo and the Ring?" Gandalf demanded. Pippin's eyes widened for just a moment before shaking his head.
"Nothing..." he whispered. Gandalf continued to look at him.
"Are you sure?" he demanded. Pippin nodded before his head fell to the side in a dead faint. Legolas put his hand on my shoulder. I turned and shook my head helplessly. There was nothing we could do about this.
Gandalf stood, turning to us.
"We should get some sleep." He said, "Tomorrow is nearly here... things must be done." Aragorn nodded and wiped his hair out of his face, looking at the two Elves standing beside him. His jaw was set. I, having seen this look before, shook my head and jerked it toward the door.
"Outside." I mouthed and watched as Gandalf lied back down, the stone tucked back into his arm. Aragorn looked at me but followed nonetheless.
"You cannot go to Minas Tirith." I said as soon as we were outside. Aragorn turned to me.
"They need to be warned!" He protested. I took his shoulders, Legolas was standing in the doorway.
"Please, Aragorn." I said. "Do you know what you going back to Gondor would mean to the steward. No doubt your heritage has reached his ears. He will have you killed for treason!" Aragorn looked down.
"I suppose now is the time to choose, Aragorn..." I said, "You can either be the Ranger... or take your rightful place as the King of Gondor, old friend." Aragorn shook his head slightly, his hand on his forehead. I reached up my hand gently and turned his face to face me.
"I still stand by what I said years before, Aragorn son of Arathorn." I whispered, "Gondor would be most enhanced if you were their King."
Without another word to my friend I turned and went back into our sleeping quarters, lowering myself into the cot laid on the ground and wrapping the blankets around me. Without really wanting to, I closed my eyes and fell asleep.
I was riding Niethen, the sky was tinted the greys of twilight and the moon had just begun to peek its crescent shape into the sky. I was alone even though I didnt know why and rode swiftly, the wind blowing through my hair.
Suddenly, the Great Eye of Sauron exploded in front of me. Niethen reared and I fell off the back, hitting the ground with a thumb. I watched as my horse rode away, still on my back. I looked up at the fiery ball, coming right for me, my eyes wide. I gasped.
I see you...
"Ah!" I nearly yelled, sitting up, a knife in my hand, ready to strike. My breathing came short and heavy and I shook my head, replacing the knife by my side and leaning my head into my hand... this was not the first dream that the eye of Sauron had haunted. I shook my head.
Looking over I saw that Gimli still slept, even through the event only hours before, Legolas in the corner and Aragorn almost next to me. I threw off my blankets, standing up and strapping on my belt and throwing my cloak over my head. I needed to really be alone.
Legolas woke to find my bed empty and my belt and cloak gone. Frowning, no doubt, he stood and walked out the door... only to find me where I was standing the night before, in the same position, though now thinking of something else.
"Rhasslairiel?" He said. I could see the sky lighting slowly, the horizon only lined with red... it would be dawn soon. I turned my head and looked at him.
"You should be sleeping." I said, smiling at him. He came to stand by me, putting an arm around my waist. I looked at him, as I was nearly his height, only off by a few inches, making me about Aragorn's height, and thought for a moment... really about nothing.
"Why are you not?" he asked. I shrugged.
"Bad dream."
"Do you wish to discuss it?" Legolas asked. I looked down and shook my head.
"Only know this." I said, turning to him in his arm, "This is not the first time the Great Eye has haunted my dreams." Legolas nodded and I smiled, giving him a kiss and turning away.
"I will leave you be." Legolas said, before smiling and walking back into the sleeping quarters. I sighed and watched as the sun rose.