Hope is a thing of wonders... someone once told me... you cant carry it... you cant buy it... you keep it in your heart and when all seems dire, when the world seems to be coming to an end... it carries you home...
My cheek stung... and my back ached... Is this death? Can death really be this uncomfortable?
I opened my eyes... very, very slowly to see brown above me... a brown sky? My chest hurt like the fires of Mordor... Mordor... I thought, Mordor... Aragorn! Legolas! Gimli!
"Aragorn?" it came out of my lips barely audible, though to me I was screaming. My chest hurt so much. "Legolas!" I was getting louder... "Aragorn!"
Heavy footsteps were at the door as I turned my head.
"Aragorn?" a gruff voice said. It was Gimli, "What are you doing?"
"I thought I heard... never mind." Aragorn's voice.
"You should go back to Legolas." Gimli said, "He wont listen to me... he's going to kill himself if he doesnt get out of this... Didnt we already tell him she's alive?"
"Yes, Gimli... but not for long... we didnt mention to him that... I only hope she awakens before she dies..." I could almost see Gimli put his hand on Aragorn's arm...
"And its my fault!" Aragorn yelled... "I killed her!"
"It was her choice laddie." Gimli said sadly. "And for the short time I knew Rhasslairiel... she would have wanted to go like this..." Something seemed to click in my brain.
"No! Legolas!" I cried hoarsely. My chest exploded into a mountain of pain and I screamed, though it probably only came out as a slight
"Ah!" of pain.
My door flung open and I saw Aragorn, clean, donned with a red tunic and half of his hair pulled back out of his face. I looked at him for many moments before I smiled.
"Rhasslairiel!" he nearly cried and stepped forward, tears brimming in his eyes. Gimli came in behind him, his eyes wide. He started laughing.
"I need to sit up." I said. Aragorn strode to the side of my bed. I looked at him... there were bags under his eyes.
"You Elven fool!" he cried as Aragorn helped me sit up, one hand on my back gently, the other held in front of me, as if to catch me if I fell. "Of all the lucky, irresponsible, self sacrificing creatures I know, Rhasslairiel. You are the worst!" I smiled tiredly and turned to Aragorn.
"I heard what you said outside..." I said, "You need to fear me dying no longer I'm fine." Aragorn looked at me.
"The wound is deep." He said...
"It did not pierce my heart." I said earnestly, putting my hand to my chest. I could feel the bones beneath my skin cracked... I could feel the blood pulsing through my veins there... it made me light headed. I put my hand down again and swayed as I sat there, making Aragorn hold onto my stomach and my back, leaning me onto the back of the bed, where cushions littered. I sighed, the pain leaving me slightly. Aragorn kissed my forehead.
"Where's Legolas?" I asked, putting one hand to my throbbing chest. Aragorn reached over and grabbed a glass of water, handing it to me. I drank not ungraciously but thirstily, feeling my voice come back without the hoarseness. I cleared my throat.
I raised one hand to brush a strand of hair out of my face and noticed a long billowing sleeve on my arm. Looking down I saw that I was wearing a blue and gold Elven dress. I smiled and turned to Aragorn, putting my arms around his neck tightly, hugging him tight as I could, tears running down my face.
"Where's Legolas?" I asked again, this time more forcefully. Gimli came over and put his gloved hand on my face, a smile lighting up his face.
"Legolas!" he cried suddenly, his head turned. Aragorn turned and looked at the door... where Legolas was standing... just standing... staring. I looked at him, not smiling... just looking until Aragorn released me and Gimli stepped away. Legolas continued to look into my eyes until he came swiftly to the side of the bed that I rested on, putting both hands on my face. I smiled and let tears run down my face onto his fingers. He took one hand off my face and rubbed his fingers together. He looked at me.
"Rhasslairiel." He whispered and smiled, immediately putting his lips on mine, so hard I thought he would ruin my face. I kissed him back, my hands moving to his face. We parted but connected again, smiling all the way. I started laughing as Aragorn and Gimli stood, smiling at me. I looked at Aragorn.
"Hannon le." I said and turned back to Legolas, who couldnt keep his hands off my face.
"Where is Frodo?" I asked suddenly, remembering what had happened right before the end. Aragorn looked at me.
"He is resting. Gandalf is watching over him."
"I want to see him." I said, smiling, "I want to see them both." Legolas smiled.
"You know not where you are do you?" he asked. I frowned...
"In Gondor? Rivendell?" Legolas shook his head.
"You are in the Houses of Healing." Aragorn cut in, "We, that is to say Legolas, Gimli, and I shouldnt be here." I frowned.
"I dont want to be here either." I said, "I want to see Gandalf, and Frodo, and the other Hobbits. They cant keep me here."
"Then, meleth nin, you will see them." I smiled as Legolas threw off my blankets and put one arm around his neck. Aragorn came and put my other around his and together they lifted me out of bed, my slippered shoes touching the ground. My legs were weak.
Small steps were taken when we walked out of the cottage like resting place that I had been in, overlooking a beautiful garden... for a moment I could see with my Elven eyes... Faramir of Gondor... and Eowyn it looked like... they were by a wall... Faramir had Eowyn as he lifted her up and they... kissed! I smiled...
"Where are you going?" a man's voice called and we turned to see a man walking toward us... he had the hair and grace of Elves... but he himself was not one I could tell. He was dressed in all white, his hair a fair blonde. He turned to Aragorn. "I allowed you to be here with her but I did not allow you to leave." Fire burned in my eyes...
"I answer to no one. You cannot deny me my right to leave if I wish." Legolas smiled at me, his hand tightening on the arm that was around his neck. I had my tongue back he could tell. Defying all who I thought wrong. The Healer looked at me.
"You owe your life to this Elf." Aragorn said to him more politely, "Were it not for her and a young Hobbit who is not here, Sauron will have taken over these lands and destroyed this House of Healing. If she wishes to leave I see no reason not to let her." He spoke with the authority of a King and I smiled.
The Healer seemed to stare at me for a few moments before getting his bearings.
"I am sorry My Lord." He said. "Please, let me get you horses."
"No," Aragorn said, "There will be no need for we have them of our own." I smiled and looked down, the two necklaces still around my neck catching in the sunlight. I looked back up at Legolas, leaning my head on his shoulder.
"Hurry along with this." I said quietly. Aragorn heard.
"Now if you will give me her things, we will leave." Gimli looked up at me, winking slightly as I smiled, my eyes still drooping. Legolas laid his lips onto the top of my head
All of the horses, Niethen included sat outside of the Houses of Healing, waiting for their Masters and Mistress as we went out the gate, Aragorn holding my before clothing, no longer stained but torn. I found this dress most comfortable... but I did feel limited in movement.
Gimli and Aragorn boarded Brego, the brown horse as Legolas and I stood beside the white one. I looked at Niethen.
"I am sorry Niethen." I said as he whinnied. I smiled, "But I fear I cannot ride by myself. Believe me I feel most awkward." Legolas smiled and held me closer.
"You will not for long meleth nin." He said... "Though I still think you should be staying here..." I shook my head.
"Nothing you say can change my mind." I said and looked over at Aragorn, who was slipping my clothes and my belt onto his horse.
"Wait, Aragorn." I said and he turned, looking down at me. I reached over. "I want my belt." He frowned and handed it to me, watching as I strapped it onto my waist. I sighed.
"Much better." Legolas laughed and lifted me gently, me swinging my leg over the side of his horse. Legolas jumped on in front of me and I wrapped my arms around his waist, listening to the click of his tongue as they urged our horses forward. Leaning my head on Legolas's back, I closed my eyes and fell asleep.
"Rhasslairiel? Rhasslairiel?" I opened my eyes to see Legolas's relieved face over me. The sun creeping over the horizon told me that it was morning. I frowned. I was on the ground on a blanket, having been sleeping in Legolas's arms.
"You slept like the dead." Legolas said, helping me sit up. I could lean on nothing therefore put my head on Legolas's crossed legs, only managing to lift my body slightly.
"I want to do it again." I said, yawning not ungracefully. Aragorn laughed by a fire that was roaring in front of us and stood.
"You will Rhasslairiel." He said, "But you must eat first." I smiled and took the bowl from Aragorn, refusing to be fed and ate the porridge it looked like inside of it. For the first time I realized how hungry I was.
When we were finished, and Gimli was done slurping his second helping, Legolas picked me up again, hoisting me onto the horse. I smiled. Aragorn and Gimli stamped out the fire and put the blankets onto the horses, Legolas helping as best he could. I frowned as every time I tried to help, my hand was swatted aside.
Finally, we rode on, my head back on Legolas's back, watching the scenery that we rode by with a numb mind and expression, my mind everywhere and nowhere at the same time... more happy than anything.