I am sooo sorry! I got a second job and had no time and then got fired so had no money. Life is a little better so you guys get an update. Alright before I get into this I have to say this, while I don't mind an constructive reviews I have noticed something. This story is an Aragorn/oc/legolas/eomer story. Aragorn will have romantic moments here, and if you are super hardcore Aragorn/Arwen maybe this isn't the story for you. Ok on with it. Review responses at the end!
Somewhere between the emotional hugs and the group deciding to go to Isengard, Missy had lost her horse. She followed them as the men mounted up and was surprised when the pretty black stallion was gone.
"Artemis." Aragorn held out his hand to her and she sighed as he pulled her up onto his horse. She was trying to be strong independent Missy, and sharing a horse was not going to help her with that. When they got over the hill side they all stared out at the dark sky, Gandalf was speaking but she didn't hear a word. Her head started pounding and her vision went blurry.
"Artemis?" Aragorn questioned, snaking his head around to look at her.
"I'm fine." She muttered and though everyone was watching her carefully she did her best to hide the pain in her head. They rode on, towards the dark tower, the closer they got the more scared she was. This was the place they had tried to take her to when she had been kidnapped, and now she was riding into it freely. Legolas and Gimli were ahead of them and Eomer was behind with one of the soldiers, surely she was safe. When they broke the tree line they were greeted with the sight of two hobbits sitting on a broken wall.
"Pippin!" All thoughts of safety left her as she leapt from the horse and trudged through the knee deep water to the hobbit. She pulled him straight into her arms and held him while he laughed.
"You! Young rascals! A merry hunt you've led us on and now we find you feasting and…and smoking!" Gimli cried. Missy placed Pippin back down on the wall and yanked Merry in for a hug, ignoring the comments Gimli was making.
"We are sitting on a field of victory, enjoying a few well earned comforts. The salted pork is particularly good." Merry told them Tree beard had taken over but Missy was too busy carrying Pippin over to Aragorn. He gave her a raised eyebrow as she set the hobbit up on the horse but she was already going back for Merry.
"You two gave me a scare." She scolded as she put Merry on the back of King Theoden's horse. She moved back to Eomer who was smiling proudly as he pulled her on behind him. He seemed to have considered her choosing his horse a victory. They continued towards the tower and Missy held on tighter to Eomer, her head was pounding wildly. Tree Beard was happy to see them but he reminded them that there was a wizard to be dealt with.
"Show yourself." Aragorn said softly.
"Be careful. Even in defeat Saruman is dangerous." Gandalf's eyes flickered to Missy for an instant before returning to the tower. Gimli wanted to kill him but they needed him for information. Eomer tensed and for a moment Missy forgot her pain and wished she could comfort him.
"You have fought many wars, and slain many men, Théoden King, and made peace afterward. Can we not take council together as we once did, my old friend?" They all raised their eyes to see the white wizard on top of his tower. He looked defeated but Missy would heed Gandalf's words, he was still deadly. Théoden was angry though, his people had died because of that bastard and he would not be satisfied until he paid for his crimes. No one faulted him but Saruman seemed to have expected this and dismissed him, moving on to his real concern.
"What do you want, Gandalf Greyhame?" Saruman began listing off all the powerful objects in middle earth, things that they all knew Gandalf would never ask for but the Saruman sneered.
"Or perhaps you just want Aerona's vessel." Aragorn and Legolas both looked back at Missy who was staring straight up. Any information about Aerona was valuable to her, anything at all.
"Your treachery has already cost many lives. Thousands more are now at risk, but you can save them. You were deep in the enemy's council." Saruman smiled, almost victoriously.
"So you have come here for information. I have some for you." He held up a big black crystal ball with a fiery orange center. Missy suddenly went ridged and soft gasp left her throat. Artemis Cooper, come home. I can take you home. Help me defeat them and I shall send you home. She fell from Eomer's horse stiff as a board and as she plunged into the water visions crashed down on her. A great stone city was burning, Legolas dead at her feet, and her holding the One Ring out to Sauron. Two hands pulled her back up to the surface and she began coughing and sputtering.
"Missy?" Eomer brushed her wet hair back as she began to cry.
"She's so strong." Saruman laughed loudly from his place on top of his tower.
"Something festers in the heart of middle earth, something that you have failed to see. The Great Eye has seen it. Aerona has seen it. Even now they press their advantage." They all glanced around as Eomer lifted Missy back onto the horse and took his place behind her instead of in front.
"The attack will come soon. The girl will be taken, and you are all going to die." Missy shivered and glanced over at Legolas,. The vision of him dead was still fresh in her mind and for once she wanted nothing more than to hug him tightly.
"You can not think that this Ranger will ever sit upon the throne of Gondor." Her head snapped towards Aragorn. What was he talking about? Throne? Aragorn was a…no. No, he would have told her. Her eyes were suddenly cast down to the ground. But why would he tell her? He was her best friend not the other way around. He was simply protecting her out of duty, not out of friendship. She had to be strong, she couldn't let every little thing bother her any longer. Saruman began speaking of Frodo and how Gandalf had sent him to his death.
"I've heard enough, shoot him. Stick an arrow in his gob." Gimli said and Legolas began to reach for an arrow, agreeing with the dwarf.
"No. Come down! Your life will be spared!" Gandalf called but the wizard would have none of it. He threw a fireball down and it surrounded Gandalf.
"Gandalf!" Missy cried and lurched forward, only to be held back by the Rohirrim Marshall behind her. When the fire cleared the wizard was perfectly fine, not a scratch on him.
"Saruman, your staff is broken." The moment he said the words the white wizard let out a cry as his staff broke.
"Why didn't you do that in the first place!" Missy hissed, annoyed that she had been scared yet again. Gandalf ignored her but a small smirked played at his lips. Théoden tried to get Grima to come down, he was offering forgiveness to the man even though Missy didn't believe he deserved it. Théoden was a good King though, he was fair and true to his people so if he thought it best she would trust him.
"Saruman! You were deep in the enemy's council, tell us what you know!" Gandalf tried again but Grima had other plans. He stabbed the old wizard in the back and shoved him off the side of the tower. They watched helplessly as he plummeted and then landed with a sickening thud. Her green eyes were wide as she watched his body, expecting him to jump back to his feet and attack or maybe even become a zombie but he lay still. Suddenly Pippin dove off of Aragorn's horse and over to something in the water, when he pulled it up they could see it was the plantir, the black orb.
"Peregrin Took! I'll take that, my lad. Quickly now!" Gandalf wrapped it up in his robes, casting a single glance to Missy who had almost drowned because of it and then he turned away. Pippin kept his eyes on Gandalf though, because there was something about that orb he was just dying to figure out. ~*~
A celebration was in order, after all they had just won a battle. Eowyn presented Théoden with a ceremonial goblet and he stood before his people to give a speech. Missy was seated next to Aragorn who was the first to stand when the King raised his goblet, she glanced around before rising as well.
"Tonight we remember those who gave their blood to defend this country. Hail the victorious dead." She muttered hail a little later than everyone else and took a sip of the ale. Then it was time to party. ~*~
Ale was strong. Missy didn't drink more than cosmos back in her world so she found very quickly that she was a light weight. She stood next to the barrel giggling as Eomer explained the rules of the drinking game to Legolas and Gimli. The dwarf looked like he was determined to win and the elf looked confused.
"Come on Legolas, kick his ass!" She cheered and chuckled more when Gimli playfully swatted at her. Legolas let his eyes linger on her flushed face for a second before taking the drink Eomer handed him.
"Aragorn! Dance with me, these guys are boring!" Missy said as she spotted the ranger coming near them. He was about to protest when her dainty hand snagged his wrist and pulled him towards the dance floor. They ran into Eowyn who was watching Aragorn carefully, she raised a goblet to him and Aragorn took it carefully. Missy glanced between them, feeling like she wasn't there, and tipsy Missy didn't like it one bit. Once the goblet was back in her hands Missy stepped in between them.
"We are going to dance, you wanna come?" Her eyebrows raised and Eowyn took a step back out of surprise. The tiny moment between the two was ruined but Missy didn't care, she had been on a mission.
"Artemis, you are being rather rude." Aragorn said and she looked back at him almost hurt. The look in his eyes sobered her quickly, it was very brotherly. She despised that word, and she took a step away from him.
"My apologies Lady Eowyn, I've had more ale then I am use to. Lord Aragorn." She gave him a small bow and then disappeared in the crowd. He was floored, he had never heard her sound like them, with no use of her own slang or profanities. He looked back to Eowyn and gave her a nod before following the trail Missy had taken. He found her surrounded by soldiers, all of them begging her to sing for them.
"Ok, I'll sing the song but you guys have to get the chorus right!" She said with a laugh. He realized these were the men who had found her when she had escaped the orcs, and she had been with them for most of the night and morning, she had somehow taught them a song in that short time.
"Stop the music!" One of them called and she blushed when they players stopped and all eyes fell on her. The men started tapping out a beat and she started to sway with it.
"When I wake up, well I know I'm gonna be, I'm gonna be the girl who wakes up next to you!
When I go out, well I know I'm gonna be, I'm gonna be the girl who goes along with you!
If I get drunk! Well I know I'm gonna be, I'm gonna be the girl who gets drunk next to you!" Some cheered at this line and she could only laugh.
"And if I haver, yeah I know I'm gonna be, I'm gonna be the girl who's havering to you!" She turned to the boys as they continued stomping out the beat and they knew it was there turn. Missy couldn't help but laughed when the giant crowd of Rohirrim men began singing the song and for once singing it right.
"I would walk five hundred miles and I would walk five hundred more! Just to be the man that a thousand miles to fall down at your door!" She was grinning as she continued to sing the next verse. One of the young men swept her up and began dancing her across the floor as she sang. When the chorus came back around she pointed at the soldiers and they didn't miss a beat.
"But I would walk five hundred miles and I would walk five hundred more just the be the man who walks a thousand mile to fall down at your door!" Missy jumped up on a table and then shouted,
"Da da da!" It was Eomer and Garthan who repeated it back to her and again when she sang more. She was pulled back onto the floor by Merry and Pippin who danced around with her as the men sang the da da da's with her. When the song ended the whole hall was clapping and cheering and Missy was entirely out of breath. She bowed and then clapped for the soldiers. She rejoined the group at the back by the ale and thanked Eomer as he handed her another glass.
"They did much better tonight than on the plain." She said before looking over at Legolas and Gimli who were surrounded by mugs. Gimli made a comment about swimming with little hairy women and Missy grinned.
"I feel something, a slight tingle in my fingers. I think it's affecting me." Legolas said and held his hand up before his eyes. She sipped her glass and shook her head. Gimli looked victorious, well as victorious as one can look with foam in their beard.
"What did I say? He can't hold his liquor." Suddenly the dwarf passed out and Missy held out her hand to Legolas.
"High five!" She shouted and he stared at her perplexed. She moved around the table and grabbed his hand so that he was doing the classic stop sign, then she smacked his palm with hers.
"High five, you do that when you or someone else does something awesome." He gave her a tiny smile and nodded. Her mind suddenly drifted back to her earlier vision of him dead and she looked down at her cup.
"Hey Legolas… I know we have this frenemy thing going on but I just want you to know… I don't hate you. Should anything bad happen, just remember I don't hate you, never have." The elf placed a hand on her shoulder and stared deep into her eyes, concern written there.
"I never believed you did. I know I have acted very harshly towards you little one, and the only reason I can give for my behavior is that I am still very young myself, for my kind. I did not expect to be in this predicament." She opened her mouth to speak but was cut off by the loud singing of Merry and Pippin at the next table. She smiled and then caught her eyes on Gandalf and Aragorn, Legolas too was watching them.
'What are they saying?" She asked and he glanced down at her for a moment.
"There is no news of Frodo, but Gandalf is sure he is still alive." He told her and then he looked back in their direction.
"They are worried for you. The enemy has tried twice to call you, they fear that next time they will send someone in to retrieve you." Missy tensed and took a long sip.
"Send someone? Like who?" Legolas sighed and placed an arm awkwardly around her shoulders.
"Aerona had followers, and there are some out there that are still loyal to her just the way some are still loyal to Sauron. Do not fear Artemis, we will not let them take you." She glanced back at Aragorn and Gandalf, then looked over at Gimli who was still passed out, and finally to Eomer who was standing by the ale barrel talking with a soldier. She had their protection, that was for sure.
"If she takes me, and Gandalf is wrong will you promise me something?" Legolas looked perplexed but waited for her to continue.
"Take me out. Eomer would never do it and Aragorn would try too hard to bring me back… you are the only one strong enough to stop me Legolas." He took a step back and shook his head.
"Do not ask that of me." He said sharply.
"Legolas!" She grabbed his arm to stop him from running away.
"I've seen what she will do. What she will make me do. I've seen myself hurt Pippin, stab Aragorn… and I saw you dead. I don't want any of that. I don't want to hurt them… I don't want to hurt you. Please Legolas." A tear rolled down her cheek and he wiped it away quickly. She had never seen him look more in pain but then he uttered the words.
"If you can not defeat her I will do it." He said and she breathed a sigh of relief before wrapping her arms around his middle and squeezing.
"This is a fine sight! It is about time the two of you stopped fighting." Aragorn said with a grin as he stepped up beside them. Missy pulled away and nodded.
"You owe me dance Aragorn! Thank you Legolas." She pulled the ranger away to the dance floor successfully this time. The elf watched her as she danced around with Aragorn, smiling and laughing like nothing was wrong.
"Are you alright?" Eomer asked stepping up beside him.
"No. I fear I've just done something terrible."
Song is "500 miles" by the Proclaimers, it came on my ipod while I was writing and I couldn't get the image of the men singing out of my brain!
Astiza- I think I just wanted a different word for shout, but I agree. Aragorn isn't really a screamer. The guys kinda know what she knows and because Legoals is an elf I figured he would know stories of Aerona. Sorry didn't mention it. Thanks for the review!
Anwen- I'm trying not to make the romance o super fast so I'll definitely keep a handle on that and as for the lackies, do not worry that is coming into play very very soon! Lets just say they have a card to play that is pretty big.
Bluelibellule13- love your confidence in me, please don't kill me for taking so long to update!
Volenska- im so glad you feel inspired! As for your suggestion it doesn't fit with my plot but feel free to borrow a bit of my plot to write your own story… as long as you don't call you main character Missy I really don't mind if you steal my evil queen bit haha
Sam- glad you like it! Again im sorry this has taken so long to update.