This is another sad chapter. Well, the beginning is funny, and the middle is sweet, but the ending is sad. Please try to enjoy.
Anyway, I do not own Lord of the Rings.
Also, can anyone guess where I got the chapter title from?
Chapter 19: Loved Ones and Leaving
They were off.
Most of the townsfolk walked, so those on horses could not gallop and their progress was rather slow. Peyton rode on Greystorm beside Gimli, who sat atop a chestnut horse being led by Ėowyn.
"So Gimli, have you met many dwarf women?" Ėowyn asked cheerfully.
Peyton leaned towards Ėowyn. "What sort of question is that?"
Gimli rolled his eyes at Peyton's question before turning to Ėowyn. "It's true you don't see many dwarf women," he remarked. "And in fact, they are so alike in voice and appearance that they're often mistaken for dwarf men."
Ėowyn turned around. Peyton followed her gaze to where Aragorn was riding. Beside him rode Kayden on Déor and Théoden on his royal steed Snowmane. "It's the beards," Aragorn whispered, gesturing to the imaginary beard on his chin. Kayden and Peyton had a hard time stifling their giggles as Gimli continued his rant.
"This, in turn, as given rise to the belief that there are no dwarf women, and that dwarves just spring out of holes in the ground! Which is, of course, ridiculous." Gimli made wild hand motions to emphasize his point. Unfortunately, the horse took this as a sign to speed up and broke into a swift gallop.
Gimli promptly fell off the horse. "It's alright!" he shouted. "Nobody panic! That was deliberate, it was deliberate!" Ėowyn smiled before rushing over to help him. Peyton and Kayden doubled over in laughter, while Aragorn and Théoden broke into wide grins.
"I haven't seen my niece smile for a long time," Théoden informed them. "She was a girl when they brought her father back dead, cut down by Orcs. She watched her mother succumb to grief. Then she was left alone, to tend her king in growing fear, doomed to wait upon an old man who should have loved her as a father."
Peyton sighed and looked towards Ėowyn, who was brushing Gimli off with a joyous smile. "What's wrong?" Kayden asked, noticing her friend's sudden change of mood.
"I just can't believe that she had to go through all of that," Peyton replied quietly. "And to think, the worst thing that could happen back home was that you'd forget your homework."
Kayden nodded. "Yeah. Things are so much different here."
~o*o*o*o~
A few hours later, the people of Rohan decided to stop for the night. They made camp in a grassy field beside a lake. Kayden and Peyton sat together on a rock. Kayden was examining Veryan, and Peyton was experimentally plucking her bowstring.
"Excuse me." Kayden and Peyton looked up to see Ėowyn standing above them, holding a small iron pot and a bowl. "Would either of you like some stew?" she asked.
Both shook their heads. "No thanks."
Ėowyn nodded her head and walked over to Aragorn, who was sitting a short distance away. "I made some stew," she stated. "It isn't much, but it's hot." Ėowyn filled the bowl and passed it to Aragorn, giving him a spoon
"Thank you." Being careful not to spill, he tasted a spoonful of the stew. The spoon froze halfway into his mouth, and Kayden could tell from his expression that the Ranger wished he had spilled. "It's good," he managed to choke out, trying to hide his grimace.
Ėowyn's face lit up. "Really?" She began to leave, and Aragorn seized the opportunity to pour the stew onto the ground. Unfortunately, Ėowyn turned back around to face him, and Aragorn was forced to look like he was actually enjoying the stew once more. "My uncle told me a strange thing," she remarked, walking back towards him. "He said that you rode to war with Thengel, my grandfather. But he must be mistaken."
Aragorn looked up. "King Théoden has a good memory. He was only a small child at the time."
Ėowyn dropped to her knees beside him. "Then you must be at least sixty!" Aragorn shifted uncomfortably under her gaze. "Seventy? But you cannot be eighty!"
Aragorn stared at the ground, evidently embarrassed. "Eighty-seven."
Both Peyton and Kayden's jaws dropped, and Ėowyn's eyes widened in amazement. "You are one of the Dúnedain," she realized. "A descendant of Númenor, blessed with long life. It was said that your race had passed into legend."
"There are few of us left," Aragorn replied. "The Northern Kingdom was destroyed long ago."
"I'm sorry," Ėowyn apologized. "Please, eat." Aragorn nodded and reluctantly continued eating under her watchful gaze, much to the amusement of Kayden and Peyton.
"You know, after all I've seen over the past few months, you'd think nothing could surprise me," Peyton remarked. "Man, was I wrong!"
~o*o*o*o~
Night had fallen. Peyton had gone to rest near Ėowyn's tent. Aragorn leaned against a rock, mumbling in his sleep. Kayden sat beside him, listening. She could make out some of Aragorn's words, but most were so quiet not even her elvish hearing could discern it.
"Could you not find sleep?" a voice asked. Kayden whipped around to see Legolas standing beside her. Kayden nodded, rising to her feet.
"Arwen," Aragorn murmured, turning in his sleep. Both Kayden and Legolas gazed at his sleeping form.
"He loves her, doesn't he?" Kayden asked.
Legolas nodded. "Indeed. Lord Elrond does not desire for her to return his love, though. For if she does, she will give up her immortality and accept the Gift of Men: death."
"Love is a strange thing," Kayden stated. "It can make people go crazy and do ridiculous things."
"Yet love is a powerful thing," Legolas countered. "It can turn the weakest man into the strongest warrior. It can cause someone to fight harder than they have ever fought before." He lightly grasped Kayden's hand, shifting his position so that they faced each other. "I love you, Kayden." Legolas gently pressed his lips against hers, pulling her close. Kayden froze for a moment in shock before returning the kiss, wrapping her arms around his waist and closing her eyes in contentment.
After a few moment, the two broke apart. Kayden stared at the ground in disbelief, shaking her head. "Why do you love me?" she asked. "There are probably dozens of elleths in Mirkwood. Why choose me? I'm not as graceful, or as elegant. I dress like a man, I fight in battles, which I gather is something that does not usually happen, and I am more like a Ranger than anything else!"
Legolas gently lifted her chin, looking her straight in the eye. "And that is exactly why I love you." Their lips met once more, and the two shared another blissful moment.
Neither of them knew that their happiness would soon be shattered.
~o*o*o*o~
The next morning, the people of Rohan continued the long march to Helm's Deep. The excitement of the previous day had worn off, and most were quiet. Peyton rode beside Aragorn and Ėowyn, both of whom were walking their horses.
"Where is she?" Ėowyn asked. "The woman who gave you that jewel?" She gestured to the pendant hanging from the Ranger's neck. It was a small crystalline flower that seemed to give off a faint glow. Aragorn did not answer, but merely stared off into the distance, recalling some forgotten memory.
"Aragorn?" Peyton called, snapping him back to reality.
Aragorn shook his head. "She is sailing to the Undying Lands," he replied sadly, "with all that is left of her kin."
Peyton opened her mouth to offer some words of comfort, but she was cut off by the sound of hooves as two riders whisked by them. They rode swiftly past Legolas and Kayden, who were standing on a hillock, surveying the landscape. Kayden turned to Legolas. "What do you think they're doing?"
Legolas continued staring at the riders as they paused underneath a cliff. "I do not know," he replied.
Suddenly, a growling noise was heard, and a huge canine-like beast sprang upon the two riders. It had a bear-like face with a mouth full of sharp fangs. Golden hair bristled along a muscled hump on its back, upon which rode one of Kayden's least favorite creatures: an orc. Quickly, Legolas jumped down from the hill and fired an arrow, slaying the monstrous beast. Kayden sprinted past him, killing the orc rider with a swift blow from her sword.
Legolas examined the beast and rider for a moment before turning back towards the hillock, where Aragorn stood. "A scout!" he announced.
Aragorn and Kayden rushed down the hillside to the people of Rohan. "What it is?" Théoden asked. "What do you see?"
"Wargs!" Aragorn shouted, dashing to his horse.
"We're under attack!" Kayden added, running over to Déor.
The people of Rohan began panicking. Theoden wheeled around. "ALL RIDERS TO THE HEAD OF THE COLUMN!" He then turned to Ėowyn. "You must lead the people to Helm's Deep, and make haste," he instructed.
"I can fight!" she retorted.
"No!" Theoden shook his head. "You must do this, for me."
After a moment, Ėowyn nodded. As she began to lead the townsfolk away, Peyton spurred Greystorm forward to where Legolas stood. Both watched as a wave of wargs crested the nearest hill. Immediately, Legolas notched an arrow and sent it flying into the swarm of wargs. Peyton did likewise, and another warg fell dead.
Meanwhile, Kayden was watching as Gimli tried to get Arod to gallop. "Forward!" he instructed. "I mean, charge forward!" Kayden chuckled slightly before spurring Déor into a gallop. She could barely hear Gimli over the din of hooves as he cheered, "That's it! Go on!" I assume Arod's finally decided to move, she thought with a smile.
The horses charged up the hill towards Peyton and Legolas. Once Arod was close enough, Legolas grabbed the strapping and swiftly vaulted himself up into the saddle. "Showoff!" Peyton shouted before beginning to canter beside Kayden. The elleth drew Veryan and Peyton notched another arrow on her bowstring.
The two armies clashed with a roar. Peyton launched several arrows into the wargs, before one particularly ferocious beast threw her off of Greystorm. Instantly, Peyton was pinned to the ground, the warg snarling in her face. Suddenly, a spear flew into the creature's body, and it fell dead. Kayden galloped past, a fierce look on her face. Peyton nodded her thanks before drawing her dagger and rejoining the battle on foot.
"OI!" a gruff voice shouted.
Peyton whipped around to see Gimli buried under a pile of dead bodies. "How in the world did this happen?" she yelled, heaving the first dead warg off the dwarf.
"Oh don't bloody well ask me!" Gimli retorted as Peyton rolled the second body off him. "The blasted thing couldn't have fallen the other way!"
Meanwhile, Kayden slashed furiously at the orc riders, killing any that got took close to any of her friends. Suddenly, a riderless warg pounced on her, knocking her off Déor. She scrambled to her feet, just as a warg and its orc rider charged past. Kayden seized the saddlery of the warg and swung on behind the orc, giving the rider a good headbutt. The two continued to wrestle as the warg raced along. Kayden lost her seating, but she managed to hold on. Her empty hand found the point of a broken spear on the ground. She swiftly grabbed it and reached up, stabbing the orc. The foul creature screeched in pain and seized her neck in retaliation. Kayden wrenched out of the orc's grasp, causing the orc to tumble off the back of the warg.
But the warg continued to drag Kayden along. The elleth glanced up to find her hand caught in the warg's strapping. She tugged at the leather with all her might, but it would not give. The warg continued to race towards the edge of a cliff, showing no signs of slowing. Heart pounding, she tried again, but too late. Kayden felt her body leave the solid ground as both she and the warg toppled off the cliff.
~o*o*o*o~
Within a few moments, the battle had ended. Peyton looked up from the orc she had just killed, surveying the battlefield beside Legolas. Gimli was successfully bringing down another warg, and Aragorn was running another orc through with his sword.
Legolas began walking across the field, a look of concern etched on his face. "Kayden!" he shouted.
Peyton whipped around. Her best friend was nowhere in sight. "Kayden!"
Aragorn and Gimli joined their search. "KAYDEN!"
The four started towards the cliff top when a cackling rang through the air. A wounded orc lay on the ground beside the cliff, laughing. Gimli lowered his axe threateningly to the creature's neck. "Tell me what happened and I will ease your passing," he growled.
"She's…dead!" the orc snickered. "Took a little tumble off the cliff!"
Legolas kneeled down and angrily seized the orc by the collar. "You lie!" he hissed, a violent glint in his eyes.
The orc continued to laugh, but he soon took his last foul breath and died. Peyton knelt down beside the orc's body as Legolas removed something from the creature's hand. It was a small bronze eagle pendant. On the back was engraved:
Those who hope in the Lord will renew their strength.
They will soar on wings like eagles.
They will run and not grow weary.
They will walk and not be faint.
~KAW~
Kayden Alison Whitte.
The four of them stared at the pendant in disbelief. Legolas abruptly stood up and rushed to the cliff edge, where Théoden was already standing. Aragorn, Peyton, and Gimli followed the elf, and the four of them gazed over the cliff edge. A raging green river flowed beneath them, but there was no sign of any bodies.
"No…" Peyton whispered. She had known Kayden for almost her entire life. At home, they had spent nearly every moment laughing and joking together. Even in Middle-Earth, it was rare that one was seen without the other nearby. The two of them may have argued once in a while, but they always made up. They were the best of friends. "She can't be dead," she cried, her voice growing louder. "She can't!"
Theoden turned around. "Get the wounded on horses," he instructed. "The Wolves of Isengard will return. Leave the dead."
Legolas and Peyton glared at the King of Rohan. "What do you mean 'leave the dead'?" Peyton shouted. "My best friend just fell off a cliff and you just expect –"
Théoden put a hand on Peyton's shoulder. "Come," he instructed. Peyton fell silent, tears beginning to stream silently down her face.
Aragorn and Gimli followed Théoden back to the horses, their hearts weighed down by the loss of their comrade. But Legolas and Peyton stood frozen on the cliff edge, devastated.
Peyton couldn't believe it. She didn't want to believe it. She had already been separated from Robin; she couldn't lose Kayden as well! But there was absolutely no way anyone could have survived that fall, she thought, the reality of it hitting her like a brick.
Suddenly, Kayden's voice rang through her mind. He died protecting his friends. There is no nobler way to die. Those were the words she had said the day Boromir had died. Peyton realized that Kayden had died the same way, protecting her friends and the people of Rohan.
Peyton wiped her face, sniffling a few times. Kayden would want me to keep going, she told herself. She gently grabbed Legolas's shoulder, "Come on," she urged. "We should go."
Legolas nodded, albeit somewhat dejectedly, and walked over to Arod, where Gimli was waiting. The elf said absolutely nothing as he helped Gimli into the saddle before mounting on himself.
Like Peyton, Legolas hard a hard time coming to terms with Kayden's death. The idea of fighting without her beside him broke his heart. He thought of her face, her voice, the fierce gleam that flared in her eyes when she charged into battle. It was all lost to him forever.
Kayden, the elleth he loved with all his heart, was gone. Forever.
Peyton: HOW COULD YOU KILL KAYDEN! HOW COULD YOU!
Me: Dude, relax.
Peyton: I CAN'T RELAX! SHE FELL OFF A CLIFF FOR CRYING OUT LOUD!
Me: Look, it's-
Peyton: DON"T YOU DARE SAY "IT'S THE STORYLINE"!
Me: If it makes you feel better, I am just as upset as you are.
Peyton: THAT DOESN'T MAKE ME FEEL ANY BETTER!
Me: *sigh* Please ignore her. Oh, and please review!