6

Love in the Time of War

I hung back when everyone left for the Paths of the Dead. The whispers followed Aragorn, Legolas, Gimli, Everlas, Megan, Kendara, Elladan, and Elrohir.

When they left, someone said, "He left because there is no hope."

I cut across Théoden, "He left because he must. There. Is. Always. Hope."

"Myraneth!" Eowyn cried. She caught me in a hug, "Where have you been?" she demanded.

"I apologize, but I had to go and save my sister's life and re-forge a sword."

"We kept Black March on Lord Aragorn's word. He is stabled by Andelage."

"Andelage?" But Eowyn wasn't listening. She was already leading me on.

Black nipped out at me in his usual greeting. I grinned, patting his flank.

The horse beside him had nothing on my stallion. Andelage was beautiful in her own way, but no normal horse could compare with an Elf-stallion.

"She reminds me of home," A voice said.

Eowyn grinned and took her leave.

I turned towards the voice, "You are Eryn Lasgalen," I said.

He nodded, his eyes flashing with mirth, "And you are Myraneth Accolte. Yes, you are well known, even amongst my kind."

Forgetting myself for a moment, I smiled at him, "Please accept my condolences. I am very sorry about your brother."

His face mellowed almost immediately, "He was too young."

"Yes, but alas, this is the fate of too many in these troubled times."

He cocked his head. I mentally slapped myself for watching the way his hair fell across his face, "I'd forgotten. You have lost recently, as well."

I grabbed a brush from a box of grooming supplies. Although it was dark, I began to give Black a thorough grooming, "I can hardly compare. But yes, my cousin passed on recently. I lost many wolves at the Battle of Helm's Deep."

"You speak as if they are our equals." He obviously believed the wolves to be my subjects, and I a ruler who presided over them.

I paused mid-brushstroke, "They are not your equals. They are mine. They are my brothers and sisters in arms, my companions for the rest of my days. They are not dumb animals, Lord Lasgalen. Tell me, have you ever seen a wolf cry on a full moon? Or watched a wolf hunt in progress?" My voice had a hint of danger in it that I knew he sensed, "There are very few beings in this Middle Earth that can stand with me, on equal footing. The wolves are one of them." My eyes sliced right through him.

He smiled, albeit a bit sheepishly, "Your connection to them is stronger than I thought. Forgive me, I did not mean any insult."

I glanced at him, sizing him up, "Watch where you tread. I just sent half my family of an almost-suicide mission. My temper is short."

"Why did you not accompany them?" I turned around, and all of a sudden he was there, on Black's other flank.

"I would do them more harm than good. The claustrophobia that every Elf has…it is somewhat stronger in my case." Valor! Why had I said that? To a Fairy, no less! Oh Valor, my head's going in circles. I need to sit down.

The brush slipped from my hand, but I never heard it hit the ground. Eryn caught it before it could, "I think you need to rest, my Lady." He whispered. I felt his hand take mine. His hand was warm and about twice the size of mine. It was calloused just as mine was, from riding horseback, archery, and swordplay.

I was vaguely aware of him leading me to Eowyn, who led me to my tent.

#####

I was the first to wake in the morning. I was in for a shock when I found I was sharing the tent with Eowyn, Eryn, and Merry.

As it turned out, I had only been asleep for about three hours. Still, I felt refreshed. The sun had yet to rise, but my eyes adjusted quickly. I went in search of my saddlebags.

I found them by where Black was standing. Pulling out strips of leather, I fashioned a needle and thread and swiftly remade what I had spent most of the day on, two days previously.

I had had to do the unspeakable—I had asked the Myraneth not to mourn for their lost king until the war had ended. It had almost broken me to see the despair in Shadowpaw's eyes.

The leather had taken the shape of a crude, lumpy saddle. I had realized earlier that Merry's pony, as stout as his heart was, was not up for the gallop to Minas Tirith. No other riders would be able to bear him, so he would go by wolfback.

I went in search of the wolf camp. I had decided that Merry would be best on Riku, as she was one of the most used to people. It did not take me long to find the camp.

Dire approached me, "Welcome back, Lady Myraneth. I trust your errand was successful?"

I nodded to the old Alpha, "That it was, Dire. Is everyone preparing to leave?"

"Yes. We follow you to war, to ruin, to peace, my Lady."

I smiled in spite of myself, "Have you seen Riku?"

"She is down at the river."

"Thank you, Dire."

An owl hooted as I raced through the trees. My eyes caught every movement, from the flying squirrels to the moths to the wolf pups—Wolf pups?

There were three of them. The oldest was no more than ten months—barely more than a weanling. The two youngest seemed to be littermates. They had the same eyes.

"Welcome friends," I murmured, "You are not part of my pack."

"Sister Lady," The oldest male whispered, "Please. Our pack is gone. The orcs came and slaughtered everyone. We barely managed to escape with our lives."

"You are wise for your young age, child. What is your name?"

"I am Faro. That is Fairfax and Anna."

Both wolf cubs were golden-furred and…

Valor, they were skin and bone! Absolutely starving. I'd never seen a case this bad.

"These two aren't weanlings!" I exclaimed.

Anna looked up at me with her large, leaf-green-and-grey eyes. I looked to Faro.

"We were travelling with their Mother until a few days ago. She died of exhaustion. It was only a matter of time."

I threw my hair over my shoulder, "They're in luck. A female in the pack lost her cub a few weeks back. She's still lactating, though. Don't worry about rejection; she's been a nanny before. She nursed the current Alpha after his Mother passed on."

I whistled to the pack, and a lone male answered. It was Haru.

"Haru. I thought you'd gone with Elle."

"I am like you," he muttered in a deep voice, "I hate the dark. I will take these three to Marybella."

"Thank you, Haru."

I continued down to Riku.

As usual, she found me first.

A blur pounced on me from the side of the trail. I was off my feet before I even knew what had hit me. A wet, rough tongue was washing my face.

"I hope you were heading down for a bath, Myraneth. You taste disgusting." Apart from Cassan, Riku was my best friend among the wolves. She had just recently taken over the position of Alpha female, after Dire had had passed the Alpha male title to Cassan. Contrary to popular belief, she and Cassan were not a mated pair—not yet, at least. Riku wanted to see the war over before she mated, as pregnancy would force her to take herself out of the battle.

I smirked at her, "You never say that to Aragorn. Why me?"

Riku smirked, "He is still Estel to me, Myraneth, and he always will be. Now, I assume you want the young hobbit Lord to have a mount that can bear him to the Fields of Pelinnor?"

"You've read my mind, Riku."

"And I was your first choice?"

"Well…"

"Myraneth!"

"You know I'm kidding, of course you were, wolf sister."

Riku continued to smirk at me, "It would be an honour to carry the hobbit," She allowed me to secure the saddle to her back, "Go wash, Myraneth. Dawn approaches."

I did as she bid. As I washed, it occurred to me that I may have been a little harsh on Eryn last night. He was here to help, after all, even if he was a Fairy.

A gorgeous one, at that—but I pushed that thought away. I couldn't let feelings get in the way right now. I knew me— and the rest of us—needed to keep my wits about me.

Eowyn slipped into the stream near me, "I am going to fight, whether you want me to or not."

I looked at her. Her long, blonde hair was plastered to her face with water. She was smudged and scratched, but every bit the proud woman I had met all those months ago in the Golden Halls of Rohan. I saw it in her eyes.

I nodded to her once, "This is your fight, Shieldmaiden. I am proud to ride alongside a woman such as you." And then I pulled her into a hug.

"I believe in him. But you were right. He could never give me what I seek. I will have to look elsewhere."

I searched her blue eyes. She was talking about Estel, that I knew for sure.

"You will not have to look far, my lady. I believe a future awaits us all, a union of Gondor and Rohan. But we should not speak of these things yet. Prepare, Eowyn. This day will be the most trying of your life."