Hey everyone! It has been a while, but we have finally finished chapter 23 :D Sorry it has taken so long but we shall try to get the chapters out a little faster. Thanks for all the support. Hope you all enjoy.

R&R!

Celandine sat next to one Peregrin Took, who was dressed in the robes of the House of Gondor. The hobbit was taking calming breaths that didn't seem to be doing him any good. "What were you thinking, Peregrin Took? What service can a Hobbit offer such a great lord of Men?" Celandine looked over at her friend in sympathy she had understood why he had offered his services to the crazy old man, but like she he had expected that he would truly have to prepare for any battle. "It was well done." The pair jumped up at the sound of a new voice, relieved to see the kind hearted Faramir approaching them He still seemed weary from his previous battles. "A generous deed should not be checked with cold counsel. You are to join the tower guard; you of course are welcome to join him." He continued nodding in Celandines direction as he finally reached them, a smile upon his gentle face. "I didn't think they would find any livery that would fit me." "Once belonged to a young boy of the city. A very foolish one who wasted many hours slaying dragons instead of attending to his studies." "This was yours?" Pippin questioned, looking down at the clothing in pride. "Yes, it was mine. My father had it made for me." "Well… I'm taller than you were then. Though I'm not likely to grow anymore, except sideways." The three laughed, Celandine had no doubt that when he returned to the shire he would indeed grow sideways. Suddenly the thought of home made the she-hobbit felt something…homesick. The thought of never seeing her family again weighed deep on her heart. Taking a breath she smiled. "I think you have strength of a different kind. And one day your father will see it."

Gandalf sat alone, surrounded by impressive walls of stone. He could feel the heft of grief in the air. He pulled out his pipe and began to smoke. Drawing on the old pipe had always provided him with a small degree of relief but now it was cold comfort. (An: we are being dramatic and meaningful l:D no not really…)

Aragorn and the rest of the company had made it to the encampment at Dunharrow; they rode through the mass for troops. "Grimbold, how many?" Théoden demanded as they continued to ride towards where they would be staying. "I bring five hundred men from the Westfold, my Lord."

"We have three hundred more from Fenmarch." Gamling added, not wanting to be left out of the conversation. Bee was weary and tired from the journey, the company had spent many hours riding and she was still not pleased that there had been no bacon "Where are the riders from Snowbourn?" Théoden questioned looking to see if he could spot any of these men. "None have come, my Lord." Gamling responded sounding disappointed and by the look upon his Kings face so was he.

They had reached the kings encampment and Bee had taken it upon herself to make herself a fire and find herself some bacon. Now she sat slightly happier by her fire watching as the bacon was sizzled over the fire. Aragorn had gone to talk with Théoden as the pair looked below them at the rest of the troops that had gathered. Without warning a horse rose in fright neighing fearfully, causing many around it to jump. Unfortunately it also lead to a rather clumsy man tripping over Bee's fire, leaving her almost ready bacon in a messy heap on the ground. "Uh…Sorry" Bee glared up at the man, it had taken her quite a while to find a man of Rohan willing to give her a few slices of his bacon and now this single clumsy man had in one moment managed to destroy her dinner. Seeing the angry look on the she-elves face the man quickly took his leave not looking back once. "The horses are restless, and the men are quiet." Legolas said, walking towards Aragorn, Gimli close behind him.

Éomer nodded in agreement coming to join them "They grow nervous in the shadow of the mountain." He told them as they all glanced around watching the men as they cautiously moved around the encampment.

"That road there, where does that lead?" Gimli askes gruffly nodding his head in the direction of the small road way in-between the rock of the cliff. It is the road to the Dimholt..." Legolas began "…The door under the mountain" Bee finished for him grumpily getting to her feet once she realized there was no hope in saving the dirty un-eatable bacon. "None who venture there ever return. That mountain is evil" Éomer added. The party watched as Aragorn walks towards the gap between the cliffs as if to get a better look. The man stood there for a few moments watching the gap as if he had seen something or was even waiting for something to happen. "Aragorn, let's find some food." Gimli interrupted as he felt his stomach growl in hunger. Bee narrowed her eyes at the dwarf, her dinner had already been wrecked. Stupid man she thought bitterly to herself.

The company found themselves sitting closely around Bee's fire, all now had been fed with salted pork. Bee, although glad she had eaten still wished that it had been bacon. Gimli seemed entirely pleased with the meal that had been provided and let out a loud obnoxious burp.

"I rather enjoyed that" he announced patting his belly happily, Bee rolled her eyes at the Dwarf…they were all the same. "Well I'm glad someone is happy" she muttered knowing that she had been heard. "Cheer up lass" he told her merrily tapping her arm lightly, un-amused the she-elf gave him a rough shove and smiled to herself when he found himself flat on his back gurgling. Aragorn had taken to smoking his pipe as he watched his companions. He worried what was to become of them in the morning. He could not discount the possibility that tomorrow could be the last day he or any of his companions saw. It may be that he would die tomorrow.

Unaware of his friend's dark thoughts, Gimli had finally found it within himself to sit back up, a smile still upon his bushy face. Legolas and Bee shared a look; their pair of them had both had enough and wanted to be elsewhere. "I am weary, I shall retire" Legolas announced as he stood from his spot, lowering himself into a neat bow before heading off in the direction of the tent he was to share with the dwarf. "What he said" Bee told them, clumsily getting to her feet and walking off towards the tent she would be sharing with Eowyn without a backwards glance.

Bee slowly made her way through encampment. Reaching her tent she noticed that Eòmer and Eowyn were having some form of a confrontation right by the entrance of their tent! Bee rolled her eyes trying to ignore them as she walked past, not wanting to become involved with another confrontation any time soon. "You know as little of war as that Hobbit. When the fear takes him, and the blood and the screams and the horror of battle take hold, do you think he would stand and fight? He would flee, and he would be right to do so. War is the province of men, Éowyn." Eomer told his sister.

Bee stopped dead in her tracks, how dare this…this man say that a battle was no place for a women! Spinning on her heel Bee watched as Eowyn stormed off, leaving her brother and his eating companions to their meals. "Well look who's narrow minded. Dolle naa lost." (your head is empty) Eòmer's head shot up and his eyes met those of a quite unhappy looking she-elf, whose hands were placed firmly on her hips. "I beg your pardon?" "I believe you heard me, edan (human)" Eòmer looked over at his friends in confusion wondering if any of them had understood what she had been saying when she had slipped back into her native tongue.

"Speak the common tongue, not the babble that amounts to language for your people"

Bee clenched her fist in anger, how dare this man insult her and the language of her forebears! This could not go unpunished. "You are right when you speak. Your tongue is common and simple" she spat trying hard to control her ever growing anger at this man.

Eòmer's eyes became hard and his face was as stone. "How dare you. Who do you think you are, to speak to me this way?"

"One who knows far more of what you speak than you do! You are stupid to pretend you have authority when all you have is ignorance. Have you seen a woman in battle?"

Eòmer stepped towards her "Of course I haven't! There has never been such a thing"

Bee, refusing to be driven back, stepped closer also and threw back her hood, revealing her features. "What am I then? A figment of someone's imagination! I have seen war! I have fought in many battles and slain many foes, before you could even wield a sword!" Leaving him no time to respond she turned and marched away, fuming silently.

Eowyn, who had been watching the whole thing play out, quickly turned away and busied herself with her night things. Bee's ire had caused her to decide something. Tomorrow she would go to the smithy and have her own armour fitted. If Bee could do it, so could she.

Bee was greeted by a warm looking bed and smiled tiredly. She didn't know what was wrong with her these past few days, but she felt angrier than normal…and she didn't like it. Undoing her belt, Bee dumped it upon a chair that sat at the foot of her bed. Finally reaching the bed she flopped ungracefully upon it, not bothering to get under the covers Bee closed her eyes willing herself to fall asleep.

But it seemed that fate was just not on her side this night. The tent flap opened and in stepped a hooded figure. Thinking it was Eowyn, Bee ignored it. The figure stepped forward and stood over her for a moment. Bee scowled and turned over.

"Eowyn, you're being really creepy"

The figure drew back his hood, revealing… Arbellason?

"You cannot run from me, Arquenniel." He declared, striding around the room "You forget I was trained by the most experienced of Mirkwood's fighters, proficient in speed, stealth and long distance tracking. Even the smallest animal cannot hide from me. And this time I am bound by more than a desire to prove myself as a warrior. I am honour bound to my king and queen to bring you safely home. As a warrior of the green realm I must do my duty by my people and restore the pride and good-standing of the Perianaya household…"

He showed no signs of slowing up in his grand and glorious proclamation any time soon. Bee pulled her pillow over her head, holding it tight to block out his infuriating blithering. She ground her teeth. If he continued on much longer she would have to take drastic action.

"… waylaid though I was in my quest, temporarily distracted by the obstacles you put in my path I knew you could not run forever. And so I continued on, my determination to rescue you from your own foolishness undaunted. When I eventually bring you home, I am sure you thank me for the pains I have taken to ensure your safety and indeed, when you see the sense of my quest and the error of your own ways, you will beg my forgiveness for all the difficulty you have caused me…"

That was it! She could take his pompous monologue no longer. Fuelled by angry impulse she threw out her hand, seizing the closest object in reach. Her hunting knife. Drawing her hand she hurled it at him. But pity stayed her hand and she aimed to miss. The knife shot through the air and, brushing past his nose, tore through the fabric of the tent and sticking fast in a tree outside. Arbellason stumbled back in fear and surprise, his words dying on his lips. Bee sat up and fixed him with a lethal glare.

"Arbellason, I am tired. I have been fighting nonstop for days on end, slogging through woods and mires alike. I just want to lie down and sleep for one moment but no! you have to come in and let the wind from between your ears pour out of your mouth!"

"But, my lady…"

"GET! OUT!" She bellowed, seizing the chair and the foot of her bed and bringing it up to crash down upon him. She succeeded in knocking him to the floor but not in stunning him. However the ruckus did bring several soldiers, including Aragorn and Legolas, running into her tent.