Sorry guys… I've been sick. (And when I write when I'm sick all Mordor breaks loose…) Here's the next chapter, I hope it makes up for the long wait!
The next day Gandalf and Pippin left for Gondor, the other great city of men to warn the steward of Pippin's vision. The white tree burning, it meant war, and soon. Aragorn was constantly on edge and apprehensive, waiting for the beacon of Gondor to light. He wanted to get over there and fast, but it didn't come. On the third day of restlessness and idleness Aragorn ran into the great hall and called, "The beacon! The beacon is lit! Gondor calls for aid!" Théoden and his council looked up from their maps,
"Then Rohan will answer!"
And so by nightfall all the horseman of the city, the Fellowship, and Eowen were camped far outside the city in the plains. They were gathering a force of men and horses throughout the kingdom to rush to the aid of Gondor. To Kali the men already gathered seemed like quite the formidable fighting force but the King seemed unimpressed. Aragorn too looked dispirited by the lack of men. They made camp; Aragorn sharing a tent with Legolas and Gimli, and Kali and Eowen sharing a tent together. When they settled in, Aragorn felt restless; Legolas knelt down next to the man, "Get some rest Aragorn."
"Where are you going Elf?" Gimli inquired from the tent doorway.
Legolas walked past him, "I'm going to clear my head." As he walked alone through the camp, men passed him, talked to each other by the fire, or fixed armor and weapons. What Gandalf had said three days ago to him still haunted his mind; '… you will have to kill her.' Why him? Of all the Fellowship, why would he be responsible for Kali's death? He knew he couldn't kill her; he loved her! He dreaded the feeling he would experience if he actually felt her dying in his arms, and if it was his fault. I would die…
"Thinking of him?" Kali jumped a little at Eowen's voice, startled from her thoughts.
"W-who?!" she stuttered, only half knowing who she was talking about. The older girl grinned and shook Kali's shoulders,
"Legolas! You love him don't you?" Kali blushed and her breathing grew fast. "I thought so!" Eowen cried and tickled her friend, sending them both into peals of laughter. When they had calmed down Eowen looked at Kali again, "Do you think they will let us go with them this time?" Kali frowned, she didn't know, Aragorn was hesitant letting her come with them this far, but when he found out the Eowen was accompanying the men to the camp he was fine.
"Maybe we'll have to sneak into battle!"
"Sneaking into battle?! What's the fun in that?!" Eowen exclaimed, "You are supposed to have a loud battle cry!"
"What if we disguise as men?"
"I don't think it would work for you my friend, you are too pretty. Your face would cause the orcs to pause in confusion!"
"But you're more beautiful Eowen! Your long silky hair is a treasure, mine tangles too easily!" Kali played with the long blond locks and tugged on them lightly, "What about you?"
"Hmm?"
"Don't you fancy Aragorn?"
Eowen had her turn to blush and mumble, "Is it so obvious?"
"Very." Kali said solemnly, "You could spot it leagues away, in a snow storm, while half buried underground, and blind. Eowen; it is that obvious." Eowen blushed harder. Kali laughed and patted her head, "But don't worry, Aragorn is thick in the skull when it comes to these things!"
"Should I go and confess do you think?" Eowen asked nervously.
Kali knew that it would end in heartbreak because she remembered clear as day that Aragorn and Arwen were to marry, but she nonetheless encouraged her friend to do so. "Go, I wish you luck. And if you are brave, I will be brave too."
Eowen's eyes lit up, "You mean you will tell Legolas you love him?"
Kali smiled and blushed again, "Yes, that is what I intend to do,"
"Best of luck," Eowen said, a bit breathlessly. And they parted outside their tent.
Kali walked through the tents and dodged the occasional horse or Rider, looking for the elf. While she was searching someone clapped a hand on her shoulder; she spun around. Eomir, he seemed a little speechless at first as Kali stared at him, waiting for him to talk.
"I will be riding into battle soon, for glory… for death perhaps…" He sounded sad, a little worried, and there was a hint of something else that Kali had often heard in Eowen's tone when she spoke to Aragorn. "But you, you will live, and so I ask of you… to remember me."
Kali smiled, "Of course! How could I ever forget you? You are so kind and warmhearted, how could anyone forget?" Before she could think she hugged him. He was startled, then he relaxed and returned the embrace.
Returning from his walk, Legolas passed by and saw something that made envy spark inside him for the first time; Kali was hugging a man. His first instinct was to shoot the man and ask questions later, but he paused when he saw Kali's delicate smile and the way she was looking at the Rider with sympathy. Then he noticed the Rider was Eomir; he quickly replayed all the times he had seen Eomir and Kali together. The drinking game, she stood next to him, the Rider had taught her how to dance the traditional Rohiric dances, and they talked for a while as the company rode to the camp, but that was it as far as Legolas knew. He crept closer to them, jealousy fueling his curiosity.
"And Eowen, I know that you are great friends with her; could you look after her for me, if I'm not there?" Kali nodded solemnly, that she could do. Then the Rider took her hands in his,
Legolas tensed, hiding behind a tent flap.
"And… I know this is a lot to ask,"
Kali was a little uneasy with the way that he said that last part, but she stayed put.
"But would you consider bearing my-"
Crash!
The next thing Kali knew she was quickly being tugged along away from Eomir, who was knocked unconscious and on the ground. She looked up at the person who was holding her hand and pulling her along; Legolas. Kali was confused, Okay… what just happened?! Did he knock him out? Or was there an accident? And Attack?! "Would you mind telling me what's going on?!" She cried, pulling her wrist from the elf's grip. He stopped and turned around, looking her dead in the eyes; what she saw there scared her slightly. A fierce and intense gaze that pierced her heart, she gasped and tried to stumble back but his hands were on her shoulders, preventing her from going anywhere.
"Do you not know what he was asking of you?!" He asked furiously.
Kali shook her head in confusion, "He never finished his sentence!"
Legolas gripped her shoulders tighter, it hurt but Kali didn't say so; she still didn't understand why Legolas was getting all defensive. "He was asking you to give birth to his child, Kali." Then it hit her like a semi-truck on steroids. Holy shit… he was asking what?! He wanted to- Legolas read her expression of horror. "Yes Kali, he did. You need to be more careful… if you had agreed to that not knowing what he meant…" Then all sternness faded from his features and he gently held Kali close. She was shaking badly so he stroked her back softly and hummed a lullaby to her to calm her down. She was crying into his tunic and making a big wet spot on the front of it, but Legolas didn't mind it in the least. Then she looked up at him,
"That must have hurt! Are you sure Eomir will be alright when he wakes up?" Surprised, Legolas had a baffled expression on his face, and then it turned to one of amusement.
"After all that you are still worried about him!" He smiled lovingly and stoked her hair soothingly, "I'm sure he will be fine. Maybe he will have a little headache to remind him not to mess with you… And right now I am not sure what would be worse, leaving you here with him in the camp or bringing you with me into war just so I can protect you from lustful men…"
Kali giggled at his dilemma. "Just take me with you!" He still looked unsure,
"We are taking the path of the dead, Kali; it will be very dangerous…"
"I am dead!" Kali exclaimed then looked down at the ground and mumbled, "... Idiot…"
Legolas raised his eyebrows at the word 'Idiot' but he wisely kept his mouth shut and just took her hand and continued walking.
"And by stopping him back there, you weren't worried about my virginity of anything, were you?" She joked, expecting him to laugh it off. He whipped around, eyes wide.
"How old are you?"
Kali was startled by his sudden interest in her age, "Er… when last I checked… Seventeen nearing Eighteen?"
"And you're still a virgin?" And it hit her like a truck.
"And you're not?!" He blushed slightly and turned away quickly, but it told Kali all she needed to know, "You are, aren't you!"
"I never said anything,"
"But your face gave away everything."
"…Strange, I have spent the last Two-Thousand years learning how to disguise my emotions, and you just see right through…"
"It's a waste of time."
"What?"
Kali looked up at him with radiant golden eyes, "Hiding emotion. Why do you think we have emotion if we are not to use it?" He was so close just then to leaning down and kissing her, but he restrained himself. He wanted to know for sure that she loved him first.
They met Gimli by the boy's tent and pulled the other horse with them, despite Kali and the horse's protests. Aragorn passed and Gimli stood up,
"Where do you think you're going laddie?"
Aragorn held up a hand, "Not this time Gimli."
Legolas and Kali came around the tent with the horse, Legolas had a teasing smile on his face, "Haven't you learned by now the stubbornness of dwarves?" Kali laughed quietly and then sobered up when Aragon's horse give her the stink-eye.
"Alright, I will allow you two to come, but Kali; stay." Pain jabbed Aragorn in the shoulder, Kali had punched him.
"I'm already dead! What's the point of fearing of losing your life when you don't have one!..." She exclaimed angrily, "…Idiots…" she muttered and shook her head.
As they rode into the mist of the mountains, men began to wonder and exclaim loudly about their leaving. But they paid them no mind and didn't look back. Kali sat behind Legolas with her arms wrapped around his waist and her head resting on his back, she wished that she could have said goodbye and good luck to Eowen, but Kali knew that somehow her friend would be alright. They were all quiet because a heaviness in the air; it seemed to make all of them feel drained and hopeless as they continued farther into the mountains.
The horses began to misbehave and act up when the first rays of morning sunlight should have reached the valley. But it remained cold and still like the early morning without the sunrise. Aragorn and Legolas dismounted, helping Gimli and Kali off. The horses split and ran, leaving their riders alone. They began to walk; Aragorn in front, Gimli next, Legolas and Kali in the rear. As the feeling of despair grew almost unbearable they all forced themselves forward with whatever hope or thought they were clinging to; Arwen, the shining beauty of the crystal caves, Kali, Legolas. Legolas' hand caught Kali's and she stopped and looked back at him; he silently mouthed, 'wait,' so she did. They stood there until Aragorn and Gimli were no longer in sight, then Legolas tuned to Kali.
"You know we may be heading to our death," was all he said.
"I know."
He tilted her chin up so his eyes looked into hers, "But you will live, yes?"
"No."
Silence…
"I would rather die than live in this world without you."
"You stole my words…" Then he leaned in and kissed her passionately, as if they knew the world was going to end.