Disclaimer: I am not Tolkien
AN: Hey there! Sorry about the wait. Here's a long chapter to make up for it. I really appreciate all of the support you guys! Let me know what you think!
Reminder- ITALICS are Elvish
Happy Reading!
Chapter 13: Stupid Ellons
Nina hadn't had time to more than look at Legolas all night. It had taken hours for the wounded to be taken off the battlefield and Nina was among the elves form Lothlorien who had medicinal knowledge so they'd been constantly rushing back and forth in the hall that had been turned into a sick bay. Nina gave all of the healers and assistants a crash course in triage and now each patient was marked with a colored strip of cloth around their right thumb denoting their priority. No one was quite sure who the bold elleth giving orders was but Nina had learned long ago in her paramedic training that in a confusing situation just about anyone would listen to someone who spoke with confidence and gave orders like they fully expected them to be followed.
Haldir had left her once it was clear she had everything well in hand to meet with the fellowship and the King. Nina hardly noticed. She was finally in her element. Here, among the strangers and the smell of blood and bile she was saving lives. She carried the cloth scroll and saw to the most critically injured soldiers first. Some of the procedures she was doing were only theoretical in her training but with her finer eyesight and heightened senses of sound and touch shed managed to save two men with collapsed lungs and tie off a bleeding artery in a way that meant the man might keep his leg. For those will wounds so drastic that even medicine in her home world would likely have failed them she slipped them a large enough dose of poppy oil to put them to sleep and quietly changed their cloth markers to those of the dead and almost dead.
As horrible as the entire scene was Nina couldn't force herself to leave even when most of the humans who had been working had departed from exhaustion along with many of the ellon who'd been working. By the time Nina had personally looked at each of the surviving soldiers it was well past midnight and she looked up to see Legolas waiting for her by the door.
"You're covered in blood" He said blankly and ran an assessing glance over her looking for wounds.
"None of it is mine. We lost seventy eight mean. Five more will probably go before morning but the rest should be fine if their wounds are kept clean." She moved over to a washbasin filled with clean water and began trying to get the red off of her skin. The water was the color of wine in seconds and the blood still clung to her.
"I have a better idea." He said wrapping his arms around her from behind. "Eowyn and some of the ladies are coming to sit with the soldiers overnight. Let's find you a place to wash and sleep."
Nina was tempted but was nervous about leaving her charges. "But, what if something happens! I can't just go."
"We'll leave work with a servant when we find you a room. If anything happens that the ladies cannot handle they will come get you. Come." He negated any further argument by taking her hand and half dragging her towards the exit. He had a quick, murmured conversation with an ellon outside the door before pulling her along the hall towards the kitchen. "There are washrooms behind the kitchen with hot water." He explained at her confused look.
They walked hand in hand down the turning stone halls and ignored the curious glances they earned from the elves and humans they passed in the halls. Legolas pulled them to a stop at the storage room they'd inhabited earlier and retrieved her pack for her while she removed her armor and weapons, leaving them in a corner to be cleaned thoroughly by the light of day tomorrow. That done, they descended a winding staircase and stopped at the hastily constructed stalls behind the exterior wall of the kitchen.
"I'll wait out here for you." He said unnecessarily once they found an unoccupied stall.
Nina found a basin recently filled with hot water from the kitchen and sighed happily as she stripped down and used a clean cloth from her pack to wash the blood and grime from her skin and hair. She redressed in clean leggings and a tunic and washed her blood soaked clothes to the best of her ability in the remaining warm water before wringing them out and joining Legolas. "Sleep?" She questioned when he caught sight of her.
"Do you want to join the elves outside the walls or the men in the caves? Apparently they can bleed together but they can't bed down in the same place." He said with a wry smile.
"I honestly couldn't care less. As long as it's soon. We'll be leaving tomorrow to see what Merry and Pippin have made of Isengard." The ellon nodded and led her back to the storage room. She dropped her pack and laid her damp clothing over it. Nina turned back towards the door expecting Legolas to be waiting for her only to see him laying out both their bedrolls further into the room. She raised an eyebrow at him.
Legolas scrambled to explain just hat he was thinking sleeping alone with an elleth "Gimli will be snoring in the caves and your brother will be outside. If you don't want to we can-"
His words were cut off by a kiss. Before it could turn into anything more than a brief pressing of lips Nina pulled back and reassured him. "I don't have a problem with this arrangement. Just be aware that I'm likely to ruin your reputation." She was joking but Legolas' scowl at her words ruined her attempt at levity.
"Anyone who knew you would never judge you in such a way. They also better not do so in my presence. Besides, I like your improper forwardness." He said the last with a smile as he moved in for another kiss which turned into quite a few more heated kisses. When Nina fell asleep in wrapped in Legolas' arms she would have been hard pressed to think of a more perfect moment.
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Legolas wanted to wake up this way every day. Not necessarily the cold stone floor, the smell of blood permeating the air, or the glaring light streaming from the window directly into his eyes but with the elleth he'd held throughout the night in his arms. Nina was still asleep when he stirred into wakefulness and he took the opportunity to watch her. Her black hair, something he'd never seen on an elf before, was glossy and soft, if a bit tangled from their heated kisses the night before, and he marveled at the texture as he ran his fingers through the ends. Her delicate pointed ears that marked her as one of his own kind poked out of the ebony mane and her refrained from tracing the features as he wished to knowing contact with such sensitive skin would surely wake her.
Her dreams appeared peaceful as she smiled contentedly. Her eyes were slightly clouded with sleep but the pure green color, that was also a rarity in elves, shone through. He memorized the relaxed shape of her face that was so often sharpened with quick wit or brightened in a grin. She truly was excessively expressive for an elleth but, like most of her oddities, he enjoyed watching her emotions play so close to the surface. It was approaching the hour they'd served breakfast at in Edoras and Legolas decided to wake her. He suspected it had been some time since she'd eaten anything but Lembas.
"Little one, it is time to wake." He shook her shoulder lightly and tried not to laugh as the elleth closed her eyes and pouted trying to burrow closer into his embrace. "Elves sleep with their eyes open Nina, I know you are not sleeping." He chuckled as the elleth wined softly before pulling away just enough to look him in the eye.
"I was having a very good dream, but I suppose this isn't bad either." She grinned up at him and leaned in the kiss him. What she'd intended as a good morning peck quickly turned into more. Legolas responded eagerly to her kiss and the brush of his tongue begged for entrance which she eagerly granted. The ellon rolled them quickly so that he was pinning her to the ground, bracing most of his weight on his forearms. Nina smiled at his moved and made the snap decision to show him a bit more of her 'oddly forward behavior'. She hooked an ankle around the outside of each of his legs and, in a motion that was far more graceful in her time as an elf than it had been when she was human, she rolled them over so she was on top of the ellon, straddling his hips and staring into his startled eyes. "I am assuming you woke me for a reason?" She whispered in his ear, purposefully brushing her lips against the shell of his ear.
Legolas' breath caught in his throat and Nina smiled in pride before the ellon retaliated by retaking the top and clamping his lips around the tip of her right ear. Nina let out a startled moan and couldn't help but be shock by just how sensitive the skin was. "I had a reason but you distracted me." Coming back to himself, Legolas rolled off of her and sat up much to Nina's displeasure. "You said we are leaving today and it is past time for breakfast."
Nina sighed and sat up as well. "I would say we should just stay here and make our own way to Edoras but you need to be there." She tried her best not to sound like a whining child and was not entirely certain she succeeded. Legolas stood and pulled her up by the hand. They walked in comfortable silence down to the kitchen and made their way out onto the open wall with their bowls of porridge and fruit.
They stood there looking out on the ruined pain beyond the keep's walls and spoke of inconsequential things. Nina told him of her friends from school who'd she'd had countless movie marathons with especially Lord of the Rings Movies. Legolas was very interested in the details of the humans who had played the characters he knew. Nina was sure to assure him that while there was a marked similarity in the appearance of his actor and himself he was certainly more attractive. Legolas told her the story of the first time he'd held a bow and how he'd almost killed his instructor with his impatience. Nina asked about his friends in Mirkwood and his father. What were they like? Did he miss them? The entire time they spoke in Elvish, Legolas continually correcting her pronunciation and inflection as she'd asked him to help her make some progress in the foreign tongue. As it had with her archery, his patient but firm tutelage had her progressing more quickly than expected and she felt like she may actually remember some of what she'd learned.
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Eomer had volunteered to help the general search that had begun for the two elves the wizard, ranger, and dwarf seemed to have lost. The dwarf, Gimli, had given him a vague description of the female (dark hair, pointy ears) and told him blithely that the other was the one that tried to shoot him when last they met. Gimli assured him that they would be together. With that the dwarf had gone off in search of the Marchwarden he'd met the night before mutter something about siblings.
After only ten minutes of aimless wandering, Eomer stumbled upon a familiar Elf seated on the outer wall in the company of a beautiful black haired woman. What had Gimli said his name was again? Legolas? Yes that sounded right. That confirmed, Eomer called out to him "Legolas!"
The elf looked up calmly as his name was called but the woman's head turned sharply at the sound. He'd been wrong she was not simply a beautiful woman. This was the female elf he was looking for and she was stunning. He hadn't met many elves in his life but most had been fair haired and blue eyed like Legolas. The elleth had sharp features and bright green eyes that considered him for a moment before she smiled widely. "You must be Eomer! Well met." Her voice was clear but the cant of her speech was odd to him even compared to that of the elves he'd met before. Just who exactly was this girl?
"Yes Milady, I do not believe I've had the pleasure of making your acquaintance." The woman was an elf and he did not have the smallest hope at winning her affections but he still schooled himself to remember his courtly manners.
He saw Legolas raise a skeptical eyebrow but he did not comment and he allowed the lady to introduce herself. "I am Nina and we have not met but I did send you a message via a rather impolite currier," She shot a glance over her shoulder at Legolas before turning back to him with an open smile. "Though I will say threatening to kill Gimli before you've even gotten to know how insufferable he can be wasn't exactly polite either."
Eomer could not hold back a laugh. "So you are the seer then! Well met indeed! You saved hundreds of lives. If there is anything we can do to repay you, please do not hesitate to ask." He took a gamble and grasped her hand to lay a kiss upon the back of it. He made a conscious effort not to notice the tightening of Legolas' features.
"Was there something you needed, Eomer?" Legolas inquired in a slightly frosty tone. HE noticed Nina's face took on a shade of surprise at his tone. Eomer decided it would be best to continue talking to the Lady when her smitten ellon bodyguard wasn't around and turned to answer Legolas's question.
"Your company is searching for you both. You've apparently been missing for hours. I believe they're making plans to ride on Isengard later today." Neither of the elves looked surprised. In fact, they both looked rather excited which he found odd. They'd barely survived the night and now they were looking forward to marching to what could be their doom?
"We'll all be departing after the noon meal. I would suggest you pack, my lord. You'll be asked to come with us." Nina told him, maintaining that unconcerned, all knowing smile. "We'd better go reassure everyone that we didn't get eaten by a rogue warg in the night." Legolas collected the two bowls on the wall and indicated for her to go first as the three of them walked back towards the kitchen. Legolas dropped the bowls with a washing boy before leading the trio back to the main hall of the keep.
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Haldir was trying very hard not to let his amusement show. Eomer had returned to the keep with the two wayward elves only minutes before and already it was obvious that the man was infatuated with his sister. What's more, Legolas had also noticed this and was clearly displeased. The best part of the whole situation was that his innocent little sister was oblivious to it all.
The Marchwarden couldn't pretend he wasn't enjoying Legolas' discomfort just a little bit. The Prince was clearly besotted with his sister and she clearly returned his feelings but Haldir wagered they hadn't yet spoken of plans for the future or anything of the like that would give the wood elf some comfort to his raging jealousy. Perhaps Haldir would simply let him suffer through this and not bother trying to make him suffer later as the patriarch of Nina's pseudo family. Or perhaps not. It was entertaining to watch his longtime friend, fierce warrior, and Thanduil's heir squirming like an elfling over his first crush.
Théoden had decreed the company would move out in a matter of hours to confront Saruman at Isengard and given the entire host of uruk-hai that protected the tower was destroyed in the nights battle, it was decided that the elves would return to Lothlorien. Haldir had already spoken to his second in command and their company would be ready to move when the humans left Helms Deep. Before that, however, the Marchwarden wanted to find a moment to speak with each of the elves who would be remaining behind. To that end Haldir stepped over to his sister and tapped her elbow lightly as the King continued his list of preparations.
"Come with me for a moment". The elleth gave him a puzzled look but when he turned and silently made his way for the exit she followed without question. Once they'd exited the hall Haldir turned to face her. "You are in love with the Mirkwood prince." He stated boldly, enjoying the stunned look that took over the elleth's face before she began to blush.
The elleth looked as if she couldn't decide how to respond. Haldir was making bets with himself on whether or not she would deny the obvious. Finally, once she'd settled herself again she responded. "I fail to see how my emotions are your business." To a human her face may have looked calm and collected but to him, an ellon thousands of years older than her and raised with stoicism, her nervous embarrassment was plain.
Haldir chose to ignore her words and press forward with his line of questioning. "Have you spoken to him of your feelings? Should I alert Orophin and Rumil that we will be acquiring a brother in law?" The ellon had forgotten how much fun it was to tease his surrogate sister. If only his younger brothers could be there, it would have been just like many days in Lothlorien before the Fellowship had arrived and monopolized the elleth's time and attention. Nina scoffed at him in irritation and turned away to look out over the wall.
"Do not tease me with this, please." Haldir's mirth was immediately dampened. She sounded so unlike herself in that moment. Her fiery disposition and bold nature was replaced with something tentative and meek. "I- We haven't had time to speak of such things. I am not certain if such a thing is even possible."
Haldir moved to stand at her side and wrapped an arm around her waist. She immediately curled into the embrace and the ellon rested his chin atop her head. "What has happened to shake you so, sister? The elleth I knew in Lothlorien did not doubt herself as you do now."
Nina raised her head to meet his gaze. "The elleth you knew in Lothlorien was playing at changing the world and had the company of friends and family to constantly support her. I am suddenly faced with all of the reasons I do not fit with this place and the reality that I most likely never will." Somehow it sounded to the ellon like Nina was not simply speaking of the disconnect between Elvish and human communities. She'd always been odd, even in Lothlorien, but among those who were led by the enigmatic Lady Galadriel such eccentricities were more admirable than condemnable. Haldir had not spent time in the realms of men in years beyond counting but he would wager Nina's character was beyond bizarre to these people of Rohan. Humans had always condemned and demeaned that which they did not understand and perhaps his sister was wearying under such close scrutiny?
"Do you not have the support of your friends among the Fellowship?" If the dwarf, Ranger, or Prince was in any way contributing to his sisters unease he would personally see to it that they regretted their actions.
"I fear I am as strange to them as I am to these people. I think it was only recently Gimli and Aragorn finally trusted my foresight and still I am an elleth amongst men. Apparently I am quite terrible at being female in the eyes of those around me. I dress in the clothes of men, carry weapons, am traveling alone with a company of males, and I initiate physical contact far more than is proper even amongst elves." Haldir tried not to let his amusement at her rant show. He knew her concerns were valid but he wondered if she knew that talking about such things when they began to bother her would have alleviated much of her suffering.
"And your prince? Does he not support you?" It hadn't escaped Haldir's notice that she'd shied away from mentioning Legolas in her words.
"He- he tries. There is simply so much that I cannot put into words and we are in the middle of a war, Haldir. This is really not the time for such things, especially as I will be leaving them soon. Besides, what could one such as him want with me? He is a Prince, heir to Mirkwood, a skilled and revered warrior. I am a strange elleth; far from a home I can never return to, who is only surviving on the charity of the Lady of Light due to foresight that is useless without the guidance of the mirror." The Marchwarden was now fighting a surge of anger far stronger than any he had felt in recent memory. Did her companions truly not see how downtrodden the elleth in their company was? Did they simply not care or did she hide it more carefully in their company than she did in his own?
"You are a beautiful, intelligent, and deadly warrior." Haldir began, determined to set her to rights about her worthiness in his eyes if not the Mirkwood Prince's. "You have a rare gift and are using it to relieve some of the pain felt by those affected by the war. You are risking your safety and apparently your happiness to aid complete strangers. You are the sister of the Marchwarden and captains of the Galadhirm. The Lady and Lord of Lothlorien treat you as family and I have seen you work miracles as a healer." Haldir framed her face with both hands when she tried to turn away in embarrassment and disbelief. He would not allow her to deny his words for they were true. "Anyone who says you are anything but magnificent is not speaking the truth." He assured her softly, placing an affectionate kiss on her brow.
Nina gave him a watery eyed smile before sliding her arms around him in a tight hug which he returned without hesitation. It was true that she was a far more physically affectionate creature than he'd ever met before but one simply had to observe her for a moment to know such touches were innocent and meant to bring comfort to both her and the receiver of her attentions. Still, with how forward she was in such a friendly manner, Haldir could not believe she had not made Legolas aware of her feelings. Could such an expressive elleth have kept such a secret?
"I have missed you" She mumbled into his chest and squeezed him tightly for a moment before releasing him, all signs of tears gone from his eyes.
"As I have missed you, little sister. Your Elvish is coming along quite well. I do not think I was able to mention it earlier. Has the Thranduilion been aiding you? Surely he must be doing something with his time if he has not been courting you." Haldir teased her lightly, hoping to brighten her mood while still gaining insight into her life since she'd left Caras Galadhon. The siblings spoke at length for more than an hour, standing on an unruined section of the Keep wall and neither noticed they were observed by the main topic of their conversation whose eyes remained fixed on the elleth and her brother with a slightly envious expression.
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Legolas watched Nina and Haldir for quite some time as they stood upon the keep wall, laughing and speaking in a mix of common and Elvish whose words he could not understand from atop the keep. He was not trying to eavesdrop, he simply wished to check on the elleth he'd taken to spending so much of his time with and had been mesmerized by the sight and sound of her wholehearted laughter. Without his permission the ellons body had rooted him to his vantage point and he'd simply continued watching the elves below. Nina was laughing and appeared to be in higher spirits than he'd seen her since Lothlorien.
As of late the elleth had been consumed with doubts and worries over her role in the coming events as well as her inability to fit the mold of what a woman should be in this place. He had tried to comfort her and he truly believed that when he'd kissed her for the first time she'd been overjoyed. But, it had been some time since she looked so care free and light hearted. Legolas felt a moment of irrational jealousy of the Marchwarden. Clearly Nina trusted and loved the ellon a great deal. The ellon and his brothers had taken her in as their sister and Legolas could not begrudge Nina the family she was building for herself in Lothlorien but he wished there had been time to find out if her love extended to him as well.
Legolas finally turned from the sight of the elves and went in search of Aragorn to find something to occupy his troubled mind. When next they both had a free moment Legolas was going to make certain he and Nina spoke at length about their relationship. Until then he was going to lose himself in preparations for the march on Isengard.
In the beginning helping with preparations was exactly what he did. However, less than an hour after he'd begun helping move the wounded to carts that would be carrying them back to Edoras while the Rohirim went to Isengard Haldir and Nina entered the makeshift house of healing. Nina smiled at him from across the room before checking on the wounded she'd spent so much time helping the night before. In contrast, Haldir's path led him in a straight path towards him and a swift motion of his hand had Legolas following him out the exit and onto a section of the wall well off the path of common use.
"I will speak plainly. You are in love with my sister." There was no question in Haldir's words but the cool look in his eye and demanding tone made it clear he was to explain himself. A small part of Legolas that was very much the Prince of Mirkwood balked at the implied order coming from the Marchwarden who held no position of authority over him and was only several centuries older. The remainder of his self remembered that this was the ellon whom Nina counted as family and, as such, his approval of Legolas' intentions would likely be important in the days to come.
"I am." He replied simply. He would not deny what he felt was plain to see. However, Haldir was going to have to ask what he wanted to know, for he was unsure what Nina had disclosed to the Marchwarden.
"And what are your intentions towards her? As you know she is extraordinarily young and has been deeply troubled as of late. Clearly you've been unable or unwilling to aid her or she has not seen fit to confide in you. I and my brothers will not have her tie herself to someone who will not honor her." Legolas' eyes widened fractionally. He'd expected interrogation as it was an elder brothers right to protect his sister but challenges towards his character were unexpected.
"I assure you that my every intention is to bind myself to her and spend the rest of my life at her side. However, I believe it would be best if I had the opportunity to speak with her before laying my hopes at the feet of her brother. There has not been time since leaving Edoras to have such a conversation."
Haldir seemed to consider his words for a moment before pressing on, "Do you think it wise, falling in love in a time of war. One or both of you may fall in the battles to come. And Nina has her own tasks to complete; will you hold her back when she next leaves you?"
Now it was Legolas' time to pause for a moment to recover his thoughts. He hadn't considered that she wouldn't be staying with the company. It was so easy to forget she was not a member of the Fellowship. Still, Legolas did not simply want the elleth 'for now' he wanted her for eternity. He of all people understood duty and he would honor her mission no matter how much he wished her to remain at his side. Should they both survive there would be all the time in the world to be together. "I do not believe it is wise or unwise. An elf loves only once and we have no control over who or when or how. Certainly this would have been simpler in peacetime but if this were a time of peace I may never have met Nina and would still be waiting to find my match." Legolas sighed, thinking about Haldir's second question. "I will not stop her when she needs to depart. I am not her master and I would not be cruel enough to stop her simply because I wish for her to remain, though I wish for her to go knowing of my love."
"In that case you may wish to speak with her sooner than later. When we spoke she said she would be returning to Caras Galadhon following an act of foolishness on Pippin's part in Edoras. I go the impression she would be seeing golden wood within a fortnight." With that the Marchwarden gave him a slight bow and walked off without a word leaving a staggered Legolas behind.
So soon? She would be leaving practically the day they returned to Edoras is Haldir was correct. At that thought Legolas sprang into action. He began to comb Helms Deep for any sign of the elleth he so desperately needed to speak with and became increasingly discontented when he had not found her after an hour of searching. The sheer volume of humans milling about the keep and outer walls was not helping matters as he could not move as swiftly as he'd like. Finally, less than half an hour before the noon meal was to be served in the keep for the company he spotted her.
Nina was exiting the stables in the company of Eomer. Legolas's sensitive ears could pick up the sounds of the Rohirim's captain telling as story of the first time he rode a horse as a child and how the animal had spooked and thrown him into a water trough. That same jealous feeling he'd been consumed with the last time he'd seen the prince of Rohan again consumed him. The affliction was only exacerbated when Nina's laugh rang out and she smiled widely at him. The rational part of his mind knew that Nina did not see Eomer as a potential partner and that she was simply being friendly to one of the only humans who had not treated her as an oddity rather than a person. The rational part of his mind was sadly in the minority in this case and Legolas turned on the spot and retreated before he could make a fool of himself with his raging emotions.
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Nina was looking for Legolas, or Haldir, or anyone that she knew in the stone monstrosity that was Helms Deep. She knew Gimli was in the caves, inspecting the workmanship and the natural mineral deposits in the stone. She assumed Aragorn would be with the King and made a conscious effort to avoid the duo as she could not really stomach more vague platitudes, disparaging comments due to her race and gender, or sweeping speeches about honor and glory at the moment and that was all she would get form Rohan's king.
All that left to her was her brother and Legolas. None of the Galadhirm she'd spoken to had seen Haldir since he'd given them orders to prepare to march that morning and Legolas appeared to have dissolved into thin air. She'd seen him briefly in the healing house when she'd gone to check on her patients but he had gone before she could speak with him. Her conversation with Haldir had only reinforced her desire to have the much needed conversation about the kisses they had shared and what lay in their future. Nina was well aware she was in love with the ellon and was fairly certain he felt something for her in return. Her brother's words had done wonders to her flagging self-esteem and she finally felt as if she had the courage to face the issue head on.
Of course, the moment she is ready to confess her deepest feelings, the ellon disappears. She'd gone over the majority of the fort looking for either ellon before running into Eomer in the stables. Her eyebrows shot up in surprise when she came across him running a hand along the neck of Tala and smiled as he produced a lump of sugar and held it out for her. It was too late to warn him before she noticed the mischievous light in Tala's glass eyes.
"Watch out!" She exclaimed as the mare scooped up the treat before knocking her head in neck into the man, sending him flying and landing sounding on his back several feel away. "Eomer! Are you well?" She called, running the last few feet between them and exhaling in relief when he groaned and began to rise. "I am so sorry! Tala isn't overly fond of strangers and the only human she's ever let touch her as far as I know is Aragorn." Guilt swamped her as he flexed his back as he finally got to his feel and she was understandably surprised when he started laughing.
"Some horse lord I am being knocked over by a tiny mare" Eomer turned from regarding the innocent looking horse in the stall to the elleth and she saw surprise flit across his eyes once he recognized his audience. "I suppose this means I shant be impressing you with my horsemanship skills" he laughed again and Nina smiled. Here was a man whose entire country was faced with desolation and he was still able to find the humor in small things. She found that to be an admirable if not unusual trait.
"It is not you, my lord. My brother trained her and I am afraid she's become prideful and overly fond of teasing just like him." The man smiled at her and approached the hose, this time being careful to stay out of striking distance.
"I think she is just like every other woman. She enjoys watching men make fools of themselves over her." Nina laughed at the joke and laid a hand on Tala's neck. The mare immediately rubbed her head against Nina's shoulder affectionately and whickered softly. The man looked on, surprised by the clear show of affection between horse and elleth. "In any case, she clearly has a soft spot for you. You said she belongs to your brother?"
Nina could feel his eyes on her as she combed her fingers through Nina's mane. "Haldir loaned her to me before I left Lothlorien with Gandalf several weeks ago. He and my other brothers trained her since she was a foal and like most Elvin horses she's far more than just an animal now."
"You are related to the elf that leads those who came to our aid? Forgive me, my lady but you look nothing alike!" The surprise in Eomer's voice was not unexpected. Adoption was not a common concept in Middle Earth.
"We are not blood kin. I am from the East and came to Lothlorien but several months ago to train with Lady Galadriel as there were no seers in my home. Haldir, Orophin, and Rumil were my guides and instructors when I first arrived and with time we grew close. They've adopted me as their- there isn't a term for it in common. The best translation would be 'sister of the heart' or something of the like." Nina parroted her fake back story hoping Eomer wouldn't ask further questions. It appeared her hopes were fulfilled when he nodded in acceptance of her words.
"I had been wondering where you came by such an odd accent with your common. And forgive me, but your manners are foreign to me as well though that may be more to do with how little experience I have with your kind." Eomer's question made her uncomfortably aware of how familiar she was being- she'd once again fallen into easy conversation with a man she did not really know. When would she learn to adapt to these new rules of interaction.
"We speak a different dialect when I was born. If you think my accent is difficult now you would have been appalled when I first arrived. Haldir made me repeat a simple introduction three times because he could not understand my 'highly unusual pronunciation'. And my manners are an error I am still woefully unable to correct. The rules of interaction are different, more relaxed, where I am from. Males and females hold similar rankings in our society and close personal friendships between genders is commonplace. Even among the elves of Middle Earth there are significantly fewer restrictions than in the realms of men." Realizing what she'd just said was basically an insult to his way of life Nina backpedalled quickly. "I meant no offence. I was simply trying to explain. So many of you have been put off by the way I behave and-"
"Peace my lady!" Eomer interrupted her babble. "You need not make apologies for speaking your mind to me. The familiarity with which you treat men is strange but not a negative mark on your character. Indeed I'm certain my sister is filled with jealousy over your status as an equal among your companions, especially Lord Aragorn." Eomer's smile sent a pang of sadness through her. She did not want Eowyn to dislike her but the woman appeared to have already made her judgment. And now it would be difficult to explain that Aragorn was already in love with another; perhaps Eomer could be of use in this case?
"Yes, she does seem to hold great affection for Aragorn even if such a thing is not wise." Eomer's gaze snapped to her and she could feel his confusion. "Lady Eowyn does not approve of me and I fear I may have somehow offended her in Edoras when we arrived. I do not think she would listen to my words of warning that Aragorn has already fallen in love with another and she with him. Aragorn sees Lady Eowyn as a friend but the jewel he wears around his neck is that of Lady Arwen, Evenstar and daughter of Lord Elrond of Rivendell. She has forsaken the ships sailing west to the undying lands to remain in the mortal lands with her chosen." Nina's voice was gentle and begged understanding of the man watching her.
"Why has he not told her of this?" Eomer demanded, becoming slightly angry.
"Aragorn had not become aware she harbored such feeling for him until the journey here and you may have heard he fell off a cliff after the attack. I believe he is hoping it is a passing infatuation which will diminish if he does not encourage it. I would rather spare her the pain of losing something that was never hers to lose and of having such affection rebuffed by the object of it." Nina clasped the calming man on the shoulder sympathetically. "Aragorn made his choice many years ago and none of us can afford the distraction of hurt feelings in times like these. I will speak to her if you will not. I simply believe it will be a softer blow coming from her brother." Nina removed her hand and stepped back.
Eomer stood silently for a moment before sighing. "I will speak with her when we return to Edoras. Now, since you've seen me fall over myself, will you do me the honor of accompanying me to lunch?" He asked with an exaggerated bow that made Nina laugh at the self-deprecating humor.
"Of course, my lord. However, if you feel such a small bump deserves favors I will have to set you right. The first time I put tack on a horse he not only knocked me over but also tried to bit me several times. I was battered before I even got on a horse." Nina smiled sadly remembering her first ever riding lesson Mary had brought her to. They'd been slightly late and so there were only a few horses left in the stable when she'd been asked to pick one. Being a stubborn child she'd picked the only horse in the stable that was even mildly mean tempered.
"A few bites are nothing! My first horse was so skittish he jumped at everything. I'd barely settled into the saddle for the first time before he reared and threw me into the water trough. My sister teased me mercilessly for months" Nina laughed as they made their way up the narrow road towards the keep. She thought she saw a flash of light golden hair out of the corner of her eye but when she turned her head to see if it was one of her wayward elves there was nothing there. With that she turned her attention back to Eomer who was going on about all of the horse related mishaps he'd encountered as a child. Nina smiled fondly at the man. It was nice to have a friend, a human friend. The elves and dwarves could not understand what it was to feel human emotions for the most part. Elves felt intensely but had deep-seated control. Humans felt everything at all times though their emotions were more temporary. The disconcerting mix of the breath and constant nature of human emotions as well as the depth and permanence of elvish ones would drive her insane if she let it.
AN: Okay so I didn't get them back to Edoras quite yet but I thought Haldir and Eomer deserved a bit of time. Haldir is being the classic overprotective older brother and Eomer is infatuated with Nina while still managing to be a good friend to her. Legolas' jealousy is getting the best of him. Next time we have Isengard and Edoras and the dreaded conversation about 'feelings'.
~Let me know what you think! Reviews are excellent motivation and feedback is appreciated!~