I suck...once a month...-bashes self over head- WHY MUST YOU PROCRASTINATE? NEXT MONTH MORPHMOGIFIED INTO FREAKING APRIL! TT_TT
DISCLAIMER: no i do not own anything.
"Common tongue"
"Japanese"
"Elvish"
MEMORIES OF THE PAST: Chapter the Eleventh.
"W-where am I?"
The girl's wide brown eyes regarded the four men, three of them completely astonished, one with a pained look on his face. Her eyes narrowed, and her hand rose to her shoulder. "Where am I? Where are my siblings? Who are you?" She demanded, glaring at them each in turn.
"My Lord Aragorn! Is she awake? Is she alright?" Éowyn asked, walking briskly into the room with a tray of food. The girl blinked once as she watched Éowyn put the tray beside her. "Are you alright? You collapsed when Líndal found you." She said, sitting down on the bed beside her.
"My Lady Éowyn!" The girl cried, sitting up and bowing hastily, wincing as her body protested against it. Éowyn and Aragorn both made a lunge to help the hurting girl, but she bowed her head forwards and folded her hands into her lap. "My name is Derohild. The wild men are attacking the villages, burning everything as they go. We were caught off guard and out numbered!"
Éowyn stroked the girl's hair. "Shh…it'll be alright. You're safe now, you don't have to worry. Rest. Eat." She added at the end, pushing the bowl of broth into her hands. Standing, she signalled for the men to follow her out.
"Wait! My siblings! Where are they?" Derohild asked as they were walking out of the room.
"They're in the Golden Hall eating. Don't worry. We'll take care of them." The shield-maiden smiled as they walked out the door.
The group walked a few steps when Aragorn stopped abrubtly. "My Lady Éowyn, would you excuse us for a moment? We need to talk to Líndal." Aragorn finally asked after standing still for a moment.
Éowyn gave him a weird look. "Alright…" She finally said, walking ahead of them. Pushing open a door and checking if anyone was inside she nodded for them to go inside. "I'll wait for you there."
The minute the Éowyn left the three began bombarding Inuyasha with questions.
"What the HELL was that?"
"Brother, she was dead. How-?"
"URUSAI!" Inuyasha roared angrily, halting their questions in their tracks. "KAMI-SAMA help me if I lose my temper! KUSO!" He shouted angrily, unsheathing his sword and running Legolas through.
"Gah!" Legolas gaped staring at the sword impaled in his chest. Inuyasha yanked the blade back out roughly.
"YOU IDIOTIC ELF WHAT ARE YOU THINKING?" Gimli bellowed, grabbing the front of his tunic and pulling his face down to eye level.
"Baka. Look." Inuyasha spat, jabbing a finger at Legolas. Gimli turned and his eyes popped out of his head in disbelief and surprise (you know Kenshin and his 'ororo' face? Yeah. Imagine that.) which almost perfectly mirrored Legolas's face…except Gimli's face was the more exaggerated version. And Aragorn had his poker face on.
Legolas was standing perfectly unharmed, staring at the place where he was sure that the sword pierced him. "How is this possible?" He whispered in disbelief.
Inuyasha scowled, refusing to meet their eyes. "Tenseiga is a blade of healing, not hurting. It can't cut any living thing, but it can bring people back to life by cutting down the messengers of the Underworld."
"A blade that can revive the dead?"
I'm an inu-youkai from another universe who possesses another sword that can slay 100 youkai in one swing, and you find this hard to believe?" Inuyasha snapped.
"It goes against all of natures laws…" Gimli mumbled, staring at the blade that hung from Inuyasha's side warily.
"What I want to know," Aragorn stepped up and grabbed the front of Inuyahsa's shirt similarly to what Gimli had done. "Is that if it can truly save someone from death, why didn't you revive Boromir?" He snarled. Inuyasha continued staring at the ground. "Answer me!" Aragorn shouted. "If you could revive him why didn't you?"
"Do you think that I asked to wield this sword? Do you think that I wanted to wield this sword? It isn't even mine!" Inuyasha yelled in frustration.
Aragorn stepped back in confusion. "What?"
"Tetsusaiga is my blade. Not Tenseiga. I know it, and it knows it."
"What are you babbling about?" Gimli demanded.
Inuyasha growled irritatedly. "Tetsusaiga, chose me to be its wielder. Tenseiga chose my bother. And it will always be my brother's." he mumbled. "Do you seriously think that I didn't even try to save him? Do you seriously think that I didn't feel guilty about not being able to? I've been trying to get Tenseiga to work with me-or at least cooperate-but it's never worked. Until now."
"So you're suggesting that a blade chooses its master, and only works for its chosen one?" Gimli asked sceptically, leaning on his axe.
Inuyasha stared at him hard, then groaned. "Please dear Kami above, don't tell me that I have to go through this AGAIN."
"Through what?" Aragorn snapped.
"Explaining!" Inuyasha roared, and stormed out of the room.
There was a slightly awkward silence. "Well, that went well…" Gimli said sarcastically.
"Indeed."
:-:-:-:-:
Éowyn was kneeling beside the two children when the rest of the group entered the Great Hall. Aragorn went to sit down at another table to smoke while Gimli found some bread to eat. Legolas just stood, occasionally glancing with concern to Inuyasha who was sulking in a dark corner, a distance away from the group.
Éowyn sighed and stood. "They had no warning. They were unarmed. Now the Wild Men are moving through the Westfold burning as they go. Rick, cot and tree." She added bitterly, draping a blanket over the little girl's shoulders.
"Where is Mama? Where is Deo?" she asked, as Éowyn shushed her.
"Please my lady, where is Deohild-nee? Is she alright?" The boy asked hesitantly. "She…mother...she was supposed to go with our mother…but insisted to come to protect us." The boy mumbled into his soup, glancing up at Éowyn nervously.
Éowyn was about to answer when someone interjected.
"What's your name?" Inuyasha asked, his voice indifferent.
The boy flinched. "Ė-Ėothain." He said hesitantly.
"And the girl?"
"Freda. Her name is Freda." Said girl blinked, and blushed, looking towards Inuyasha who was still facing away from them, his back against a pillar.
"And what did you call your sister? Just now."
"Why are you interrogating them this way? What are you trying to do?" Legolas asked quietly, walking over to him, and staring at him questioningly.
Inuyasha glared at him, not saying a word. "Well?" he asked, directing his question to the children. "What was it that you called her?"
"Deohild-nee? It's our…well, I'm not entirely sure what it is. It's just something we say out of…uh, ummm." Ėothain stumbled over his words, as he tried to describe what exactly it ment.
"Out of respect?" Inuyasha supplied, finally turning to face them.
Ėothain nodded slowly. "Yeah. I guess you could say that. It more that it sounds right in a way. If you know what I'm saying."
"They will be 300 leagues from here by now." Théoden snapped, rising from his throne and interrupting their conversation. Walking away from it, he began to pace, looking at them all in the face once. "Éomer cannot help us." Seeing Gandalf standing to walk to him, he stopped. "I know what it is you want of me, but I won't bring further death to my people. I will not risk open war."
"Open war is upon you, whether you'll risk it or not." Aragorn said, removing the pipe from his mouth. Inuyasha 'keh-ed' and glared at a wall. Because, he was definitely paying attention and knew exactly what was happening. Yes, indeed he did. He wasn't just faking indifference because he didn't know what was happening, nope, not at all.
Turning towards Aragorn, Théoden gave him a hard stare, "When last I looked, Théoden, not Aragorn was king of Rohan." The tense silence between the two was only broken by Gimli belching.
"Then what is the king's decision?" Gandalf asked.
:-:-:-:-:
"By order of the king, the city must empty. We make for the refuge of Helm's Deep. Do not burden yourself with treasures. Take only what provisions you need." One of the King's men said to the people, who were quickly bustling around, preparing for the long journey.
"Helm's Deep." Gimli spat in annoyance. "They flee to the mountains when they should stand and fight. Who will defend them if not their king?" He asked as he, Aragorn, Legolas, Gandalf, and Inuyasha walked down and into the stables.
"He's only doing what he thinks is best for his people. Helm's Deep has saved them in the past." Aragorn pointed out, glancing at Gandalf.
"Correct me if I'm wrong, but isn't that basically suicidal? There's no other way out of the damn rock, if they get overwhelmed, they're going to get slaughtered." Inuyasha said, opening the door to Shadowfax's stall.
"He thinks he's leading them to safety." Gandalf sighed. 'What they will get is a massacre. Théoden has a strong will, but I fear for him." He said meaningfully. "I fear for the survival of Rohan." He paused and looked at the ranger in the eye. "He will need you before the end, Aragorn. The people of Rohan will need you. The defences have to hold."
Aragorn nodded. "They will hold." He vowed.
Gandalf turned and walked to Shadowfax. "The Grey Pilgrim. That's what they used to call me. Three hundred lives of Men I've walked this earth, and now I have no time." He muttered in annoyance.
"Jii-sama." Inuyasha looked up at the wizard who had mounted his horse. Opening the stall door, he leaned on it. "Tetsusaiga…and Tenseiga. What's going on with them?" He asked, a touch of worry in his voice.
"Remember, you are no longer a hanyou Inuyasha. Let's leave it at that for now, shall we?" Gandalf answered in his usual crypric fasion. "With luck, my search will not be in vain. Look to my coming at first light on the fifth day." He advised. "At dawn, look to the east."
"Go." Aragorn murmered. Spurring Shadowfax onward, the wizard rode out of Édoras, and onto the plains of Rohan, going who knows where.
The group watched him leave in silence. "Come on. Let's get going." Inuyasha muttered, turning away to ready Elfwyn.
Walking into her stall, he began brushing her down, talking to her as he did. "You can understand me, can't you?" he asked, looking her in the eye meaningfully. "And I mean, when I talk like this. In my mother tongue. My real mother tongue." Inuyasha said as she nickered. "Keh, I had a feeling." He murmured, bending down to brush her black socks. "You recognized her, didn't you? Her." He stood, and nodded at Deohild who was a couple stalls down, with the horse that her sibling had come riding on. "You're Kirara, aren't you." Inuyasha tapped the diamond shaped star on her forhead and looked at the black marks that ringed her tail. Elfwyn stomped the ground and tossed her head.
Hearing a loud neigh, Inuyasha looked up to see a dark brown horse, (thoroughbred by the looks of him) snorting and rearing as two men tried to calm him down. Inuyasha made a move to go and help the poor bastards who looked like they were about to get kicked in the face when a voice rang out. "That horse is half mad my lord. There's nothing you can do. Leave him." Inuyasha was about to snap at him and tell him to mind his own business when he realized the man wasn't talking to him, but rather to Aragorn.
"Che." Inuyasha turned and went back to Elfwyn-or rather, Kirara. "So." he muttered, putting the saddle onto her. "It looks like I've met Sesshomaru, Midoriko, the wolf, Sango, Kohaku, and I think that the little girl is the same one who tagged along with Sesshomaru." Inuyasha mused as he worked, listing all of the people that had been reincarnated and that he had met so far. "Kohaku mentioned something about Sango having a fiancé who's a perv, meaning that's probably Miroku, the damn snake was probably Haku-fucking-doshi, if either Saruman or Sauron isn't Naraku, I'll be damned, and the Jii-sama was freaking Totosai the whole time meaning…" Inuyasha left his sentence hanging and sighed. Kirara turned to look at him, and bumped his shoulder with her nose. Inuyasha sighed and patted her head.
Looking up he watched Éowyn and Aragorn talking quietly as they stood by the previously rearing horse. Annoyance stabbed at Inuyasha for some unknown reason. He forced himself to look away and finished tacking up Kirara. "Come on. Let's go."
:-:-:-:-:
"Gandalf the White? Gandalf the Fool!" Saruman spat, pacing around his room in the Orthanc. "Does he seek to humble me with his newfound piety?"
"There were three who followed the wizard," Wormtongue said, stepping into the room. "Two Elves, a Dwarf and a Man."
There was a pause before Saruman answered. "You stink of horse." He growled as Wormtongue walked away. "The Man, was he from Gondor?"
"No, from the North." Wormtongue said, nursing the wound on his lip. "One of the Dúnedain Rangers, I thought he was. His cloth was poor. And yet," He added thoughfully, recalling a tiny detail that still stood out to him. "He bore a strange ring. Two serpents with emerald eyes. One devouring, the other crowned with golden fowers."
Searching through the many volumes that he possessed, Saruman found what he was looking for. "The ring of Barahir. So Gandalf Greyhame thinks he has found Isildur's heir. The lost king of Gondor. He is a fool." Saruman scoffed. " The line was broken years ago." He said with finality. "It matters not. The world of Men shall fall. It will begin at Edoras.
:-:-:-:-:
Éowyn riffled through the chest's contents until she found what she was looking for. Taking the sword out of the box, she unsheathed it, gently laying the palm of her hand on the flat of the blade. Inhaling slowly, she swung the blade around her head. Stepping forwards, she swung the sword again, before turning and to her surprise, meeting blades with the ranger. She stared at him with wide and surprised eyes.
"You have some skill with a blade." Aragorn commented as they separated their blades, the sound of ringing metal accompanying it.
"Women of this country learned long ago. Those without swords can still die upon them." She said finally. "I fear neither death nor pain." She added, sheathing the blade and replacing it in its chest."
"What do you fear, my lady?" Aragorn asked, staring at her with curiosity
Éowyn turned to him. "A cage." She said simply. "To stay behind bars until use and old age accept them. And all chance of valor has gone beyond recall or desire."
Aragorn shook his head. "You're a daughter of kings. A shieldmaiden of Rohan." Éowyn looked down at the floor then back up at him. "I do not think that would be your fate." He said sheathing his blade, then turning to leave.
Shortly after the people of Edoras began pouring out. Looking back, Théoden watched as his people began the slow treck towards their stronghold.
"Deo-nee, are you sure that you'll be okay walking? You've only just gotten back onto your feet." Éothain commented in concern as he watched his sister walk beside them.
"Don't worry about me, I'll be fine." Deohild assured them, patting her brother's leg.
"But Éothain is right Deo!" Freda said, tears already beginning to form in her eyes "What if you faint again?"
Deohild was about to protest when she shouted in surprise when a strong force lifted her off the ground. Lashing out wildly, she managed to sock someone in the jaw.
"Ow! The hell was that for?" Inuyasha demanded, rubbing his cheek gingerly. Deohild stared at him in shock and surprise. "What? Isn't chivalry a major thing around here or isn't it?" he demanded.
"No it's just that you seemed like a pig-headed jerk who didn't have the decency to introduce himself the first time he meets new people, and skulks around a lot."
Éothain and Freda giggled at Inuyasha's indigniant face until he glared at them half-heartedly. "Feh. What do I care about first impressions?" he muttered, "Come on, were going to get left fu-far behind if we don't get moving." Slapping Garuf's flank and flicking Kirara's reins the two horses went at a trot to catch up with the others. As they rode along, Inuyasha spotted Aragorn talking to Éowyn. Grinding his teeth together, an idea began forming in his head. One that would make Shippo proud…
:-:-:-:-:
Aragron watched in mild amusement as Éowyn walked beside Gimli, who was telling the shieldmaided of the asumptions that Men would make about the Dwarves.
"It's true, you don't see many Dwarf women." Gimli was saying, "And in face, they're so alike in voice and appearance, that they're often mistaken for Dwarf men." Éowyn smiled and looked back at Aragorn who smirked.
"It's the beards." He whispered, gesturing with his hands.
"Shh." She grinned back before turning around again.
"This, in turn, has given rise to the belief, that there are no Dwarf women, and that Dwarves just spring out of holes in the ground," Gimli continued, moving his hands for emphasis. Éowyn laughed. Gimli chuckled as well. "Which is, of course, ridiculous-woah!" The end became a shout of surprise as the horse that Gimli was riding on began to canter forward, effectively ejecting the startled Dwarf off its back to the amusement of several of those around them (i.e. Inuyasha).
"I haven't seen my niece smile for a long time." Theoden commented, riding up beside Aragorn. "She was a girl when they brought her father back dead. Cut down by Orcs." The king continued as they both watched Éowyn laughing and helping Gimli up to his feet. "She watched her mother succumb to grief. Then she was left alone, to tend her king in growing fear. Doomed to wair upon an old man who should have loved her as a father." Theoden finished bitterly, riding ahead of Aragorn who was left to mull over what he had just learned.
Shortly after, they stopped to rest, people setting up fires to prepare small meals for those in their families. Or if you were Inuyasha…preparing to wreak (possible) havoc.
"Aragorn!" Inuyasha called, trying to get the man's attention. Hearing his name, Aragorn turned towards him. With expert aim, Inuyasha threw something at him, and it landed around his neck.
Glancing down at the strange necklace, Aragorn looked up at him quizzically. "What is this?" he asked.
Inuyasha just gave him his trademark smirk. "Just a little trinket. Wear it awhile." He said even more cryptically than usual.
Aragorn sat down on a nearby rock, eyeing Inuyasha suspiciously. "You're planning something." He said, his eyes narrowing at the elf who just held his hands up innocently. Aragorn shook his head and took out a rag from his pocket to polish his sword.
A short while after, Aragorn looked up to see Éowyn walking towards him with a spoon and pot in one hand and a bowl in another.
"I made some stew." She said softly. "It isn't much, but it's hot." She added hesitantly, dipping the bowl into the pot, then handed it to Aragorn.
Aragron nodded, taking it as well as the spoon with a nod. "Thank you." Dipping the spoon into the (mildly unappetising looking, but who was he to talk) soup, he raised it to his lips, slurping it into his mouth hesitantly. Looking up at Éowyn who was standing with an anxious look on her face he nodded. "It's good." He said.
"Really?" Éowyn asked, a smile lighting up her face as she turned to leave. Aragorn grimaced as her back was turned, pouring the soup onto the ground. "My uncle told me a strange thing." Éowyn said suddenly turning around. Aragorn winched as the hot stew ran over his hands, wincing. Somewhere in the background he could hear someone chortling. That damned elf. He thought, mentally cursing Inuyasha.
"He said that you rode to war with Thengel, my grandfather." She said, "But he must be mistaken."
"King Theoden has a good memory. He was only a small child at the time."
Éowyn knelt down, her brows furrowing in confusion. "Then you must be at least 60." She stared at him, not believing it. "70?" She asked, when he shook his head. "But you cannot be 80!" She said in disbelief when he shook his head again.
Aragorn smiled slightly at her reaction. "87." He admitted. Éowyn gasped and stood up.
"You are one of the Dúnedain. A descendant of Númenor, blessed with long life. It was said that your race had passed into legend."
"There are few of us left. The Northern Kingdom was destroyed long ago." Aragorn said. Suddenly, he had a strong urge to flinch. Looking behind him, he spotted Inuyasha glaring daggers at him. What in the name of-?
"I-I'm sorry. Please, eat." She stammered, gesturing to the bowl of stew. After standing and watching him eat for a moment, Éowyn bit her lip nervously. "Would…would it be alright if I sit with you?" She asked hesitantly. Aragorn nodded, then froze as a wave of killing intent, mixed with angry disbelief hit him in violent waves. Éowyn seemed to have felt it too. "What the-?"
Inuyasha stalked up to them and ripped the necklace off Aragorn's neck, glaring at him almost comically. Well, comically if dark trendils of rage weren't almost solidifying around him. "Gimmie that, damnit." He snarled, jamming it around his own neck, still giving Aragorn a look so deadly that it would've made Unohana proud, (Bleach reference). Giving him one last threatening look before stalking off.
"My lord Líndal? What's the matter?" Éowyn finally asked, after getting over her surprise. Inuyasha ignored her. "My lord Líndal, why won't you sit-!"
"GAHHH!"
THUD!
Éowyn and Aragorn winched as a dust cloud exploded into existence where Inuyasha was once standing. "What the hell?" Aragorn gaped in shock to see Inuyasha lying face first in a surprisingly large crater.
Everyone in the area stared at the elf in shock. Legolas came running to the scene, worry etched on his face. Seeing Inuyasha lying in the crater he gasped. "Brother are you alright?" He asked in concern.
There was a brief scilence, then. "HOW IN –BEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEP- DID –BEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEP- AND –-"
Inuyasha continued cussing in elvish, ( to Legolas's and Aragon's mild relief and slight amusement) for quite some time afterwards, uttering profanities that ever that 'beeep' noise would find hard to mute out.
Ehhhhhhhh...it's...longer than usual...? -nervous smile- I seriously need to remember to update...
well, I hope that you guys liked this chapter, please leave a review. Because if i get reviews, that means that i get reminded to write the chapters. Remembering to write chapters means that you guys get faster updates...so...yeah...
REVIEWS ARE MUCH LOVED!
-moony