Chapter 15
Legolas walked down the stairs away from the Hall early that next morning, to look for the one person who had been absent from the chamber shared between him, Adrianna and Aragorn. It was the faye herself. Usually, the elf would be the first to awaken, and then Aragorn. The Princess would awaken after Aragorn had gotten ready that morning, and she spend another few minutes in bed until she was fully prepared to get up herself.
Which was why Legolas was curious as to her whereabouts. The sun was only just rising up over the hill Gandalf and Pippin had ridden across the day before, and the elf was usually the only one who was awake in time to see it. Adrianna had been absent from her bed.
Very few villagers were wandering about, preparing for their daily duties and as Legolas made his way through the courtyard, he could spot activity in the archery range. And it was single person dressed in the Fellowships forest green cloak.
He admired Adrianna from afar, the delicately raised bow, the elegant stance, the slender fingers pulling back on the string...and the deadly strike of the arrow piercing just off-centre of the target.
He smiled before making his way towards the faye and called out towards her when he was a safe distance away, to save himself from pulling an arrow painfully from his foot.
"Good morning." He said gently.
"Morning." She smiled up at him as she lowered her bow.
"You're up early." He stated, walking over to stand beside her.
"I know." She replied, turning back to face the target. "I'm sorry if I worried you."
"May I inquire as to what had awoken you?"
Adrianna blushed slightly, "My thoughts." She raised her bow once again and notched an arrow. "I decided to use the time to practice my aim."
"I'm sorry to hear that you are still troubled." Legolas stated, watching her release another arrow. "Would you like me to help with your aim?"
The next arrow completely missed the target, shooting up into the tree above and scattering leaves. Adrianna looked a little flustered at his question, "Oops." She bit her lip, embarrassed. If he helped her aim, then they would get really close! "Would you mind?" She asked innocently.
Legolas looked away from the arrow stuck in the branches of the tree and nodded his head, smiling. "I wouldn't have asked if I didn't want too." He replied, moving to stand behind her.
Adrianna could feel her face heating intensely when the elf put his arms around hers. He rested his hands lightly ontop of hers and guided them along the wood of the bow, the arrow notching in the string. The faye held her breath when the warmth of the elf shrouded her like a cloak, he left her completely breathless and she felt hot all over. His chest pressed lightly into her back and Adrianna was worried that he would be able to hear her hammering heartbeat. His hand guided hers to pull back the string on the bow until it tensed under their grip, they held for a moment and in that moment, Adrianna wanted to turn into his embrace.
"Aim just above the centre of the target." Legolas whispered. His breath tickled her ear and his cheek lightly brushed against her blushing one, sending shivers down her spine. "And release." The arrow flew through the air, and struck dead centre of the target.
Forgetting she was holding her breath, Adrianna relaxed her lungs before inhaling deeply. A beaming smile broke out on her face as she turned to face the elf, "Thank you." She stated, bashfully.
Legolas smiled back and gestured towards the target, "Again?" He asked.
Adrianna nodded her head, and this time the close proximity caused butterflies to flutter around in her stomach. She hit centre target once again. She was overjoyed, and turned back to the elf with an even bigger smile on her face.
"When you two lovebirds are quite finished," Came the gruff voice of the dwarf. "Aragorn has news in the Hall. The beacons have been lit and everyone will be leaving for Minas Tirith within the hour." His serious face soon broke out into a cunning grin and he laughed throatily, "Get a move on! We don't have all day!"
As Legolas and Adrianna made their way back into the village, a ringing bell echoed throughout the town. People rushed around, preparing to leave for Minas Tirith, soldiers tacked horses and sharpened blades.
"Assemble the army at Dunharrow - as many men as can be found. You have two days. On the third, we ride for Gondor and war!" Theoden stated, striding around the courtyard; Eomer and two Rohirrim soldiers flanking his sides. "Gamling, make haste across the Riddermark. Summon every able-bodied man to Dunharrow!" The King watched on as his soldiers prepared to leave Edoras.
Legolas led Adrianna through the courtyard to find Aragorn, Gimli had become lost amongst the soldiers a while ago. Aragorn had just claimed a brown mare and a white steed; hoisting Merry onto the back of the brown mare before he helped Gimli onto the white horse. The elf took the faye's hand when they were suddenly swarmed by soldiers, and Adrianna kept close to him as they slowly made their way towards Aragorn, Merry and Gimli.
The courtyard fell silent when Eomer called out towards the soldiers, "Now is the hour! Riders of Rohan - oaths you have taken. Now, fulfil them all - to Lord and land!"
The soldiers cheered in agreement, their hands raising into the air almost victoriously before they began to ride out of the gates of Edoras. Legolas mounted the horse in front of Gimli whereas Aragorn mounted in front of Merry. Adrianna changed into her fairy form and perched herself upon Aragorn's shoulder, sending a smile towards Legolas as she rode past him.
"Where were you this morning?" Aragorn asked the faye once they were a safe distance away from the elf and the dwarf.
"Practising my archery." She replied, blushing slightly upon remembering the closeness between herself and the elf. "Legolas was looking for me because I was awake before him, and he helped me better my aim."
"What's with the blush, Princess?" Merry asked.
The feeling of utter embarrassment returned, the same one felt when asked the same question, by the same hobbit when they had left Lothlorien. "What blush?" She asked innocently.
Merry chuckled, "The one on your face." He announced, "Don't tell me you have feelings for the Prince?"
"Aragorn, tell him to stop." Adrianna whispered to the Ranger.
"Gimli has told me something that I think was meant to be a secret." Merry continued.
"Aragorn..."
"About troubled thoughts..."
"Aragorn."
"And the valid points that he makes, when relating these to the elf?"
The faye crossed her arms indignantly, her face flushed a deep red. "Aragorn!" She growled.
"Merry!" The Ranger chuckled. "Leave her alone."
The faye, unable to cope in the uncomfortable silence which followed, spread her wings and left the company of Aragorn and Merry to find Legolas and Gimli. She spotted the beautiful white steed towards the back of the Rohirrim, and noticed the handsome elf riding upon him, the dwarf holding on behind. Slightly red faced and angry, the faye flew towards the dwarf and stopped right in front of his face. "You told, Merry!" She exclaimed, raising her hands into the air for exaggeration. "Do you know how much he will tease me when he tells Pippin?"
Gimli just laughed in response, which made the faye even more angry. "Calm down, Princess. It's rather funny if you think about it-"
"-It's not funny!" She yelled. "I spoke to you with confidence and...what's that look for?"
"Nothing Princess." Gimli replied, "Are you sure you are really angry with me?"
"Well..." She frowned. Was she?
"Because I think, you're rather glad I have told somebody. Because now you have more than just me to share your thoughts with, hmm?"
Adrianna blinked in confusion. And Legolas turned to look at her when she was silent for a long time; longer than usual at least. But calming her down was in vain. "But you told Merry!" She repeated, crossing her arms over her chest. "Merry! Of all people, you told him. He's going to tease me, you do realise that, yes?" She sighed and rested on the horses forelock. "It's not fair!"
Legolas turned in the saddle to face the dwarf and raise a questioning eyebrow towards him. Gimli only laughed in response and shrugged, watching as the faye spread her wings once again to go and find someone else to ride with.
"Perhaps I was wrong..." Gimli murmured to himself, his voice still heard by the ears of the elf.
"Wrong?" Legolas asked, "About what?"
Gimli huffed, "I seemed to believe it was you that the Princess had developed thoughts about." He explained, "But she does seem to spend a lot of time with that Horse Master."
"Eomer?" Legolas asked.
Gimli nodded, "That be the one!"
Aragorn had halted his horse so that he could wait for the elf and dwarf to catch up with him. "Where is the fair Lady?" Merry asked as innocently as he could manage.
"Gone, lad!" Gimli announced, "You upset her with your teasing!"
Legolas shot the dwarf a look, knowing that he would be upsetting the hobbit, "Because of you, Gimli."
The dwarf shrugged and pointed towards Eomer instead, "She's with her knight in shining armour."
Aragorn smiled knowingly and shook his head as he continued to look ahead, watching as the horses leading the soldiers began trotting uphill. Merry shook his head, "That's not right!" He chuckled, "She was blushing just now when I was teasing her about-" He held his stomach which Aragorn had just elbowed lightly. He looked up to glare at the Ranger, but upon spotting him place his finger over his lips as a sign to keep his mouth shut, Merry nodded obediently.
Gimli shot suspicious looks between the hobbit and the Ranger, "You know who it is." He stated.
Aragorn shook his head, "We have a suspect." He replied, "Not for definite."
"Who is it?" Gimli asked, leaning towards Merry.
"It's none of our business." Legolas stated, steering the horse away from Aragorn's so Gimli couldn't whisper to the hobbit. "If Ade wanted us to know then she would tell us herself. We must remain ignorant until otherwise."
The dwarf huffed, but when he noticed the soldiers in the front coming to a halt and dismount, he broke into a grin. Stopping meant camp, and camp meant food and rest!
They had made it to the Plains of Rohan and set up many tents for the soldiers. Campfires were built and food was prepared for the hungry riders. Horses were tied to the trees on the edge of the woods to rest with water and hay after their long journey.
"Grimbold, how many?" The King asked.
"I bring five hundred men from the Westfold, my Lord." The soldier replied.
"We have three hundred more from Fenmarch, Theoden-King." A Marshall added.
The King smiled grimly before riding on, "Where are the riders from Snowbourne?"
"None have come, My Lord."
Adrianna finished her meal before spotting Legolas standing on the edge of the bluff, she stood up and dusted off her cloak - pulling it tightly around her shivering body as she made her way towards the elf. As she stepped up beside him, she could see thousands of men and horses, smoke from many small campfires filled the valley with a twilight haze, Adrianna shivered again when a small breeze blew past her.
"Are you cold?" The elf asked.
Adrianna shook her head, "Slightly." She replied, "But it's mainly a lingering feeling. Something dark resides close to the camp, I can feel it." The faye turned to the small group of horses whinnying beside them. Legolas carefully made his way towards them to calm them down, and Adrianna made to follow but the mountains looming behind the camp caught her eye. She shivered again, her teeth chattered, her inner faye told her that the Rohirrim needed to leave this place.
Once the elf had managed to calm the unnerved horses, he made his way back towards the Princess, placing a gentle hand on her back and leading her through the camp. They were soon joined by Gimli who was happily munching on a leg of meat.
"The horses are restless." The elf began uneasily. "And the men are quiet."
"They grow nervous in the shadow of the mountain." Eomer stated, moving to walk with them.
Adrianna's eyes traveled to a row of ancient looking stones, standing as a mark for the entrance to a narrow winding road leading away from the encampment and into the mountain. Adrianna shivered again.
"That road there - where does that lead?" Gimli asked.
"It is the road to the Dimholt," Legolas explained. "The door under the mountain."
"None who venture there ever return." Eomer stated, he turned to look at the faye. His cool steel grey eyes meeting her emerald green ones, "That mountain is evil." He whispered.
Adrianna turned to face Gimli and Legolas with wide eyes as Eomer walked away. When she turned back to look at the road, she noticed Aragorn standing there, facing the road transfixed. Another horse whinnied and pulled nervously on his ropes.
"Aragorn!" Gimli called. The Ranger turned around and looked down at the dwarf. "Let's find some food." Before he followed after the dwarf, Aragorn cast another look back towards the ancient stones.
A/N: I have edited Chapter 14, with thanks to a lovely reviewer :) A small scene between Adrianna and Legolas has been included!
I hope you all enjoyed the chapter! And I hope you all have a wonderful Mother's Day tomorrow :D Please review xx