Chapter Two

From the citadel from Orthanc, we made our way back to Edoras. Most of the soldiers were busy escorting the families from Edoras back as we were conversing with the old white wizard. Part of me was saddened at the loss of a brilliant mind, but his mind was too far tainted by the evil that had spread throughout Middle Earth. The trip home was quiet save for the sound of hooves on the ground. We were all drained and it was the first time we could really relax since our arrival. Upon entrance to Edoras we were assigned rooms and water so we could clean up. I noticed the Horse Lord hesitated upon giving me anything but Gandalf's eerily blue eyes were upon him.

My room was obviously a lot less nice than the others but I said nothing as I went off immediately to bathe and feel relatively human again. I was in the tub well past the warmth of the water and my skin was tingling pink from scrubbing. Upon looking at my travel clothes, they would need a good scrubbing and washing. They literally nearly held the same form as they did when I pulled them off. Pulling out clean clothes I pulled on a forest green tunic with gold roping along the neck and edges of the sleeves and hem of the bottom of the tunic. The trousers were dark brown in color and my boots with a little polishing and cleaning looked passable. They would need a formal cleaning soon but for now it would work. As I was drying my hair a knock on my door signaled I had a visitor, slipping a throwing knife into my hand I called for entrance. Only to sag in relief when I saw the white wizard.

He looked at me critically before noticing my stance and demeanor, not to mention the sharp pointy object in my hand.

"What's that for then?" he asked gruffly.

"I'm a little wary here, I do not feel safe." I murmured honestly, pulling the brush through my tangles.

Gandalf looked at me curiously.

"Has the Horse Lord told at all what transpired since you left us last?" I asked slowly.

"Théoden has not spoken to me since we arrived at Edoras," He said simply.

Sighing, not really wanting to have to explain, I sat on the bed and recounted what happened since he left us last. Carefully noting the darkness in his once light blue eyes. When I was done he was cursing, in several languages, some I recognized as Elvish and the language of the Dwarves and some were foreign to me.

"Fool of a man, you are lucky the silence of your hosts is all that has transpired. That is easily remedied. Had you been more severely harmed…there's no telling what it had could have done to your mind." He said harshly.

I said nothing but look at my hands. Gently he prodded my chin up to look at him, his face was soft and kind, the old grandfather-like look that he wore so well was there.

"Do not fret, you have done nothing wrong. Nothing is your fault. The Horse Master is a untrusting folk, I will speak with him, and I will need you there. He doesn't understand," Gandalf stated.

"Men fear what they don't understand and they try to destroy it in fear," I whispered.

The sad look in his eyes confirmed what I already knew. Sighing I tried a half-hearted smile and he smiled.

"Good lass, let's have your hosts back, yes?"

I nodded and with a gentle touch of his hand on my head and some quiet muttering in a spell, I slowly began to feel the presence of my spirits again. They were warm and happy to greet me like friends whom not seen each other in a while. It was a happy moment.

Not too long later I found myself in the Golden Hall with many of the soldiers and men. There were few whispers and gossip as we entered. Legolas leaned against a pillar and I leaned against him, he traced designs along my back with his slender fingers, we were close enough where no one could see the gesture. We were becoming a little more comfortable with PDA around others but it was still a private knowledge about our actual relationship. Aragorn stood by and nodded to us as we saw us. Eowyn offered a goblet to King Théoden and retires to a position behind him. Théoden offers a toast to the people of Rohan.

"Tonight we remember those who gave their blood to defend this country."

He lifts the goblet.

"Hail the victorious dead,"

"HAIL!"

I didn't share in the hail, and from what I could see from Aragorn neither did he. I clutched his shoulder and squeezed, he turned towards me and pats my hand. He knew…we both did. There was no victory in death. We were both all too familiar with the role it played with our comrades. We were a small number of people now and we were pretty much on our own. We lost many comrades and many good people…there was no victory in death. We follow then go off in our own way, Gimli clamors up to the Rohirrim, they were by a tankard of ale.

"No pauses, no spills…" Eomer begins.

"And no regurgitation!" Gimli adds.

Eomer hands him a tankard and he begins to drink. I sit at the table opposite of him, Legolas behind me.

"So, it's a drinking game?"

"AYE!"

The men were happy and laughing, it was infectious. Eomer offers one to me, I decline.

"Last one standing wins!" Gimli giggles slamming down the tankard.

There were people shouting and cheering them on. Eomer hands one to Legolas and tentatively he begins to drink. Oh this was going to be interesting.

If Thranduil could see his son now, I'm not certain if he'd be proud or appalled. I was grinning stupidly at the sight before me. The table was covered in tankards, some from Legolas and some from the dwarf across from me. He looked a little worse for wear. He lets out a fart and the people beside him choke and gag and move away from the dwarf. He was giggling and laughing, I don't think I'd ever seen him so happy.

"It's the dwarves that go swimming with little, hairy women!" He slurred before he drinks some more.

I shake my head. If I hadn't spent time with the dwarves I would find this utterly repulsive, but this…this was familiar.

"I feel something," Legolas exclaims.

I look up at him and he was looking at his fingers. Eomer raises an eyebrow at him.

"A slight tingle in my fingers. I think it's affecting me," He states looking down at me concerned.

I couldn't help but smile. Gimli laughs.

What did I say? He can't hold his liquor." Gimli states slurring his words horribly.

His eyes at this point are crossed and he was tired for several moments, then leans a little too far backwards and keels over off his stool. We all watch him fall and we look at Eomer.

"Game over." Legolas exclaims.

I laughed at this, elves naturally have a higher metabolism than most beings on this planet. The alcohol go through them like water. There was seldom drinks out there that could truly make an elf drunk. Although I had seen Lord Thranduil tipsy in my time. He was more talkative and a bit touchy feely but nothing excessive. Part of me was curious of how the elven prince was tipsy. Stamping on a table caught my attention to Merry and Pippin who had climbed upon a table with mugs of ale in their hand. They broke out in song.

"Oh you can search far and wide, you can drink the whole town dry,

But you'll never find a beer so brown, but you'll never find a beer so brown,

As the one we drink in our hometown, as the one we drink in our hometown,"

They stomp on the table and danced around.

"You can drink your fancy ales, You can drink them by the flagon

But the only brew for the brave and true…"

I caught Pippin looking at Gandalf, and hesitate, like he wanted to tell him something.

"Pippin!" Merry shouted at him.

"The only brew for the brave and true…

Comes from the Green Dragon!"

People were laughing and applauding the two hobbits. It was a strange site to see, but it was strangely comforting. It was nice to see the different races come together and enjoy life, rather than tear each other down and apart. We were at peace…if only for a little while.

The remainder of the night was spend mingling and joking with the soldiers and basically enjoying the evening. I dipped out early and spent the remainder of the night away in my room, there were too many people and I still had trust issues with the Horse Lord and the men. I knew they had reacted the way their instincts told them, and I could respect that, but their treatment was not easily forgivable. It wasn't something you could wash your hands of. I had changed into sleeping clothes shortly after I arrived in my room. It was a strange feeling to be able to do that after so many months on the road. I had already exhausted cleaning my and polishing my clothes and my boots when there was a knock on my door.

I glanced down at what I wore, it was nothing more than a large tunic, grasping a throwing knife in my hand I headed to the door, upon opening it was surprised to see the elven prince. Blinking in surprise I step back and open the door to let him in.

"Not celebrating with the guys?" I teased shutting the door behind him.

He smiled politely, and shook his head. He looked a little uncomfortable. I realized perhaps it was my state of dress.

"Should I put some pants on?" I asked with a raised eyebrow.

He chuckled.

"At your own will, I am not complaining on the view." He said honestly.

I smiled and sat on the rickety bed his eyes followed my movements.

"I had actually wanted to spend some time with you, if that is all right…" He said slowly.

I turned into mush at the request.

"I always like spending time with you, you don't need to ask," I said smiling.

I patted the bed beside me and he seemed to release his breath, apparently had been hesitant on asking me. For reasons unbeknownst to me. We stayed up majority of the night, touching, talking, cuddling and so much more…it as more than I could've asked for given the circumstances. My heart was so unbelievable filled with love for this elven prince. I adored every second I had with him, for at one point I never thought it to be possible.

It's late at night when Aragorn walks outside filling his pipe, he approaches Legolas and I. We had finally emerged from the bedroom, his stuff had been moved in my room at some point during the night. I wore one of his tunic shirts and a pair of my leggings. My feet were barefoot, despite the coolness of the night breeze. I knew my hair was slight a mess, and I swore I saw a smirk on Aragorn's face but he wisely chose not to say anything.

"The stars are veiled. Something stirs in the East, a sleepless malice." Legolas says softly.

He turns to look at Aragorn.

"The eye of the enemy is moving."

It wasn't a pleasant thought, but we were outside partially to clear our heads and partially because something had been bothering him. Something felt off, I couldn't understand what it was. I heard shouting coming from inside the hall where the other's slept. Aragorn dashed off and I was close on his heels with Legolas behind me. We burst into the room, Pippin was writhing on the floor with the Palantir in his hands, and it was black and flaming! Aragorn takes the Palantir from Pippin and he too struggles with it for a moment, and I snatched a blanket from the floor and as Aragorn drops the Palantir I quickly threw the cover over it, there was faint smell of burning threads. But the Palantir moved no more.

" Fool of a Took!" Gandalf exclaims.

When we turned our direction to Pippin, he was lying still with his eyes open wide.

"No,"

Gandalf all but shoved Merry aside and holds Pippin's hands, and put his other hand on his forehead. He was muttering a spell, it was inaudible but when Gandalf moves his hand to Pippin's cheek the hobbit jumps and gasps awake.

"Look at me," Gandalf said softly.

Pippin's eye immediately fall to Gandalf and his face is broken in anguish.

"Gandalf forgive me!" Pippin closes his eyes again.

Gandalf nudges him awke.

"Look at me! What did you see?"

Pippin swallowed hard and his face was lost in remembrance.

"A tree, there was a white tree in a courtyard of stone. It was dead…the city was burning."

"Minas Tirith? Is that what you saw?" Gandalf asked.

A tree in a courtyard of stone, that definitely seemed like Minas Tirith. Pippin's face grew fearful again.

"I saw…I saw him!"

We all held our breath and even Gandalf's eyes widened.

"I could hear his voice in my head,"

"And what did you tell him? Speak!" Gandalf pressed.

Pippin shook his head.

"He asked my name. I didn't answer. He hurt me….."

I closed my eyes, that can't have been pleasant, even at a distance Sauron could hurt us remotely.

"What did you tell him about Frodo and the Ring?"

Pippin didn't respond just searching Gandalf's face for some comfort.