Thank you guys so much for reading! The reviews you have left are absolutely fantastic, they keep me motivated and inspired. This is a bit of a slower chapter after all the battle scenes but I hope you like it! Don't forget to follow, favorite, review etc!
The group looked around the room in confusion while Elladan and Elrohir went to peer out in the hall. They returned unsuccessful, having seen no sign of her. Legolas frowned, knowing that something was amiss with the elleth. She had been by his side only moments ago, she could not have gone that far. He reached out his mind but was met with nothing more than the thin tendrils of her consciousness. He was slightly annoyed with her for ignoring him but then realized that perhaps she was not aware that she was blocking him out.
"Where in Middle Earth did she go?" wondered Aragorn in confusion. "Legolas did she not come in with you from the throne chamber?"
"Aye, she did. But I do not know where she went, I did not even see her leave the room."
"My apologies my friends but I'm afraid I can't stay to help you figure out the elleth's whereabouts," said Eomer. "I must go see my sister, I fear for her state." He excused himself and strode out into the hall, his steps echoing off the stone floor.
"Perhaps we should reconvene later in the evening?" suggested Imrahil. "I'm sure you are all weary, we could meet again in a couple of hours so that you could take some rest and find some food and drink."
"Yes, that might be best," agreed Gandalf, he indicated to Aragorn. "Master Strider, Master Gimli, if you'd be so kind as to accompany an old man to the Feasting Hall." Imrahil gave the wizard an odd look but said nothing, his eyes still on Aragorn. The man and the dwarf followed Gandalf towards the hall. As they were passing by the elves, Aragorn leaned in towards Legolas.
"Find her," he whispered. They shared a look and Legolas nodded. Once they had left he and the twins excused themselves from the room, intending to look for the elleth. When they exited the citadel they went to a solitary corner of the courtyard and stopped, casting quick glances around them. The sun had now almost fully set, its last rays painting the sky in shades of pink and orange.
"It seems Gandalf is not eager to unveil Aragorn's identity," observed Elladan.
"Indeed, I think he fears that there exist some who would still oppose his claim to the throne," agreed Legolas.
"Aye, but Imrahil is just and honorable. Eredhel speaks very highly of him, I'm sure he will support Aragorn when he knows his true identity," said Elrohir.
"Speaking of your sister, do either of you have any idea where she may have gone?" asked Legolas.
"No, and if she doesn't want us to find her then there is very little chance that we will," replied Elrohir.
"Yes well I'm going to try none the less. I'll see you two back in the counsel room with the others," said Legolas. The twins bid him luck then went to speak with the remaining Rangers, hoping that they may have seen Eredhel. Legolas sighed, casting his eyes around the city below him. Most of the smoke had cleared from the air and though many of the buildings were in ruins Minas Tirith was still a site to behold. The white rock contrasted the evening's lengthening shadows and ivy and other climbing plants grew along the walls. Legolas took a flight of stairs down towards the seventh gate, preparing himself to have to search the city from top to bottom in order to find the elleth.
Eredhel stumbled, her knee colliding with a pile of rubble as another vision flashed across her mind. Pain shot through her leg and she groaned. She saw swords flash, their steel blades becoming painted with blood. Someone was screaming, begging, pleading. Everything was on fire, the ground, the grass, the men. She slammed her fists against the wall of the dark alleyway, breathing heavily. There was an orc coming towards her, baring his black teeth in a wicked grin. "No, you're not real," she told herself but the vision didn't disappear. "No, no!" Her sword raised just in time to meet his and she quickly disarmed him before striking him in the heart.
"My Lady? What is wrong?" Eredhel blinked and spun around, seeing a Gondorian soldier at the other end of the alley. He was walking slowly towards her, confusion evident on his face. Eredhel retreated from him, frantically looking for an escape. "Are you hurt?" he asked, holding up his hands in surrender. Eredhel turned and ran towards the building to her left, scaling several crates that were stacked along the wall. She jumped and hauled herself up onto the roof, ignoring the shout of the man behind her. She ran along the length the of the roof and then jumped to the next before climbing a high wall and dropping to the other side. When her feet hit the ground she sank to her knees, her head falling into her hands. The last time flashbacks had plagued her like this had been when she'd fled from Rivendell, only months after the Battle of Fornost. But it was not memories of that battle that were now troubling her, it was memories of the current one. Even now she could smell the salty odor of blood, and hear the hiss of swords slicing through the air.
Eredhel was sharply drawn out of her thoughts by a sound in front of her. Looking around she realized she was behind one of the city's main inns. A bartender was stacking some empty barrels along the back wall. Luckily Eredhel was hidden from his view and once he had gone through the back door she went around the side and entered the building, taking a left into the tavern. The room was only a quarter full, as most of soldiers and citizens were occupied with cleaning up the city. She slipped into a table near the back and ordered a bottle of red wine when one of the servers came by.
The room was warm and welcoming, with wood paneled walls and bright lanterns hanging from the ceiling. A few men by the hearth were singing an old victory song, as the real celebrations wouldn't take place until they had finished putting out fires and clearing the streets. Eredhel filled her cup with wine and drank deeply from it, closing her eyes in concentration when her mind once again shifted to the visions. She had finished half the bottle when someone sank into the chair across from her, causing her to look up in surprise. "The last time we were here you wasted half of a soldier's monthly pay," said Imrahil.
"Well that would depend on what you define as being a waste," she answered, rubbing her temples. The man chuckled softly, accepting the mug of ale that the bartender brought to him.
"Well what else would you call drinking that many bottles of wine when you'd never before succeeded in getting drunk off of a drought of men?"
"Optimism." The man's laughing increased and he shook his head at the elleth. His smile turned to a frown however when he saw the grimace lining her face.
"Eredhel? Are you alright?"
"Quite fine," she answered tersely.
"Eredhel." Her dark eyes rose to meet his warm ones and she sighed, rubbing her brow.
"A victory is never without loss," she explained. "My companions and I have lost many good friends on the path to this triumph. I fear we may lose more yet." His eyes clouded knowingly and he sighed.
"Aye, many of my bravest men fell. The valor with which they died will be of little consolation to those who loved them."
"I can speak to that, for none may fall with more courage or honor than Boromir, who was among our traveling companions. It took three Urukhai arrows to bring him down, and he fell protecting his friends," explained Eredhel. Though the thought of Boromir saddened her she found it found it easier to calm herself while she was distracted by her and Imrahil's conversation. The man's eyes widened as he sipped his ale.
"We all heard of his death, but I had no idea that you were traveling with him. What reason had you for journeying with him and these other companions you arrived with? For Gandalf has told me that he too accompanied this "Fellowship"."
"That is a matter which would take many hours, and a more secure place to explain. But fear not, I believe Gandalf intends on divulging it when the time is right."
"Ah, yes that reminds me," said Imrahil. "Your friends took a chance for a brief reprieve after your disappearance but we agreed to meet back in the counsel room once they had refreshed themselves. I would guess they will be there within the hour, which means that I have to be going. I have a few things to see to," he explained.
"I see, well then I suppose I will see you in the citadel."
"Yes, and do try not to be late," he said, chuckling as he rose. He drained his remaining ale and then turned, making his way through the crowd and out the door. Eredhel sighed, rubbing her eyes wearily. Now that her mind had quieted she suddenly became aware of a consciousness pushing against hers.
"Legolas?"
"Ah, so you've finally decided to speak with me!" he replied, his voice laced with irritation. "Where in the name of the Valar are you?"
"I'm sorry, I didn't- I'm at the inn on the fourth level. How long have you been searching for me?"
"The better part of two hours, are you alright?" his tone was gentler now, having heard the weariness her voice and sensed the way his anger had made her recoil.
"Yes, I needed some air, and a reprieve from the aftermath of the battle. Will you meet me outside the Halls of Healing?"
"Of course, I am almost there." Eredhel didn't reply but maintained their connection, noticing her hands still had not stopped shaking. His thoughts brought her a small comfort as she quickly made her way up through the city. The streets were finally beginning to clear and the evening was calm. Even so, the elleth was on her guard, her eyes scanning every dark alleyway and shadowy corner.
When she arrived at her destination she could not see Legolas anywhere. She took a left towards the back of the building, thinking he might be waiting for her in the gardens. When she got there she found they were deserted, the only sound being the fountain trickling to her right. Suddenly she felt a hand on her shoulder and jumped, spinning around as her hand flew to the knife sheathed at her waist. She was met with the surprised eyes of Legolas, his gaze falling to her weapon. Eredhel exhaled as some of the tension left her limbs, her hand falling limply to her side. "This is the third time since we've met that you've nearly knifed me melethin, are you sure you are not trying to send a message?" he asked teasingly.
"Yes, I am quite sure," she answered, offering him a weak smile. Legolas studied her, his eyes searching her face. After a moment he enveloped her in his arms, having had to resist the urge since they defeated their enemies on the battlefield. The entire time they had been fighting his thoughts had never left her. Now the realization that they were both safe settled on him and he turned his head towards the crook of her neck.
"Tell me what is troubling you," he murmured, his breath warm on her skin. Eredhel inched closer to him, her fingers lightly tracing his collarbone. He had removed his armor and now wore only his open necked tunic. He became aware of her shaking hands and took them in his own, startled by how cold they were.
"I am simply very tired, and the weight of the battle is still heavy upon me. Legolas held her at an arm's length, cupping her face with his hands.
"Well you are safe now, we all are." She closed her eyes, offering him only a weary sigh. "Eredhel." She looked up at him, a half smile reluctantly lightening her face when her eyes met his. He placed his forehead against hers, stroking her cheek with thumb. They stayed like that for several moments until they heard the chime of the bell from the tower. Legolas sighed, not wanting to return to the talks of battle.
"We should go," murmured Eredhel.
"Aye," he agreed, "though my heart bids me to stay." His arms momentarily tightened his hold before reluctantly releasing her. They walked back through the gardens and towards the citadel momentarily pausing before the White Tree. Even in its ruined state, four masked soldiers diligently guarded it. The sight of its cracked limbs and blackened bark brought a pang of sadness to the elves' hearts, as it was a reminder of the Trees of the Valar. After a moment of silence they continued back to the council room.
All of the original inhabitants of the room had returned, save for Eomer. They were seated at the round wooden table, with several maps and scrolls lay out before them. Imrahil and Aragorn looked up as the pair entered the room, relief momentarily flashing across the ranger's eyes. Eredhel felt Legolas' hand on the small of her back as he steered her to the left side of the table, the one not occupied by Imrahil. Eredhel felt a ripple of amusement but obliged, sinking into the seat next to Aragorn. "Alright, now that we are all here I see no reason to keep you in the dark any longer," began Gandalf. Imrahil and the men straightened at his words, their attention now focused on the wizard. The Prince of Dol Amroth sat with his elbows propped up on the table, his eyes occasionally darting to Aragorn across from him.
"Though we have achieved an important victory we have only won the battle, not the war. The Dark Lord still has innumerable forces gathered in his shadowy lands and it is only a matter of time before he makes his next move." His words drew a general sigh of despair from the men seated around the table and they leaned back in their chairs wearily. "However, there is hope. Several months ago, the greatest weapon of the Enemy was found. The One Ring of Power. That which controls all the others. It was brought to Imladris, or Rivendell in the common tongue and there it was decided that it would be destroyed, for that is the only way to forever rid the world of Sauron's evil." He paused for a moment to let his words sink in before continuing. "A small group was chosen, to travel to Mordor and protect the one who carried the Ring. Many of the members are here now, and your Captain, Boromir, was among our group until he fell at Amon Hen. The bearer and another of our companions took the journey alone to Mordor, and it is now with them that our final hope rests." Silence settled as each of the men considered the weight of his words. After a few moments Imrahil spoke.
"I can now see the pieces that you have put into motion Gandalf," he said. "Your move is a bold and desperate one but one that is not uncalled for in such times. You have spoken many riddles within the past days and now many of them make sense. There is however, one that is still unsolved." His eyes now rested on Aragorn. "You spoke of this man, and said he would be instrumental to our victory. His face seems familiar to me but I cannot place where I have seen him. Who then is he?"
Before Gandalf could reply, Aragorn rose, surveying the men seated before him. "I am Aragorn, son of Arathorn," he explained, drawing himself up to his full height. "I am the wielder of Anduril, forged from the shards of Narsil. I am the chieftain of the Dunedain and the heir to Isildur's throne." The men's eyes widened in shock, unsure of how to react to their rightful king. Imrahil immediately stood, place his fist over his heart in respect.
"My lord, I now know why I found your appearance familiar, for you are much like Elendil. We had heard rumors that the line of the Kings still remained, but we did not dare to hope. It is an honor to see a heir of Isildur return to the White City at last." His words were well chosen and stirred the men from their state of shock. They rose from their seats as one, copying his motion and then bowing to Aragorn. He seemed unsure of how to receive their respect but luckily Gandalf chose this moment to continue speaking.
"His forefathers have long been sought by the Dark Lord, even now he wishes to destroy the remnants of Numenor. We must see that his does not succeed. Knowing how and where he will next strike will give us an important advantage." Chairs began to shuffle as men rearranged around the table, spreading out the sheets of parchment that littered the table. Soon they were in deep discussion, discussing tactics and trying to determine how many of Sauron's forced remained.
Though Eredhel was usually interested by battle plans the constant fighting of the past few months had made her wary of them. She sat lazily in her chair, looking around the room in boredom. She felt Legolas' fingers tracing the length of her thigh and turned to him, cocking an eyebrow. "I do not think they will miss us," he said silently, sharing in her disinterest. Eredhel chuckled to herself, casting a look at her brothers before giving Legolas a small nod. A grin lit up his face as he rose and the elleth followed him out into the hall. He led her down a long corridor and then up a flight of stairs. Although she had been to Gondor often, Eredhel and never ventured past the throne room of the citadel and wondered where they were going. Darkness had fully fallen now and the torches lit the hallways with a warm, orange, glow. Finally, her curiosity got the best of her.
"Where are we going?" she asked.
"To your chambers," he answered.
"My, what? I thought they gave us and the others a large room to share?"
"Yes, they did but after you pulled your little disappearing act a maid asked me if 'the lady of our company' required a separate room. And although you may not enjoy sleep, I myself do and the dwarf has the most irritating habit of snoring so I told her that you did," he explained matter of factually.
"And you assumed I would be willing to share it with you?" She looked over at him with a mischievous spark in her eye.
"Of course, seeing as if it weren't for me you would be sharing a room with a noisy dwarf. This is the part where you thank me."
"And what if I decide that I would rather have the room to myself?" They had stopped outside a dark wooden door. The hallway was long and lined with bed chambers on each side. The white walls held rich woven tapestries in navy, gold and red. Legolas smirked and opened the door, gently pushing Eredhel inside. Once he had firmly shut it he turned on her, a few long strides quickly closing the distance between them.
"Well then melethin, I will have to convince you to decide otherwise," he answered huskily, his hands sliding to her waist. He hesitated a moment, his blue eyes drinking her in. The candles on the table illuminated her soft skin, and highlighted every curve of her face. He could feel her body pulsing under his touch, thrumming with energy. He moved to kiss her and she leaned forward eagerly but at the last moment he pulled away, his mouth moving to her neck. He heard a growl from the elleth and chuckled as he worked his way from her jaw down to her collarbone, his lips bringing heat to her skin. Her heartbeat quickened as she felt him press her against the wall, one of his hands lightly running up and down her thigh. The motion made her skin tingle and she shivered. She once again tried to capture his lips with her own but he swiftly dodged away. Eredhel groaned in frustration, inhaling sharply when she felt his lips on her ear. His hands pulled at her hips as he breathed heavily, the warm air tickling her skin. "What a pity it is that you will not let me stay," he whispered in mock disappointment. Eredhel could feel his smirk and pressed her lips into a firm line, refusing to let him have the upper hand. The ellon noticed the movement and slipped one of his knees between her legs, pinning her as he once more met her grey eyes. It was torture, to have him so close, to feel his soft lips all over her skin, and yet be unable to have them fighting for dominance against her own. Desire pumped through her veins as she desperately pulled at the neck of his tunic. He leaned in to kiss her cheek, continuing to place kisses on her face and often coming within millimeters of her lips. He thought of how badly he wanted to make his mouth meet hers but held back, knowing that the elleth could not resist for much longer. Seconds later he felt her sigh and her muscles relaxed.
"Legolas, please," she pleaded breathlessly as she felt his mouth tracing the pointed tip of her ear.
"Are you saying that you wish for me to stay?" he asked, his voice smug.
"Yes." No sooner was the word out of her mouth than his lips were crashing into her own. His mouth hungrily captured hers as he backed away from the wall and moved to sit on the couch, moving her on top of him. He felt the elleth's teeth pull on his bottom lip and his hands tightened at her hips. She wound a hand in his silken hair, the scent of wood and fresh water engulfing her. Her body pressed against his as she kissed him harder, forgetting about everything else. After several minutes they separated, each breathing heavily.
Legolas brushed a stray piece of hair from her face, brushing his lips across her forehead. Eredhel closed her eyes in contentment, her fingers falling into her natural habit of tracing his collarbone. "You should get some rest," he suggested, relaxing under her touch. He felt her hands momentarily pause and sensed her opposition to the idea.
"I'd rather not," she answered stubbornly. The next thing she knew she was being lifted up and carried across the room. "What are you doing?" she demanded as he gently dropped her onto the bed.
"You are going to sleep," he replied as he stood over her with his arms crossed determinedly. Eredhel rolled her eyes before turning onto her side to face him.
"But there are so many other things one could fill the time between dusk and dawn with," she said with a grin, tantalizingly pulling at the hem of his tunic. Legolas growled and stepped out of her reach.
"Yes, and they will be just as enjoyable once you've slept for a while," he countered. When she saw he was determined she groaned, and rolled back onto her back.
"Fine," she agreed. Legolas moved closer to her and she relaxed at their proximity. He stroked her wrist with his thumb as he watched her weariness overcome her. Within moments she was asleep, her face peaceful as her chest slowly rose and fell. He could feel her heartbeat against his ribs and placed a kiss on the top of her head.
They lay in peaceful silence until the sun began to rise, sending its golden rays through the open window. Eredhel stretched languidly and removed herself from the ellon's arms, rising to sit on the bed. She wasn't surprised to find he had fallen fully asleep and grinned as she leaned in towards him. "Legolas," she breathed in his ear, causing a smile to spread across his face. His eyes opened, beaming up at her. "We should find the others, we never found out what final decision was reached last night," she said.
"Whatever it is, I doubt it involves any sort of celebrations, and I know it doesn't involve any Dorwinion," he answered as he rose to his feet.
"It cannot yet be nine o'clock in the morning, and already you are thinking of wine!" She chuckled.
"Did your father not serve it at morning meals?" asked Legolas innocently. Eredhel laughed and shook her head. Not long after, they were making their way through the halls, back towards the council room from the night before. When they entered they found only Aragorn, Imrahil and Gandalf seated at the table. Neither of the elves found the absence of Gimli unusual as the dwarf had made it very clear of what he thought of early rises. Legolas took a seat next to Aragorn while Eredhel settled in a chair beside Gandalf. Aragorn raised an eyebrow in Legolas' direction, his eyes glinting in amusement. Legolas shrugged him off, rolling his eyes at the man. Aragorn chuckled and turned towards Eredhel.
"So have you made a decision?" she asked, before he could comment on their disappearance the night before.
"Somewhat, but it is difficult when we have very little news of the operations inside Mordor," he replied. "Gandalf did however make a suggestion." She turned to the wizard expectantly, not failing to notice the glare he threw at the Ranger. When his eyes found her however, they softened. Eredhel saw past their facade, they wanted her to do something and neither of them wanted to be the one to ask her to do it.
"What is it that you want of me?" she asked bluntly, momentarily surprising both of them. Aragorn sucked in a breath of air, looking her full in the face.
"You're not going to like it," he began. He noticed that Legolas was watching him carefully, and knew that he was going to oppose the idea. "We cannot guess Sauron's forces, so we do not know whether to take an offensive or defensive stance. If we had some idea of what he was preparing in Mordor then we could plan our next move."
"And where exactly do I come in?"
"Well mellonin, luckily we have a small advantage. It would take far too much time to send someone to scout out the black lands, but with a palentir, well it would take only a few moments," explained Gandalf. "You have experience using it, albeit however horrible it was. I believe you have a strong enough will to master it, to gain the information we need."
"But she would also be exposed to the will of Sauron," interjected Legolas, his voice hard. Gandalf hesitated, looking over at Eredhel.
"Yes, yes she would," he agreed.