Legolas, Aragorn, and Gimli followed Amdiriel around the fortress as she gave them advice for their battle plan.
The civilians were being led into the glittering caves to hid while the battle was to take place, which was the opposite directions the others were walking in. "We should place men of the reserves along the wall, so they can support the archers from above." she said as she pointed to the hit part of the wall. Legolas pushed through the crowd to get to Amdiriel's side.
"Amdi, you must rest. You are no good to us half alive." he told her "I'm fine." Amdiriel waved him off. "No you are not." said Aragorn as he tried to make his way to Amdiriel's side. "There is no time and as I said I am fine." she said even though she was exhausted there were preparations to be made for the fight that was approaching them quickly.
"Then you better make time." Aragorn said as he grabbed Amdiriel's wrist, making her stop in her tracks and turn to look at him. "You have gone to death and back again and rode 3 days just to get to us. You are no good to us dead nor will I risk losing you because you are too stubborn to rest." Amdiriel looked to protest but Aragorn just continued on "We will take care of the preparation, you need to rest. As your future king, I command you to rest." Amdiriel did not know if she was more shocked by the fact that he had commanded her to do something or by the fact that he just claimed that he would be the king of Gondor.
"Aragorn." She whispered to him. Aragorn moved forward, placing his hand on her cheek. "We will take care of everything. Rest." he said, his eyes boring into hers. Amdiriel could not help but nod, giving in to his wishes. This caused the man to give her a small smile "Amdi, I-" he said, hoping to be able to tell her everything but that hope was shattered when a female voice from behind them called out his name. Aragorn let his hand fall away as the two turned to see the fair Éowyn trying to make her way through the crowd. "My lord! Lord Aragorn!" she said and was finally standing before the man. Amdiriel made sure to take a step back, joined the elf and the dwarf
"I am to be sent with the women into the caves." Éowyn told him. "That is an honorable charge." he replied.
"To mind the children and find food and bedding for when the men return? What renown is there in that?" she asked him. "My lady, there may come a time for valor without renown. Who then will your people look to in the last defense?" he questioned but the woman was persistent "Let me stand at your side." she said. Aragorn shook his head "It is not in my power to command it." he told her, he went to turn away but Éowyn spoke up.
"You do not command the others to stay. Nor do you command the same of Lady Amdiriel even after all that she has been through." she said. It was clear to anyone that there was jealousy in the lady's voice. Aragorn looked to Amdiriel who wore a confident expression. Amdiriel knew that Éowyn wished to be in the battle, to fight for her people but she had been sheltered from the full violence of war whereas Amdiriel grew up with it. She had fought long and hard and earned her spot to stand with the men of Gondor and then lead them into war. Aragorn knew this, he had seen it long ago.
Aragorn turned back to Éowyn and said "The Captain of Gondor is well trained and experienced in the art of war, she has earned her place among the men." he told her but Éowyn shook her head "They stay because they would not be parted from you because they love you." she said to him.
There was a moment of silence from the two as they processed what had just been said. Aragorn looked to the ground in thought for a second before he looked up at Éowyn again, who was already staring at him longingly. It was then that she seemed to realize what she had said, breaking eye contact she whispered an "I am sorry." and walked past them quickly into the caves with the woman and children. The 4 hunters watched as she left including Aragorn. This did not go unnoticed by Amdiriel as pain was felt in her heart.
Aragorn looked to Amdiriel who looked back up at him. He wanted to tell her but now was not the time for it. He knew things needed to be done and she needed to rest so against his better judgment and the desire of his heart, he called to the soldier near them. "My lord?" he asked "Take the Lady Amdiriel to my quarters so she may rest and bring her whatever she may need if you please." he told the man. "Yes, my lord." replied the soldier.
Nothing was said as Amdiriel bowed her head to Aragorn and reluctantly left the company of her 3 companions who watched her as she left.
"You will no be able to keep her from the battle, you know that right Aragorn?" Legolas questioned. Gimli chuckled at the question "To try and keep her from a fight would be like trying to cage a wild animal. said the dwarf. "I know." Aragorn said as he continued to look in the direction where Amdiriel had walked away. He knew no matter how much he wished to protect her she was a soldier, a warrior and there would be no stopping her, not when she knew what was coming and what the risks were.
A couple of hours later, all that could be done was done as best as the could have been. Legolas, Gimli, and Aragorn had gone to check on Amdiriel to find her fast asleep. They told the guard to wake her once it started to get dark. They then decided to go to the armory, there they were surrounded by men and boys all unsure of themselves, the different weapons, and the armor that surrounded them.
Aragorn was inspecting a sword but stopped it onto the pile of swords. His mind was trying to concentrate on the fight ahead of them but the woman sleeping safely in his quarters had been taking up all his thoughts no matter what he did. Aragorn turned and looked at the men that surrounded them "Farmer, farriers, stable boys. These are no soldiers." he told Gimli and Legolas. "Most have seen too many winters." Gimli tried to say. "Or too few." Legolas commented, seeming slightly annoyed but nonetheless Aragorn gave him a slight nod before turning to look at some chainmail.
"Look at them there frightened. I can see it in their eyes." he continued, everyone stopped what they were doing to look at the elf. "And so they should be. Three hundred...against ten thousand." Legolas said looking at Aragorn. "They have more hope of defense here than in Edoras." Aragorn said. "Aragorn they can not win this fight. They are all going to die!" Legolas said. "Then I shall die as one of them!" Aragorn said sternly as he stepped in the elf's direction. Legolas looked slightly taken back that his friend had raised his voice at him but he quickly recovered.
Aragorn turned and was about to walk away but Legolas spoke up again. "What about Amdiriel?" he asked. Aragorn stopped at her name "What about her?" "Tell her the truth that you remember...she deserves that. If she dies-" Legolas said but was cut off by Aragorn. "Do not say that." he warned. "If she does, she'll die thinking you didn't love her...if you don't tell her, I will." Legolas threatened. Aragorn sighed deeply and walked away without a word. Legolas knew it wasn't right what he said but he also knew it had to be done. He had watched Amdiriel break down the walls that Aragorn had built up around his heart only for them to be put back up when she sacrificed her life for his. It was like years ago when he watched Amdiriel's heartbreak. He had watched the same thing happen to he should be king when they thought they should be queen was dead. He could not let them go through that again.
Amdiriel had woken as the sun started to set and decided to search for her three companions. She had found Legolas and Gimli who had told her that there had been a small dispute with Aragorn and how they had not seen him since. It didn't take long for Amdiriel to find Aragorn sitting on the stairs alone, she could tell that he was in deep thought even if his back was towards her. She was about to approach when he looked to a young teenage boy who stood next to a small fire, unsurely examining his sword.
"Give me your sword." Aragorn ordered the boy. The boy turned and over to Aragorn. "What is your name?" Aragorn asked as he was handed the sword. "Haleth, son of Háma, my lord. The men are saying that we will not live out the night. They say that it is hopeless..." said the boy in a small voice. Aragorn did not reply but he stood to his feet and swung the sword around a few times in circles and then in criss-cross motions. He stopped to look at the sword again and then looked to the boy. "This is a good sword," he said and looked to the young boy and handed it to him. "Haleth, son of Háma." Aragorn then placed his hands on the boy's shoulder and looked him in the eye. "There is always hope." He said. The boy gave Aragorn a grateful smile before he turned to leave. Aragorn turned to leave, his eyes falling Amdiriel who was leaving, walking into the shadows. Aragorn knew where the hall led and that he could also get to the other end if he hurried before she did.
Amdiriel roamed the halls, making her way back to Aragorn's quarters where she had left her weapons. Amdiriel was almost there when she was suddenly yanked into a room, the door closing behind her. Amdiriel grabbed the dagger in her boot and moved to stab the tall figure but her attack was blocked as the figure grabbed both her wrists, pinning them above her head and pushing her against the wall behind her. Before she could drive her knee into her attacker the voice stopped her. "Shh Amdi, it's me." she heard Aragorn say. Amdiriel immediately relaxed at the sound of his voice. "For the love of the Valor, Aragorn are you trying to scare me to death?" she asked as her eyes finally adjusted to the lighting while Aragorn released her hands. "I am sorry but I just needed 5 minutes to speak to you without being interrupted every few minutes." he explained. "Well, what do you need to tell me?" she asked, feeling the rate of her heart picking up speed. She could hear that Aragorn was frustrated because he was running his hand through his hair as he spoke to her.
Aragorn turned and looked deep into her brown eyes. Aragorn could not take it anymore. He leaned in and pressed his lips to Amdiriel's. She hesitated for a split second in surprise before she gently kissed him back. Aragorn's arms snaked around her waist, pulling her close while hers wrapped around his neck. The passion in the kiss said everything they had been feeling; need, desperation but love, and desire. Neither wanted to break apart, but after what seemed like an entire age, they were forced to pull away for air. Aragorn leaned his forehead against hers as he caught his breath as his hand touched her cheek. "I thought I lost you, that I would never get to tell you that...that I love you." he said and pulled to look into her eyes, "I did not know that I could love more than I did all those years ago but I do." he told her. Amdiriel's breath hitched in her throat. "Aragorn?" "I remember, I remember everything. The spell is broken." He told her. "When?" Amdiriel said no louder than a whisper. "Lothlorien, when you sang that song, I fell asleep listening to you, and when I woke I remembered everything." He explained. Amdiriel could not believe what she was hearing, she was afraid that she was stuck in a dream.
"The song?" she asked. Aragorn nodded, "The first time I heard you sing it you were comforting me, telling me you believed in me it was then that I knew that I had fallen in love with you." Aragorn could feel his own eyes start to tear up. "I tried to tell you, my love but it either seemed like not the right time or we kept getting interrupted, and then I thought you were gone, that I lost you and I wasn't going to risk going into this battle and not telling you."
"You still love me? Even after everything?" Amdiriel asked. Aragorn nodded "I love you with everything I am." he told her Amdiriel threw her arms around him, burying her head into his shoulder. "I missed you so much." she said as the tears fell down her face. "I missed you too. I am so sorry, my love." he replied holding her close. "No this is not your fault. If anything this is my fault." she told him. Aragorn pulled her away so she would look at him. "None of what happened to us is your fault. We are here now together, despite what your father had planned for us." Amdiriel nodded and then heard the business outside of the room, reminding them of the world going around them. Aragorn sighed that their time together was interrupted again. Amdiriel smiled at him, lacing her fingers with his.
"Come, we have a battle to prepare for and then you can make up for the time you have lost with me." Amdiriel teased. Aragorn's frown turned into a sly smile. "30 years to make up for my love. I'll never leave you." he said and placed a kiss on her jaw. Amdiriel shook her head "Come, my lord." she said and lead him out of the room, making sure to double-check the halls before they existed.