Arriving and Seeing

Riding on a horse for hours can make your legs and your back very sore, so, when a sigh of relief went up through the crowd when we saw Helms Deep, I let myself smile a little.

We walked our horses through the entryway, and guards went ahead of us shouting to the people who lived there."Make way for the King! Make way for Théoden, King!" Théoden's horse came clopping behind them, with Legolas, Gimli and I right behind him.

Éowyn was still on foot, and she was behind me too. She ordered the guards to take the supplies they brought, to the caves. Which is where I was assuming the women and children would stay during the battle.

Bringing Rhea to a halt behind Legolas, I slowly slid down from her saddle. My leg was sore and stiff, but I could move well enough on it. Legolas jumped down besides me. "Does it feel better?" He asked, tying Arod to a small post. "Not better, but not worse." He nodded but looked worried. "You don't have to worry." I told him. He smiled at me. "That doesn't mean I won't."

I rolled my eyes. "Really, I'm fine." I insisted. "I can hold my weight, I can run." He looked at me seriously. "You should still get it treated." I knew that, but I also didn't know if anyone could treat it for me. And I couldn't do elvish healing on myself. I was going to respond when I heard footsteps to my left and a small sob.

Looking down, I saw the small boy and his sister running up to us. "Elf!" The boy cried. "Elf!" I knelt down to look them in the eye. "What's wrong sweetie?" I asked. They were both crying and looked heartbroken. "My mama.." He started. Oh no. "I can't see her!" My face fell and I pulled him to my chest. "It's alright." I soothed them, but I knew that was a lie.

I could tell Legolas was just standing behind me, unsure of what to do, so I stood up and held on to the boy's hand. "She is here." I told him. "We will find her." He nodded and started to walk with me. Legolas and the little girl walked alongside us as we scanned faces for anyone the children might recognize as their mother.

I was really hoping that their mother was here and alive. If they had to go through the same thing I did at that age, I doubt they would handle it the same way.

A voice behind us, stopped us in our tracks. "Éothain, Freda?" I turned around, it was a woman. The children, Freda and Éothain, whirled around and soon their tears of sorrow turned to tears of joy. "Mama! Mama!" They ran to her and clutched her.

I smiled as their family was together again. I looked to Legolas and he was smiling too. My gaze froze on him for longer than normal. His cheeks were turned up as he watched the children. His eyes were bright and shining a beautiful color of blue. He was gorgeous. I shook my head and looked away before he could see me staring.

I suddenly looked behind me and saw Éowyn. She looked depressed and upset. I than remembered how she looked at Aragorn back at Rohan. She had feelings for him. My heart hurt for her, so I waved goodbye to the mother and her children and made my way over to her. Legolas followed me, going over to Gimli.

As I got closer to her, Éowyn looked at me. "So few have returned." She whispered to me, searching my face. "Our people are safe." I told her slowly. "We have paid for it with many lives." She began to look more worried after I said that. She looked around hurriedly, than turned back to me. "Lord Aragorn...." She started. I took a deep breath. "He fell." I whispered again. She looked to Théoden, who was dismounting his horse right next to us.

He didn't say anything to her, just looked at her and walked away. He shouted orders to men as he walked towards them. I glared slightly at him as he walked away. Why couldn't he be more compassionate?Éowyn had a look of complete horror on her face. But all I could do was think about how Arwen would respond when we came back without the man she loved and who loved her.Tears almost welled up in my eyes, but I forced them down.

Éowyn turned and ran off, and I didn't try to follow her. Legolas put his arm around me, drawing me to him. I put my head on his arm and sighed. "What would Arwen say?" I asked him. He knew who she was, Aragorn had told him. He shook his head, not knowing eather.

Than a thought struck me. "Where's Gimli?" I asked him. He shook his head. "I couldn't find him." He answered. I was about to turn to look for our Dwarfish friend, but I heard his voice to my right. "Where is he?" He was growling. "Where is that lucky son of a-" He cut off and started laughing.

I looked to my right and saw a crowd forming and saw Gimli pushing his way through. Scrunching my eyebrows in confusion, I turned to Legolas. His expression was the same. He looked at me and than started walking over to the crowd with a hurried pace. I followed, just as eager to know what Gimli was excited about.

"Excuse me." I mumbled as I gently moved through all the people. "Pardon me. Sorry." A horse's head was visible from where I was standing, but that was it. Being shorter than the average Elf, I couldn't see as much as Legolas, who was right in front of me. Getting more anxious due to the crowd's growing murmurs, I started pushing harder at all the people.

The opening was close, and as soon as Legolas and I broke free, we stopped in our tracks. I knew I had recognized that horse! He turned and looked at us, and his face broke into a huge smile. I grinned as he saw me as well and ran over to him, and hugged him tightly. "Aragorn!" I couldn't believe it was him, he had a lot of explaining to do. "Ryanne." I pulled away and looked at him more closely.

His face was scratched, bloodied and bruised. His clothes were torn and dirty. Legolas than hugged him, but in a more manly way than I had. "You look terrible!" He told Aragorn. He laughed with his friend, glad to be reunited.

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After everyone had said their greetings to Aragorn-including Éowyn- and the day was coming to an end, we walked slowly to our rooms where we would be sleeping. Éowyn's was right next to mine, than Legolas than Aragorn and Gimli.

I said goodnight to Éowyn and Gimli, but the rest of us stayed up a little later.

"There will be a war!" Aragorn told us. We were standing on a small balcony, overlooking the plains we had traveled through to reach here. "We are not ready for war." I told him. It was the truth. No matter how sad that truth was. He looked at me, holding his pipe in his hand. "We must call for aid. The Dwarvs, the Elfs....someone must come."

I sighed and looked forwards. "Théoden will not call for our allies." Legolas spoke softy. "You know that, I know that." There was a moment of silence for a few minutes. The three of us just stood there, looking out across the grass.

"Our allies are few. If any still remain at all." I told Legolas. He looked at me, and the look on his face made my blood run a little colder. "If we call for them, they will come." I knew he meant the Elfs. But he was also right. Théoden would never call for aid. His pride was too great, his mind too small.

"Tomorrow, I will speak with King Théoden." Aragorn said. "We might not have more than a fortnight before Sarumon's army comes." I nodded and Aragorn turned and walked away, going to his room.

Legolas and I stood side by side, watching the long grass ripple as the wind came and went many times.

"Our forces are too small, theirs is too great." I whispered, looking at him. He turned to me and his face showed kindness and gentleness. But I also saw determination and fierceness. "We will manage." He told me.

I moved closer to him and wrapped my arms around him, in a hug. After a second or too, his arms tightened around me, protectively holding me against his chest. I rested my head against him and felt his head against mine.

"I love you." He whispered so suddenly, that I didn't answer right away. But before I could, he tilted my head up and kissed me again.

This kiss lasted longer than our first, but I didn't mind. In that moment, all of my thoughts were cut off. I no longer was thinking about the battle we will soon face. Or about Théoden's choices.

It was all Legolas. Him and me.

When we pulled away, I smiled. As I told him one thing, I saw something light up in his eyes.

"I love you too."

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A/N: I'm going to make this short.

First off, I'm so so so sorry about how late this was! I had a little difficulty writing it. So I'm also sorry that it was sort of short..... :/

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Bullseyes,XXbowandarrowsXX