One Day You'll Know

Chapter 25- Recalling the Clone Wars

Theodred was dead. Poor King Théoden had an incredibly hard time accepting that his son had just been alive only weeks before.

His funeral was around an hour later, and the mourners had requested Noelle wear a black dress for the occasion. She of course wasn't happy about it, but wore it out of respect.

Noelle didn't even want to go. She felt like she was back at the Jedi temple. The last couple of funerals she had been to had just been...

Bad. She hated the bad memories.

Gandalf stayed behind with King Théoden as he mourned his son in private, while the rest of them went back to Meduseld, the Golden Hall.

Noelle almost tripped on the hem of her dress, climbing up the stairs. She gave a groan of annoyance.

"Are you alright?" asked a concerned Aragorn, bending down to offer her his hand.

Noelle waved him off. "Yes. I just hate this thing! I'm not clumsy- I just ain't used to it!" she said between clenched teeth.

Aragorn actually chuckled. "You certainly are not like most women I have ever met. Even the esteemed Lady of Rohan," he said under his breath so Éowyn wouldn't hear him up ahead.

"I second that statement laddie," Gimli commented.

Noelle snorted. "Should I take that as a compliment or an insult?"

"Whichever you want lass," Gimli replied amusedly. "Although I am sure the Elf would have meant it as a compliment. He seems to have a soft spot for you for whatever reason."

Noelle inwardly flinched for a second. So the others had noticed huh? She figured it was becoming kind of obvious how protective Legolas was of her. She didn't even understand why herself, but the last thing she wanted was for everyone else to call attention to that fact.

She glanced over her shoulder at Legolas, who was trailing far behind amongst the crowd. There was no indication that he had overheard her conversation with Gimli and Aragorn.

She breathed out a sigh of relief. Then she saw Aragorn giving her a smirk. "What?" she asked defensively.

Aragorn shook his head. "Nothing."

Which means something, Noelle mused with a sigh. To be honest, she didn't really know why exactly Legolas acted the way he did around her. She knew he was an old friend and she was the only girl, which was maybe part of the reason he was so protective, but sometimes he just acted... different around her.

Noelle couldn't really put a finger to it.

"I'm gonna find something to eat, lass," said Gimli, tapping her arm and interrupting her thoughts. "You'll know where to find me."

~~~~~~

Noelle finally got changed back into her normal gear and found everyone else in the Golden Hall.

Gandalf was sitting next to Théoden by his throne talking quietly to him. Lady Éowyn was with two young children, a boy and a girl who both looked a little worse for wear. Legolas was standing next to Aragorn, who was smoking his pipe, and Gimli was of course eating. They were all apparently arguing about something.

"What'd I miss?" Noelle asked Gimli in a low voice as she sat down next to him.

"Well," Gimli began to explain in a slightly louder tone. "These two youngin's village got pillaged by that filth of a wizard, and Gandalf is arguing with the King on what to do about it." He wiped his mouth with his beard as Noelle tried to hold back a disgusted look.

Éowyn stood up. "They had no warning. They were unarmed," she pleaded. "Now the wild men are moving through the Westfold- burning as they go."

Aragorn and Legolas exchanged a look as Noelle stood up and crossed her arms with a very concerned look in her blue eyes.