𝐏𝐑𝐈𝐍𝐂𝐄𝐒𝐒 | 𝐥𝐞𝐠𝐨𝐥𝐚𝐬 𝐠𝐫𝐞𝐞𝐧𝐥𝐞𝐚𝐟

𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐫𝐨𝐡𝐢𝐫𝐫𝐢𝐦

Just as he said the ominous words, Aragorn ducked to the ground, listening to or for something you hadn't been.

"Come on!" he hissed, gesturing for you all to sprint to behind a rock. You tensed up, flying as fast as you could towards it, skidding to a stop and peeking above it.

An organised cohort of horses came galloping over the ridge, moving so quickly and uniformly that you couldn't really identify them. They all looked the same - helmeted and armoured, holding swords and spears.

Aragorn didn't seem to have a problem with them, because he began to rise slowly, his hands in the air away from his sword.

"What are you doing, pe-channas?" you hissed.

He threw a warning glare over his shoulder, and you reluctantly raised your hands above your head. You glanced to the floor, subtly looking behind you to see Legolas's brown boots step soundlessly into your vision.

Within seconds, the horse-riders surrounded the four of you, spears levelled in to your centre.

"You trespass upon the lands of King Theoden of Rohan!" a blond spoke. You guessed that he had to be their leader - he'd pulled off his helmet to reveal a youthful face hardened by battle and war.

"We don't trespass," Gimli protested. You kicked him subtly, but he continued. "If anyone's trespassing, it's those fucking Orcs."

The blond raised an eyebrow. "I don't think it's in your interests to jest, Dwarf."

"Leave him be," you growled. "I don't think it's in your interests to antagonise us."

"Really, now?" he unsheathed his sword, testing it on the edge of your neck. You froze as the cold steel bit into your skin, and a single drop of blood rolled down from it.

Legolas drew an arrow into his bow faster than you could blink, aiming straight for the heart of the leader. "Threaten her, and you'll die long before she does."

The Riders had all also readied their bows (you guessed them to be the Rohirrim) and pointed them at without hesitation.

"Legolas," you whispered, not wanting to move lest the sword sever an artery or some other vessel of importance. "Don't. It's okay."

He warily put his bow on the floor, and the Rohirrim relaxed.

"Now, if you please," you bit out, glaring at the leader holding you at sword-point. "Release. Me."

You charged the words with as much venom as possible, stumbling back to Legolas as soon as he let you go. You wiped the thin cut with shaking hands - you weren't normally frightened of such acts of hostility but the casual bloodshed demonstrated by a supposedly generous people scared you.

"I am Queen Y/N of the Dunedain people," you said, with as much dignity as was possible when several dozen spears are very close to your face.

"There's no way-"

"I believe you," the leader interrupted cautiously, sheathing his sword. You blinked, quite surprised. "I am Eomer, Leader of the Rohirrim, heir to the Throne of Rohan."

You looked to the side as he gave a tiny signal and his men put away their weapons. Aragorn stepped forward to talk.

"I'm Aragorn, ally to Mithrandir."

"Mithrandir?" Eomer scoffed. "He took our best horse. His name doesn't get you everything around here."

"Why are you not with your King?" Legolas spoke up for the first time since you'd been threatened.

Eomer's expression darkened. "He has been corrupted, and he cast me out - though I am friend and not foe. But our Kingdom's business is ours. Why are you here?"

"That." Aragorn pointed over the ridge. "What happened?"

"A raid of Orcs," the Rohirrim explained. "Massive party. No survivors. Here, take these horses. I feel that you will need them."

No survivors.

You grabbed Legolas's hand, pulling him through the Rohirrim men and running over the ridge, letting your brother and Gimli tend to the two horses. There was, indeed, a mess of bodies, singed and smoking ominously.

"Ion e suni," the Elf breathed. Son of a bitch.

"You got that right," you responded. "Come on, let's take a look."

Aragorn had materialised beside you, in his alarming way, and he nodded silently, bending to the ground.

You searched for several minutes to no avail, then as you nudged aside a discarded shield, you saw something below it. You couldn't see it properly, but reached blindly to collect it, the caress of cold metal being the immediate sensation. As you brought the mystery object to your eyes, it almost fell from your suddenly slack fingers.

"What is it, Y/N?" Legolas asked, his superior Elven senses immediately recognising your shock and horror.

You let him uncurl your fist, so you could both see the small Elven cloak-clasp in stark contrast to your s/c hand.

"Shit." You weren't sure which of the two of you said it, but the curse about summed up your situation.

At that moment, Gimli came over with a dagger sheath in his hands. You looked at the ground sadly, letting the clasp fly to the ground with a quiet finality. Aragorn kicked an Orc helmet as hard as he could, falling to his knees and screaming.

"Wait!" you let your cry silence that of Aragorn's. "Don't you hear that?"

"No?"

You rolled your eyes at Gimli's response, which you had expected, though you had to grant the Dwarf a grin. "Shh. I can hear strange noises from the forest. It lives."

"Fangorn," Legolas realised, with hushed awe. "The Entwood. Where the trees walk and speak as the Elves taught them to."

Aragorn had crouched to the floor again, his fingers shakily passing over some spot in the ground you could vaguely see. "The Rohirrim were wrong. There were survivors." He straightened. "Hope is not lost for our Hobbit friends. They've ventured into the Wood."

"Oh dear," you muttered. "I've heard stories about the danger of it."

The stories were not the only source of your apprehension as you turned to face the Entwood. It was dark and foreboding, all the trees twisting and gnarling in unnatural ways. Faint moans of pain and suffering were carried on the winds from it. This was no Rivendell forest - it was dark, and it was alive.

"Hey." You felt Legolas's large hand slip into your own. "It's alright. They won't hurt you. Come on."

You almost laughed as you looked to your side, seeing the horses demonstrate a similar level of reluctance to yourself. Aragorn beside them gave a subtle nod. You squeezed Legolas's hand once, reaching up and giving him a chaste kiss on the cheek as you hesitantly stepped forward.

After all, there was no going back.

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