Legolas x OC

Dimholt Mountain

Reaching upon the Dunharrow Encampment, the five members of the fellowship, Théoden, and Éomer, gallop into a vast camp beneath the cover of the trees. Teeming with Men, horses, and tents. Théoden acknowledges Grimbold, a Marshall of Rohan, as he passes by a group of soldiers.

Théoden looks around as he addresses the Marshall, "Grimbold, how many?" Grimbold answers with a stern face, "I bring five hundred Men from the Westfold, My Lord." A Rohan Marshall appears next to the King, "We have three hundred more from Fenmarch, Théoden King." Théoden smiles grimly as he rides on, quietly muttering to Gamling, "Where are the riders from Snowbourn?"

"None have come, My Lord."

Desert hopped off her horse and noticed the entrance to Dimholt. She could feel the tension forming. It is nearly time. Willow Maid turns away as dusk approaches, and Aragorn joins Théoden on a bluff overlooking the Encampment below. The woman silently approaches the bluff, eavesdropping. Thousands of Men and horses were everywhere. Smoke from many small campfires has filled the valley with a twilight haze.

Théoden quietly murmurs, "Six thousand spears... less than half of what I'd hoped for..." Aragorn turns to Théoden, "Six thousand will not be enough to break the lines of Mordor." Théoden looks at him, "More will come."

"Every hour lost hastens Gondor's defeat. We have till dawn. Then we must ride."

Théoden realizes what Aragorn is saying - no matter the numbers, he must commit to war by the morning. Desert turns her head to see the horses whinny loudly in the distance. Théoden looks up at the Mountain, which looms behind them. Horses are rearing in terror as Rohan soldiers try to quieten them.

Desert moves away and joins Legolas and Gimli's side as they move through the camp. Legolas looks at a group of Rohan Soldiers; they sit quiet and hunched... no one speaking. Legolas looks toward Éomer, who is unsaddling his horse.

"The horses are restless... and the Men are quiet..." The Prince mutters quietly. Éomer stops what he is doing and turns his head to the Mountain, "They grow nervous in the shadow of the mountain." Gimli's eyes travel to a row of ancient standing stones that mark the entrance to a road leading away from the encampment and into the Mountain.

Gimli leans against his axe, "That road there - where does that lead?" Desert crosses her arms, "It is the road to the Dimholt... The door under the mountain." Legolas shakes his head and raises an eyebrow at her, "How do you know that?"

"Know where that leads?" Desert glimpses at the Elf, "I know what is to happen on this quest, mellon nin." Éomer stands next to her, "None who venture there ever return." He mutters under his breath, locking eyes with Legolas, "That mountain is evil..."

Legolas slowly shakes his head in agreement, then takes Willow Maid's hand, leading her away from the entrance. As if she moved in slow motion, Willow turns her head to see Aragorn stand before the road as though transfixed... before him, a horse whinnies and pulls at his ropes nervously.

"Desert!"

The woman snaps back into reality and turns her attention to Legolas, who gazes at her concerningly. The Elf brushes back a strand of her hair, "Are you alright?" Willow nods silently as Aragorn stares down at Gimli. The dwarf gestures to the camp, "Let's find some food." Aragorn casts another look back at the Ancient standing stones before following Gimli.

Desert sat next to Legolas and Aragorn, silently eating any food that was around. Aragorn had a puzzled expression, struggling to know what he had seen. Willow Maid lowers the bowl of food and turns her head to him, but her eyes remained downcast, "You saw something at the entrance of the mountain..." The three males around her stopped eating.

Aragorn sighs deeply, "Yes."

"You plan on going in there."

Strider lowers his food, "Desert, I don't want to discuss this right now." He stands up and leaves the three alone. The dwarf turns his head to her, "You shouldn't have said that, lassie." Desert straightens her back, hearing it pop loudly, "Get your axe and arrows sharpened."

Later that night, Aragorn readies Brego for leaving, and Éowyn approaches, her temper barely held in check, "Why are you doing this?" Aragorn looks over his shoulder at her. "The war lies to the east; you cannot leave on the eve of battle. You cannot abandon the Men." She continues.

"Éowyn..."

"We need you here-"

Aragorn rounds on her, "Why have you come?" The question causes Éowyn to hesitate, "Do you not know?" Aragorn looks at her sadly, not wanting to hurt her, "It is but a shadow and a thought that you love... I cannot give you what you seek." Éowyn steps back as though struck... she watches, stricken, as Aragorn leaves.

Aragorn leads his horse through the tents towards the Dimholt Road. A light flares ahead of him, then a short figure steps out of the shadows, pipe in hand. Gimli stares up at the Man, "Just where do you think you're off to?" Aragorn looks at Gimli, grateful for his courage but determined to go alone, "Not this time. This time you must stay, my friend."

"Have you learnt nothing of the stubbornness of Dwarves?"

Aragorn looks over his shoulder at Legolas as he appears, leading his horse, already saddled and Desert sitting with a grin. Gimli steps closer to Aragorn, "You might as well accept it; we're going with you, laddie."

Aragorn shakes his head, smiling in acceptance. Aragorn takes Gimli, helping him onto Brego, and hops on himself. They slowrafornly ride towards the back of the Plateau, past the ancient standing stones that lead to the Narrow Pass.

Théoden and Gamling watch the retreating figures of Aragorn, Legolas, Desert, and Gimli. Rohan soldiers emerge from their tent, crestfallen to see Aragorn leave. The four hunters then disappear into the shadows of the Mountains. The Rohan soldiers murmur among themselves, "What's happening?", "Where's he going?" Gamling calls out in worry, "Lord Aragorn!"

"Why does he leave on the eve of battle?" A Rohan soldier questions. Gamling's face drops, "He leaves because there is no hope." Théoden shakes his head as he moves forward, "He leaves because he must." Gamling turns to his King, "Too few have come. We cannot defeat the armies of Mordor."

"No, we cannot..." Théoden starts surveying his frightened Men, "But we will meet them in battle, nonetheless."