Where do I belong? A Legolas Love Story

Chapter 14 A Gift from the King

A/N: The picture above is the horse that Theodon gave Arathina

Chapter 14

Arathina's POV

After the funeral for the king's son, I went into the stables and saw several men struggling with a big black and white horse. It reared and struck out with its hooves I came forward, intrigued by this magnificent creature. "May I?" I asked the guards taking the ropes from them untying the horse.

"Be my guest," the guards said leaving him to me. I started to speak the native tongue of the city to calm the horse.

"You're the first that has been able to do that," someone said behind me. I turned from scratching his for head to look to see who it was. It was the king. "None of my people have been able to touch him. I would like to give him to you. He deserves someone that can love him and not be afraid, he deserves to live."

"Thank you, Théoden King," I said. "I'll take excellent care of him." I was smiling a real smile for the first time in days. I turned back to the horse thinking of a name for him. Then a name hit me, Veryameathon (Vare-yah-my-thon)(Brave fighter) Arbellason(Are-behl-lah-son) (Noble strength). It was perfect and in memory of Boromir. "I shall call you Veryameathon Arbellason," I said stroking the black and white horse. "In memory of my lost brother."

"What does it mean?" Théoden asked.

"The first name means brave fighter, the second noble strength," I replied as tack and horse blankets were brought to me. "Thank you," I said to the stable boy. I brushed my horse and picked its feet before getting him tacked up and ready to ride. When I was done I heard another horse struggling. I turned to see two guards holding onto a horse. My dad was walking towards the destressed horse. I joined him and walked to the horse taking a rope from the guard. Dad took the other rope and untied it from the horse and took the one I was holding.

He started to speak in the native tongue of the men of this town. He was trying to calm the horse and I stroked its neck. I didn't look the horse in the eyes, it would be a threat. I too spoke in the language of this land telling the horse to be still and relax, that here there was nothing to fear. My father signaled for me to leave and I went back to my horse as he switched to an Elvin language to talk to the horse, drawing Éowyn's attention. I turned back to my horse and swung on and rode him out into the sun. I went over to Legolas and Gimli who were talking.

"I fear your kinsmen may have no need to ride to war. I fear war already marches upon their lands," Legolas said. He and Gimli were both astride Arod, a big white stallion. I pulled my horse up alongside them. "Beautiful horse, where did get him?" Legolas asked.

"A gift from the King," I replied.

"What's his name?" Legolas asked.

"Veryameathon Arbellason," I said smiling.

"A suiting name for a horse of Rohan," Legolas said. Soon we were riding off towards Helms Deep; it was a two days ride. I rode next to Legolas and my father, behind the king. We all left the city at a fast pace and it felt good to be on horseback, to have my own horse. Late that afternoon we stopped on the hill side for the night. I untacked my horse and brushed him down. I ground tied him and fed him and gave him water.

When that was done I set about finding myself dinner. I wasn't in the mood for Lembas. I found some good looking stew that some villagers were making and they offered to share. I accepted and ate with them. They were nice people; they worked in the kitchens of the Golden Hall. I helped clean the dishes afterward and then went to find my traveling partners. I saw my dad talking to Éowyn. I went to join them; she had a thing for my dad. I was just glad that I knew his heart belonged to another so I didn't have to worry about a super complicated relationship with my parents.

She was giving him what looked like stew but it was poorly made. It looked like uncooked vegetables, water, and fat from the meat of an animal that the villagers had killed. "Oh would you like some?" Éowyn asked as I sat down beside my father.

"No thanks I already ate," I said. She turned to dish some up for my father and I whispered in his ear while she wasn't looking. "Don't eat it whatever you do." He nodded as Éowyn passed him a bowl of bad looking and smelling soup.

"It's not much but it's hot," Éowyn said. How right she was and dad seemed shocked at what was in the bowl. Apparently, she had never had to cook before. Dad took the bowl, unsure of what to do with it. It wasn't edible. She started to walk away and dad poured some of it out but she turned around suddenly and he stopped pouring which caused him to spill his hand. He tried to hide the fact that he had burned himself but I saw the pain flash across his face.

"My uncle told me a strange thing. He told me you rode to war with my grandfather, but he must be mistaken," Éowyn said laughing slightly.

"King Théoden has a good memory, he was only a small child at the time," dad replied.

Éowyn bent down in front of him shocked. "Then you must be at least 60?" Dad didn't say anything. "70?" Still, dad said nothing, he looked at me not wanting to answer the question. I put my hand on his arm and gave him a gentle smile. "You cannot be 80?" she asked even more shocked.

"87," my dad answered her. She stood up, shock written all over her face.

"You are one of the Dunedain, a descendant of Numenor blessed with long life. It was said that your race passed into legend."

Dad looked sad and I tightened my grip in his arm slightly. "There are few of us left. The northern kingdom was destroyed long ago," Dad answered.

"I'm sorry, please eat." She then stood there; watching to make sure my dad ate.

"I'll go get you some water dad, Éowyn would you like to come with me?" I asked getting up.

"Sure," she replied. I was giving my dad a chance to dump the soup out. We went back to my other packs and pulled out the water skin and some Lembas. "So you came from another world?" Éowyn asked.

"Yes and no," I replied. "I was born here in middle earth but sent to another world for my protection."

"Protection from what?" Éowyn asked.

"I don't know, Sauron I assume," I replied. I was heading back to my father.

"Are you angry with him, for sending you away?" Éowyn asked as we approached.

"No, he did what he thought best," I replied coming back to my father. I sat down next to him and handed him the water skin and slipped him the Lembas at the same time.

"Thank you," my dad murmured whispering it to me.

"You're welcome," I replied in Elvish.