Aleana and Aragorn

Chapter 32

***Aragorn POV***

Once the funeral for Theodred was over, we moved back into the Golden Hall and were ushered into our rooms. I took a bath and changed into the clothes one of the guards had left on my bed. Then I leave to go find Aleana, having to ask where her room was. 

When I enter her room, she is standing with her back to the door, hair dripping wet and a cloth wrapped around her body as she was picking up a dress from the bed. She turns at the sound of her door opening and her eyes widen when they fall on me. 

"Aragorn! What are you doing here," she exclaims, pulling the cloth tighter around herself. 

I step into her room, closing the door behind me and locking it. I move towards Aleana and she moves back until she is stopped by the wall behind her.

"Aragorn, please leave while I get dressed." 

I ignore her and move to stand close to her, my hands on either side of her body, resting against the wall and caging her against it. I gaze down at her as she looks up at me, eyes wide and innocent. 

"And if I say no."

"Aragorn! What -" 

I cut her off by placing my lips on her's. At first she is shocked, but then she kisses back just as passionately. I lick her bottom lip asking for entrance and she immediately grants it, allowing me to explore her mouth. She moans into the kiss and one of her hands leave her cloth and wraps it around my neck, the other still holding the cloth. I move one arm around her waist, pulling her flush against me while the other grabs the back of her head gently. I am about to move her to the bed when suddenly there is a knock on the door. 

"Aleana, are you in there," someone asks and Aleana pulls away from me, rushing to her dress on the bed. 

"Yes, Eowyn, give me a moment," she turns to me and whispers to turn around. I do as she says as she wears her dress and moves to open the door. Lady Eowyn steps in, saying something but her words stop as her gaze falls on me. I bow my head in respect.

"Would you like me to leave," she asks nervously.

"Nonsense, of course not Eowyn," Aleana looks at me, glaring but a smile still evident, "we were just talking. Come join us."

Lady Eowyn sighs, relaxing visibly, believing that nothing had been going on between Aleana and myself a second ago. Her eyes meet mine shyly as they both sit on the bed and I sit on a chair across from them. Eowyn hands Aleana a mug of tea and Aleana's face lights up as she takes a sip, sighing contently. 

"Chamomile tea! My favorite! You remembered, thank you Eowyn," Aleana says.

"Of course I would remember."

"Tea," I ask and they turn to look at me, "you only ever drink tea. I have never seen you drink anything...stronger."

"If I was to drink Ale, I am sure father would be very cross. Besides, the taste never suited me. I very much prefer tea for it is relaxing and you can always remember what happened no matter how many mugs you have. Ale, not so much."

I nod in understanding and she smiles at me.

"Well, you called King Theoden, uncle. I did not know you were related in anyway," I say.

"Not by blood, but by love," she answers, "when I was a child, father had to leave on an important quest, one too dangerous for a small child. So he left me with Uncle Theoden and I lived with him for fifteen years, till we were all in our teens. I grew up with Theodred, Eowyn and Eomer. They are family, our relationships bound by our love for each other."

"Yes, you should have seen her as a child. So misbehaved," Eowyn laughs and Aleana glares at her jokingly, "she would always cause mischief. If anything went wrong, she was almost always the one behind it."

"That is hard to believe after seeing her so well behaved and polite," I answer, smirking.

"It took her many years to learn. Too many and Gandalf would always complain. He would ask her," Eowyn continues with her best impersonation of Gandalf, "child, why do you not let your old man's heart rest. Must you always do something that has me fearing for everyone?"

We laugh, even Aleana. We sit there for quite some time, reminiscing old memories when a guard comes rushing into the room. All of us look surprised and alarmed, standing.

"They found children, King Theoden asks for your presence my ladies and lord."

We nod and follow him as he leads us into the throne room. Two kids sat at a table, eating ravenously, and Aleana and Eowyn move towards them. They take a seat beside them, calming them. I move to where Gandalf sat with Theoden, and stand next to Legolas and GImli. 

"This is but a taste of the terror that Saruman will unleash," Gandalf says to Theoden, "all the more potent for he is driven now by fear of Sauron. Ride out and meet him head on. Draw him away from your women and children. You must fight."

"You have 2000 good men riding north as we speak," I speak up, remembering Eomer and his men, "Eomer is loyal to you. His men will return and fight for their king."

"They will be 300 leagues from here by now," Theoden rises out of his seat, "Eomer cannot help us. I know what it is you want of me...but I will not bring further death to my people. I will not risk open war."

"Open war is upon you," I reply, "whether you would risk it or not."

"When last I looked, Theoden, not Aragorn, was King of Rohan," Theoden looks at me as if challenging me to speak another word. I feel someone come stand beside me and I realize it is Aleana as her scent of lilies fills my nose. 

"Then what is the king's decision," Gandalf asks.

"The city must empty, we make for the refuge of Helm's Deep," he replies, turning away and walking off. 

Gandalf sighs before telling us to follow him. He leads us out of the Golden Hall and into the stables. Aleana and I follow right behind him, while Legolas and Gimli follow us. 

"They flee to the mountains when they should stand and fight," Gimli says bitterly, "who will defend them if not their king?"

"In his own way he is defending them Master Gimli," Aleana answers.

"He's only doing what he thinks is best for his people," I agree with Aleana, "Helm's Deep has saved them in the past."

"There is no way out of that ravine," Gandalf says, "Theoden is walking into a trap. He thinks he's leading them to safety. What they will get is a massacre. Theoden has a strong will, but I fear for him. I fear for the survival of Rohan."

Gandalf turns to face me.

"He will need you before the end, Aragorn. The people of Rohan will need you. The defenses have to hold."

"They will hold," I say confidently as Gandalf strokes Shadowfax.

"The Grey Pilgrim. That's what they used to call me," Gandalf continues, "Three hundred lives of Men I've walked this earth, and now I have no time. With luck, my search will not be in vain."

He mounts Shadowfax and we stand aside.

"Look to my coming at first light on the fifth day," he says, "at dawn, look to the east."

"Please be careful father," Aleana moves forward and takes his hand in his, looking up at him in fear, though she tries to hide it. He smiles down at him.

"I will, you all look after each other."

Aleana moves back and I nod to Gandalf.

"Go," I say and with one last nod, Gandalf rides out of the stables with much speed, and we all stand and watch him go. 

A/n: Hope you like it! Let me know! Except why did Eowyn have to come at that time?!

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