Book 2: Where They Are Going [Legolas]

Book 2: Final Chapter

With a full day of much needed rest Linnéa woke when the villagers were to return to Edoras feeling refreshed. The young woman couldn't remember the last time this comfortable feeling took over her senses, sitting up and cracking both shoulders to relieve the tension. It caused her to groan lowly. It had been far too long and even though they weren't completely out of the woods yet regarding Saruman and Sauron, at least for the moment they had been held at bay. There was time to regroup, plan, train, gather their armies. And then attack.

Those from Rivendell and Lothlórien already left for the long journey home, not wishing to stay longer than needed. Besides, there weren't enough rations to go around more than another day. They marched into the valley out of sight without looking back at Helm's Deep. Gandalf, Aragorn, Legolas, Gimli, and Théoden watched them go. Linnéa wished she had been there as well to see them off, but she could not shake off her exhaustion that had taken over.

There was a knock at the door as the princess finished pulling on her armor, beckoning for them to enter. Gimli poked his head around the wooden door.

"They are preparing the horses now," he stated. "I half expected to find you still asleep, milady."

Linnéa had only awakened on three occasions the day before – twice to relieve herself and the other when the Dwarf came barging into her room warranting no response and shook her rather harshly awake. He brought food and when the young woman attempted to push him away and muttered for him to leave her alone he persisted. Sluggishly the princess pulled herself up and drank down the broth, while slowly chewing the contents of the stew. Before Gimli was even out the door again, Linnéa flopped back down to the mattress completely comatose.

"Is she still sleeping?" Aragorn asked upon seeing him return alone.

He was one of the few that remained from dinner at the tables reserved for the soldiers in the Great Hall. The Dwarf nodded

"Is this normal?" Legolas questioned, with pinched brows.

"After a long and hard fight, yes," Gimli answered. "We Dwarves enjoy a good rest afterwards. Though I am surprised she is sleeping this much without a proper amount of food in her belly."

Another reason Dwarves enjoyed a feast after vanquishing an enemy was not only for its songs, tales, and overall carefree nature. With fighting so long and no time for rest, hunger was one of the first symptoms to hit them alongside fatigue. Though Linnéa's form of hunger was something none of the Dwarvish warriors had ever seen before after her first time in the field. Being part Hobbit, to the young woman it felt as though her stomach turned into a gaping black hole after fighting. She could eat more than half of what the warriors consumed in Erebor given the situation of the battle. How long it lasted. The intensity of the fighting. The numbers she was up against. And after a long feast that would last into the wee hours of morning all would retire to their chambers. Not just to spend time with their kin or share a bed with their loved one, but to sleep off everything that transpired. A belly full of food helped them lose consciousness quicker, and sleep longer.

"There was once an Orc raid in the Blue Mountains before the raven from Rivendell ever came to summon us," Gimli explained, "and she slept for nearly three days."

Aragorn cocked a brow at the number wondering if he exaggerated, though that didn't appear to be the case as he continued, "Of course the wives checked on her and were sure she wouldn't make herself sick with all that sleep, but she can be very incoherent."

Gimli remembered asking her once if she remembered anything during those rest periods. Linnéa admitted that no, she never did. Which meant she sleptwalked through halls alongside wives trying to give her some exercise, or ate some food, or even attempted to hold a conversation. It was rather amusing the first few times he witnessed it.