Forest Sister

To the Black Gate We Go

 As everyone got ready for the fight of our lives, I searched for Eowyn. I found her in the hospital wing easily, laying on a bed, looking absolutely bored out of her mind.

"Alive, huh? Now that's the shield maiden of Rohan," I said as I sat down beside her. "No, no, no, you stay still." I added after seeing her trying to get up. For what may be the first time, she actually listened to my order. Not that I order her often.

"You're alive too! I've missed you," she said tearfully, with a bright smile on her face. I was confused. How is it that there are tears in her eyes yet she is smiling?

"Why are you smiling when your eyes are filled with tears? How do you do that?" I asked. She just laughed.

"It's called emotion, Taurieth, you'll experience it sooner or later," we laughed together at her reply. "So tell me. How is it going with you and Prince Legolas?"

"What?" I asked, literally chocking on my own breath. I mean, yeah, he wasn't on my 'kill on sight' list anymore, but how come she knew that? She never saw me and him kissing, did she?

"It's obvious! How he acts around you. He clearly likes you. I'm sure everyone knows it by now," Eowyn continued, seeing the surprised look on my face. She had a bright smile on her face that challenged the sun.

"Since when?"

"I don't know. Maybe from the first time I saw you guys together?"

"You shouldn't be a shield maiden. You should be a matchmaker of Rohan," I said, a smile forming on my lips.

"So you two ARE together! Oh my gosh! I knew it!" Eowyn shouted so loud that one of the nurse glared at us. A few turned their eyes to glance at us, but we ignored them. I smiled.

"Not together. He's just..." I trailed away, not sure on what to say next. A friend? He was more than a friend to me. Friend wasn't strong enough. But 'lover' just didn't feel right for some reason. Significant other? That wasn't very fitting either. I guess what I'm trying to say is, that Legolas was somewhere between a friend and a lover. So what was I supposed to call him?

Eowyn waited silently, her eyes twinkling in the sunlight. And I mean it. It literally twinkled.

"He's my... partner. In... a lot of things," I finished my sentence, making Eowyn giggle uncontrollably. "What?"

"You're so cute, have I mentioned that?" she said and started to giggle even more. I rolled my eyes, but wasn't annoyed at all.

"Get some rest, Eowyn. I'll see you tomorrow," I said as I stood up. She grabbed my hand to stop me from leaving.

"Where are you going?" she asked.

"To kick Sauron's ass, of course. Where else?" I replied cooly, giving her hand a tight squeeze. She looked me in the eyes worriedly, as if I was going to die. Believe me, I had no plan of dying in front of the Black Gate. I couldn't die when I had a partner in a lot of things watching my back. He'd probably go crazy if he saw me dying. Again.

"Please be careful, Taurieth. And come back alive. I'm begging you," Eowyn pleaded, and I made a mental note to come back unharmed and unspoiled 100%, for the sake of my first human friend ever.

"You don't have to beg. I'll be fine. Look at me! I survived a whole bunch of Oliphaunts. A couple thousand orcs won't kill me," I answered cheerfully, to brighten up her spirits and also to keep me calm. Not that I wasn't calm. I guess I was just a bit nervous, you know? Marching up to the Black Gate to fight 10,000 orcs and all. It was a new experience! An adventure! Nothing to be worried about, right?

"Just be care-" Eowyn started to say, but I cut her off.

"Have you met Faramir? He's the tall guy with brownish hair. Tell him that I missed pulling pranks on his father. And that I'm sorry for what happened to Boromir. And you should try being friends with him. He's a nice guy. Get some rest, Eowyn," I flashed her a smile before letting go of her hand and rushing out the door.

I was making my way towards the stables when I bumped into someone. My instincts kicked in and I pulled out one of my daggers and placed it on the man's throat.

"Whoa! Calm down, it's me!"

"Legolas?" I said as I pulled back the knife. He had a shocked look on his face, like someone had just stolen his favorite shampoo or something. "What are you doing here?"

"I was looking for you. We are leaving soon. Where were you going?" said Legolas, slowly lowering his hands, his eyes fixed on the dagger. I quickly put it back where it belonged, and gave him a sorry look. Guess I had to work on my super defensive instincts.

"To the stables, of course. To get Vaile. Oh," as I spoke, I remembered where Vaile was. In the Heaven of Horses, probably. She was dead. The moment of her death flashed in front of my eyes, and I could hear her voice ringing in my head. 'Don't die, ok? And it was great to be your horse. You were the best boss ever. I love you.'

Another mental note. For the sake of Vaile, I couldn't die. She had specifically asked me to not die.

"Taurieth?" Legolas called me and I realized that I was staring at there floor, breathing rapidly.

"Vaile. She- she's dead. I thought- I forgot," I answered, but it was merely a whisper. I could feel tears forming in my eyes as I my brain decided to randomly bring up the memories of my childhood with her. Our first meeting, first ride, the first time we shared an apple, the time she and I ran away into the Fangorn. The thought of Fangorn made me homesick. Sure, they were all trees, but they had been my family for what, 500 years. And Treebeard, he was so kind to me. Even when I couldn't trust anyone, he was the only one I counted on.

The mental note got longer. For the sake of Treebeard and Fangorn Forest, I couldn't die.

Before I could process what was happening, I felt a strong pair of arms around me, and I was face to face with Legolas's chest. He didn't say anything, he just held me tight. I tried to fight back the tears as the memories got more and more overwhelming. Vaile's addiction for sugar cubes, the joyful neigh, her morning lick on my face.

"It's okay, everything's okay," Legolas whispered. I shook my head.

"It's not. I- I could have saved her. I should have saved her. She- she didn't deserve to die," I tried to restrain my sobs as much as I can, but I was having a hard time doing that.

"Crying doesn't mean you're weak. It means you're strong, and brave enough to break down your walls and let them out," Legolas whispered, gently stroking my hair. I was frozen for a moment. That's what I heard back at Rohan, when I was... crying. I had suspected it was him, but I had no proof back then. Now I was sure of it.

"Of course that was you in Rohan," I muttered and Legolas laughed a little.

"Of course it was me," he answered.

I looked up at his face. His blue eyes showed a hint of amusement, and I couldn't help but smile at that.

"You're beautiful even when you cry, you know that?" he said, as he wiped away the tears from my face. I cracked another smile, and he beamed at the sight of it.

"You're so weird, you know that?" I replied as I buried my face into his chest once more. He let out a clear laugh, and I made a new note to self.

For the sake of Legolas Thranduilion, I couldn't die.