When Aerin returned, she saw that Gimli was asleep, snoring loudly, way before they even started preparing their bedrolls. Aragorn glanced at Aerin, and then turned to look at her once again, before he said with a smile, ''I can never get used to it. There is a beautiful woman behind that elleth after all.'' Aerin laughed, despite all her grief and worry. She laughed for the first time in a while, and it was therapeutic. As long as she had Aragorn in her life, Aerin knew she'd have comfort and a reason to go on. She felt thankful for that. Aerin sat close to him and watched him smoke his pipe - it was his way of trying to ease his mind. For the most part it seemed to be working. For a moment there she wished she smoked. But she never could - it never sat well with her.
''I am from Rivendell yet I'm starting to feel ridiculous in gowns,'' Aerin said, ''I swear I've forgotten how to wear these.''
''You'll soon get used to it again,'' Aragorn said with a smile, ''If you could really see yourself now...'' ''Oh and what would I ever do without my Warder?'' he grinned, ''I'd be lost.'' ''Oh, please, you don't have to pretend,'' Aerin said, ''I have mostly been nothing but burden on our quests.'' Aragorn looked down before raising his head to look into Aerin's eyes. ''Only at first,'' he said honestly, ''You have saved my life a few times.'' Aerin laughed, ''You've saved mine about a thousand. Besides, you have pretty good armour doing that job instead.''
''Yes, but good armour doesn't speak back at night when I think I'm going mad in the middle of a wild wood,'' he smiled, and Aerin only nodded in understanding. The light banter lasted only so long. Sad songs could be heard now, and they seemed to surround Aerin, filling the air. The only sound interfering with the Elven voices was the sound of Gimli's snoring. The songs sounded sad, but the voices were beautiful, and they sang in an Elvish language. Almost like lullabies, they seemed. ''What are they singing?'' Aerin asked Aragorn. ''A lament for Gandalf,'' Legolas answered instead. ''Oh...'' Aerin only muttered, my efforts to push Gandalf out of her thoughts proving to be useless. ''What do they say about him?'' asked Merry. ''I have not the heart to tell you. For me the grief is still too near,'' Legolas said, and Aerin suddenly felt terrible for how she behaved; the way she pushed him away and reprimanded him when in fact he mourned just as much as her, and everyone else.
He replaced the full pitcher on a tree stump that served as a table for them, before he went to his own tent, and he sat there alone, cross-legged. He looked sad, and Aerin did not even realise she had been watching him for quite a while. He seemed to have noticed it, so he turned to look at her, but Aerin quickly turned her gaze away. And Aerin could find no rest for quite a while. Lady Galadriel's words echoed in her mind. The sad Elven songs could still be heard in the background, barely, but there they were. Almost everyone around me seemed to have already fallen asleep, except Legolas of course, and on the other side - Boromir and Aragorn sat and talked. Aerin watched them for a while and the sight warmed her heart.
...
When Aerin woke up the next day, she was beyond hungry. Her stomach growled and she could not wait for a taste of anything. She found some fresh fruit, and fruit being my favourite food, a large smile embellished her face. She took a large bite rather gracelessly, savouring every drop of the juice. ''You're losing weight, lass,'' Gimli said, seating himself next to Aerin, ''Please eat before you disappear on us completely.''
''I won't disappear,'' Aerin giggled, ''I'm gaining muscle too,'' she said, punching her thigh lightly. ''How come I don't lose any,'' he mused, puzzled, looking at himself, ''or that Sam lad, for that matter.''
''You don't need to lose any weight, either of you,'' Aerin laughed, ''Where is Aragorn?''
''Left somewhere with your boyfriend this morning.''
YOU ARE READING
to love someone else
Hayran Kurgu''My heart doesn't matter, does it? Even if it is true, and he feels something for me too, it is still doomed to fail, isn't it? Elves can only love once. I am doomed to die of heartbreak, it's my fate as I know Haldir was the one... I'd never want...
