They decided they would ride for Edoras. It was a long ride, but a ride needed to be taken. ''I'm glad we have you back, Gandalf,'' Aerin said finally, ''And I'm glad Merry and Pippin are safe.''
''Merry and Pippin are quite safe!'' he replied, ''In fact, they are far safer than you are about to be!'' Aerin chuckled. ''We have been through Moria. What could possibly be less safe than that? Except Mordor.''
''This new Gandalf is even grumpier than the old one,'' grumbled Gimli. ''No, really, what could be less safe than that?'' Aerin whispered a question to Legolas, once they had fallen behind. She watched Aragorn discuss something quietly with Gandalf, and Gimli followed them, still grumbling. Legolas's eyes were still on the trees. ''I do not know, mellon nin,'' he shrugged, ''But look,'' he pointed to a tree, ''That tree is almost as old as Middle Earth itself.''
''Really?'' Aerin asked, absolutely fascinated. He nodded. ''It carries in itself all history since the Years of the Sun started.''
''Wow...'' was all Aerin could mutter as she stared, mouth agape, and she wondered just how much that tree could tell me if it could talk. ''Legolas, can trees really speak?'' Aerin asked. ''Yes. Well, in their own way.''
''I wish they could speak to me. That tree in particular. I bet it would have so much to say. To teach me.'' Aerin said slowly as she gazed at the tree. ''It would.''
''You two!'' Gimli called, ''Stop cuddling and counting squirrels, you're falling behind!'' He muttered and the two elves laughed.
...
They rode for days before they reached Edoras, and at great speed. They did not rest too much. Pressing matters urged them ahead. After a few days with Gandalf, everything seemed to be the way it had been before he fell. He was a wiser wizard now, but he hadn't changed that much at all, and that made Aerin very content. Aerin rode with Aragorn this time. She thought how if she could, I'd lock Legolas and Gimli up in a room for as long as it took for them to grow closer than brothers. But for now, riding together would do.
When they had made camp one night, Aerin finally had some time to herself. She didn't know for how long she sat at the edge of the camp polishing her sword. It was battered and scratched, but still very much intact. She cleaned it until it glistened under the light of the stars.
Another night under the stars. The only sound reaching Aerin's ears was Aragorn's voice, singing a song about Luthien Tinuviel. She knew the story. She knew what it meant to him. She knew he was thinking about her sister, Arwen. It was the one thing Aerin knew she could not help him with. She never talked to him much about it; She never even wished to ask. She had no idea whether she was to sail West with her kin or to remain here.
West. The Elves were leaving. Legolas would leave too, once this quest was finished. The thought had never occurred to Aerin before, and now that it did, it broke her heart. She didn't expect it to. But she didn't want him to leave. Aerin, herself, was an elf but she knew she never wanted to leave, she liked the risk of living on Middle Earth. She knew Haldir had plans of leaving Middle Earth after this quest was finished and she planned to go with him.
Tomorrow they would do the last leg of the journey to Edoras.
YOU ARE READING
to love someone else
Fanfiction''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...
