I don't bow to crowns LOTR/Legolas love story #Wattys2015

I will have the last word...

The sky was dark as the shadow crow's feathers, even darker, and the strong wind whispered nothing but darkness in Nymerial's ears as she and Legolas walked back to the camp, her hair being moved in every which way. The war had laid its wings over the land and was stretching even further with every moment that had passed.

Nymerial could see a hooded figure fleeing from the camp but ignored it, knowing the Elf Lord wished no business with them there at that moment. Instead the pair went deeper towards the King's tent, passing many desperate and frightened faces on the way. They could offer no words of comfort either for lies would not be welcomed in this crowd and the harsh truth was already known to Men.

They saw Aragorn next to his horse, putting his things together, and Nymerial could only guess what he was planning to do. They went over to him but Éowyn beat them to it so they sat down near the fire and listened in as she spoke in a hushed tone

"Why are you doing this? The war lies to the East. You cannot leave on the eve of battle! You-You cannot abandon the men. We need you here."

Aragorn didn't answer or look her in the eyes for a short moment. He tightened the reins before turning to Éowyn and his eyes met hers as he asked in a soft voice

"Éowyn...Why have you come?"

A question was answered by a question

"Do you not know?"

His eyes glided away from hers as he understood exactly what the conversation was about. Nymerial knew her brother meant nothing but good to Éowyn but he knew his honest answer would only do harm to her. But it was not time to give out false hope and his reply came from his truthful heart

"It is but a shadow and a thought that you love. I cannot give you what you seek. I have wished you joy since I first saw you."

Aragorm lifted his arm, only hesitant for a moment, and gently caresses her cheek. He could see the tears glistening in her light eyes but turned his back and took the horse's reins, walking away from the still Éowyn. Nymerial and Legolas stood from their place and followed the man's footsteps mute, knowing that silence was the best thing they could offer for the brokenhearted.

The three, one unknown to the other two, walked towards the road to Dimholt, sensing the glances that were a farewell. The straight line was cut off by Gimli as he hopped up from his place next to a fire and stopped Aragorn

"Just where do you think you are off to?"

Aragorn replied

"Not this time. This time you must stay, Gimli."

The short argument between the man and the Dwarf gave Legolas time to call his horse. Nymerial knew that Amani would not have come even if he was called for he refused to enter the mountains, any mountains. The two then stepped next to Aragorn and the Elf said

"Have you learned nothing of the stubbornness of Dwarves?"

Nymerial added as she placed her hand on her brother's shoulder 

"You need to accept that we are going with you, even if it might mean never coming back. We will not leave you alone in this task."

Aragorn smiled slightly but it faded as he ran his fingers through Nymerial's hair

"Nymerial, your hair...What happened?"

"A farewell. A farewell which was the last order I was given."

He let his arm drop, Nymerial following his lead. Aragorn turned to the three, as if saying that was their last time to decline, but when no one moved, he turned his back and they moved slowly towards the shadow-filled path before them. It almost seemed as if it was trying to call them but at the same time trying to say- turn around and never come back.

But Nymerial was stopped as she was about to enter to road between the mountains by Alice. She grabbed her leader's arm and pulled her to the side a little. Alice looked her dead in the eyes as she asked quickly and quietly

"What are you doing, my Queen? Where are you going in the moment of need and desperation?"

"I am going to search for the aid much needed and hoped for. I am going to grant the wish every warrior has in mind right now, they are going to see their families again, their villages, their homes."

"But you are walking into certain death, my Queen. You will stare into the face of the Reaper and fall onto its sharp talons. No help has ever come from the mountain of the Breathing Dead."

"I will stare into the face of Death and I will have the last word. It is the only path to take and the only path which will lead us back to homelands and I will take and finish this path. Alice, watch over our family, our people, for you to lead them to me and I trust you to lead them back to me as we meet in battle."

Without a single word no more, Nymerial turned around and stepped into the mist that covered the road to Dimholt. The group walked deeper into the mountains but the whispers of men reached their ears before disappearing into the night

"What is happening?...Where is he going?...I do not understand...Lord Aragorn! Why dpes he leave on the eve of battle?...He leaves because there is no hope."

A stronger voice stopped the muttering

"He leaves because he must!"

A guard argued back to his King

"Too few have come. We cannot defeat the armies of Mordor."

"No we cannot. But we will meet them in battle nonetheless."

Those words were the last sound Nymerial and the others heard for all the world they had come to know vanished into the thick fog and was replaced by the world that could be only desrcibed as the one that would wait for tired warriors beyond the veil.