Remains of the Banished | Aragorn || Lord of the Rings

XXI

Finally, the people of Rohan were on the path to Helm's deep. Eadrid rode Aiyla next to Aragorn and Legolas, Gimli in front of her. 

Eadrid was dressed in her fitted tunic, clad in Rohan's colors, dark green and gold. 

"It's true, you don't see many Dwarf women." Gimli said to Eowyn as she walked next to him. "And in fact, they are so alike in voice and appearance, that they're often mistaken for Dwarf men."

"It's the beards." Aragorn whispered to Eadrid, and she turned to see him gesturing to a beard on his chin. Eadrid silently laughed.

"This, in turn, has given rise to the belief...that there are no Dwarf women, and that Dwarves just spring out of holes in the ground!" Gimli and Eowyn burst into laughter. "Which is, of course, ridiculous." Suddenly his horse began to gallop quickly, and Gimli threw up his hands, letting go of the reigns.

Eowyn ran to help him up from the gound as Eadrid shook her head. She looked to Legolas to her left and saw he had a grin on his face. 

"It's all right! Nobody panic. That was deliberate. It was deliberate." Gimli huffed as he stood up and mounted again.

"Legolas..." Eadrid reached out to hit him.

Legolas couldn't help but laugh and Eadrid couldn't help but follow. It turned into a fit, and she couldn't stop a few snorts that made her way into her laughter. 

She trotted up ahead to be alongside Gimli, to offer him a simple solution of holding onto the reigns next time.

Theoden rode up beside Aragorn and looked upon his daughter. He smiled as he saw Gimli and Eadrid laughing together. 

"I have missed my daughter very much." He sighed. "Her mother died in childbirth, and I have not been as present as I should have been, even before Grima spread his plague... She and her brother taught themselves many things a father should have..." Theoden looked to Aragorn. "Have you seen her in battle? She is a sight to see."

"I have seen her in some." Aragorn nodded. He remembered when he saw an orc had hit her across the face in the woods of Lothlorien, and after stabbing it in the throat, she spit her blood onto its face. "She surely is fierce."

Theoden nodded. "Fiercer then any man I have fought beside." Theoden watched her with a smile. "I am proud to one day call her Queen." 

Aragorn nodded and smiled at her, her hair blown away from her face and her eyes reflecting her smile. Ever since she arrived in Rohan she had let herself laugh more freely. Aragorn enjoyed seeing her like this, as it was different from her usual reservedness. 

"Aragorn." Theoden said.

He looked to him. "Yes?"

"There have been many men that have wanted to ask for my daughter's hand in marriage. I always told them that it is not my decision, but hers, because I knew she would say no, and I secretly did not mind that she would." Theoden laughed. "I know of her destiny, Aragorn. And I have seen her sword that proves it to all of Middle Earth."

Aragorn nodded.

Theoden looked to him. "Take care of her. She has always put others above herself, and I am afraid what will happen if she never stops to take care of herself. And I know she never will. That was what made her a great Captain, above the rest. She is a servant leader. But that can sometimes be to a fault."

_____

After a long while, they stopped to rest and eat. Eadrid gave Aiyla apples to eat as she sat in front of her on a rock. 

She saw Eowyn approach her from the corner of her eye and quickly reached for another apple, taking a bite as she stood before her.

"Stew?" She held up a bowl of steaming broth.

Eadrid held up her apple. "Thank you though, Eowyn."

She nodded and continued through the camp. 

Eadrid loved Eowyn, but she could not say the same for her cooking. 

She felt someone sit next to her and turned to see Aragorn sitting against the rock she sat on. 

"Your cousin has been very talkative as of late." Aragorn said as they watched her offer out bowls.

"She asked about you." Eadrid said, giving Aiyla another apple.

Aragorn turned to look at Eadrid. "And what did you say?"

"That I did not know if you have a lover."

"Well, I believe she took that as I do not have a lover."

Eadrid shrugged. "I have always thought Faramir suited her."

"The one who was to ask for your hand?"

"Well, yes. And I do not think you would suit her very well either."

"You don't?" Aragorn asked with a brow raised. "And why is that?"

Eadrid turned so that her leg was against his arm. She leaned down so that their eyes were almost level. "Oh, no. You are far too dirty all the time. That kind of man does not suit her at all." She wiped his cheek where there was a smudge of black.

Aragorn smiled. "And you think that suits you?"

Eadrid slid to the ground to sit next to him. "I like men a little rough around the edges, I suppose."

They looked at each other and smiled, not being able to help the pull towards each other.

As a woman walked passed them they immediately moved to sit a little farther from each other, and looked away from each other. 

Eadrid laughed. "I suppose if we do that we won't be so hidden."

"I think you might be right."

"Good." Eadrid stood and faced him. "Then leave."

Aragorn looked confused. 

"If you are near me, I will be much more tempted by you then if you are over there." She whispered and pointed across the camp.

Aragorn smirked and stood up. He was about to move past her when he saw a glint of silver around her neck. He pulled it out from under her cloak and passed his thumb over the emerald flower.

"A gift from Galadriel." Eadrid said. 

"A beautiful gift." He whispered and put it underneath her shirt.

"You must go Aragorn." Eadrid muttered.

Aragorn bowed his head and walked to where Legolas sat, and Eadrid caught his eye.

"You did not see a thing." She said quietly towards Legolas, and she knew he heard her.

Legolas nodded and smiled.