Aragorn's little sister

25

Diana woke up, gasping.

Looking around, she was on a soft bed, in a room with white walls.

Legolas, who was stroking her hair,  sighed in relief when the two locked eyes.

"Legolas?" Diana questioned.

"Diana." Legolas sighed in relief, pulling her body to his. "I thought I lost you."

Diana's mind struggled to remember the details and events of the battle.

"Lizzy!" Diana worried. "Edmund! Are they okay?"

"The kids?" Legolas eyebrows furrowed together in confusion. "They're okay."

Diana nodded in relief. "Why aren't you fighting? We should be out there."

"Hey, love, calm down." Legolas's hand rubbed Diana's arm gently. "We won, the battle's over."

"It is?" Diana repeated.

Legolas nodded with confirmation.

"My hair..." Diana gasped, remembering the final moments before she had passed out, her hand flying up to touch the shorter ends of her hair. Her lips trembled as she rushed up, looking at the nearest mirror. 

Legolas stood up, placing his hand on the small of her back when he saw Diana's lip tremble.

"You still look beautiful, Diana." Legolas whispered. "Your hair will grow back, given time."

Diana nodded, unsure of what the others would think.

"Are the others okay?" Diana wanted to distract herself.

"Yes. Eowyn and Merry were both injured in the battle, but they are healing now." Legolas answered.

Diana nodded, content with the news.

"Gandalf does want to hold a small meeting of what to do next."

□□□

Diana stumbled into a group of children, frightened beyond frightened.

She looked around for a moment, seeing no orcs in her path. Diana crouched down, a gentle smile on her face.

"Come on." She outreached her hand to the small girl and boy. "I'll take you somewhere safer."

The boy hesitantly took Diana's hand, making sure to keep his arm around his sister.

"Good. Now whatever you do, stay close to me, okay?"

"Okay." The boy replied in a small voice. "It'll be alright, Lizzy. We can trust her."

Diana looked down at the children. "Is that your name? Lizzy?"

"Elizabeth." The girl corrected. "My brother's name is Edmund."

Diana's mind flashed back to when she was younger and her brother would take care of her. He still does.

"It's going to be okay, Lizzy, Edmund." Diana told the siblings. "I'll protect you."

The siblings nodded in unison, Edmund gripping onto Diana's cloak as she led the way, avoiding the fighting as best as she could. 

Diana held up a hand, crouching against the wall, seeing orcs battling soldiers.

"I'm scared." Lizzy's body trembled, her eyes filled with tears.

"It'll be okay, Lizzy." Diana whispered to the girl.

As she turned her head to see whether it was safe to go or not, Lizzy clung onto Diana.

Diana seemed to be arguing with herself before placing Lizzy on her hip, holding her close.

"Okay. Let's go." Diana nodded at Edmund, leaving their hiding spot as they continued their trek.

"Diana!" Edmund yelled out, seeing an orc out of the corner of his eye.

Diana's eyes widened as she went to pull out her dagger.

At the same time that she went for her dagger, the orc was able to grab onto her throat as another came into view, grabbing onto a handful of her hair.

Diana struggled, legs kicking, her hold on Lizzy tightening slightly as one of her knives slipped out from her boot.

She didn't want the kids to die. Not when they had their whole lives ahead of them.

"Diana!" Edmund was crying now. "Lizzy!"

Diana met eyes with him, her eyes flashing with reassurance as she grabbed onto a knife from her belt.

"I'm sorry, Lizzy." With full regret, Diana loosened her grip on the girl, letting her drop to the floor.

As soon as Edmund made sure his sister was safe, he lunged up, slashing Diana's knife, up the Orc's stomach.

The moment the orc dropped dead in front of her, Diana took her own knife, cutting her hair just above the orc's hand.

As Edmund lunged forward to kill the second Orc, Diana's legs gave out and she crumpled to the floor.

As her eyes closed, and the world around her darkened, the horns of Rohan sounded.

□□□

"Frodo has passed beyond my sight." Gandalf announced to the people in the throne room of Gondor.

Next to her, Gimli was sitting in the Steward's chair. Legolas was right at her side, his arm wrapped around her waist, bringing her some sort of comfort when everybody saw her now shortened hair.

Eomer stood to his left.

"The darkness is deepening." Gandalf paced around the room.

"If Sauron had the Ring, we would know it." Aragorn was on the other side of the room, back turned to them.

"It's only a matter of time." Gandalf shook his head. "He has suffered a defeat, yes, but behind the walls of Mordor, our enemy is regrouping."

"Let him stay there." Gimli took his pipe out of his mouth. "Let him rot! Why should we care?"

Diana raised her eyebrows at the dwarf. Did he not care about Sam and Frodo at all?

"Because 10,000 Orcs now stand between Frodo and Mount Doom." Gandalf answered.

Gimli let out a puff of smoke, realizing the severity of the wizard's words.

"I've sent him to his death." Gandalf whispered.

"No." Aragorn turned around, his arms falling to his side. "There is still hope for Frodo. He needs time, and safe passage across the the plains of Gorgoroth. We can give him that."

"How?" Gimli was intrigued, interested in what Aragorn had to say.

"Draw out Sauron's armies." Aragorn explained. "Empty his lands. Then we gather our full strength and march on the Black Gate."

Gimli coughed out smoke from his pipe.

"We cannot achieve victory through strength of arms." Eomer walked forward slightly.

"Not for ourselves." Aragorn reminded him. "But we can give Frodo his chance if we keep Sauron's Eye fixed upon us. Keep him blind to all else that moves."

"A diversion." Legolas realized.

"To put it in simpler terms, yes." Diana grinned as she looked up at the elf.

Legolas playfully rolled his eyes at her, smiling at her grin.

"Certainty of death, small chance of success." Gimli spoke up. "What are we waiting for?"

"Sauron will suspect a trap." Gandalf leaned in to speak with Aragorn. "He will not take the bait."

"Oh, I think he will."

__________________________________________________________________________________

I hope you enjoyed this chapter! Feel free to vote and comment, and remember to take care of yourself. Have a great rest of your day!