Stars (A Legolas Love Story and Lord of the Rings Fanfiction)

"You need to rest."

The second I got to the place where my blanket was, I rolled it up swiftly. I pulled over my saddlebags from against the wall and began to fill them with my belongings.

"You know we aren't leaving for a few more hours, right?" Legolas walked up to me and crouched down to get his own things.

"I know, I'm just....anxious, I guess." I stopped and closed my eyes for a second.

"Why?"
He busied himself with rolling up his own blanket as he spoke.

"This might be the last battle of Middle Earth, Legolas. It's a big deal, and we have no idea of the numbers that we're up against."
I looked at him worriedly.

"Kat, you're an amazing fighter. You have nothing to worry about, and we'll definitely win. Good always does."
He glanced at me for a moment with a smile.

"Does it, though?" I muttered, keeping my eyes down.

"Katherine." Legolas fixed his gaze on me.

"What?" I mumbled, daring to look up for a second.

"Sauron won't win. The beacons, Théoden's answer, they all mean that Middle Earth is uniting against this evil. There is no possible way that this could end in the Eye's favor."

"Alright." I said, continuing to pack. I didn't completely believe him, but it was nice that he was the one encouraging me to have hope, not the other way around like before.

We were headed to Dunharrow, a common meeting place near Minas Tirith for Rohan soldiers to gather before marching to the aid of Gondor.

It was chaos outside, men climbing onto horses, spears being handed out, footmen with shields on their backs, all of them lined up to leave.

Éomer rode out with a few men to go get more soldiers scattered across Rohan, Gamling leaving in the opposite direction to do the same.

As I walked up and started to saddle Firefoot, I was reminded of the first time I had met Théodred.
He had been the first to teach me about riding a horse.

*flashback*

It was my second day at the palace ever since the King's brother had taken me in.

I decided to spend some time in the stables and had foolishly made up my mind to go riding. Never before had I ridden a horse, let alone touched one, but I was determined to learn.

I had found a pony, but even that was tall for me as I tried to swing up the heavy saddle onto it's back.

"Hey, easy there. You're going to hurt yourself. Let me help."
An older boy walked up and took the saddle from me.

"I don't need help." I said quietly, hoping he wouldn't pick on my small size like the boys in the village always did.

"Of course you don't, but it looks like you don't even know how to saddle a pony to begin with. Haven't you ever ridden before?" He bent his knees to be down at my level.

"No." I said shyly, shuffling the dirt on the ground with my foot.

"What's your name?"

"Katherine." I looked up at him.
"What's your name?"

"Théodred, but you can call me Ted for short." Théodred smiled down at me.

"Wish I had a name as fancy as Théodred." I said boldly.

"Well, how old are you?"
Ted asked.