The Dame of Dúnedain

Reunited

Alaina had fallen asleep with her arms around Legolas on the back of the horse. Her head rested on his shoulder blade. As soon as Helm's Deep was in sight he whispered, "Alaina, wake up."

Alaina blinked a few times, letting the sight of Helm's Deep be the first thing she saw. As the horses walked up the long stone pathway to the fortress, Legolas whispered once more, "They need you now, Alaina. Gondor needs you. Middle Earth needs you."

That gave her enough motivation to put off grieving for as long as this war would rage on. But something felt weird, Aragorn didn't feel gone. Her thoughts were interrupted— "Make way for the king!" A man yelled as they arrived at Helm's Deep. 

The gates opened and the people in the streets made way. They stopped their horse next to Théoden's. The king dismounted and so did Legolas, helping Alaina down. Éowyn greeted them but her smile faded fast, "So few.. So few of you have returned."

"Alaina, your hands," Legolas said, turning her palms over to reveal her bloodied hands from hanging onto the cliff.

Alaina took them away, "I'm all right. I will bandage them up later."

Théoden looked at his niece bitterly, "Our people are safe. We have paid for it with many lives."

Alaina heard Gimli tell Éowyn what happened as her and Legolas followed Rohan's king up the steps. Alaina turned to look at her for a moment but decided not to bother, continuing up the steps with Legolas close behind.

Legolas closed the door to a warm room with Alaina, finally getting away from the guards and the Rohan people asking questions. Alaina sat on a bench as Legolas grabbed a bowl of water and a cloth and put it down next to her. 

He knelt down in front of her legs, grabbing the cloth and dipping it in the water, and grabbing her hand, beginning to wipe the blood off. Alaina looked at Legolas curiously, "Do you still think about Tauriel often?"

Legolas' head whipped upwards, "How do you know her name?"

Alaina parted her lips to speak but paused, getting a bit lost in Legolas' blue eyes. "You used to mutter her name in your sleep.. when we first met."

Legolas only nodded, looking back down at her hands, "Why didn't you ever ask about her? Didn't you want to know?"

Alaina scoffed, "Of course I did. But I find that people are more likely to tell you things when you don't ask."

Legolas laughed, "How manipulative of you."

Alaina shrugged and it went silent as she watched his smile slowly fade. Wanting to hold on to any image of him smile in her mind. "You didn't answer my question."

Legolas shook his head, "No, I haven't thought about her since we left Rivendell. And for a long time before that, not since I met you."

Alaina's heart sort jumped out of her chest and the idea of her and Legolas being together crossed her mind for the first time. She always knew she had feelings for him, but she didn't know there would even be the possible chance of him returning those feelings. Or the possible chance of them being able to be together. He would have to leave Middle Earth with his people at some point, and she would be here. She didn't want to be in Aragorn and Arwen's situation.

Legolas looked back up at her, cutting off Alaina's thoughts. He took the cloth and gentle wiped the orc blood that had dried on her face. Alaina's mind did something the took even herself off guard, her hand went up and grabbed his. His lips parted for a moment but they instantly disconnected when the door swung open.

Éowyn walked in holding some bandages, "Oh, I'm sorry, I didn't mean to interrupt anything." 

Legolas shook his head, standing up, "It's all right. You didn't interrupt anything."

Éowyn simply nodded, not really believing him, "Here are the bandages you asked for." Éowyn handed over some bandage cloths and Legolas bowed his head, muttering a small thank you.

The Elf walked back to Alaina and knelt back down in front of her, beginning to wrap her hands with the cloth. Éowyn watched curiously, "Are you all right, my Lady?"

Alaina was starting to get sick of being called 'my Lady'. Alaina nodded, holding up the hand Legolas wasn't working on, "Just battle wounds."

Éowyn raised her head slightly, "I wish I could've been there to help."

Alaina shook her head, "No, you don't."

Éowyn gave a look of confusion. "I do, I could've helped. I am a good fighter."

Alaina smiled slightly, "I don't doubt it." She paused and watched Legolas' reaction, he did nothing, just continued to wrap up her hands. "But nobody wishes to be in battle."

Éowyn stood tall, confident, "You didn't have to go, you could have stayed and brought the people here."

Alaina smiled kindly at the girl in front of her, "I did do that. For the first thirty years of my life." Legolas became interested all of the sudden, listening to the conversation closely. "But I'm one of Isildur's last living heirs. Most likely the last living heir. I have a name to live up to and people to protect." Alaina paused, thinking about how she wasn't able to save Aragorn. 

Éowyn felt bad now, for bringing up Alaina's past. But she protested nonetheless, "I have people to protect too. What gives you the right to fight in battle but not me?"

Alaina crack her neck for a moment, rolling her head to relax herself. She sighed, "I've spent the last fifty-seven years proving myself and learning from the best. That's what gives me the right." Legolas finished the wrap and Alaina instantly stood up, walking over to Éowyn, "You are a shieldmaiden. I am a warrior and ranger of the North. They allow me in battle because they know that I'll save more lives than risk them."

Next to each other they looked very different. Almost complete opposites. Éowyn wore a dress, Alaina wore pants and a belt with knives on it along with boots and a cloak. Alaina's hard was dark and Éowyn's was blonde.

Alaina realized she was taking her emotions out on Éowyn and took a deep breath, looking at the disappointed girl in front of her. "I've fought with a lot of women like you, Éowyn. Some of them have failed in battle and some of them haven't. But I, myself, will not allow you in battle until you can prove that you will not risk lives, but save them."

Alaina walked out, followed by Legolas who gave Éowyn an apologetic look. As they walked into the hall, "You shouldn't have been so hard on her," Legolas said.

Alaina turned around sharply, Legolas stopped in his tracks. "Elves are different from women, Legolas. They are trained to be ladies from when they are born, not warriors. And if by chance they learn to fight with precise skill, then I will be so glad to fight alongside them, but most women freeze on the battlefield."

Legolas watched as Alaina began to walk away again, and he, being the only person to willingly challenge her, grabbed her wrist, stopping her in her tracks, "You still shouldn't have been so hard on her."

Alaina gulped, looking him in the eyes, she was about to speak when they heard cheering coming from the streets outside of the keep. Alaina and Legolas looked at each other confusingly before running outside, they ran down the steps to see Aragorn, who looked as though he had been through hell and back.

He looked up at Alaina who had frozen in her tracks. His chest heaved up and down as he was the first to move, walking to her and wrapping his arms around his sister. Legolas smiled happily at the reunion.

Alaina wrapped her arms around him tightly, as if she was trying to grab more of him. "I can't believe you're alive."

Aragorn smiled into her shoulder, "I can't either," he let go of her and grabbed her face, "The last thing I saw was you hanging from the cliff, I am just glad you're okay."

Alaina grew the biggest smile on her face as Aragorn then turned to Legolas, "You're late," the elf said, smiling. He looked Aragorn up and down, "You look terrible."

Alaina laughed along with the two boys as Legolas grabbed Aragorn's hand and put the Evenstar necklace in it. Aragorn pat Legolas on the shoulder, "Hannon le."

"I must speak to the king," Aragorn declared, walking past his sister and the elf and barging into the keep.