The Return of Ringil[COMPLETED]

Chapter XVII

Third person's point of view.

The villagers were headed towards Helm's Deep. Their King and Prince riding and trotting along the outsides of the colony. The female elf keeping an eye out for the prince as she was taught never to leave an injured person alone until they've recovered completely. Celeblasdes had Gimli and Èowyn riding next to her and Theodred, the dwarf was explaining the concept of Dwarf women to the young shield maiden.

"It's true you don't see many dwarf women. And in fact, they are so alike in voice and appearance, they are often mistaken for dwarf men." Èowyn looked back at Aragorn who rode behind them and he made a gesture and whispered, "It's the beards." and Èowyn had to hold in her laughter. "And this, in turn, has given rise to the belief that there are no dwarf women."

Gesturing with his hands he added, "And the dwarves just spring out of holes in the ground!" Bursting into a fit of laughter, both Theodred and his cousin roared in laughter. Laughing with them Gimli added, "Which is of course ridiculous. Whoa!"

Before his and Legolas' horse took off making the stout Dwarf fall off. Chasing the horse Celeblasdes giggled as Theodred followed and helped while Èowyn helped Gimli. "It's all right! It's all right. Nobody panic. That was deliberate. It was deliberate." the Dwarf said as he sat up.

Theoden rode next to Aragorn and he spoke softly to avoid Èowyn and Theodred from overhearing. "I have not seen my niece smile in a long time. She was a girl when they brought her father back dead. Cut down by Orcs." Aragorn looked to the king and frowned,

"She watched her mother succumb to grief. And she was left alone to tend her king in growing fear. Doomed to wait upon an old man who should have loved her as a father." Èowyn looked back at her uncle and Aragorn and smiled. But it faded when she saw the looks on their faces.

***

The refugees have camped. And Èowyn is carrying around a pot of stew those of Rohan knew to avoid the girl's cooking. Celeblasdes and Theodred walking with her were the first to test the food, and when they saw someone about to take the girl up on her offer they would wave them off and make silent gestures to tell them it would kill them before making them feel better. Gimli having caught a whiff of the 'stew' declined much too quickly but politely anyway.

Èowyn seeing Aragorn seated at his tiny campsite went to offer him some stew, Theodred being called to by some soldier was going in another direction, trusting he'd be fine Celeblasdes rushed after the young girl but it was too late he already had the bowl of stew and the spoon was at his mouth, Celeblasdes watch slightly disgusted and sorry for Aragorn as he wasn't warned like the others. As Èowyn began to walk away. Aragorn turns to pour out the stew, but Èowyn turns around. He recovers but spills some on his hand and legs partly burning himself.

"My Uncle told me a strange thing. He said that you rode to war with Thengel, my grandfather. But he must be mistaken." Aragorn smiled knowingly and nodded, "King Théoden has a good memory. He was only a small child at the time." The young woman looked closer at Aragorn before she said, "Then you must be at least sixty. Seventy? But you cannot be eighty!" she said going up in the age when she wasn't close enough. Giving her a tight lipped smile Aragorn opened his mouth to tell her but Celeblasdes said it first.

"He's eighty-seven." Èowyn looked to the silver-blond elf and her eyes widened, finally realizing why he would be so old while only looking like he was in his thirties she said it softly, "You are one of the Dúnedain. A descendant of Númenor, blessed with long life. It was said that your race had passed into legend." Aragorn nodded and Celeblasdes handed him a cloth to clean his hands while she held his bowl. "There are few of us left. The Northern Kingdom was destroyed long ago." Aragorn said keeping the conversation going while he wiped off the stew.

"I'm sorry. Please eat!" she said when he looked upset about his people being gone. "Hey, um Èowyn could you make sure your cousin isn't over working himself please." the girl nodded and left taking her death stew with her, when the girl was far enough way Aragorn sighed and put the bowl down and held his hands out to Celeblasdes, "What would I do without you." he said into her neck as she wrapped her arm around his neck. "I don't know, the same only much more boringly." he chuckled and kissed her exposed skin sending chills down her back.