Aleana and Aragorn

Chapter 35

***Aragorn POV***

We had set up a tent in which we had taken Aleana. She was still trembling and small whimpers were leaving her lips. I had ushered everyone else outside and moved to remove her tunic and shirt, immediately drawing back when my eyes fell on her bare stomach. 

Red, angry welts criss crossed each other. Why had he done this? Why was he hurting her so much? Without another thought, I quickly grab some water and a cloth, wiping away the blood and muttering Elvish words to heal her wounds. They slowly began closing and she moaned in pain as they did so. Soon they were all closed, leaving behind scars, and Aleana fell into a more peaceful slumber. 

I sit beside her, watching her and hating myself for what I had said to her. 

"Aragorn," I hear Legolas ask from outside, "can we come in?"

I had already covered Aleana so I answer a yes and he and Gimli enter. They take a seat beside Aleana as well. I can feel their eyes on me, but I refuse to take mine off Aleana. 

"Aragorn, what happened between you and Aleana-"

"I know," I cut off Legolas, "I do not know why I said such things. I wish I hadn't. I also know she went through this because of me. When her emotions are muddled, it is easier for him to find a way into her mind."

"She loves you Aragorn. She has lived longer than anyone of us, has had plenty of time to fall in love with anyone. She chose you, her heart chose you. Please treasure it as she deserves."

I nod before standing, "look after her, I will apologize to her once we get to Helm's Deep." And with that I leave. 

...

We had begun moving again. I look back to see Aleana walking beside Legolas. She had calmed down, yet in her eyes there was still a vacancy, a dimness. When she had emerged from the tent, she had looked to me, only to have me avoid her gaze. I felt guilty, but when I looked back to see her dejected features, I realized that my avoidance was causing her more pain. 

Before I could go speak with her, Theoden was already moving us, and thus we fell in line and neither spoke a word to each other. The one thing I was at ease with was that Legolas stood beside her. 

I ride a little ahead when I see Legolas sprint past me. I look surprised and follow him, only to see him shoot a Warg dead with his arrow. Quickly, I turn around and ride back to Theoden.

"What is it," Theoden asks alarmed, "what do you see?"

"Warg! We're under attack!"

***Aleana POV***

I look up at Aragorn's shouts of wargs as the people of Rohan begin to panic. His eyes meet mine as the soldiers assemble.

"Get them out of here," he yells to me, and I nod. I turn to Eowyn, getting her help and ushering the people back, taking another path towards Helm's Deep. As Eowyn leads them, I stop and turn back, wanting to tell Aragorn that I love him, that I cared, that I needed him. I wanted to tell him to come back to me, but he was already gone over the hill to fight. 

With a heavy feeling in my heart, I helped the people of Rohan quickly make their way down the path. Eowyn's shouts has me running towards the front and I see three riders on Wargs headed towards us.

"Lead the people to Helm's Deep, and make haste," I yell to Eowyn and she nods as I draw my bow. 

I run towards the advancing enemy and quickly load my bow, releasing the arrow just as fast as pulling it back. It strikes the first rider and he falls to the ground dead. His warg still runs with the others as they come at me. Loading two more arrows, I knock the other two riders dead as well, having to deal with just three of the wargs. 

They bound towards me at breakneck speed and I put my bow back and unsheath my sword instead. The first warg runs at me, his mouth gaping wide, ready to bite, but I bring my sword up into his mouth. It ran straight through the top of his mouth and out. He lets out a whimper and falls. Quickly, I take my sword out of his mouth and turn to see the other two close the distance between us.

I swipe my sword up and manage to get a cut on one of their faces. He moves back at the sudden pain and I quickly twirl, catching the other one on his throat. He lets out a gurgled roar and falls to the ground dead. I turn, facing the last one, the cut on his face bleeding as he seemed to glare at me. I twirl the sword in my hand, anticipating his moves, as he stalked towards me slowly. 

In the next moment the warg pounces towards me, but I manage to quickly bring my sword up, running it through his chest. Just like that, he was dead. I take out my sword, wiping it clean on his pelt before sheathing it once more and running towards Helm's Deep. 

...

When I reach Helm's Deep, I see Eowyn had lead everyone there safely. I run through the gates and up to where she stood, helping others. She looks up and spots me, a huge smile breaking across her face as she runs towards me. I take her in my arms and feel her relax in my embrace. 

"You did wonderful Eowyn. They are safe." 

She draws back and looks at me with a smile. Just then Gamling's voice is heard and we both turn towards it.

"Make way for the king. Make way for Theoden. Make way for the king." 

Eowyn and I look to each other before we both turn and run down the stairs towards them. I see Theoden, Legolas and Gimli and the other soldiers. So few had returned, but my eyes sought to find Aragorn, not seeing him among them. 

"So few," Eowyn says to Theoden, "so few of you have returned." 

"Our people are safe. We have paid for it with many lives," he answers. 

Gimli and Legolas walk up to me and I turn to look at them, their eyes cast down and grief etched on their faces. I am about to ask them of Aragorn's whereabouts, but Eowyn speaks first.

"Lord Aragorn...where is he," she asks and Gimli looks up at me.

"He fell," he says, sadness weighing his words. 

I look up to Legolas, not believing Gimli, only to see him holding the light of Valinor I gave to Aragorn. He holds it out to me, wanting me to take it, but I stumble back away from it. This could not be happening. Aragorn could not leave me. This could not happen! Our last words to each other were those of anger. I could not lose him, not like this. 

Tears fill my eyes as a furious anger takes hold in my mind. I stumble away from Legolas and Gimli, before turning around and pushing myself through the crowds of people, hearing my name behind me. I run as Sauron's voice fills my mind once more, feeding the brewing anger. I run away from the people, wanting to keep them safe, and into an abandoned chamber on the far corner of Helm's deep. There was no one around and I lock myself in, clutching my head and trying my best to keep Sauron from taking over. 

A/n: Aragorn NO!!!!! I literally died at this part when I watched the movie. Also I just realized that if I was to say Aleana grew up with Eowyn and the others, that would not make her older than everyone else. SO to kinda fix this plot hole, we will say that Aleana grows at a different rate than the others. For her 100 years is the equivalence to one year for the race of Men. I think that fixes it... Hope you like it!

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