Out of Sight, Out of Mind//Legolas

Chapter 15; The Ride of the Rohirrim

"I've been to Minas Tirith. And let me tell you, Denethor is not a good ruler, nor a father. I had the pleasure of meeting Faramir, Boromir's younger brother, in an inn one night. Ale left him vulnerable and talkative. The way he told me his father treats him reminds me of my own." Gilan says grimly and leads Aragorn a good distance away from the rest, throwing one arm over the man's shoulders. "If there's a one thing I should teach you, it's how to recognise a fucking moment and not to walk in on it." Gilan's voice turns sour.

"So I did interrupt something!"

"Of course you interrupted something!" Gilan whisper-yells. "What do you think it was?! I was literally singing about kissing, desire and love. What the fuck do you think that was about? Golf?"

"I'm... sorry?"

"You should be." Gilan grumbled and Aragorn laughed, returning back inside to catch up on their restless night.

***

"...and then the dumb idiot bet another 5 coins, so I told him if he doubled it, I'd go all in." Gilan sat by the table in the main hall, surrounded by grinning warriors, Gimli sitting on his left. Legolas and Théoden watched from a distance as the bard entertained the crowd with a story. "But here's the kick. He said he would, but only if I tied my eyes closed." Gimli roared with laughter along with the others. "The guy walked from that fine establishment without his boots and pride and never bothered the lady of the house again." The men wiped their tears of laughter away when suddenly, the door to the hall swings open, Aragorn running in.

"The beacons of Minas Tirith! The beacons are lit! Gondor calls for aid." All eyes that see turn to the king.

"And Rohan will answer! Muster the Rohirrim." Théoden tells Éomer who bows. "Assemble the army at Dunharrow, as many men as can be found. You have two days. On the third, we ride for Gondor and to war."

***

Two days pass and they are ready. Lady walks over to the horse that carries Legolas and Gimli, knowing that her rider grew calmer in the presence of the elf.

"Horse men! I wish I could muster an army of Dwarves, fully armed and filthy." Gimli says and Gilan chuckles, adjusting the straps on his armguard.

"Your kinsmen may have no need to ride to war. I fear war already marches on their own lands." Legolas sighs, then promptly lights back up when he notices Gilan. Gimli sends him an unimpressed look. Aragorn mounts his horse and rides up to the three of them.

"Now is the hour, Riders of Rohan. Oaths you have taken. Now fulfill them all, to Lord and Land!" Éomer calls to the riders and they head out.

***

They camped at Dunharrow, the soldiers started building camp and preparing food. Legolas, Gimli and Gilan were walking amongst them, Legolas and Gilan already managed to hunt down enough deer to feed the riders and Gimli with a few soldiers gathered some wood. Gillan shivers.

"It's quite cold here, isn't it?"

"The horses are restless and the men are quiet." Legolas nodds. Something about the atmosphere of this place was off.

"They grow nervous in the shadow of the mountain." Éomer tells them as he overhears them.

"That road there, where does that lead?" Gimli asks, waving towards the crack in the side of the mountain.

"It is the road to the Dimholt, the door under the mountain." Legolas hums and grips his bow tighter, earning a tilt of a head from Gilan.

"None who venture there ever return. That mountain is evil."

***

Gilan doesn't sleep. The tent he shares with other soldiers is noisy, not mentioning the whole camp, which even in the late hours buzzes with loud noise. Finally, he gives up on his attempts to get rest and walks out of the tent and sits down beside Gimli, who calmly smokes from his pipe. The dwarf snorts at the bard.

"What?" Gilan asks, confused.

"You have a proper bird's nest on your head. Are you sure you want our pampled, proper and fair elf seeing that?"

"Well, all I can do is run my fingers through it and hope for the best." Gilan shrugged and self consciously did so.

"I'm just joking, lad. I have a feeling Legolas couldn't care less." Gimli shoves him to the side a bit and laughs. Aragorn walks by, seemingly in a rush. "Just where do you think you're off to?"

"Not this time. This time you must stay." The man shakes his head and the two stand up.

"Hmm..."

"Right..."

"Have you learnt nothing of the stubbornness of dwarves and bards?" Legolas walks up to them, leading his horse with a cocky smirk.

"You might as well accept it. We're going with you laddie." They walked up to the entrance to the mountain, hearing some of the soldiers mumble as they went. Aragorn explains the plan of calling upon the army of cursed dead.

"Leave the horses, I don't think even Lady would follow me there." Gilan says as they near the crack.

"What kind of army would linger in such a place?"

"One that is cursed. Long ago the men of the mountains swore an oath to the last King of Gondor to come to his aid, to fight. But when the time came, when Gondor's need was dire, they fled, vanishing into the darkness of the mountain. And so Isildur cursed them, never to rest until they had fulfilled their pledge. Who shall call them from the gray twilight, the forgotten people? The heir of him to whom the oath they swore. From the North shall he come, need shall drive him. He shall pass the door to the Paths of the Dead." Legolas explains in a low voice.

"The very warmth of my blood seems stolen away." Gimli shivers and Gilan hears his heart slowly but surely gain speed.

"The way is shut. It was made by those who are dead and the dead keep it. The way is shut."

"I do not fear death!" Aragorn frowns and jogs in, Legolas closely behind.

"To fear the dead I'd have to see them first." Gilan grinns and follows.

"Well this is a thing unheard of. An elf will go underground, where a dwarf dare not. Oh. Oh, I'd never hear the end of it."

Ta da! New chapter is out and I hope you enjoyed it! No song in this one, sorry. And I have a question, do you guys find songs in fanfiction like this cringy or are they alrigh? Let me know in the comments, it's for future projects. Thanks!