Oriana: The Last High Elf Of Lothlorien

Chapter Twenty-Seven: You look terrible

***3rd POV***

"HELM'S DEEP!? That place still wreaks of dragon and they could not keep those beasts out! Is he still mad?!" Oriana shouted as they went to the stables to leave.

"He wishes to protect his people...though he is probably wrong." Aragorn sighed and Legolas brought out their horse.

Oriana clenched her fists at her sides. "You know what?! I am just-...I am this close to breaking something! This is why I hunt dragons! They're not organized in armies!" Oriana was frustrated, on the brink of trying to stab someone.

Until Legolas walked to her side with the horse. "Look on the bright side, my Lady...Orcs can't breathe fire or fly." He joked as he wrapped an arm around her waist, kissing her temple.

She blushed. "True...very true." She said more quietly. He could always find a way to make her feel better.

***

They were riding to Helm's Deep, Oriana and Legolas were walking ahead of everyone except for two riders scouting ahead.

Legolas was guiding the horse beside them. Oriana was content with the silence. Though it was rudely interrupted by the sound of a warg shrieking.

They ran over the next ridge to see one rider dead, the other fighting. Legolas took out the orc and Oriana mounted their horse. "Oriana! Go with Eowyn and get the people to Helm's Deep." Legolas said, walking to the side of the horse.

He took her hand. "I'm not leaving you!" She said, taking the reins.

She saw the look in his eyes, he wasn't giving her a choice...

***

Oriana was helping a group of children get back to their parents. Helm's Deep still had seared burns on some of the stone walls, a few claw marks here and there.

She shuddered at the memory of facing so many dragons, all the size of great eagles...alone. It was an exciting day, that much was true.

"Come along, young ones! Lady Eowyn has dinner waiting for your hungry bellies." She smiled, hiding her worry well.

The children huddled into the hall to eat and the horn sounded for the men's arrival. Her smile widened to a grin and she took off running down the stairs, even leaping over a few people, landing at the bottom gracefully.

She saw Legolas and didn't think twice about running up and wrapping her arms around his neck, burying her face in his shoulder as his arms encircled her waist to catch her.

He held her very loosely...she knew something was wrong and pulled back, hands on his shoulders. He looked guilty.

"Legolas...why will you not hold me?" She asked cautiously. She took a moment to truly look around. "Where is Aragorn...?" She asked.

Gimli stepped up. "He fell, my Lady...over the cliffs." He said, grief-stricken.

Oriana's eyes began to burn in an instant. "This is a poor jest...Legolas, is it true?" She asked, her eyes welling with tears. "Is it?!" She demanded to know.

He nodded, holding out the Evenstar Pendant that was gifted to Aragorn by her niece. and she broke. "No...no, no, no...Arwen! No!" She cried, hugging her betrothed around his torso this time, his arms wrapping snugly around her shoulders, his chin on top of her head as she cried...mostly for the broken love between Arwen and Aragorn, she had supported them while heartedly from the beginning...

***

She was sharpening Orcrist in the Great Hall. "Mi'lady Dragon Queen...the children asked me to give this to you. A token for saving our people yet again." Eowyn walked up to her, a drawing of the Lonely Mountain...and a red dragon above it, in her hand.

"Erebor? They know the tale?" Oriana asked curiously as she inspected the adorable drawing.

"My Lady, all of Middle Earth, the east especially, remember the story of your imprisonment and triumph against the beast...how you still managed to sing songs of love through that hardship. Were those songs of Legolas? Did he propose after the Battle?" Eowyn asked, her eyes were wide with wonder.

Oriana smiled and shook her head. "I was...well, singing of Thorin Oakenshield, actually. But he is mortal, going to the Undying Lands with my kin for his valor. My betrothal to Legolas is arranged...but I love him just the same." She said sheepishly as she put down her sharpening stone to polish her blade with a cloth.

"Would that make you Queen of Mirkwood...? Or not, as the elves are leaving?" She asked.

Oriana had never truly thought about Legolas' title...

"Truth be told, Eowyn...I couldn't care less about my title. I would love Legolas if we were peasants or homeless paladins...I love him for who, not what he is." Oriana said proudly and bowed her head. Eowyn blushed and took her leave.

She had said that she loved Legolas out loud for the first time...she felt that it was the highest truth...

A horn sounded for someone's arrival, the Hall's doors were pushed open. Aragorn strolled in with determination, covered in dirt and blood.

He saw Oriana and smiled. "You look terrible." She said, still polishing her sword, a grin forming in her face.

"Huh...your betrothed just said the same." He said and she sheathed her blade, walking up to him.

She smacked him upside the head. "That is for making me cry in public!" She yelled, then placed a chaste kiss on his cheek. "And that is for letting Arwen bring you back." She said as she hugged him for a moment.

Time to get down to business of war...