Gwendolyn

- 18 | T I M E T O H I T T H E R O A D

The next morning I woke up early and packed the few things I had. I opened my door and walked towards the stables. Legolas joined me halfway. "Good morning," I greeted him. He smiled at me. "Good morning, Gwen. Did you sleep well?"

I shrugged. To be honest, Éowyn's liking to Aragorn didn't really feel good. I saw Legolas staring at me. "You can always talk to me if you want." I sighed. "Éowyn has a thing for Aragorn." Legolas raised his eyebrow. "And I think it's weird," I continued before he could interrupt. "I mean, he's my father and no offense but he's too old for her, right?"

Legolas pulled me into him and laid his chin on my head. "Aragorn would never feel the same way as she does. Your father loves your mother with all his heart." I smiled and buried my head into his chest. I quite like the feeling of that.

We both led go and he guided me to the stables. "There is someone I would like you to meet." He began and he opened the door of the stable so that I could enter. A beautiful black stallion looked up and walked over to me. I held out my hand so he could smell me.

"He is beautiful," I whispered. Legolas smiled. "He's yours." I turned to him, my mouth hung slightly open. "Really?"

He nodded and I jumped in his arms. "Thank you, thank you, thank you!"

He laughed and put his arms around me. "You're welcome."

I looked back at the black stallion and rubbed his pelt. "Now, how will I call you?" I murmured. I looked into his brown eyes. "Thorin," I whispered, "like the Thorin from Bilbo's tale."

I took his saddle and his reins and put them on, while Legolas went to get his horse. I leaded Thorin out of his stable towards Éowyn who stood with her horse.

"Everything settled?" I asked. She looked at me and smiled slightly. "Yes."

We leaded our horses outside and I mounted Thorin while Éowyn decided to walk so that Gimli could sit on the horse. I decided to ride next to Aragorn.

"It's true you don't see many Dwarf women," Gimli started the conversation, "And in fact, they are so alike in voice and appearance, that they are often mistaken for men."

Éowyn and I looked at Aragorn, not really knowing what he meant by that. Aragorn gestured at his beard. "It's the beards..." I laughed and looked back at Gimli who was continuing as if no one had interrupted him.

"And this, in turn, has given rise to belief that there are no Dwarf women. And that dwarves just spring out of holes in the ground!" Gimli exclaimed.

Éowyn and I laughed at this. "Which is of course ridiculous." Gimli ended, laughing with us. "Whoah!" Gimli yelled while the horse ran off.

I fastened my horse and rode after him. I took his reins and calmed his horse.

"Easy, Easy, big boy. Everything is alright."

Éowyn ran towards us, laughing, and took over Gimli's reins. She looked back at Aragorn and I rolled my eyes. Though she was a good friend of mine, she just couldn't accept it. I decided to ride over to Legolas.

Legolas acknowledge me with a smile and I gave him one back. When we arrived to the place where we would build our camp, we dismounted and leaded our horses over to where Aragorn's horse stood.

After we took care of our horses, Legolas went to Gimli and I strode over to Aragorn. I sat down next to him and put my head on his shoulder. He froze for a second but put his arm over my shoulder. "Long day?" He asked. I sighed and nodded. "I see you and Legolas became close." I blushed and looked down. "We are," I agreed. "I there something I need to know? I mean I know I haven't really the right to ask, but I don't know."

I saw him struggling and smiled. "There is nothing between us, we're just really good friends." Before he could reply, Éowyn walked over with two bowls of soup.

"I made some stew," she began, "it isn't much but it is warm." I knew she asked us if we wanted some but she mainly looked at Aragorn. I sighed irritated. I'm here too! I shook my head while looking in the bowls. "No, thank you."

Aragorn wasn't as smart as me and accepted a bowl. "Thank you, my lady."

I tried not to burst out laughing when he tasted the soup. He looked like he could puke it out any moment.

"It's good," he told her but I saw through his lie. Liar.

Éowyn turned around, ready to leave while Aragorn tried to throw the soup away, when she turned back towards us what caused Aragorn to stop abruptly and he burned his hand. I put my hand on my mouth to prevent me from laughing.

"My uncle told me a strange thing," she began, "he said you rode to war with Thengel, my grandfather, but he must be mistaken."

"King Théoden has a good memory," Aragorn replied, still feeling the pain of the hot soup, "he was only a small child at the time."

I took my water bottle and summoned some water out of it. I carefully guided it to Aragorn's hand and saw the he relaxed once the cold water touched his burned hand. He smiled thankfully at me and I nodded.

Éowyn kneeled in front of him, not quite believing what she just heard. "Then you must be at least sixty." When Aragorn didn't reply she widened her eyes. "Seventy? But you cannot be eighty!"

"Eighty-seven," he replied and I laughed. He gave me a look and I quickly stopped.

"You are one of the Dunédain," she realized. "A descendent of Numénor, blessed with long life." Aragorn nodded and Éowyn continued. "It was said that your race had passed into legend." I saw him looking down and I put my hand on his shoulder to support him.

"There are few of us left," he replied. "The Northern kingdom was destroyed long ago."

"I'm sorry," Éowyn said. "Please, eat." She walked away and I burst out laughing. "Do you want a bite," Aragorn asked, eyes sparkling, and he held out his spoon. I crawled away, trying to avoid the evil spoon. "Please don't," I cried jokingly. He came closer. "Come on! It won't bite you," he replied teasingly.

Legolas walked by and I walked over to him, hoping to hide behind him. "Please protect me from the evil spoon," I begged, laughing when Aragorn stood up to come and get me. We ran around Legolas who scooped me up. "No!" I yelled, trying to get free. "Not the spoon!" By this time everyone around us burst out laughing.

I smiled at Legolas and Aragorn, glad I could call them family.