Farren sat beside Aragorn as Theoden toasted the fallen from the battle, she was purposely ignoring the gazes of both Legolas and Eomer, the two had glared at each other the whole way back to Edoras. Farren couldn't quite understand either of their anger at each other, both had helped each other at Helms Deep. She sighed quietly leaning into Aragorn as the party began to get loud, she would never understand men all the time.
A squeal made Farren jump, Aragorn's arm around her shoulders slipping as Farren was tackled into a hug by Eowyn. They hadn't seen each other since before the battle, Farren leaving for Isengard before Eowyn had finished getting everyone back out of the tunnels. Farren was also aware of Eowyn's crush on her brother and reminded herself to talk to the girl before it got too messy Aragorn would never love anyone like Arwen, not even a strong-willed maiden such as Eowyn.
Eowyn's eyes were on Aragorn as she raised a cup towards him, the tension in the air palpable. Farren shifted awkwardly as her friend gazed up at her brother, while Aragorn himself looked split between gratitude and solum awkwardness.
Before Farren could awkwardly cough a strong hand pulled her away and onto the dance floor, blonde hair falling into her face as she looked up into blue eyes, a smile on their face.
Eomer's hands were steady on her hips as he spun her into the dance, and despite the echoes of Saruman's words in her head Farren laughed, joining in happily with the fast pace dance that had the two of them spinning and moving so quickly that space was cleared for them. Farren tossed her head back laughing at the ceiling as Eomer's hands gripped her wats lifting her into a spin. They both knew this dance, had danced in several times all those years ago.
People were watching the pair, clapping to the beat and cheering them on. Farren caught a glimpse of Pippen ad Merry in the corner doing a jig with tankards of mead in their hands, she saw Gimli smiling at her from a stool near the bar.
She caught Aragorn's gaze, her brother's eyes twinkling with amusement and laughter his eyes flicking from her to something behind her. Confused Farren turned her head towards the doorway where Aragorn seemed to be looking. She caught a glimpse of Legolas, leant against the doorframe, arms crossed a sour expression on his face as he watched the dance floor. She only got a glimpse of him before the dance swept him from her line of vision.
The song finally camp to an end, both Farren and Eomer were panting half out of exertion half out of their laughter, Farren's arms were still around his neck, his breath gentle on her face. She was aware of noise around them, of other couples dancing to a new beat and the hum of voices. But her ears tuned it all out she looked up at Eomer who was already gazing into her eyes, both their chest heaving. Her own chest was pressed to his own she could feel his heartbeat racing as much as hers.
For a second Eomer's blonde hair became shaggy, and she gazed in Fili's eyes, but the image faded quickly. Eomer's arms made her feel safe, just like Aragorn's did. Their faces were very close, she could feel her cheeks warming as his gaze slipped to her lips and then back to her eyes. Farren allowed her own gaze to drop to Eomer's lips then back to his eyes. His eyes had darkened, they now resembled a deep ocean, powerful rolling waves crashing within them.
He leaned in slowly, giving her time to pull away. She didn't. Instead, her eyes fluttered closed, hands curling into the hair at the nape of his neck. Chapped lips brushed her own soft ones, hesitant and wary, she could smell fresh grass and forest air on him. She pressed her own lips more firmly and the dam seemed to break his hands slid up her back to tangle in her hair, she gasped, and he swallowed the sound.
A loud thump had the two of them jumping apart, a well-aimed empty tinkered at been thrown at Eomer, at exactly the right angle to have him stumble sideways into a barrel of mead. Farren stood for a few second in shock, her lips still tingling as she took in Eomer who now dripped with mead get grabbed by some of his laughing friends, they seemed to be pulling him away to get him cleared up.
The tankard had been thrown with an accuracy that only one person in this room could have achieved, the exact angle to not his Farren but with enough force to have him topple sideways. Farren spun towards the doorway where Legolas's was mid turn towards a Rohan soldier and began to vehemently engage in conversation.
Anger thrummed through her, she ignored Aragorn's hand that tried to grab her wrist, instead she made her way towards Legolas whose eyes kept flicking to her despite his conversation, the man who he was talking to saw Farren coming and ducked away into the crowd leaving Legolas alone to face her incredulity.
Her opened his mouth to speak but she reached up and grabbed one of his pointy ears and dragged him out of the room into the cool night air, the moonlight bathing the empty patio. Farren pushed Legolas away and crossed her hands over her chest tightly, Legolas's eyes widen as he quickly raised his gaze to her face.
"Pray tell Prince Legolas, what in Mordor was that about?" she said her voice dangerously calm; she knew from Aragorn that shouting in anger never got anyone anywhere. Legolas fidgeted; the usually confident prince had the decency to look a little meek.
"He was kissing you..." Farren raised her eyebrows,
"So? I was kissing him back" Legolas actually flinched, his eyes lost their brightness, the blue clouding to the colour of raindrops. Farren immediately gripped his hand, her heart clenched with worry, "Legolas? What wrong?" she asked urgently.
"I guess I don't matter to you" Farren took a step back in shock, a sting mow behind her own eyes, heart-clenching painfully in her chest.
"What are you talking about? Of course, you're important to me. I love you Legolas" she threw her arms around him tightly, she wasn't going to lose him again, not when she needed him as much as she needed the air in her lungs.
Legolas gripped her tightly his hands running down her raven curls, his breath tickling her earlobe. "You don't mean that in the way I do", His voice was soft in her ears, the only other time she had heard this softness was when he had talked about Tauriel's death. They pulled back looking at each other, Legolas' fae seemed to glow in the moonlight, he reached up using one finger to wipe the tear that trailed down her cheek.
"I'm sorry I'm not Tauriel" Farren whispered another two tears escaping from her eyes, Legolas calmly brushing them away.
"I will never feel the same way about you as I did Tauriel".
For some reason Farren felt like he had stabbed her in the chest with a knife, Legolas opened his mouth as if to say something else, but a scream split the air causing the two to turn rapidly towards the sleeping quarters.
Farren and Legolas raced through the now empty and silent halls, into Pippen's bedroom where Aragorn was ripping the Palantir out of the Hobbit's hands, he groaned and spasmed. Before sending the ball rolling across the floor where a now awake Gandalf threw a blanket over it.
Farren dropped to her knees pulling Pippen's head into her lap, stroking his hair gently. He was stone cold, heart racing so fast she could physically see a vein in his neck jumping with ever sporadic pulse. Legolas was helping Aragorn to his feet both friends looked to where Gandalf came to crouch in front of Pippen and Farren. Gandalf's gaze was grave as he looked into Pippen's eyes his voice low and carried a hint of fear.
"What did you tell him of Frodo and the Ring?"
Pippen shook but he met Gandalf's gaze. Farren whispered comforting words into his ear, Merry watched from his bed, next to Aragorn who had his arm around the second hobbit.
"Nothing. Nothing at all" Pippen gasped out. Gandalf gazed at him for a few seconds, his eyes seemed to look into Pippen's mind before the wizard nodded.
"Get a few hours of sleep. We have much to do at dawn" he said picking up the covered Palantir and exiting the room. Pippen was still shaking as Gimli dragged Legolas out of the room murmuring something to her brother.
Farren picked Pippen up and placed him in bed, then slid in next to him, stroking his hair she began to sing quietly. Soon the terrified hobbit's eyes drooped, and his muscles unclenched as he slipped into sleep. Aragorn remained by the door watching Farren carefully, when Pippen had fallen asleep Farren slipped out of the covers, her won tiredness clogging up her brain.
A steady hand took hers, leading her back to her own room, where Eowyn was still fast asleep her blonde hair covering the pillow in a blanket of silken gold. Aragorn gently kissed her forehead before leaving her alone in the shadows, Legolas's words still ringing through Farren's tired mind.
"I will never feel the same way about you as I did Tauriel".
Why did her heart shatter at those words?
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A/N Awwww noo this is so painful to write, like I really want to give them a happy ending but I also need them to suffer! I hope you enjoyed this chapter, we have quite a lot of Legolas and Farren fluff. I have no idea what their ship name would be, any ideas?
This was genuinely such a fun chapter to write with jealous Legolas and Eomer really not reading the room.
I'm going to try and update on Tuesday. I hope you have a lovely day/night! Thank you so much for almost 8k reads which is crazy!
Wren