Chapter 25
I woke the next morning to an empty room. I looked around the room and even on the balcony ledge, but no one was around. I lifted my body up so I was sat up and then pulled back the covers, slowly twisting my legs around so they were hanging off the bed. I thought about my dreams that I had last night. I had had a normal one where I was riding out over the plains with my father and Leonan but then after waking up and attempting to go back to sleep I dreamt of after the battle. I was piling up the bodies of men and all my loved ones, friends and family, were all piled up.
I shook the dream out of my head and remembered I hadn’t gone to bed with trousers on. My bag had been placed on the floor next to my bed and so I dragged it closer to me, unzipping it and pulling out a pair of trousers. I went to stand up but there was still a bit of pain in my hip. I grabbed halt of the bed post and caught my balance. Once I was steady, I began to put my trousers on, buttoning them up at the top and placing a belt loosely around so it didn’t hurt. I hesitated to put my sword belt on but my swords didn’t weigh a lot so I attached it on. I finished clothing myself and threw my hair up into a bun and found that someone had left me two crunches by the balcony. I steadily walked over to the balcony and looked out to find it was well into the next day, I would have guessed just passed midday.
I took one of the crunches, as I felt I didn’t need the two, and armed myself with my bow. After I eventually got out the door and into the corridor, I began to see that a lot of the women and children were back from the mountains and returning to what was left of their homes. I tried to walk down the corridor as best as I could until I reached the stairs. I took a deep breath in and then began down the stairs. I had to admit, it was a little uncomfortable but by grinding my teeth, I managed the stairs. When I got to the bottom I had to give myself a little breather. It seemed quite quiet for a change. I carried on through the bottom corridor, passing a kitchen and other bedrooms until I reached the main hall where tables were set out again. Food covered the tables, the smells filling the room and men were sat around them.
I looked over to the table in the corner to see the fellowship sat down eating, king Theoden, Eomer and a few of his men also sat with them. Legolas spotted me and he got up from his seat. I began my way over to him and he met me halfway. He placed one hand on my waist and the other on my cheek.
“You should be resting my love,” he said sweetly. I chuckled to myself as I reached up a little to kiss him good morning.
“I’m fine, honestly. Besides, I couldn’t miss beautiful food like this could I?” he joked. He looked at me seriously but when he knew that I wouldn’t go back up to my bed he sighed and took my arm in his, supporting me as he led me over to the table. He helped me down onto the bench next to Aragorn and leant the crunch against the wall. Everyone was cheery and food was given to me left right and centre. I wasn’t used to having so much attention put on me at once and I felt a little overwhelmed. I wanted to make myself look like I was perfectly fine and remembering the convocation that Legolas and Aragorn were having last night, I wanted to make it look like I was being very sociable.
I ate the lovely food that was being served, the crunchy salads, the tiers of toast, the meat mixed in sauces and spicy, I ate a lot. One of the men who were sat next to Eomer offered me wine but I declined. I didn’t tend to drink if I could help. Of all the years travelling, I have never felt comfortable where I was to drink in case I got drunk and something was to happen, like an attack on the village. Thankfully, Aragorn read my mind for me and declined it for me, instead giving me a nice cold glass a grape juice.
“I may be rude by asking, but are you two related?” Theoden’s men asked, looking in the direction of Aragorn and me. I looked at Aragorn and he shrugged his shoulders, what trouble could it be telling these men, they already knew we were all close.
“She is my niece,” Aragorn answered. The man clapped his hands together, looking at the other man like he’d gotten something right.
“I knew it; I said to these that you must have been related. You have the same eyes and you fight like each other. I knew it,” He ranted. I raised an eyebrow a little and then looked at Aragorn. I looked into his eyes, and like the man had said, seen almost a reflection of mine. I thought back to when Aragorn didn’t know who I was, and I saw him properly for the first time. I had seen my reflection in his, almost like a mirror. It appeared that I was staring at Aragorn and I blushed a little before looking away and drinking from the glass.
After we had all eaten, Theoden, Eomer and Gandalf stayed in the main hall and then everyone either went back up to the room or out into the streets of the keep. I trekked out onto the streets, after convincing Legolas I was only going for a quick walk to help unstiffen my hip, and found myself very relaxed. The women were settling in well, even the families whose homes had been destroyed were refurbishing their homes. It made me smile at the fact that people seemed calmer and more joyous. I kept my eye open, trying to look for someone, but after about five minutes of looking, I gave up and had to ask someone.
“Excuse me Sir, but do you know where Neetel is?” I said whilst tapping a middle aged man on the shoulder. He turned with a pleasant smile and pointed in the direction of a weapons shed. I thanked him with a little nod and hobbled over to the shed. It seemed that the shed hadn’t been damaged in the battle and as I walked in, weapons were being sharpened and then hung up again. I peeped my head around the door and Neetel was over in the corner sharpening the swords. There weren’t a lot of people in the room so I went over to him, coughing to catch his attention.
“Lady Vina, you should be resting,” He said to me, wiping his hands on his apron. He got up from his seat and reached for my hand, taking it and holding it carefully. He guided me over to a chair next to his and I sat down.
“I’m feeling a lot better today Neetel and plus I wanted to come and talk to you,” I told him. He nodded his head and sat down where he was working. He looked at me questioningly and shifted on my seat a little. “I wanted to thank you Neetel…” I began. He looked even more confused that before so I carried on. “I wanted to thank you for pulling me out from under that boulder,” He looked at me a little taken back. It seemed I had surprised him by me thanking him. He smiled and shook his head a little.
“There’s no need to thank me Vina. It was Aragorn and Gimli who got you out,” He replied but I shook my head. He was being modest without even knowing.
“You were the first there to help me. You could have left me there, thinking me dead but you still came and called for help. That means just as much as pulling me out by yourself,” I explained to him. He looked down at the ground, I guess he was going over it in his head. I put my hand on his again and he looked up with a smile.
“Well I am glad I helped,” he said. We smiled at each other and we were both quiet for a moment. He looked over at the other men and then got up from his seat. He looked from the men to outside the window and then smiled at me. He offered me his hand and I took it as he helped me up off of the seat. “Are you alright to walk about twenty foot?” he asked me. Now I looked at him confused and he gestured me to follow him. He said he to the men he would be back and then he led me out of the shed and into the streets again. I couldn’t believe at how much the city had already been cleared. Neetel led me to the middle tier of the keep and then through a little passage with houses either side of each other. I hadn’t seen houses like these in a long time and it seemed quite comforting. Neetel stopped at a door in the middle of the passage and with a look at me, he opened the door. He let me in first and when I opened the door I was hit with a lovely smell of sausage and egg. He closed the door behind him and a small woman exited from the kitchen.
“Neetel?” She asked as she walked through the door with a tea towel in her hands. She stopped when she saw me and looked questioningly at me. He came from around me and put one hand on my shoulder, another towards his wife bringing her closer.
“Darling, this is lady Aolavina,” He told her. She looked from him to me with a shocked smile on her face. She reached for my hand and held it whilst I bowed my head to her.
“So this is the women my husband and son talk about? It’s an honour to meet you, I’ve heard great things about you since you arrived here,” she sweetly said to me. I couldn’t help but smile and felt myself blush a little, but she mentioned a son as well.
“I hope the word is all good. It is an honour to meet you. You have a brave and courageous husband my lady, but who is your son?” I asked. She smiled happily and looked over to the room with its door closed. She let go of her husband’s hand and went over to the door, knocking on it.
“Leetel come out here and meet our guest please,” she called from behind the door. She looked back over to me and then fiddled with the towel in her hands. “Would you like a drink and supper?” she asked me politely.
“A drink I would like but I don’t you to go out of your ways just for me,” I tried to say but she shook her head and gently guided me over to the chair to the table in which I guess we all would be eating at. I had never been asked to join a family for a meal with them. It was very kind and comforting that these people welcomed me. As I sat at the table and she went into the kitchen, Leetel’s door opened and he came out. I looked over at him and saw that it was the boy from before the battle, only now he had a name. Leetel was his name. He stopped when he saw me and I smiled at him.
“This is my son Vina, Leetel,” Neetel said to me as he walked over to his son and put his arm around his shoulder. I shook my head in disbelief. I couldn’t believe that Neetel was Leetel’s father and that I had fought next to both of them.
“After the battle he came back to us and told us all about his input in the battle. But he also told us about your talk before the battle, to all the men and to himself as well,” she said coming in with four plates balancing in her hands and on her arms.
“Your son fought very bravely and has a very strong heart. You should be proud of him. As for before the battle, I thought the men needed an extra push for their confidence,” I replied to her. She smiled proudly and handed out the plates rustling Leetel’s hair as she went passed him. When she passed me mine I thanked her and when she sat down, Neetel raised his glass.
“I know it may be early to do so, but I want to make a toast,” He said raising his glass. I took mine and held it to everyone else’s. “To great arms for battle, for family, and for friends,” he said. I took in his words and smiled deeply in my head. I had never been known as a friend properly by anyone before, and to a family as well.
“To all those who fight in battle, but also the love we have at home,” I said and with that, we all clanked our glasses together. I took a sip from my glass and then we all began to eat. She had prepared a nice variety of foods; eggs both scrambled and fried bacon with herbs. We ate mostly in silence as we enjoyed our food and drink. I could tell just by the way they looked at each other that this family were close, it reminded me of mine when I was younger. The whole village was close back then until everything happened.
After we were finished we sat on the sofas in the bigger room of the house where Neetel’s wife and he told me about the city and how she had been brought up there her whole life. It was interesting to know that her whole line of family lived here practically in the same house. And then she moved onto my family.
“So Vina, Have any family here?” she asked me kindly. I felt my stomach churn a little as my story was probably more complex than everyone else’s. I twiddled my thumbs a little thinking on my brother and that.
“I have a family member with me; I came here with him from Lothlorien,” I told them. Neetel fidgeted in his seat and leant forward on seat. He looked questioningly at me and tried to think about who I had come with.
“Your uncle’s Lord Aragorn?” he asked me a little shocked. I smiled and nodded my head. I guess King Theoden hadn’t told his men about I and Aragorn, well thinking about it, I wasn’t sure he even knew I was Aragorn’s niece. “No wonder you’re such a good fighter. Your uncle is a lot like you,” he commented. I could feel myself blush a little as it felt good to be compared to him.
“Anyone else, like your mother or father? Siblings?” she asked me. I could feel the back of my neck begin to sweat a little. This was the point I wasn’t really looking forward to.
“My mother died when I was younger, and I haven’t seen my father for over a year now. We were traveling down from the north and the town we were staying by was attacked so he went to fend them off, when I went back he was nowhere in sight. But I do have a brother, Leonan. He’s nine years old. He’s with his mother in Lorien,” I explained. Both of their faces looked sympathetic but I washed it off. I didn’t want to think I was a weak person.
“I’m betting your mother would be so proud of you,” she said to me. I smiled, thanking her. She smiled back and hugged her son who was sat next to them. This brought back memories of back in the days with my own family; Cuddling up before we went to bed, my mom cleaning. I had a cold shiver blow up my spine and I felt a little sentimental. I looked out the window and saw that I had to of been there for at least two hours.
“I think I should be getting back to the others, they’ll be wondering where I have gotten too,” I said, leaning on the arm of the chair to help myself up. She and Neetel stood up together and Neetel reached for the crutch lay on the floor, handing it me as I stood up.
“Thank you so much for your hospitality, you truly are too kind,” I said to them as they walked me over to the door. Neetel’s wife didn’t look like she wanted to say goodbye but she smiled as she kindly kissed me on the cheek.
“I’ll walk you back up to the hall; I need to talk to Eomer” Neetel said to me as he opened the door. I nodded my head and whilst he kissed his wife, I waved goodbye to Leetel. He closed the door behind me and we began to make our way back up to the keep.
“You have a wonderful family Neetel,” I said to him as he took my arm, helping me up the many stairs. I smiled at me in proudness.
“Well thank you Vina,” he replied to me. We smiled and stopped for a second looking at each other in the eyes. I saw that his family meant a lot to him and he did love them. I looked away and he continued to get me up the stairs. When at the top he let me go and he began to walk towards the hall.
“Hey Neetel, I never asked what your wife’s name was?” I called over to him. I looked back whilst he walked, a smile on his face.
“Her names Nila,” he shouted back. He turned back around and I smiled. His wife had a beautiful name. I looked around at everyone else and saw that the mode was a lot calmer. I went over to the corridor next to the hall and entered the bedroom we were staying in. I opened the door to see Aragorn and Legolas in mid conversation. When they saw me they stopped talking.
“What’s going on?” I asked them. Aragorn lowered his head; already he could tell by my tone that I wanted him to tell me the truth. He looked back up at Legolas and gave him a questioning look.
“We have received word that Isenguard has been overpowered by the tree herders and two small men,” Legolas told me. I walked over to him and leant harder on my stick.
“Do you mean Merry and Pippin?” I asked them hopeful. I really wanted to see them as the last time I had was when they were running away from two orcs, one of which I killed. It would be good to see their little faces again. Legolas looked at Aragorn and it annoyed me that they both were looking to ask each other questions in their heads. I guessed the rest of what they were talking about was getting there and seeing it for themselves. I sighed loudly and walked over, picking up my bow and arrow from next to my bed. I checked it over and put it around my back, the quiver following. When I turned around I saw that they both looked a little worried but I shook my head with a fake smile.
“Didn’t think you were going without me did you?” I rhetorically asked them. Aragorn put his head down again, knowing me too well. Legolas looked at me with and expression that begged me to stay here but he should know me by now. “I’ll be readying Hasufel for the journey,” I stated before I walked them both with a smile on my face. I needed to make it look like I was fine and okay because of them speaking about me the night before.
I got Hasufel and saddled him up all ready and trotted him down to where King Theoden and the rest of them were readying their selves. They looked over at me, a little confused but I just kept smiling to myself.
“You’re coming with us?” Eomer asked me. I looked at him and nodded my head, he looked over at Theoden and he just shrugged his shoulders at him. Why was it that the men didn’t expect me to go, I hurt my hip so what. I mounted Hasufel with a little difficulty but no one offered to help as they knew already I wouldn’t accept it. I steadied myself and then once the fellowship re-joined us, we were headed on our way.
I couldn’t wait to see those two little Hobbits!
{HEY GUYS! okay so heres another chapter but please don't hate me or give up on my story, I know this chapter isn't the most exciting but I wanted you to know more about Neetel and Vina's feeling about family link into the next few chapters....
I've gone back to school now :/ YAY :( Nah its not that bad, but I may take a little longer to upload as its my final year so that means revision, homework and exams..
Thank you all who read and all that and the people I talk to and meet on here!!}