"Are you quite sure about this Eowyn?" I asked uncertainly. Eowyn nodded, concentrating on brushing back my long, black curls.
It was early evening and, as soon as I had returned to Edoras from Isengard, Eowyn had half dragged me back to her chambers in search of a dress. There was to be a feast to commemorate all those lost in the battle of Helm's Deep, and to celebrate the victory of the Rohirrim.
It had taken the rest of the day and most of another to ride the distance back to Edoras. We had spent the night sheltered amidst the rocky landscape of Rohan, but I had not slept. I sat on the edge of the camp, alone, guarding although I was sure it wasn't needed. Apart from Saruman revealing my birthplace to the Rohirrim, I had a lot to think about. He had suggested that, apart from the little, empty bottle of poison in my pack, there were going to be more things along the way to scare me into submission. I sat all night pondering how I would react. Furthermore, there was clearly another of Saruman's spies in Edoras, if not more. I had swallowed my doubts and shown Théoden king the little bottle, explaining that one of his people was in the service of the enemy. I could only hope that he would take my warning seriously.
I mentally shook myself out of my sleepy head as Eowyn finished plaiting my hair. Even I had to admit it looked pretty. She had taken two strands from either side of my head, braiding them skilfully into my head so they wouldn't fall out in the night. Tracing my hand over the back of the plats, I found that they had been joined together and seemed to form some sort of intricate knot. Eowyn pushed my hand away and tucked a final piece of my hair into the knot.
"There" she said triumphantly, stepping back. I looked up and into the mirror in slight surprise.
My hair was braided away from my face, and hung down my back so that the front of my borrowed dress could be seen. It was a deep green with a lower neckline than I was used to, along which a gold thread, forming a complicated pattern, looped itself around my neck. Looking closer, I saw that the pattern was formed of many, tiny swirls, in groups of three, all connected by a tiny golden line. This pattern also showed halfway down the arms of the dress, just above the elbows. The dress itself sat comfortably on my hips, the dark green, soft material reaching my feet.
"Eowyn, are you absolutely sure you don't want to wear this?" I asked. I looked, for once in my life, like a highborn lady.
"No, of course not!" Eowyn insisted "It is a little too long for me, in any case, whereas it fits you perfectly. Anyway, you cannot go to a feast such as this in breeches"
"But it's beautiful" I breathed. Eowyn's smile was a little too understanding.
"And you look beautiful in it" she said quietly. "Don't you have a prince to impress tonight?"
I smirked at her comment. "Maybe".
Eowyn giggled then, noticing that my left sleeve was slightly twisted, she moved to put it right. I moved my arm slightly away, only noticing afterwards what I had done, then, swallowing, I twisted it to where it was supposed to be myself. I looked up to see Eowyn staring intently at me. Éomer her brother must have told her what I revealed at Isengard.
"Sorry" she half-smiled. I could see her hesitation as she wondered if she should say more.
"Are you... okay?" She asked eventually, confirming my suspicions that she knew what had happened to me. I smiled with effort and nodded.
"I have my friends. They help an awful lot"
Eowyn took my right hand in hers and squeezed "I admire your courage".
"Thank you, friend" I said slowly. We smiled at each other, then Eowyn let go of my hand and opened the door.
"Come", she motioned "there is a feast awaiting us".
I looked out for members of the fellowship as we strode along to the great hall. I didn't have to look far, however, as Merry and Pippin bundled out of a door to our right, which I remembered as the room where the fellowship was sleeping.
"My ladies" Pippin smirked. Merry's enthusiastic greetings soon followed, and I felt a sudden upswing of affection for the two of them. Bending down with a little difficulty in my dress, I held out my arms. The hobbits ran into them and we laughed as we hugged.
"I've missed you, you idiots" I said, releasing them and standing up.
"We've missed you a lot too" Merry grinned. "Not least because you're far better at getting yourself out of sticky situations than we are"
"I find that easy to believe" Eowyn smiled. She seemed to like the hobbits. "Aúthiel, I must go and assist my uncle in his preparations. I'll see you later."
After saying goodbye to Eowyn, the door to the fellowship's room opened again. Legolas and Aragorn stepped out, both seemingly startled by my choice of clothes.
"You're in a dress!" Aragorn commented incredulously. I chuckled.
"I noticed".
Aragorn grinned and turned to the hobbits. "Come", he ushered them on ahead as Legolas and I walked on behind.
Unexpectedly, I felt Legolas' lips press softly to my cheek. "You look wonderful", he smiled. My cheeks rouged and I smiled shyly back as we entered the hall.
It was full to the brim with soldiers and their families, all seated on long benches. The chatter filling the hall was cheerful, filled with laughter. The men of Rohan sat with their wives and families, laughing and joking.
The fellowship found separate spaces on the crowded benches, and I ended up with Gandalf somewhere near the front. The king stood at the top of the hall, Eomer taking his place beside him. The hall fell silent as Eowyn, dressed in a pale, embroidered gown and looking every inch a princess, passed him a cup, taking her own place on the other side of the king. This Théoden held forwards, and at this cue every person stood up. I grabbed my tankard and followed the lead of Gandalf beside me as the king began to speak.
"Tonight we remember those who gave their blood to defend this country. Hail the victorious dead!"
"Hail!" the people shouted in answer. It was of Haldir I thought as I raised my tankard to my lips.
The drink was much stronger than anything I had tried before, but it was pleasant once I got used to the unfamiliar taste. Once the formalities were over, everyone sat down and turned to the tables, laden with hot food. Gandalf smiled as he piled potatoes onto my plate.
***
The night wore on and, eventually, the food was all consumed. People started to stand, to find friends that they had not eaten with, and to group off, each holding a tankard of ale and, in some cases, a pipe filled with tobacco.
I lost sight of Gandalf in the crowd. He had wondered off, talking to various soldiers. I had never been all that accomplished at talking to new people, so I had left him to it. Spotting Eowyn and Aragorn a few paces away, I started to walk towards them but hesitated. They were standing close, and as I watched Eowyn handed Aragorn a cup, which he took gently from her, brushing her hands with his. For the first time, I wondered if Aragorn reciprocated Eowyn's feelings towards him, though I couldn't see how, since he seemed to still be in love with Arwen.
It was none of my business, I decided slightly guiltily. Turning from them, I found Legolas and Gimli, each with a tankard in their hands. Gimli sat at the table, while Legolas stood up against a pillar. This looked far more interesting. I walked over and stood near Legolas as Éomer spoke up.
"No pauses, no spills" he said seriously.
"And no regurgitation" intoned Gimli, to a general smattering of drunken laughter. Quite a crowd had gathered to watch this. I grinned at Legolas as he glanced around unsurely.
"So, it's a drinking game?" He asked, to general assent from the men around him, who roared loudly.
"Last one standing wins", Gimli giggled. I wrinkled my nose as I realised there was already ale dribbling down his beard. He raised his tankard to no-one in particular and started to drink noisily. Legolas, in contrast, took a tentative sip from his tankard, then another. I stifled a laugh behind my hand at the two of them.
By the time Legolas finished his first drink, Gimli was on his third. I nudged Legolas and pointed this out to him. "Hurry up!" I whispered mischievously. Legolas smiled and started to drink quicker and quicker with every tankard, and soon enough he had caught up with Gimli, who by now was completely insensible from drink.
"Ah, it's the dwarves that go swimming with the little hairy women!" he exclaimed loudly in between pints. I giggled as he laughed at his own proclamation. Legolas put down his latest empty tankard and looked at his fingers confusedly.
"I feel something – a slight tingling in my fingers". Legolas looked into my eyes and frowned. "I think it's affecting me". I laughed at his slightly alarmed expression. Éomer raised his eyebrows incredulously in the background, as surprised as I was.
"What did I say?" Gimli slurred "Can't hold his liquor". His eyes rolled towards his nose and he fell suddenly backwards as stiff as a board and, with a thud, hit the stone floor.
There was a brief silence, then Legolas turned from Gimli to me with his eyebrows raised.
"Game over"
I laughed along with the men as Legolas smugly took another sip of ale. The men began to turn away, some of them lifting Gimli and half dragging him out, presumably to where the fellowship was sleeping.
"You're such idiots" I smiled, shaking my head. Legolas chuckled and retorted.
"You told me to hurry it up". I raised my eyebrows.
"Well, I wasn't going to support Gimli, now, was I?" Legolas grinned and we both turned around at the sound of singing. Merry and Pippin had somehow managed to scramble on top of one of the tables, and were surrounded by laughing men as they sang, both with tankards in their hands.
"You can search far and wide
You can drink the whole town dry
But you'll never find a beer so brown
As the one we drink in our home town
You can keep your fancy ales
You can drink 'em by the flagon
But the only brew for the brave and true...
Comes from the green dragon!"
I laughed at them as they made over-exaggerated bows to all the men around them, spotting Aragorn and Gandalf talking in low voices. I frowned and decided not to disturb them. They seemed to be having a serious conversation and the last thing I wished to do was intrude.
"You really do look beautiful". I turned around to see Legolas smiling slightly and my cheeks reddened.
"I think you've had too much ale" I smiled. "You look great too".
We spent the rest of the night chatting animatedly, relieved for a time from the stress of upcoming battles and ever-lurking enemies. Merry, Pippin, Aragorn and Gandalf joined intermittently, when they were not talking to the men, and we finally exchanged full accounts of what had happened to us on our different journeys.
Merry and Pippin, naturally wondering what had happened to my arm because of the altercation with the King at Isengard, had asked questions I didn't like to answer, but nevertheless I told them what had happened.
Some points in the story made my throat stick, but I slipped my hand into Legolas' and he, Aragorn and Gandalf took up the tale when I could not put it into words. It made me feel easier somehow, talking about it, especially with the people I trusted surrounding me. My heart was lighter when the tale was told.
As the night wore on, and the crowd in the hall began to thin, I had to suppress more than one yawn. I had barely slept since the night of my torture, and for the last couple of days hadn't slept at all. The strain of the battle and the confrontation with Saruman had begun to take its effect. I began to mostly listen to the others instead of contributing to conversations.
It was hardly a surprise, therefore, when, as Legolas and Gandalf were talking, my eyes began to droop. I rested my head on Legolas' shoulder and closed my eyes. Dimly, I heard Gandalf and Legolas fall silent, and Legolas squeezed my hand. Opening my eyes with effort, I saw Gandalf looking closely at me.
"I think it's time you slept" he stated, as matter of fact as usual. I was too tired to argue so I nodded and started to pull away from Legolas, but he tucked my arm into his and offered to show me where the fellowship would be sleeping. I agreed, even though I knew anyway, and bade goodnight to Gandalf.
Legolas led me along a short corridor to a large room, where many were already deep in slumber. Gimli was snoring in a corner, fast asleep and filed with ale. I looked affectionately down at him for a moment, then turned back to Legolas.
"Thanks for, well, making sure I didn't fall asleep where I stood" I whispered with a small smile.
"It was my pleasure", he answered courteously, with his usual sweet smile. "Goodnight, Aúthiel". I lent upwards and gave him a brief kiss.
"Goodnight Legolas"
After Legolas left, I found my pack amongst the others', making sure not to make a sound, and pulled out my bedroll. Recognising Legolas' blankets, I placed mine next to his. Too tired to bother changing out of the dress and into my regular clothes, I lay down, pulled my blanket over myself, and was asleep within seconds.
HAPPY NEW YEAR!
AM