Bound (complete)

They are riding into Rohan to seeg Thg Theoden. Legolas, still
unconscious, rides in front of Gandalf. His body refuses to go
further without proper rest. Nothing would rouse him, not Gandalf's
beard tickling him, not the gallop of Shadowfax, and not the hunger
is feeling. He is oblivious to it all.

Aragon looks up as they enter the gates. Standing just outside the
palace is a beautiful woman with long blond hair. When he turns to
look again she is gone. He turns to Turin and Laieth who are sharing
a horse. They are to gather provisions before making their way back
to Rivendell.

Aragorn smirks; apparently he is starting to take a liking to blonds.
Turin, to him, is especially the more beautiful of the two and looks
more docile as well. He carries only a bow and quiver of arrows while
Laieth is armed with a bow and arrows, sword, and small axe. He
especially likes Turin's hair which was almost white while Laieth's
hair looked like Legolas'.

He watches Turin on the horse, his arms wrapped around Laieth's
waist. He was slender, like all Elves, but he wasn't the bony twig
riding with Gandalf. Of course, the fact that Aragorn kept Legolas on
the brink of starvation never occurred to him as the reason 'his' elf
was impossibly small. He looked at Elrohir riding with Gimli then,
Elladan who was riding alone, and then he came to a realization that
made him smile. He had no idea which of his brother's Tubelobelonged
to. But that didn't really matter, brother's shared didn't they?

They dismounted and Gandalf handed Legolas to Turin who had walked
over to the wizard. Determined, they walked up the steps and were
stopped at the door.

"We can't allow you to see the king so armed."

Everyone gives up their weapons a little hesitantly, Gimli whispering
to his ax that everything would be okay. The guard looked at
Gandalf's staff.

"You would not deny an old man his walking staff?" The guard nodded,
looking a little worried but what could an old man with a stick do?

Aragorn watches Gandalf work his magic with little interest. The only
good thing was that he had to keep the pretty blond from interfering.
He looks at the king and watches as he seems to loose years from his
face.

**********

Eowyn looks at the angelic being lying on the bed. They had explained
to her about the open eyed sleep, and asked if anyone could keep aeye eye on him while everything was happening. She had happily decided to
do it; if nothing else, it gave her a chance to look at an elf up
close, and if he woke he could tell her about hihat hat handsome man
he had ridden in with.

The door is pushed open and another elf enters, carrying a bow and
quiver and some knives. "These are his," he whispered, stepping back
into the hall. He turns a corner and walks into Aragorn.

"Turin, right?" The elf took a step back, undisguised disgust on his
face. "You and that other elf are good warriors; all things
considered."

"You have never so much as seen me raise a hand in battle," Turin
says looking around. Aragorn raises an arm to slap him and he stops
it.
"Don't touch me, *man*."

Aragorn growls. "You go on one little adventure and you think you are
my better?!"

"I am your better," Turin said shoving him aside. Aragorn holds a
dagger to his neck in swift move of rage.

"Your little bow won't help you now," Aragorn says, leaning in for
what he wants as Turin's hand goes into a small satchel at his side.

"Aragorn!" Elladan roars. "Why are you touching MY ELF?" Aragorn
freezes. 'Not Elladan!,' he thought. 'I was so close.' He turns to his
brother and smiles.

"Come now brother, don't we share?"

"I share NOTHING with the likes of you. ESPECIALLY not TURIN."

"But we're family," Aragorn says, trying to lighten the situation.
There was a time when it would have worked but now all it did was
further enrage the half-elf.

"Get out of my sight before I show you how I treat family like you!"
Aragorn slinks away into the nearest room on the other side of the
corridor. Once gone Elladan grins at Turin. "My elf, just rolls off
the tongue don't you think?"

"Some master," Turin mutters, as well as smiling as he removes his
hand from the satchel.

"He didn't touch you did he?"

"No, he surprised me with the knife. But I would have been fine," he
says, patting the satchel.

"Well if he steps out of line again."

"I think I'll just tell Laieth," Turin says, smiling darkly.

"They wouldn't find enough of Aragorn to fill Gandalf's pipe,"
Elladan says,slipping an arm around Turin. "Are you sure he's all
elf?"

"Quite sure."

"Savage that one is," Elladan whispers, walking into the dining hall
with Turin.

"But in such a good way," Turin whispers back happily, taking the
empty seat next to his partner as Elladan sits beside his brother as
they all eat.

Aragorn watches Eowyn fight an invisible enemy with a short blade
before coming up behind her, she whirls swiftly and they have a short
duel where he disarms her.

"You have great skill my lady."

Eowyn flushes. "Our women learned long ago that those who can't wield
a sword can still die by one."

"Women should have every right to defend themselves. What is there
that should stop them? A woman's great beauty will not be enough to
defend herself from attack. Combine that with skill and that will be
a more fierce foe than any man," Aragorn said and smiled when Eowyn
blushed again.

"Many believe the place of women is in the home."

"To bear children and cook the meat? While that is true." Eowyn looks
enraged. "In the sense that I cannot have children, and the only
cooking I do is only fit for the wild, until such a time a woman
should do as she wishes."

"I wish others shared your view," Eowyn said, sighing and sitting on
the chair. Aragorn sits on the bed and strokes Legolas' hair.

"I see he is in good hands, dreadful what orcs can do."

"What happened?" Aragorn turns Legolas onto his back opening his
tunic and sliding it off his limp form. He turns the elf over, and
she sees the bandages.

"An arrow here and here," Aragorn said as he touched the injured
parts of Leoglas' back.

"Should we not cover him?"

"Elves do not feel the cold like we do. He will be fine and I do not
want to disturb his sleep. Elves are a good example of what I mean."

"How so?"

"Do you find him beautiful?"

"I... well yes."

"Now elves can be most deadly, but he is an exception; weaker line,
and not as skilled, but we don't hold it against him. I allow him to
do battle and in my kingdom I will allow anyone regardless of um,
disadvantages, you may say, to train."

"What do you mean 'Kingdom'?"

"I spoke too rashly, but you are someone that I see can be trusted."
Aragorn grabs Eowyn's hands. "What I say now can not leave these
quarters." Eowyn nods, proud to be trusted. "If all goes well, when
this war is over and Saruron destroyed, I will take my place as king
of Gondor. It is not something I ever wanted to do, if I could I
would give the stewards the throne, but as Boromir, the steward, fell
in this quest, I feel I must keep his wish to do good for our
people."

"I knew of Boromir; he was a brave man, and Denethor is getting along
in the years."

`Denethor? Whatever.' "Yes, now because of a fellow member's failure,
he's gone. I will fulfill his wish to see the greatness of Gondor
restored."

"It was him wasn\t?"t?" she said, glancing at the unconscious elf.

"Yes, but do not blame him for his weakness. He did not warn Boromir
in time, and that was his downfall as we were accosted by orcs.
But, please, when he wakes do not speak to him of such. Elves can die
of grief; blaming himself will do him no good."

"Yes, of course."

"He will wake soon. I'll bring some food for you both as soon as I
can, but Theoden, Gandalf and I must discuss the fate of you all. A
war
is upon us," Aragorn say's then smiles. "Talking to you has lightened
my heart and I do not even know your name."

"Eowyn, my lord."

"Until we meet again, my lady," Aragorn says as he leaves grinning.
But how can he sneak Eowyn right under the twins collective noses?
And he still had to find a way to show Turin who was boss. He goes to
eat, mostly observing what Elladan, Elrohir, Gandalf, and Theoden
discuss.

*******

Elrohir enters the room then with two plates. "Legolas, I am happy to
see you awake."

"Thank yourohirohir," Legolas says as he slowly manages to sit.

"How do you feel?"

"Tired. What news of Merry and Pippin?"

"They were eaten alive by the Orcs. This is all that is left!" He
says pouring both plates over Legolas' head as he screams.

"No!"

"But don't worry, I havme gme good news. Seems Aragorn is more elf
than man. He's immortal, you two are going to be together forever."

Legolas returns to awareness covered in sweat, and being shaken by a
woman he's never seen. He sits up and stares at her, wondering where
he is. He doesn't even realize he's crying. When she reaches for him
he flinches back.

"I'll get Aragorn for you, yes?" Eowyn says, smiling.

"No!" Legolas whispers hoarsely.

Eowyn pours him a glass of water from a pitcher as he sits up. "Drink
slowly."

Legolas does as he's told 'before he' looked at her. "You are in the
care of Theoden King," Eowyn said. "Your party arrived earlier today
and aided our King in freeing himself from Saruman. Aragorn said he
would bring you food in a while."

"Why?" Legolas mutters.

"Are you not friends?" Legolas lets out a bitter laugh.

"What did he tell you?" Legolas asks.

"Nothing really, it was the others that brought you here and brought
your weapons."

"So everyone is alright? Did they find the hobbits?"

"I do not know what a hobbit is. Is it an animal of some sort?"

"Halflings; were there any?"

"No just a dwarf."

"One stupid arrow."

"You were shot twice, I was shown the injuries."

"Twice?" Legolas thinks back to the battle. He would have known if he
was shot again. Of course! When he came out of his stupor it hadn't
been by his own power it had been the pain of being shot. He must
have been a fool toieveieve that he had the power to free himself.
"A fool indeed."

"Don't say that! You tried your best."

"My best got two people I was trying to protect kidnapped."

"What of Boromir?"

"What of him?" asks Legolas.

"He died."

"That was his own doing," Legolas says and Eowyn stares.

"Do you feel no remorse over a death you could have avoided?"

"I did not shoot Boromir. I told him the orcs were coming and he
should have heeded my warning."

"If you'll excuse me," Eowyn says coldly. Legolas watches as she
leaves the room then lays back down, not sure where he should go, and
decides to ignore his hunger as he has done so many times in the past.