Melting a Heart of Ice

Triina and Legolas had been inseparable since she came back from the dead. So much so, that at first she rode with him, and Gimli rode the Til’Arin horse. The first night it was because she was still too weak to ride on her own, but the second was because she liked to have Legolas’ arms around her to keep her on the horse. He didn’t object to it at all, and found it impossible not to take in her unique scent as she rested her body against his.

Now she was riding her horse, Vesi, close to the others, holding a conversation about being dead. “But was it as everyone says?” Legolas asked. “I don’t know how the elves view death, but it was nothing like the Til’Arin’s death… but then again I don’t think that I was actually dead. It was very much like the Waiting Halls.” She answered, struggling to find the words. “Waiting Halls?” Aragorn questioned. “Yes, a place like a great hall, where the dead go to wait. They don’t pass on, and they don’t remain among the living. I think that’s where I was… it was exactly the way the writings say about it. Dark, but I could still see, thousands of others passing peacefully around me, windows to watch the world of the living… I wasn’t really dead.” She explained. “You were dead, my dear. You simply hadn’t passed on yet.” Gandalf nodded.

She sighed and looked down at her hands and continued to ride in silence. “What is it, Lass?” Gimli asked softly. “Nothing, don’t worry about it. Just some old thoughts come back to haunt me.” She smiled. Legolas looked her directly in the eyes, and somehow without words told her that she would be all right. She smiled at him and stopped Vesi, before he walked right into Aragorn’s horse after Gandalf stopped.

“Edoras and the Golden Hall of Meduseld. There dwells Théoden, King of Rohan, whose mind is overthrown. Saruman's hold over King Théoden is now very strong.” He announced. Triina fidgeted uncomfortably as she looked at the city before her. “What is it, Triina?” Legolas questioned, causing the others around her to watch her as well. “Darkness, anger, pain, hatred, fear, sadness… I can feel the people’s emotions from here, they are felt so strongly that I feel them almost physically.” She answered sadly. Legolas’ eyes fell but she presented a warm smile, “Perhaps that will change, when they have their king back.” She smiled, and followed Gandalf and Aragorn as they rode forth.

“Be careful what you say. Do not look for welcome here.” Gandalf announced as they neared the city. “Gandalf, there are very few places I look for welcome. Three, to be exact.” Triina smiled, choosing to keep a light mood. “Four,” Legolas corrected. “Four?” she questioned. “Yes, four. You would always be welcome in my homelands.” He smiled. Gimli rolled his eyes and made a face that Triina and Aragorn couldn’t help but to laugh at. Sadly for Legolas and Gandalf, they were unable to see it. “Were you not welcome in Lothlórien?” Gandalf asked. “That would make five, my dear.” Gimli smiled. “Have we gone back to this, teasing the woman of the group? Next you will mention my use with a bow.” She sighed, remembering their jokes with Boromir while traveling down the Anduin River.

“We cannot say much about your use with a bow, Triina, we have yet to see it.” Aragorn smirked. “But we have, she used it in the mines of Moria.” Gandalf announced. “Yes, she fired a total of… one, arrows, and that one missed!” Gimli teased. “I didn’t see you firing any, Gimli.” She smiled. “I didn’t see any dwarf sized bows, did you?” he questioned. She laughed and shrugged as they arrived at the gates of Edoras.

As they rode to the hall, the villagers around them gave sideways looks and avoided making eye contact. A twinge of pain went through Triina’s heart as she looked up and saw a woman standing at the hall on a sort of balcony above them. There was a great sorrow in this woman.

Legolas helped steady Triina as they ascended the stairs to the hall, as she was still somewhat weak from her death, and he had been fussing over her non-stop since she came back. He had even decided that he should be the one to treat her wounds, instead of Aragorn, which everyone agreed to since that was how the entire thing started.

“I cannot allow you before Théoden King so armed. By order of Grima Wormtongue.” A guard announced as they were stopped before the doors. Gandalf nodded to the Fellowship who each removed their many weapons and handed them over. When it came time for Triina to hand hers over, the guard was in shock as she first took off her Ice Blades, then the bow and quiver she hardly used, elfish fighting knives, an orc dagger she had picked up, and a tiny paring knife Sam had given her. “The arrowhead,” the guard stated, holding his hand out for her last weapon. “The only blood this would ever draw, is my own. I cannot surrender this.” She stated flatly, making Legolas cringe by the mention of the wound that still crossed her palm. He watched her carefully, but nodded and turned to Gandalf. “I must also ask for your staff,” he announced. “Oh, no. You would not part an old man with his walking stick?” he questioned. The guard thought a moment, and gave a nod that meant something that apparently only Gandalf understood. With a wink to the guard, he took Legolas’ arm and walked into the hall with the Fellowship and guards following him.

“The courtesy of your hall has somewhat lessened of late, Théoden King.” Gandalf announced as they approached the pale king, who was somewhat corpse-like in appearance. Beside him was someone who Triina instantly despised, but also felt great sorrow for. When she saw him she thought of slime and leeches. His hair was greasy and black, his skin pale as the King’s, and his eyes… there were no words to fit what she saw in his eyes. He was a sad creature, in truth, but also a dark one. Had it been her job to judge him, she would refuse.

“Why should I welcome you?” King Théoden asked. “A just question, My Liege.” The leech nodded before standing up and facing the people within the hall. “Late is the hour in which this conjurer chooses to appear. Lathspell I name him. Ill news is in ill guest.” He announced. Be silent! Keep your forked tongue behind you teeth. I have not passed through fire and death to bandy crooked words with a witless worm!” Gandalf spat while raising his staff. Triina gave a very quiet whimper as the tension in the room grew. Legolas took notice, and discretely squeezed her hand to reassure her before going back to his previous position. That small gesture was all she needed though, to keep her strength as she kept her eyes locked on the King.

She was so distracted by her own thoughts, she hadn’t noticed the guards moving to disarm Gandalf until Legolas pushed her out of harm’s way. She moved forward but somehow was attacked by the Leech. She was weak and easily taken down, until Gimli intervened, knocking him to the ground and putting a foot on his chest. “I would stay still, if I were you.” He said sternly, glancing over and smiling as Triina stood and watched Gandalf approach the King.

She watched in awe as he exchanged words with the King, or rather the sorcerer who was overpowering him. It pained her to see someone who she could only imagine as a great king, be so fully controlled as if he had no say in his own thoughts anymore. His gray robe had been cast aside, revealing the nearly glowing white robes beneath, and causing the King to cower on his throne. Another sad sight; no king should cower in his own hall.

The staff was pointed at him, causing him to squirm as if he were in pain. A few feet from her a blonde woman gasped and ran forward to assist her king, but was stopped by Aragorn. “Wait,” he ordered gently, while holding her back. She watched with fearful eyes as King Théoden lunged at Gandalf with a cry of rage, but was thrown back by some unseen force from Gandalf’s magic.

The spell had been broken, and King Théoden was returning to normal, looking almost a hundred years younger as the color returned to his body. Aragorn let go of the woman, who ran to the king’s side in a mix of happiness and concern. “I know your face… Èowyn. Èowyn.” He smiled.

Tears ran down Triina’s face as she felt the emotions in the room, but mostly from King Théoden and Èowyn. For a second, she saw her father on the throne before her. More tears fell as she realized that she actually missed him.

“Your fingers would remember their old strength better, if they grasped your sword.” Gandalf smiled as the guard who stopped the Fellowship at the doors brought him his weapon. King Théoden unsheathed the sword and admired before turning his gaze to Grima, who was filled with more fear than before.

Triina cringed as he was thrown from the hall and down the steps, followed by a furious King Théoden. Triina followed, ignoring Legolas’ silent protests, and made it to the bottom just as King Théoden was about to take Grima’s life. “My Lord, please, don’t. Enough lives have been lost because of him, please.” She begged, not because she wanted to see Grima live, but because she didn’t want him to have death on his hands. The King lowered his blade and Triina offered her hand to help the cowering man to his feet. Grima responded by spitting in her hand and running off.

“Where is Théodred, where is my son?” King Théoden asked. Though he couldn’t sense it, Triina felt a wave of sorrow fall around her, and knew that his son was dead. Without saying a word she walked back up to rejoin the Fellowship. Aragorn announced that she was weary from traveling, and was also marginally ill. While the others went to the memorial service held for Théodred, she was taken to a guest room to rest.

Later that night Triina lay on her bed, staring blankly at the ceiling as silent tears rolled down from her eyes and into her hair. King Théoden had just buried his only son, she knew because she could feel his pain grow stronger. She was the only Fellowship member not to attend the memorial, as she was unable to withstand the emotions around her. To feel those, added to her own grief, she felt as though it would have killed her a second time.

There was a knock at her door, but she refused to acknowledge it. Whoever it was though, was quite persistant because after five minutes they still hadn’t gone away. She lay quietly, hoping they would leave soon, but instead her door was opened slowly and Legolas cautiously entered, gently calling her name. She quickly sat up and turned so that her back was to him, and began to wipe away her tears before he could notice. “Are you all right?” he asked as he approached her. She nodded and gave a high pitched, almost whimpering sound, in response. “We missed you at the memorial,” he said, now seated beside her on the bed. “I’m sorry,” she muttered.

He sighed and moved so that he was kneeling in front of her, with his hands on her shoulders. “You have been crying,” he stated. “It’s nothing, really.” She tried to lie, but he saw right through her, and silently demanded the truth.

“I miss them,” she whispered finally, “I miss Lyle, and Boromir, and Lord Elrond, Arwen, Merry, Pippin, And Frodo and Sam, and even my Father I miss. Until now I haven’t had the time to think of these things, but feeling King Théoden’s grief for his son… it only renewed my own and added to that. It is as if the weight of everything now is crashing down upon me, and I feel it’s suffocating me!” she broke then, and surrendered to her tears, unable to stifle them any longer. “Triina, it is all right.” He sighed while pulling her into his arms, “We have all felt this before.”

“But you have never cried on this journey. Nor has Aragorn, or Gimli, or-”

“That is a lie, Triina.” He interrupted, “I cried in the mines, when you collapsed and would not respond to us. We all cried in Fangorn when you… Triina, we have all felt these emotions. There is no shame in releasing them; if you don’t, it very well could drive you to madness.” He soothed, gently rubbing his hand over her hair.

She continued to cry as he held her, eventually sliding off the bed and leaving them both seated on the floor.. Legolas at some point began to hum an old elfish song, and rock her while she let out all of her previously held back emotions until she finally calmed down. “Legolas,” she sniffled once she had no tears left to cry. “Shh, you need rest.” He muttered, cutting her off and helping her back onto the bed. When he went to pull back she refused to let him go. “Would you like me to stay with you?” he asked, smiling lovingly when she nodded against his shoulder.

For the rest of the night he held her close to him, humming to her, and tracing his fingers in intricate patters down her arms and back. It was difficult for her to sleep because she didn’t want to leave her place in his arms, snuggled into his firm but comfortable chest, but he was relaxing her to the point that it was impossible to avoid.

A few minutes before sunrise she awoke in tears. Legolas was awake and watching her with great concern as she continued to cry. “What is it?” he asked softly, cupping her cheek and tilting her head to make her eyes meet his. “It was him,” she sobbed, clinging to him for dear life.

“It was who?”

“Lyle! I s-saw him, I knew it was him! He looked right at me, diretly into my eyes! I… Legolas,”

“Shh, it was only a dream, Triina.”

“No, Legolas, I saw him! In the Waiting Halls, I walked by him and he looked right at me! He nodded to me and smiled, and then he kept walking. I didn’t recognize him until later, until now! I saw him again in my dream, he, he spoke to me! He…” she was crying too hard to continue her explanation, and the few words that were understandable were muffled by his shoulder.

Legolas was at a loss for comforting words, because he knew there was really nothing that could be said to comfort her. All he could do was tighten his grip on her, and hum to her until her sobbing had ended, and her breathing had returned to normal.
“H-he said,”

“Triina, please, you need to calm down.” he begged, not wanting her to upset herself any more than she already was. She protested quiet a bit, but finally gave in and stopped trying to speak. Yet again he hummed that same song, but this time he ended up singing to her.
Though the song was entirely in Elfish, she somehow understood the meaning behind the words. That added to the power he gave them, and brought new tears to her eyes, but she couldn’t understand why she was crying now. It wasn’t because of her dream, or what she saw while in the Waiting Halls. There was something she couldn’t quite grasp.

Hours went by, and Legolas was still singing, and Triina was still crying slightly. He has asked her why, and she answered that she didn’t know. Never before did she find his laugh so beautiful as she did when it filled the room after her answer.

There was another knock at the door, and again she planned on ignoring whoever it was, but Legolas had other plans. She stayed in the bed, keeping her back turned to the door as he went to answer, because her eyes were still red and bloodshot from crying for so long. “Ah, should I be surprised to find you here, Legolas?” Gimli asked with a hint of humor, before noticing the way Triina sat. “What happened?” he demanded, pushing past the elf and going to her side. “Nothing, Gimli, I’m all right. I have a lot on my mind, but I think now I’ll be all right.” she smiled. He watched her closely, trying to tell if she was lying or not. “You can ask Legolas, Gimli, I’m just fine.” she smiled. He looked past her, to give a questioning stare at the elf, without moving his hand from her shoulder.

“Well, lass, if you’re sure, then I can pass on the orders I was given; we’re leaving to Helms Deep.” he nodded. “What? Helms Deep… I have heard of that, why would we go there? There are no escape routes other than the main entrance! If the battle takes place there, we will all die.” she protested. Gimli shook his head and walked to the door, “That is the decision of Théoden King.” he sighed, and left them alone in the room.

“Battle? You were not present for that… argument.” Legolas questioned. “That is what Lyle warned me about! He told me to prepare for the battle at Helms Deep, because it will be a sight of great death! He showed me what will be!” she answered with fresh tears in her eyes. “And what did he show you?” he asked, taking a risk for his curiosity. “Aragorn will be dead, you will be dead, my… my mother! I, we can’t go, Legolas. There has to be a way to change his mind. We simply cannot go!” she answered, dismissing her tears and becoming the warrior she had been before, full of confidence and demand to have her way. She was, after all, a princess of the Til’Arin.

“There is no other way, we will ride to Helms Deep, but I will not let these things happen. I promise you, Triina.”

“Don’t promise me things you cannot deliver, Legolas. There is no possible way for you to prevent everything I saw. Please, just promise to keep yourself safe? I don’t want to lose you, I can’t lose you.”

He sighed and took both of her hands in his own, “You have no reason to fear losing me, because I will never leave you, Triina.” he promised, kissing her on the forehead and pulling her tightly against him, “We should go, the others will be waiting for us if we stay too long. Do you need time to recover, or are you ready?” he asked. “I can go now.” she nodded, quickly backing away from him and wiping her tears.

“Are you sure? You look somewhat… I am not sure how to describe you at this point.”

“Yes, I’m sure.” she scoffed, playfully hitting his shoulder and leaving him in the room as she went to find the others. “Triina, where are you going?” he questioned after walking out of the room after her. “To find Aragorn and the others, you just said they would be waiting for us.” she answered, as if it were the most obvious thing. “Yes, but they are this way.” he chuckled, and walked away, leaving her to follow him with that light blush once again crossing her face.