Sauron's Next Target

Legolas and I rode back to Edoras, and when we arrived, Eowyn rushed out to greet us. I opened my mouth to explain where we were, but she wasn’t looking for that. As soon as her gaze hit the 2 children, she ignored the fact. She brought the two children inside, and she sat them down at a table in the kitchen. Meanwhile, I went to the room that was mine when I visited here, and I changed from the dress from the funeral, and I changed into the outfit that I came in. A knock came at my door, and I saw Eowyn standing by the door. I smiled at her.

“Come in, Eowyn…” She came into the bedroom, looking around.

“Whenever you left, Uncle Théoden would always have this door shut and locked. We never really got to see inside it…….” She began to trail off.

“Eowyn……” I said, gently.

“Oh……we are leaving for Helm’s Deep tomorrow…so Théoden was hoping that you could ready yourself tonight. We have an extremely long journey ahead of us…” She said, before turning and walking away. Before she left, she turned back to face me and she said. “Thank you…for earlier today. At Theodred’s funeral…for helping me out with that song…”

“Oh…um…you’re welcome…” I said, taken back by what she said.

“You were very dear to him…You were his favorite cousin. There was something about you that he loved…” She said to me. I raised my eyebrows.

“He really said that about me?” I asked her, in shock. She nodded, and she left the room. I turned back to my bed, and I saw a small box lying on my bed. I leaned across my bed, and snatched up the box. I took off the lid, and I looked inside. Inside the box, was a necklace. It was one of the most beautiful things I had ever seen.

I picked up, daintily. I heard another knock at the bedroom door. “Come in…” I threw over my shoulder, my back still to the door. Out of the corner of my eye, I saw Legolas enter the room, and the corners of my lips were brought up into a smile.

“Hi, Anneliese. If I am intruding, I can come back. It’s not that important…” I smiled, as I put the necklace to my neck, and I walked over to the mirror.

“No, no…its fine. No, come on in…” I said, I saw him lean against the doorframe.

“Having some trouble there?” He said, teasingly. I made a face.

“Yes…” I said, sounding defeated. He gave a light laugh, as he walked behind me. I handed him the necklace. Using one quick sweep of my hand, I scooped up my hair, and brought it to the top my head. I heard him take a breath, as he brought the necklace around my arms, and around my neck. He attached the ends together; I looked in the mirror, admiring the necklace.

“Who gave this to you?” He asked me.

“I guess, it must’ve been Theodred…” I said, to be perfectly honest, I was wondering if it was Theodred. I noticed that he had gone quiet, so I turned around to face him. He was looking at me, adoringly.

I smiled, and I looked at the ground. He placed a finger on my chin, and I looked into his eyes. He leaned forward, and he kissed me. He pulled away, and left our foreheads touching.

“Get some rest, love…we are leaving early tomorrow…” I didn’t want him to leave. What if I had another nightmare, but worse than the first one? Then I heard another knock at the bedroom door.

“Come in…” I said. Legolas had his hand encased in my own. It was Eowyn. I smiled at the sight of her.

“Hi, Anneliese. I’m afraid that we have run out of rooms, so do you mind having to share a room?” I nodded.

“Whom would I be sharing a room with, May I ask?” She nodded over to Legolas. She gave me a wink before leaving. I smiled.

“Oh, Anneliese. If you want there is a bath already drawn for you…in the next room…” Eowyn added.

“I’ll be back later…” I said to Legolas, I kissed him quickly, and I left.

Eowyn led me to another room, where a bath was drawn for me. I changed and I sat down in the bath. Suddenly, the water got hot, like someone was boiling the water right under me. Words began to form on my arm, like a knife was being used to slice open my arm. It read:

“You have your chance. Give them up now. Your father had this as well, and he chose not to give them as well. And he lost those close to him…Remember what I have told you”

A menacing voice echoed through my ears. I shook the voice from my head, but it still rang through my head. I began to shake in fear. I got out of the bath, and I changed into one of the many dresses, that had been left out for me. I walked back into the bedroom, which I was now sharing with Legolas, and I smiled. He was dressed in the same outfit that he wore in Lothlorien. I gave him a smile, but it quickly faded. He seemed to notice, and he walked over to me.

“Anneliese…are you alright?” He asked me, with concern in his voice.

“Yeah…I’m fine…” I lied, as I walked past him, and I sat on the bed, with my back to him.

“Anneliese…Something is wrong. Please tell me…” His voice was filled with sadness and pain. I wanted to tell him, but Lady Galadhriel told me that it would be best of I did not to tell them, until it was fit for them to know.

“Legolas…” I began, but I could not bear to finish what I was going to say. I put my head in my hands, and I cried. Not in sorrow, but for the fact that I could not tell him what was wrong. He wrapped his arms around me, and I fell into his chest, sobbing.

“I am sorry; if I have upset you…Forgive me…” He said, apologetically.

“There is nothing for you to be sorry for……” I mumbled from his chest. He unwrapped his arms from around me, and he lay me down on the bed. He tucked me in, as if I was a child. He kissed me on the forehead, and he slipped beside me. He wrapped his arms around me again, rested my head on his chest, with my hand on his chest. I fell into a sleep, that was both dreadful, filled with nightmares, but then I remembered that I was with Legolas, and the nightmares disappeared…

What struck me the most was, what that voice had said to me in my head… “Your father had this as well, and he chose not to give them as well. And he lost those close to him…Remember what I have told you…”

What did they mean?