Eomer and Legolas
by Peregrine
Chapter 3
Gandalf, with Pippin mounted behind him, rode Shadowfax as the
white horse waded through the knee-deep water. They found Treebeard
hooming and barooming near the tower, watching the other Ents smash and
pound the obsidian tower with powerful crashes of their wooden fists.
It was doing little good, but no one was going to tell them that.
"Hmmmmmmmm...young Master Gandalf........I'mmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm . . . .
glad you came." Treebeard said slowly. Merry and Pippin giggled
slightly at Treebeard calling Gandalf young, but a look from the Wizard
quieted them quickly.
"Hello, Treebeard." Gandalf greeted.
Legolas, standing beside Eomer upon Arod, glanced over at the Rohan warrior.
"Gandalf and Treebeard may have much to say. What say you to exploring the once-realm of Saruman?"
Eomer smiled.
"I would enjoy that, Master Elf."
"Well, then let me down." Gimli grumped. "I'm not going to go
gallivanting off with you two while you talk about trees and horses."
The Dwarf slid off the horses back and landed in waist deep water. He
said not a word and simply waded over to where the others were
listening to Gandalf and Treebeard chat. Quietly, so as not to be rude,
Legolas and Eomer turned their mounts and waded through the swamped
ring that had once been Isengard.
"The Ents did all this?" Eomer asked in amazement, looking upon the
ruins of old water-wheels peeking up from the water and the steaming
clouds rising up from hidden chasms in the ground. They made sure to
skirt those.
"As I have said, an angry tree can exact a terrible revenge and an angry Ent is even more fearsome."
"I am glad I am not Saruman, then." Eomer murmured to himself. Legolas laughed and nodded.
"Nor do I, Eomer of Rohan."
"Tell me, Legolas, why are you here?" Eomer asked suddenly, glancing
over at the Elf. "I mean, you tell me that you are a prince of a realm,
and yet you are here, far from home, among Men. And in the company of a
Ranger and a Dwarf, no less."
"We were perusing the Hobbits--"
"Yes, so you have told me." Eomer nodded, but he frowned. "But WHY? Why did you leave your home to track halflings?"
Legolas looked over at Eomer.
"Why do you leave home to fight war?" he asked. Eomer smiled slightly.
"Because it is what I must do." He answered easily. Legolas did not smile.
"But why must you do it?" the Elf pressed. Eomer paused and thought a
moment. Then he looked back at the Elf riding beside him through the
ruin of an evil place.
"Because someone must help our people. And I would me one of those
people. I would not see them suffer only because I did nothing."
"Even if it means leaving your home?"
Eomer smiled.
"Aye, Legolas, even if it means leaving my home."
Legolas said nothing, but he grinned and nodded. Eomer laughed.
"Elves are not very fond of giving straight answers, are they?" he asked. Legolas laughed with him.
"No, I am afraid we are not. But, then, there are few answers that can be given straight."
Eomer nodded.
"Tell me, then, Elf, what do you miss most of your home in Mirkwood?"
Legolas looked over at the Man in surprise. He had not expected such a
question from anyone but Aragorn--or perhaps a Hobbit. Certainly not
from Gimli and never from any other Man other than the Ranger.
"Why do you ask?" he asked in confusion. Eomer shrugged.
"I am curious. It is wrong of me to ask?" he asked, frowning. Legolas shook his head.
"No. No, I was just not prepared for such a question from . . . well,
from you." Legolas admitted. "But most of all, I miss my father. When I
left for Rivendell, it was simply to deliver a message. When I never
returned, I am sure my father was greatly worried. I miss him. And the
trees."
Eomer smiled sadly.
"I, too, miss my father. But King Theoden, he is like a father to me.
If ever something happened to him, I would mourn him no less than I did
my father, though I was but a lad."
"How did he die, your father?" Legolas asked softly. Eomer looked over at the Elf and smiled.
"Now who is asking the surprising questions." He grinned.
"Forgive me. If you do not wish to--"
"No, no. Forgive me, Legolas. It gladdens me that you should ask. But,
the truth is, I do not remember. It pains me that I do not know, but I
do know that when I die, I shall see him in the Halls of our
Forefathers and there I shall ask him." Eomer grinned. "Of course, I am
a patient man."
Legolas laughed out loud, the clear sound ringing around Isengard. A
few Ents looked up at the noise of the Elf and they were glad to hear
it. Eomer, riding beside him, laughed also.
Finally, after many long minutes of laughter, Legolas looked over to Eomer and smiled.
"Though circumstances were not so gay when we first met, I am glad they are now. I enjoy getting to know you, Eomer."
Eomer grinned.
"I can say the same, Master Elf. Oh, and sorry about trying to kill your friend."
Again the vile, drowned home of Saruman was filled with bright laughter
as a Man and an Elf rode through the ruins surrounding a dark tower.
