[MillietheWarrior]

“Thank you so much.”

I looked up at Eowyn as I turned in my new pants. She’d managed to find me a small pair of breeches with leather braces laced along up the sides for protection and warmth, and a long sleeved white tunic. She also managed to find a leather over tunic that vaguely resembled Boromir’s that I promptly secured with a belt around my waist and my dagger at my side. She’d managed to find some leather braces too (I sincerely hoped she wasn’t robbing some poor guy who was about my size blind in the process) and a pair of leather boots for me to wear.

I had reluctantly packed my sneakers away into a bag I’d been presented for my meager amount of belongings and stuffed my feet into the boots. I felt a bit better, even as I fluffed up the gold embroidered collar of my tunic around my neck. This was an amazing improvement over those swoop necked dresses that didn’t even manage to cover my collarbones. I was now swathed from head to foot in warm clothes and topped it all off with a cloak that Eowyn presented to me (Seriously, I don’t know where she managed to find all this).

[MillietheWarrior]

“It is nothing,” the woman supplied quietly, a small smile touching her pale face. “I must say that I agree with your choice to wear breeches. But I am a lady of the court, and  as much as I would dearly wish to do the same, I must suffer my frock in silence.”

“I feel for you, Eowyn, I really, really do.”

She waved off my sympathy, as if it was no big deal, and stood from where she had sat on my bed. “It matters little. I am used to it, while you are obviously not.” When I glanced at her, she continued. “I could tell how unconformable you were in those dresses, from one woman to another. So I suppose it is I who should feel bad for you. You also have changed your hair greatly, which I find strange. When you first arrived, it was quite long, was it not? Yet you cut it so that it resembles a young boy. I should wonder at why you did this, but I would assume that this too, would be for comfort?”

[MillietheWarrior]

“Bah, I didn’t mind them much. But they’re impractical. Breeches and a tunic are much better.” I eyed her curiously, adjusting my dagger where it hung on my belt and feeling a little silly with just the tiny weapon hanging off my person. “The hair thing was…just a quick decision. It’s easier to keep my hair clean and out of my eyes this way. I had no idea everyone would be so morbidly fascinated with the fact that I’d cut it.” Deciding to change the subject, I asked quickly; “How far is it to Helm’s Deep, Eowyn? How many days are we looking at?”

[MillietheWarrior]

Eowyn turned towards the door, beckoning me to follow, and I did so, earning a few strange looks from the cooks and chambermaids who bustled about the halls, preparing for the migration; from the mirror I’d glanced in Eowyn’s room, I knew I looked like a man (A very sexy, curvy man, thank you very much!), with my short hair and clothing. I doubted they recognized me. “It is about two or three days. Perhaps four, considering how many must travel and how slow our pace must be to accommodate. But we shall make good time, have no doubt. And we will be safe behind the walls of Helm’s Deep.” She eyed me speculatively as we entered the hall, gesturing vaguely to her hair and then to my head. “May I ask…does it feel…different?”

[MillietheWarrior]

I lifted a hand to rub through my hair, looking surprised. “Oh, uh…Yeah, I suppose. Long hair makes my head heavy, and hot. Short hair is nicer, and easier. It makes my head feel so much lighter.” I grinned cheekily as I helped Eowyn pack one of the trunks with weapons in them. “Hey, speaking of hair-” She gave me an odd look at the connection. “-do you know where I can get a sword? Or…something bigger than this dagger?” I motioned vaguely towards my belt, and Eowyn gave it an appraising look before quietly asking;

“Do you know how to use a sword?”

[MillietheWarrior]

“Nope,” I replied, my smile fading slightly. “But I figure it’s better to have one than nothing at all, right?”

Her face turned thoughtful, and she reached into the trunk and pulled out what looked, to me, like a sword who’s growth had been stunted. “Wazzat?” I asked curiously, peering over her shoulder.

“This is a short sword,” she explained, and I mentally smacked myself. I could’ve figured that out. It was…short. And it was a sword. Duh. “It would be best for someone like you. I must caution you against using it until you know how to correctly wield the weapon. Perhaps your lord Boromir would be happy to give his betrothed a lesson in the merits of swordplay.” She shot me a mischievous grin as I took the sword and tried to figure out how to attach it to my belt.

[MillietheWarrior]

I nearly dropped it when she said that, though. It wasn’t all that shocking, since that was technically a story neither Boromir and I had dispelled, but after what had transpired only an hour or so ago with Boromir, I was still a little wary of the whole subject. “Uh, sure,” I agreed, failing to figure out how to affix the sword to my belt and allowing Eowyn to do it for me with a vague smile. “I guess I could.”

“Would that not be preferable?” Eowyn asked, her face turning quizzical. “You two are to be wed, so I would assume that you would wish to have him oversee any swordsmanship lesson you would undertake personally.”

[MillietheWarrior]

“Oh, yeah…That makes sense,” I agreed readily, deciding I’d have to talk to Boromir about that whole ‘fiancé’ story and see what he thought about it sticking around the two of us. “I guess I’ll do that.” I nodded abruptly, and the two of us continued to load the weapons into the box.

We were stopped from continuing our work when Eowyn pulled one of the swords from the sheath. I stepped back as she looked it over appraisingly. “Would you like me to show you a bit of swordplay?” she asked, holding the weapon aloft. “Just a few basic steps. There is enough room here.”

[MillietheWarrior]

I grinned, nodding vigorously. “Yes indeed, that would be much appreciated.” I watched as she nodded and smoothly slid into a well-practiced stance. She held the sword aloft, before she spun it in her hands, the blade whistling through the air and cutting at imaginary, unseen foes. I was so enthralled with the spectacle, that I nearly leapt out of my skin when Aragorn materialized out of nowhere and blocked Eowyn’s blade with his knife.

“Holy fish cakes, Aragorn! Don’t do that!” I cried, clutching at my chest and looking close to panicked. Aragorn merely smirked, sheathing his blade.

“Samantha,” he greeted. “The others are looking for you. Boromir said that if you don’t get out there soon he will ‘ride Simbel himself and not let you hug him.’ Whatever that was supposed to mean. It was quite unclear at the time.”

[MillietheWarrior]

My face flamed with indignation. “Aw hell no! No way he is riding Simbel and keeping me from my awesome horsey hugs! I’ll skewer him!” I stomped out of the hall, ignoring the tittering of Eowyn behind me and the deep chuckling of Aragorn as the two turned to engage one another in conversation.

Marching down the steps, I managed to catch a glimpse of Boromir’s distinct red hair and Legolas’s blindingly blonde head and made a bee-line straight for the little group. When I reached them, Gimli shouted out to me in a greeting.

“Ah, Samantha. There you are! We’re almost ready to set out.”

[MillietheWarrior]

Legolas, who was holding Arod’s reins, raised an inquisitive eyebrow upon catching sight of me. “I see you have changed your attire. A very odd choice indeed. You look like a man with your hair and clothing, if you don‘t mind me saying.”

I shot him a scathing look. “Legolas, the day you put on a dress and ride in it for three days will be the day I decide that maybe they aren’t the creation of evil and meant only to restrict women’s movements so they can’t be as good as men. Women are twice as awesome as men without dresses cuz we’re faster and smarter.”

“But not stronger!” Gimli supplied, and I thumped him on his helmet so it made a rather lovely sounding ’clang.’

[MillietheWarrior]

“Nope, not in the upper body, at least. But women can have babies. And, as with the dress, the day I see a man have a child is the day I admit that men are better than women. So, in short, not gonna happen.”

Legolas looked vaguely horrified at the thought of wearing a dress and having a child, and I couldn’t help but laugh at the very foreign expression on the elf’s pretty face. He looked positively scandalized. A soft throat clearing behind me turned my attention away from the ‘point-and-laugh-’cuz-elves-shouldn’t-look-like-that’ fest I was having on Legolas’s account, and I turned to see Boromir holding the reins of Simbel and another horse I’d never seen before.

“Your clothing looks very nice. Practical, indeed. I have brought your beloved ‘best horse friend’ along with me.” Boromir held out the reins for me to take with a small smile and before I could wonder why he didn’t mention anything about my hair (and hadn’t, up to this point, which was odd) or the fact that I looked like a guy in my new clothes, I was distracted by the sight of Simbel’s pretty face.

[MillietheWarrior]

“My baby!” I cried, rushing forward and throwing my arms around the horse’s neck, much to the amusement of my three companions and a few people around me. “I totally got somethin’ for you!” I smiled widely as I fished around in my bag, pulling out the carrot I’d swiped from one of the cooks on the way to Eowyn’s room with her to change and holding it out so Simbel could munch on it. “Who’s a pretty boy?” I crooned, rubbing his forehead and realizing, with giddy delight, that his mane and tail were still braided. “You look so beautiful.”

“Did you braid his hair?” Legolas asked, leaning in to inspect the horse’s mane. “That is a bit undignified, do you not think?”

[MillietheWarrior]

“Undignified my foot,” I muttered. “He looks amazing. I can braid Arod’s mane too, if you want.” I grinned wickedly as the scandalized look reappeared on his face and he took a protective step back towards his horse.

“It is very unique, and quite becoming,” Boromir commented from beside me, and I flashed him a pleased smile in return. “Very well done. But now we must be on our way. Already the people of the city are moving through the gate. And the king and his hall will be on their way.”

I nodded, and stepped around to the side of Simbel, trying valiantly to mount him without any help. Unfortunately, the last time I’d done this, Boromir had aided me, and Simbel was a freaking tall horse. With a sigh that was more amused than annoyed, Legolas carefully picked me up by my waist and effortlessly set me on the back of the horse. I patted his head, much to his chagrin, and picked up the reins. “Ah, elves. Good for songs, battles, and putting people on their horses. Thank you, Mr. temporary-step-ladder.”

[MillietheWarrior]

He didn’t look too pleased at the nickname, and I heard Gimli doing a horrible job at smothering his laughter behind the Elf as Boromir mounted his horse and Legolas bundled Gimli up onto theirs, swinging up in front of him effortlessly.  

“Come,” Boromir instructed, motioning for us to follow. I directed my horse to follow after his, with Arod and his riders plodding along steadily beside me.

“This is going to be way better than running across Rohan, right Gimli?” I heard the dwarf grunt his agreement.

“Indeed. And I hope that we never have to do such a thing again.”

“You and me both,” I agreed, grinning as the four of us plodded out the gates with the masses of people.

-0-0-0-0-0-0-