FicWad

Chapter 4
"They're retreating!" Yelled a soldier as what was left of the orc army began to flee. Riders chased down the fleeing. The only ones that escaped were a few wargs and their riders. A loud cheer rose among the men of Gondor. Avoiding the dead warg, Legolas rode up to Akila, who was looking down at the body, breathing heavily.
"Akila?" Legolas spoke to her softly. There was no response. "Akila?"
All of a sudden, as if snapped back into reality, she looked up at him. "What?" Legolas chuckled. Aragorn rode up beside them. He nodded to them.
"You saved my life." He looked toward the dead warg. It was a horrible creature. He would not even begin to count how many of his men died at the claw of that monster.
"That was a mighty fine feat, lady." Gimli stepped around the spear embedded in the warg's chest. "Although, I had him just were I wanted him." This got a chuckle out of the group. The army rode into the town and cleared out the remaining orcs that lingered there. A messenger had already been sent out to the nearby city where the population had fled to. They would return and rebuild the ruin. The city was a valuable resource, not just for Gondorians, but for the Rohirrum as well. The town was used as a trading post between the two factions, as well as a well fortified outpost. The army remained there for the night.

Aragorn had thanked Akila more formally later in the day as the refugees of the town arrived. The soldiers had already cleared the streets of the dead. Later, they would rebuild, but for now they would return to what was left of their homes and rest. Legolas saw little of Akila for most of the day. He found her tending to her horse as the sun began to go down. When he found her, she was finishing cleaning a wound on the horse's rump where an arrow had skimmed the surface, leaving a painful gash. He slowly walked up behind her. He patted Alassea on the nose as she nudged him looking for an apple.
"Akila?" He spoke in elvish. She stood up as she heard his voice and turned to face him. "Are you feeling alright, you're really quiet... I thought you would be celebrating of the victory."
"I am sorry Legolas; I've just been deep in thought."
"Of what?"
"I took a chance back there." She said, nodding her head towards the smoking fields where many bodies lay.
"On your own life?" Legolas was worried now. Had she not wanted to ride with them, and only done so because a king had asked her? She shook her head.
"Not on my own. Lord Aragorn's." Legolas looked up. What had she meant?
"I do not understand what you are saying..."
"With the spear. I have not used a spear like that for many years. I forget what it is to be a lancer. I took a chance. What if I aimed incorrectly and the warg just knocked it aside?" Legolas stopped her.
"Is that all you're worried about." He smiled. "I forgot to congratulate you. That was an amazing show of bravery, done be chance or not." Legolas could see a small tint of red on Akila's cheeks, than it disappeared.
"Well, I have to thank you as well Legolas. If you had not shot that arrow, I might have only damaged the warg's shoulder." She smiled back at him. Legolas held out his arm to Akila.
"At the least come to the celebration." She had taken his arm.
"I would be honored."

Aragorn had decided to keep the army in the town. He would leave some of his men to keep the town safe. It would take a good week until the villagers had settled back into what was left of their homes. Aragorn would wait for that long, than he would have to leave for Minas Tirith. Legolas had spent much of the days walking with Akila, talking to her about anything. He had learned that she had grown up with both elves and humans, with sword and bow, and on horseback. That she had fought many battles during the time of the Ring and that she had run-ins with both Nazgul and Mumakil. He had told her of when he had slain a Mumakil and she had listened intently. He told her of his friendship with Aragorn and Gimli and she again had listened. During those days, she had begun to like the dwarf and was less stiff around Aragorn, although she still spoke up to him. She had told Legolas on the fifth day of her parents. They had stopped and sat on what was left of the walls. He had been talking about his child life, which was a very long time ago, and of where he had grown up. She had looked at the ground and became very quiet. He stopped immediately and asked of her troubles.
She had taken a deep breath and began to speak. "I never truly knew my parents." She had told him. "My father died before I was even born, and my mother disappeared when I was very young." He had shaken her head to remove any thoughts.
"I'm sorry..." Legolas began, but Akila stopped him.
"You did not know. No harm has been done." The conversation had ended there.

Legolas and Akila had become very close friends quickly and he was planning on asking her to come back to Minas Tirith with them. The soldiers that were returning to Minas Tirith had been busy on the night before they returned to the city. Legolas had found Akila that night while she was packing a saddle bag. He had asked her then. She agreed instantly. The army had ridden off as the sun was high in the sky. Akila as before, had ridden beside Legolas and spent a lot of time taking to Gimli. Legolas just liked to listen. On the second day of the ride, it began to rain heavily and the army took shelter in a forest.