I always thought that Legolas and Eowyn were actually super cool friends and I have the worst case of writer's block for everything else so here you go.

Thanks for coming!

….

She wasn't sure if she should follow him or not. Legolas had never been unfriendly in any way, but he hadn't exactly been welcoming either. Although, he never really had been given a reason or opportunity for it. But seeing as Aragorn, Gimli, Gandalf and her Uncle were still arguing endlessly about something she figured somebody ought to follow him. The others didn't even seem to notice him slip away and outside.

It seemed as if he never spoke, an ever-present yet mute companion, but she knew he did. Eowyn had watched both Gimli and Aragorn stifle laughs and grins whenever he was near, she just never actually heard him speak. But she was curious about him, she knew the men of Edoras were wary of him, frightened even. Men, as a rule, did not like to feel as if they were inferior to anyone, and one could not help but feel inferior whenever the elf was around. It was apparent to any who looked upon him that he was a law unto himself, if he wanted to be, too great for this world but living among them nonetheless.

The worst he could do was ignore her. Probably.

So she followed him.

She had been told tales of the swiftness of elves and their silent steps. But still, she was surprised when it seemed she had only blinked and Legolas was already disappearing down a flight of stairs and outside. Increasing the speed of her footsteps to as fast as she could manage without looking ridiculous, she followed him outside. But did not see him.

Anywhere.

Her steps slowed, as she looked around her. There really wasn't anywhere to go that quickly, not with her Uncles home placed so high atop such a hill. There wasn't any other entrance back into the halls that were close enough for him to reach-

"Good evening, Lady Eowyn." Stifling a gasp she whirled around to find him standing behind her, somehow. He raised his hands briefly in a show of peace, "Forgive me, I did not intend to startle you."

For some reason, she got the feeling that that was exactly what he had intended to do but was unsure why. "No please, I am the one intruding on you my Lord-"

"Just Legolas, if you will, I am no Lord." He interrupted with a pleasant smile.

"I just came to see if you were well, Legolas, I noticed you leaving the hall."

"That is very kind of you, but I assure you that I'm quite well. I simply saw no point in listening to an argument I knew was pointless, especially on such a pleasant night such as this."

His voice was much fairer than she thought it would be and she couldn't help but smile a bit to hear it, "How do you know the argument is pointless?"

"I have some experience with stubborn royalty. King Theoden is doing what he thinks is best to protect his people. Should the decision fail, it's not Aragorn nor Gimli they will look to in their heartbreak, and so their opinion, in the end, does not apply or matter. But you knew that already, did you not Lady Eowyn?"

Absently she found herself smoothing her skirts, "Just Eowyn, and yes I did know that. The more he interrupts you, the more certain he is of his decision."

She wanted to talk more with him but was unsure how welcome that would be. With some dismay, she found him just as incredibly hard to read when he talked than when he didn't.

Luckily for her, the elf offered his arm with another warm smile, "I was just about to begin a walk, it would be my honor if I should be graced with company as good as yours."

She meant to give him a small and proper smile, but nearly grinned at him instead when she took his arm, "It would be my pleasure."

They began a leisurely pace towards the very back of the house, and some part of her was certain they were heading towards the somewhat secret staircase into the rock behind it. It had been built as an emergency exit in case of attack, but Eomer, Theodred and her had used it as a quick route to the field below to play their games.

She was a bit surprised that Legolas had found it within the week they had been guests. (In time she would learn he found it the very first night nearly forty-five minutes after everyone else fell asleep. Gimli was furious when he woke in the middle of the night to find his elf missing.)

He paused at the top of the stone staircase hidden behind a thick bush, "Judging how narrow the path is one might think it hadn't often been used by adults, but it has been used by somebody. I trust you still know the way down, Eowyn? If you would be more comfortable I can go and get a lantern from inside."

"No, I know the way." For the most part she did, but that did not mean she did not stumble on a root or rock once or twice. Both times he had steadied her immediately and then withdrew just as fast. "So Elves can see perfectly in the dark, is that what it is?"

Legolas laughed, a good and true one, "Not perfectly but potentially still better than some humans on an average day."

She tripped on another root, "That's absolutely unfair."

"Yes, Estel has told me that countless times."

Finally, they had reached the bottom and out onto the open field that surrounded Eowyn's city, "Who?"

"Oh, yes. I apologize, I meant Aragorn." He waved his hand absently in the air while his eyes strayed upwards towards the stars, "Its happens sometimes."

She looked up at the stars too, but couldn't help but wonder what he saw instead. "Why do you call him 'Estel'?"

"It's a nickname, his family gave it to him. For many years it was the only thing anybody called him." He took her arm again and they once more began a slow walk but this time with no particular destination.

"So you have known him for some time then?"

"Yes, I think since before he was ten. However, I have on good authority that there is a good chance I'm wrong about my age guess."

She figured if he had invited her for a walk conversation and questions were welcome, "So, not to be rude but-"

"How old am I? Older than you, younger than Mithrandir." He frowned, "Gandalf."

"How old is Gandalf?"

Eowyn somehow sensed that she would have hit her brother had he said whatever the elf was about to, "Older than me, younger than the earth."

But he wasn't her brother, and she couldn't hit him so instead, she laughed, "That is a wonderful time frame, thank you."

Legolas bowed deeply to her, with more flourish than she even though him capable of, "I live to serve."

She took his arm again and they turned lazily to the left, as to not wander too far from the staircase, "Yes, serving. You mentioned you had experience dealing with stubborn Kings?"

The elf was silent then, just stared up at the stars like he might actually be contemplating the fate of their world, but then he smiled again, "I am a captain in my king's army and as such sometimes I give him counsel, sometimes he takes it sometimes he doesn't."

He turned back suddenly, facing back to the staircase and the house, "I do believe I hear a dwarf bellowing for me, shall we go before he wakes the dead?"

Eowyn, personally, did not hear a single thing but readily agreed. She did not intend to question the hearing of an elf.

The pair did not talk much more on the way back up, but as soon as they reached the top Gimli came storming out of one of the doors, "There you are! What do you think you are doing, why are you always wandering about? I ought to put a leash on you, or a bell! Did you think I would not notice you hardly touched your food today, I will not have it Lego-" It was then he noticed that his friend was not alone.

Gimli promptly turned a bright shade of red, he might have blended into his beard had he not been so bright a color, "Oh! Lady Eowyn, I apologize. I did not see you there, I trust you had a nice walk with this," He paused in a somewhat panic trying to think of something to call Legolas that would still be appropriate, "Flighty nonsense of a creature."

Personally, she thought it was touching that Gimli cared so much for his companion.

Legolas got a good and long laugh out of that too, and then turned to his walking companion, "I think it is time to wish you good night and thank you for the company, for I fear I am about to be forced to eat something that I very much do not want to eat."

"Yes, you are," Gimli grumbled to nobody in particular.

"There, see?" Aragorn called from somewhere inside, "I told you he would come back. He's like a cat, they always wander but they get hungry eventually."

Legolas stalked inside leaving Eowyn behind, "I'm not even hungry!"

"Tell that to the dwarf."

….

Hope you liked it, would love to hear from you!

See you all in chapter 2