As the crowds outside the Golden halls began to dissolve, people continued with their day. Míriel saw her companions following the king inside and she hurried toward Gandalf. She wanted to speak to the Wizard before he left, for what he had done inside the Halls - setting King Théoden free from Saruman's witchcraft - had been incredible.

"Gandalf," Míriel said and placed her hand on the Wizard's arm. "Could I have a word?"

"Of course, my dear," Gandalf said and walked toward Míriel, away from any prying ears. "What is it that you wanted to ask me?"

"In there, you performed magic more powerful than I have ever seen," Míriel said.

"Then you have not seen your grandmother Lady Galadriel, do her wonders," Gandalf said with a fond smile.

"I want to be able to do the same," Míriel said to Gandalf with a sigh. "But I fear after so many years of oppressing my own power it's too late. The powers of the Maiar are already restricted here on Middle-earth, what can a weak Istari like myself do here? Will I always only be able to do small magic tricks to entertain children?"

"Dear Míriel," Gandalf said with a sad smile, for he did not like her to speak in such harsh ways about herself. "You are not weak in any way. I saw you fight in the Battle of the Five Armies and what you could do then was something I could only dream of doing. You could send blasts of lethal magic toward your enemies, protecting the ones you cared for. How can you remember this and still call yourself weak?"

"It was years ago," Míriel mumbled, even though she remembered it clearly. "I was different then, I had confidence that I don't have now. If I do anything like it again, I might hurt someone like I did the last time."

"See that is were you are at fault, Míriel," Gandalf said. "You do not believe in yourself and you fear what may happen. With such negative thoughts you will never reach that power again, I assure you that. But with my guidance I will help you, as long as you start to trust yourself again."

With a small smile Gandalf began walking into the halls again, leaving Míriel outside. She glanced out across the lands of Rohan as Gandalf's words echoed in her head. Of course, she knew that he spoke the truth and that Míriel's greatest enemy might be herself. Still, how could she overcome the fear she constantly felt inside of her.

"Lady Míriel?"

Míriel turned and saw that Éowyn was standing right behind her. The maiden was smiling kindly toward her, almost a little shyly.

"Please, just call me Míriel," Míriel insisted and smiled toward Éowyn.

"I am honored to have met an Elf," Éowyn said with a wide smile. "Since I was a little girl I have heard stories of your kin, wishing that I could gaze upon one of you myself one day. And here you stand. My brother has told me so many stories of the powerful Elf Lady Galadriel who dwells in Lothlórien and here is her granddaughter."

"You are very kind," Miriel said with another smile. "Éowyn, wasn't it?"

"Yes I am the King's niece, shieldmaiden of Rohan," Éowyn said.

"Oh, I don't suppose you are the sister of Éomer?" Míriel asked, remembering the rider that they had met in the Riddermark. He was the nephew of the King so this could be his sister.

"I am," Éowyn said and widened her eyes. "Is he unharmed?"

"He is, we met him on our journey here," Míriel said, glad that she could deliver good news to this girl.

"I am so relieved, thank you for telling me," said Éowyn with a smile. "Come, I will show you to your room and give you some other clothes to wear as we mend yours. Your stay here will be comfortable, I hope, I will make sure of that."

Just as Éowyn promised, Míriel was properly taken care of. She had a nice bath and was finally able to wash her hair in the privacy of her own room. Even though Míriel loved her companions, it felt quite confined to be the only female in a company full of males. It was nice to talk to a woman again, for Éowyn was kind and clever as well. She leant Míriel one of her dresses to wear while they washed and mended her travel clothing. The dress was a simple dark green colour, comfortable to walk around and not as thin as the Elven clothes were since the climate was colder in Rohan.

The funeral for Prince Théodred was to be held the next day and until then, the Fellowship were free to roam around Meduseld. Míriel brushed her hair one last time before hearing a knock on her door.

"Come in," she said and glanced herself in the mirror. Her hair had grown longer during her time in the wild so she would have to cut it soon to keep it at a good length so it did not bother her in her travels.

The door to her room opened and Legolas stepped inside. He looked her up and down and smiled faintly.

"You look well," he stated and then chuckled. "That is, I haven't seen you in a dress since in Lórien. Not that you don't look well in something else..."

"I think I understand," Míriel said and chuckled teasingly. "Thank you."

"I came to ask you if you'd like to take a walk around the city," Legolas said. "I cannot stand hearing Gimli's voice anymore so I fled."

"You secretly care about him," Míriel teased with a grin. "But I accept, let us walk."

Legolas grinned and together they made their way out of the Golden Halls and out into the fresh air. People were in full preparations for the funeral of Prince Théodred and barely took notice of the two Elves.

"What do you think your bows Haldir and Glorfindel will say when they discover your true nature?" Legolas asked suddenly.

"What are you on about now," Míriel said with a sigh and rolled her eyes. "First Haldir, then Boromir and now Glorfindel."

"Well, I know I'm right about Glorfindel for he did not let go of you with his gaze the entire time we stayed in Rivendell," Legolas said with a chuckle. "The way he interrupted us that night at the fountain was obviously on purpose."

"What would he gain from it, even if he was interested in me?" Míriel questioned him. "You and I did nothing wrong."

Legolas smiled secretively and looked away.

"Then perhaps we remember the night differently," he said and gazed into Míriel's eyes again. "I remember us actually getting along." Míriel smiled and chuckled a little. Legolas' smile fell and he looked at her with a serious look in his eye. "I am curious though, if your heart is promised to someone, may it be Glorfindel or anyone else."

Míriel had to tear her eyes away since he was making her embarrassed. When Legolas spoke in such ways it made her question why he was so curious to know. Could he perhaps be interested?

"My heart isn't open if that is what you're asking," Míriel answered truthfully.

"It is what I'm asking," Legolas said and nodded. "And I am sorry to hear it." They stopped walking and Legolas placed himself in front of Míriel. "That is, I'm sorry if the person your heart belongs to is anyone but me."

Míriel held her breath and had to contain herself from bursting with nervous butterflies in her stomach. Legolas had just admitted that he cared for her as more than just a friend, that he had fallen for her yet again.

"It does," Míriel managed to say. "It belongs to you."

Legolas allowed himself to smile relieved. His eyes flickered down to her lips and before she knew it, he had pressed a gentle kiss against hers. The familiar sensation of their lips meeting arose feelings in Míriel she had not felt for eight decades. No matter how much Legolas had changed since the last time they shared a kiss, her emotions did not.

She pulled away from the kiss after a moment and placed her hands on his chest. Legolas was grinning uncontrollably and pressed a kiss onto her hand.

"We better get back to the others," he said.

"We better," Míriel agreed, too taken by the kiss to do little more than follow him back into the Halls.

*

The very next morning, Míriel was instructed by some of the maids to wear something black for the funeral of Prince Théodred. Míriel wore a black dress that was given to her, and joined her companions for the funeral.

Pole bearers carried the prince on a small wooden platform down toward the burial mounds for the royals who had died before him. Théoden walked in the head, Gandalf behind and then Éowyn. Míriel was far in the back with Legolas, Aragorn, and Gimli. They walked slowly, letting all the people see him for one last time. None of the members of the Fellowship could even begin to imagine Théoden's pain for none of them had ever been a parent. To bury one's child was something none of them would wish on their worst enemy.

Everyone in Edoras - men, women and children - had gathered around the tombs. They placed Théodred in front of one of the empty ones so that they all could bid a last farewell of the prince. Women laid flowers on his grave, a man held a prayer for him and Théoden spoke for his son. It all ended with a beautiful song that Éowyn sang in her native language Rohirric. It was beautiful but at the same time so sad and the tone of Éowyn's voice relieved that she held her tears back.

Théodred was finally carried into his tomb, and that was it for the funeral. The people started disappearing into their homes again and Míriel walked away quietly with Legolas and Gimli. When they arrived at the Golden Halls again, she could still see Théoden standing by his son's grave, hiding his face in his hands and crying while Gandalf tried to comfort him. The Wizard had tears in his eyes as well, and it hurt to see so much grief.

Míriel turned away and entered the Hall. They all ate in silence and waited for the King and Wizard to come back in, but they lingered for very long. Míriel had been speaking with Gimli and Éowyn when Gandalf suddenly entered with Théoden, and they were each carrying a child. The boy had been unconscious, but he woke up as soon as they entered the hall. Éowyn and Aragorn hurried to the children, Aragorn kneeling next to the little girl and asking how she was. The children did not wish to speak, though.

Éowyn and Aragorn placed the children by the table and placed food in front of them. Gandalf took a seat next to Théoden who sat on his throne, and from there Míriel could hear Gandalf guess that the children had come from the Westfold, a village that had been burned by Saruman's army of Wild Men. The boy had fainted when they had arrived searching for their mother since they had been in a horse saddle for very long.

"They had no warning," Éowyn said and placed a blanket over the girl's shoulders. "They were unarmed. Now the Wild Men are moving through the Westfold, burning as they go."

Míriel came with another bowl of soup for the boy who had already eaten his first. He was very hungry, but the girl was a little more hesitant to eat. The fact that they were alone was alarming, had no other survived the burning of Westfold?

"Where is mama?" the girl asked Éowyn, tears evident in her eyes.

Neither Éowyn nor Míriel had any idea of where this little girl's mother could be, but judging by what had happened in the Westfold, they could only assume that she was dead or very hurt. There was a small possibility that she had gotten away, but then she would surely be at Edoras too? How could Míriel and Éowyn possibly tell the little girl that, though?

"Shh," Éowyn soothed her and rubbed her arm.

"This is but a taste of the terror that Saruman will unleash," Gandalf told Théoden and gestured toward the children. "All more potent for he is driven now by fear of Sauron. Ride out and meet him head-on. Draw him away from your women and children. You must fight."

"You have two thousand good men riding north as we speak," said Aragorn and stood up. Míriel knew he was talking about the Rohirrim. Maybe they would be able to catch up with them and get them back? "Éomer is loyal to you. His men will return and fight for their King."

"They will be 3000 leagues from here by now," Théoden said and shook his head. "Éomer cannot help us. I know what it is you want of me, but I will not bring further death to my people. I will not risk open war."

"Open war is upon you, whether you would risk it or not," Aragorn said. The look he received from Théoden showed that the King did not wish to take advice from Aragorn despite the truth the ranger spoke.

"When last I looked, Théoden, not Aragorn, was King of Rohan," Théoden said stiffly and he almost sounded a little angry because Aragorn had said something that Théoden deep in his heart knew was right.

"Then what is the king's decision?" Gandalf asked in an attempt to try to calm him down.

"We will make our way to Helm's Deep, where we will find safety."

Míriel glanced at Legolas, wondering what Helm's Deep was. As soon as they parted from the Hall, Legolas explained to her that it was Rohan's biggest fortress, located rather far away. It would take days to get there, especially with everyone who were going on foot. Legolas did not believe it to be a good idea since it left them vulnerable to Saruman and his Uruk-hai. As the King had decided this there was nothing more to do about it though. Háma walked out to announce to the people in Edoras that they were leaving in the morning.