Author: theambernightingale
Fandom: Tolkien
Pair: Tinuviel x Aragorn
Summary: The war of the Ring just ended, with many wounded flowing in for the healers to care for. Legolas sees Tinuviel offering her skills to the healers and requests she be assigned to the Lords of Gondor.
Warnings: OoF
Other:

The House of Healing was a hive of activity after the recent battle against the Orcs. Thousands of Gondorian and Rohirric soldiers were being tended to.
An elvish horn sounded at the gates of Minas Tirith, more out of respect than desire to be let in considering the enormous wooden gate now lay in ruin.
The bedraggled gate guards stared in bewilderment as the pack of thirty elves trotted right into the city, 10 white and gold robed and 20 clad in the greens and greys of the forest. The elleth leading wore a simple wishbone peak circlet of silver that shone from beneath a mottled green cowl, a distinctive Lorien longbow slung across her back.

The group of elves worked up each level of the city, the leader begrudgingly accepting that they must leave their horses at the lowest level due to the destruction higher up from the trebuchets. Several of the boys of Minas Tirith helped carry the heavy medical bags up to the serene houses of healing.

'Mae govannen, Legolas!' Called the elleth as she swept her cowl off, greeting the ellon who emerged to receive her party. 'Lord Elrond Peredhil sends you his finest in hoes we may be able to help the healers here.'

Two more people joined Legolas. One was Aragorn, Isuldir's heir, and the other the head healer.

'We shall, of course, require a separate set of quarters up near the fortress itself for our off-duty healers to rest, as well as a separate pavilion for dealing with patients. There may be twenty of us wearing armour, but all of us can heal.'

Legolas replied.

'Mae govannen, Tinuviel. How long it has been since our last meeting. Of course we can arrange for whatever you need - any help is gladly accepted.'

Aragorn cleared his throat.

'Legolas, you forget who makes decisions.'

The elf bowed his head and backed off.

'What he says is true. You are welcome here as long as you help my people.'

-

The Houses had been drained of all warriors fit and able to fight as an alliance of Men rode to war in a valiant attempt at giving two hobbits time to destroy the ring of power. There was rarely someone moving in the healing houses anymore - most of the injured had been treated and moved into the throne room of the palace with two healers to ensure swift recovery.
A group of four elven warriors had saddled steeds of the previous battle beyond the walls that clearly were without living owners, only one of the steeds not being encumbered with field supplies. The stallion carried two quivers strapped to the right side of the saddle and a pair of sword sheathes. The rider was decked for war, regal silver elvish armour hugging the broad-shouldered warrior, an elegant silver longsword held loosely in a black leather-clad hand.

The rider mounted and turned for the battle, leading the group on what she had promised was a purely medical trip.

...

The Black Gates had crumbled with Sauron, an abyss springing into life with a mighty roar of falling rock.

'My Lady, it is too dangerous!' Barked one of the field healers as the elleth made for the unconscious heir of Isuldir, shoving past her and retrieving the King from the uncertain edge of rock he lay upon.

-

Tinuviel waved off several eager trainee healers as she drifted through the various healing houses, bringing an aura of timeless calmness with her. The minds of healers cleared, patients stopped moaning in pain, volunteers suddenly found the extra supplies in the supply cupboards and loved ones ceased their sobbing. All in all, minds were cleared and hearts calmed in Tinuviel's presence.

Several healers were buzzing around the Gondorian King in a panic when Tinuviel arrived.

The whole room seemed to breathe a sigh of relief as the elf shooed the hare-brained women away from Aragorn. She carefully assessed his wounds, noting his broken ribs and glancing dagger blows on his arms.

-

Whispers had begun to spread throughout Gondor as for three weeks after the battle the heir was nowhere to be seen, locked away with an elf healer. Every day the crowds would gather, insistently calling for the doors to be opened. The common folk began to suspect the elf was a witch and had killed the heir of Gondor, becoming more aggressive with each day the house lay silent.

Finally, they broke into the sacred house of healing.

The rows of beds had lain empty for weeks and dust had gathered upon everything, including the touching scene before the crowd. Their king lay sleeping in what the head healer called a coma, the faithful elf maiden resting against the edge of his bed in a mysterious deep sleep, her body straining for the energy to keep her alive. The other elves were called in, the eldest healer explaining that Tinuviel had sacrificed an abnormal amount of her energy to speed Aragorn's healing up.

The healers resolved to keep the room open to the public as to deter any rumours, resulting in countless theories on how the immovable pair were put in the position they were in. Tinuviel's exhausted muscles had tensed and clamped around Aragorn's limp hand, making removing her impossible.

One day, she woke up.

The elleth took a while to ensure the future king was healing nicely, oblivious to the crowd in the room watching the etheral being. They were all witnesses to the otherworldly ritual the elf maiden performed over the vulnerable king, barely glancing at the onlookers. That one glance was enough as with reflexes only an elf could posses she vaulted the bed the king lay upon and threw something at a would-be assassin. The people watched as something silver sank into the elleth's shoulder, nearly causing her to break her chant that upon finishing had her sway and fall at a curious angle.
Later, the other healers confirmed something astonishing.

Some sixth sense had alerted Tinuviel to another assassin in the crowd and as she had given up her energy to make Aragorn wake up, she threw herself into the path of another silver star that would have hit his throat, the bladed star sinking into the top right area of her chest.

Even as she fell unconscious, Tinuviel strove to protect her friend.