P rompt: “Just breathe… you’re okay, I promise, just breathe.”
With mentions of: Thorongil | Aragorn

‘Commander,

Strider’s missing. Looks like he was fighting and got taken as his pack and weapons are here. But there’s no signs of him, just blood. We’ll have a look around just in case he did manage to escape.

Hannar of Orithikar'

Aragorn had been missing for nearly two months when the first cracks started to show.

It took a lot for the Commander of Esteldin to break. And when she did finally break apart, it was often done so silently that no one even realised until it was too late. Except for a few Rangers, who knew her far too well. Her Chieftain being one of them, only he was now the reason why her neutral mask was starting to fail.

Hal didn’t mind being in charge temporarily. After all, she was second in command and had led the Dúnedain before, while they waited for Aragorn to take over. But this was different to those earlier years. This time they had no idea where he actually was.

“Hal- Sh*t!”

She tensed automatically at the touch but then the familiar wilderness, old leather and summer storm scent hit her nose.
“Dai...”

Candaith dropped to the ground and pulled the younger Ranger into his arms, having seen her like this once before. This wasn’t just breaking, this was having a panic attack while breaking. “Breathe.”

Hal tried to do as he said but it wasn’t working at all. “Can’t… Candaith.. I…”

“Hal. Just breathe… you’re okay, I promise, just breathe.” Slate grey eyes lifted momentarily to focus on Ryton, who had come over to them. There was worry and faint alarm in the other man’s expression, which didn’t surprise him. Very few of their kin had ever witnessed her do this before.

Not even Aragorn had ever seen her quite this bad.

“I don’t know if I can do this without him…”

The words were nearly whisper quiet but both Rangers heard it clearly. “Yes, you can. Because that’s what Aragorn would want. But not at the risk of your own health. You don’t have to do this alone, Hal. Let Ryton take over for now as you need to sleep. Or our esteemed leader won’t be happy to find out you’ve run yourself into the ground, when he does return.”

A soft but welcomed snort escaped and she nodded silently against her friend’s shoulder, having worn herself out. A hand curled itself in his shirt when he started to move. “Don’t go anywhere… please?”

The question wasn’t unexpected, not with the state she was in. “Not going anywhere, old friend. I’m taking you to your tent.” But the grip on his shirt didn’t slacken, even when it was obvious she had drifted into a uneasy rest.