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Drabble | A Woman's Place
I am Hal of the Dúnedainand I fear a Cage.   "Do NOT ask her that stupid question."
A voice snaps.
"Why not? It's not like there's anything to lose and this is Men's work."
A head tilt. The conversation catching her attention but it doesn't make her pause. After all, one of her greatest skills is observing without making it obvious. And they are talking loud enough for half the Rangers of the North to hear. Footsteps move in her direction and one of her kin, possibly Ryton, just snorts.
"Hal. Isn't it time you settle down with someone and start a family?"
There's a silent moment, in which that question sinks into her mind. It makes her straighten to give the young Gondorian a blank look. Words come and go, unable to get a response out to such a inane question until- "F***, no. And it wouldn't be with you if I did."
The man sputters at the very blunt answer. Growing slightly annoyed at the way the others of the Northern Dunedain side eye him almost warily. He has heard of them, everyone has, but being from the South, he has never paid much attention to the rumours and facts about them. There has been plenty of stories told by travellers across the years. About the Rangers who led their kin TOGETHER, who orbits each-other in such a way that others could only ever hope to follow their leadership.
And yet, he ignores all that. Hasn't even consider the potential consequences of what he's trying to do. Or the simple fact that the dark eyed woman is part of that almost legendary leadership, one half of the Strider & Polaris team. "Why not? It's where women belong."
Something flickers in her at those words. A nearly forgotten memory of someone telling her Grandfather that when she was just a child. And for a brief moment, it feels like nothing has changed since that time in Bree. That she's still the kid who should be kept under control, an offer to keep her safe and a prisoner in a marriage she doesn't f***ing WANT. Nails dig into the palms of her hands, leaving behind marks as she's unwilling to show just how much those words affect her. Not when they're in Minas Tirith. It's not worth the effort. "We belong where wa want to belong. For me, that's being a Ranger and being in the wilds."
The memories recede when a callused hand drops onto her shoulder and pulls her back against a firm chest. Familiar scent of old books, leather and wilderness filling her nose. Allowing her to breathe again. Although her dislike for being touched is well known, she doesn't have a problem right now. Not when it comes to the taller man, for they had passed that particular challenge a long time ago.
The 25 year old Gondorian male blinks, before looking up and going pale. There is no need to ask who it is, not when most of Gondor recognises the man by sight now. "Lord Aragorn!" He wilts under the calm look, shutting his mouth before a explanation could be found and given. Then he takes a second glance and thinks that maybe he should have listened more to the stories told during his earlier years. To the traveller who once said that a bond far stronger than just friendship ran between the Chieftain and Commander of the Northern Rangers. "I-"
Sapphire eyes study him for a few minutes, before a glance down catches what Hal has been hiding. Blood drips from where she has broken the skin on her hands, after digging her nails in. Aragorn knows why it happened but that doesn't mean he has to like it though. Not after nearly losing her at the Battle of the Pelennor Fields, when she took the hit for him. "Take a break, please." He looks over at the Gondorian, who nods with slight shame and leaves silently.
Hal hates getting memory flashbacks, especially when triggered by particular words or phases. But it's something that they have both gotten used to now. She lets the new King of Gondor pull her over to a nearby bench that's just out of sight from everyone and watches as he sorts her hands out.
"These are deep."
"I wanted to hit him. Thought this was better."
Aragorn raises an eyebrow at her then sighs. "Thank-you but hurting yourself isn't the answer, Hal." A wry smile forms at the shrug, before kissing her momentarily. Soon to be Queen she might be but her wild nature would never change.
Because you can take the Ranger out of the wild but never the wild out of the Ranger.  discord: ask / literate & semi-active writer / est. 2020
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