Lothlórien was where Robb saw his companions in clean, undamaged clothes not meant for travelling for the first time.

It was, in all honesty, both jarring and enlightening.

The Hobbits and Gimli had not changed much. In the case of the Hobbits, it was most likely because their clothes already resembled clothing meant for being worn in the comfort of one's home. As for Gimli, well, Robb suspected stubbornness. He simply refused to wear most of the garments given to him.

The three others, however, were entirely different.

Legolas, in his shimmering silver tunic, looked like the prince he had revealed himself to be some time ago. Boromir, now no longer weighed down by the shield usually on his back, held himself more regally as well, in spite of whatever was still weighing on him.

Aragorn, however, was the one who stood out most. Freshly washed, shaved and out of his ragged clothes, he looked much less unassuming. On the contrary, Aragorn now had the air of someone with a burden Robb knew very well—that of leadership. Although Robb felt there was more to it than just Gandalf's death and Aragorn's new position as the fellowship's leader, he found himself unable to place just what gave him that impression.

Leaning against the bark of a tree in much lighter clothing himself, Robb contemplated his companion.

The man was currently sharpening his sword. Aragorn was wearing a necklace as well, Robb noted absently, one that, despite its size and obvious contrast to Aragorn's usual clothing, had never caught Robb's eye before. Had Aragorn always had it and just hidden it, or had someone here given it to him? Aragorn had visited this place before, so there had to be someone besides Galadriel who knew him… right?

Robb realized he was staring when Aragorn caught his eye and raised an amused eyebrow. Robb blushed and shook his head. This was probably none of his business.

They both looked up when a haunting song started up in the trees above them. Sam and Merry, who were in the process of preparing their bedrolls just next to Robb, paused.

Just then, Legolas rejoined their small camp at the foot of some trees carrying a pitcher. Seeing their aimless gazes to where the song seemed to be coming from, he paused.

"It's a lament for Gandalf," he murmured.

Robb lowered his head.

Right.

He had not yet thought to truly mourn the man himself, overwhelmed by new places and people, and before that, distracted by the fact that they were being pursued.

Robb had known him only for… two weeks? Perhaps more, perhaps a bit less. He missed Gandalf, but in comparison to all the people around Robb who had known him for years, decades or even centuries, well… his own grief fell painfully short by default.

Thinking back to his own losses, he could empathize with them, nonetheless.

"What do they say about him?" Merry asked quietly after a few seconds of silence.

Legolas looked down at the pitcher in his hands before turning to glance at Merry. "I have not the heart to tell you. For me the grief is still too near."

"Bet they don't mention his fireworks," Sam mumbled. "There should be a verse about them."

Robb tilted his head. He had never seen fireworks before. His eyebrows twitched upward when Sam stood and began reciting a poem.

"The finest rockets ever seen,
they burst in stars of blue and green.
Where after thunder silver showers
came falling like a rain of flowers—
oh, that doesn't do him justice!"

Sam sat back down with a frown on his face.

Robb, whose lips had curved into a smile when Aragorn had smacked a sleeping Gimli to stop him from snoring and disrupting the poem, quickly sobered up again.

“Wait,” Robb said, “you just made that up? Just now?”

Sam nodded, furrowing his brows.

“That was amazing!”

"It's not as good as what Mister Bilbo would have said, that's safe to say!"
Robb sighed.

"That I cannot judge. But Sam… Sam, look at me—" he reached his arm out to put his hand on Sam's shoulder— "I've never seen fireworks before. I had no idea what they looked like, but your poem? I was able to picture them. And you made that up within seconds. It was good, Sam. Truly."

Sam blushed. "Thank you."

❄️

Just like the night before, Robb's sleep did not bring him any nightmares.

Instead, there were flashes of a wide stream and leaves on the ground underneath his paws.

When Robb awoke the next morning, he felt well rested for the first time in weeks.

He did not have to search for food for long as he spotted Merry and Pippin in a nearby pavilion shoveling fruit into their mouths more messily than was perhaps necessary.

Dropping down next to them, Robb quirked a grin and grabbed an apple as well as a bread roll from the plates on the table.

"Is it good?" he said with a nod to their own packed plates.

Merry nodded while Pippin tried to answer verbally, almost spraying Robb with fruit mush.

Robb snorted in delight. Ah, to be able to behave childishly again…
A thought shot through his mind.

"How old are you two, anyway?" he asked, taking a bite of his apple.

Merry swallowed before answering. "Pip is twenty-eight and I'm thirty-seven!"

Robb's apple got stuck in his throat. He coughed, desperately trying to dislodge it.

"What?" he wheezed, pounding his chest with one hand. "You're… wh— what?"

Merry watched him with concern. "Are you alright?"

"Uh-huh."

Finally, the piece of apple became unstuck. Blinking the tears from his eyes, Robb motioned Merry to go on.

"You big folk are always surprised when we tell you!" Pippin cried before Merry could repeat himself.

"Well… I'm sorry?" Robb frowned. "Where I come from, there are only humans, so everyone ages at the same pace."

Pippin frowned. "Well, how old are you then? I thought you were Merry's age!"

Robb raised an eyebrow. "I'm nineteen, Pippin. My father was Merry's age before… well. Before."

Now the Hobbits' eyes widened as well.

"Nineteen?"

The three of them whirled around.
At the entrance to the pavilion stood Aragorn, as surprised as Robb had ever seen him.

"Aye…" Robb's eyes narrowed. "Alright, why is this so unexpected for everyone?"

Aragorn went to sit down across from him. He grabbed a roll of bread before regarding Robb again.

"Well, this does make you the youngest member of the fellowship by about nine years."

Robb grunted dismissively.

"And, well," Aragorn continued, "it makes what happened to you even more horrific. Nobody should have to suffer like you did, but… your age makes it worse. There should not have been so many tragic events in so few years of life."

Robb pressed his lips together and looked at his fingers. He did not disagree, of course. It was just that he really had no desire to talk about that.
And anyway, what had happened to Sansa and Arya, to Bran and Rickon… well, that had been far worse. And they all were — had been — even younger. Really, Robb was almost… lucky.

He looked back up at Aragorn with a sigh and shook his head to dispel his thoughts.

"I thought you all had guessed my age already. You and Boromir, at the very least."

Aragorn's lips twitched. "I am not the best at guessing ages. I am descended from the men of Númenor, who were blessed with long life. I myself am eighty-seven years old."

Robb's mouth fell open. He stared at Aragorn. Eighty-seven. Not even Maester Luwin was that old! And Aragorn looked so young… his father's age, if not younger!

You really couldn't trust anyone here to look as old as they were, huh?
After a few long seconds Robb closed his mouth again. Rolling his eyes, he threw his hands up in exasperation.

"Seven hells! Does anyone here age normally?"

Aragorn cracked a grin. "I am sure Boromir does—unless he has been keeping secrets."

Robb groaned and let his face fall onto his hands. He was not ready for more surprises, not from Boromir of all people.

They ate in silence for some time before Aragorn made to get back up, announcing his plan to search for Legolas.

Almost out of the pavilion, he stopped and turned around again.

"Oh, and Robb," Aragorn said, waiting until he had Robb's attention before continuing, "Lady Galadriel wishes to see you."

Robb winced. "Oh gods."

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A filler chapter! More bonding! I finally reveal by how much I aged up Robb because the fellowship would NOT have taken a 16 year-old along!

Feel free to yell at me about it, every comment makes the next update come sooner😌