Bravery and Courage. Found on the Battlefield.

Chapter one: Cashing the Urk-Hai.

Arneth's POV.
We have been chasing these scum for three days and I have scouted ahead, you see I'm smaller and therefore lighter so I run faster. Yes I even run faster than the elf, who by the way is very upset that I can. So I look back, because I'm watching these morons take my little friends further away from me, to see Aragorn lying on the ground with his ear pressed to it. "Their pace has quickened. They must have caught our scent." he states. I look back towards the faint outline to see he is right. He looks back towards Legolas and Gimli and I have already taken off running. "HURRY!" I yell over my shoulder. Then I hear Legolas yell, "Come on, Gimli!". I must say I don't know what happened between them two but they have started to become closer and a very tentative bond has formed. I daresay, that can at least tolerate each other now. "Three days and nights pursuit. No food, no rest, no sign of our quarry but what bare rock can tell." I hear Gimli grumble. At least it sounds like a grumble from where I am. Aragorn has finally noticed how far ahead I am and he yells at me. "Arneth wait for us.". Something on the ground glinting catches my eye and I bend down to pick it up. It is a Lórien leaf broach. Aragorn comes up behind me and notices what I hold in my hand. "Not idly do the leaves of Lórien fall." he says to me. Just then Legolas runs up to us. "They may be alive yet." he says to Aragorn, but unfortunately I heard him. "What are you talking about? Of course they are alive!" I all but scream at him. "Less than a day ahead of us. Come." Aragorn says as he gets up and runs off. Legolas looks at me then after him and takes off. I'm just about to run after them when Gimli falls out from behind a boulder. "Come Gimli. We are gaining on them!" I tell him as I grab his hand to pull him to his feet and then run after them, pulling him along with me. "I am wasted in cross country. We Dwarfs are natural sprinters. Very dangerous over short distances." he pants out.

I laugh as the two of us run, me pulling him faster and soon we have gained on and passed out Legolas. Who then runs faster and stops on top of a rocky cliff staring at the Urks. Aragorn stops also and looks to his left. "Rohan. Home of the Horse-lords. There is something strange at work here. Some evil gives speed to these creatures. Sets it's will against us." he says. Legolas gasps as he looks to the Urks. "Legolas what do your Elf eyes see?" Aragorn asks him. "The Urks turn Northeast." he says then his eyes go wide. "They're taking the hobbits to Isengard.". "It can't be." I mutter. "Saruman.". I let go of Gimli's hand and take off sprinting faster towards the Urks that are holding my friends captive. "Keep breathing. That's the key. Breathe. Ohh" I hear Gimli say. "They run as if the very whips of their masters were behind them." Legolas decided to add. Suddenly I fall over, we've been that focused on finding Merry and Pippin that we haven't eaten and I think it's finally caught up with me. "They will not venture through Fangorn Forest at night, I do not think even they would be that brave. We will rest and eat then rise early to continue the pursuit!" Aragorn declares. Soon enough Aragorn had caught a few rabbits and I was gathering wood for a fire. Really we didn't need that much because as soon as the rabbits were cooked we were putting it out but still. So then a while later we were all full and we moved away from the fire towards some rocks that would leave us in shelter and out of view of people. I decided to take the first watch much to Aragorn's dismay, but I'm stubborn! So here I am, all alone while everyone else sleeps, yes even Elf almighty, who thinks he will only be asleep for an hour. I will stay awake until I can no longer and then I will wake him for his watch. Nothing is happening really, I mean literally nothing, it's as silent as the dead. I think I managed three hours before I had to wake Legolas and as I got off the rock to go down and wake him I jump in fright. He was awake and sitting beside me for who knows how long. "Where were you going?" he asks me softly. "How long have you been sitting there?" I ask him in reply.

"I had a feeling you would do something like this although I protested, so I have been awake for about three hours!" he tells me. Damn, I've been on watch for four hours. "It's really quiet, I mean unnaturally so! Don't you think?" I ask him and he nods. Suddenly, a wave of tiredness crashes over me and I close my eyes, leaning my head on Legolas's shoulder. Yup, I'm just going to sleep here. He's actually pretty comfy to lie on. Next thing I know he has lifted my head and put it on his leg. "Go to sleep Armeth, Losto vae." he whispers. I yawn. "Uhhuh!" is the only reply he gets. I wake the next morning before dawn, to see both Legolas and I are on the ground and I've been sleeping on his chest. Umm, ok. I blush as I stand up and see that Aragorn is on watch. I go up onto the rock and sit beside him and then I snuggle into his side. He puts his arm around my shoulders and kisses my temple. "Good morning little sister, did you sleep well? You did look very comfortable!" he says then he chuckles. I hit his chest playfully, "Fine next time you need saving, don't look for me" I huff pretending to be angry and he turns around looking really sad. I can't help it he's too funny, so I start laughing. Soon enough he joins in. "Shall I wake the others we must get moving." he says. I nod, "We cannot leave them alone for much longer, I miss them and fear for their safety Aragorn." I whisper the last part with tears in my eyes. He nods then goes to wake Legolas and Gimli. After a light breakfast of Lembas bread we are off and I start sprinting the way I remember seeing the Urks run yesterday. After a while the sun begins to rise. No, it's a red sun! "The red sun rises, blood has been spilled this night." Legolas says. Please be wrong, I mean a sun can't help it if it's red? Right?

We have been running for around ten minutes when we have stopped, looking around the are we are in when suddenly Aragorn bends down looking at the ground. Then he grabs Gimli and Legolas throwing them behind a rock and pull me behind with him. A minute later we can hear horses gallop past us and I look out spotting the mark of Rohan. Aragorn notices too and steps out yelling "Riders of Rohan, What news from the Mark?". As he was yelling Gimli Legolas and I stepped out behind him and stood there, I was at the very back. Then the horsemen turned and surrounded us and the next thing I know I have a spear at my neck. "What business does an Elf, a Dwarf, a man and a woman have in the Riddermark? Speak quickly." the leader says. "You give me your name horsemaster. And I'll give you mine." I hear Gimli say. I can't move because I still have a spear tip to my neck. If I step back it follows me so I'm not moving. "I would cut off your head Dwarf, if it stood but a little higher from the ground." he said, yikes someone's grouchy. Before anyone could react Legolas drew his bow and knocked an arrow. "You would die before your stroke fell." he snarls. The spears advance and I have had enough and I sit on the ground. Aragorn grabs Legolas's arm and he drops the bow. Gimli sighs in relief and the leader man looks at me strangely because I'm sitting on the ground or covered in weapons who knows? "I am Aragorn, son of Arathorn. This is Gimli son of Glóin and Legolas of the woodland realm. We are friends of Rohan and of Théoden your King." Aragorn says. Legolas comes over and helps me to my feet then pulls me behind him and Aragorn. Really, does he not realise that there is people with spears here too? Then the leader man gets off his horse and walks towards Aragorn and I shove Legolas out of the way. "Théoden no longer recognises friend from foe." he says and takes off his helmet. "Nor his own kin.". I look at who I now know as Éomer and I run forward and hug him as the spears are lifted. He looks down at me and says, "Well Arneth, I was wondering what sort of trouble you've gotten into this time?" he asks. "What does he mean this time? And how do you know him Arneth?" Aragorn asks pulling me back as Éomer and I start to laugh.

"Relax, I just got bored in Rivendell so I ran away and ended up here and Éomer helped me, then he gave out to me for being reckless! So I've already gotten that speech." I explain to Aragorn. "You know her, Aragorn?" Éomer asks. "He's my big brother!" I tell Éomer. "But anyway, what is wrong with Théoden?" I ask. "Saruman has poisoned the mind of the King and claimed lordship over his lands. My company are loyal to Rohan, and for that we are banished. The white wizard is cunning. He walks here and there they say, as an old man, hooded and cloaked, and everywhere his spies slip past our nets." Éomer says. "We are no spies. We track a party of Urk-Hai westward across the plain. They have taken two of our friends captive." Aragorn says. "The Urks were destroyed, we slaughtered them during the night." Éomer says. I shake my head, not believing him. "But there were two hobbits. Did you see two hobbits with them?" Gimli asks. "They would be small, only children to your eyes." I say and Éomer looks at me with pity in his eyes. "We left none alive. We piled the carcasses and burned them." Éomer said. I started to cry as Gimli asked "Dead?" And Éomer nodded. Then I got angry! "HOW COULD YOU, DON'T YOUR EYES WORK? THEY WERE NO THREAT!" I scream as I launch myself at Éomer and start to punch him. Suddenly, I'm pulled back and I can tell it's Legolas because the way I'm fighting against him right now Aragorn would not be able to restrain me. "YOU MONSTER, I HATE YOU. THEY WERE INNOCENT ÉOMER. WHY? HOW? MERRY, PIPPIN! WHERE ARE YOU? They're not dead, they're not dead. YOU BETTER HOPE FOR YOUR SAKE ÉOMER THAT YOU ARE WRONG BECAUSE I WILL MAKE YOU WISH YOU WERE DEAD!" I scream with tears running down my face and Éomer looking at me with sorrowful eyes. Legolas starts to sit down and I'm forced to the ground with him. Now I'm just mumbling "they're not dead" over and over while crying into Legolas's chest. "It is no consolation, but I'm sorry." Éomer says. Then he whistles. "Hasufel, Arod. May these horses bear you to better fortune than their former masters. Farewell." he says as he gets back onto his horse. I glare at him as he says "Look for your friends, but do not trust to hope. It is foresaken in these lands. Arneth, I cannot begin to explain the depth of my sorrow but I truly am sorry. WE RIDE NORTH" and with that he rides away. I stand up and push away from Legolas, staring at the smoke that is just visible. Please don't let them be dead, please!

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Hey guys,
Here you go hope you like it, though the end was a bit sad!
Let me know what you think!

~Annacricket