PASSING SHADOWS|| BOOK II

VII

• "And if somebody hurts you, I wanna fight" •

Dawn arrives, and Aragorn, Legolas, and Gimli continue to run onward. Aragorn wanted to run through the night, but Gimli was complaining that his heart would give in, so they were forced to stop. But Aragorn had told him they would be setting out before dawn, and he had kept his word. So here they were, running again. Legolas stops, looking up at the sky.

"A red sun rises. Blood has been spilt this night."

And he prayed it had not been Raina's.

Aragorn bends down, gazing at the ground below. He hears horses, stands up quickly, and signals the other to follow him to hide behind a large rock. He wasunawaree of what they would face.

From ahead, a large group cavalry appears, led by Èomer, nephew of Theoden, King of Rohan. They rode up the hill, which led to where the others were hiding, but Aragorn, seeing who they were, steppped out of hiding and called to them. Gimli and Legolas follow a few paces behind him.

"Riders of Rohan! What news from the Mark?"

At a signal from Èomer the cavalry then turn backward and encircle the three drawing in on them with pointed spears.

Aragorn holds his hands in surrender.

"What business does an elf, a man and a dwarf have in the Riddermark?" Èomer asks from his horse. His face, mostly hidden by a helmet.

When no one moves to answer, he snaps.
"Speak quickly!"

Gimli smirks haughtily
"Give me your name, horsemaster, and I shall give you mine."

Èomer jumps off his horse and walks closer to the three. Aragorn places his hand on Gimli's head to steady him.
"I would cut off your head - dwarf -" Èomer sneered "If it stood but a little higher from the ground."

Insulted, Legolas drew his bow at him.
"You would die before your stroke fell!"

The spears corner in on Legolas. Aragorn turns to his friend and lowers his hand. Gimli, although still feeling insulted by Eomer's remark, is more surprised at Legolas. Not that he needed an elf to defend his honour. Aragorn turns to Èomer and says.
"I'm Aragorn, son of Arathorn." He introduces
"This is Gimli, son of Glóin, and Legolas, from the Woodland realm."

Legolas continues to shoot daggers at Èomer.
"We are friends of Rohan and of Théoden, your king."
"Théoden no longer recognizes friend from foe." Èomer says sadly before removing his helmet.
"Not even his own kin."

The cavalry raise their spears upward.
"Saruman has poisoned the mind of the king and claimed lordship over this land. My company are those 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." He says as he walks past the three, flashing Legolas a look.
"And everywhere his spies slip past our nets."

Legolas stood still, eyes unblinking.
"We are no spies." Aragorn reassured."We track a band of Uruk-hai westward across the plains. They have taken three of our friends captive."
Èomer blinked in surprise.
"The Uruks are destroyed. We slaughtered them during the night."