The Edge of Night

The Horse Lords

They had been chasing after the Uruk-hai for a few days, barely stopping for food or rest. Judging on the terrain, Elfwyn guessed that they would be passing into Rohan in just a few days time. While the thought excited her, it also left a very anxious feeling in the pit of her stomach. Would her home even be standing?

She stood beside Aragorn who had his ear to the ground, tracking the herd's movements. "Their pace has quickened." He whispers but she hears him all the same. "They must have caught our scent."

"One can only imagine how." She says sarcastically. Running for days had done little to quell the stench that was clinging to each of them. Well, all but Legolas. Another gift of the Eldar.

"Hurry!" Aragorn yells back to Gimli and Legolas, before chuckling at her comment.

"Come on, Gimli!" Legolas yells back to the dwarf bringing up the rear of their party.

"Three days and nights pursuit." He pants out, exhaustion even present in his voice. "No food. No rest. And no sign of our quarry, but what bare rock can tell." He growls out as they continue their race across the plains, desperate to catch up to their friends.

They come to a valley pass and Aragorn finds something in the mud at their feet. "Not idly do the leaves of Lorien fall."

Legolas and Elfwyn run up beside him. "They may yet be alive." The Mirkwood Prince says hopefully.

Aragorn traces the tracks left behind with his eyes before breaking out in a run again. "Less than a day ahead of us. Come." They run off as Gimli catches up, falling down the hill into the rock outcropping.

"Come, Gimli! We are gaining on them!" Legolas yells back to him.

He struggles to his feet, grumbling all the way. "I'm wasted on cross-country. We Dwarves are natural sprinters. Very dangerous over short distances."

They come up over a hill and look out over the plains below, the Gap of Rohan. Home. "Rohan. Home of the Horse-lords." Aragorn states, although it is unnecessary for Elfwyn. She would recognize these plains in her sleep.

"We should make haste to Edoras. See how things fare there." Elfwyn suggests.

"We will. We need to find Merry and Pippin first. Those Uruks did not take them without a reason. There's something strange at work here. Some evil gives speed to these creatures. Sets its will against us."

"Who can fathom what Sauron has been able to cook up?"

Legolas runs a bit ahead of them, jumping up onto a rock for a better view across the plain. "Legolas! What do your Elf-eyes see?"

"The Uruks turn northeast. They are taking the Hobbits to Isengard."

"Saruman." Aragorn and Elfwyn say in unison, vitriol dripping from her words.

...

They continue their pursuit through the rest of the day and the night, pausing only briefly as day breaks. "A red sun rises." Legolas notes. "Blood has been spilled this night." They come to a gap in the rock outcroppings and Aragorn brings a hand to the ground, hoping to be able to find a sign of their party. What he feels instead, is a thundering over the surface of the earth, and a whinny is heard from a distance.

Aragorn motions for them to hide and the four duck between two rocks, watching as a Calvary rides towards them. He steps out once they are passed, calling out to them. The others follow, Elfwyn pulling the hood of her cloak up to cover her face, lest these riders be in the pocket of Wormtongue. "Riders of Rohan, what news from the Mark?"

The rider at the head of the column motions them to turn around with his spear and soon they are encircled, held at spear point until the rider comes up to them. "What business does an Elf, two Men and a Dwarf have in the Riddermark? Speak quickly."

Elfwyn's eyes grow wide beneath her cloak. Eomer! "Give me your name, horse-master, and I shall give you mine." She could throttle Gimli.

Eomer dismounts his horse and approaches them. "I would cut off your head, Dwarf, if it stood but a little higher from the ground."

Legolas whips an arrow out from his quiver, knocking it in his bow. "You would die before your stroke fell."

Without much thought, Elfwyn places a hand on his bow, lowering it. "Don't." She begs him, silent enough that Eomer does not hear.

Aragorn moves to interject, trying to diffuse the situation. "I am Aragorn, son of Arathorn. This is Gimli, son of Gloin, and Legolas of the Woodland Realm. We are friends of Rohan, and of Theoden, your king."

"Theoden no longer recognizes friend from foe. Not even his own kin." Eomer says as he takes off his helmet. "And what of this one? You didn't give me a name."

Elfwyn sighs, removing her hood. "You do not recognize me, cousin? I haven't been gone that long, have I?"

Relief floods Eomer's face as he pulls her into a hug. "Oh thank the gods you are safe. When you didn't return, or send word, we began to lose hope."

"I could not, for fear it would end up in the wrong hands. I assume that since you are here and not in Edoras, that you did not fare well after I left."

"He has gotten worse. I was banished, for daring to question his royal advisor." He spits out the last part before turning back to Aragorn. "I am sure my cousin has told you but Saruman has poisoned the mind of the king and claimed lordship over these lands. My company are those loyal to Rohan. And for that, we are banished." Elfwyn hangs her head, guilt wracking her body. "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."

"Clearly exile has made you lose all control of your faculties, cousin. We are not in the enemy's pocket. I would rather be six feet under than help Saruman." 

Aragorn jumps in as well. "We are no spies. We track a party of Uruk-hai westward across the plain. They have taken two of our friends captive."

"The Uruks are destroyed. We slaughtered them during the night." Elfwyn's hand flies up to her mouth, a cry escaping before she can stop it.

"But there were two Hobbits. Did you see two Hobbits with them?" Gimli pleads.

"They would be small. Only children to your eyes." Aragorn adds for clarification.

Eomer looks at them sadly. "We left none alive. We piled the carcasses and burned them." He says, pointing at the smoke cloud in the distance.

"Dead?" Gimli asks as the rest of them looked on sadly.

Eomer nods. "I am sorry." He turns towards Elfwyn, but she has her back to him, looking into the distance. He whistles. "Hasufel! Arod!" He calls and two horses walk forward, sans riders. "May these horses bear you to better fortune than their former masters." He says, passing over the reins. "Farewell cousin." Eomer says, wrapping her once more in a hug.

"Please be safe." She whispers to him.

"I should be asking this of you. Undoubtedly you will be retuning to Edoras. Do not expect a warm welcome." He warns her before mounting his horse. "Look for your friends. But do not trust to hope. It has forsaken these lands. We ride north!" He orders the rest of his men before they gallop away, leaving what remained of the Fellowship in the dust.