The Destined Daughter of Rohan

Escape

Keeping her head down, mile after mile, Raelyn did not stop riding. It was hours before she had looked up, with red eyes, defeated. She peered slowly around the landscape and found she did not recognise where she was. She had never ridden this far alone before.

She looked behind her but there was no sign of Rohan and Edoras had vanished long ago. The sun was beginning its descent in the sky and on the horizon Raelyn could just make out a line of trees and an old, stone archway.

Raelyn knew that she would never make it back before night fall and the prospect of being out at night, all alone, dawned on her. Despite it being a warm afternoon she shuddered. She was suddenly frightened and unprepared for a night out of the castle, yet equally unhappy at the prospect of returning home.

She dismounted her spent horse and taking the reins they slowly pushed forward towards the archway among the distant trees.

~~~~~~~~~~  

Meanwhile, in Edoras, Neome had become increasingly worried. He paced backward and forwards, backward and forwards at the front gate. Raelyn and her horse were gone but none had seen her leave or in which direction she had ridden.

An attempt at tracking the direction of Raelyn's escape proved fruitless as Edoras was a popular place for travellers to take rest; so many fresh footprints diverged from its gates. They just had to pray she would return unharmed and sent out a search party in the hope that they would befall her.  

King Jodol felt guilty and completely lost. His wife and daughter, both gone in one day. He tried with might to structure a legitimate search party but had to leave most of its organisation to his faithful men. They decided to spread outwards from the centre of Rohan and then circle the outskirts their borders, in the best effort not to miss the daughter of Rohan. The riders set off as soon as they were ready in the hope of reaching her before nightfall. Reports from the farthest towns in Rohan were that sightings of orcs were increasing. The orcs appeared to have been using the plains of Rohan to travel relatively unchecked.

Only a few small groups of riders patrolled their lands recording orc sightings, eliminating packs and reporting news back to King Jodol each month and twice per year to Thranduil, King of Mirkwood.

~~~~~~~~~~

Raelyn reached the archway by sunset, but the trees she had seen were in fact the beginnings of Mirkwood, the ancient forest in which the Woodland elves lived. Just before the forest began there was a small running stream. Very thirsty, Raelyn knelt down and sipped from water she collected in her hands.

She had never before felt so wild or free. The water tasted so fresh and pure and the grass was abundantly fragrant. Raelyn breathed deeply the scent of the Earth like never before.

"So this is what it's like to be a horse?" she giggled stroking her loyal steeds back, "I don't mind it."

Suddenly Raelyn's ears pricked up and her horse sidestepped timidly. They could hear something coming swiftly across the plains. Raelyn quickly scurried across the stream with her horse and dived into the edge of the forest. It grew dark very quickly as hardly any light pierced the forest's canopy. She hid behind the ancient trunks and tried to reassure herself that she fretted unnecessarily. Surely it would only be a search party out to find her Raelyn had thought.

A small group of Rohanian riders approached the stream and dismounted.

Feeling defeated Raelyn stepped out and surprised the group who quickly drew their swords. Seeing the familiar uniform they sheathed their swords again quickly.

"Master Dun?" called out the leader.

All of a sudden, realising this must not have been a search party after all; Raelyn was unsure how to reply.

"Master Dun, you are early. You were meant to meet us here in a week's time. After we had reported to King Thranduil. Not before."

"Ahh..." Raelyn mumbled, confused.

Shaking his head and brightening his tone "No matter. No matter. I suppose you will just be with us an extra week. I am Captain Tehm, and these are my men."

Thinking it far safer to stay with these men than face the night alone Raelyn nodded in acceptance.

"Quiet fellow..." the Captain murmured to his party. "He looks familiar..." whispered another man among the group, "What's with the hat Master Dun? It's hardly necessary so late..."

Clutching at straws Raelyn managed to reply in the gruffest voice she could muster "Ahh... well... I wear it always. It is... my... Father's... He was a tailor"

What am I doing? Raelyn thought.  How will I get out of this? They are sure to see straight through this façade!

"Fair enough..." the Captain stated with a quizzical brow "we shall schedule your watch for midnight."