Of The East And West

chapter 1

The cloaked figure stalked through the forest urgently, whizzing past vibrant trees as it trotted over to a clear section of the dense vegetation.

It grasped an ivory short bow in its grasp, but seemed like it had no use of the weapon. And in its other hand it carried a limp deer freshly killed.

The figure shook off his hood to reveal raven black hair and sky blue eyes. Aragorn, or Strider, as most know him.

Aragorn shook his head, an amused grin and tugged at his lips "İrem" he stated calmly "I know your in the tree behind me"

"What! How?!" the startled demand came before hearing the figure thump to the ground ungracefully. Aragorn whipped his head around to meet her. "I have had many more years of practice" he chuckles.

İrem bursted into fits of laughter "that is true"

The man smiled "why are you trying to hide from me anyway? We are meant to be hunting" that was true, and both had been doing so for 3 days now, doing their best to find as much as they could to restock their camp at Sarn ford.

"Speaking of which, could we, by any chance, head back now? I'm sure we have enough" İrem asked. Both she and Aragorn were in quite a state. İrem's strong form now seemed weary, with good reason. And her light armour was frayed. Her brown hair was much like Aragorns, caked in mud and sweat, but plaited down to her back. And İrem's olive skin was coated in dust.

"i am weary also" Aragorn agreed "but I must ask of you a favour"

İrem's honey yellow eyes were now clouded in confusion "what is it that you need?" She questioned, Her accent evident.

Aragorn sighed "it can wait until we are back at the camp, we must talk at sunset"

The woman nodded, she grabbed the deer and slung it over her shoulders, after noticing Aragorn had some form of cut on his left arm.

The Man smiled "thank you"

The rangers walked back to the camp with what they managed to harvest. Aragorn carrying with him three trout and four grey hares. Along with a satchel consisting of berries and nuts. With İrem carrying the deer over her broad shoulders and a small pack filled with some mushrooms and a few bundles of kings foil, a rare find, and a pleasing one nether the less.

Upon arrival, they made their way to the main tent. Hosting a small fire and two other rangers. Serena and kilaran.

Serena, the lass with wild blonde hair and navy blue eyes rushed outside to meet her friends "İrem!" She called.

İrem smiled and approached the other woman "Serena! How wonderful to see you!"

Serena smiled sweetly at her as İrem lowered the deer and placed it on the table outside.

"Bless you for bringing us all this game" the blonde praised, carding a hand through the deer's short fur.

İrem shook her head "it was no problem at all" she proceeded to rummage through her bag to pull out a handful of the small weeds and placed it in Serena's hand.

"Here" İrem whispered "for kilaran"

Serena's eyes widened, kings foil! It had unnatural medicinal purposes. Something kilaran would need after his leg had been broken after an ambush several days ago.

Serena's eyes welled with tears and she hugged İrem tightly "thank you"

İrem smiled "please, tend to kilaran. It was the least I could do"

Serena nodded gratefully and went on her way.

The other woman decided to visit the forge, as she was the main smith of the camp. She loved working with steel. And had done so for a majority of her life. Although she was not born in the Sarn ford. İrem's father did not even hail from the line of the Dunedain, like her mother. No, he came from the land of Rhûn.

He was an Easterling.

And İrem, in turn, was born there also. Before having to live with the rest of the rangers after the age of 6, with her mother. Her mother however, Had died a year after, falling after a battle with an orc pack. İrem doesn't remember much of her mother, though. She was one of the camps strongest fighters. But the rest was blurred in the expanse of time.

She remembers her father strangely, his terrifying, sharp, yellow eyes. Ebony black hair and golden skin. She remembered that he had taught her the Easterlings version of Mannish. She remembers most of it, and as a result, the accent remained on her tongue.

She was a half-cast, of Dunedain decent and of Easterling. But the others had no quarrel with it, she was raised a ranger. Not an enemy.

Her closest friend was kilaran however, Serena's brother. And had striking resemblance. He was an amazing hunter and good with a bow. He often tried to teach her archery, but to no avail. İrem could use a bow, but did not like them. She preferred her iron war axes that she wielded perfectly. Kilaran had claimed they were too heavy and loud. But İrem was very strong, and capable to carry one in each hand.

She did however, carry a bow when hunting, and usually carried a small sword along with two daggers. Armed to the teeth, like all other rangers.

The sun was beginning to set, but
İrem grabbed some of her iron ingots, of which the camp were running low on too. Which of course means in due time they would have to go to Bree or somewhere else to purchase more ingots for smelting. She planned to go bathe, but if she was to do some smithing, she might as well just do it now.

İrem was working on a new broad sword for kilaran, as his was not recovered after the ambush. The woman intended on making it better anyway.

So she tucked any wisps of dark brown hair behind her ears just to be careful, before placing the ingots in the smelter.

While the ingots melted, İrem prepared some tanned leather and made some leather stripes for the grip on the handle.

She was about to pour the liquid iron into the mould before seeing Aragorn approach the Forge.

"Lost track of time?" The man asked, his eyes flickering over the steelwork.

İrem flushed "my apologies" she set her equipment down and quickly followed Strider to his tent.

"İrem" He started, grabbing his bag "we must make for Bree urgently"

The woman's brows knitted together in confusion "now? But why?"

"Mithrandir has asked for aid" Aragorn explains "you are the strongest ranger I know, please, bring all that you can, we have a long journey ahead of us"

İrem nodded briefly and ran to her tent, she grabbed her cloak and a small satchel, inside she stored two loaves of bread, a pouch of water, and her scarf. She then grabbed her war axes, both attached to her belt, one at each hip. Her daggers and her sword in her scabbard.

She then left silently before bumping into Serena.

"I heard you were leaving" she stated "so this us for you" she gave İrem a parcel, wrapped in parchment and tied with thread.

"Thank you" İrem smiled "but how did you know?"

Serena hushed her "there's no time, you must leave quickly, don't worry about us. We will be okay"

"Bless you, Serena" İrem mumbled before darting off to find Aragorn.

İrem eventually found Aragorn waiting for her at the edge of the camp. The sky was already masked in darkness and the cold bit relentlessly at her skin. He smiled sadly at her "are you ready?"

İrem took in a shaky breath "yes"

Aragorn nodded his head "then let's go"

A/N - hey thanks for reading my story, I hoped you enjoyed! Sorry for any mistakes/ inaccuracy...its been a while since I've watched LOTR! I hope to update soon!  ^-^

Have a great day!