Gleina na Agar: LOTR story (Reader)

Rider's of Rohan

Aragorn's Point of View:

There has been no stopping since Legolas laid eyes on the direction of the Uruk-hai. I can feel that we are close... There is only one thing that concerns me. A pillar of white smoke on the horizon. It doesn't bode well in our case. There are a million things that it could mean, and none of them are good. I have seen enough war to know what it is, but I refuse to give up hope until I can see it for myself...

Dread filled my heart as we grew closer to the edge of Fangorn... Even before we reach the clearing before the woodland I can see the damage. The stains of battle are eminent across the land. Black blood still oozed over the ground, along with shattered weapons and armor. A pile of burnt carcasses stood before the trees, still smoldering... In earnest I ran over to search every direction, hoping for some clue that ___ and the hobbits survived the night! My heart is starting to race at the thought of what might have happened!

Bellhûn... Her sword. The gift from Gandalf I gave to her on Weathertop tossed to the side of the field. Dots of crimson blood in places... No it can't be! I shove aside the blacked corpses in an effort to find something though my heart is begging to find nothing!... No... In an orc's fist a piece of her cloak stained with her blood...

I am too stunned to even process what it all means. Legolas placed a hand over his heart speaking the words of his kin with a voice straining in strength, "Hiro hyn hîdh... ab 'wanath..."*

To hear those words spoken over her made a fury begin to boil inside my gut, forcing its way up my throat! Everything inside of me screams despair! Anger and sadness like nothing I have ever felt pulsed through my veins!

"AAAAARGH!" It all came out in one ferocious roar, my lungs shrinking and throat raw from the sheer force of it. It left me weak, my legs crumpled beneath me as I fell to the earth with a hole the size of Middle-earth in my chest...

Gimli looked up from the charred remains, "We failed them."

His words stung like a spear through my heart at the realization of them. I failed her... I wasn't there to protect her or keep her safe from those who wished harm upon her. I promised Gandalf!... I promised him she would be safe! I brought the torn cloth up to my mouth breathing in the scent of ashes and what was left of her sweet aura. A tear trickled down my cheek at her memory... She never even got the chance to rid herself of Sauron's grasp.

As I opened my eyes, my tear fell to the earth, splashing over the ground and... strange tracks... Not made by an orc or uruk, but man... ____! She lay here; struggled to lay here as she was bound... The least I could do was find out how she died. I knelt over the scuffle of dirt and grass, searching for signs of her night. She managed to get to her feet and protect the hobbits. No doubt from the Uruk-hai...

"Aragorn!" Legolas came up behind me, pulling me up and shoving me aft, despite my resistance.

It was then that I heard it. The thundering of many powerful hooves and the clatter of metal armor. Following Legolas' instinct, we ducked behind the pile of Uruks just as a small company of horseman thundered towards us over the brow of the hill. They might be able to help us! The Rohirrim are friends not foe, nor do I fear them.

I stood immediately, raising my voice and waving, "Rider's of Rohan! What news from the Mark?!"

Each one of their heads snapped in our direction as the leader rose his spear, signaling them to circle round us, spears drawn.

Their commander rode through the men, and stopped in front of us. His voice was quick and harsh as he addressed us, "What business does an Elf, a Man and a Dwarf have in the Riddermark? Speak quickly!"

"Give me your name, horse-master, and I shall give you mine." Gimli stood proudly as I sighed, closing my eyes is patience with him. It isn't a good thing to provoke them if we need their help.

The commander dismounted from his horse and stood threateningly before Gimli, "I would cut off your head, Dwarf... if it stood but a little higher from the ground." He sneered.

Before I could react, Legolas quickly drew an arrow and aimed straight for his head, "You would die before your stroke fell!" He snapped.

Almost instantly the Rohirrim pointed their spears at Legolas, ready to skewer him if he made one more wrong move. I took a step between him and the commander, holding Legolas' arm down gently and hoping to regain some faith with the riders. We needed them if we were to find out what happened to ____, "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." I added the friendship of the king, knowing it helped with some influence.

The commander's eyes lowered, seeming like he was thinking over the situation before he sighed, "Theoden no longer recognizes friend from foe," he took off his helmet to reveal his features, rugged and proud, "Not even his own kin..." he motioned for the Rohirrim to raise their spears, seeing that we were no longer a threat, "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. 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." He looked directly at Legolas when he spoke those last words, clearly having some sort of qualm with him. Legolas only returned the gaze, clearly more intent on burning a hole in between his eyes.

I shook my head, "We are no spies. We were tracking this party of Uruk-hai... They had taken three of our friends captive..." My gaze traveled down to the torn cloth in my hand, holding the terrible reminder of ____'s death.

The commander squinted his eyes in thought, "Did one of your friends happen to be a young woman? Powerful... (h/c) hair, (e/c) eyes....?"

My head shot up at ____'s description, as Legolas exclaimed, "Yes! She goes by the name of ____! Have you seen her?! Is she alive?!" All my questions came out in a blur of Legolas' words. He was clearly just as hopeful as I was.

The commander nodded, his eyes less cold as he spoke on the subject, "Barely when we found her... We slaughtered the Uruks during the night, and she was among them, beaten and wounded."

"Where is she? Can you take us to her?" I pleaded, my heart shooting towards the height of the stars in relief of the news!

The commander swung atop his horse, gesturing to another couple of steeds, "Follow me..."

Legolas and I immediately jumped at the chance as we shoved Gimli up behind us and rode alongside the Rohirrim. A cold, wet tear trickled down my jaw. This time it wasn't because of sorrow, but of joy! She was alive! Perhaps barely, but alive she was! And I would never leave her side again, not unless death pried my cold hands from this earth and swung me into the depths of its clutches!

* May they find peace... in death...