Maiden of the Riddermark [cancelled yikes]

Foul Return

Sintariel, Aragorn, Gimli, and Legolas scoured the nearby plains of Rohan by day, and the man, elf, and dwarf made camp at night near Edoras. Sintariel returned with Adoran each night to her home in the town.

She woke up early one morning, hoping to get a head start finding Theodred and the two Hobbits. Quickly throwing on her riding clothes, she grabbed her weapons and headed for the stables. She made sure Adoran was well brushed and saddled him up, untangling any knots in his mane with her fingers as she went.

A foul stench wafted through the air. Sintariel looked around, hoping to find the source of the smell. A pile of burning Uruk Hai carcasses smoked beneath the beating sun. Who could have killed these creatures? There were no new hunting parties set out last night, she would have known.

She quickly spotted her brother and his companions over by the same stream they had first met at.

"Any news of a hunting party?" she asked. Seeing the dead Uruks gave her hope, Theodred's company must have gotten to them after all.

"No," Aragorn replied, "Any sign of our hobbits?" Sintariel hadn't noticed anything halfling-like near the burning pile, so she did not mention it.

The sound of thundering hooves could be heard bounding across the valley towards them. Sintariel quickly dismounted Adoran and set him loose, knowing he would return to the stables of Edoras. The four crouched behind a rock that shielded them from the cavalry's view. Suddenly her brother stepped out from behind the boulder.

"Riders of Rohan! What news from the Mark?" His three companions followed and stepped beside him.

There were twenty-some horses, led by Éomer who was riding at the front. The riders closed in around Sintariel and the others, making ever-tightening circles until there was almost no room the breathe.

"Who are you who would dare enter Rohan so boldly!" one of the men shouted. The party pointed their spears dangerously close to the companions' faces.

Sintariel stepped forward and shielded the three companions.

"I am Arathrien, daughter of Arathorn. Some of you may know me as Sintariel, but this is my brother, Aragorn."

"Ah! Sintariel! I know you," Éomer said to her and motioned for his men to let down their threatening spears, "this is no foe, but a citizen of Edoras and Rohan, and Isildur's heir!" A few of the men bowed.

"Oh, there is truly no need," she said to the riders, "no need for formalities. My companions need horses and their friends, and I require news from the recent hunting party." She looked up at Éomer expectantly.

"We have received notice that the entire party was slain, we are to check for any survivors today. You are welcome to join us."

Pain and disbelief flashed across Sintariel's face, but she quickly masked it over with fake fearlessness. Éomer must have seen her pain in those few moments because he shot her a sympathetic look. How would she ever appear to always be unafraid if she allowed herself to show others her weakness?

"So be it," is all that she replied.

"We have lost two of our companions, they were very small, only a child in your eyes. They were taken captive by a party of Uruk-Hai traveling across this plain yesterday." Aragorn looked directly at Éomer.

"Halflings! Did you see two Hobbits?" Gimli was angrily yelling and stomping against the dying grass. Legolas put a hand in his shoulder in hopes to calm him.

"There is nothing left of the Uruks you speak of, we slaughtered them during the night. None were left alive, we piled and burned the carcasses over there." The riders moved their horses aside and Éomer pointed to a small smoking pile off on the horizon.

"Arod! Hasufel!" Two horses stepped towards Sintariel and her brother.

"May these horses bring you better fortune than their former masters," Éomer said sadly.

"Adoran!" Sintariel shouted across the plain. Her horse could be seen bounding towards them from the horizon. Aragorn mounted Hasufel, while Legolas and Gimli got onto Arod. Sintariel combed her fingers through Adoran's mane and hooped on.

"You didn't get into any trouble did you?" she whispered to her horse. He snorted back at her.

"You are most welcome to join us in search of Theodred's party," Éomer said to her.

"Then I will take up on that offer. Count me in."