The Warrior and The King

1. Back in Middle Earth

The dire wolf trotted back to the path, dripping wet, a fat trout thrashing in his mouth. Kaylea Wolf looked up from the tracks she was studying at his approach. The wolf stopped and began to eat his prize, starting with the head.

Kaylea smiled at him. "That is your third one today," she said. The wolf looked at her with his yellow eyes as he continued to eat, the tail slapping his face as it disappeared into his mouth. He radiated contentment and Kaylea found she could not blame him, it had been more than six months since he had been able to hunt. She straightened up and took a deep breath, savoring the clean air, the warm sun on her face. The clouds that had brought rain overnight were disappearing into the west and she looked around at a land washed clean, the mountains sharp against the sky, the smell of sun on wet stone and new grass filled the air.

Kaylea always treasured her time in Middle Earth. It was a place so unspoiled, just standing in the spring sun she felt almost born again after her two last stretches on the city-planets of Trantor and Gasaui. Although she had many disagreements with Lord Blackwolf, his ability to keep this planet hidden was not one of them.

She turned at the sound of horse's hooves on the path. Elrohir came down the trail at a trot, his long black hair shining in the sun. The son of Elrond looked so different here, in his own land. He seemed to glow with a kind of silver light that was not present on other planets of the Empire. He stopped his horse beside hers."The warg tracks head west for a ways and then turn south again. They seem to be following this other company, but at a distance."

"Waiting for something, I wonder. And what are wargs and orcs doing on this side of the mountains?" Kaylea wondered. And the tracks looked like Gundabad wargs, which was stranger still.

Elrohir nodded. "Whatever they are after they must want it very much to come so close to my father's land."

Kaylea looked again at the tracks at her feet. I party of fifteen, a number of ponies and one horse. Dwarves, one hobbit and Gandalf the Grey. What was the wizard up to now?

"Who do we follow? Dwarves or orcs?" Elrohir asked.

"The answer to this riddle lies with the wizard," Kaylea replied. "We follow him." She reached for the reins of her horse and swung into her saddle. She looked at Elrohir with a slight smile. "Glad to be back home?"

Elrohir laughed, his musical Elvish laugh. "Yes, and no," he replied. "Middle Earth is my home and if war is coming I will defend it with my life. But to live here, my life is very narrow. I must keep myself within borders of Elvish lands and then one day journey to the uttermost west." He smiled. "In your Empire I can sail frozen oceans in tall ships, walk the crystal cities of Minbar, court blue-skinned princesses, stand on the deck of a dropship next to the Fire Rings of Antares. It is so much more amusing."

Kaylea chuckled. "It is because it is all the things the Empire is not that draws me," she said, looking up at the clear sky. "I wish I could spend more time here." She looked over at him. "Yet I see you have not entirely abandoned the ways of the Empire, that armorskin will come in handy."

"I simply asked the ship to make me the same thing you are wearing. It is much more comfortable than mail," Elrohir looked down at his garments of woven polymers, though they looked like leather and canvas the long hooded coat and undershirt would be impenetrable to the weapons of Middle Earth. He smiled and nodded to the long scabbard under her saddle. "Have you forgotten how to use bow and blade?"

Kaylea chuckled. "I like to be prepared," she looked up at him. "And what about you? After so many years in heavy gravities I'm sure you feel ready for a fight."

Elrohir laughed again. "Indeed! I feel as strong as twelve men, but no doubt that will fade in time."

Kaylea nodded. "Yes, but it may take some years."