It is said that the dark lord had a skilled assassin that killed all they were ordered to. When the dark lord was destroyed, all word of the assassin disappeared, everyone believed him to be dead…. That is, until now……

The inky black night was still as the shadowy figure ran across the plains, a long cloak billowing out behind it. Tala Rue's mind was racing as she kept running; the orcs were still following her. "Tala Rue!" she looked to the side and saw a white figure atop a large white horse. "Mithrandir! What are you doing here?" she yelled back but never stopped running for fear the orcs would catch her. The wizard moved closer and held out a hand, "come with me, I need your help." She looked at his hand for a moment before grabbing it just in time to narrowly dodge an arrow that flew through the place she had just been running. Gandalf pulled the woman up on the back of Shadowfax then rode north.

"So what do you need my help with Mithrandir? It has been a long time since you have called on me."

"The battle for Rohan has come; I ride to gather the Rohirrim who had been banished…"

"By Theoden while he was still under Saruman's control, I know what happens everywhere Gandalf; you should know that by now."

Gandalf nodded as they drew near a group of tents. "Eomer, son of Eomund!" Gandalf called out and they were quickly surrounded by a group of soldiers, spears pointed up toward the intruders.

"Who is it that wishes to speak with me?" a man, who was most obviously their leader stepped forward. Shadowfax moved forward and into the firelight, Eomer gasped, "Mithrandir, what are you doing here?"

"Theoden King needs your help; the people have been moved to Helms Deep and ten-thousand uruk-hai march toward them."

"Men! Make ready, we must ride to Helms Deep to help Theoden King!" the men quickly ran around packing up camp before readying their horses. Eomer mounted up on his horse and pulled Firefoot up next to Shadowfax when he saw Tala Rue. "Who is this Mithrandir?"

"This is Tala Rue, she is a skilled fighter and I asked her to help. Do you possibly have a horse for her?" Eomer started to nod but Tala Rue spoke before he could, "there is no need for that, I can run." Gandalf looked back at her, "Tala Rue, it has been a long time since you were needed to do that, you might not still have the ability."

"I have been running ever since that day, I know I still can." Gandalf paused, "very well." Tala Rue jumped down from the horse's back and stood next to them as the men finished packing. They quickly finished and moved into formation, many of them giving Tala Rue a confused look before Eomer shouted out the order to ride. The horses moved quickly, Eomer looked around for any sign of Tala Rue, and chuckled when he did not see her, "I knew she wouldn't be able to keep up." Gandalf laughed, "Just wait, she likes to give others a head start." Eomer opened his mouth to reply but was cut off by a breeze blowing by him and then he saw Tala Rue running at the head of the group. "H… how is that possible?" Gandalf laughed, "She has always had the ability to run far and fast, she isn't like other people."

"Who is she?" "She hasn't even told me of her past. I met her almost 150 years ago, when she was trying to escape a group of orcs who had been following her for 3 days, she had never stopped running that entire time."

"150 years ago? She doesn't look like she has seen more than 27 summers and how can someone run for 3 days straight? That isn't possible!"

Gandalf smirked, "I told you she isn't like normal people, but yes, she fought in the Great War."

They rode hard for 2 days, Tala Rue never stopped running the entire time. Eomer watched her from afar, his mind strangely filled with this odd woman. Gandalf would glance over at the third marshal and would smile slightly every time he caught the man staring at the woman.

Early dawn started to light up the sky when they reached the hill above the Deep where they saw Theoden and a group of riders charging out into the mass of uruk-hai.

"Theoden King stands alone" Gandalf said.

"not alone, Rohirrim!" the Rohirrim started to move forward and Tala Rue jumped up where she was kneeling on Shadowfax's back behind Gandalf as the group of horses raced forward down the hill.

As the horses reached the uruk-hai Tala Rue launched herself off of the white stallion's back and flipped over a few of the stunned beasts and landed, pulling out 2 long swords seemingly out of nowhere. Her fighting was much like an intricate dance, a style that Eomer had never seen anywhere ever before. Within 20 minutes the battle was over, the last of the orcs being chased off into the line of trees which started moving and groaning, "Do not enter the forest! Stay away from the trees!" Eomer yelled to his men and they all quickly backed away. Everyone soon returned to the keep and Theoden greeted Eomer with a large hug, "Eomer, I am glad to see you again!"

"As am I uncle" Eomer replied with a smile. Gandalf entered the room and Tala Rue was no where in sight.

"Thank you for finding them in time Gandalf, they helped greatly," Theoden said to the aged wizard.

"It wasn't only the Rohirrim that helped you defeat the uruk-hai; I also brought a skilled warrior that helped."

"Where is this warrior? I wish to thank them." Gandalf motioned them to follow him outside where they saw Tala Rue sitting on the steps cleaning her swords. "Theoden, may I introduce Tala Rue, the warrior I was talking about," Gandalf introduced. Theoden was shocked, "a woman? This woman is the great warrior of whom you speak?"

"It should matter not what gender I am, just that I was able to help you defeat your enemies. Gandalf, if that was all you needed help with then I will be going now." She put her sword away and turned to walk toward Gondor.

"Tala Rue, please stay, we're sure to find more enemies along our quest and I would like for you to stay with us." Gandalf said to the woman. She looked at him out of the corner of her eye, "you of all people should know that all I can do is run Gandalf, run or he will find me and summon me to fulfill the oath I regret taking every day of my life that will never end."

Gandalf stepped closer to her and leaned in close to her ear, "you know that by being with me you will be protected from his gaze, especially now that I have become Gandalf the white. Besides, with all these strapping young men around, they won't let you be taken off anywhere" Gandalf said with a wink.

Tala Rue laughed and looked at him, "alright you crazy old man, I will follow you for now but if I sense him drawing near I will go."

"Very well, that is reasonable, come now, it's time to go to Isenguard to pay Saruman a visit."


thanks for reading my story, if you got any ideas send them over because i'm kinda at a loss on this one. if i use your idea you'll get credit for it.
~NightStalker