"We have no spare horses, but our ride is not urgent. You wont hinder me or Eomer. You can ride with us."
Allison stepped forward. "You have not given us your name, rider. Nor the name of the ground beneath our feet. What are they?"
The man turned to Allison, hand on heart and bowed slightly in apology. "Forgive me. I am Theodred. My father, Theoden is King of these lands; of Rohan. My kinsman is Eomer. May I ask yours?"
"I am Elle, this is my sister, Alice." I said quickly, before Allison got the chance.
"Such strange names. At first glance I would have called you elves. Where is your homeland?"
Allison and I exchanged a look. It was a look that told the me my imagination would be needed, so I spoke up again. "We are travellers from the far east. Our company was attacked by foul creatures we only know from nightmares. We lost five of our number, but were able to run and found ourselves with the elves. Since then we have been travelling on foot, for they could offer no horses either."
Theodred laughed, "These are strange times as people say!" Then he smiled, looking at each of us. "Come. If we begin riding again soon we can make it to Edoras; my home, before dark."
He held out a hand which Allison took as she was closest, and led us to the horses.
"My Lady," Said Eomer as he leaned down, offering his own hand to me as I walked towards him. I took it, thanking him and lifted myself onto the horse in front of him, just as Allison sat with Theodred.
Theodred and Eomer led the group at a slower pace than before to accommodate their new arrivals.
I can read your mind.
How the hell'd they get there?
Or maybe just what the hell.
Bu this really was a crucial moment. If we'd been walking in another direction everything that happened after this would have been lost, We'd probably have been dead before nightfall if it wasn't for Theodred's kindness. I'm just so sorry we never got to tell him.
We'd started out in the middle of New Zealand. In the hills which we'd been told Edoras had been built in. It was my twenty-first birthday, and as a treat my parents had organised for me, my sister alice, and my brother Jared to go to New Zealand. I'd always wanted to go.
All my life, i have loved J.R.R Tolkien. He was my hero. I had every one of his books, and all the adaptations, everything that i could possibly have, i had.
It was all a surprise too. They blindfolded me until we got on the plane, and again when we got off. It was our third day and Jared had been following the map carefully. He stayed with the car while me and Alice walked down to the small cliff that once housed one of my favourite locations. We were looking for a place out of the wind to have a picnic.
My sister and I circled the cliff twice. The second time, we lost sight of Jared and started panicking. We ran up to where we remembered the car being. It was no where in sight.
After another half-hour of searching and waiting, we started walking in the general direction from which had had come. The veiw changed dramatically. Both of us remembered long, vast bright green and yellow fields. Now, the dry grasses continued for a while, until a wide, rushing river. Beyond that, we could just see a lush green forest in the distance.
As much as it was a cliche, all i could think to say was, "We're not in Kansas anymore."
I admit, i don't know what New Zealand looks like - god knows i want to go there! But i wanted to create a contrast, form the bright green surrounding them, to being just a line in the distance.
Please R&R 3 I will love you for it. And i have cookies for the first three!