++++++ I do not own Lord of the Rings or any affiliated characters apart from my OC. All rights belong to Tolkien ++++++
Two
Rohan, home of the horselords.
The Uruk-Hai had turned north-east, diverging from their path and making their way towards Isengard and Saruman.
The moment we stepped over the border into Rohan, Breya's whole stance changed. I watched Breya and the only time I had seen her look so happy was when she was in Erebor. The six of us ran through the night and when the sun rose, it was blood red.
"Red sun rises," I whispered, stopping as we came over the hill.
"Blood has been spilled this night," Legolas finished.
I glanced at Breya. "It's not them."
She nodded her agreement. "It can't be them." Having grown up with all four of the hobbits in the Fellowship meant that Breya was very close with all of them. She closed her eyes and took a deep breath from the early morning air.
"What do you feel?" Aragorn inquired.
"The vibrations are different," she answered. "Not heavy and harsh like the Uruk-Hai but more fleeting and loud…like…almost like…horses." Breya opened her eyes wide. "Lots and lots of horses."
Aragorn motioned for us to hide behind a large cluster of rocks. "We do not yet know of their intentions," he warned us in a whisper. Neither Breya nor I were the kind to hide, we'd go down fighting.
My hands itched for my blades.
The elven Narylfiel and dwarven Dornessi had been gifts given in different times. Narylfiel had been one of a set given to me by the lady Galadriel, her brother, Mornenion, had been buried with Thorin when he passed. The pommel was black and made from the finest metal etched with leafy, silver vines and small rubies trailed along the vines, the blade glistened in the moonlight and the metal had 'Narylfiel', meaning 'fire brand', stamped into the metal. Mornenion had been exactly the same only decorated with sapphires instead of rubies. Dornessi however, was a blade crafted by dwarven blacksmiths. Her pommel was black with leafy, gold vines and small sapphires trailed along the vines. The word Dornessi was carved into the metal, Balin had told me that Dornessi meant queen.
Legolas placed his hand over mine and gently shook his head. "Patience was never your strong point."
I shrugged. No arguing with him there.
Suddenly Ghost started growling. His growls were soon drowned out by the sound of horse, many, many horses, riding over the hill.
"The Riders of Rohan!" Breya grinned.
"You two stay here!" Aragorn ordered both Breya and myself. Seeing the looks on our faces, he spoke again. "We do not know if these are honest men or if they work for Saruman."
Breya kept her hand on her sword Verya but remained back as the three of themstepped out from behind the rocks. "The Riders do not work for anyone but their lord even if he is compromised."
I glanced over at her and the necklace that sat openly around her neck. It was an amethyst rose that held a white horse in the middle and was attached to a thin white gold chain, a gift created by my father and given to her by Galadriel. "And here I thought that you only favoured the dwarves. Horselords?"
"Shut up!" she hissed.
"RIDERS OF ROHAN!" Aragorn yelled. "WHAT NEWS FROM THE MARK?"
The riders turned to circle the three men with their spears out.
Breya gripped Verya and watched intently. Her gaze seemed to be locked on the head of the rider column like she knew him.
Their leader dismounted and approached them. "What business does and elf, a man, and a dwarf have in the Riddermark? Speak quickly!"
Gimli shifted, gripping his axe. "Give me your name, horse master, and I shall give you mine."
I smirked, Gimli was very bold.
"I would cut off you heard, dwarf," he snapped, "if it stood but a little higher from the ground."
Breya slapped herself in the forehead.
Legolas drew his bow. "You would die before your stroke fell!"
It was my turn to slap my head. "And Aragorn was worried they would react to us differently."
"Agreed," Breya nodded. We got to our feet and climbed to the top of the rock.
Aragorn placed his hand on Legolas' arm and lowered it down. "I am Aragorn, son of Arathorn, this is Gimli, son of Gloin, Legolas of the woodland realm, this is Falathiel of Lothlorien, and Breya Talathion." The head of the riders turned to see both Breya and myself standing there. "We are friends of Rohan, and of Theoden, your king."
"Theoden no longer recognized friend from foe," he answered, staring at Breya. He removed his helmet. "Not even his own kin."
"Eomer, son of Eomund," Breya grinned. She jumped down off the rock and I followed, joining Aragorn, Legolas and Gimli.
"Saruman had poisoned the mind of the king and claimed lordship over his lands," Eomer answered. "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."
"We are no spies!" Breya argued. "Eomer, you know me. We are no spies! We track a party of Uruk-Hai west. They've taken two of our friend's captive."
Eomer sighed. "Lady Breya-the Uruks are destroyed, we slaughtered them during the night."
"But there were two hobbits!" Gimli shouted. "Did you see two hobbits with them?"
"They would be small," Aragorn advised him, "only children to your eyes."
Eomer shook his head. "We left none alive. We piled the carcasses and burned them."
"Dead?" Gimli gasped as we looked at the plume of smoke in the distance.
He nodded. "I am sorry."
"You piled the carcasses and burned them," I spoke up, "but you did not see two children? Typical humans, you charge in, swords drawn without assessing the situation."
"I would hold your tongue, Lady Elf!" Eomer urged me.
Breya placed her hand on my shoulder. "Falathiel, you'd be wise to hold your tongue."
Eomer whistled bringing three horses over to us. "May these horse bear you to better fortune than their former master's. Farewell, we have other things to do."
"Eomer," Breya called out. "A quick word?"
I raised an eyebrow and watched Breya as she walked over to speak with him. "Are you alright?" I asked Legolas. "That was a stupid, foolish move."
"Are you lecturing me on stupid, foolish things?" Legolas asked me. He had a look of mild amusement on his face. "You are growing up…what is Breya doing?"
I looked over at Breya as she handed Eomer's helmet to him-only after she kissed it gently. "Swift wings, brave heart," she whispered.
"Me thinks I found out why she likes Rohan so much," I muttered to myself with a slight grin. I took the reins of the horse thinking about Cedric a little. I mounted the horse, shifting a little in the saddle as to get comfortable. Breya climbed up over me. "Swift wings, brave heart?"
"Shut up and ride," she warned me.
I chuckled and watched the riders disappear over the hill. "I can double with Aragorn if you want to follow them."
She shook her head. "We have to find Merry and Pippin, dead or alive. We cannot fail at this like we did with everything else."
I nodded my agreement and followed Aragorn.
At least we weren't running anymore.
