General POV
Aragorn was riding along the highroad to Gondor from the regions of the Shire and the Grey Havens at the head of his entourage and escort of guards. By his side rode two of his greatest friends, the elven prince, Legolas, and the dwarf Gimli. Aragorn had not seen either of them recently as the ties of office kept them busy in their respective realms. Legolas was singing an elven song, looking around him, while Gimli muttered into his beard and stared longingly at the ground passing beneath his feet. They had been talking-about the health of Aragorn and Arwen's son and the daughter that they were thinking of trying to have, about the Glimmering caves, formerly known as Helm's Deep, and the families of dwarves they now held, chipping gingerly at the walls-but they had slowly fallen silent. Suddenly Legolas stopped singing.
"I have been thinking recently," he said " about following my breathen over the sea to the west. I am one of the last of my kind to remain in Middle Earth and the pull of the Haven has been growing on me over the last years."
Aragorn and Gimli looked at each other sadly.
"My friend, we have always known that you will eventually need to go, but what is the hurry?" Aragorn asked
"No there is no hurry just yet, but as I said before the pull is growing, and I have no desire to be left behind when the last of my kind eventually leave these shores." Legolas explained.
"We do understand," Gimli said,"but if I may, may I ask a favour of you? When you are about to leave, tell us, and if it is possible, would I be permitted to come with you, my greatest friend?"
Legolas looked at him, surprised by his request. "But you would be leaving your friends and family behind. What would be worth coming with me over the sea to a land that barely any but elves have seen?"
"I understand all this, but there is actually not that much tying me here. There is no woman who I share my life with and of my family; many now dislike me for befriending an elf, or are very old, such as my father, and will not be with me any longer. And so I dislike the thought of my truest friend leaving me behind." Gimli told him.
"Loyal indeed are the race of dwarves," Aragorn laughed, but Legolas just looked at him thoughtfully and said nothing.
The three friends carried on at the company's slow pace until Aragorn grew restless and started pulling aahead, Legolas and Gimli keepin pace with him easily, into a canter, then a gallop.
"It is a pity that Gandalf and Shadowfax can not be with us, they did so like to run." Legolas called, leaning over his horse's neck and urging it faster, making Gimli jump and clutch at the saddle harder.
They were out of sight of the main party when Legolas and Aragorn reigned in sharply. In the middle of the road lay a girl, with a horse grazing at the side. The girl was quite short and slim, but also somehow wiry, dressed in boy's clothing. Some of her black hair had fallen out of the bun she had put it up in and had some small pieces of moss caught in it.
Aragorn quickly jumped off his horse and hurried to her side, checking her pulse.
"She is alive," he announced, "but by the look of her I would say she has not had enough sleep or food for some period of time. Legolas, if you would be so kind as to ride back to the company and tell them to find a healer and to be ready to receive her?"
Legolas swiftly turned his horse around and rode towards the escort that they had left behind, while Aragorn picked the girl up and carried her to the piebald horse that had been standing at the side of the road. Putting her on its' back he got on his own horse and started riding towards where the rest of the party were advancing.
Philomel's Pov
Slowly I opened my eyes to the inside of a tent. I sat up quickly, nervous at where I was and who had found me. Looking around I saw no-one. There was a lot of noise and many people outside the tent, but where I was it was quiet. I was still dressed in the clothes that I had been travelling in, but the blisters I had gained from my grave digging and my days (and night) of riding had been treated and I felt well rested. I walked to the entrance and poked my head out. Immediately four people saw me. One was dressed in the typical costume of a physician, however the other three were a red-headed and bearded dwarf, a tall dark haired man and an elf with a quiver of arrows and a bow by his side. The physician reached me first and motioned me into the tent. When inside we sat down, but the other three also joined. I saw the physician stiffen in protest, but he did not ask them to leave. He asked me some routine questions-what I was doing before I was found on the roadside, who I was, where I was from, how I felt and other questions like that. The man, elf and dwarf listened intently all through my recitation of what had happened to me, with the man occasionally asking me to repeat or refine a few points. After the physician had finished the man smiled ruefully.
"I'm sorry about what happened to your village, but at least I saved you a lonely trip to Gondor," he said. "I am at least partially responsible for what happened. I have been getting reports about the North for months, but I did not think that it would penetrate this far South, and so close to Rivendell too"
The elf turned to him "The explosion that she heard, and the result of it sounds like what Saruman used to blow up the wall into Helm's Deep"
The man nodded. "I agree, but what I am concerned about is how they made it, and who and why."
I looked at the three of them in confusion. "I'm sorry, sir, but I do not understand why it was your fault that my village is ruined"
The dwarf chuckled and replied "That's because he is the king, lassie, King Aragorn Telcontar, and I am Gimli son of Gloin, and this-"
"And I am Legolas Greenleaf of Mirkwood," the elf continued, "Pleased to meet you, Philomel Hiraeth."
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