Chapter 4

The stranger

The rain was pouring down. Nessa was soaking wet. Water was coming down from her face and she could barely see. She didn't know where she's going; she only wanted to go somewhere where her father couldn't find her.

She was already outside of the city, she has reached Anduin but didn't cross the river. She was only following its flow.

Every minute she was getting colder. The horse was nervous and she knew they have to rest somewhere. So she found a place among the trees. They will rest here tonight. It was

"It is so cold," she thought "what was I thinking by going away like this. I could have waited for the morning. But it's too late now. I'm not going back."

She thought that it was a good hideout, and the trees were covering her from the rain. But it was very cold. She couldn't even light a fire.

"I wonder what did father say when he saw I left Minas Tirith. He is probably outraged."

She guessed her father's reactions, and she guessed them right.

Denethor was upset when he saw Nessa is missing. He was cursing at Daron for letting her go. He has sent seven of his best riders to go after her.

"I don't care about the storm. You will bring me my daughter back till the morning."

And they went, promising him she'll be home by the morning. Safe and sound.

She knew that he'll send a search party after her so this place didn't only hide her from the rain, but also from her father's men.

An hour passed and she has begun to feel strange. She was shaking. Her fever was growing.

"It'll pass till the morning. All I need is to sleep and in the morning I'll be fine.", she thought.

So she felt asleep. She was having nightmares. She dreamed about being licked in a dungeon on the top of the high tower. She could only look down from a small window. And she saw a large army attacking her city. Killing everyone. She was screaming, she wanted to help her people, but she couldn't. The door was locked and she couldn't get out.

She was sweating and she couldn't wake up. Her fever was higher by every second.

So she struggled during the night, but she wasn't alone there. Another person was in that area. As the rain stopped falling, he walked by the river. He was thinking. He was nervous and worried. And then he spotted something.

He spotted trails in the mud. Horse trails. He assumed that a rider passed by about five hours ago or more. He decided to follow them and find out who is the rider and what was he doing here in the middle of the rain storm.

The trails were leading him to the trees. He entered the small forest and followed them further. Then he spotted something. He went closer and saw a horse sleeping. Next to him there was a person. He couldn't see the person's face, so he kneeled.

The horse was frightened by his sudden move, so he woke up making a noise. It waked Nessa up.

Seeing a cloaked figure kneeling over her she screamed. She tried to push him away, but she couldn't. He was holding her hands. She screamed again, but there was no one to hear her.

"Nessa, it is me." The man said. "Calm down! Don't you recognize me?"

"Help!", she screamed again.

He put his hand on her forehead.

"Oh, Nessa! You are burning! I have to get you out of here!"

He lifted her although she was struggling. She was getting weaker so she couldn't hit him anymore. Soon she felt unconscious. He put her on her horse and climbed himself up. He decided to take her where he could help her.