Chapter 8
~With Aragorn, Legolas and Gimli~
Aragorn's POV
I lie with my eyes closed and ear pressed to the ground, listening for the sound of footsteps. "Their pace has quickened." I looked up. "They must have caught our scent. Hurry!" I then run off. "Come on, Gimli." Legolas says behind me as he starts to follow. "Three days and nights pursuit. No food. No rest. And no sign of our quarry but what bare rock can tell." Gimli says trying to catch up to us. We were running across rocks and plains then suddenly bend down when I see something, only to pick up an Elven brooch from the ground. "Not idly do the leaves of Lorien fall." I said. "They may yet be alive." Legolas says. I look down again and find something else in the mud. I pick it up to fins a ring. "Aerilyn." I said as I recognized the ring. "Do not worry Aragorn, Aerilyn is a strong woman." Legolas said as he seen the ring too. "Less than a day ahead of us. Come!" I run off again. "Aerilyn." I whisper her name as I place her ring with her pendant.
We then come over a hill and pauses as we gaze across the plains below. "Rohan, home of the Horse-lords. There is something at work here. Some evil gives speed these creatures, sets its will against us." I say. I watch Legolas run ahead. "Legolas, what do you Elf-eyes see?" I yelled to him. "The Uruk's turn northward. They're taking them to Isengard!" "Saruman." I whisper.
Next day at dawn
"A red sun rises. Blood has been spilled this night." Legolas says behind me. After hitting another hill we hear the sound of horses. We hide behind some boulders as a large group of horse-men appear, galloping quickly with their banner flying. I come out of hiding as they pass, followed by Legolas and Gimli. "Riders of Rohan, what news from the Mark?" I shout. At a signal from the front rider, the riders made a quick turn and head towards us, surrounding us in ever-tightening circles. As they stop, they point their long spears menacingly at us.
A rider moves forward. "What business does an Elf, a man and a Dwarf have in the Riddermark? Speak quickly!" he said. "Give me your name horsemaster and I shall give you mine." Gimli said. The rider handed his spear to another and gets off his horse. I put my hand on Gimli's shoulder. "I would cut off your head, Dwarf, if it stood but a little higher from the ground." Legolas, in a lightning fast move, points an arrow at him. "You would die before you stroke fell." The riders all point their spears closer at us. After a tense moment, I push down Legolas' arm.
"I am Aragorn, son of Arathorn, this is Gimli, son of Gloin and Legolas of the Woodland realm. We are friends of Rohan and of Théoden, your king." "Theoden no longer recognise friends from foe." He takes off his helmet. "Not even his own kin." The spears were withdrawn.
"Saruman has poisoned the mind of the king and claimed lordship over these lands. 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. We track a party of Uruk-hai westward across the plains. They have taken three of our friend's captive."
"The Uruk's are destroyed. We slaughtered them during the night." He said. "But there were two Hobbits. Did you see two hobbits with them" Gimli said. "They would be small. Only children to your eyes, and there was a woman, tall with black hair." Before he could speak he looks behind us as we hear a horse moving forward. As they came beside us, someone said my name, a voice that I haven't heard in a week. "Aragorn." I turn to them as they fell off the horse and into my arms. I closed my eyes as I took in their scent, holding them close to my body. "Aerilyn." I whispered in her hair.
