Disclaimer: Nothing is mine except Ariana. She is mine! Haha
Chapter 8
Aragorn POV
I ran at the head of the group as we made it to the open plains that would lead us to Rohan. I thought back to the forest where we had lost four of our group and nearly a fifth. While it hurt my heart that I had to let Frodo and Sam go and that Merry and Pippin had been taken from us I was eternally glad that we had Ariana with us. Not least because she managed to provide us with help that Gandalf would have provided, but also that she had saved my shield-brother.
I had no illusions that we would have lost Boromir if Ariana hadn't been with us. I could still feel the tingle of magic from when she had used it to save his life. It had surrounded me in shroud of warmth and that warmth lingered now. I glanced back and found her keeping pace with Legolas, not even appearing tired. I felt a flash of pride towards her, it joined the other feelings I had for her that I had tucked away deep in my heart. I was slowly beginning to fall for the woman who was presenting herself to us. We discovered new faces of Ariana everyday and I wanted there to be a day when there was a side of her that was just for me.
We were nearing our third day of running when I stopped to listen to our quarry. Legolas and Boromir halted next to me, "Their pace has quickened. They cannot be more than a day ahead of us." I told them as I stood, Ariana and Gimli arriving just as we began to run again. "Three days we've been following this trail, no food, no rest and sign of our quarry but what bare rock can tell." Gimli grumbled and I smiled as I heard Ariana laugh and watched as she ran back to the front and ahead of the three of us. "What's the matter boys getting tired?" She asked as she ran by us, Boromir and I laughed and Legolas sped up to keep pace with her.
By daybreak, we had reached a deep gorge; I paused as we ran through and bent down to pick up the pin to one of the hobbits cloaks. "Not idly do the leaves of Lórien fall. These tracks are fresh; they are but half a day ahead of us." Legolas had climbed an outcrop ahead of us, "What do your elf eyes see?" I called out and my heart chilled with the reply. "They are taking the hobbits to Isengard." We sped up our pace closing in on them as we ran through the night, reaching the plains of Rohan at dawn. We slowed down to a stop trying to find the tracks of our quarry, when the sound of horses approaching reached our ears.
We ducked behind a small outcrop of boulders, lying still as the riders thundered past. Ariana was crouched next to and as we stood and I strode out onto the plain, I saw her raise her hood and wrap her cloak tightly around her. I frowned, hating that she forced to hide again. "Riders of Rohan, What news from the mark?" I called out and we immediately found ourselves surrounded by the riders, their spears pointing in at us. Ariana moved to stand behind Gimli, next to Boromir. "What business do three men, an elf and a dwarf have in the Riddermark?" One of the riders asked. "Speak quickly." Gimli scowled and looked up at the rider.
"Give me your name horse master and I shall give you mine." The rider dismounted and sneered at Gimli. "I would cut off your head, dwarf, if it stood but a little higher from the ground." I barely had time to react before Legolas had drawn his bow, "You would die before your stroke fell." I heard Ariana sigh. "Enough. I am Rian; this is Gimli son of Glóin, Aragorn son of Arathorn, Boromir son of Denethor and Legolas of the woodland realm. We are friends of Rohan and of Théoden, your king." I frowned softly at the cloaked voice that met my ears, wanting to hear Ariana's true voice.
The rider sighed, introducing himself as Eómer, the king's nephew. He informed us that they had slain the party of Uruk-hai during the night; they gave us horses and offered us a warning about the white wizard. We nodded, watching them ride away to the north. "They have only left us three horses. Who will ride with whom?" Boromir asked and we all looked at each other. Ariana tilted her hood back, now that we were alone again. "I think that Gimli and Legolas should ride together, sorry Gimli, but the horses left to us are a little bigger than any you would have ridden." He nodded and grumbled softly as we helped him up onto the horse.
I turned to Ariana, "Would you ride with me?" I asked softly as Boromir grumbled as he adjusted the saddle of the horse he would ride. She smiled softly and nodded, "Of course, my lord." She gestured to the horse and I mounted, frowning. She had never called me 'my lord' before, why was she starting to now. I shook myself out of my thoughts as I felt her swing up onto the saddle behind me, wrapping her arms around my waist. I shivered slightly as warmth shot through me. I urged the horse into a gallop and we raced towards the smoke that rose in the distance.
I heard Ariana gasp behind me when we reached the pyre. There was very little left of the corpses, Gimli quickly began to dig in the pile with his axe as Boromir walked around the edge of the pyre looking, for some sign of the hobbits. I looked at Ariana but she was staring into the distance a blank look on her face. I let her be as I had seen that look on Elrond's face when he was seeing something of importance. I turned back at Gimli's exclamation of shock. "Its one of their wee belts." He whispered holding it up, I roared and kicked one of the orc helmets that was lying on the ground. "We have failed them." Gimli's voice was gruff and I faintly heard Legolas reciting an Elvish poem of sorrow.
A warm hand was placed on my shoulder, the fingers delicate and I leaned my head on Ariana's arm looking down at the ground before frowning. "A hobbit lay here and the other here." I stood, as I read the signs on the ground. We followed the trail they had left until we reached the forest. "Fangorn? What madness drove them in there?" Gimli whispered and I frowned, but walked the path they had. Determined to find them, dead or alive.
I started as a figure moved passed me, but saw that it was only Ariana. "Be careful Rian, don't go too far." Boromir said from my side and I saw her wave a hand in acknowledgment. We soon however lost track of her as we reached the crushed body of the orc. "These tracks are strange." I whispered as I studied the area around the body, Legolas alerted us to someone in the forest, "The white wizard approaches." We made ready to attack, but Ariana appeared next to me. "No, he is not the one to fear." She spoke softly, tears shining in her eyes as she stared at the glowing figure.
I frowned and turned to look at her, but turned back as the light dimmed. "Gandalf? Forgive me I mistook you for Saruman." Legolas bowed to the floor, "I am Saruman or Saruman as he should have been." We smiled as Gandalf told us the hobbits were safe, but that we needed to make haste to Edoras, that the King there needed us. We struggled out into the light of the day to find that a fourth horse had joined our group. "Ciarán. How are you my friend?" Ariana asked as she walked up to stroke its nose. I frowned, slightly unhappy that she would no longer be riding with me.
Gandalf whistled for his horse and we rode for Edoras. We made it there the following day and as we rode up to the Kings hall, I stared up and found a maiden dressed in white stood on the corner. "You'd find more cheer in a graveyard." Gimli grumbled from next to me and I turned to look at him, before turning my attention back to the hall and I blinked, the maiden was gone.
