Unexpected Outcomes

There was an emergence type gathering in the great hall where upon the throne sat Aragorn, looking grievous but stern as the others sat around the hall. Allison sat on the floor with the three hobbits. Eric was discussing something with Prince Imrahil when Aragorn called order. It was then, before Aragorn or anyone else could say anything that Allison blurted out,

"The sea!" She then looked around, slightly embarrassed, for crying out. "I mean, Frodo said that he thought he had a calling to the sea. Maybe he ran to there…or to get there…or something." She said to try and explain herself better.

"Do you know from your books?" Gandalf asked, and Allison shook her head.

"He told me. This didn't happen in the book."

"Then our actions should be to head towards the coast." Faramir said.

"But it is not so simple, dear Faramir. If he has not indeed taking this path then out time to find him will have been greatly delayed." Aragorn said.

"Perhaps we should diverge ourselves. To be able to cover more area, the halfling could not have gone far in such a short amount of time." Gimli said.

"It's been about 6 hours, he could have gotten pretty far by then. Aside from that, the more we sit around here and talk the more time he has to get away." Eric said frustrated.

"Get away? You make it appear as though he ran away." Legolas commented, "do you have reason for this?" Eric shrugged.

"Well he certainly isn't missing like a lost sock. It's not like one of us misplaced him. The only way he could have moved is if he moved himself or was kidnapped."

"And I do believe the latter is not likely to have taken place." Gandalf said.

"I agree with Gimli, we must break apart, to cover more ground." Éomer said.

"It's is decided then, but to where will each of us go?"

"There is only one path from here to the Sea. The others should search the area around Minas Trith, for he may not have strayed to very far." Prince Imrahil said.

It was then decided to have three groups, two to search around Gondor and one large group to head off to the Sea. Prince Imrahil would lead the group to the Sea (since Dol Amroth was a coastal city), and with him would go Legolas, Gimli, Elrond's twins and a few other elves and men of Rohan. The two groups to search around Gondor was just basically everyone who wasn't going to Dol Amroth with the Prince. Aragorn had tried to get Allison to not help in the search, but she flat out refused.

"I don't understand, just because I'm a chick I don't get to do anything!" Allison said grumbling.

There was a few who were going to scan around Pelennor and such. It was early the next morning when they mounted atop some horses (courtesy of Rohan and Éomer). Allison forced herself to go along with them, trying to get away from Eric (for they were still not talking) but it was in vain because Aragorn assigned him to go along with her group anyways.

Allison was mounted on a large mare, with Pippin seated in front of her. They rode for several hours, and it was beginning to grow dark. They decided to stop and rest for a little bit before continuing on. Allison stretched in her saddle.

"My butt's gone numb." She said to herself, but Pippin heard it and turned to her and gave a strange look.

"What's that now?"

"My butt's numb from sitting in this saddle for so blasted long." Pippin accepted this and said,

"Yes, well I'm hungry."

"Oh, you're always hungry. What's new?"

"But we haven't eaten in a long while now and I am beginning to feel faint." He said mockingly looking faint.

"Well, I don't have anything to eat. You'll have to go to Éomer about that one."

"But how can I go anywhere when you're guiding the horse?" He asked and Allison laughed.

"Oh yes, sorry about that." She dismounted and helped Pippin get down as he ran off to find Éomer. Allison began to walk her horse around so that she could move her legs.

"So what do you think about all of this?" Eric asked waking up to her on his horse. Merry sat in front of him.

"What do you mean? I'm worried, obviously." She said not looking at him

"But if you say that this will have the same ending as the story then shouldn't you not be worried because he will be found eventually."

"I never anticipated this. Nothing ever strayed so far from the book as this…" She finally looked at him, but it was forced. Like their whole conversation was forced. It was then that Éomer approached them.

"I do not think that we are going to discover anything."

"We can't just give up now!" Merry cried.

"I never said we were giving up, but I have doubts about the fruits of our labors out here."

"I agree. I do think out best bet is in the Prince's group." Allison said. "I really doubt that is Frodo were to run away that he would just hide out in the fields around here." Pippin then came running up, huffing a little, he wasn't much used to running.

"Oh Éomer! I left to go look for you and then run around the whole place to only discover that you're back where I started!" he said trying to catch his breath.

"Well, hullo Pippin. What can I do for you now?" Éomer asked.

"Do you, by any chance, have any food on you? I'm terrible hungry."

"Unfortunately, no. I do believe that everyone shares your pains of hunger though." Pippin was a little disappointed and said nothing more. Aragorn then came up to the group and said,

"I think we should continue to search until there is no more light and then retire for the night."

"But what about tomorrow? What are we to do then?" Merry asked

"I think it is best if we take things one day at a time. Tomorrow is a long time away." Merry nodded and Eric rode off, leaving Allison, Éomer and Aragorn.

"Do you think we'll find Frodo?" Allison asked, and Aragorn sighed but only answered,

"I have no thoughts upon our search, only feelings. But my feelings are dark and grievous, so I will not share them." Allison nodded, pressing her lips together slightly.

"How long will it take the Prince to get to the coast?"

"A few days, we will not know of their labors until they return. And how long that will be, I cannot know and will not speculate." Allison nodded again, and Aragorn then walked away when called over by Faramir. Éomer looked down at Allison who was watching Aragorn walk away.

"What are your thoughts, Lady Allison?"

"I think he's going towards the sea." She said, finally looking at him.

"Then our efforts here are in vain?"

"Yeah, but it makes us feel like we are doing something important. So in that sense it has its purpose."

"A wise thought. One that I would think could only come from one of noble blood." Allison shrugged.

"Not that wise."

"I find it difficult to accept the fact that you are not from this world, Lady. To think one day you did not reside here and one day you will not reside here again. I think you belong here, that you were meant to be here. I do not know of your feelings wholly, but I get a feeling that you know you belong here as well." Allison didn't say anything, but cast her eyes down. She began to walk her horse away slightly as she saw Eric in the vicinity. Éomer followed.

"I do not want to accept that you are not from this world."

"Why not?" they stopped walking

"Because that would mean accepting that you will have to leave." The sun was setting slowly, casting a golden orange glow upon the field. He put a rough hand to her cheek and she smiled a little and then he kissed her softly, and when he pulled away and had walked away, Allison was trying to pull her emotions together.

"Oh I hope Eric didn't see that." She said to herself and looked around for him, and caught him scowling at her. She sighed and remounted her horse.

"Dammit." She muttered and began to look for Pippin.