Aragorn informed the rest of the group what Boromir said before he died. The Uruk-hai had taken Merry and Pippin captive. Frodo and Sam would be going alone, and they would go to retrieve Merry and Pippin. Soriel made a silent vow to herself that Boromir's death would not be in vain.
The presence of the others while Boromir lay dying revealed the secret of their child, and Soriel was relieved that she would not have to tell everyone now. It was painful to think about now that Boromir was gone.
They traveled on foot. Aragorn followed the footprints of the Uruks, his tracking skill honed after being a Ranger for as long as he was. When they were beyond the woods, Legolas and Leila would run ahead and get the group in their sights, and call back the direction to Aragorn and the rest. It was a lot of running, but Soriel did her best to keep up. They ran for three days.
"Legolas!" Aragorn called to the Elf who had jogged ahead once more. "What do your Elf eyes see?"
"The Uruks turn northeast!" Legolas shouted back. "They're taking the Hobbits to Isengard!"
Aragorn decided they must pick up the pace. Staying on their trail was imperative. They continued on and at last they looked upon the country of Rohan. As they ran, Leila tripped. Legolas reacted quickly and caught her in his arms. They smiled bashfully at one another.
This sent an awful pang of jealously through Soriel. Leila and Legolas were at the beginning stages of love, it seemed. Soriel would never feel the arms of her love again. It felt so brutally unfair. Soriel felt lonelier than ever. Tears sprang up in her eyes but blinked them back. She had to focus on Merry and Pippin now.
They came to a halt only when Aragorn spotted something on the ground. It was a leaf from the cloaks of Lothlórien. It had to belong to one of the Hobbits.
"Not idly to the leaves of Lórien fall," Aragorn said.
"They may yet be alive," Legolas added. He looked behind. "Come, Gimli!"
The group continued on for even longer, when they heard the rumbling of hooves. They dove into the cover a rock formation, but Aragorn apparently recognized the riders. He left their hiding place and his companions followed.
"Riders of Rohan!" Aragorn shouted. "What news from the Mark?"
The riders turned and surrounded them, spears brandished. The leader emerged from the group and confronted them.
"What business does a Man, three Elves, and a Dwarf have in the Riddermark?" he demanded. "Speak quickly!"
"You give me your name, horse master, and I shall give you mine," Gimli said bravely.
The leader's eyes flashed as he looked at Gimli. "I would cut off your head, Dwarf, if only it stood higher from the ground."
"He does not stand alone!" Legolas flared up and fit his arrow to the string. "You would die before your stroke fell."
Aragorn put his hand on Legolas's bow, forcing him to lower it. Legolas and the man glared at one another still.
"I am Aragorn, son of Arathorn. This is Gimli, son of Glóin, Legolas son of Thranduil, Soriel of Lothlórien, and Leila of Mirkwood. We are friends of Rohan and of Théoden, your king."
"Théoden no longer recognizes friend from foe," the man replied, removing his helmet. "Not even his own kin. I am Éomer, son of Éomund. 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." He took a deep breath. "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," Aragorn explained. "We track a part of Uruk-hai westward across the plains. They have taken two of our friends captive."
"The Uruks are destroyed, we slaughtered them in the night," Éomer said.
"Two Hobbits," said Gimli. "Did you see two Hobbits with them?"
Éomer looked confused.
"They would be small," Aragorn added. "Only children to your eyes."
"We left none alive," Éomer said solemnly. "We piled the carcasses and burned them." He pointed in the direction. Soriel could see the smoke. "I can give you these horses for your journey." He whistled and four horses came forward. "May they bear you to better fortune than their former masters." He mounted his horse again and replaced his helmet. "Look for your friends, but do not trust a hope. It has forsaken these lands."
It was then that Éomer seemed to notice Soriel. They locked eyes and he thought her fair. She looked to him to have a sadness about her. He shook his head to clear it of these thoughts.
"We ride on!" he called to his riders, and he left, a part of him wishing he had stayed and spoken to her.
Soriel felt a little unsettled by the connection with Éomer. She had no desire for any other man right now. All she wanted was Boromir. She felt the tears come again, but shook them off. She would grieve again only when she was alone.