Summary: After their encounter with the archer from Harad (Arrow) they group travels to where none of them have been before and encounter a surprise. Rated T by Caitie (Arwen & Legolas) (Eowyn & Aragorn)

Year 3015

They sat on their horses in the middle of the bridge over the River Harnen, behind them was Gondor and ahead of them was Harad. There were no visible differences between these two countries but they all lingered before crossing into the new territory. "I don't see what all the fuss is about," Eowyn stated. "We cross between Rohan and Gondor all the time, why is crossing into Harad such a big deal?"

"Harad is a different sort of country," Aragorn said. "It's harsher."

"Haven't you been here before?" Eowyn asked her brow furrowed. Aragorn shook his head. Eowyn looked to Arwen and Legolas, they shook their heads. "You two over two thousand years old, you've been everywhere!"

"Not there," Arwen said.

Eowyn sighed, and nudged her horse into a walk.

..::..

A small town appeared on the horizon as they rode across the dry hard ground of Harad. The evening sun beat mercilessly down them after hours of riding, not finding a single town or forest to relieve them before now.

The town bustled with people, their skin an exotic tanned color. Children played naked in the street while their parents worked or cleaned, their laughter ringing through the town. It was so lively compared to what they'd already seen of the country, it brought a smile to their faces.

"Not so terrifying not that you're here now is it?" Eowyn asked, smiling up at Aragorn beside her.

Aragorn shook his head smiling. "Not so terrifying," he said.

They stopped in front of a tavern, Arwen and Legolas handed their horses over to a stable boy. "Are you two not coming in?" Arwen asked looking up to Aragorn.

Aragorn looked over at Eowyn. "I spotted some birds an hour or so back, I think maybe Eowyn and I should go back for them. We don't know when our next meal after this town will be."

Eowyn smiled over at Aragorn.

"Honestly, I thought you were a better liar, Aragorn," Legolas said smirking. "If you want some alone time, you should just say so."

"We want some alone time," Aragorn said.

Arwen laughed. "Now was that so hard?"

Aragorn turned his horse around and rode back down the street, Eowyn right beside him. Legolas put his arm around Arwen's shoulder. "Well it seems we have some alone time," Legolas said before kissing Arwen's lips and leading her into the tavern.

..::..

Legolas' hand tightened around Arwen's as they walked through the town, the moonlight guiding their path. He loved moments like this, moments when he and Arwen are all alone and nothing but them exists. They walked through the barren street making their way to the tavern where they would spend the night. A sound made its way to their ears, like the sound of a bowstring releasing. "Did you hear that?" he asked. Gold, yellow, and red spots started to appear and the sky and the sound of arrows whistling through the sky hit them. "Haradrim!" Legolas shouted as he pulled Arwen down an alleyway and shielded her from the onslaught of arrows. The dull thud of arrows hitting the dirt roads, thatched roof, and boarded windows ended. The sound of flames crackling was all that could be heard before thatched roofs caught fire and blazed in the night. "Are you alright?" Legolas asked, shifting so that Arwen could move. She nodded.

People rushed out in the streets as fire trailed down their houses, licking up their walls claiming everything it touched. The sound of arrows being released sounded again and without hesitation Legolas pushed Arwen against the building they hid behind and covered her once more. These arrows were dark and they soared through the night sky unable to be seen by anyone but Arwen and Legolas. People screamed in pain as the arrows found their victims. Bodies dropped in the streets and people tripped over them as they sought cover.

The arrows stopped once more and some thought that it was over until the shouts of men and clang of armor was heard as Haradrim soldiers flooded the town. Torches blazed in their hands as they ran into the town, buildings blazed brighter and hotter as the torches were thrown into them. The nightmare was not done yet.

Legolas took Arwen's hand and pulled her into the stone building they hid behind. They crept through the dark room until Legolas found a closet. "The smartest thing we can do is hide," Legolas said as he pushed Arwen into the closet. "There's too many, we can't fight them." He followed her into the cramped space and shut the door behind him. He wrapped his arms around her body trying to fit in the space better, he turned them so that covered her and was still able to look through the small crack in the door.

They could hear the screams of agony as people were cut down in the streets outside, the cries of women as they were dragged away from their burning the village, the sobs of children as they witnessed the carnage, and the crackle of fire as it destroyed everything it could reach. The worst thing, however, was the smell, the smell of burning flesh. Legolas cringed, he could feel Arwen's body tense up every time she heard the people scream, the cry of a young child made Arwen struggle against Legolas. "We have to help him," Arwen said as she tried to wiggle her way out of his arms. But Legolas said nothing, only tightened his arms around her.

The door creaked as it open, the sound of feet on wooden floors reached their ears and Arwen stopped struggling. The newcomer's armor rattled as he walked across the room, a torch blazing in his hand. He stopped in front of the closet, Legolas and Arwen held their breath. The torch hit the door, resting on the wood until it caught flame. He sighed contentedly as he watched the flames grow.

The heat seeped through the door, Legolas and Arwen began sweat. Fire crawled underneath the door and without a second through Legolas straightened up and pushed the door with all his might. The door flew open hitting the soldier, sending him falling onto his back, the torch rolling across the floor out of arms reach.

Quick as lightning the soldier was on his feet, he pulled a long knife from his belt and lunged at Legolas, missing by mere inches. Legolas' hands wrapped around the soldier's wrist and wrenched the blade from his grasp then wrenching his arm around to force the man to bend for fear of ripping his arm out of his socket.

Arwen charged towards them, she dropped and slid under the soldier's bent body to grab the knife before he could. She sprung to her feet as Legolas pushed the soldier against the wall. She flipped the knife in hand, gripping the handle tightly before pressing against the soldier's throat. "Why are you here?" Arwen demanded, ripping his head wrap off and tossing it to the floor. "Why?" she shouted.

The soldier had brown tattoos across his face and they contorted as he laughed. "Kill me," he said in a thick accent.

Arwen looked up to Legolas as if asking him if she should. He nodded his head once. The steel bit into the soldier's throat, blood spurting out as Legolas released him and he dropped to the floor.

Arwen walked to the window, dropping the knife on the wooden floor. Fire started to crawl along the wooden panels of the room but Arwen didn't notice. "Their taking people with them," Arwen said as she watched the soldiers retreat with those who hadn't died in the initial onslaught.

"Slavers," Legolas said solemnly. "Punishable by death."

"Not here," Arwen whispered. The last of the soldiers disappeared with their captives. "It's over," Arwen said. She started towards the door. The night sky was alight with the fires on the roofs. Bodies littered the streets, blood forming large puddles. No one was spared from the horror; old men and women lay dead in the streets, young girls were stripped naked and raped before being murdered, babies were even butchered. Arwen was to mad to be sad, no tears reached her eyes as she took in the town. Just earlier that day it had been alive with people bustling around and now only the dead remained.

..::..

Aragorn pulled on the reins of his horse, stopping abruptly. "What is that?" he asked.

Eowyn slowed to a stop beside him. "Oh my gosh, the town," Eowyn said, covering her mouth. Fire rose from the buildings of the town, lighting the night sky up. "Legolas and Arwen!" Eowyn shouted.

Aragorn grabbed the reins of Eowyn's horse, holding her back. "Look," he said, pointing with is other hand towards the town. A long line of soldiers made their way out of the town, an even longer line of captives trailing behind them.

"We have to do something," Eowyn whispered hurriedly.

"There's too many," Aragorn insisted.

They sat in silence as they watched the soldiers and captives disappear into the night. When they had all but vanished Aragorn let go of Eowyn's reins and started towards the town. Two horses appeared from within the town and Aragorn and Eowyn froze. "I thought they all had left," Eowyn said.

"Aragorn! Eowyn!" one of the riders called, spying them. Moonlight fell onto Legolas and Arwen's faces as they rode closer.

"You're alright!" Eowyn shouted urging her horse forward to meet them.

"What happened here?" Aragorn asked.

"Haradrim," Arwen stated. "They took slaves."

"They're heading to the next town," Aragorn.

Aragorn sighed, distraught. "What do we do?" Eowyn asked.

"We have to warn them," Legolas said.

"What if we get stuck in the next raid?" Aragorn asked.

"So be it."