Disclaimer: AWEOSOME COSMIC POWER… itty bitty living space. –The Genie



Actually, my room IS kinda small… am I being random? Am I wasting time you could be spending reading my story? The answer would be… Yes. Yes, I am.

Am I getting to be annoying? No. No, I'm not.

I don't own: Tolkien stuff, Dune stuff

I do own: most of the plot, my characters

Well, here it is, people! Talk about yah consumah demand *read with a Groucho Marx accent*

I have toiled – TOILED over this! Okay, not really. But Ian has been grumpy lately because his girlfriend dumped him for another muse. One from a Harry Potter fic, too! Heck, I'd be insulted if I were him.

To everyone who hasn't read "A Wizard's Plot". GO READ IT. That is all.

Just kidding. I'm trying to write this so you don't need the prequel to understand it. Tell me if I'm succeeding. REVIEW!!!

1

The year was SR 3018. September 23, by the reckoning of Men.

The years had passed like an unwitting joke played on her for the amusement of misery itself. Of course, Sarah had survived. She kept her sense of humor, witty sarcasm and cunning resourcefulness, though she knew she was much less innocent than that wide-eyed teenage girl who found herself fallen into another world so long ago. A person has much time to think, staring at a black wall hour upon hour.

She thought about Frodo a lot, how he might be missing her. But she didn't miss him so much- the pain had lessened as the years passed. Maybe she was in love with him, but more likely she simply loved him- as a person, as a friend, as the first boy who had just plain loved her.

She thought about Pippin, how cheerful and optimistic he was. The remembrance of his laugh and his jokes had gotten her through many hard times in the wilderness. And, of course, hard times under the whip.

She thought about Sam whenever she was forced to do any work, without mercy and without reward. Sam gave everything he had to Frodo, and then he gave even more. Sarah was inspired by his devotion, kind spirit, and no- nonsense common sense. Sam would have been a good friend to have for the past few years.

But, strangely enough, Sarah found herself thinking about Merry most often. She knew about his father. How Paladin would get drunk and beat his wife until Merry would step in and take it for her. How he had helped Paladin to overcome his overwhelming secret, and how he kept his family together. Merry was truly a good, kind, amazing person. She often wondered what he was doing, now, seventeen years since she'd seen him. Of course, she'd written to both Pippin and Merry, but not to Frodo or Sam. She had to stay away from Frodo, because… it was the last promise she had ever made to Ryan.

The thought of her brother made her spit.

But Sarah had no time to dwell on all that right now.

She watched the sun closely, noticing exactly where the shaft of light reached on the uneven floor. It was time.

She took a deep breath, and whistled a high note, then a low note, then another high one. It was five minutes before the door was eased open, and a dark figure stole quickly to her side.

"My lady," he greeted her.

Sarah smiled quietly. "Good sir," she responded. "You certainly took your sweet time getting here. Where have you been, Alder?"

He fussed with her shackles and rolled his bright green eyes. "I have not the time to argue with you, though I know how much you enjoy it. We have very little time, for the guards here are honorable and watchful in the service of their king." As he said this, the shackled released.

"Yeah," Sarah complained, "honorable and generous with their beatings! That jerk broke my arm, I think!" He moved quickly in concern, holding the forearm gently and prodding it as though it were made of porcelain.

"Are you sure you are all right? You cannot ride if you are injured, Lady Dean. I am not so sure this was a good idea…"

Sarah pulled her arm stiffly away. "I'll ride. Regardless." He continued to stare at her face in open concern, so she walked ahead of him. Sarah was aware of Alder's feelings, but she hardly had time to deal with them now.

As they crouched and sneaked their way out of the dungeons, Alder explained exactly what they were to do.

"I have found you a horse. We will leave at dusk, crossing the plain at night, and hopefully we will reach the other side before daylight. It will be a long night, but I have no doubts as to your capabilities."

Sarah laughed. "You know I'm just lucky to even have a horse! I'll be riding Atriedes, though. He will ride faster because he knows me. But, thank you so much, Alder. I don't know how I would have done any of this without you."

She paused at the edge of an alley, just out of the dimming sunlight. There were few people out this evening- Rohan would be quiet, and ever quieter. Alder put a hand on her uninjured arm, softly turning her toward him. He was much taller than she, but younger. Sarah neither looked nor felt a day older than twenty-five, though she was thirty-two by year. Alder couldn't have been older than twenty-two.

The two had met when Sarah came to Edoras that spring. She had hoped to get acquainted with the local people, perhaps find some allies over the next few months before Gandalf arrived and procured Shadowfax. Sarah desperately wanted to join with Gandalf there, and come back to the fellowship. She wanted to see the hobbits again, and maybe even her brother… but that plan had fallen apart.

She had three weeks of freedom in Rohan. During that time, she met a young man, a foreigner in Edoras, who had no family and was restrained to the city because of the troubles in the surrounding lands. They hit it off, eventually coming to survive off of each other, because neither had a place to stay. They stole what they had to, worked for what they could. Everyone seemed increasingly nervous and suspicious of strangers as the looming darkness grew outside the city.

Sarah trusted Alder no more than anyone else, but he won both her respect and trust when he stopped three men from attacking her after a long day working in a pub. Alder was young, idealistic, and completely innocent. He reminded her of a character in a book she'd read back home. Back in 2002. Alder had his head filled with ideas of chivalry, respect, honor, and decency. He had no idea what the real world was like, and that was why she liked him. Alder didn't give a second thought to taking on three large men to save a damsel in distress.

And so the two unlikely people allied, surviving off of each other as Sarah waited on time.

But then Sarah was arrested. She was brought to King Theoden himself, who demanded to know who she was and why she was there. He was old and sickly looking, and Sarah watched with hatred as an able-bodied man whispered connivingly in his ear. Grima Wormtongue. He was filling that noble king with acidic ideas and failing thoughts.

Then and there, Sarah hardened her face and mouth into silence. She would tell the king nothing- the spy of Saruman discovering her secrets and purposes? Ha!

And so Sarah had spent the past few months pretending to barely survive the dungeons. Her guard, 'Heaven', was the only one who realized she was not a weak, piteous young stranger, and so he was the only one who gave her no mercy. Of course, she had to give him credit. Everyone else fell for the 'poor me' act.

She had plotted and planned with Alder, but he wasn't able to get her out of the prison before Gandalf arrived and left with fire and fury on the back of Shadowfax. In fact, he had left earlier that day. So, Sarah's hope was infuriatingly just out of reach.

But Sarah Dean did not give up so easily. She'd had the presence of mind to pick out her own horse as soon as she arrived, and she spent several days getting him to trust her. Another week to ride him, and she named the brilliant black stallion Atriedes. Her father's name was Paul. She felt it was fitting.

And Alder was to come with her as she headed relentlessly toward Rivendell. Sure, it was far, but she had until October 25- the Council of Elrond. A little over two months. Everything was reasonably thought-out. Just one problem- what was she going to do about the young man who was completely enamored of her?

Here, in the mounting dusk, Sarah very consciously realized that he intended to kiss her before they set off. Sarah had no interest in the young man whatsoever- he was like a brother to her.

A brother who wouldn't go insane and leave me alone for some stupid elf, Sarah though bitterly. But she shook the thoughts out of her head as Alder leaned inexpertly closer.

Crud… She cleared her throat loudly, and he paused questioningly.

"Uh, there's no one looking. We should go now. O-okay?" Sarah backed up uncomfortably, then sprinted off when she was sure he'd follow. He had nowhere else to go, and she couldn't refuse to let him come along. Plus, what was wrong with having a little protection from this wild world? Ever since she and Ryan had parted ways, Sarah had felt decidedly alone… unsafe… vulnerable.

Outside the walls of the city, Alder had his horse waiting. Sarah only had to call to Atriedes, and he came from nearby. He was a wild horse, but not around her. She didn't fool herself into thinking he was anywhere near the calibre of great Shadowfax, but he would carry her well. The feeling of his large, rock-hard black body moving steadily beneath her was comforting.

They had food, provisions, and the cover of night to aid them as the two strangers, one hailing from Dale, one hailing from Colorado, made their way out of Rohan and on to the last Homely House.

Sarah felt a tingle of excitement in her heart. After years and years of waiting, toiling, preparing, she could finally finish all of this. Maybe even go home.

"I miss the Chapel Hills Mall," she whispered into the darkness.

"What?" Alder hissed. They were not yet out of harm's way.

"Nothing. Let's keep moving."

~~~ Sheesh, SOMEBODY gets irritable when I don't post for a while! *coughYanlicacough* Well, I have one thing to say to you… THANKS! I like it that you actually are waiting for me to post. All of you are SO great! Heck, this chapter was hard to write. I have lots more to write, too. This is only the beginning…

REVIEW!!!!!!!!!