A/N: Does anyone know… does the sun in Middle-Earth still rise in the East and set in the West, or did Tolkien change that? If he did, please correct me… I won't take it personal.

Zerameth's eyes fluttered open as her horse came to a stop. She blinked and looked around and noted that all of the other horses around her were stopped as well. It must have been time for a rest. With a glance to the East she noted that the sun was barely starting to rise.

She yawned and then noticed the new traveler among them. "Excuse me," she said to the elf woman who was getting off her horse. "Who are you?"

"My name is Elviondel, of Lórien. You… are a child of Isildur, are you not?"

"I am," she replied. "Lady Zerameth of Gondor. If you don't mind my asking, what are you doing in our company?"

"I was invited to come along for a bit by your Legolas of Mirkwood. I am looking into these Ums that he mentioned are pursuing you, and being with your group may be to my advantage."

Zerameth's suspicious nature noted that Elviondel seemed interested in her personal gain, not anyone else's. She was with them for herself.

"I see." Zerameth looked up to Legolas at the front and called, "How long are we to stay here, Master Elf?"

Legolas paused, then made his decision on the spot. "An hour or so," he responded. "We shall eat breakfast now."

Zerameth dismounted, then shook and woke up Yrinvan. "Time to eat," she told him. "Get up."

Yrinvan looked down at her. "I never thought I'd be able to fall asleep on a horse," he mumbled. "Somehow, I did it."

"When you're tired enough, you can sleep under any circumstance," Legolas called to them. "Never doubt that."

Zerameth smiled. "Come, now, let us wake up Laesien."

Yrinvan's face showed his dread. "In a… creative way?" He knew well that Zerameth loved to wake people up "creatively" by doing such things as pouring water on them, shouting in their ear, or in this case, maybe slapping the horse.

Zerameth smiled evilly. "Possibly," she said, but her tone assured him. "Do you have an idea?"

Yrinvan swallowed. "No."

"Tell me."

"I don't."

"TELL ME!"

Arwen whirled around to look at her daughter. "Zerameth, hush!" she scolded. "You know better."

Zerameth rolled her eyes as she looked at Yrinvan. "You have an idea," she stated. "Now tell me, or I'll torture you until you do."

Yrinvan knew that Zerameth wouldn't torture him, but she did have her ways of getting information out of him. "Well, you could scare the horse," he said. Zerameth laughed.

"That's great!" She walked over to her sister as Yrinvan dismounted and she paused, wondering how she could scare him. There are many ways to scare a horse, certainly, but she didn't know what would work at the moment. Just about any animal - mouse, wild turkey, cat - could scare a horse, but she didn't have any of those handy. Finally, she decided that a nice slap on the rump would do, so she made her way behind him and whacked the poor thing so hard that her own hand stung afterwards.

The horse got up on his two back feet and made a loud noise, then bolted straight forward. Laesien awoke and screamed.

Arwen quickly slid off of her and Aragorn's horse and Aragorn alone took after his daughter.

"Laesien!" he said. "Don't yell! You'll make him more frightened!"

Laesien's tears began to flow down her face. Her sister had been cruel before, but she had never done something like this. Laesien clung to the reigns like they were her last hope for living and worked hard to obey her father's advice. Aragorn quickly caught up with her and slowed the horse to a trot, then told it to stop and it obeyed.

"Are you all right?" he asked.

Laesien bit her lip. "I'm fine," she answered.

Aragorn noted the wet trails down her cheeks. He pulled her head towards his and kissed the top of it. "Your mother is back there right now yelling at Zerameth, I can guarantee it."

Laesien smiled. "Well, it was an adventure. And it woke me up."

"That's no excuse. Get on my horse, I'll ride yours. He might be a bit jumpy yet." They switched horses and headed back to the camp, where sure enough, Arwen was scolding Zerameth.

"How many times must I tell you that these games that you play are not funny!" she said harshly. "You will be punished once we get home, if I have to lock you in your room for an entire century, you will be sorry!"

Zerameth usually didn't show genuine remorse for her actions, and this was no exception. But she still looked at the ground and stayed silent, for she knew that the more she argued, the more her mother would yell at her.

"Arwen, leave her be," Aragorn advised as he and Laesien rode up to them and he dismounted.

"Leave her be? Leave her be?! Aragorn, she could have killed someone!"

"I know, that is why she will be going without food for 3 days. That should be punishment enough." He looked to Zerameth. "And you will never do that again, do you hear me?"

Zerameth stayed silent.

"I know it is much to ask of you, but please at least while we are on this journey. You must understand that we cannot afford to do things like this when we are being pursued by such an enemy. Understand?"

Zerameth was silent for a minute, then finally nodded.

"Do you?" he pressed.

"Yes, father."

"Good. You see, Arwen? There is no use for yelling, you simply need to lay out a suitable punishment."

Arwen glanced at her daughter, then back to Aragorn. "3 days? Can she last that long?"

"I don't doubt that she can't. Now come, breakfast is served."

Ohtar approached an angry Zerameth who had her arms crossed across her chest.

"I thought it was funny," he said smiling faintly.

Zerameth looked up at him and grinned. "It was, wasn't it? Did you hear her scream?"

Ohtar laughed. "I could never do that to my sisters… either of them. My father would kill me outright. He doesn't understand me."

"I think your father is nice."

"He is, but he isn't…" Ohtar shook his head. "It does not matter. Anyway, you can have some of my share if you want it. I don't eat much."

"Really? Thank you."

Ohtar opened his mouth to say "You're welcome" when Yrinvan stepped in between them and glared at the elven prince.

"You've said what you wanted to say," he informed him.

Ohtar returned the glare. "I meant nothing, mortal. Step aside."

"Get your food," Yrinvan replied. "Before it is gone."

Ohtar looked from Yrinvan to Zerameth and back to Yrinvan. Both of the young boys were extremely hostile to each other. By their tones and the looks on their faces, anyone watching would think that there would be a death soon. But Ohtar finally backed down, because he knew that Zerameth liked him, whether she loved him or not, and that there was still plenty of time for him to win her heart. He also knew that she only liked Yrinvan as a friend, and that he was quite easily competition.

"I will," Ohtar said. He nodded to the mortal girl behind his enemy. "Lady Zerameth."