Three Warriors Meet The Marshal

The sound of horses comes to their ears. Aragorn quickly gets them to hide behind some boulders. A large group of horse-men appears, galloping quickly with their banners flying. Aragorn comes out of hiding as they pass, followed by Legolas and Gimli.

"Riders of Rohan! What news from the Mark?" Aragorn calls out to the riders passing them. At a signal from Èomer at the lead, the riders make a quick turn and head towards them, surrounding them in an ever-tightening circle. As they stop, they point their long spears menacingly at them.

"What business does an elf, a man, and a dwarf have in the Riddermark? Speak quickly!" eomer, third marshal of the mark orders.

"Give me your name, horsemaster, and I shall give you mine". Gimli retailiates to the man.

"I would cut off your head, Dwarf, if it stood but a little higher from the ground". Eomer responds back with unhidden distaste.

Legolas silent until now, as he had only been observing ,moved his hands in a lightning fast move, points an arrow at Èomer.

"You would die before your stroke fell!" the elf said hotly.

The riders all point their spears closer to the travelers. Aragorn pushes down Legolas' arm

"I'm Aragorn, son of Arathorn. This is Gimli, son of Gloin, and Legolas, from the Woodland realm. We are friends of Rohan and of Théoden, its King". Aragorn introduced all 3 to the Rohan marshal.

"Théoden no longer recognizes friend from foe". Eomer responded now a little calmer. He takes helmet off. "Not even his own kin". He lifted his arm as a signal to his men. The spears are withdrawn

"Saruman has poisoned the mind of the king and claim lordship over this land. My company are those loyal to Rohan. And for that, we are banished. 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". Eomer tells them the tale that comes through their lands.

"We are not spies. We track a band of Uruk-Hai westward across the plains. They have taken two of our friends captive". Aragorn replies, telling him of their own predicament.

"The Uruks are destroyed. We slaughtered them during the night". The marshal responded, with some heaviness in his heart.

"But there were two Hobbits, do you see two Hobbits with them?". Gimli shouted, despair in his heart.

"They would be small, only children to your eyes". Aragorn continued for the dwarf.

"We left none alive. We piled the carcasses and burned them". He points off in the distance, where we see the Uruk-hai pile, still smoking.

"They are dead?" gimli asks in disbelief.

"I am sorry". The marshal apologises to them. Then he whistles.

"Hasufel! Arod!". Two riderless horses come forth.

"May these horses bear you to better fortune than the former masters. Farewell. Look for your friends, but do not trust to hope. It has forsaken these lands". Eomer tells them mounting his horse and wheeling it around to face the direction he wishes to go. "We ride north!". He shouts out to his men, and with that the rohirrim ride off, dust in their wake.