Stefan was filled in with how things have been going on and that the friends had initially set out in hopes of destroying the Horned King's chances of gaining control of the free world. He learned about that Jafar had aligned himself with the Horned King and was now the very definition of a traitor. He also heard about fighting going on in Gondor that they had learned from Kay.
"Now I want to make it perfectly clear, I have no desire to risk open war!" he exclaimed.
"Open war is upon you, whether you risk it or not is irrelevant," warned Aladdin.
"Iago will return to Jafar, and he's probably going to send his own armies to take yours down. He isn't going down easily," added Merlin.
"Your people are in grave danger," said Robin Hood. Grumpy didn't really say anything because his mouth was full of food. Suddenly, there was a knock on the door. After what had happened, Eilonwy volunteered to answer it. It turned out it was two children! She ushered them in, had two blankets put over them as they were allowed to share the same table as the Dwarf and given food. They told how their village had been attacked and their mother sent them to send the news on horseback, hoping they'd be safe.
"You want further proof, well there it is," pointed out Aladdin. Stefan realized that they were right.
"I will lead my people to Helm's Deep, it has served as a safeguard and a stronghold in the past, it shall do so now," he announced. The very next day, the village surrounding his hall was evacuated. But Merlin had announced that he would not be joining them on that leg of the journey.
"I must find Phoebus and his riders, in hopes that they can provide us aid. Look to my coming at Helm's Deep on the first light of the third day," Merlin instructed both Aladdin and Stefan.
"Can you truly accomplish that specifically?" asked Stefan.
"A wizard is never late, nor is he early, he arrives precisely when he means to," replied Merlin with a smile before he galloped away on Shadowfax.
Meanwhile Donald and Mickey were preparing a hot meal, Creeper had wandered off preferring his food uncooked.
"Such a troubled individual, isn't he?" asked Donald.
"I want to help him Donald, because he and I are in a way connected, and I have to believe I can overcome the Ring's power," replied Mickey.
"You're nothing like Creeper," said Donald before serving his friend some food. They ate lightly and then Archimedes flew down from his perch.
"Come see this!" he told them. Donald and Mickey climbed up the tree the owl had been sitting up in and saw something they didn't expect.
"An oliphaunt!" exclaimed Donald. He had heard about them in legends and songs. Surrounding this large creature were a group of men garbed in red and black bearing the symbol of the Horned King.
"I've always wanted to see an oliphaunt, and now I have!" Donald continued. Suddenly, arrows flew towards the group they were observing. Chaos ensued and the group ran helter skelter. Donald and Mickey quickly made their way down the tree.
"Perhaps it might be best if we get out of here!" suggested Mickey as he grabbed his bag. Donald and Archimedes agreed but they turned around to see someone wearing a green cloak pointing an arrow at them.
"You stay right there!" he ordered them. The oliphaunt thrashed behind them causing one of the men riding him to be thrown and land with a terrible thud beside the three travelers. No hope of survival, the impact alone would have killed anyone. The beast tore away, where it went would have been anyone's guess. The cloaked men grouped near the spot where Mickey, Donald and Archimedes were. One of them drew his hood back revealing a round, rather boyish face with dark brown hair and eyes.
"You clearly don't work for the enemy, who are you?" he asked them.
"I'm Mickey Mouse, and these are my friends, Donald Duck and Archimedes. We are but simple travelers," Mickey answered.
"Strange place to travel to, I am Taran, Captain of Gondor, this is my scouting party," he told them. The friends knew the name of the place, that was where Kay had come from. Taran walked over to the dead body. He pointed to an insignia on the man's chest.
"This man was a servant of the Horned King as were the rest of his companions," he told them.
"Do you ever feel bad having to take the life of a fellow human?" asked Mickey absentmindedly.
"I understand, you begin to wonder if he was truly evil at heart, after all, his sense of duty was no less than yours. You may wonder what his name was, where he came from. What lies or threats could have led him on this long march from home. Perhaps he would have rather stayed there...in peace. War makes corpses of so many," replied Taran. He then walked over to the travelers.
"Is there any more of your group?" he asked them. Mickey and Donald looked at each other.
"There is no one else," lied Mickey. He had no idea where Creeper was at the moment but he didn't want Taran to believe that they were in cohorts with a creature that looked like a minion of the Horned King right now. Taran raised an eyebrow; it was a look that suggested he didn't fully trust them.
"You're coming with us," he said as his men then led the travelers away.
I didn't even realize this chapter was going to be so short! Yes, I made Taran Faramir, I know some might have expected Arthur, but for the purposes of age and the fact that I had Eilonwy take the role of Eowyn, it was necessary.