Disclaimer: Same as the first chapter.
A/N: Thanks for all the reviews. I really appreciate your comments. In addition, I would like to thank Alia G. L for beta reading my chapters. I had some very foolish mistakes and I appreciate your help. Without further delay, here is the next chapter.
Chapter 4
Aragorn's Findings
Aragorn and Elladan continued riding. They were now on the third day of their journey. Suddenly Elladan pulled his horse to a stop and looked across the land.
"What do your elven eyes see?" Aragorn asked.
Elladan sighed. "I believe it is the ruins of the town. Even from this distance, it looks as if everything has been burned in the town."
"Are there any survivors?" Aragorn asked, yet almost dreaded the answer.
"There is a group of men traveling from that direction."
Aragorn immediately threw himself on the ground to listen. With his ear close to the ground he could hear the hoof beats of their horses. "I can hear them." Aragorn said as he stood. "They are heading this way."
Elladan nodded. "There is only twelve of them. Perhaps they can tell us news of the town."
Aragorn nodded and mounted his horse, yet his heart was heavy. They continued riding, now towards the men. After only a short time, Aragorn saw the men ahead. The men slowed their horse to a halt as Elladan and Aragorn approached.
"What news do you have of the town ahead?" Aragorn asked as he stopped his horse.
One of the men rode his horse out farther. "What business does an elf and a ranger have with our town?" The man questioned.
"We heard it was attacked by orcs. We came to look for any survivors." Aragorn said.
The man dismounted from his horse. "The men you see here are the only survivors of the town. Everything else has been destroyed." The man replied with great sadness in his voice.
Aragorn sighed and dismounted. "I am sorry."
The man nodded. "Tell me, how did you know we were attacked?"
"There still might be one survivor from the town." Aragorn began.
At this, the man perked up.
"While traveling in the woods I found a young girl. She told me her town was attacked." Aragorn finished.
"What is the name of this child?" The man asked.
"Her name is Reallan." Aragorn was about to say more but the man interrupted him.
"Where is she? Is she safe?" The man demanded as he eyed Aragorn.
"She is in the safety of Rivendell. She is under the protection of lord Elrond."
Relief swept over the man's face. "Then to you I owe my life. For you have protected the life of my sister."
Aragorn smiled.
"Will you take me to her?" The man asked.
Aragorn nodded. "It is a three day journey from here."
The man nodded and called to his men. "Shinway, Igrid, come with me. The rest of you head south toward Gondor. We will meet you there in a few days."
The horsemen nodded and rode off with the exception of the two he had called.
Turning back to Aragorn the man asked, "May I know the name of the ranger who saved my sister's life?"
"As a ranger, I am known as Strider." Aragorn replied.
The man nodded. "I am Amras."
"Estel!" Elladan suddenly called.
Aragorn turned. "What is it Elladan?"
"Orcs are coming from the east." Elladan replied.
"Then let us ride." Aragorn said as he mounted.
Elladan nodded and began to lead the way to Rivendell.
For awhile they kept up a quick pace. Then slowly their pace slowed until it was only a small trot. Night would be falling soon and Aragorn and Elladan began to look for a place to rest for the night.
The men traveled a short distance behind them, silently talking amongst themselves. Aragorn could not make out their words, but Elladan could understand their silent whispers.
"I'm very cautious of this ranger." Amras whispered. "If it were not for the elf, I never would have trusted him."
"I agree with you. Why would a ranger concern himself with a young girl?" The man known as Igrid said.
"You should be thankful he found her." The other man, Shinway, said, but he immediately regretted it. "I'm sorry, that was not my place." He apologized.
Amras sighed. "No, you're right. We have all suffered a great loss. I should be happy someone found my sister, even if he is a ranger. We have no choice, but to trust them and hope he has caused her no harm."
The others nodded.
"What were they saying?" Aragorn asked Elladan in the elven language.
"They were debating on whether on not to trust you." Elladan replied smiling. "They seemed fine trusting me."
Aragorn shot him a glance, but he knew most people did not trust rangers very easily. He continued riding in silence. His heart was still heavy for he knew Reallan would be grieved by her parents' death, but he was also glad they had found her brother. At least she would have someone to look after her.
A/N: Thanks for all the reviews. I really appreciate your comments. In addition, I would like to thank Alia G. L for beta reading my chapters. I had some very foolish mistakes and I appreciate your help. Without further delay, here is the next chapter.
Chapter 4
Aragorn's Findings
Aragorn and Elladan continued riding. They were now on the third day of their journey. Suddenly Elladan pulled his horse to a stop and looked across the land.
"What do your elven eyes see?" Aragorn asked.
Elladan sighed. "I believe it is the ruins of the town. Even from this distance, it looks as if everything has been burned in the town."
"Are there any survivors?" Aragorn asked, yet almost dreaded the answer.
"There is a group of men traveling from that direction."
Aragorn immediately threw himself on the ground to listen. With his ear close to the ground he could hear the hoof beats of their horses. "I can hear them." Aragorn said as he stood. "They are heading this way."
Elladan nodded. "There is only twelve of them. Perhaps they can tell us news of the town."
Aragorn nodded and mounted his horse, yet his heart was heavy. They continued riding, now towards the men. After only a short time, Aragorn saw the men ahead. The men slowed their horse to a halt as Elladan and Aragorn approached.
"What news do you have of the town ahead?" Aragorn asked as he stopped his horse.
One of the men rode his horse out farther. "What business does an elf and a ranger have with our town?" The man questioned.
"We heard it was attacked by orcs. We came to look for any survivors." Aragorn said.
The man dismounted from his horse. "The men you see here are the only survivors of the town. Everything else has been destroyed." The man replied with great sadness in his voice.
Aragorn sighed and dismounted. "I am sorry."
The man nodded. "Tell me, how did you know we were attacked?"
"There still might be one survivor from the town." Aragorn began.
At this, the man perked up.
"While traveling in the woods I found a young girl. She told me her town was attacked." Aragorn finished.
"What is the name of this child?" The man asked.
"Her name is Reallan." Aragorn was about to say more but the man interrupted him.
"Where is she? Is she safe?" The man demanded as he eyed Aragorn.
"She is in the safety of Rivendell. She is under the protection of lord Elrond."
Relief swept over the man's face. "Then to you I owe my life. For you have protected the life of my sister."
Aragorn smiled.
"Will you take me to her?" The man asked.
Aragorn nodded. "It is a three day journey from here."
The man nodded and called to his men. "Shinway, Igrid, come with me. The rest of you head south toward Gondor. We will meet you there in a few days."
The horsemen nodded and rode off with the exception of the two he had called.
Turning back to Aragorn the man asked, "May I know the name of the ranger who saved my sister's life?"
"As a ranger, I am known as Strider." Aragorn replied.
The man nodded. "I am Amras."
"Estel!" Elladan suddenly called.
Aragorn turned. "What is it Elladan?"
"Orcs are coming from the east." Elladan replied.
"Then let us ride." Aragorn said as he mounted.
Elladan nodded and began to lead the way to Rivendell.
For awhile they kept up a quick pace. Then slowly their pace slowed until it was only a small trot. Night would be falling soon and Aragorn and Elladan began to look for a place to rest for the night.
The men traveled a short distance behind them, silently talking amongst themselves. Aragorn could not make out their words, but Elladan could understand their silent whispers.
"I'm very cautious of this ranger." Amras whispered. "If it were not for the elf, I never would have trusted him."
"I agree with you. Why would a ranger concern himself with a young girl?" The man known as Igrid said.
"You should be thankful he found her." The other man, Shinway, said, but he immediately regretted it. "I'm sorry, that was not my place." He apologized.
Amras sighed. "No, you're right. We have all suffered a great loss. I should be happy someone found my sister, even if he is a ranger. We have no choice, but to trust them and hope he has caused her no harm."
The others nodded.
"What were they saying?" Aragorn asked Elladan in the elven language.
"They were debating on whether on not to trust you." Elladan replied smiling. "They seemed fine trusting me."
Aragorn shot him a glance, but he knew most people did not trust rangers very easily. He continued riding in silence. His heart was still heavy for he knew Reallan would be grieved by her parents' death, but he was also glad they had found her brother. At least she would have someone to look after her.