DISCLAIMER: I do not own Lord of the Rings. I own Gwen and her new Rohan horse, Skeet. Whew! Glad I got that off my chest. Now, on with the story!!
Gwen never liked running. Riding a horse was great, as was walking. She could walk for miles and never complain. But Aragorn and Legolas were not walking along at a nice leisurely pace. They were running.
" Gimli! Gwen! Come on, we are gaining on them!" shouted Legolas as he shot off ahead of them.
" Don't they both just make you sick?" Gwen panted to Gimli.
" I have no idea how they do it. Just keep breathing, that's the trick," he replied to the best of his ability. Gwen did keep breathing, and every breath she drew seemed like the last. Her back was hurting a bit and her feet were killing her. Yet she continued on doggedly, thinking about Merry and Pippin. What are we going to do when we catch up to the orcs? They have far greater numbers than we do and the hobbits will probably be guarded. Aragorn had better think of something, she thought. Aragorn and Legolas stopped up ahead and looked down on the ground. She picked up her speed a bit to see what was going on. As she drew near, she saw that Aragorn was holding one of the Elven clasps that held the cloak at the throat.
" Not idly do the leaves of Lorien fall," he said as he began walking.
" They may yet be still alive," said Legolas, picking up the pace once more.
" A half a days march!" said Aragorn as he began to run.
" They had better be still alive for what we are going through to get to them," Gwen muttered darkly.
" Come on Gimli!" yelled Legolas. Gimli rolled down a small hill with a roar.
" That's the way to do it Gimli!" laughed Gwen.
" I'm wasted on cross country. We dwarves are sprinters, very perilous at short distances!" he told her. She rolled her eyes playfully and leapt aside to avoid his equally playful swipe.
" Come on, I bet you I can reach Legolas before you can!" she challenged him as she sprinted off.
" Ah! Never!" he yelled back as he chased after her. She laughed as they both ran neck in neck for Legolas. With a short burst of speed Gwen passed Legolas a split second before Gimli. She jumped into the air and executed a neat little twirl at her hard won victory. Legolas looked at her with one eyebrow arched. Gwen ignored him and continued running. They reached the crest of a hill and Aragorn veered to the right and hid behind a little grassy hill. Gwen heard the sound of horses as she followed him. She turned and grabbed Gimli down and out of sight. All four of them crouched in the grass and watched as a large company of horsemen rode past. Just as the last of the horses past by, Aragorn rose to his feet.
" Riders of Rohan! What news from the Mark?" he yelled. The company turned as one and ran back towards them.
" Aragorn, I don't really know if that was the smartest thing to do," Gwen said nervously. Within seconds, they were surrounded on all sides and spears were pointed in their faces.
" Definitely not the best idea," she muttered to herself. A man who looked like the leader rode up.
" What business do two elves, a man, and a dwarf have in the Rider Mark?! Speak quickly!" he demanded.
" Give me your name, horse master, and I shall give you mine!" said Gimli. Gwen sighed and put her hand on her forehead. The man got off his horse.
" I would cut off your head, dwarf, if it stood but a little higher from the ground!" he said in distaste. Legolas had an arrow on his bow before anyone could blink.
" You would die before your stroke fell!" he said angrily. Gwen was getting quite irritated with the whole thing. She placed herself between the man and Legolas. Looking up at the man boldly, she said, " Would you prefer to kill us now and ask questions later, or would you like to know the entire story?! You speak quickly and get these spears out of my face before I really let you have it! I have not run all this way to be insulted and have my friends threatened by the likes of you!" Dead silence filled the air. Gwen's sensitive ears picked up a snigger from the back of the company. Aragorn pushed Legolas' bow down and turned to the man. Gwen stepped back.
" I am Aragorn, son of Arathorn. This is Gimli, son of Gloin, Legolas of the Woodland Realm, and Gwen of Angmar. We are friends of Rohan and of King Theoden, " he said to ease the tension.
" Theoden no longer recognizes friend from foe. Not even his own kin," the man said as he dismounted his horse and took off his helmet, " Saruman has poisoned his mind and lay claim to Rohan. The white wizard is cunning! They say that he walks around as an old man, cloaked and hooded. And his spies always slip through our nets," he continued, looking at Legolas suspiciously.
" We are not spies. We are tracking a party of Uruk Hai westward across the plain. They have taken two of our friends captive," explained Aragorn.
" We slaughtered the Uruk during the night," replied the man, whom Gwen had guessed was Eomer. She felt a bit better now that the spears were out of her face.
" There were two hobbits. Did you see two hobbits with them/' asked Gimli, unable to contain his concern.
" They would be no more than children in your eyes," said Aragorn earnestly.
" We left none alive," replied Eomer. Gwen drew her breath in sharply and looked down sadly.
" Hasufel! Arod! Skeet! Come!" commanded Eomer, " May these horses aid you to better fortunes than their former masters." Gwen took the reins of a smaller, brown and white horse; the one Eomer had called Skeet. The horse bit into her shoulder. She gritted her teeth to keep from crying out and glared at the horse.
Eomer began to mount his horse, saying, " Look for your friends, but do not trust to hope. It has forsaken these lands. Farewell!" He turned his horse.
" We ride north!" he yelled and he and his men thundered off.
" At least we can ride now," Gwen said, looking warily at her new steed, which stared back at her. She walked around the horses' side and lightly leapt on. The horse reared up and hit the ground at a gallop. Gwen hung on for dear life! Aragorn, Legolas, and Gimli took off after her, not wishing to be left behind.
And now for my wonderful reviewer!
Pandagrrl: Gimli reached UP and put his hand on Gwen's shoulder!!! To be honest, I would have never noticed that had you not said something. See you in class.