A/N: Thanks for the reviews on chapter two.  I realize the summary isn't very good, and I've modified it a little.  I'm trying to find a balance between making the story seem interesting and not giving away too much of the plot.  I'd welcome any advice on how to make it look a little more welcoming.  Please let me know what you think so far!

Chapter 3

            The journey to Dunharrow came as quite a surprise to the girls.  They spent part of the first day complaining about their own aches and pains until they realized that Rian, whom they thought should be aching much worse due to age, wasn't complaining, and that many of the other older folks were suffering greatly.  The healers had one horse between the three of them, and after noon of the first day, the girls insisted that others ride it, such as the older folks or children, for whom the trip was harder.  The Rohirrim were a people of horses, but many of the peasants had to walk, and with men riding to Isengard, horses were in short supply, and for the most part, they were needed for luggage.

            When the girls offered their horse to old women and little children, and when the three of them brewed ache-soothing teas over the campfire, it was a step toward keeping them better integrated in the community.  Often the three healers were outcasts, not ridiculed, but still on the margins of society.  On the trip, the entire community was brought together.  Even Éowyn, despite her duties leading the group, took time to chat with people as she passed their campsites or during the long marches.

            Rian, for her part, spent the journey reminiscing and pondering what Gandalf had told her.  Saruman's betrayal was a grievous blow to the free peoples of Middle Earth; he was a powerful enemy.  Over and over, she mulled over the cause of Mithrandir's change of color.  It was as if he'd taken Saruman's place as leader of the Istari, but how could that happen?  It went beyond explanation, at least without more information.
            Aragorn's part in the journey was scarcely less confusing.  For a Hobbit to be part of the whole enterprise, they would have had to start in the north, which was closer to the Dúnedain and Imladris, but it still made little sense.  The Rangers had watched over the Shire for many generations, so perhaps Aragorn had encountered the Ringbearer there.  Mithrandir, too, had dealings with the Hobbits, so perhaps the connection was the Hobbit Ringbearer.  The connection to the Shire at least made some sense, but how had the Ring come to be there in the first place?  Elewen had always been curious, and the whole matter puzzled her to no end.

            Leaving the unanswerable questions about current events, Elewen let her mind wander further back.  She had been in Middle Earth as long as any of the Noldor, but had usually spent her time among Men rather than other Elves.  The others fought the shadow in their own ways, fending off Orcs and keeping their lands safe, but Elewen had taken her own approach.  She had gone among Men, teaching them better ways of farming, how to care for themselves, and teaching a few students the art of healing, at least as much of it as Men could learn in their short lifespans.

            A shout brought Rian out of her musings.  An older woman had stumbled and looked like she was in pain.  Rian hurried over to see what she could do.  Fortunately, the wound was not bad, and no bones had broken.  After bandaging the woman's leg, Rian arranged for her to ride on a neighbor's horse, then left her some herbs that would lessen the pain.  The journey was difficult on everyone, but especially the elderly and the children.  The flight to Dunharrow was one of desperation, and despite its difficulty, there was no time to stop and rest, even for the old and injured. 

            As they continued their march, Rian let herself wander a little further away from the rest of the Rohirrim, and lost herself in thought again.  This time, her thoughts turned to Valinor*.  Many ages ago, she had followed Finwë to Valinor and had lived in the light of the Trees.  Elewen had taken care of Galadriel when Galadriel was a child, and she had always been close to the house of Finwë—too close.  It was out of loyalty to that house and especially to Galadriel that she'd followed Fëanor when he left Valinor to search for Morgoth and the stolen Silmarils.  She suppressed a shudder as she remembered her part in the Kinslaying.  Discretion was not the only reason she carried two swords.  The one she'd brought from Valinor, one she'd carried in her youth, still bore the stains of Elven blood.  The Valar had forgiven them and made it possible for the Noldor to return after Morgoth was cast out, but Elewen hadn't been ready to return.

            Even now, Elewen had her own reasons for not returning.  Like the others who'd remained, she was reluctant to leave the place where she'd worked and suffered for so long.  Still, she was beginning to grow weary of Middle Earth and of being alone.  She could have returned to her people, but she had never quite fit in with them, either.  That was another reason she hadn't returned to Valinor.  She had often spent time with other Elves, but had always returned to life among Men before long.  Her closest friend among the Elves had been Celebrían, but Celebrían was in Valinor.  It was good that she was there and not dead, but it meant that Elewen was more alone than before she'd left.**

            Elewen still felt some residual guilt for not being there when Celebrían was injured, but she knew her presence wouldn't have made a difference.  She had taught Elrond to heal, and he had gone far beyond her teaching to be one of the greatest healers in Middle Earth.  It was thanks to his power and love that Celebrían had survived long enough to go into the West.

            Abandoning her reflections, Rian caught up with the rest of the group and started chatting with several bored children who were getting into trouble.  She soon ended up with a small child on her back and several more clustered around her.  Their company was a welcome change from her dark memories.  Their parents were simply glad they weren't getting into trouble anymore.

            By the end of the first day, one of the children became sick.  He was only three years old, and he had quite a fever.  Elena was the first one to see him, but she couldn't get him to take the healing herbs that would strengthen him for the last leg of the journey.  His mother had three other young children, and it was all she could do to stay on her feet herself.  Rian appropriated a horse-drawn cart that was currently carrying luggage and moved enough luggage out of it to fix a bed for the small child.  She stayed up with him most of the night, until Elena insisted on "relieving" her sometime in the wee hours of the morning.  Elena was strong and Rian would never be able to explain that she didn't need the rest without revealing herself, so gave in without much fuss.

            When she returned in the morning, Christa was sitting with the little boy, placing cool cloths on his forehead and giving him as much tea as he would swallow.

            "How long have you been at this, Christa?"

            "Just a few hours.  I figured Elena could use a little more sleep."

            "You two are incredible.  I would have been content to sit with him all night.  I've done it many times and survived every one, even when it was several days in a row."

            "You're not as young as you once were."

            "No, I suppose not."  In reality, her body didn't show any signs of age, but her soul certainly did.  She was tired, just not in the way Christa thought.

            "I'll look after him while you get ready for the day.  As long as we make good time, we should be in Dunharrow by evening."

            "Let me know if you need anything."

            "I will."

            With that Christa slipped off and Rian leaned over the little boy, feeling his forehead.  His fever was very high.  Most likely he would have fallen sick whether or not they'd left on the journey, but the travel wasn't helping.  After glancing out the door of the tent to be sure no one was watching, she started singing softly, calling on healing power that her young students would never understand.

            The little boy slept through the rest of the trip, but it was a more peaceful sleep than the night before.  Rian spent most of the day by his side, getting him to sip as much water and tea as she could.  By evening, his condition had improved remarkably.  As evening fell, the group stopped to rest and Éowyn walked back to where Rian was sitting with the boy.  The girls were keeping his sisters and brother occupied while their mother took a few minutes to rest.

            "How is he?" Éowyn asked.

            "Much better.  His fever has broken."

            "That's a relief.  I'm surprised it broke so quickly."  Rian just shrugged.  Such things were unpredictable even when she wasn't involved.  "We're only a few hours from Dunharrow.  Do you think he's strong enough to finish the trip tonight?"

            "He should be fine.  He may have a bumpy bed, but he's been resting all day, so a few more hours shouldn't make much difference.  He seems to sleep through most anything."

            "I'll spread the word.  I'd rather not have to camp here tonight and finish tomorrow.  It's amazing how long a trip like this can last when you're on foot."

            "And with such a group.  Men on foot could make the trip quickly, but with children and old women and men, any journey is slow."

            "I know.  Spread the word as you get the opportunity.  We'll push on for Dunharrow tonight."

            Rian nodded, and Éowyn slipped off into the evening.  They reached Dunharrow by midnight and set up camp.  There would be a lot of rearranging, but at least they didn't have to do it all over the next night, as would have been the case had they camped on the road a third night.  The healers watched over the little boy through the night, but by morning he was well enough to stay with his mother without the healers hanging over them.  Even Christa and Elena were surprised at how quickly he'd recovered, but fevers rarely followed any rules, so they didn't think much of it.

* The Noldor were the people of Finwë.  He led them to Valinor from Middle Earth in the early days of Middle Earth, and they lived there in peace for many years.  In those days, Middle Earth had no light except starlight, because the sun and moon had not yet been created.  Valinor was lit by the light of two Trees, which kept it in eternal light.  Fëanor, Finwë's son, was a great craftsman, and he captured the light of the Trees in three jewels—the Silmarils.  Morgoth came to Middle Earth and destroyed the Trees and stole the Silmarils, killing Finwë in the process.  Several of the Valar (divine beings) chased him, but gave up when it became apparent they wouldn't catch him.

            Fëanor and his people weren't content, and they left for Middle Earth to get the Silmarils back.  Fëanor and his brothers took an oath to get the jewels back, which Galadriel did not take, even though she went with them.  That oath led to most of their deaths.  In their haste, they killed the Teleri, who had the ships they needed to return to Middle Earth.  Because of their role in the Kinslaying, the Noldor were banned from returning to Valinor.  Eventually, they were pardoned, except for the ones who had taken the oath, which why Galadriel was allowed to return after the War of the Ring.  She and many of the other Noldor still in Middle Earth had remained to continue to fight Sauron, even after they were pardoned and allowed to return.

** Celebrían, who was Elrond's wife and Arwen's mother, was wounded and poisoned in an Orc attack.  She left for Valinor because of the trauma she'd faced.