As Eldarion and Laurelin prepared to leave the valley the next morning, a sound echoed down the mountain wall. They looked up to where it had come from and saw a lone figure standing against the wind on a ledge overlooking the valley.

"Hello there!" Eldarion called.

Laurelin shaded her eyes against the sun. The figure wore a mail shirt like the Prince's. The figure was soon joined by a group of others. She could not make out what they were saying.

"Come along," Eldarion said, "It is the other company of men I told you of,"

Laurelin nodded as they began to trudge up the side of the valley, the group getting closer.

"Eldarion!" She heard a man call, the one that had first spotted them, "Why you wily fox! Taking a short cut I see!"

"Aye, sort of," Eldarion called back.

There were about ten men, all dressed in Gondorian fashion. They looked much like the men of Eldarion's company.

The man that had called walked forward and hugged Eldarion like they were old friends. He was very handsome, Laurelin noted; tall with broad shoulders and a square smile.

"Eldarion, how have you been? And where is your grand company?" He asked, Laurelin hanging back, feeling awkward.

Eldarion was silent for a moment, "I shall tell you what befell us once we return to camp, but for the time being I believe my comrade and I would like something to eat if you have anything,"

"Oh of course, and who is this?" The Captain asked, turning his attention to Laurelin, his green eyes dancing with light. Laurelin felt her insides quiver and blushed as she looked down.

"This is Morwen," Eldarion said indicating to Laurelin, "She joined us on our way through Rohan,"

"Allow me to introduce myself," The man said walking up to her and taking her hand, "I am Kale, best friend and cousin to Eldarion over there."

He bent down over her hand and brushed his lips over her fingers. Laurelin smiled. She had seen others do that to the grander ladies of Rohan and Gondor and had always quietly wished it would happen to her.

"It is very nice to meet you Kale," She said smiling wider by the minute, she liked this Kale.

"In a while you shall tell us how you got into the company of this scoundrel," He said, grinning at Eldarion, "For now we must get back to our encampment. We are just a search party, looking for the next companies to come,"

Laurelin walked between Kale and Eldarion as they talked over her. She remembered walking between Gimli and Legolas in the same fashion and smiled.

They came to where they had left their horses. They had somehow managed to get the animals over the rocky outcrop of the mountains and onto the flat grassland of the middle part of the hills.

Eldarion rode the extra horse and Laurelin sat in front of Kale on his horse. Kale held the reins in front of her lightly.

"So Morwen, how did you ever convince your family to let you join the company?" He asked.

"I didn't," She answered with a smile, "I ran away from home,"

At that Kale laughed, "Now why did you do that?"

"My parents were forcing me to marry someone I didn't even know," She answered.

"That's terrible. I don't understand why people do that to their children. Especially considering how young you are. How old are you?"

"Sixteen. How old are you?"

Kale laughed louder, "I am twenty four,"

The camp of the second Gondorian Company was bigger than what Eldarion's company had been. It stretched for quite a distance over the quiet middle lands of the hills.

"Do you all come from Gondor?" Laurelin asked looking about.

"No, there are some from Rohan and other places as well." Kale answered stopping the horse in front of a tent. He dismounted and helped Laurelin down.

"You both shall sup in my tent so we may learn what happened to your company," Kale said leading them in the tent.

The inside of the tent looked much like Eldarion's had with a cot in the corner and a table in the middle with four chairs about it.

"Please," Kale said, "Have a seat and I shall have some food brought in,"

Soon some bread and salted stag meat were brought in and set before Eldarion, Morwen and Kale. Kale sat back while Eldarion and Morwen hungrily devoured the food. When they were finished Kale sat back and chuckled, shaking his head.

"Haven't eaten in a while eh?" He asked, taking a drink of beer from his mug.

"Three days," Morwen answered, looking at her mug curiously. She had never had beer before.

"Hmmm, I see," Kale said putting down his mug.

Morwen suspiciously brought the mug to her lips and took a sip. It was good. She took a bigger drink. It was very good.

"What happened to the company? Are you meeting them somewhere? Are you two scouts or something?" Kale asked.

"No," Answered Eldarion solemnly, "No, we were attacked in Fangorn Forest by a battalion of orcs. None survived but three of us; myself, Morwen and a captain by the name of Rolen."

Laurelin sat quietly listening, drinking her beer. She watched for expressions on Kale's face, but his face was blank of emotion.

"Where is this captain now?" Kale inquired quietly.

"He was killed three days ago when we were attacked by wargs." Eldarion answered evenly.

Kale nodded looking down at the table, "Do you know what the orcs were doing in Fangorn when you were attacked?"

"They were heading for Moria. I could not hear their reasons for doing so," Eldarion said.

Laurelin looked down at her mug. It was empty. At the middle of the table was another pitcher of beer. She filled her mug again. Neither Kale nor Eldarion noticed.

"Why would a battalion of orcs be heading for Moria?" Kale mused aloud.

It was silent for a while. Laurelin emptied her mug for a second time. She felt odd. Everything was fuzzy and she couldn't comprehend what was happening. Then she felt a hiccup rise from her belly. When it came out both Kale and Eldarion looked over at her in surprise.

"Morwen? Are you alright?" Eldarion asked.

Laurelin looked over at him, "I don't know. What's wrong with me?" She asked, but her voice didn't sound like hers, and the words came out slow like she was just learning to talk.

"How much beer did you have?" Eldarion asked looking down at her empty mug.

"Two," Laurelin answered with an awkward shrug.

Kale laughed out loud. Laurelin didn't know why but she laughed along with him, "I believe the lass liked the beer a little bit too much," He said slapping his knee.

Laurelin then realized he was laughing at her or was he laughing at Eldarion? She felt like crying. She didn't know but whatever the after effect of having too much beer scared her. She began to weep, ashamed of herself for being so gluttonous. Kale stopped laughing.

"Now Morwen," Eldarion said putting a hand on her shoulder, "There's no reason to cry,"

"I," Laurelin began, "I was being greedy, and I'm tired and," She started to cry harder, as the events of all that had happened in the past few days took hold.

She stood and began to walk out of the tent. Eldarion stood after her. She tripped and almost fell to the ground but Eldarion caught her before she could hit the grass.

"Its alright," He said gathering her up in his arms as she wept, "I've got you."

She clutched his shirt like she was a baby clinging to its mother.

"Kale?" She heard Eldarion say.

She saw Kale's tall form jot out in front of them through her tear stained eyes and lead them along the camp till they came to a tent in the middle. Eldarion set her on a cot inside the tent.

"I don't know why I cried," she said, "I think I just want to sleep. Sleep is good very good you know,"

"Hmmm," Replied Eldarion taking her boots off of her feet and throwing them into a corner.

"Those were my father's boots," She said looking over at them as she lay down on the cot. Eldarion threw the blanket over her.

"Sleep now," Eldarion said, brushing her hair from her face and kissing her on the forehead.

But Laurelin did not notice. She slept as the Prince crept quietly out of the tent.