a/n: Again, thanks for the reviews! Keep them coming! I have several more chapters ready, but I'm spacing the posting on them so I can finish the whole story. I never leave a story uncompleted, so no worries there. If you have any doubts, look at my past stories and the dates on them. Enjoy!

The Mystery of the Woman

She could feel the curiosity exuded from each of them. They all wondered about her, where she came from, how she learned to fight. What did it matter?

It was time to leave.

The group stopped for a rest. Moving with a whole bunch of women and children didn't help the pace. Selanae grew impatient, but was grateful for the stop. It would be a useful moment to disappear.

She dismounted and moved to the back of the group. She tried to remain unnoticed by Eomer, or Eothain. Or Aragorn. Or that wizard. If she succeeded, she'd be on her own again.

"Where do you plan to run?" she heard. Selanae sharply glanced to the voice, seeing Eomer watch her. He seemed half amused and half upset at her obvious intention.

She sighed.

"I don't know." She walked directly at him, and narrowly missed him as she passed by. The boldness almost made Eomer freeze.

Almost. He grabbed her by the elbow. She tensed immediately, but Eomer stared at her hard, directly into her eyes.

"Before you go, Gandalf wants to speak with you," he said.

She had half a mind to kick the Third Marshall, heir to the throne or not. But she followed him, merely because he'd said 'before you go.' At least he was accepting her intentions.

Eomer led her through the people and over to a semi-secluded area. Slight hills and rocks shielded them both, as well as Gandalf, Aragorn, and Theoden. She stood stiffly amidst them. Theoden looked frightened, or unsure. Then again, he just recently got back his sanity, from what she'd heard. Aragorn looked a little more subdued and thoughtful than usual, and Gandalf just smiled.

She found herself turning to Eomer to gauge what was going on. He offered a soft and humble smile.

Something was definitely wrong.

"What is it?" she asked, a little hostilely. Gandalf motioned for her to sit on a boulder. She just stared at him.

"Selanae," the wizard began. "Do you remember anything about your home or family?"

A gasp escaped her throat before she could contain it. Fear took over her, and she stood, staring at him with wide eyes.

"So you have no memory," Gandalf said with a nod to himself. "How long ago did this happen?"

Selanae almost choked on her tongue as she swallowed and tried to compose herself. She glanced to Eomer, to Aragorn, and to Theoden, but they all just seemed unaffected by Gandalf's words.

They already know.

That frightened her.

"How" She coughed, and tried again. "Did you guess this?"

Gandalf chuckled, though none of his companions joined him. "No, child." She hated it when people called her that—she was far from a child, though not anywhere near Gandalf's age. "I will tell what I know, if you will tell me what you remember." Again, he motioned for the boulder.

Selanae still stood. Behind her, Eomer sighed at her stubbornness, and took the spot Gandalf designated for her. And then silence came over them all. Gandalf motioned for her to speak.

Even so, she hesitated. She had not told anyone about what happened. Friends and family were not something she had, or knew. It was too bizarre and dangerous. Danger too was always a concern, though she knew not why. As she stared at each man in front of her, she wondered if danger was still present here.

She found herself drawing a deep breath.

"Four years ago," she said, and almost choked again. "I awoke in a river, far from here. I'm not sure what land it was." She drew another breath and tried to not shake as she continued. "I was injured, an arrow in my side. I still do not know why, or by whose hand it happened."

"What did you do?" Aragorn asked, softly. There was a measure of empathy in the way he spoke.

Selanae raised an eyebrow at him.

"Do?" she repeated. "I spent two years searching for answers. Who I was, where I came from, and why I was left for dead in a river."

"And what did you find?" Theoden asked, putting in his two cents. His jaw was set firmly, but his eyes betrayed his trust on the matter.

"Nothing." Her voice hollowed without emotion. "So I taught myself defense and learned the ways of the people around me, and moved on."

The four men looked to each other, digesting the information.

"What do you know?" Selanae asked, staring at Gandalf.

He held up a hand. "Before I begin, I have another question. How did you pass by Saruman, in his tower?"

Selanae frowned. Images of the evil wizard came to mind, as he used his powers on Eomer, and as he froze in front of her.

"I attacked him," she said. "He left himself vulnerable." Gandalf and Aragorn shared a look, and then the wizard leaned forward, his eyes very focused and intent.

"How?" he pressed. "He is a wizard—very powerful, and yet he was vulnerable?" He didn't doubt her, she realized, but it still made her cautious. She spoke slowly, playing the images in her mind.

"He did try to defend himself," she started. She could see him, whirling around with his staff raised. And then that look in his eyes . . . "But he . . . stopped. He just stared." She shrugged. "I took advantage of it."

"So he would not attack you?" Aragorn asked. Selanae shook her head.

"No, he tried to later," she said. "But it was as if I really surprised him, even though he knew someone was in the room."

Gandalf leaned back as if he finally understood. "Eomer, did you see all this?" The Third Marshall lowered his head, shaking it. Gandalf frowned, and Eomer stammered to word what had happened.

"I . . . I couldn't—I was . . ."

Selanae cut in.

"He was not well enough, not with what Saruman did to him," she said. Eomer's eyes flashed for a moment until he realized she was trying to help. He gave her the slightest nod.

"It sounds like Saruman recognized you," Gandalf said, "and you were the last person he expected to see."

Selanae stared at him. "Enough of this. What do you know?"

"I know without a doubt now that you are the prophesied warrior who will help us through these times," Gandalf said. His words seemed to shout at her, to echo across the land. "I know not why you have no memory, or where you came from, but I know the enemy fears you. This is probably why they tried to kill you."

"Saruman thought you were already dead," Aragorn deduced aloud. Selanae swallowed dryly. None of this made sense to her. She felt her legs weaken, and knew she would fall if she did not sit. Her legs wobbled as she moved and sat by Eomer.

She felt their eyes on her.

"It is a lot to take in, child," Gandalf said.

Selanae glared at him sharply. "I am not a child, nor have I been for as long as I can remember. Do not treat me so."

"That reminds me," Gandalf said. He seemed unaffected by her anger. "How old are you?"

"A quarter of a century," she said. Again, Aragorn and Gandalf exchanged looks. Gandalf nodded, a smile spreading over his face.

"What?" She hated not knowing what was going on, though given her lack of a past, she should be used to it.

"The prophecy tells of a young warrior who comes of age in her skills when she is 25. Her strength lies in her convictions. Her manner of battle will thwart all in the end, and even Sauron's power cannot stop her." Gandalf stared at her with a smile in his eyes. It was almost peaceful, though for Selanae this news was tumultuous.

Millions of questions came to mind, theories, new worries and doubt. She settled on voicing one.

"Who's Sauron?"

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Her question might have baffled the men more than their little prophecy did her. But Aragorn pulled her aside and filled her in. They must have assumed she knew. In truth, she knew nothing of the land or politics or worries—not even for all of Middle Earth.

She had heard of Sauron, just whispers in dark places of the lands she'd traveled across, but she knew no real information. Even Saruman was new to her, though it seems like he wasn't much of a concern to her.

The prophecy made it seem like she was invincible to whatever these dark powers were. She didn't like that. None of this new knowledge made her feel better. She felt . . . burdened. And suddenly she was unsure of her fighting skills. That hadn't happened since she began training herself.

Amidst the plodding along of Rohan's people, the faster trotting of a horse sounded behind her. Selanae didn't turn around to see as the new horse came along side hers, but from the corner of her eye, she could tell who it was.

Eomer said nothing for a few moments, and Selanae didn't feel like saying much to break the ice. The Third Marshall, though, caved in quickly.

"You have been quiet," he said. "You've scarcely said a word since you spoke with Aragorn."

She almost smirked. "I've always been quiet. That has not changed."

Eomer nodded. He looked ahead at the lines of people, and off over the land. Selanae snuck a glance at him. He was truly proud of his land. Good thing, since he's heir and all.

"Is Selanae your real name?" he asked suddenly. Selanae raised an eyebrow at him, and he blushed. "You don't remember. Sorry."

She couldn't help but smile at his embarrassment.

"Then you chose it?" he ventured again. She granted him a nod. "What does it mean?"

"I don't know," she said with a shrug. "I just liked the sound of it."

"Where did you hear it?"

Again she shrugged. "I didn't. I just made it up."

Eomer chuckled. Selanae didn't think it was funny, but she smiled shyly anyway.

"There is something I came to ask you," Eomer said after his laughter subsided. "Some of us head to Isengard, to Saruman's tower." His face darkened. "The rest go to on to their homes. It is not safe for you to go to Saruman, not with what we have learned."

She didn't like people telling her where she was safe and not, but she let that pass for the moment. "Then I'll be on my way."

"No!" Eomer said a little quickly. He took a deep breath. "I'd like you to return to Edoras with my sister and the rest of the guard."

"Why should I?" she challenged. Eomer sighed, frustrated.

"Do you really mean to leave now? After all you've heard and with the world at war?"

Selanae's eyes narrowed. "This is not my war."

Suddenly Eomer dug his heels into the sides of his horse and yanked the reins to steer the horse in front of her. His eyes were alight with fury.

"How can you say that!" he hissed at her. "This is every bit your war. What you do affects us all. And what the enemy wants is to have you and every other living thing dead or enslaved!"

He glanced to the sides, realizing the people were staring at them.

"If you leave and disappear now, you seal our fates," he said lowly. His words hit her like a blunt sword, but she refused to show it. Instead she steeled her eyes and clenched her fists around the reins of her horse.

"A few hours ago, neither of us knew anything about any prophecy, nor did we take stock in any such thing to change the future. Why should that be different now?" she asked him.

Eomer's eyes looked away for a moment before finding her again. Even so, he couldn't look at her long.

"Because it is you," he said quietly. "I have seen you fight, seen your strengths and none of your weaknesses, save your temper. I don't doubt Gandalf's words because I believe in you."

Her eyes widened at that, and she found herself speechless. Why would this strong soldier of Rohan, who knew no strength other than what his arm could deal, give heed to anything about her? Was the future so grim and unsure as to need her as much as Gandalf and the rest suggested?

Eomer pulled on the reigns and moved his horse out of her way. "I will not force you," he said. "But I hope you will help us."

With that, the horse trotted away, and Selanae was left atop her steed with a heavy decision.