Alone
Selanae rode off towards the nearest forest. There was safety in the trees with a Nazgul and beast after her. She'd lost some stray orcs trailing her awhile ago, but the Nazgul repeatedly dove after her.
That loud shriek sounded again, and Selanae grimaced.
"Faster," she whispered, willing the horse forward. Amazingly, she felt its movement speed up. The forest was not far now.
Suddenly the winged beast came at her from the side. Selanae gasped, and ducked close to her horse. The beast barreled into the horse, sending it and rider tumbling over the plains.
Her heart raced. The beast was preparing for another swoop. Selanae got to her feet, and glanced at the horse. It lay on its side, stunned, maybe dead.
"Thank you," she said in its direction, and then she ran for the forest. The sound of massive wings flapping in the wind followed her. Selanae ran to the left, then back to the right. The beast barely missed pouncing on her. The Nazgul atop the beast glared at her with a dark hole for a face.
Selanae glared back with a taunting grin, and ran to the forest.
The trees provided cover for her, but she no longer heard the squeal of the enemy. She no longer heard anything but her own movement. It spooked her.
Even though she was tiring, she started to run lightly, her eyes darting back and forth and her sword ready in her hand.
She ran the rest of the day and walked through the night. Her legs were beyond feeling, but something urged her on. Will power, though, could only get her so far.
She stumbled and fell to the ground, amongst dead leaves and twigs. She didn't even want to rise, but for the fear of discovery. Fear! That was unusual. Selanae pulled herself up, and climbed the nearest tree. She positioned herself in its branches and clutched her sword to her chest before she succumbed to exhaustion.
Morning rays peaked through the tree and into her eyes. Selanae squinted into the sunlight. It was warm, but she felt cold.
A clink of metal below her startled the quiet. Selanae tensed, but did not move quickly. She carefully moved to look below her.
Standing beneath her tree was a Nazgul. His jagged armor and serrated sword was dull in appearance, but Selanae knew each piece was intended for harm. The Nazgul didn't look up, but searched around him.
He knows I'm close. Selanae froze in her spot.
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Eomer, his riders and recruits rode to the camp where Theoden and the rest of the army waited. He found both the King and Eowyn waiting for him as he dismounted. His uncle was dressed in his robes and armor, though battle wasn't here yet. Eowyn, on the other hand, wore a simple dress, and it made Eomer think of Selanae, though he'd never seen her in a dress yet.
For some reason, he hoped to see her here, now, dress or trousers alike.
She wouldn't know to come here.
"You have gathered many, Eomer," Theoden said by way of greeting. Eomer nodded.
"Not as much as I'd hoped," he admitted.
"Where is the woman?" Eowyn asked. Eomer noticed the hint of lingering anger, but it seemed like Eowyn was trying to forget the past.
He shook his head.
"We split up. The Nazgul came after us," he said, and then gestured to the men behind him. "We would have more men if we weren't attacked. As it is, we have several injured from the fell beast."
From behind Eowyn, Aragorn came running, his elfish cloak waving behind him. He reached the Rohirrim out of breath. Before he spoke, his eyes darted from side to side of Eomer.
"Selanae?"
Eomer shook his head. "She heads for Gondor, but where she is exactly, I do not know."
Aragorn pursed his lips together and tried to nod off his worry. He seemed to straighten his shoulders back. "We will see her in Gondor then."
Eomer couldn't agree right away. He just didn't know. But he nodded anyway before excusing himself.
He busied himself with his horse, making sure his men were okay, and inspecting his armor. He cleaned and polished his sword, and pretended to think about battle strategy. Night fell as he saw to the camp and then sat by a fire. The flames danced before his eyes, and the warmth baked smoke into his skin.
Behind him, he heard his sister and the hobbit laughing. He scowled. She'd been pestering him about going to battle, but there was no way he would risk that. Nor would Theoden. For Eomer, it was a definite no—he'd already risked one woman he loved, and wouldn't risk another.
Eomer felt his muscles tighten, and he almost gasped as he realized what he'd thought. Love!
His face flushed at the thought. She was beautiful, but love? Eomer groaned. This wasn't what he needed now. He should be focusing on saving Gondor and keeping his men safe but ready to defeat Sauron.
Selanae. Eomer sighed into the night. Her name alone made his heart ache. He could see her, in his mind, her face like stone with determination as she faced the Nazgul. She ran off to divert them, to save the Rohirrim from slaughter. And she succeeded in that.
But will she succeed long enough to make it to Gondor? He tried to imagine it, meeting her again in the White City. Perhaps they could actually spend time together, without fighting orcs. After the war, of course.
Eomer frowned. The odds were hardly in their favor, and here he was, assuming victory when doom was ever present. Stop dreaming! He glared at the fire, his jaw hard and his face like stone.
Even so, a thought crept into his mind.
How he hoped Selanae was safe.
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She abandoned the trees—she had to. The forest, it seemed, had reached its end. Selanae wasn't thrilled about crossing open plains, although the hills and boulders provided some cover. So did nightfall. With little place to hide if needed, Selanae decided to only move at night now.
Gondor had to be close.
A horse's squeal resonated across the land. Selanae froze, but her eyes searched the direction from which the noise came. In the clouded moonlight, a shadowed figure looked over the plains. The horse reared up, releasing a restless neigh.
As if in response, that haunting shriek sounded.
Selanae crouched to the earth, her eyes fixed on the Nazgul. How was she tracked? The malicious being seemed to sense her, even after losing him a day ago.
I must hurry.
Keeping low to the ground, Selanae moved over the land quietly but quickly. She prayed her movement wouldn't be noticed.
The cool night air attacked her as she ran. She fought the shivers that came over her, that made breathing harder than necessary. Her pace was constant, but her legs grew weary, as did the rest of her body. She hadn't rested since yesterday, unless slowing to a walking pace for an hour or two was considered resting. Her stomach rumbled too. She hadn't had time for food either.
She had to eat, soon. Her eyes searched for vegetation, but only grass and leaves presented themselves. Meat would be great, except to cook it, she'd have to have fire. The Nazgul would see that.
Selanae stumbled more and more as the night wore on. Her eyelids were heavy, and the sword sheathed and held on her belt weighed down her pace even more. Her foot hit a rock, and she fell to the earth.
Prudence demanded she get to her feet, but the flesh won out. She closed her eyes. Just a moment's rest . . .
She jerked awake later, as just a hint of dawn appeared. Panic washed over her. Selanae got to her knees, her hand on the hilt of her sword. Frantically, she searched the area around her.
No one, or no thing, was there.
Her stomach grumbled again. Selanae sighed, until she spotted wild bushes not far from her. She quickly got to her feet and ran to the shrubs. They sported plump berries, something Selanae quickly devoured. Her fingers grabbed for them, plucked them from the shrubs, and she gulped down handfuls.
She stuffed herself, and she knew it, but how it satisfied her! Selanae leaned against a boulder, sighing contently. The road to Gondor wouldn't be nearly as unbearable now.
A shadow, darker than the rest of the early morning, crossed over her, above her. Selanae tensed and glanced above her. A winged beast flew overhead, and on its back was a Nazgul, glaring down at her with no eyes but a dark hole for a face.
Selanae was on her feet and running before the first shriek rang in her ears.
a/n: Please review!