The group of now five members rode hard. Kendra hung tightly onto Aragorn as he easily followed Gandalf. Somehow, Kendra knew that this was a race against time. They didn't have time to worry about the Hobbits. They didn't have time to worry about the Ring or Sauron getting his hands on it. All that mattered was getting to Rohan's capital to free the king from whatever spell had been put on him.

Kendra's face smashed into Aragorn's back as he suddenly pulled to a stop. She looked around him and saw in front of her, on a lonely hill that could almost be a mountain by itself, a city. She didn't get too long to stare at it, as the three horses started moving again. The city looked so lonely, and proud, as it stood upon that hill. It reminded Kendra a little of her home.

Earth had been so devastated that there were few hospitable spots left. Her city, the City of Domes, stood alone in a great wasteland. Just a couple of hours away to the east was the ocean. It had once been called the Atlantic Ocean but now it had been named the Ocean of the Dead. That was where all the dead bodies had been thrown because there hadn't been enough people to bury the hundreds of thousands who had died. Her father and mother had once taken her outside of the city to go and visit her mother's mother in the north.

Kendra remembered riding away from the City of Domes for the first time. She had been so excited and she and her brother had looked out the window watching as it disappeared into the ever-increasing wasteland. They had passed over a bridge that had once been, if she remembered the name correctly, the Brookly Bridge. Now, there was enough room on the Ruined Bridge for one car to pass. They had passed over it again going home. Kendra and her brother had not cared when their home city came into sight. After seeing the outside world, Kendra realized how much damage had been done to a world that she had seen as a wondrous place.

Kendra shook her head. She didn't want to think about home right now. It was hard enough when she thought about what the Lady of the Golden Wood had told her. She would never be able to get home unless she completed the quest and followed the paths that had been laid out before her.

While she had been daydreaming and remembering, their small group had ridden up to the main gates and passed through into the city itself. Kendra looked around at the people. Almost all were wearing dark colors, like they were all going to a funeral. Not a single child laughed or played in the streets.

"You'll find more cheer in a graveyard," she heard Gimli mutter.

'That's for sure,' Kendra thought as they stopped in front of the steps that led to the palace.

Just as Kendra started to get down, she felt two hands suddenly wrap around her hips and help her off the horse. Once she was on the ground, she turned to face Aragorn.

"I just didn't want you falling on your bottom and embarrassing us here," he said, grinning slightly.

"Thanks," Kendra said, a little on the cold side.

She turned and followed Gandalf up the stairs. She could hear Legolas and Aragorn laughing softly behind her.

'Ooh, are they going to get it,' she thought.

They had just reached the top when they were greeted by several guard members.

"I am sorry but we cannot allow you before Theoden King so armed, Gandalf Greyhelm," he said.

Gandalf nodded before pulling out his sword and handing it over. Slowly, the rest handed their weapons over. Legolas handed over his bow before pulling his knives out of their sheaths and handing them over. Gimli handed over his axes, at least the ones he had left. Kendra had handed over her two knives and turned to watch Aragorn, who seemed to be pulling weapons out of every conceivable hiding spot on his body. Once they were done, they started to walk towards the doors. They were stopped again.

"Your staff?"

Gandalf looked at the guardsman before saying, "You would not deprive an old man of his walking stick, would you?"

The guard sighed before motioning them to go forward. Legolas moved forward and allowed Gandalf to lean on his arm as they moved through the doors. Kendra followed closely behind, watching the shadows on either side of the room. Movement had caught her eye and she quickly confirmed her suspicions. Hiding in the shadow were several rough looking men. Men that obviously did not belong in this court.

Because she had been so busy noting the things going on around her, she had missed the first part of the conversation that was happening right in front of her. Gandalf had moved in front of his four companions and was talking to a greasy looking man.

"Keep your forked tongue behind your teeth. I did not come here to trade crude words with the likes of you," Gandalf suddenly said, holding his staff in front of him.

"I told you to take his staff," the man suddenly started shouting, causing the men from the shadows to come forward, towards Gandalf.

Aragorn, Legolas, and Gimli immediately took down one man each. Kendra hadn't been so lucky. One of the men had come up behind her and wrapped his arms around her, trapping her arms at her sides. Kendra didn't put up much of a struggle and the man slowly relaxed his grip. Kendra suddenly went limp and he was forced to drop her. The minute she was free, she turned and punched. The man grabbed his stomach and Kendra aimed a punch at his face, catching him square in the nose. He went down.

Kendra now turned her attention to the greasy man but Gimli already had that under control. Now, everyone turned to what Gandalf was doing. He was having a conversation with an insane looking man. The old man on the throne was still pale and dead looking but his face was twisted into this sick smile. Kendra heard Aragorn say something but she didn't turn to see who he was talking to.

A bright light seemed to engulf the throne and the figure on the throne collapsed forward. A young woman rushed past Kendra, surprising the daylights out of her, and caught the king before he could completely fall out of the chair. He sat back up and started to look around. Suddenly, right before everyone's eyes, the years seemed to disappear off of the king. He had returned to, what Kendra guessed was, his proper age. He looked around, as if he didn't know where he was.

"I know you," he said, looking hard at the woman before him. "Eowyn."

He smiled before looking up at Gandalf, "Gandalf?"

"Breath the free air again, your majesty," Gandalf said.