Thank you all for the reviews! They mean so much and I'm glad you've enjoyed the first chapter. I hope you like this one, I'm not so sure about it. I finished it earlier but I've been editing and re-editing it. Let me know what you think and Soweird666 I definately remember you and I'm so glad you like my other stories. As always, let me know what you think!

Disclaimer: I own nothing associated than Lord of the Rings.

Chapter 2

Avelina slowly sat up and took in her surroundings. The men were to her left and talked quietly, but every so often one would look her way and give her a small smile. She slowly stood from the mat but took one of the warm cloaks and tried to secure it around herself as the cold air was beginning to make her tremble. She did not remember it being that cold just hours before. After all it was the supposedly the summer months and she was wearing her thinly woven dress and cotton shift that was not keeping her warm in the least. Avelina's hands were trembling slightly as she tried to bind the clasp around her neck but was failing miserably.

"Let me help you," a new male voice said causing Avelina to jump slightly. She looked up and at him with wide eyes. The man gave her a kind smile before taking the bindings in his hands and securing them. Avelina smiled at him as she pulled the cloak around her tightly reviling in the warmth it gave her.

"Thank you," she said quietly. The man smiled and nodded before he leaned down and picked up a wooden bowl that held some type of gruel looking dish with a slice of bread. Avelina looked at him as he handed the bowl to her.

"Lord Éomer would like for you to eat quickly, milady, for we shall ride within the hour," he said. Avelina nodded and took the bowl from him.

"Thank you kindly, and please call me Avelina for I am but a servant," she said. The man smiled and nodded.

"You are welcome Avelina; I am Eothain a guard under Lord Éomer. If you should require anything, do not hesitate to ask," he said before he turned and joined the group. Avelina sighed and sat down onto her mat before she ripped a piece of the bread and dipped it into the mixture in the bowl. She ate it waiting for the terrible taste but was pleasantly surprised when she found the food to be very sweet and smooth to eat. The bread was also slightly sweet, which surprised her.

The food was hot and was easily warming her. Also, considering the last meal she had eaten had been a small loaf of bread for breakfast the morning before, she ate quickly and filled her stomach till she could no longer eat another bite. She looked around and saw Eothain drying bowls and handing them to their respected owners. She stood and walked over to where the men stood. She saw the washing water and began to wash her dish when she felt eyes on her. Avelina looked up and saw the men staring at her.

"Have I done something wrong?" she asked quietly as she looked at Eothain. The man smiled and his dark eyes sparkled with amusement.

"You have done nothing wrong, the men just did not expect you to wash your own dish considering the offer of aid I gave you earlier," he said. Avelina raised and eyebrow at the older man.

"As long as I ride with you I will be in your party's debt until I can find the road that shall take me home. I shall repay your kindness by using what skills I have to aid in the easing of your travels. I know how to wash dishes, as well as launder, cook, sew, and mend small wounds," she said as she scanned the small group around them.

"Then your skills shall be greatly appreciated Avelina," came a voice from behind her. She turned and smiled at Éomer who returned one with a small smile of his own. "However, do you know how to wield a sword?" Avelina's smile left her face and she shook her head.

"No, milord, I do not," she said quietly as she dried the dish in her hands before she handed it to Eothain who gave her a small nod and a smile. "I never had the need to learn, though I probably should have during the peasant uprisings. I was only a child at the time, but my father died protecting our home and farm from those that fought against King Thurston. My father loved our king and declared all those that fought against him were traitors to Sandria." Silence filled the air and Avelina felt every eye in the encampment on her. She fidgeted in her spot as she glanced around her. When her eyes met the dark ones of the group's leader she swallowed hard at the strange look he gave her.

"Avelina," he said quietly, "Where is Sandria?" he asked. Avelina was once again confused by his question. He did not know Lord Wilmington and now he had never heard of Sandria.

"It is in Northern England, south of Scotland and west of the Kingdom of Millstone," she said. Every man looked back and forth before whispering back and forth. Avelina looked at Éomer and he slowly walked over to her. He removed one of his gloves and his warm hand rested on her cool forehead, with a sigh he met her eyes. Avelina felt odd at the look in his eyes and as he lowered his hand she suddenly felt despair fill her heart.

"Those places do not exist. Are you certain you did not strike your head and that is the reason we found you unconscious?" he asked. "Perhaps you have suffered some sort of injury that-," Avelina jerked back from him.

"I know what I speak of," she said quietly fighting the tears that threatened to fill her eyes. "I am not mad," she added in a whisper. Éomer frowned and shook his head as he stepped to her. He put his hands on her shoulders and she realized how much larger he was than her. He looked down at her.

"I do not think you mad, Avelina, it is just you have spoken of things my men and I know nothing about. We know of no Lord Wilmington and with regards to the land from which you hail, there is no such place in all of Middle Earth," he said gently. Avelina shook her head and heard a loud snort behind her. She looked over her shoulder and saw Sigeric standing about five feet from her. She looked back at Éomer and pulled herself from his grip before she turned and went to Sigeric. The large animal moved his head and nipped at the cloak that surrounded her as she rested her forehead against his neck, seeking comfort from the one she knew she could rely on. Éomer sighed and looked at his men. "We break camp, and ride north. If we come across another band of Uruks, they will suffer the same fate as the others." The men nodded and began to pack away their items and strap them to their horses. Éomer walked over to Avelina who he could see was quietly weeping. Before he even said a word her voice broke the silence.

"Perhaps I shall never find my way home," she said in a whisper. "At least I am not alone. I have my dearest friend at my side." She ran her hands down Sigeric's neck as she raised her head and looked at Éomer. "I know deep within your heart you believe me to be mad, but I am telling you no lie. All my life I have never uttered a lie, to lie places a dark mark on your soul. Perhaps it would be best for you to leave me here with Sigeric." Éomer shook his head.

"I will not let an unarmed woman fend for herself in the wilds of the Riddermark, especially when Saruman and Sauron's minions run freely across these lands." Avelina shook her head.

"Just as you know of nothing of which I speak, I know nothing of which you speak. In all my life I have never heard of Rohan or the Riddermark. Nor have I heard of Saruman or Sauron." Avelina looked around her and then back at Éomer. "I feel as though I am lost in my own mind. In a dream that I cannot escape," she added in a whisper.

"I assure you, Avelina that this is no dream." Avelina sighed and closed her eyes only to have another tear slowly roll down her cheek.

"I know for if it was a dream, I would not feel as cold as I do this very moment." Éomer walked over to her and put his hand on her shoulder and raised her chin with the other.

"I promise you Avelina that you shall be well taken care of." With that he unbound his own cloak and draped it over her shoulders on top of the other cloak. He bound it securely and looked at her. He wiped the dampness from her cheeks and pulled the hood of the first cloak over her head. "These shall keep you warm while we ride." Avelina shook her head feeling the last of her despair slowly melt away with the warmth of the two cloaks around her. Although there was something else that warmed her, and she figured it to be the look in the eyes of the man before her. He looked at her like he knew her, but yet she was a stranger to him. No one she had ever just met looked at her in such a way, it was comforting to her and it made her feel as though she wasn't as lost.

"But what about you? Surely you will grow cold." Éomer shook his head.

"Trust me, I shall be fine. You are not dressed for the cool late winters across the plains." He paused and looked at her for a moment longer before he looked at Sigeric and then at her briefly. "Mount your horse and we shall ride." He turned and left her standing there once again slightly confused, but in better spirits than she had been since waking in a strange new place. Avelina quickly mounted Sigeric and secured herself on his back ready to ride. Eothain rode up to her and smiled.

"You are to ride next to me in the center of the group, Avelina," he said. Avelina nodded and urged Sigeric into a trot next to Eothain and his horse. Once they were ready to ride all eyes turned to Éomer. Avelina followed the men's gaze and couldn't help the blush that graced her cheeks when she saw that the men's lord was looking directly at her. At that moment, she was thankful for the hood covering her face from view.

Éomer now wore a helmet that matched his armor with a pale blonde tail of horse's hair on top. Avelina assumed that signified his status as a lord or captain and suddenly felt as though she should not be so free around him. It was then that she remembered what he said. He had said it was late winter but she knew it to be late summer. Her confusion ran even deeper now than it had, but she pushed her thoughts aside when she heard Éomer begin to speak.

"Gentlemen, we continue our ride. Hold true and keep you eyes open to all that moves!" he yelled as his eyes moved from Avelina to his men. "We ride north!" he yelled and urged his horse into a gallop. Avelina did as the other men did and urged Sigeric into a gallop; only her heart was racing uncontrollably in her chest and she didn't know what laid ahead of them but she had only one choice and that was to follow them because she knew her home was no longer within her reach.