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Chapter 3

They only rode for a little while and Avelina's backside was already sore. They rode over a hill, but as they began to make their way down a voice called out to them. "Riders of Rohan, what news from the Mark?" The riders halted and turned around. Avelina was slightly confused but looked at Eothain.

"Follow me Avelina," he said quietly. She nodded and stayed next to him as the party circled the three people. Eothain stopped next to Éomer and Avelina was slightly behind him. However, she couldn't help but gasp quietly at the sight that met her eyes. Instead of three men as she was expecting there was a man with long dark hair dressed in dark clothes that were well worn from heavy travel, then a shorter man dressed in heavy armor with a scratchy looking red beard and large facial features, then lastly there was a tall lithe man with long golden blonde hair. He was the most beautiful man she had ever seen in her life and that was when she noticed his ears they were pointed. His eyes suddenly moved to hers and she was again thankful for the hood over her face but she had a feeling he could see straight through the hood. The men including Eothain pointed their spears a the trio and Avelina looked to Éomer to see what was happening.

"What business does an Elf, a man and a Dwarf have in the Riddermark? Speak quickly!" Éomer yelled and Avelina looked back at the trio. The venom in the man's voice scared her but she knew he was just protecting the land of his people.

"Dwarf? Elf?" she asked herself as she looked at them and then it hit her that the blonde man was an elf, just like in the old legends her mother used to tell her as a child. The shorter man must have been a dwarf, for some reason he reminded her of a small version of a troll from the legends. Avelina managed a small smile as she looked at them, but it soon vanished.

"Give me your name, Horsemaster, and I shall give you mine," the dwarf said. Éomer glared at the dwarf and handed his spear to Eothain before he dismounted his horse with a fire in his eye that Avelina could clearly see.

"I would cut off your head, Dwarf, if it stood but a little higher from the ground," Éomer said harshly. Avelina felt her heart rate double and she gently shook her head as she saw the elf draw an arrow as fast as lightening and point it at Éomer.

"You would die before your stroke fell!" the elf said. The riders' spears found their mark solely on the elf. Avelina could swear her heart was ready to fly out of her chest as she looked on.

"No," she whispered and then the man in the group put his hand on the elf's forearm and lowered it as he looked at him. The man turned back to Éomer with a peace seeking look on his face.

"I am Aragorn, son of Arathorn. This is Gimli, son of Glóin and Legolas of the Woodland realm. We are friends of Rohan and of Théoden, your king," he said. Avelina raised an eyebrow as she watched on as they spoke of the King of Rohan.

"Théoden no longer recognizes friend from foe," Éomer said before he raised his hands and took off his helmet. The spears were quickly lifted and Avelina's heart rate slowed slightly. "Not even his own kin," he added and Avelina swallowed hard.

"Kin? Lord Éomer is related to the king?" she thought. She glanced at Eothain whose eyes had yet to leave the trio as they spoke with Éomer.

"Saruman has poisoned the mind of the king and claimed lordship over these lands. My company are those loyal to Rohan. And for that, we are banished. The White Wizard is cunning. He walks here and there, they say, as an old man, hooded and cloaked. And everywhere his spies slip past our nets," Éomer said before he glared at the elf, Legolas.

"We are no spies. We track a party of Uruk-hai westward across the plain. They've taken two of our friends captive," Aragorn said. Éomer looked back at the man and shook his head.

"The Uruks are destroyed. We slaughtered them during the night," Éomer said.

"But there were two hobbits. Did you see two hobbits with them?" Gimli, the dwarf asked, and Éomer looked at him sadly.

"They would be small – only children to your eyes," Aragorn said. Éomer looked at him and shook his head.

"We left none alive. We piled the carcasses and burned them," Éomer said as he pointed in the distance somewhere behind Avelina. She did not have the heart to look because of the forlorn expression that graced the three travelers' faces.

"Dead?" Gimli asked. Éomer looked at him and nodded.

"I am sorry," Éomer whispered. Avelina could do nothing but watch with sad eyes as Legolas put his hand on Gimli's shoulder, their grief evident on their faces. Aragorn just looked at Éomer with a heavy look on his face. "Hasufel! Arod!" Éomer yelled before he whistled sharply and two rider less horses and handed the reins to the man and the elf. "May these horses bear you to better fortune than their former masters. Farewell." Éomer turned and put his helmet back on before he mounted his horse. The man, elf, and dwarf looked up at him and Éomer kept his horse steady. "Look for your friends. But do not trust to hope, it has forsaken these lands." He looked at the riders and at Avelina before he yelled out. "We ride north!" Éomer kicked his horse that ran followed by the others. Avelina hesitated and looked back at the travelers before she joined the others.

"I hope you find your friends, my prayers are with you," she said to them before she urged Sigeric on and quickly caught up with Eothain who was watching her closely.

"Was that a woman?" Gimli asked. Legolas nodded.

"Aye," Legolas said. Aragorn watched the riders a little longer and then looked at Legolas. He then mounted the brown horse Hasufel. Legolas mounted the white horse, Arod.

"What would a woman be doing with a group of banished horsemen?" Gimli asked before Legolas pulled him up behind him.

"Perhaps she has her own story to tell, but we do not have time to linger on it. We must ride," Aragorn said before he urged Hasufel on quickly followed by Legolas, all three forgetting their encounter with the mysterious woman and their thoughts on their friends.

They rode and rode until the sun began to disappear before Éomer found a suitable place for their camp. Once Avelina and Eothain stopped their horses, Eothain dismounted and helped her down quickly. Avelina pulled her hood back and looked up at the man who did not look very happy with her. "What did you say to the three travelers?" he asked. Avelina just looked at him.

"I just told them that I hoped they found their friends," she said as she looked up at the man. Eothain sighed and removed his own helmet as he looked at her.

"It is not so much what you said, Avelina, it is just they now know that we travel with a woman. What if they were a danger?" Avelina shook her head.

"I don't think they were, and if they are then would they not have followed us or sent word to their companions where they could find us, and would Lord Éomer have given them the horses if he also knew they were not a threat?" Avelina sighed when Eothain had no answer for her and she walked, or rather hobbled over to where Éomer stood. "My lord?" she asked him and he turned from his horse and gave her a small smile.

"What is you wish Avelina?" he asked. She looked around at the men as they began to set up camp.

"I was curious, if anyone had a spare pair of breeches and tunic. I know it is not proper, but I certainly can not continue to ride side saddle if I intend to travel you any further. I can ride Sigeric bare back if I could just borrow some clothes," she said but had the grace to blush deeply as she spoke to him. Éomer looked around the camp and spotted one of the smallest of his soldiers.

"Coenred!" Éomer called and Avelina looked to her right and saw a young soldier, probably even a year or two younger than her come rushing up to them.

"Aye, my lord?" he asked quickly and Éomer looked at the man and then at Avelina.

"Coenred, you are the closest in size to Lady Avelina. Do you have spare breeches and a spare tunic in your pack?" Éomer asked. Coenred nodded and looked at Avelina before he looked back at Éomer.

"Aye, I do." Éomer nodded.

"Very well, bring them to her so she may change into them. Once you bring them, go to her horse and removed the side saddle and place the saddle from Nathro onto her horse. It will be easier for her to travel with us and less obvious if she is properly attired." Coenred nodded and left the pair. Avelina smiled at Éomer and bowed her head.

"Thank you my lord," she said quietly before she straightened and looked at him. "Once I have changed I shall return your cloak to you so you shall have it before the night comes." Éomer shook his head.

"You shall keep it until the weather turns. I am used to the weather and it shall not be a bother." Avelina gave him a small smile.

"Your kindness if great Lord Éomer and for that I thank you." Éomer looked at her and couldn't help but smile at the look of pure gratitude in her dark blue eyes. He sighed quietly as he looked at her. She was small, no more than 5'4" or 5'5" tall, rather thin, and she had an aura around her that even he could see, it was soft and bright. Éomer was about to speak when Coenred came up to them.

"Here you are, my lady," Coenred said as he handed Avelina the dark brown breeches and the dark green tunic. Avelina smiled at him and nodded her head.

"Thank you very much," she said and Coenred smiled shyly at her.

"You are welcome. I shall saddle your horse for you, if you'll excuse me." Avelina nodded and with one last look at her Coenred left them. Avelina smiled and looked back at Éomer who had a distant look on his face.

"Lord Éomer," she said quietly and Éomer looked at her. "Do you know where I could change?" She could not help the blush that once again found its way across her cheeks. Éomer cleared his throat and looked around.

"Follow me," he said and left the camp. Avelina followed and they came upon several large boulders that was surrounded by thick bushes. "You may change behind there and I shall stand watch here until you change." Avelina nodded. She quickly moved behind the bushes and laid the breeches and tunic on the ground. She untied the cloaks and laid them on the ground before she picked up the breeches. Avelina pulled them up under her skirts and secured them. They were slightly too big but would do just fine. She shivered slightly when she removed her wool dress and the cold air hit her thin linen shift. She leaned down and picked up the tunic but stopped as she stood when she heard something behind her. She looked over her left shoulder and gasped when a creature with black skin and a black slime oozing from his mouth. There was a hungry look in his eye and she screamed as it came towards her.

Suddenly, there was a form in front of her and she fell on her bottom and onto the ground with wide eyes and shaking from more than just the cold as she watched Éomer battle the dark creature.

Éomer pulled his sword from the orc and scanned the boulders in front of him. He could sense nothing else and silence was in the air with the exception of short gasps coming from behind him. He wiped his sword and turned around as he sheathed it. Avelina sat near the bushes her eyes wide and her lips quivering as her eyes were focused on the dead orc behind him. Éomer rushed over to her and kneeled down next to her.

"Avelina," he said gently as he reached his hand out and gently cupped her cheek as she pulled her face to look at him. When she did, he could easily see fear and a deep confusion filling their depths. "Avelina, it's alright." She was shaking terribly and it was then that he realized the only thing that covered her top half was a thin shift. He adverted his eyes and lowered his hand from her face. He picked up the tunic and held it to her. "Avelina, I need you to remove your shift and put the tunic on. I'll be on the other side of the bushes if y-," Avelina grasped his forearm and shook her head.

"No," she said violently. "Please do not leave me alone. I trust you," she added quietly. Éomer moved his gaze to her eyes. "Just turn away and I will change." Éomer nodded and stood. He looked away from her and Avelina quickly stood to change. However, shouting filled the air and Avelina's heart stopped when she thought more of those foul creatures were coming for them.