They had been riding for two days, the two hobbits providing a running commentary for most of it.
He had named the mare Merry and Pippin had bought him Kyma*, and she seemed to like it. It was almost hilarious, the size difference between her and the fat ponies Merry and Pippin rode.
They had tried to get him to purchase a smaller riding horse, but one was a brat and the other didn't want to leave his owner, and Percy could tell the owner didn't want to sell the horse.
Kyma was large and strong, and she was very nice. A bit mellower than Blackjack, she almost reminded Percy of the oldest mare of the pegasus herd back at camp, who was always the one newbie campers started out on, because she was the gentlest.
"Lord, may we stop soon? I am getting thirsty," Kyma asked. He told her yes, just a little bit further, and then they would stop for the night. She neighed her acknowledgment, then continued cantering.
Percy had gathered that wherever he was, was not Earth, and the Greek gods were not present here, but Kyma still felt an urge to call him lord. She did not know why, seeing as she had never heard of Poseidon before, but when she learned he could understand her, she just assumed he was some sort of Wizard and he couldn't convince her otherwise.
They slowed to a stop next to a small river, Merry and Pippin jumping off and washing their faces in the water, and Percy jumped off too, leading Kyma to the stream. Once they all drank their fill, horses, hobbits, and humans alike, Pippin reached into his saddlebag and pulled out some meat and an apple for all of them.
They finished off their meal in silence, and while Merry and Pippin both lit pipes and began to smoke something called 'Longbottom Leaf,' Percy walked over to where their mounts lay and lay down there. His eyes started closing, sleep pulling at him.
He was awoken suddenly when Merry and Pippin cried out, "Sam!"
Jumping to his feet, his sword drawn, he saw they were rolling on the ground with another hobbit, laughing and hugging him. He saw there was no threat here, but still nervous, he didn't put it away.
Clearing his throat, he said, "Excuse me, but who's this?"
The new hobbit leaped up, brushing the dirt off his clothes and walking over to Percy, holding out his hand and saying, "begging your pardon good sir, I didn't see you there. Samwise Gamgee, a pleasure to make your acquaintance."
Percy shook the offered hand, and replied, "Percy Jackson."
Merry and Pippin stood up, Merry calling out, "Now Sam, don't forget your other titles. Percy, meet Mayor of the Shire and the Last Ringbearer."
Sam blushed, but Percy nodded and said, "I'm sorry, I don't know what that means."
Standing up, he looked around and saw several other men had entered the clearing, one with long brown hair, whom Merry and Pippin were kneeling in front of.
His observation was cut off when a silver blur rushed into the clearing, knocking into him and hugging him tightly. When he was released, he cried out, "Thalia!"
She smiled wryly. "Thank god you're not dead Fish Face. And that," she said as she punched him in the arm, "is for scaring me like that."
He chuckled, rubbing his arm, and asked, "who are these people?"
"I'm not sure. Those two," she said, pointing to a tall man with blond hair and pointed ears, and a short man a bit taller than the hobbits, with red hair and beard, "are Legolas and Gimli, I traveled with them for some time to get here. We joined this group yesterday, and I've mostly stayed behind, trying to keep a low profile. They're so sexist, I almost had to kill a couple of them."
He nodded in acknowledgment.
"Who are those two," she said, nodding her head in the direction of Merry and Pippin.
"Merry and Pippin. They led me here. They're nice enough, and remind me of the Stoll brothers."
Thalia groaned good-naturedly. "Gods save us all if your right."
Their conversation was interrupted when Legolas and Gimli walked up to them, saying, "Lady Thalia, who is your friend?"
"This is one of my cousins, Percy.
"Pleasure to meet you, Percy. I am Legolas, Lord of Ithilien and Crown Prince of Mirkwood. This is Gimli, Lord of the Glittering Caves."
Percy bowed, and said, "I still don't know what that means."
Gimli let out a long laugh, and said, "it's alright boy, this elf can be a bit too hoity-toity for my taste too."
His laughing was cut off by the entrance of the long brown-haired man, who Merry and Pippin had been bowing to.
"I see the Lady Thalia had found one of her companions. May I inquire as to his name?"
"I'm Percy. Percy Jackson. And you are?"
"I am Aragorn, King of the nation of Gondor. And this is Eomer, King of the nation of Rohan," he said, motioning to the blond man standing next to him.
"Should I bow," he whispered to Thalia.
Aragorn chuckled and said, "no, I do not require bowing. But I must ask, do you come here as a friend, or as a foe?"
The mood sobered, and he saw the elf and dwarf subtly reach for their weapons.
"Okay, first of all, I don't even know where here is. I don't know where I am, or how I got here, I'm just trying to find my cousins and get home."
Aragorn nodded, satisfied with his answer. "Well, then I will consider you a friend, and do what I can to aid you in finding your lost kin and getting you home."
"Thank you." Percy would have said more, but his attention was drawn by a nearby horse. It seemed that the men traveling with Aragorn were setting up camp with them, and a horse was being walked in by a man in a black tunic, with a white tree on it.
"Please, please. It hurts. Please get off. Lord, help me. Please help me!"
Percy rushed over to the horse, grabbing the crop the man was using before he could hit the horse again.
Glaring, he said quietly, "get off the horse now, before I make you."
The man, terrified at Percy's glare and his threat, scrambled off and rushed away.
Percy started rubbing the horse's head, making crooning noises, and quietly asked, "What is wrong. Are you hurt?" The horse neighed, tossing its head and saying, "My hoof. It hurts. I could not bear him."
He gently moved his hands down the horse's fetlock, picking up his leg and peering at his foot. The shoe had come off, and the hoof was bruised, with several rocks wedged in it. Percy gently peeled the rocks away with the tip of riptide, and called out, "can I have a bandage or a piece of cloth." The camp, which had fallen silent when Percy threatened the soldier, stirred, as Eomer stepped foward, a long piece of cloth, ripped up from somewhere in his hands.
He knelt down next to the younger man, and murmured, "what is wrong."
"His shoe is thrown. I removed the rocks in his hoof, but it is bruised," Percy replied, carefully wrapping the hoof and binding it.
Eomer ran his hands over the makeshift wrap, nodding when he was satisfied with the work. They stood up, and he turned to Percy.
"Thanks for your help-" Percy said, patting the horse's neck. Eomer stared at him strangely for a few seconds, before smiling and saying, "It is no trouble. I must ask, how did you know the horse was injured."
Percy paused for a few seconds, contemplating whether he should reveal his powers, before saying, "I saw him favoring his leg, and he was whipping his tail a lot."
Eomer looked like he didn't believe him, but he let it slide. He nodded, then turned back to the rest of the camp, who had been staring at them the whole time. Aragorn cleared his throat and said, "alright, enough of that. Get back to work men."
Thalia grabbed Percy and led him to a separate corner of the clearing, quizzing him on everything that had happened to him, and Aragorn walked over to Eomer, who was still standing where Percy had left him.
"Well, that was interesting," he said chuckling and patting Eomer on the shoulder. "He is an honorable man. He came to this horse's aid when he did not need to, and he treats his own horse well." Aragorn turned toward Eomer, saying, "I know your nation judges a man on how he treats his horse, but I shall withhold my judgment until I know more about him."
Eomer gave a curt nod, and they talked for a while longer, discussing strategies and negotiation tactics to use on the Necromancer, who they should meet sometime the next day.
*Kyma is Greek for wave.
If Percy saw a horse being mistreated, I have no doubt he would go apeshit. You don't abuse animals in front of Perseus Jackson.
I think Rohan definitely defines a man's honor on how he treats his horse because they value their horses a lot, and they're a big part of their culture.
Well, two out of three cousins reunited. Hope you enjoyed it.
Edit: OMG, so sorry. I thought his sams full name was Samfast. Thank you to the guest that pointed that out. If no one saw it, on my profile, I posted something saying how I was taking a break from writing. I'm not abandoning this, but I just need a break.