...

~ The Hunt ~

"Let us go on!" said Legolas. "The thought of those merry young folk driven like cattle burns my heart."

"And the young maiden," Gimli muttered angrily, "bound and bagged like hunter's prey? Off we go!"

*.*.*

"Shadowfax returned," said Eomer, "but the king's anger is not less, for the horse is wild and will let no man handle him. With him came a tall fine horse we did not know, strangely clad with no bridle or firm saddle, who is likewise unwilling to be ridden or stabled."

"The elf horse of our maiden companion!" said Aragorn. "Then they must have found their way to this land from the north together, for it is there that they parted from their riders." The Dunedan continued on with the rest of his story of their adventures up to that point.

"That is ill news to bear, for indeed we know of the ambassador's ward, though only the dwellers of Westfold near the old mill ever saw aught of her," said Eomer when Aragorn reached the part about how among those for whom they searched was a daughter of Gondor raised a shield maiden in Rohan. "Last we heard the house was abandoned with one fresh grave by it, and it was assumed the old widower had passed of weariness. We wondered what became of the maiden, it was feared she was taken or killed by Dunlandings or worse, living so dangerously close to the Gap. But among the slain of last night we have found neither women nor children."

"Nay," said Aragorn, "she was not taken then, but journeyed northward alone after the ambassador died, and found us in Imladris, just as Boromir did. Gandalf it was who thought to bring her along. She has proven worthy, for she is also of the House of Elendil. But she has been taken now." Eomer and his companions looked back in wonder. The conversation then continued until the three remaining of the Company resumed the search on their borrowed horses.

At last they began to find clues of what happened to the hobbits, "but no hint as to the fate of the lady," said Aragorn, thinking out loud. "She may have been carried the whole journey having been struck by a dart." He thought on it a moment. "But the Rohirrim also found no trace of her."

"If she was felled by a dart, why did they not leave her?" asked Gimli.

"The dart may not have been poisoned, or not enough to be deadly," said Legolas. "It seems plain enough what Saruman would want with the hobbits. But what would the enemy want with her?"

"I do not know," Aragorn said gravely with a shake of his head. "All I can guess is she was taken by a different group, by a different route. One or both of our enemies apparently finds some value in capturing her." He furrowed his brow in dismay. "I fear to guess her fate any further."

*.*.*

What none saw happen at the battle in the woods was that Elraen was handed off by the Uruk half-breeds to Wolf-Riders who were also the source of the dart. For after her encounters with the Wargs and the Nazgul, wild rumors of a powerful enchantress had quickly spread far and wide among Orc kind and none would approach her too near least of all agree to bear her. "This is no ordinary brat of Men kind!" they muttered to each other in Orc tongue. "Surely this is the tark witch that haunts the mountains!" said others.

The Uruk Hai had the boldness at least to bag her up, but they also feared to be near when she woke, and passed her to the wolf-riders of Isengard. The wolf-riders were just as wary and strapped her bagged up to her own wolf alone, then struck a different path to the north upon their sure footed wolf steeds. Along the rocky riverside under cover of low trees a long while they went very swiftly, before veering northwest toward the mountains. Then under cover of nightfall the wolf riders crossed the East Emnet, slowing but a little as they passed through the southern eaves of the Fangorn, and reached Isengard just as the two hobbits were escaping their captors.

*.*.*

Pippin struggled to recall everything. He'd remembered seeing young Elraen appear, across the wood behind Boromir, but not before he had taken many arrows. She tried to help him, and managed to slay several Orcs herself, but then suddenly she went down, too. But he looked around but could find no sign of her, and he was grieved, thinking she must have perished also.