A/N: Tehe.

"Going out for the night?"

The kindly stable keeper smiled up at Threwen, his grey eyes warm. She was silent. She tightened the saddle, attached the saddlebag and pulled herself up onto Asimma's back. She looked out the door and started out.

"You be safe now. Take care."

She smiled at him. "Thank you. For everything."

And with that she was gone.

Rannyn closed his eyes and inhaled, the scent of the grass of the plains filling his nose, making him homesick.

I wonder if she misses me, he thought. Wait. She probably doesn't miss me. She doesn't even trust me, not completely.

He sighed. Ever since that day when he found a stray horse and its rider on the ground outside of Edoras his life had gotten so much more complicated.

Where did she come from? he asked himself, frustrated. Why won't she tell me anything! I've been visiting her for months now and I still barely know anything about her!

"Rannyn!"

He turned, hearing his name called by Eomer. "Yes, Lord Eomer?"

The horse-lord looked sternly at the young man. "Day dreaming again?"

Rannyn looked sheepish. "Um…"

Eomer's eyes softened. "Are we homesick, Rannyn? I wouldn't have expected this from you."

Rannyn shook his head, his gaze at his hands, which were fiddling with the reigns of his horse.

"All the years I've known you you've been one of my best. But your head has been elsewhere ever since we left Edoras." Eomer studied him and then a light went on in his head. He cleared his throat and said in a deep voice. "Rider!"

He looked up.

"These men miss their families. They'd like to hear from them. So I have a mission for you!"

The young blonde looked at him, puzzled. What in the world is he talking about?

Eomer smiled faintly and then said, "Why don't you be our messenger? Check things out in Edoras. I have faith in you."

Rannyn brightened at this. He couldn't be serious!

"Go to her, son."

Then the Lord turned and the rest of the group started to gallop away. Rannyn pressed his heels into Isidien and the horse knew what to do. They were off in a heartbeat.

Threwen decided that she should head for Fangorn Forest. She was going into hiding and no one would dare going in there, not even the White Wizard.

She stopped herself at that thought. She supposed he wasn't really 'The White Wizard' anymore, not with this new Gandalf. Then what was he?

Well, whatever he is, he no longer controls me. There's too much danger. Too much has gone wrong. I'm getting out.

She'd heard the stories about Fangorn. She'd heard the rumors of the trees coming alive and talking. But she knew all about Fangorn. And she wasn't afraid. Threwen knew every nook and cranny and no one was going to find her.

She thought she was making good time when she saw something in the distance. She squinted, trying to see what it was. For a brief second her heart leapt at the sight.

Could it be…?

But then her vision cleared and she knew. She knew exactly what was approaching her across the plains at a neck breaking speed. Though she didn't know how they'd found out so quickly, she knew. And she wasn't about to let them catch her.

Her horse knew immediately what her rider wanted her to do and she took off, angling away from the rider, but not towards Edoras. She could no longer see the city and didn't intend on going back. She needed to get to some sort of covering. And only one thought had entered her mind.

Fangorn.

Rannyn was getting closer. He was almost in view of Edoras when he had a strange feeling that he needed to be going in the opposite direction. His horse stopped him and started to paw at the ground, causing Rannyn to have to grip the reigns tightly to control her.

"Isidien! What is wrong with you?" he asked angrily.

She whinnied and finally overcame his grasp, turning completely around and starting to head away from Edoras. The reigns flew out of Rannyn's hands and he had to cling for dear life as they flew across the fields.

"Isidien! Slow down! Edoras is the other way!"

But the horse wasn't listening anymore. She was taking him to where he would see something. Rannyn soon found out what he was meant to see. They got to the top of a hill and he saw.

There were two riders, one looking dark and menacing, galloping toward the other at full speed. The other seemed to be frantically riding away, trying to put as much distance between the two as possible, but the dark one soon caught up with the rider and the horse, pulling them both to a halt.

Rannyn gasped.

"Threwen!"

"Your master commands you to stop!"

Threwen breathed heavily and Asimma panted. She should've known. The White Wizard's…

Saruman's, she corrected herself. Saruman's Dark Riders were known for their speed. They had never lost their prey. They were the enforcers. And Threwen was now within his grasp.

She couldn't see his face but this didn't surprise her. They always kept themselves covered. "You are not to leave Edoras!" he growled.

With a defiant look in her eye she called to him, "Too late! I'm gone!"

"You are a servant of the wizard."

He pulled up next to her and looked her in the eye. Threwen's courage shrank. His eyes. She had never seen a Rider's eyes, but now she wished she hadn't. Dark and penetrating, they seemed to reach deep into her soul and extinguish any hope she'd had of escape.

She closed her eyes. No! I said was getting out. I will. I am. I am not a servant any longer. I'm not longer his Messenger!

She clenched her teeth. "Not anymore," she said quietly and menacingly. Her anger seethed through her, covering up her fear of the imposing form before her.

She felt a change in him and she knew she would need to leave. Now.

But she didn't get the chance. As quick as lightening he had shoved her off her horse, her landing as hard as it had been when he'd done it long ago. But this time she didn't lose her bearings. Yes, she'd been surprised but she wasn't going to let him defeat her.

"You should've listened to your master, little one." He got off his horse and started toward her, each step resonating through the ground.

He's trying to make you feel small, weak. Fight it!

Threwen had a split second to wonder if he had some sort of power, bestowed upon him by the wizard, to make people feel fragile and unable to fight. It was if there was a force making her want to yield.

The Rider pounced on her, smacking her hard across the face. Threwen knew that would be a bruise, a mark once again left by his hand. But this would be the last, she decided.

She retaliated and kicked him behind the knee, causing him to fall. Threwen jumped to her feet and stood over him.

"No," she said breathlessly. "Saruman will have to find himself another pawn. I'm done."

She began to walk away, not wanting any more harm to come to either of them. This was her mistake.

"You're right," she heard him say. "You are done."

And with that she felt the piercing cold fire that is felt when the metal of a blade penetrates flesh.

Note: MWAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA! THE EVIL CLIFF HANGER! HAHAHAHA!