"To make a difference in someone's life, you don't have to be brilliant, rich , beautiful, or perfect. You just have to care." - Mandy Hale

Chapter 3

Eothain was not happy. Maybe it was because I had made him look like a fool. I was still surrounded by men who spoke a foreign language, but I could tell they were all intrigued by what had happened back at the camp. He did not talk to me when we took off, not since I had declined his help in mounting Arrow. After the initial shock of my situation wore off, what little I knew of riding horses had come back to me. I didn't need to be lifted onto one like a doll.

"What is Aldburg like?" I asked him, the silence driving me insane. He had to know this was nothing personal, he just needed to make an attitude adjustment.

"It is a fortress in the south of Rohan, home of the Third Marshal."

"Isn't Eomer the Marshal?"

"Lord Eomer," he emphasized. "Is one of three. There are three folds of the Riddermark and Lord Eomer guards the third."

"So, if Eomer is a Marshal, what does that make you?"

"I am a Rider of Rohan in service to his legion."

"He seems kind of young to have such an important title," I said, watching his back as he rode ahead of us.

"Enough of Eomer," Eothain said. "If you must talk, there are other topics."

He was annoyed and I immediately sensed that there was history there, but I knew better than to press. Plus, he was right. I didn't need to be asking a million questions about a man who had frightened, intimidated, and taunted me all within the span of fifteen minutes. "Tell me about Aldburg."

"I have lived there all my life. I live with my sister in the village. It is the second largest village in the Mark, behind Edoras, of course."

"Is that...the capital?" I asked.

"Yes. Home to the King and the Golden Hall of Meduseld."

"So, you're ruled by a monarchy?"

"Yes," he said, slightly confused. "It is a standard practice of government." I chose not to question it further and he continued. "We can find you help in reading a map when we arrive."

"Why would I need help reading a map?"

"Can...can you read?" he asked, surprised.

"Yes, I can read."

"Strange. There aren't many common folk who read the written word. I'd say less than half of this eored can. Who taught you to read?"

"I learned in school," I said. "Don't you have schools here?"

He shook his head. "Not sure what a school is, Mallory."

"You go there to learn things. Math, science, reading."

"One can learn all that they need to from daily work. There's no need for an institution."

"Right," I said, affected by his words. When I wasn't running the campsite over summer vacation, I was an elementary school teacher. Thinking about that reminded me of the looming school year I had left behind. Had someone realized I had gone missing? What would happen to my job if I never came back?

"What silences you all of a sudden?" he asked.

"Thinking about home," I muttered.

"I wish you would tell me where you are from so that I might help you get back."

I thought back to my conversation with Eomer that morning. "I don't think anyone can help me get back."

"That is a very grim outlook. Wait until we reach Aldburg and obtain some maps."

I nodded, letting out a yawn and attempting to stretch my back without bothering his arms holding the reins.

"You must still be tired, you woke up so early," Eothain said. "You are welcome to take a nap, if you wish. Bema knows it is much warmer today than yesterday and you now have supplies to keep you warm."

"I don't want to fall off."

"Do not worry, Mallory. I wouldn't let you fall."

I didn't want to sleep. I wanted to continue conversation, to take in any information about the place I was traveling to that could possibly aid me in covering up my true identity, but my eyes fogged over at the mere sight of the basic plains and large horsemen around me and before I could protest again, my eyes closed and I leaned back into Eothain, falling to sleep.

I woke to a cry of "Woah," as Arrow thrusted me backwards in a stop. My back was stiff from leaning against Eothain and his armor and my ass hurt like hell from the saddle. "Was goin on?" I said groggily.

Eothain steadied me upright and jumped off Arrow's back. "We are taking a short rest for the horses. They need water." He reached up to help me off the horse, but I shook my head, swinging my leg over and hitting the ground with pins and needles in my feet. I took a good stretch, Eomer's blanket falling off of my shoulders. I bent over to pick it up, and something patted me on the back as I bent. It was Eomer's horse, Firefoot.

"Hello again," I said, giving his soft nose another pat.

"Seems he just can't stay away from you," Eomer said, walking over to me, his helmet in one arm, his other resting on the hilt of his sheathed sword.

I didn't know what to say. I realized that in the warmer weather I didn't need both his blanket and Eothain's cloak and I still clutched it tightly with both of my hands. I started folding it. "I shouldn't have kept this. It belongs to you."

He reached over with a gloved hand, stopping mine from folding. "Keep it. I have plenty of blankets."

His hand rested on my wrist and I thought back to my conversation with Eothain from earlier. "So, I was wondering something," I said.

He removed his hand and sat down on the grass, watching the horses head off towards the pond we had stopped beside. "And what might that be?"

"Eothain says you're a lord, but you're also a Marshal. Are those the same thing, or…?"

"I am Third Marshal to the Riddermark, like my father before me. That makes me lord of Aldburg."

I sat down next to him, the blanket still balled up in my hands. "So, all Marshals are lords, then?"

"Yes, though I would still be a lord without the title of Marshal."

"What, are you royalty or something?" I said sarcastically.

"My grandfather was Thengel King, ruler before my uncle, Theoden, who sits on the throne in Edoras presently."

My jaw nearly dropped. "Your uncle is the king?" He nodded. "Well, doesn't that make you, like, super important?"

He laughed. It was the first time I had genuinely heard him laugh and it was surprisingly...nice. He had such a hard, intimidating exterior and it was comforting to know that there was actually a person behind that hard face and armor. "Hardly, Mallory. I barely see the halls of Edoras these days. My sister Eowyn assists my uncle now. My cousin Theodred, the prince, serves as Second Marshal in the West-mark. I wouldn't be of much use in Meduseld's walls. My talents lie in the East-mark."

When he talked of these people, not only did he do it with a smile, but his voice softened. "You must love them very much," I said.

"There is little in the world more important than family." He paused and glanced at me briefly before continuing. "What of your family?"

"Don't really have one," I said, pulling my knees up to my chest. "My dad left my mom when I was very young. She died when I was seventeen. I lived with my aunt after that, but it never really felt like home."

"My mother died when I was very young," he said. He looked for a moment as if he wanted to continue, but shook his head instead, nodding towards the men in his eored. "We best not test Eothain's patience much longer. He stares so intently at us."

He was right. The Rider watched us in the crowd of soldiers, but he wasn't the only one. In fact, most of the men were glancing up at the two of us, sitting on the ridge. But Eothain was the only one whose gaze didn't waver. Eomer stood and walked away towards Firefoot and I watched him retreat, patting his stallion on the neck and mounting him.

As if it was a cue, the other men retrieved their horses and followed. Eothain had Arrow by the reins and led him towards me as I stood up, pulling the blanket back over my shoulders. "What did the Marshal have to say?"

"Just conversation," I said, pulling myself onto Arrow. "Do you not like him?"

Eothain looked surprised. "Why would you think that?"

"You get so angry every time he speaks to me."

He shook his head. "Eomer and I have known each other since childhood. He is like a brother to me and I know him well."

"That doesn't answer my question," I said as he mounted behind me.

He shook his head. "That is not a matter for now, Mallory."

I made little attempt at conversation for the next few hours. We passed plain after plain, grassy field after grassy field. The sights didn't change. The weather held out as well, not enough for me to get comfortably warm, but I wasn't cold, which was a bonus. Even as the sun fell in the sky, the weather held.

I noticed Arrow start to fall behind the rest of the group. "Is he okay?" I asked.

"He is tired. He carries more weight than he is used to."

"Should he rest?"

"We are not far from Aldburg now. Perhaps twenty leagues. He will make it."

"Will he?" another rider asked, falling back beside us. It was Eomer. "You fall behind, Eothain."

"I am fine, my lord," he said. I noticed his hands grip the reins tighter.

"It is your steed I worry for, not you. The girl can ride with me for the remainder of the way."

"'The girl' has a name, thank you," I said.

"She is fine where she is, my lord," Eothain said, ignoring me. "Arrow will make it."

"Mallory," Eomer said. "What say you? Do you think the horse too tired?"

I couldn't deny that with every word we spoke, Arrow got slower and slower, falling further away from the group. But I didn't like the way he was pitting me against Eothain. "Eothain says it is not far. If the horse falls a little behind, we'll still make it."

Eomer's expression changed very little. "Very well," he said, pushing back to the front of the group.

We did fall further behind and Eothain seemed much more inclined to talk to me now. This back and forth stuff between him and Eomer had to end. I had a feeling that when we reached Aldburg, however, that Eomer would have better things to occupy his time than me.

"I've been thinking about how to help you get home, Mallory," he said.

"I thought we were going to look at maps."

"Well, I suppose that should be step one, and if we find your home there, all the better, but...if we cannot, there are beings in Middle-earth that posses magic."

"Magic?" I asked, remembering Eomer's earlier comment about my coming here. He asked if it was sorcery. "Is...that safe?

"There are beings in Middle-earth that can help you. They travel through the Mark on occasion. They are associates of the king. Perhaps, next they travel through, we ask for their aid."

"When will that be?" I asked. "Who are they?"

"I know not when they will next set foot in the Mark. Saruman the White and Gandalf the Grey are their names. Saruman resides in Isengard, about four hundred leagues from Aldburg. I know not where Gandalf resides. He is a traveler and is hard to track. But given the chance, I am sure they would help you."

"What makes them so special?"

"They are the Wizards of Middle-earth. They aid Men and their cause when needed."

"Wizards?" she asked, confused. "Like, real Wizards?" he nodded. "Well, is there any way to contact them?"

"The roads to Isengard are not safe. Orcs and Uruk-hai flood the roads to the north. Saruman's aid may be a lost cause. But Gandalf travels the world so intently and he is hard to mistake. He was here in September. The king gifted him a horse and sent him out of Rohan. If word reaches me that he has arrived in the Mark again, I will ride to him myself."

"And in the meantime?" she said.

He paused, thinking. "Perhaps we keep this conversation between the two of us. The people are not taken with sorcery at this time of late."

"Is sorcery bad?"

"I suppose it depends on who wields it," he said. "In the past, Saruman has been a great aid to the Sons of Eorl. Gandalf is a good friend to the king and I hear has a soft spot for Men in need of help. With his dismissal from Meduseld, Gandalf is not seen as much of a friend these days, but I do not believe that means his magic is bad. Many in the realm suspect Saruman to be the one sending Orcs from Isengard, but there is no proof. None yet, anyway. I find it hard to believe that a Wizard who has aided Men for so long would simply just turn to the enemy."

"Who is the enemy?" I asked. "What exactly are these troubling times you guys are fighting in?"

"That is a long and complicated story. More myth and legend than truth. But recently, our lands have been plagued by attacking Orcs and Uruk-hai. Prince Theodred, the Second Marshal who resides in the Hornburg, receives them the most, as he is nearest the Gap of Rohan and the Fords of Isen. Eomer has us ride to the Gap when his cousin calls for aid, which is often these days."

Most of this was gibberish to me. The locations and places he mentioned. I didn't know what the Fords of Isen where. I recognized Theodred's name from speaking with Eomer earlier. "What are Orcs and Uruk-hai?" I asked.

"You have never heard of the Fell Creatures?" he asked. "They are servants of the Shadow that lies in Mordor, where evil runs rampant."

"Where evil runs rampant?" I repeated sarcastically.

"Yes," he said matter-of-factly. "But we needn't talk of such things now. We are nearly there."

Over the ridge we road on, I could see the top of the fortress peak over the ground and it soon came into view. The rest of the eored made their way through the gates but Eothain had Arrow take his sweet time.

It was large. Really large and surrounded by a stone wall, creating the fortress. Pillars stood higher than the wall, overlooking the vast empty plains of Rohan. I couldn't see inside, but I was immensely curious.

"Here we go," Eothain muttered, leading Arrow down the hill and through the gate.

Most of the eored had already passed through the gates and were greeted by the people who were scattered about the town. There were houses, shops, crops, and everything in between. It was large, at least larger than I had pictured in my head. At the base of the fortress was a large...well I didn't really know what to call it other than a small castle. That must have been Eomer's home as I saw Firefoot being led off to stables to the side of the castle.

"Eothain!" a voice shouted, running up to us from the crowds of people. She spoke fast in Rohirric and Eothain jumped off of Arrow's back, grabbing a young blonde woman into a hug. He turned her toward me when they were done. "Mallory, this is my sister, Frida."

I jumped off Arrow's back, doing my best not to collapse under my sleeping feet and held out my hand. "Nice you meet you."

I expected her to shake, but she grabbed my forearm with her own and grasped tightly. "Wilcume, Mallory." She glanced at my-or rather Eothain's-trousers and turned back to her brother, snapping at him in Rohirric. He held up his hands in a defensive motion and she backed off. She noticed my blank stares at the two of them and smiled gently. "You don't speak a word of Rohirric?" I shook my head. "I am not best at speaking Common Tongue, but we shall try, yes?" said and I smiled back, nodding. "Now, come with me, nífara, we shall get you clothes.

She grabbed my hand and started walking me towards a cluster of houses off to the side of what smelled like and herb garden. "Isn't he coming with us?" I asked as she pulled me through the grass.

"Eothain? No, he must...tack his horse? Is that right?"

"Close enough," I said as she led me into one of the larger houses. It was...basic. There was a wood floor with wooden walls. This front room held wooden furniture and a fireplace. There were cabinets and trunks for storage and there was a table with multiple bowls and plants on it.

"Come," she said, walking through a door. It was a bedroom with more cabinets and trunks. The fireplace from the front room was also seen through this room and the chimney seemed to be the only thing made out of stone. "Eothain say he found you out in the plains?" she asked.

"Yes," I answered as she rummaged through a trunk.

"What brings nífara to the plains? Nífara is not from the Mark."

I assumed she meant me. "I am lost with no memory of how I came to be in the Mark," I said.

"And my kind-heart brother say he will take you back to your home?"

"No," I said. "I'll find my own way back...if I can find a way."

She pulled out two garments, one a blue dress and the other a brown tunic. "Here. Dress too big, but vest we can tighten. I make food while you change, yes?"

"Thank you," I said, taking the clothes. I honestly hadn't expected her to be this nice to me. I was shocked that literally anyone was being as nice as these Rohirrim. Just giving me clothes and food. I pulled off my clothes, the ones I had borrowed from Eothain and the ones I had come here in. They were gross and tarnished. I noticed the stitching on the dresses was no where near as fine and the machine-made clothes I had arrived in. It was probably best no one inspect them too closely. They would probably seem bazaar.

The clothes Frida had given me were rough to the touch, but sturdy. She was right. The dress was too big, but the vest was easy to tighten with straps on the side. I had no mirror to inspect myself with, so I bundled up the clothes in Eomer's blanket, hoping she wouldn't ask to see them. I folded Eothain's pants and cloak and carried them as well back into the main room.

"There we go," Frida said, bringing a pot over to the fire and setting it on a grate. "Food will be warm soon."

"Thank you," I said again, standing there awkwardly.

Frida smiled. "Eothain says to take care of you. Says you need place to sleep." She nodded toward another door leading out of the room. "I am healer in Aldburg. Other room is for people I help. Eothain lives in the Barracks. You can stay there until you find a way home, yes?"

She gestured to one of the chairs and I sat down, placing my few belongings beside me. I struggled to find words other than "thank you," to express my gratitude.

"You have something to say?" she asked.

"I just...I don't know what to say. This is so generous. I've only just met you and you're taking me in, giving me a place to stay…"

"We are Eorlingas," she said proudly. "We do not ignore those who need help."

"I just...I don't know how to repay you."

She smiled. "Eored comes back from patrol often hurt. You can help me with the men?"

I smiled back. "I think that could work."

"Good. I take you to see maps in the morning. If we find your home, we plan for you to return. Tonight, you sleep. Recover from your journey."

She fed me dinner, a simple meal of bread, cooked veggies, and some kind of tough meat. I didn't ask what it was. She lead me into the other room when we were done. There wasn't much in there. Two beds, each made up. I assumed this was the place people came when they were sick. That didn't do me much comfort, but I was too tired to care. My body was so stiff from my time on the plains, sleeping against Eothain's armor, riding a horse for an entire day. I nearly collapsed on the bed after setting my things on the floor. It wasn't all that comfortable and I had a feeling the mattress was stuffed with hay, but it felt like a cloud compared to where I had been sleeping of late. I turned over onto my back and caught a glimpse of Eomer's blanket on the floor. I reached over and grabbed it, spreading it over my body, taking in its warmth before falling into a deep sleep.