A/N: Chapter Three!

Chapter Three

Cowering at Car Andros

"Please?" begged Aldamir.

"It isn't my decision," said the guard. "By the King's command all land within view of the tower of Isengard belongs to the ents, and they don't like visitors."

"What if I had business in the tower?" asked Aldamir.

"I would know of it, or you would have the passphrase," replied the guard.

Aldamir and Astra mounted their horses and rode away from the guardpost.

"I know what I am asking for next time we help the King," muttered Aldamir.

"I still don't understand why you want to see these … what do you call them … ents?" asked Astra. "We can't hunt them, can we?"

"Goodness no!" exclaimed Aldamir. "They are walking, talking trees!"

"What do trees talk about?" inquired The Huntress.

"I don't know, but I intend to find out," he answered.

Having spent the past eight weeks travelling with Astra as she hunted every beast in Dunland and the surrounding lands, Aldamir was eager to reach Edoras. Astra would have spent another month on the hunt but she knew Aldamir needed to see a city, do some trading, and sleep in a proper bed. Gram gladly welcomed Aldamir and Astra into his home when they arrived exhausted at his door.

The next morning Aldamir eagerly got to work. He sold most of Astra's trophies for thrice what she would have earned. Astra, who was never impressed by anything but herself, had to admit that he was much better at this aspect of her profession than she was. That admission was nearly all the pay he got, because The Huntress was loath to share much of the coin she felt she alone had earned.

After a few relaxing days in Edoras, Aldamir insisted they ride to Minas Tirith. Astra was unenthusiastic but Aldamir had indulged her love of the wild for many weeks and she knew she should let him choose their next destination. To appease Astra he suggested they ride to the White City without taking the roads; Astra joyously approved.

The route they planned took them down the Snowbourne, then along the Entwash to the Anduin, then past Cair Andros and due south towards the Pelennor. The journey was uneventful until the night before they were to reach Cair Andros.

It was late at night but Astra couldn't sleep. They had made no fire for the weather was fair and there were no beasts they knew to fear in these lands. As Astra sat staring eastward she saw the glint of moonlight on metal. She quietly roused Aldamir.

"We've got company," she whispered.

Three dark shapes were moving towards them at great pace. They ran hunched over and looked too small to be men.

"Orcs!" Aldamir whispered back. "Aim for the one on the far left."

Aldamir drew his sword when the orcs were only about twenty yards away. As soon as he did Astra killed one of the three.

"For Gondor!" he shouted, charging headlong at his foes. One of the orcs engaged Aldamir while the other dove past him and rushed at Astra. She hurriedly fired an arrow which struck it in the shoulder. The orc wailed in pain but pressed the attack.

Astra had no sword, nor any training in personal combat. She parried a few blows with her bow before it broke in twain. The orc lifted its sword for a killing blow just as Aldamir tumbled into it from behind, running his sword through its chest.

"Are you alright," he cried, kneeling beside Astra.

"My bow!" she screamed. "It broke my bow! Damned orcs!" She gave the dead creature a swift kick with her boot for good measure.

Aldamir laughed. "I'll take that as a yes."

Astra was quite distraught at the loss of her bow, but Aldamir assured her he knew where in Minas Tirith she could find a replacement of the highest quality. Aldamir was much more worried that orcs were on this side of the Anduin.

He searched the orcs' bodies carefully and found a conspicuously well wrapped bundle of papers. The language of their contents was unknown to him, but he rightly guessed that the garrison at Cair Andros would be interested in such a find.

"Do you think you can follow their tracks back to where they crossed the river?" asked Aldamir.

The Huntress forgot her sorrow with such a task at hand. She quickly followed the orcs' trail back to a cobbled together boat hidden amidst reeds at the southern edge of the Mouths of the Entwash.

"We need to report this at once," said Aldamir.

Astra and Aldamir rode through the night and reached Cair Andros a few hours before noon. Thorongil spied their approach and met them at the edge of their camp.

"Thorongil!" cried Aldamir from afar. "I didn't expect to find you here."

"You are looking looking at the border of Gondor, for all intents and purposes," replied Thorongil solemnly. "Many of us here are from the Black Gate garrison which fell five days ago."

Aldamir was stunned speechless. Eventually Astra spoke.

"We ran into some orcs north-west of here," she explained. "They broke my bow! You probably don't care. You might be more interested in this!"

She handed him the documents they had taken from the orcs. He flipped through them briefly.

"These need to be taken to Minas Tirith as soon as possible," said Thorongil.

"We can take them," replied Astra. "Right Aldamir? Aldamir?"

Aldamir nodded absentmindedly. He still couldn't believe the Army of Gondor had lost a battle. In his short lifetime he had known nothing but victories; in his eyes they invincible.

A few hours later the Cair Andros garrison received a more impressive visit. A company of around sixty-five arrived from the south. At their head rode Amdirien and Aderthon with the Princess's royal guard. Elerína was not far behind. Behind her came fifty of Gondor's finest heavy infantry: Aderthon's own hand picked guard. They wore red cloaks and their gauntlets were engraven with the symbol of Miril's house.

Aderthon got straight to the point. He summoned the captains of the Black Gate and Cair Andros garrisons, as well as Captain Anders and Thorongil.

"By order of the King all forces north and east of Minas Tirith are now under my command. Assemble your men for royal inspection, then you will each give me a report on the situation."

The entire garrison was arrayed upon a grassy field for Amdirien to see. She spoke to them briefly, praising the courage and ensuring them that the Crown recognized their sacrifice. She then dismissed them and went to find Captain Anders.

"Your Majesty!" he said, kneeling at her approach.

"Rise, Captain," smiled the Princess. "I wish to know honestly, how bad is it?"

"I do not believe the enemy has the numbers to threaten us beyond the Anduin," Anders replied. "Their main stronghold seems to be Durthang, which is farther from us than Minas Tirith is. To supply an army to attack us here would be challenging."

"Well that is good," said Amdirien.

"At the Black Gate the situation is reversed," explained Anders. "It will be hard to hold it, even if we retake it."

Amdirien nodded. "It hasn't been the same without you. Without you and Thorongil around, Elerína can spend all her time correcting my mistakes."

"Well then, I shall endeavor to win this war as quickly as possible," laughed Anders, "so that Elerína may have other people to tell they are wrong."

While the maiar's mortal students reminisced Elerína found her husband amidst the captains of the garrison.

"There you are!" she exclaimed. "I didn't come all this way to see Gondor's soldiers."

"You shouldn't have brought the Princess this close to the fighting," replied Thorongil crossly.

"She's perfectly safe with me present," glared Elerína.

"Perhaps," Thorongil replied, "It is good to see you, though I suspect you had a hand in Aderthon's new assignment. Do you want me home that badly?"

"That wasn't my doing, actually," laughed Elerína. "And yes, I do. You left me alone with Sauron and his vampire!"

"I said we should kill Sauron," answered Thorongil. "You said you had him under control!"

"I do," sighed Elerína.

"Fine, fine," muttered Thorongil. "I can come back. The next stage will involve a great deal of waiting."

Suddenly Aderthon arrived. "Thorongil, I want you to lead a scouting mission this evening. Put together a squad…"

"I'm returning to Minas Tirith," Thorongil interrupted.

Aderthon was quite taken aback. "I thought you were assigned to the garrison at the Black Gate."

"I am not assigned anywhere" replied Thorongil defiantly.

Amdirien arrived to settle the matter.

"Thorongil does not answer to anyone but my father," she said. "And honestly, he doesn't answer to him either, save as a courtesy. He has been kind enough to help us fight this menace from Mordor, but if he wishes to return to Minas Tirith with his wife he is welcome to do so. We can but thank him for his service."

"Yes, your Majesty," replied Aderthon, seeing that Amdirien clearly thought this was acceptable. "Can I send Captain Anders, or is he returning also?"

"Anders should remain," decided Thorongil, to Amdirien's disappointment. "You know him?"

"I would say that I know of him," answered Aderthon. "We have probably met. His heroism is well known to me and my men."

Thorongil nodded. "Don't get him killed."

Aldamir and Astra joined Thorongil, Elerína, Amdirien, and her guard for the return to Minas Tirith. Their journey was safe and swift. Aragorn was very pleased with Aldamir's find, though no one could figure out what the papers said. As a reward, Aragorn gave Aldamir the passphrase to enter the seventh level.

"I don't suppose I could have the passphrase for the valley of Isengard instead?" asked Aldamir.

"Don't be hasty," laughed Aragorn.