Being outside of civilisation for a longer period of time was a strange thing. It affected me in ways I was unaware of, like the passing time. I had no idea how many days had passed exactly after I had left the Mark, but it had to be more than nine, because that was when I had lost count. Or was it eight? As Ryce and I were outside of the Entwood I felt more at ease, so we did not talk as much as we did back in the forest. Even in the forest we did not talk a lot, because Ryce thought it important I learned how to listen to my surroundings.

Everyone who knew me, knew I talked a lot. Mostly asking questions, always wanting to know the why and how. I thought that was why I did not have many friends, because they mistook my curiosity for mistrust. Or it was because they just thought I was annoying, I wasn't sure. But now, as my surroundings were so different from the ones I was used to at home, I felt more confident I was able to observe instead of ask. Also, I was afraid I was annoying Ryce as I asked him why owls were able to turn their heads the way they did. I knew of no other animals than owls that were able to do that.

'Maybe they have been blessed by the Gods to turn away from owls that look at them unnecessarily often,' after that I stopped asking, understanding the metaphor.

I was also still adapting to the new way of life that involved finding my own food. Back home we had hunters for meat, gardens filled with fruits and vegetables, and our streets were filled with chickens so there were enough eggs for everyone. Of course, these had to be bought or traded at the market, but usually Odile did that, because I was too busy training with Eowyn or gone with the riders. I wished I had paid more attention to how we got our food on a ride out, because the further away we went, the less edible things I recognized.

'We have been gone a fortnight now,' Ryce suddenly said. I told myself I would write this down later and start keeping track of the days on a piece of paper. We had reached Limlight a couple of days ago and we were riding alongside it as Ryce was searching for the best point for us to ride across it. I had not yet thought of a response, because I did not know what direction the conversation would take, before he continued.

'Meaning it has been fifteen days since Boromir was in Rohan. He has had only two day's head start, and even though we had a little set back,' I imagined he referred to the orc attack, 'I am convinced we have made up that lost time with our haste. Yet, we have not found him yet nor have I seen any trace of him, to be honest,' I had the feeling he was building up to something and I wish he would just say it. 'I had hoped we would have had a possibility to cross the river, because I thought that was what he would have done. Now I think differently. I think we need to change plans again,' he said. He was silent for a bit.

And a bit longer.
Then I realized he expected me to say something. I was still getting used to being a part of this mission, instead of just following the mission. So I quickly changed my nodding in understanding to frowning in a thoughtful manner before I responded.
'You think if there was an easy cross-over point, we would have found it by now. I do not remember any bridges marked on any maps,' as I said it I felt his eyes burning on me. I casted my own down, realizing he had expected me to have come to this conclusion earlier.
'So you think Boromir did not take this route. You think Boromir did not go to the Entwood at all,' he nodded approvingly, so I continued, 'you think he crossed the Entwash and crossed the Anduin closer to Edoras, where the passage is easier because of the trade routes,' it made perfect sense, I had to admit, and I felt stupid for not realizing it before.

'And now we have lost some of our initial speed as we slowed down beside Limlight in search for a point to cross. We should make haste to where Limlight flows into the Anduin,' he nodded approvingly again and the uneasiness I felt in my stomach started to fade.

'Good, and haste we shall make,' he said before he pushed Tordag into a gallop. I sighed - my behind really no longer agreed to be in this saddle any more, and then followed suit.

/ / /

Ryce had ridden these parts of the Wold before but I had not and I was thankful for it, because it meant I got to take it in for the first time. Even though we were riding hard, it was still easy to see the beauty of these uninhabited parts of Rohan. Of course, we saw the casual traveller here and there, but I needed no reminder from Ryce that it was better if we did not stray nor linger. Except for the occasional break - and with occasional, I mean occasional, sometimes we would go more than half a day without, we rode on. As Ryce slowed down I was beginning to thank the Gods for the upcoming break, but then I saw his face.
'It looks like there are a lot of people up ahead, coming our way. A lot of people might be harder to ignore than just a small group, especially if there are people that recognize us,' Ryce said. I squinted my eyes and indeed, I could see a big moving blur. My eyesight really was way worse than Ryce's. I looked around. We were very close to the Anduin now, so there was more greenery, more trees, more bushes. More places to hide. To my right I saw a hill that had several trees strewn across it with bushes here and here and some rocks. I motioned my head towards it.
'Let's wait there while they pass. We could do with a break and then ride late into the night. I think our horses would thank us for it,' he smiled.

'Since when do you refer to yourself as 'horse'?' he laughed and despite myself I let out a semi-sarcastic ha-ha, before he continued, 'but yes, let's do that,'

/ / /

'Why do you think rocks in water feel so different from rocks on land?' I asked as I laid down the berries I collected on one of the rocks beside me. I could almost feel Ryce roll his eyes. We were sitting behind a rock that was next to a bush. It provided enough cover for the passing travellers we had seen before. I had fallen back into my old habits before I knew it and the question escaped me before I knew it.

'Maybe rocks are actually soft, but harden when touched. In the water they're always touched by water, so when they tense up then, they already are a bit softer,' he said. I dropped one of my berries.

'I can't tell if you are being serious or not,' I said while I was thinking about what he had said. He smiled.

'I know. It is how I am coping with your constant desire to ask me anything that pops into your head,'

'By leaving me with more questions?' I said and I popped a berry into my mouth as I tried not to smirk when realisation hit him. He looked horrified. I started laughing and had to be careful not to fall in a fit. I calmed down and threw another berry in the air that I caught in my mouth.

'I made that up. I have no idea why rocks feel different. I do not think anyone knows,' he said.

'So why do you get angry at me for voicing a thought anyone might have? It is something people could bond over,' he gave me a dry look.

'Because you also ask why brown is brown and not yellow. Some things just are, Dilly,' as he grabbed a berry, I remembered the fake names we had given ourselves and that I was to call him Raeza at all times, even when it appeared that we were alone. One could never be too careful. As he had said it like that, I realized how similar "dilly" sounded as "silly" and I was about to say something about that when Ryce pushed me aside to grab more berries.

'You can just ask for more berries, Raeza,' Raeza just sounded familiar to Ryce. It was unfair. But his attention was not on me, and then, so suddenly I did not even know it had happened, he was practically on me.

'How many of these have you had?' he demanded. He sounded… off.

'I don't know! A couple when I collected them, a couple as I brushed Hefric down, and then a couple as I sat down here,'

'Make yourself throw up,' I blinked. I almost laughed, but he was dead serious.

'Sorrun, if you do not, you will start to bleed inside and then there is nothi- just throw up!' he said. He did not just sound off, he sounded afraid. See, I knew there was a reason I hated it when people use your name, it is because they are always so serious in what they say - otherwise Ryce would not have forgotten to call me Odile.

It took me that long to realize what he had said. Immediately I felt sick to my stomach as I understood what he had said.

'I do not know how!' I almost screamed. I knew some people could make themselves throw up by sticking their fingers so far in their mouth that they touched their throat, but it never worked when I tried it. Well, I only tried it once, but as I said, it did not work.

'You do not - oh Valar, forgive me,' he said before he pulled me forwards by my shoulder, opened my mouth with his one hand and then stuck his fingers in my throat.

Before I knew it, my the contents of my stomach were out and about on the rocks. There had been no time to protest, because the smell that came from his hand was almost enough to do the trick.

'Wh- whuat w- was thut sme-ell?' I cried out. I was seeing horrific images from where his hands had been, and I was trying to recall the last time I saw him wash himself. I was coughing and tears pricked my eyes as my nose started to run.

'I did not quite catch that. What?' he asked. To my surprise, as I glanced over at his hands, they were not very dirty - as far as I could see.

'What is that smell!'

'That's what the inside of those berries smell like. I squashed one when I was suspicious of their colour. Tell me when you are feeling a bit better, which will not be for a while, but then I can reprimand you,' he said, 'and eat this bread. Try to chew as little as possible, and then you need to throw up again. It will soak up the last bits of berry in your stomach. No no -' he grabbed the waterskin from my hands, 'do not drink yet. Eat the bread,' I did as I was told while being confused about the whole situation. Before he had stuck his fingers in my throat I had felt fine. Now I was feeling terrible. I felt little drops of sweat on my upper lip and temples and it felt like my stomach had sunken to my feet. I tried to eat the bread, but I was afraid that it would get stuck in my throat as Ryce had told me not to chew too much. The big chunks of bread felt like lead in my stomach and was it just me or was this wind that started to blow really hot?

When I had finally eaten all the bread, Ryce looked at me with a raised eyebrow. I looked at him in shock.

'I thought you were joking. As a part of the reprimanding,'

'I was not. Open up,' the idea that he was enjoying this was beginning to form in my head, but I did what I was told anyway. Once I had lost the bread I felt a whole lot better.

'Have you ever eaten red berries before?' he asked. And so the telling-off began. At one point he started to sound so much like Eomer that I felt a pang of heartache.

'I did not think they would dissolve my insides, okay!' I said, I felt defeated.

'Just ask if you're not sure!' he shouted back. And so my anger flared up again.

'I don't want to always have to depend on questions!' I shouted back.

'Apparently you still do!'

'Then answer my questions when I ask you something!'

'Then stop asking why a saddlebag has so many pockets, or how a waterskin came to be a waterskin or why rain does not come pouring down all at once but in little drops!'

I had never asked that last question, and I was baffled. We looked at each other and we burst out laughing without a warning. It felt so good to laugh like this, because it had been a long time either of us had really let ourselves go. I think even Ryce rejoiced in the moment, letting go of his guard, even just for a little while. I was aware my stomach was still upset so this fit was not helping, but I did not mind. I saw tears streaming down his cheeks, which caused me to laugh even harder.

And then I saw that the travellers were not going the same direction anymore, but were coming our way. Our laughter must have attracted them.

And then I saw they were not just travellers.

They were orcs.

In broad daylight.