Chapter 18 Pursuit

For the hundredth time Aragorn turned to look at Mariell. The lass was doing surprisingly well considering they had been running for

three days and nights without food or rest. The Uraks that had taken Merry and Pippin had picked up their scent and quickened their pace.

"Hurry," he called to his companions. Mariell was by his side in a matter of seconds, with Legolas behind her and Gimli panting, trying

to keep up. They ran for several hours pausing now and again so Aragorn could listen to the ground for the vibrations of the Uraks. As

they ran he noticed something shiny on the ground and stopped to look. It was a leaf pendant that had been given to the fellowship in

Lothlorien. The clasps of such pendants did not come apart easily. One of the hobbits must have ripped it off.

"Not idly do the leaves of Lorien fall," Aragorn said thoughtfully. Legolas and Mariell joined him.

"They may still be alive," Legolas said. Aragorn saw Mariell breath a sigh of relief. He knew that she worried more about Merry and

Pippin than any of them. It was already difficult for her with Frodo being gone.

"Less than a day ahead of us," he said. They quickened their pace as they ran across a plain and over a large hill. They stopped so

Legolas could look over the plains.

"Legolas," Aragorn called. "What do your elf eyes see"

"They've turned north!" Legolas called. "They're taking the hobbits to Isengard"

"Saruman," Aragorn hissed. The thought of the hobbits in the hands of the white wizard made his stomach churn. The sky turned dark

and the wind turned cold. Leaning down to listen to the ground Aragorn found that the Uraks had stopped.

"They've stopped. We shall rest here tonight and pick up their trail tomorrow." Gimli seemed relieved but Mariell was outraged.

"If they have stopped we should try to catch up with them. If we stop they will get farther ahead of us"

"Mariell," Aragorn said patiently, "we have been running for three days straight. We are all worn out. The Uraks will not give up their

captives without a fight. If we try to attack now they would slaughter us. We need to rest. "

"They could kill Merry and Pippin while we stay here resting"

"If they wanted them dead they would already be dead," Legolas said.

"Legolas is right," Aragorn said, "Uraks don't take prisoners unless they are under orders to do so. Saruman wants them alive." Mariell

glared at him and then turned on her heel and ran away.

"Mariell!" Aragorn called after her. He started to go after her but Legolas restrained him.

"Let her go, Aragorn. Give her time."

Mariell didn't know where she was running to she just needed to be alone. She knew that Aragorn was right and she wasn't really mad

at him. But she just needed to get away from him and the others for a little while. In just a few days her entire world had been turned on

its head. She sat down and leaned against a rock. She was physically and mentally exhausted. She stared up at the sky. It was a dark

night and no stars shone in the sky. In her twenty-two years Mariell had never felt so alone. She ran her thumb over her pendant and

thought of her mother. As Galadriel had promised, her mother's image was still fresh in her mind. She closed her eyes as her mother's

memory surrounded her.

"Mariell," a voice called to her. Mariell opened her eyes. She saw a bright light and then her mother.
"Mama," she said. She stood up and realized her body felt strange.
"I'm dreaming," she said in realization.
"Yes you are," Lindela said. "And you have to wake up. Your friends need you Mariell. Your quest has only begun. Wake up Mariell. Wake up. Wake up..."

"Mariell wake up," a deep voice said beside her ear. With difficulty Mariell opened her eyes. Aragorn was in front of her.

"It's dawn, we have to get moving," he said to her. Mariell nodded and stood up. After a meager breakfast of Lembas they continued.

The sun was just coming up.

"A red sun rises," Legolas said. "Blood has been spilled this night." Mariell swallowed hard.

"Rohan," Aragorn said looking at the land before them. "Home of the horse lords." The ground beneath her feet suddenly began to

shake.

"Riders approaching," Aragorn said. They hid behind some rocks as they watched the horsemen approach. Aragorn stood up.

"Riders of Rohan!" he yelled to them. "What news from the mark?" In a matter of moments the riders had turned their horses around

and surrounded them. Aragorn pushed Mariell behind him as the riders brought their spears down. In fear, Mariell unconsciously drew

close to Aragorn. A rider with long golden hair came forward.

"What business does a man, an elf, a dwarf, and a woman have in the Riddermark. Speak quickly"

"Give me your name horseman and I will give you mine," Gimli said boldly. The man got down from his horse and approached them.

"I would cut off your head, dwarf, if it stood but a little higher from the ground"

"You would die before your stroke fell!" Legolas snapped drawing his bow. The riders reacted immediately. Mariell winced as she felt a
spear dig into her back. Aragorn lowered Legolas's bow and addressed the man.

"I am Aragorn son of Arathorn, this is Gimli son of Gloin and Legolas of the woodland realm." Mariell noticed that Aragorn had not

introduced her. Most likely for her protection for he could not introduce her as Mariell Baggins, and she had no other name to go by.

She glanced around at the men and realized that they were staring at her. She recognized the look in their eyes. It was the same one that
Boromir had had. Discomforted she moved closer to Aragorn. Aragorn must also have noticed the riders look because he immediately

spoke.

"This is my wife, Mariell." Mariell was shocked but she tried not to show it. To her relief the riders turned their focus away from her.

She was confused as to why Aragorn would say she was his wife. It was for her protection surely, but she didn't have to be his wife for

the riders to back off. However she did not have time to think about it because Aragorn was speaking again.

"We are friends to Rohan and her King"

"The king no longer recognizes friend from foe. Not even his own kin. I am Eomer, son of Eomund, the king's nephew." At this the man
pulled off his helmet. Mariell studied him. His face seemed familiar somehow. "For our loyalty to Rohan, my men and I are banished,"

he said.

"We are tracking a band of Urak Hai. They've taken two of our friends captive," Aragorn said.

"The Uraks are dead," Eomer said. "We slaughtered them in the night"

"There were two hobbits," Gimli said urgently. "Did you see two hobbits"

"They would have been small only children to your eyes," Aragorn said. Mariell felt anger growing in the pit of her stomach. If these men
had killed Merry and Pippin, purposely or not, she would kill them.

"We found only Uraks. We left none alive. We piled the corpses and burned them"

"You bastard," Mariell snarled. She moved to attack the man but Legolas restrained her.

"You killed them you monster! They were innocent and you killed them!"

"I am sorry," Eomer said sincerely. He turned to one of his men.

"Hasufel, Arod." Two horses were brought forward. "Take these horses. I pray your fates will be different than their previous owners."

He handed the horses' reigns to Aragorn and mounted his own horse.

"Look for your friends. But do not trust to hope. It is forsaken in this land. Farewell. We ride north!" With that the riders were gone.

Mariell wiped her eyes and allowed Legolas to lift her onto one of the horses. Aragorn climbed up behind her while Legolas and Gimli

mounted the other. They rode for hours until they saw the smoke in the distance. Mariell was praying every prayer she knew that they

were somehow still alive. She was not so distracted by her worry, however, that she did not notice Aragorn's arm around her waist.

"Aragorn," she said, "why did you tell those men I was your wife?" Aragorn stiffened at the question.

"I did that for your own protection. Some of the men seemed to take too much interest in you. We were on their land and they could

have tried to take you if they thought you were unattached. As my wife you would be considered off limits"

"You could have said I was your sister," Mariell pointed out. "They would not have tried to take me from my kin." Aragorn knew that

she had a point. When he had seen the riders looking at Mariell with lust in their eyes, to say she was his wife was the first thing that had

come to him. But he easily could have said she was his sister. It had just seemed more natural for her to be his wife. Aragorn sighed. His
feelings for Mariell were growing. But he could not do anything about it right now. They saw the pile of carcasses and rode close. They

dismounted and immediately began to search through the rubble.

"Look," Gimli said sadly. He held one of the belts that Galadriel had given Merry and Pippin. Aragorn felt his chest tighten.

"We failed them," Mariell said with tears in her eyes. Legolas was praying softly in elvish. Aragorn wanted to scream. How could they

have come so far only for it to end like this? He sank to his knees. Out of habit he studied the ground.

"A hobbit lay here," he said nonchalantly. As he studied the ground he noticed other things.

"There was a struggle," he followed the tracks of the battle. The others followed as he retraced the steps the hobbits took. He saw a

piece of rope near a sharp rock.

"They cut away their bonds." His began to feel hopeful as he continued to follow the tracks.

"They tracks lead into Fangorn forest," he said.

"Fangorn," Gimli gasped. "What could have driven them in there"

"They could still be alive," Mariell said, "we must go after them"

"Mariell is right," Aragorn said, full of new determination. "We will not abandon them now.