All stared at her, doubt etched in their faces. Amiryat saw this and said "I know I am weak, and you fear I would only be a burden, but I shall need aid for only a short time. Quickly will my strength return and my wounds heal. There will be a time when you find me useful."

"And may I ask how?" inquired Gimli, in awe of her but still distrustful. She smiled at him and said "When I was in the Uruks captivity I remember seeing unusual child-like creatures. They said their names were Peregrin Took and Meriadoc Brandybuck. I take it these are the Hobbits of which you speak?" This sparked new interest in the hunters. She saw the Hobbits, knew their names. But they were wary; she could be speaking the truth or she could be another spy of the enemy.

"Please, forgive my impertinence, but you are unlike any creature I have ever set eyes upon, and you puzzle me greatly. You are no orc, nor are you man, Dwarf, or Elf-kind. If you'll excuse my rudeness, what, may I ask, are you?" asked Legolas suddenly.

The ethereal being gave a small laugh. "I am insulted, brother! Is my race so insignificant as to pass out of memory, even that of kin? I am a Marid, a sea djinn, and you would do well to remember it!" Her words were scolding, but the kind laughter spilling forth from her lips like water over rocks showed that she was not insulted, nor offended by Legolas's inquiry.

Legolas dropped to one knee. "Forgive me, my lady. Your kind was long thought to be but a tale to entertain children, and even those have nearly been forgotten. Had I realized-"

"You need not plead for forgiveness, for there was nothing to forgive." She interrupted, cutting off his apology. "But if you still insist on making amends, you would allow me to accompany you on your journey."

Her words had them trapped; they could not refuse to bring her with them, or ask to make amends in a different fashion, for doing so would be incredibly dishonorable. Their honor hung by a thread, and she held the knife in which to cut it.

All looked to Aragorn, who slowly nodded. Amiryat smiled at them, and Éomer supported her as she walked over to join the hunters. "Look for your friends," he said as he mounted his horse, "but do not trust to hope, for it has forsaken these lands. Farewell, Lady Amiryat." he added, turning to the Marid.

"Farewell, brother Éomer. And thank you." Though her words were short, her apology simple, the words held more unsaid meaning than the greatest poet could ever hope to weave into his lyrics.

Éomere then turned to the riders and shouted, "We ride north!"

Aragorn, Legolas, Gimli, and Amiryat watched as the Riders of Rohan thundered away over the plains, nearly disappearing into the horizon before they prepared to investigate the Uruk-Kai massacre

Amiryat was in front of Legolas, leaning back in to his chest with his arms on either side of her for support. With one hand she held her wild hair from the wind's whirling clutches, the fingers of her other hand entwined with Hansufel's mane. Legolas leaned forward so Amiriat could hear him speak over the wind."Tell me, Lady Amiryat, how your race came to be forgotten, and why you referred to yourself as kin of the Elves?"

"You are very curious, brother elf! But that is natural, I suppose, under the current circumstances. But first tell me, by what name should I address you?" she asked, raising her voice so Legolas could hear her over the horse's hoof-beats and the wind, though his elf ears could hear her perfectly over the sounds of travel.

"My name is Legolas Greenleaf, Lady Amiryat."

"Legolas Greenleaf?"

"Yes, 'Legolas' in my language translates into 'greenleaf'"

"So, really your name means 'Greenleaf Greenleaf?'" She laughed again, a kind, liquid-sounding music. "I was named after the beauty of the full moon on a clear night. My name means 'pearl-moon.'"

"It is a very beautiful name."

"Thank you. I'll answer your questions now, Legolas Greenleaf. The race of Marids have lived with this land farther back than even the oldest of us can remember, before the race of Man was born. For many years, all was at peace.

"The Marids are born of the sea, we are the sea, in a sense. We live and breathe the ocean, mighty and powerful with the life that flows in and around us. But when the first men stepped foot on our shores, the peace of life was broken. They murdered the trees by the hundreds, and when they learned of the power the Marids possess, they captured us, and tried to tame it."

The horses stride broke momentarily when it ran on a patch of uneven ground, and a sharp hiss escaped Amiryat's mouth as it jarred her wounds. She turned a bit to face Legolas, and said "Let us continue this conversation later, when we stop to make camp. Besides, we are nearly there." she added, watching the pungent smog of burning flesh draw nearer with every passing second.

They stopped at the pile of smoking carcasses and slide to the ground, Amiryat with the help of Legolas. Gimli was sifting through the charred remains, in hope that he would find nothing that proved of the two Hobbit's death. Amiryat too was kneeling on the ground, trailing her slim fingers through the dust. Legolas watched her as she dusted off an orcish dagger, turning it over in her hands as she studied the craftsmanship. Suddenly she dropped it as though it were a glowing coal. She studied her fingers, as though checking for some injury.

But it didn't cut her, Legolas thought. Amiryat looked up, and quickly tucked her hands in her cloak when she saw him watching.

At that moment, Gimli held a piece of scorched leather in the air. "It's one of their wee belts!" he cried, his voice cracking. "We failed them."

Legolas bowed his head and recited and Elvish prayer for the Hobbits. "Hiro îth… ab 'wanneth…" Amiryat went to comfort by Gimli, but started when Aragorn kicked an orc's helmet and shouted at the top of his lungs, his voice filled with despair and anger. He fell to his knees, clutching his head between his hands. Amiryat crouched beside him and put a hand on his shoulder as he silently shook with tears. No one spoke for a timeless moment, mourning the loss of their friends. It was Aragorn who broke the silence. "A Hobbit lay here," he said, tracing the tracks in the dirt, "-and the other, here."

"They nearly got trampled by a horse too, by the looks of it," Amyriat said, looking at the tracks that Aragorn had seen. "Nearly," she said again, as she caught the look on Gimli's face when she said that.

Aragorn was now moving, following she dips and marks in the dirt. "Their hands were bound, but here, their bonds were cut." he said, holding up a frayed rope. He rose, and the rest of the company followed him, hope once again rising in their chests.

"They ran over here, but they were followed. They tracks lead away from the battle," he said, breaking into a run, then suddenly halted, a few yards from a dense wall of foreboding trees. "-into Fangorn Forest." He finished in a hushed voice.

"Fangorn." Gimli muttered, shifting his grip on his axe as he peered into the grey and green wall before them. "What madness drove them in there?"

End of chapter two! What do you all think? Please review, I love to hear back from my readers! And happy thanksgiving!