Lithoniel: Hello people! I'm having so much fun with this story! I've successfully turned my friend Alecia (a.k.a Nostariel) into a full fledged ringer! This is so cool! I'd just like to say to the fans of my CSI story Perils, I'm going to update soon! Enjoy the chapter folks.

I looked up in amazement as Edoras loomed into view.

"Wow!" I breathed. It was even more beautiful then I could have ever imagined! We rode towards the entrance, but as we did something fluttered down from the sky. I looked and saw it was a flag of Rohan; it bore a white horse with a golden outline. I glanced up at the Golden Hall and saw Éowyn garbed in a flowing white dress. I glanced back at Nostariel who was looking around in awe, I looked back up at Éowyn, but she had disappeared. I then looked at the towns people, who were all dressed in black and some were giving us curious looks, but all around the air was heavy with sadness and despair.

"You find more cheer in a grave yard!" Gimli muttered. We slid off our horses and climbed the stairs to the hall where we were met by Háma. Gandalf let out a small Ah in greeting, but Háma didn't smile back.

"I cannot allow you before King Théoden so heavily armed Gandalf Greyhame, by order of Grima Wormtounge."

Gandalf nodded and we proceeded to hand over our weapons. I reluctantly handed over my sword and I pulled out my two dirks, giving them a little spin so that I was holding the blades and I offered the handles to the guard, but I kept my horn of Lothlorien hidden at my side. I glared a bit at the guards, signalling that if something should happen to my things I was not going to be a pleasant person to deal with! I watched my friends also hand over their weapons, but they were not happy about it. We proceeded until only Gandalf had his staff. Háma looked at Gandalf.

"Your staff." He said.

"Oh, you would not part an old man from his walking stick." Gandalf said. Háma hesitated for a second before letting us continue on. We walked into the silent hall and the doors closed behind us. I glanced around and noticed a group of men circling us and cracking their knuckles. 'Don't mess with fire or your going to get burned boys!' I said in my mind as I concentrated hard on the leader of the men who gasped and looked around in amazement and fear as I smirked. I turned back to the King who looked old and weary and I feared he would die right then and there until I noticed Grima whispering to him. 'That dirty snake!' I growled in my mind to Nostariel. 'Tell me about it!' she answered back.

"The courtesy of your hall has lessened somewhat of late Théoden King." Gandalf said.

"Why should I welcome you Gandalf Stormcrow?" he answered feebly.

"A just question my liege!" Grima said walking towards us, "Late is the hour in which this conjurer chooses to appear with his followers. Lathspell I name you, ill news is an ill guest. And to bring such maids here to the halls of Edoras." He said looking at me mockingly

"Silence! My friend and I have not survived the fury of the wild North Seas and the ancient forests on those shores to be scorned by the likes of thee!" I snarled, holding my head high and giving him a fierce glare full of wild fire that made him step backwards and some of the people gasped in amazement, Elves of the Sea here in Edoras!

"Yes, be silent! Keep your forked tongue behind your teeth! I have not passed through fire and death to bandy crooked words with a witless worm!" Gandalf growled pointing his staff at Grima.

"His staff!" he gasped backing away, "I told you to take the wizards staff!"

The guards rushed forward and we engaged them in a fist fight as Gandalf walked up to the king. I gave huge punch to the guy in front of me, but one of them grabbed me from behind. I quickly elbowed him in the stomach and flipped him over my shoulder. I turned to see Nostariel give a guy a huge kick in the chest that sent him flying. Once we had finished with the guards we turned to see Gandalf shed his grey cloak and a blinding white light surrounded him. I gasped in amazement at the power of Gandalf. Théoden was thrown back against his thrown and he struggled to stand.

"I will draw you Saruman as poison is drawn from a wound." Gandalf said commandingly.

"If I go Théoden dies!" he answered in Saruman's voice.

"You did not kill me you will not kill him!"

"Rohan is mine!"

"Be Gone!"

With that Théoden leaped forward, but Gandalf smote him backwards. He slumped down in his throne and gave a small moan as he fell forward. Éowyn rushed forward and caught him and we saw him turn into a much younger man. His clouded eyes cleared and brightened he looked around confused until he saw Éowyn.

"I know your face, Éowyn." He whispered. He then turned to us.

"Gandalf?" he said amazed.

"Breathe the free air again, my friend." He answered. The hall was lit up with light and Théoden stood shakily.

"Dark have been my dreams of late." He said looking at his hands.

"Your fingers would remember their own strength better if they grasped your sword." Gandalf said. Háma ran forward and presented the hilt of the king's sword to him. He slowly drew his sword gazing at the bright blade, and he smiled slightly. His smiled faded as his eyes fell upon Grima. He was quickly dragged out of the hall and thrown down the stairs. We ran to see him cry out in pain as he stopped rolling. 'You got what you deserved!' I sad scornfully to him in my mind and he turned to stare at me before turning to the advancing king.

"I've only ever served you my lord!" he cried slowly crawling backwards.

"Your leech craft would have had me crawling on all fours like a beast!" the king yelled back and he swung his sword above his head to smote Grima. But I took pity on the guy and ran forward with Aragorn to stop the king.

"No my Lord!" I cried yet again stealing Aragorn's line, "Let him go, enough blood has been spilled on his account!"

The king stopped and looked at me while Aragorn tried to help Grima up, but Grima spat on his hand. I started forward to show him what my dirks could do (we had gotten our weapons back by now.) but Aragorn stopped me and I obeyed, but I glared at Grima and spoke to him in my mind.

'You will get what you deserve in the end Grima. Listen to me reconsider and you may be spared! I am only trying to help you, you do not have to obey' I said, giving him one last chance to change his mind about Saruman for it would be his death. He gave me an amazed look and for a moment I thought he would listen to my advice, but he quickly ran through the crowd and galloped off on a black horse. I sighed and turned back to Aragorn and the king. Théoden turned back to the people of Edoras who were all bowing to him.

"Where is Theodred?" he asked softly, "where is my son?"

"I am sorry My Lord." I said softly, "but he was killed, ambushed by orcs bearing the white hand of Saruman."

Théoden stared at me his eyes went wide with horror and mine filled with tears of sympathy.

"I am sorry." I said quietly, "He fought bravely, but they were outnumbered."

That afternoon we had the funeral. We slowly walked forward just behind the king, but in front of his son. Nostariel and Legolas's bows had been decorated with flowers, as was Galadwen's spear that I was carrying. We had donned our black cloaks that we had with us ever since the beginning. As we laid the prince to rest Éowyn started to sing sadly. Once we had sealed the tomb I blew a long clear, but haunting note on my horn that cut through the silence of the funeral. Theodred, Prince of Rohan would never again ride from Edoras. I sighed sadly and placed some white flowers on the mound and said a soft good bye in elvish. Nostariel and I walked back to the Hall to meet with the others and discuss our next move. We had all sat down at the table when Éowyn came into the hall with two small children who looked terrified, but when they saw us three elves and Gimli they looked at us in amazement. I smiled at them and they calmed down a bit. After talking to them Éowyn stood up.

"They had no warning!" she said, "they were unarmed now the wildmen are moving through the Westfold, burning as they go, Rick, cot and tree!"

She gently placed a blanket around the girl's shoulders.

"Where is Mama?" she asked on the verge of tears.

"Shhhh" Éowyn said soothingly.

"This is but a taste of the terror that Saruman will unleash!" Gandalf said to the King who was sitting in his throne.

"Ride out and meet him head on. Draw him away from your women and children. You must fight!" Gandalf added.

"You have two thousand good men riding north as we speak. Éomer is loyal to you. His men will return and fight for their king." Aragorn said

"They will be three hundred leagues from here by now. Éomer cannot help us. I know what it is that you want of me. But I will not bring further death to my people. I will not risk open war." The king answered.

"Open war is upon you, whether you would risk it or not!" Aragorn said.

"When I last looked, Théoden, not Aragorn was king of Rohan." Théoden the king answered irritably.

"Then what is the king's decision?" I asked. He turned to me in surprise. 'Don't women here ever talk or what?' I thought sarcastically, but then realised, it was bad enough we were fighting, a thing we weren't supposed to be able to do, with the exception of those like Arwen.

"We will retreat to Helms Deep!" he said finally. I gulped, but said nothing. We would have a better chance of surviving the battle there then here in Edoras. The next morning the city was emptied and we started the long journey to Helms Deep! I rode on Freyda in silence. The black mare nickered softly to me as though she could tell what I was thinking.

"Thanks Freyda!" I laughed patting her on the neck. I looked at Nostariel who was in a deep conversation with Legolas, those two were bound to get together and I laughed softly at the thought! I looked at Gimli whose horse had suddenly reared and galloped and he went flying! I laughed so hard I nearly fell off my own horse and I trotted over to Éowyn and Gimli.

"Are you all right Gimli?" I asked barely containing my mirth.

"Yes, yes fine!"

I slid off my horse and helped him up. I noticed Éowyn gazing at Aragorn and I smiled. 'You may not end up with the man you think you will, but you will find love Éowyn' I thought to myself. Al of a sudden there was a commotion up ahead. I galloped over on Freyda to see Legolas and Nostariel kill an orc who had attacked Háma on a warg.

"A scout!" Legolas cried in dismay, kicking the corpse. I turned Freyda and galloped back to the others.

"Wargs!" I shouted, "we're under attack!"

Immediately there was panic, but Éowyn calmed them down, I drew my sword and blew my horn, helping gather the Rohirrim. Éowyn was about to join us, but Théoden told her to stay. We rode over the hill, this time Nostariel was riding with me because Legolas had gone ahead. When we galloped over the hill I saw the Warg-riders approaching and I sounded the charge. Nostariel was madly firing off arrows at the wolf like beasts, while I slashed away. But all of a sudden a warg tackled Nostariel and I off Freyda who continued to run and was soon taken by another rider.

"Draw your sword Nostariel!" I cried and leapt into battle. I turned to see Aragorn getting dragged by the warg and I ran to help. I was almost there when the orc, who had Aragorn's dagger sticking out of him, grabbed my hand and stuck it in the saddle strap like Aragorn's. The orc tumbled off, but we kept heading for the cliff. 'Oh crap!' I thought to myself. I looked at the orc who was laughing and just as we tumbled over the edge I shouted at him.

"SON OF A B-"

But I didn't get any further because Aragorn and I plummeted over the cliff strapped to the snarling Warg.

Nostariel's POV

I looked and saw Aragorn and Lithoniel plummet off the cliff and I screamed in horror! I was so shocked that I didn't see the warg sneaking up on me and it tackled me. We rolled down the hill and as we did so I tried to stop, but only succeeded in twisting my ankle. I gasped in terror as the warg placed his huge front paws on me and prepared to plunge its gruesome fangs into my throat. It lunged at me, but I jerked my head to the side just in time and the jaws closed together with a metallic snap, not a centimetre from my throat. It prepared to strike again, but it just collapsed on me knocking the wind out of me with it's great weight. I felt the horrible beast being rolled off of me and I saw Legolas looking down at me with a look of concern. I stared blankly at the sky letting what had just happen sink in. When it finally clicked in place I sat bolt upright scaring the hell out of him. He quickly composed himself and I couldn't help but smirk, but then tears rolled down my face.

"What's wrong?" he asked his voice full of worry.

"Aragorn and Lithoniel, they fell off the cliff!" I sobbed. I tried to get up and run to the cliff, but I fell back down again, pain shooting up my leg.

"Are you all right?" Legolas said sitting me up.

"I just twisted my foot when that thing tackled me down the hill, I'll be fine in a bit." I assured him, trying to get up again, but Legolas scooped me up in his arms. I shyly looked up in surprise, blushing furiously.

"Ummm what are you doing?" I said, shocked once again.

"Carrying you, you obviously can't walk on that ankle it'll just get worse."

I didn't say anything after that until we got to the cliff where an orc with Aragorn's dagger in his chest gave a gurgling laugh.

"What's so funny?" I snarled.

"Your friends took a little tumble over the cliff." He gurgled.

"You lie!" Legolas said, but then reached down and picked something up out of the orcs hand and gave it to me. It was Aragorn's necklace, the one Arwen gave to him!

"Oh no!" I started to cry softly again and Legolas gave me a comforting squeeze. He walked over to the king who was looking over the edge of the cliff. We joined him and also looked down. Far below was a rushing river. 'No way the could have survived that if they were strapped to a warg.' I thought to myself in dismay.

"Is she all right?" King Théoden asked kindly.

"What? Oh yes I'm fine, just twisted my foot a bit when the warg and I had a little game of tag and he caught me." I said smiling sadly. He nodded and turned to the others.

"Get the wounded on horses. The wolves of Isengaurd will return, leave the dead."

I sighed as we found Freyda trotting aimlessly around searching for Lithoniel. When she saw my face, it was like she knew what had happened and gave a heart breaking whinny. Legolas helped me onto her and I gave her a reassuring pat. Then we slowly continued our journey to Helms Deep. After a few hours the great stone fortress loomed in the distance, it was truly remarkable, but I was to sad to admire the beauty as I thought of Lithoniel and how she would be spouting out a million facts about the place if she were here. Suddenly this adventure was no fun anymore.

Lithoniel: OMG the Drama! LOL, I love writing this story and I'd like to thank all of my reviewers, but I need more! Come on people R&R!