A/N: Thanks to Kayleigh my beta reader for looking over this chapter. You give great advice. Thank you to all my readers as usual. Here is the next chapter.

Moving Forward

Théoden could not bring himself to sit down despite the fact that he was in the Golden Hall, one of the most calming places in his home. It was the news he had received that was unsettling and the company that he was now with; an elf, a dwarf, a man and a wizard. With them they brought bad tidings, things that he did not ever want to have to deal with at the death of his only son and heir but must since he was the king. Over the course of a few hours it had been explained to him that an enemy was on its way, their main objective was to search for the one Ring and conquer any land that they could along the way.

The proof was in two children that had come a ways by horse to deliver the message that their village had been taken over and destroyed by in their words were hideous creatures. It all meant that they were heading this way. The children, now in the care of his niece were suffering through what Théoden did not want for the rest of his people. He simply couldn't let his people be caught in harm's way. Action needed to be taken; he would have to mourn for his son later. To make matters worse Legolas and Gimli had come back to the Golden Hall from retrieving the fifth member of their group only to be missing just that, the fifth member.

Legolas announced with much distaste in his voice that Amara had gone off with Wormtongue. She had left him a single message that she was fine. Théoden could tell though that by the looks on everyone's face she was anything but fine and there was something much more to the whole thing that no one was saying. Yes, it was an unbelievably horrid idea to go off with Wormtongue when obviously he had aligned himself with Saruman. Could they come to the conclusion that the same went for their fifth member?

This question he voiced and instantly regretted it. It seemed that the title of King that he possessed meant absolutely nothing to any of them.

"Amara would never become an alley to the enemy," Legolas had seethed between clenched teeth.

"She is my sister," Aragorn had been quick to bark.

"The lass would not sink so low," Gimli said with pure honesty.

Gandalf only gave him a grave smile, one that did not befit his face.

"She is trying to help Frodo the best way that she can," the old wizard spoke with wisdom. Gandalf explained to Théoden that Amara was an empath and that the gift of sensing others emotions to a great depth was given to her at birth. Now, with this information he saw the great concern the others had.

"Now that she is in the hands of Wormtongue she could be a useful tool to Saruman," he spoke.

Legolas glared at the king. Amara was not a tool he wished to voice but did not. Stating this would do nothing to bring her back. This was all her doing to begin with. Had she taken more time to think about it he would have stopped her himself. He would have walked into the stables with Gimli by his side and saw that Wormtongue was there with her. She would be with them had this occurred.

For the first time he did not feel that he was at fault for Amara's reckless decision.

"May I ask what makes you so positive that she has not decided on joining Saruman in his battle for the Ring?" A question that King Théoden had to ask. He knew nothing about this woman and yet he had to trust that she was doing the right thing. From what had been explained to him if she had been corrupted this could be the end of them all.

"How do you know that she has not been tainted by the ways of –"

"Amara has not once fallen into the lure of the Ring," Aragorn interrupted not feeling at all rude for it. "Even though she posses the blood of men, the blood of our people she has proved to be above the small trinket that is so powerful. However idiotic her actions have proved to be on this day I know that she believes it to be for the best."

Aragorn had clearly had enough with Théoden. His eyes were set like brown stone against the king. They had not any time to judge and debate on whether or not Amara was trustworthy enough. The matter at hand was that his sister had gone off thinking she could possibly do something rather than to just warn others. It was something that just had to be dealt with. Right now, there were people whose lives were at stake if they just sat where they were with an army of Urk-hai coming.

"I have born witness to those who are closest to someone betray them. What makes you think that this is not the case," questioned Théoden. He scanned over the group; disregarding the look his niece was giving him as she sat with the children.

"Would you like for us to say that she has yielded to the pull of evil," Legolas intently looked at Théoden. His gaze holding nothing that he felt back. Even though he appeared quite calm, his was anything but.

Théoden settled on the elf. "I would like for you all not to push away that possibility!"

"That will never," Legolas spoke with a deadly calmness. "Happen."

Gimli sensing the danger that was sparking from the elf gently nudged his leg with the broad side of his axe. What they did not need was an argument and that was what this was becoming. Gimli full heartedly agreed with the elf. They would never and could never think that way about Amara, not when they had not heard the fullness of the tale. The fire that had begun emitting from Legolas though, Gimli had felt should be best saved for the battlefield which was the reason for the jab. If they ever got to a battle, the way this conversation was going they were more likely to be talking their way through the fight than fighting in it itself.

"All I am saying," Théoden said, turning away from the elf and focusing on Gandalf. Maybe he would hear the sensibility in his words. "Is that everyone is susceptible to something and perhaps Amara is to the power that Saruman has to offer to her."

"She needs not anymore power Théoden King of Rohan. Let us not discuss any longer the things that are not in our hands to resolve. There is another pressing matter to think of," Gandalf spoke. There was much tension in the room already and they needn't anymore. He had an idea of what Amara was going to do, but he decided against discussing it. There was no time for it. All they could do was keep hope for the empath that things would work out.

The fire blazed and licked at the pieces of wood it surrounded and Amara was captivated by it for the moment. She forced herself into thought so as to keep her mind away from the actions she had committed. The worry that everyone must've been feeling she thought of as she sat down by the fire. She knew it was not right to just up and leave on her own accord without discussing the matter with anyone else, but had she done that everyone would have said no. It was quite a risky thing to do by herself, but it was something she thought she could do.

It was something she could do. It would have to work for her sake, Frodo's sake and Middle Earth's sake. This operation had to be successful and would be. Amara had confidence in herself that years ago she lacked. The women kept repeating over and over to herself that soon it would all be over. She would be back with Aragorn and he'd be teaching her the finer points of a sword because he believed that since she was his closest family she should know most of everything there was to know about a sword.

Once it was over she would be back with Legolas and welcoming his presence in any way shape or form that she could. Just thinking of Legolas made her regret her decision. She wanted to be with him. No matter how bad or afraid she felt when they had been put into hazardous conditions, Legolas had always made her feel safe. Amara had felt like nothing could possibly go wrong when in his presence.

Right now, she felt like anything could happen. She did not feel safe nor at ease, she only felt wanted. Amara felt that there was a great desire for her and not in the safest of ways. Her eyes darted from the fire to the pasty creature across from her. He had pulled his cloak tightly around his frail appearing figure and was staring at her without trying to be discreet about it. There was no denying the fact that Wormtongue had felt some sort of weird twisted attraction to her. Amara felt this in his emotions that no matter how hard he tried he could not bury away inside himself.

It wasn't the kind of attraction that Legolas had for her, nor the type of attraction she had faintly sensed emitting from Éomer. This was something awful. Wormtongue felt no sort of care for her, none at all. His intentions were only those of cruelty and lust. He only wanted the one thing so many others had probably denied him. Amara thought if he had no one whispering in his ear he would have taken what he wanted, or at least attempted to. Bottom line in her book had been that Wormtongue had never had a pure soul.

Wormtongue creeped her out to say the least. Was she frightened of him? No. Hell, she figured she could probably take him with her eyes closed, but sensing what she felt coming from Wormtongue, she would never close her eyes around him.

"Are you cold," he asked breaking the long silence that had set between them ever since the stables.

She looked at him blankly. He'd made her go gather wood from the fire, he'd made her go scout something to eat (blue berries from a patch she quite luckily stumbled upon) so she doubted whether or not he cared that she was cold. Amara shook her head refusing to speak words to him for the moment.

"You appear to be cold to my eyes," he said.

Amara had horrible thoughts of kicking the crap out of him but decided against it. She could not get to Saruman on her own after all.

"I'm not cold," she spat out harshly. Her eyes burned with a sort of hatred.

"You remind me of Eowyn," he spoke quite bluntly. His blue eyes began to bore into her figure. "You have the sort of strength that she possesses.

There is only a small difference."

"Oh and what's that?"

Big mistake. A huge mistake to ask that question. She felt like a fool after asking that question. It was giving him an open invitation to herself. It was like saying that she cared how and what he thought. Wormtongue felt like she was entertaining him, that he was open to saying what he wanted or getting what he needed. He got up from his spot and sat next to her.

Amara, not liking how close he was to her scooted a few feet in the opposite direction. She was sorry that her lips had even formed the question.

"You have something that she cannot acquire and that is power. I am quite sure you can sense what I am feeling right now."

Wormtongue reached out a hand to touch her cheek. Her skin glowed so bright against the moon that it was hard for one not to want to touch her. For so long he had wanted Eowyn and over and over she had denied him. He was sick to death of women who thought that it would be beneath them for them to be with him. For years he had been advisor to a noble king! He had not understood that. Now that he could not have Eowyn, there was another that he could have.

Amara felt her skin crawl as Wormtongue touched her cheek. Not only did he get the pleasure of touching her, she felt emotions in him flare up that she only could wish would wash away from her brain. To say that she was disgusted was an understatement.

"Do not touch me," she said removing his hand from her cheek. "I agreed to go with you, but I am not agreeing to this."

Wormtongue furrowed his brow in anger. "If not me, then who? No one would love you where we head to. Your only objection will be to find the Ring of power. Nothing else! So either you accept me now or doom yourself to spend your days alone!"

Nightly sounds filled the silent air after Wormtongue's rant. He was breathing quite heavily in his anger. For a moment, Amara did not look at him. She had cast her attention to the fire and Wormtongue honestly thought that he was considering the words he had said. Then she turned to him once more, her darkened eyes showing no emotion and strands of her hair slightly moving in the breeze.

"Even if I had someone that loved me," she said coldly. "I would not let them stand in the way of my power."

Wormtongue dismissed her, going over to his spot once more and tried to fall asleep.

Those words she had not meant, not at all. They were only something to keep up appearance. Those words were only said to make her appear hard and disinterested in anything but what she was going to.

'Wow, I should have majored in theatre arts instead of biophysics,'

Amara thought rather grimly.

The order had gone out. The people of Rohan were to leave the city and seek refuge at Helm's Deep. Everyone went about packing the bare necessities. Only a light loud was aloud with each family and nothing more. A sort of organized chaos had ensued at the news. No one took things lightly and most worried of what was to become of their future.

A certain dwarf did not think it was such a grand idea at all. What he saw was only a group of cowards, afraid to face what was coming.

"Helm's Deep! They flee to the mountains when they should stand and fight. Who will defend them if not their king?" Gimli grunted, not liking this at all. He walked beside Aragorn, needing someone to vent his anger out at.

From what he could tell, they were following Gandalf into the stables, a place he'd rather not be again.

"He is only doing what he thinks is best for his people. Helm's Deep has saved them in the past. "Aragorn spared a look down at the dwarf. He had pressed other issues to keep his mind from imagining the things that could be happening to his sister. He kept reminding himself that at times she could be brave and keep her own. That was the only thing keeping him sane, that and the fact that there were other pressing issues.

Gandalf went towards Shadowfax's stall. There would be much need for haste given that they did not have that much time to waste. The enemy was knocking on their door and there was not a minute, not even a second to spare.

"There is no way out of that of ravine. Théoden is walking into a trap. He thinks he is leading them to safety but what he'll get is a massacre. Théoden has a strong will but I fear for him. I fear for the survival of Rohan. He will need you before the end, Aragorn. The people of Rohan will need you. The defenses have to hold."

"They will hold," Aragorn said believing in his words.

Gandalf took Shadowfax from his stall. He would have to travel like the wind to meet his target. Quietly he spoke to himself," The Grey Pilgrim. That's what they used to call me. Three hundred lives of men have I walked this earth and now, I have no time." It was humorous the way things turned out, ironic even. Mounting Shadowfax he turned to Aragorn and said, "With luck my search will not be in vain. Look to my coming at first light of the fifth day. At dawn, look to the East. At first light of the fifth day. At dawn, look to the East."

And like lightening he was out of the stables and on his mini quest.

Eowyn opened one of her chests revealing her sword. She was going to be damned if she was forced to behave like all the other women, fleeing and leaving the men to fight what was clearly their battle too. They were all in jeopardy and it was up to everyone to face that fact. She agreed full heartedly with her uncle about getting everyone to Helm's Deep. She only thought that those who were capable of fighting should be allowed to, all those not just the men.

She had always wanted to have a purpose more than shield maiden of Rohan. Yes, it was a very important job but she wished more for herself, more for her life. She wished that she could be out there with those soldiers that risked their lives for the sake of their people. Eowyn wanted to help the best way that she could.

She picked up her well kept sword and sliced it thorough the air as if the enemy were right before her. Eowyn could imagine herself pushing her blade through one of the Urk-hai that had destroyed the village that the two children in her care had been from. She felt that it was extremely unfair for her skills to go unused. She swung her sword once more, but did not expect for it to collide with anything solid. She was faced with Aragorn; he looked back at her with the slightest tinge of what was surprise. Eowyn knew her own face must've mirrored his but to more of an extreme.

"You have some skill with a blade," Aragorn said sheathing the knife that had been given to him by Celeborn. He was surprised to see that the shield maiden had made use of the sword she had kept in a chest. It was not everyday that one got to see a woman wielding a sword.

Feeling ever so flustered, Eowyn began to put away the sword and move back to the tasks that still needed to be done.

"The women of this country learned long ago that those without swords may still die upon them. I fear neither death nor pain. "

"What do you fear my lady?" Aragorn was aware that he should step lightly on the subject. With an inevitable war at hand many chose to respond differently.

"A cage. To stay behind bars until use and old age accept them. And all chance of valor has gone beyond recall or desire." Eowyn looked back at

Aragorn, daring him to say something against her words, to challenge them like all others did when she told them. Most believed her to be foolish and that she should settle down and find a suitor, but this was not what she wanted to do. She wished to be free to do whatever she wanted.

"Your sister," she decided to say. "She seems to have the right idea."

"You mean in going to Saruman in order to bring him down?"

Eowyn nodded. She turned back to packing blankets. "She has not allowed herself to succumb to the same fate I seem to have. I think her to be both brave and smart for her actions, despite what everyone else seems to believe."

Aragorn could only smile grimly. Yes, Eowyn and Amara seemed to share much in common. Should they ever meet he believed they would become great friends.

"You are a daughter of kings. A shield maiden of Rohan. I do not think that will be your fate." With those last words, Aragorn left Eowyn to her tasks.

As soon as the words 'Here we are" left Wormtongue's mouth, Amara hopped ungracefully from the horse they were on. They were at the gates of a land that had once bustled with life and now only supported death. Amara looked up at the dreary atmosphere and the two black towers that greeted her eyes with malice. Three places she could think of wanting to be other than this place. Wormtongue dismounted his steed and gave her a sharp look.

"Stay close to me," he said.

Amara looked at him and nodded. She knew why he said what he had. She felt it. All around them was evil. Urk-hai and orcs had been stationed at the gate and they greeted them with snarls. She put up the hood of her cloak and kept her head down, reminding herself of her one objective. Urk-hai and orcs had the advantage because they frightened her near death. It was best not to look at them and ignore the raunchy comments being thrown her way. If she ignored them, they could not scare her.

Evil invaded into her veins and ripped at her heart bring stinging tears to her eyes that she refused to let fall. Tears were a sign of weakness now. Almost, she felt like a poor little girl and wanted a hand to hold. She wanted Legolas or her brother to tell her things would be alright. That she would make it through this.

'This is all your doing girl,' she told herself. 'You got to suck it up and take it.'

Amara took a deep breath and looked up at what were becoming closer and closer to her, the two towers.

"Saruman will love you," Wormtongue whispered to her in a seducing manner.

'Some how I doubt it,' was her single thought.