"Steady, Alandu", Solatiri said.
Her horse walked through the woods as she pulled out her map. Solatiri had spent a day and a half riding. She already passed into the kingdom of Rohan, but she didn't know where to go next. Solatiri looked at the map trying to pinpoint where she was.
"I hope I'm not lost", she said.
She looked at the map thinking where Boromir could've gone next. Edoras was the last major city of Men. After that, it was nothing but forests and mountains until one reached Rivendell. Solatiri supposed Edoras was where Boromir was heading first.
The horse neighed as something spooked it.
"Alandu", Solatiri said taking the reins. "Steady, girl."
She held on tight as the horse backed up. The horse suddenly neighed as it stood on its hind legs startled.
"Alandu!"
From the bushes a black arrow flew, hitting a tree next to Solatiri. Solatiri looked in the bushes to see Orcs with weapons ready. She lowered her hand to her saddle, reaching for her sword.
"I am not afraid", she said raising her sword.
The Orcs growled as they jumped out of the bushes. Solatiri swung her sword as they came running toward her horse.
"Get away, you beasts!" she yelled.
Solatiri picked up her shield and blocked attacks that were coming on her other side.
"Alandu, go!" she urged her horse.
Solatiri continued swinging her sword, trying to keep the Orcs from restraining her horse. The Orcs continued attacking as she tried to get past them.
"Get back!" Solatiri yelled.
She was too busy trying to go forward, she paid no mind to the Orcs behind her. Solatiri suddenly gasped as she felt a stabbing pain in her back. She slowly turned to see the black feather of an Orc arrow sticking out of her back.
"Go Alandu…" Solatiri whispered. "Run…fly…"
The horse neighed as it stood on its hind legs trying to fight off the Orcs surrounding them. Solatiri sheathed her sword and hung onto the reins. Her horse began galloping out of the woods, away from the Orcs. Solatiri grunted as she felt another arrow lodge into the back of her shoulder.
"No", she said to herself. "It won't end like this. I must get to Boromir."
Solatiri felt and tasted blood on her lip as she bit down trying not to yell in pain. She had been shot with arrows before and they always hurt. The ride to Edoras was now going to be a long and painful one. She had to ride another day like that. Solatiri wouldn't dare risk pulling the arrows out. She knew pulling them out would cause more damage.