There are dark shadows on the earth, but its lights are stronger in the contrast. - "The Poetess"

Chapter 17

Pelargir few hours before dawn

"Where is he?" hissed Lothíriel to Éowyn, who was stretching her neck to see better from the shadows of the alley. Small hours were quickly passing now, and Aragorn had yet to make an appearance.

"Just calm down. He will be here, like he promised", Éowyn whispered back. "You can trust Aragorn. But we must be patient and give him time – after all, an hour is not really much of a time to get ready for the journey we are about to take."

"We should be on the move already", Lothíriel grumbled to herself, fidgeting her hands. "Sun will be rising just in couple of hours, and we need to put some distance between ourselves and the city before the morning if we want to be able to do this at all."

"Shh. He will come", Éowyn replied patiently, and the princess was left fuming to herself in anxiety.

Aragorn had told them to sneak out before him: it would be easier to avoid the attention from guards if they didn't get out all at once. He had asked for an hour so that he could get ready, and promised to meet them near the haven of Pelargir. It still amazed her that Aragorn had actually offered to come along and she certainly meant to ask for the reasons of that decision as soon as a suitable moment arrived. But whatever were his reasons to accompany her and Éowyn, Lothíriel could only say she was happy for it. Not only were the man's skills of survival legendary, he had apparently also spent time in south. Their quest had much better chances of succeeding as long as Aragorn was with them.

But that was only if they could get away from the city in the first place. Aragorn had instantly suggested they take a ship and the two women had agreed, as his presence took care of the problems they would have had without him. They'd be able to travel faster, and if Father did send pursuers, he'd be able to use his authority as king and send them away if necessary.

"Ready to go, ladies?" asked a quiet voice suddenly, and Lothíriel jumped around to see the shadowy shape of King Elessar approach from the other end of the narrow corridor they had been waiting him on. He had donned on some clothes that should be discreet enough not to give out his high status (Lothíriel suspected he always had an array of clothing along that a Ranger could use), and he looked like he had already re-assumed his former identity of Strider. There was nothing about him that spoke "king".

"What did I tell you about startling people!" Lothíriel hissed at the man. "And how did you do that anyway?"

"I'll show you some day", he promised.

"Enough, you two", said Éowyn firmly. "Now, I was wondering how we are going to get on a ship. Do you have a plan, Aragorn?"

He nodded.

"I made a quick sweep around the port. It just happens an old friend is anchored there", he said. That was a fortunate development if anything, and would spare them the time of trying to find a captain willing to give them passage.

"How did you manage all this in just an hour, if I may ask?" Lothíriel wondered out loud, at which Aragorn smiled.

"I was a Ranger far longer than I've been king", he simply said. Truthfully that was explanation enough.

He glanced about then, "Let us get going. If we are lucky, we may find Captain Cairon up and about – his only superstition is about sleeping on land, so when his ship is at the haven he is awake at odd hours."

"How do you know this Cairon?" asked Éowyn in whispered tones, but loud enough for Lothíriel to hear.

"I served on his ship a long time ago", Aragorn muttered back. "Don't worry. He can be trusted and he doesn't know who I am in truth."

"You served on a ship? Oh my. The things you learn of some people..." Lothíriel put in. "Did you scrub many decks?"

"Lothíriel", Éowyn hissed. "I swear, if you start now, I'm going to throw you into Anduin."

Aragorn had the modesty not to snigger, and they made way in silence. Most of it went without disturbances, except for when Éowyn hissed a warning and all three sought cover from a narrow street behind some barrels. The steady sound of marching feet of night guards explained the reason for the sudden need for cover, and Lothíriel held her breath as the men passed by; it felt like the hammering of her heart was loud as thunder, and she expected them to notice them any moment. But the guards went by and the three were soon able to continue.

The port was still quiet when they arrived and only a couple drunken sailors were seen staggering on the pier. The princess hoped they would not fall into the river, because she wasn't going to dive after anybody. From behind a corner Aragorn quickly swept around the area with his gaze.

"The Pearl of Uinen is anchored there. I think I saw Cairon on the deck as well", he whispered to his two companions after a moment had gone by and the two women were starting to grow anxious. Then he regarded them thoughtfully, "Like I said, he doesn't know who I really am. He only knows me by the name of Nordir, and thinks me something of a Ranger turned mercenary. Perhaps we should not change that story. Lothíriel, you are certain about posing as a man?"

"Yes, I am. If Father gets it in his head to try and find me, it's a princess his men are going to look for. Maybe it'd even be more safe this way", she replied.

"All right. You do look like you would pass as a very young man – boy even. Just remember it's a role you can never put aside as long as we stay on that ship. You'll be my son Tangion", Aragorn said, and as she was left to try and not giggle too much at the idea, he turned towards Éowyn. She gave him a wry smile.

"Don't even think of it, old friend. I will be Hild, not related to either of you, but we have the common interest of finding my brother who is your, hmm, associate. Am I correct in assuming mercenaries have associates?" she asked.

"They do, but mostly dead ones", Aragorn said dryly. "Let us say you have hired me to help you find your brother."

He looked again at his two companions, "Sailors like Cairon are a pleasant folk in the sense they never ask many questions as long as you provide them with gold, so we should be able to do this without raising any suspicions. However, being careful should never hurt. Don't tell anyone more than is necessary, and keep your stories simple. Just follow my lead."

The King of Reunited Kingdoms took a breath then and looked from Princess Lothíriel to Lady Éowyn, and asked: "Are you ready?"

The two women exchanged a glance. They nodded both at the same time.

"We're not going to be any more ready than we already are."

Assuming a carefree strut came easily enough. Lothíriel decided it was because she had never been the most ladylike of women: she felt comfortable in her breeches, and her brash ways would hopefully make it easier to hide she was actually a woman.

Aragorn very naturally took up the position of the leader, which was not a wonder. He lead them towards the anchored ships and end the pier, all the way to a small but graceful-looking ship. It was obviously meant for speed, which Lothíriel noted with some satisfaction.

When they began to approach the brow to the ship, Aragorn lifted up his voice: "Oi! Captain Cairon! Are you still alive, old seadog?"

Lothíriel had never heard her liege-lord speaking like that. She had to bite her tongue and it occurred to her this was going to be a lot more difficult than she had expected. Still, she allowed herself an amused thought on how the fine ladies of Minas Tirith would never believe any of what had happened tonight, and certainly not the fact that Isildur's Heir indeed knew his way around even in an environment like this

The shape of a man appeared by the railing of the ship. In the dim of pre-dawn hours she couldn't make much out of him.

"Is that you, Nordir? Now there's a voice I never thought to hear again!" came the answer, which was spoken in rich flowing tones.

"Neither did I think to hear yours, Captain. Can we come on board? I would have a word with you", said Aragorn, holding on to his role perfectly.

"Of course! Get your bony bottoms here, you lot!" Cairon called. Lothíriel spared a grin to Éowyn; her expression was so closely guarded it was difficult to say what she thought.

They climbed up the brow and came to the deck of The Pearl of Uinen. Some lamps were lit there, so Lothíriel could count five other men in addition to the captain. He was a thin man of average height, who had very thick grey hair. The sea had shaped his face as much his wiry body: the sun and the salty wind had turned his skin leathery and dark, and his eyes shined bright even in this half-light. His garb was carefully kept and showed at least his business kept him well established, if not wealthy.

Cairon smiled upon seeing Aragorn and approached to give the taller man a friendly hug.

"There you are, Nordir! Let me see if you really are there, and not a ghost – I had thought you had got yourself killed a long time ago already! You haven't aged a day. Sadly, the same can't be said about myself... what brings you here, and who are these folks you have brought with you?" he asked.

"You're still a sight for sore eyes, Captain", said Aragorn, answering the gesture of friendship with one of his own. He then glanced at the two women with him, "Tangion here is my son, whom I am presently training in mercenary's trade. The lady is Mistress Hild, a woman of Rohan, who has hired me to help find her brother."

Apparently Lothíriel's disguise was convincing enough as Captain Cairon only gave her a passing glance. The man seemed more interested in Éowyn and fixed his eyes on her. She met the studying gaze calmly as only the Slayer of the Witch-king could.

"If you don't mind me asking, how has an Eorling got himself lost so far from Rohan?" Cairon asked.

"My brother is a wild spirit – he wanders around and travels a lot. Usually he comes home, but now he has got lost during his journeys and we haven't got a word of him in too long, which concerns myself and our family very much. He also happens to be the heir of our very wealthy father who recently passed away. Unless I find my brother, the entire inheritance will go to a particularly hateful kinsman, and what do you think that would mean for my dowry? I'm not going to get married a beggar, thank you very much", Éowyn said in a bold and blunt manner that seemed to reassure the captain. Lothíriel had never known her friend could be such a convincing liar, even if the story did have kind of a truth about it. Éomer was, after all, an heir to the legacy of Eorl's line. But great need could perhaps even make an honest woman into anything that was necessary.

Captain Cairon blinked at the blonde woman. Then his face broke into a grin and he glanced at Aragorn.

"It's no lie at all, how straightforward these northerners are, is it?" he said lightly and turned to look at the White Lady. "Tell me, where was this poor lost fellow last seen? Where are you headed?"

"Last I heard he was making for south. He may have travelled as far as Umbar", Éowyn said.

"That is where I would start looking for him at least. I'm hoping to find there someone who might have seen him", Aragorn added. "Which is why I'd ask if you still have your old contacts, captain."

"Of course I do. What do you take me for, Nordir? You are lucky to have found me, because my ship is heading towards Umbar as well, and I have some business there with a fellow who knows a fellow – he knows a lot of fellows in fact... the bottom line is, if anyone has seen the man you're looking for, this acquaintance of mine is the most likely person in all of Umbar to know of it – or at least he has the best means to find it", said Captain Cairon, smiling brightly as he spoke. He then made a charming bow towards Éowyn. "Welcome on board, milady. We shall do all we can to help you find your errant brother."

"Thank you very much, captain", she replied and graced him with one of her more taking smiles.

"Now, we have some unpleasant substance after ourselves for reasons I can't really go into here – you know how it gets sometimes in my trade – and we are in the need of discreet passage. I trust you still manage the secrecy that is sometimes required of honest businessmen? You still remember those delightful natural havens you used to know, in case we need to make for land fast?" Aragorn said then. His choice of words had no effect whatsoever on Captain Cairon, but Lothíriel had to bite her tongue in order not to blurt out something very spontaneous and potentially harmful.

"Of course I do. Honest businessmen never forget anything", said Cairon gracefully. He smiled slightly then, "It's going to cost you some extra money, though."

"You wouldn't do that to an old friend, would you?" Aragorn demanded. His look of shock was very appealing, but Lothíriel knew all of them saw right through it, and she had a feeling this bargaining was just a part of some required ritual.

"Dear Nordir, it is precisely for our friendship that I'm not asking for the usual fare", replied the old sailor and flashed a wide grin that wasn't just pure white, as he had replaced some of his teeth with golden ones.

"Hmph. You will be the ruin of me, old man", muttered the King of Reunited Kingdom under his breath. "Shall we call it a deal then?"

"We shall", Cairon said, spat on his hand, and offered it to Aragorn; the other man mimicked the gesture and squeezed the captain's hand. Cairon turned his face then and called: "Aeron! Show these two their cabin while I settle the payment with good old Nordir here!"

Aragorn stayed behind to speak with the captain, while Éowyn and Lothíriel were escorted to a small cabin below the deck, which three people could just about inhabit if they were not all standing upright at the same time. There were no unnecessary decorations there, but they were not here to enjoy the voyage, and as long as they got a speedy passage south nothing else mattered.

Their royal companion joined them again after some time, and at the sight of the worried looks on his companions' faces, he gave them a reassuring smile.

"Don't be so grave, my friends. All is well, and we will soon be departing from the port", he said as he claimed the remaining bunk. It was the largest of the three and the two women had left it for him, seeing a man so tall would have difficulty fitting in the other two.

Éowyn regarded him wryly.

"The next time you're planning on taking us to a smuggler ship, I'd like to know of it beforehand", she informed the King, who looked sheepish.

"I'm sorry that I didn't tell you. I was just worried you wouldn't agree to it and anyway I derived the sooner we are out of Pelargir the better. There is no faster ship in this port than The Pearl", he said apologetically.

"I think it's completely fine – just as long as these gentlemen are not pirates", Lothíriel put in.

"No, they aren't. Just honest to Valar smugglers among their more lawful endeavours", Aragorn replied, sitting down on the edge of his bunk. Lothíriel nodded, but then she lifted her eyebrows and regarded her liege-lord with narrowed eyes.

"One day I'm going to ask you just how do you know smugglers and you'll have to tell me all about it", she informed him in a manner that implied she was actually the queen and he was just her humble subject. Some other man might have taken it as an insult, but Aragorn just smiled.

"As my lady commands."

The deserts of Harad

The days merged into one another. In this march of hours it was easy to lose one's sense of time, and only with great struggle was Éomer able to keep clear how much time had passed since they had killed his men and taken him captive. He calculated the word should have already reached Lothíriel and Éowyn – it had not been difficult to figure out the message he had received had been a false one, and the alleged illness of his sister had been just a plot to get him in a place where they could take down his guard.

On the idle moments they left him alone he wondered how his bride and his sister had received the news, if they grieved for him, and if they would be all right. Truthfully he worried more for Lothíriel, because a temper like hers could flare out in unpredictable ways, and he didn't think she'd react well to hearing what had happened to him. Éowyn at least had Faramir to support her... he missed them so much and he'd have given anything if he could have seen their faces now. But the longer he was kept captive the more difficult it was to keep believing he might see them again.

The days merged and though it wasn't always easy, he kept close his mind and focused it somewhere beyond this time. It was to survive, because if he gave in he feared he might lose his sanity, and that was the surest way of giving Sapat what that devil wanted.

So when there were knuckles twisting against his barely healed wounds,

- he had to grit his teeth not to cry out -

or they took out that damned whip again

- he swore to himself one day he'd strangle its owner with his own whip -

or food wouldn't be given to him in days

- he'd try not to move, because it made everything worse -

when Sapat paraded around with Gúthwinë on his hip like the great sword of Éomund was some trophy

- I'll bury that blade in your guts -

or the laughing faces and the insults or just the quiet attempts to ignore him

- oh, you'll scream yet -

how they would beat him when he broke the hinges of his cage and tried to run

- maybe they won't stop -

what he had to do just to survive

- the taste of blood that stayed, even though days had gone by since he had bit off the ear of a guard -

and when Fanara told him she couldn't let him go

- I will die here -

and somehow he kept going.

He kept going and reaching his mind towards some point beyond this nightmare, but as days passed it slowly started to become more difficult to remember what was the point of it.

"Father! There you are at last. I was starting to wonder if the deserts had swallowed you and our tribe!" called the voice of Shaugit, distracting Sapat from the maps he had been considering. The chieftain looked up and smiled as he saw the face of his son, newly arrived from his travels.

Sapat got up and gave an embrace of greeting to the young man. Physically they looked much alike, but Shaugit had inherited the mood of his late mother, and his easy smiles and outgoing personality made him popular among the youth in the camp. He had only just reached his twentieth year, and though he had grown up in a time where war constantly hovered closer, he had retained an optimistic view to life that sometimes bordered naivety.

"Welcome back, son. For my part, I was wondering if you had decided to settle down in your aunt's tribe for good", said the chieftain and gestured towards the soft pillows on the floor of his tent. "Please, sit down and tell me of your journeys. I trust everything went well?"

"Oh, yes. I had very pleasant time, even if my cousin Varanat can be kind of uptight sometimes. He'd have me stay for longer, but we wanted to make a quick visit to Umbar as well. It was good to see the city again", Shaugit replied and received a cup of lemon water.

"How go things in Umbar? I hope the war hasn't caused it too much ruin?" asked Sapat.

"Umbar still stands, but one could see the city has not made it completely unscathed. I heard many merchants who made their livelihood from business with pirates had lost their wealth. But there is talk of new trading relationships between Umbar and Gondorian cities. I even saw some northern ships in the port", said his son and took a sip of his drink. He frowned then, "On our way back here we met some men of Chieftain Krual's tribe. They were travelling towards Umbar and spoke of trying to find some slaves there, particularly women. They gave me some very odd news about a battle against northmen, and that you had taken a prisoner."

Sapat bit back some rather ugly curses.

"Of course I should have known those blabbermouths wouldn't be able to keep quiet", he growled. He wished Krual might have been here, for he'd have made the man understand what silence meant.

Shaugit lifted his hands in a soothing manner.

"Oh, they said they only told me of it because I'm your son. I'm sure they won't tell any tales when they get to Umbar", he said quickly, but Sapat wasn't so easily reassured.

"They better not to, unless they want an army of horselords ravaging Harad in its entirety", he muttered darkly. That roused Shaugit's interest even more.

"Why would horselords of all people want to do that?" he asked, even more curious now.

"You haven't heard the news then?" asked Sapat, allowing himself a sigh.

"No. Aside from Krual's men we didn't encounter anyone on the road, so I'm little behind the latest news", his son replied, seeking a more comfortable seat on the pillows. The chieftain grunted and hoped to switch the lemon water into something stronger. The prisoner was giving him more headache than he had any right.

"I do indeed have a prisoner. And the reason horselords would give us hell, if they knew, is because that prisoner happens to be their king", he said, his voice not exactly the gloating tone of a man who had got his vengeance. Well, most of the time he did take pleasure in knowing he had the Rohirric King under his thumb, but the captured northerner was being such a difficult prisoner, even if he had not succeeded in killing anybody in an entire week.

His words almost made Shaugit choke on his drink and he did accidentally spill at least half of it. Eyes wide, he sat up and looked at his father in surprise. He did know what hatred Sapat had for the northerners, but judging by his face he had not seen this coming.

"What? How? When?" Shaugit stuttered out, and Sapat proceeded into an explanation of how this had come to pass. His son listened attentively to the tale and looked appropriately impressed by the end of it.

"That was really very brave, Father!" he said enthusiastically. "May I see him?"

"Of course – he's in that cage for all to see. Just take care and don't go too near him. He won't hesitate to grab and harm you if he gets the chance", Sapat instructed his son. Shaugit nodded emphatically and started to get up on his feet. As he did, he grinned at his father.

"This is really exciting! I can hardly believe it", he said lightly – truly his reaction could not have been more in contrast with that of Fanara – and headed for the doorway of the tent. There Shaugit glanced at the chieftain once more. "Really, Father, it's something only you could come up with!"

Indeed, son. Indeed...

The Pearl of Uinen on way to Umbar

The voyage south towards Umbar would take a week at least, which left the three travellers with lots of spare time. That time was spent either in cabin or on the deck amid long conversations, as there were many things to speak of. As soon as the most urgent news had been exchanged (Aragorn had described the events in south, and Lothíriel gave her account of what Éothain had told her – he was concerned by this and told them how he had found the captain, and all three felt uneasy knowing something was very wrong with the man). One of the first things Lothíriel asked of Aragorn was why he had agreed so readily to come with her and Éowyn. Should he ever have thought of such thing beforehand, she'd have been convinced that as he was not only her liege-lord but also a good friend of her father, he'd have ordered her to stay home. However, when she voiced out her surprise that he'd not try to stop her, he had shaken his head.

"Oh, not quite so. I have listened to enough stories about you to know that you can handle yourself; your father, for one, very proudly tells me you're the best archer in Dol Amroth... and Éomer too has not spared his praise, and I know he does not complement anyone idly. As for Éowyn – well, you know no man who still has his wits about him stands in her way. Of all the people who love Éomer, you and Éowyn have the fiercest determination to bring him back home. Others may give up on him but not the two of you. I have witnessed first hand the power of determination... and you don't only have that, but also the strength of arms."

At that point, something slightly sad appeared on his face and he continued to explain his own motivations as to why he had decided to join the two women.

"I had my suspicions since the beginning, but I admit the evidence seemed overwhelming... so I allowed myself to be convinced he had been killed. But I believe you and I believe Éothain. He loves his king but he is also honest – if he's convinced that Éomer is alive, then I think there's a good reason to trust his word. And I love Éomer as well, for though he may not be my brother in blood, in every other way he is. I shouldn't have lost hope, like I did... I owe it to the both of you that I come with you and help find him. The truth is I feel guilty for what has happened... if I had not asked for his help, Éomer would never have travelled south, and they would not have been able to lure him into that trap. It is my responsibility to see this thing through, and mend the damage I've caused."

He shook his head and tried to fight it, but the two women could still see self-accusations on his face. He murmured, "I will never be able to live with myself unless we find him and bring him back. And in all honesty, there is no other man in this world I'd trust this quest with than myself."

The princess had to agree he was probably right to think so. She at least could not think of any other man who had similar skills and experience, and also loved Éomer so much that he wouldn't hesitate to do everything in his power to bring back his lost friend. His smile turned lighter then and he looked at Lothíriel.

"And you did tell me you would hold me directly responsible if something happened to him, so it is only right I help you do this", he said. She made a half-hearted grin at that; though there was certain humour to it, it was also a bitter thing.

"Aren't you worried for Gondor, though? Maybe things won't turn out so well, now that everyone thinks Éomer is dead", she said then.

"I'm worried of course, but I also have faith in Faramir and your father. They're good, capable men and they will keep the kingdom in one piece while I'm gone. And it is in Gondor's best interests as well that Éomer returns home safely, so I've decided to attend to the matter personally", said the King of Reunited Kingdom.

"Speaking of Faramir, you should perhaps know I told him I was going to leave" Éowyn put in then. Seeing the looks on the faces of her friends, she smiled slightly, "I don't keep secrets from Faramir, and in the end I could never leave him without saying anything."

"Didn't he try to stop you?" Lothíriel wondered out loud.

"He didn't. He knows I have to do this – all he did was tell me to be careful, which I promised I would be. He even said he'd do whatever he could to help us", Éowyn explained. She leaned forward on her bunk, moving her gaze from the princess to the king.

"You see, we three are not really nonentities of our society. It would probably seem very suspicious if it became common knowledge all three of us have suddenly vanished... one can never know what ears might pick wind of it. At least I would not alarm those who are now keeping my brother that we are coming", she continued. "So Faramir will do what he can to conceal the truth. He'll tell everyone I'm sick and can't receive anyone, and I would imagine he will also try to come up with something to cover up Aragorn's absence. Moreover, he said he'd speak with Imrahil. If it looks like the Prince is about to send people after Lothíriel, he'll try and talk his uncle out of it."

By the end of her speech, Lothíriel was already grinning happily. She bounced to give a hug to her friend.

"You're a real gem, Éowyn! And Faramir is too! I owe you two an entire lifetime's worth of hugs and kisses", she said thankfully.

"Well, if we are going to get back my brother, then we'll have to make sure everything runs smoothly", said Éowyn. However, what she had just told her companions did release a lighter mood, and all three felt hopeful as they settled for rest that night.

Altogether the presence of Aragorn made Lothíriel feel reassured. His calm attitude introduced a balancing factor to this endeavour that would probably prove significant when they began the search for real. There was also the fact that he had previously spent time in Harad, which of course made it unnecessary to think of hiring a guide once they got to Umbar. When Éowyn asked of Aragorn's time in south, he briefly described it.

"Many years ago when I was still a Ranger I travelled very widely, even as far as East and South. In Harad after some complex events I came to stay with one of their tribes for a while. Their chieftain at that time was a great and wise man... I was given the honour of his friendship, and eventually he even offered me in marriage the hand of his daughter, who was also his first child. She was a lovely girl and according to their law a marriage to the chieftain's first-born would have made me his successor, but my heart was with Arwen, and soon I left them as I did not want to insult these hospitable people I had dwelt with for a while", Aragorn explained. In his grey eyes the shadows of memories moved, until he shook his head and looked at the two women he was travelling with. He spoke again, "The important thing now is of course that during my time with them I learned their language and their skills of surviving on the deserts. These should be of use, once we get that far."

"And you think we can find the tribe that is holding Éomer?" asked Lothíriel, unable to hide anxiety in her voice. "You think we can do this?"

Aragorn hesitated before speaking, but he lay a hand on her shoulder then.

"It's going to be dangerous of course, but I do think you two had the right idea from the beginning. With the help of an army we would never find him. The only way we can do this is if they don't hear us coming. Captain Cairon has some contacts in Umbar, the contacts that make it their business to know things, so our best chance is to start there, and devise our moves as we go", he replied.

"But we are still left with the problem of how we are going to break my brother free, once we find him", Éowyn pointed out.

"We'll work on that once we find out which tribe is holding him. Some of them can be bargained with, so I'd like to find out if this can be cleared out peacefully", Aragorn said carefully, but that instantly sparked Lothíriel's temper.

"We can't tread peacefully with these people! If they're unscrupulous enough to attack the King of Rohan and take him captive, they're not going to just hand him over like that! And they killed his Riders! They don't deserve mercy", she argued sharply. "Neither is he going to give it. If I know Éomer at all, he's going to be beyond furious."

"Lothíriel is right. My brother will not stand the slaughter of his friends and riders. He's going to raise hell the moment he gets something in his hands he could use for a weapon", Éowyn agreed quietly.

"What do you suggest, then? That we kill an entire tribe to set him free?" Aragorn asked. His tone couldn't be exactly called sharp, but there was no gentleness to it either. Seeing the expression the faces of his companions, he sighed and shook his head wearily. "Let us leave that for later. First we'll find out what tribe is keeping him, and we make our war-plans later."

The two women agreed; for now they would have to focus on Umbar and the obstacles that likely awaited there. Hopefully with Captain Cairon's help it would not be a mountain they could not climb.

On the fourth day of their travel a wind rose and in it was the smell of a storm. Brisk it came from north, filling the sails so that The Pearl of Uinen felt like flying over the waves. Each moment brought them closer to that ancient haven on the southern coast... and hopefully that advance was also made towards their ultimate destination.

As the crew began to hand the sails, Captain Cairon had suggested the passengers go to their cabin, as the darkening sky promised heavy rain. Aragorn wasn't too surprised when Lothíriel refused and instead took the place by the bow of the ship and stared ahead. She had been restless the entire day and she was dying to get to Umbar. And she had grown up by the sea, so she was accustomed to storms – now he even wondered if they were something she drew power from. It felt all the more likely after this day, as he had observed her taking lessons in hand-to-hand combat from one of the sailors, who moved more like a cat than a man. The fighting style was the kind that suit perfectly her speed and agility, and Aragorn felt reassured; if it was battle that waited ahead, they would not be going into the thickness of it unprepared.

He was distracted from reminiscing the day when Éowyn appeared from below the deck, clutching a blanket about her shoulders. She did not enjoy this travel on the sea at all.

"So you two aren't going to come inside?" she asked the King of Gondor and Arnor.

"I was going to come, but our Lioness seems to have different ideas", he said, nodding his head towards the figure of the Princess of Dol Amroth. A fond little smile touched the face of Éowyn. The White Lady regarded her brother's beloved for a while and then glanced at the man beside him.

"I think we are going to make it", she said. He understood the implications under the surface, and how it was really the young woman before them they were following... how it was her unrelenting spirit that had roused them to take this journey. Perhaps she'd come to need Aragorn's experience and knowledge and Éowyn's strength, but they needed her as well – they needed her to be, and to hope.

"Yes. Somehow, we will", Aragorn said softly, resting a hand on his friend's shoulder.

The Princess of Dol Amroth knew not of their conversation. Instead, she stood facing the sea, even as the storm whipped her figure. So fierce was her determination that she seemed completely unmoved by all the raging force of nature about her.

And she shrieked into face of the storm, and Aragorn knew that only death would ever stop her. She shrieked, and the wind carried her voice in it.

"My King! I am coming for you!"

A/N: I am trying not to turn this into "Lothíriel, Éowyn and Aragorn: A Road Trip" BUT IT IS VERY HARD. Hope you enjoyed the bad jokes.

As I said in the last chapter's Author's Note, this is one of those slower chapters, but I really had to explain and establish some stuff here. One thing of course is Aragorn's motivation to join this journey. Like I said, I really do believe he'd do this thing, even if he's king. No matter from what angle I look at it I simply can't see him not going along - I will explain these reasons more in detail in my reply to Elealyon. Also, a quest by Lothíriel, Éowyn and Aragorn is something I've never seen done before, and I just really, really wanted to write it!

So, Éowyn chose to tell Faramir that she would be going with Lothíriel. I really don't think she'd leave her husband without a word, and she'd even be against writing an explaining letter to him. I believe Faramir trusts in Éowyn enough to let her go - he believes she can not only look after Lothíriel, but also to be able to decide to pull back if the situation requires it. But if Éowyn told him it was Éothain whose account pushed Lothíriel to suggest this journey, I'm not sure it would spark Faramir's doubts when it comes to Éothain's alleged insanity. If I should guess, he probably thinks Éothain just had a moment of clarity before losing it. But in larger part is probably because he presently has some enormous responsibilities, and with Aragorn gone he'll have a lot on his mind, so a detail like that in my opinion could slip from him. Furthermore, I don't think Feran is just going to sit there and do nothing.

Canon says Aragorn did indeed travel in east and south during his years as a Ranger. We don't know anything of these journeys, so I made up this version where he stayed with a Haradrim tribe for a while, so he learned their language and he knows how to survive on the desert. Furthermore, considering he really is very widely travelled, I asked myself: why can't he have served on a ship for a while too? Aragorn has seen a lot and been around for a while, so to me it's not at all unbelievable that he would even have smuggler contacts.

Hope you liked the chapter, and thanks for reading and reviewing!

Quote in the beginning originally by Charles Dickens.

The Hare and the Otter - That is going to be interesting indeed!

Elealyon - Yes, it's probably going to get worse for Éomer before it can get better... we'll see!

I believe the points you made can be rather easily explained. Maybe I thought the reasoning behind those matters more obvious than it is; as I've said before, I may miss stuff sometimes or think something is more clear than it actually is. There is really no short way of replying this, but hopefully you have the patience enough to read this wall of text I am about to give you.

To begin with Éothain, all that you say about him probably applies to the regular Éothain, the one who is healthy and of sound mind. However, the Éothain we see in those two scenes is not, I believe, his usual self. Remember: he has not only taken some serious injuries, he has also gone through a traumatic experience of having to watch his friends killed and his king taken captive. And he has only just come around after being out of it for some time. So I believe we can safely assume he's not 100% himself and perhaps not even coherent. When it comes to the scene with Feran, he really is put there between a rock and a hard place. He's literally in the situation where he may be killed right there if he puts off this traitorous man. And it may not only cost his life, but also that of his family. But then he remembers the conversation he just had with Lothíriel: he has told her the truth and she has sworn him Éomer will come back alive. If we had our usual strong Éothain in that scene, he'd probably do something different. But he's weak, he's traumatised, and he is threatened. But he has hope. He figures he doesn't really have to make the choice, not for real – it is already in Lothíriel's hands, and for all he knows she will go straight to Imrahil and demand him to raise an army. He has no idea that she'd seek Éomer herself with Éowyn. So, to sum this up, I do think it makes sense what Éothain does: he's in a situation with a dangerous man, but he has a wild card in his hand and that is the fact he has already told someone the truth. In the end, he clears it out protecting not only the life of his family, but also his own. And he trusts Lothíriel.

As for the healer who was made to confirm the story of Éothain's alleged insanity, I can say he wasn't bribed into doing this. Rather, I'd say Feran made it look like there had been a disturbance in the chamber (he cut himself, knocked out Éothain, tousled up things a bit), and bullied the healer in to confirming Éothain was mad without even seeing proper proof. Moreover, take into consideration that not much time has passed between Éothain's awakening and Aragorn's arrival – it's probably less than a day, and neither parties have had time to think things through or calm down. And in Éothain's case, he certainly has not had the chance of getting to Imrahil and his sons.

Now, to move on to Éowyn and Lothíriel and their chances. There are two points I need to make here. The first is that if they chose the road of battle, they would not be facing that same force which took down Éomer's riders. The force we saw attacking Éomer and his men was the combined strength of Sapat and his friend Krual, and the battle happened to take place in conditions that were very favourable for them. But they still experienced some heavy losses, and since then Krual has departed with his men. And there is the fact that presently Éomer is doing some assisting thinning among Sapat's men. Also, I would like to think Fanara is a player in this table too, and may have some unrevealed cards in her hands. To get to the second point, as desperate and rabid as our two ladies may seem at the moment, I'm not really sure they're planning on running into a battle head first. They're smart enough to understand that would only result in their deaths. What they were thinking of doing was making further plans during their journey south, and most importantly only when they had more information – like where they should look for Éomer, who is holding him in the first place, and so on. Only then would they consider their alternatives. But then Aragorn makes his appearance and I think we can agree he disrupts the matter more or less. His presence – as I hope this chapter illustrates – introduces some unexpected resources: he has contacts, he has knowledge, he has the skills of a Ranger. So our ladies have at hand something they didn't know to expect at all. But the fact remains they still have to gather more information before they can make their move.

Lastly, Aragorn. One reason for what we see at the end of the last chapter is a stylistic choice: structure-wise, it felt wrong to include some lengthy musings in the end of the chapter when I was trying to bring it to a sharp and exciting end. He may be the king but in the end I believe all things would make him take this journey rather than stand back and consider his status as a king. As he says himself, he has been a Ranger far longer than he has been king. The thought pattern of the first mentioned is, I believe, what he would fall into more easily at times of crisis like this. It's been a while since that was mentioned, but in the very second chapter of the story Éomer notes he has never met a man more dismissive of his own importance than Aragorn. These facts do influence his decision. Furthermore, as I tried to show in that scene where he offers to accompany the ladies as a guide, it was supposed to be one of those moments where you don't simply have time to consider all things – you just have to leap. And leap he does. The another thing I brought in was his moment of foresight, something Númenorians possessed. In other words, he feels with strong conviction he is supposed to go with Lothíriel and Éowyn. And Éomer's safety is indeed very important to him and attending to the matter himself he is also promoting Gondor's best interests. It's more than that though, because Aragorn would probably feel there is no other man in Gondor who is more qualified for this task: he has widely travelled in south, he knows the language and he has contacts there and if there was a man with similar set of skills he still wouldn't have a motivation as strong to bring Éomer home as Aragorn does. Also, he considers they should make haste, because they have no idea if and how long Éomer's captors even plan on keeping him alive, so there's no time to gather a search party and do things by the book. Lastly, there is Aragorn's love for a man he considers a brother, and his feeling of guilt. I hope I managed to show how that he feels responsible for what has happened. He thinks he has brought this on Éomer, and as such he is bound by honour to save his friend. I don't think Aragorn could ever just stand back and live with himself if he felt he had caused his friend to get into this situation. He would try to save Éomer, even if it endangers him.

Hopefully you had patience to read this far, and were convinced by the workings of my mind!

Concrete63 - Indeed, and I personally believe he has not yet become so completely the king that he wouldn't make a choice like this when he feels it is truly necessary.

As you saw, Faramir supports the matter wholeheartedly!

UntilNeverDawns - Thank you!

Kiiimberly - Begin it does!

Talia119 - I do adore the idea as well! It's just completely made of awesome, to imagine these three on quest together. And I would think Éomer would be a formidable thing to deal with, because we know the man has some temper, and these people have given him a lot of reasons to be very angry with them.

DepthsOfMySubconsciousness - Thank you for your comment! I'm glad to hear you like this story. :)

I really like this version of Lothíriel as well, and she's fun to write. I identify with her a lot, and her strength is something I'd like to say I have as well. Still, I agree she wouldn't do very well on this quest if she just went by herself - she obviously needed help, and Éowyn and Aragorn were very easily chosen as those to help her.

As for Aragorn, I already explained in my answer to Elealyon the reasons I think he'd definitely go. I don't know if you had patience to read that, but to summarise just in case: there are many things motivating him to go with Lothíriel and Éowyn. Those reasons are for example his feeling that he's responsible for what has happened to Éomer, his love for a man he considers a friend, and simply his character - he'd never be able to live with himself if he just let this happen. I don't think he'd ever just sit back and send some other man to look for Éomer. Not to mention there's literally no one else more qualified to do this. Also, I think this is different than him just leaving for an adventure on a whim. He's not doing this because he just wants amusement and time off, but because he knows his friend needs him. And Aragorn is the sort of loyal man who would never be able to abandon someone who is dear to him and needs him.

Please don't feel ashamed of your own writing! It's not like I was born a perfect writer - it took a long time and a lot of practice for me to get where I am now. Just keep writing and practising! Reading helps as well, but the main thing is never to give up.

To be honest, I'm not sure this story would be so easily converted into an original one. I mean, personally I feel everything in this world and every character is so deeply rooted in Tolkien's world that if I tried to make it completely my own I wouldn't recognise it as my own writing anymore. Anyway, I'm honoured to hear you think this story is so good!