Some months later...

A strange horse galloped through plains near Edoras, fear driving it. It was the last remaining steed to have survived the most recent Orc attack, as was its rider.

As terrified as her mount, the rider clung to the horse's neck- desperately hanging on so that she wouldn't be thrown from the saddle. She had barely managed to escape when a small pack of Orcs attacked the caravan she was traveling with, and she did not know if anyone else had survived.

Behind her, the sound of hooves pounding against the ground came closer and closer- someone calling out for her to stop.

"I can't!" she shouted, unsure if the other rider would hear her.

In its fear, the gelding she sat astride panicked at the sudden presence of other horses and began to buck. The rider who approached her signaled to the others and they did their best to try and surround the gelding. They were able to corral it towards the center of the group, forcing it to slow down enough for someone to grab its reins.

The rider who had initially approached them offered her his hand as he sidled up next to her. "Here, take my hand."

Taking his hand, she let the man pull her from the gelding and into his saddle- his arm wrapping around her waist and holding her close as they came to a stop.

"Are you alright?" he asked, seeing her hand to her chest.

Trying to slow her breathing, she nodded. "I am now, thank you."

"You should not ride recklessly, lest you get yourself hurt."

"There is only so much that one can do when fleeing for their life," she replied, looking up at him. She was met with golden eyes that held a sense of familiarity and widened when they caught a glimpse of her face.

"Héodis?"

"Éomer?"

"Héodis!"

Héodis looked from the young lord to the one who had once taught her brother to wield a sword and offered him a smile. "Hereleth, it is good to see you." She glanced around at the others- recognizing Guthleth, Gálmód, and Gármund among them. "It is good to see all of you."

Gármund dismounted, taking the reins from Éomer. "I thought you were in Ethring?"

"My apprenticeship ended so I was on my way home," Héodis started to explain, her eyes shifting to the gelding as she continued, "but the caravan I was traveling with was attacked by Orcs. I don't know if anyone else survived, but I was barely able to make an escape myself."

Éomer looked at her, his brow furrowed. "Where were you attacked?"

Héodis looked towards the east - from where she had come- and pointed towards a small series of hills. "Just over those hills."

"How many Orcs?"

"A small pack, at least ten," Heodis explained. "I do not know where they came from, though."

"My lord, shall we hunt them down?"

Éomer nodded, but before he could issue any orders, one of the groups that had split off from his éored sounded their horn to announce themselves as they approached.

"My lord!"

"What news?"

"We came across a small Orc pack, just to the east. They attacked a caravan along the road; we only found two survivors, but they are badly wounded and likely won't make the return journey."

Héodis spotted the two survivors being drawn in one of the smaller wagons that had survived the attack and slid down from Eomer's saddle, hurrying over. "Baldor, Balere!"

Balere was unconscious, but his brother Baldor was awake.

"Héodis, you made it..." he said, a meek smile present.

"Hush, save your strength," she said, then dug around in her pack. "I still have some of the medicine that Theria gave us, I just need to prepare the poultice and bandages."

Baldor weakly grasped her hand and shook his head. "Don't waste anything on us, lass." He glanced over at Balere. "We will not survive the night. It's enough to know that you are safe."

"I can't just let you die if I can save you," Héodis said, then held up a small bottle of tonic to his mouth. "At least drink this to ease the pain?"

Baldor sighed, but agreed and fell asleep quickly after. Héodis' brow furrowed, but she was determined to do whatever she could for the brothers.

"We should hurry back to Edoras if they are to have a chance," Guthleth noted.

Éomer nodded, giving his orders before turning to Héodis to offer her a hand up- stopping himself when he saw her climb into the wagon with the wounded. Once she was situated, he took the lead and the éored made its way home to Edoras.

Éowyn heard the horn of an éored's return and hurried outside, seeing her brother's banner as the éored approached the city. She made her way down to the stables, greeting her brother as the éored slowed to a stop.

"We have wounded that need immediate treatment," Éomer said.

"Alright, let's get them to the infirmary quickly then."

"There's something else..." Éomer started, glancing back at the wagon as he dismounted.

Éowyn followed his gaze and her eyes widened with surprise. "Héodis?"

Héodis offered her a small smile as she stepped down from the wagon. "It's good to see you, my lady." Her smile faded, though, and she looked at the wagon. "Though I wish we could speak longer, I need to treat these men as soon as possible."

"We'll have the chance to speak more later," Éowyn started, then looked at the men driving the wagon, "take them straight to the infirmary."

"Yes, milady."

Looking to Héodis, Éowyn asked what she needed and they discussed it as they followed the wagon up the hill. As they hurried off, Éomer watched them a moment before turning into the stable and handing off his horse to the nearest stablehand.

"It's good to see Héodis again, is it not?" Gálmód asked, sidling up next to Éomer.

Éomer ignored his question. "I need to report to the king."

Gálmód chuckled and nodded. "I'll see to it that things are taken care of here."

Éomer took his leave and headed straight for Meduseld, but Gálmód's question sounded once more. 'It's good to know that she is safe.'