It is dawn. Aragorn, Legolas,  Glóreddhel, and Gimli are running.  "A red sun rises. Blood has been spilled this night." Legolas says as he looks at the sky. Glóreddhel is beside him, no expression on her face even tho her heart is going some in sorrow that the two halflings might not be alive anymore. But she shakes her thoughts when the sound of horses is heard.

The four hides and a large group of cavalry appear. Aragorn comes out of hiding as they pass, Legolas  Glóreddhel and Gimli behind him. "Riders of Rohan! What news from the Mark?" He calls to the riders. At a signal from Èomer, the riders make a quick turn and head towards the four companions, encircling them. As they stop, they point their spears at them.

"What business does two elves, a man and a dwarf, have in the Riddermark?" The leader Éomer says. Glóreddhel tilts her head slightly as her green eyes scan the man.

"Speak quickly!" Éomer demands, and Glóreddhel growls softly. "Careful how you speak, human," she sneers, and Éomer raises an eyebrow at her. "Not now," Aragorn whispers in her ear. Glóreddhel stays quiet, and Gimli starts to speak.  "Give me your name, horse master, and I shall give you mine." He sneers. Èomer gets off his horse. Aragorn puts a hand on Gimli's shoulder.

"I would cut off your head — dwarf — if it stood but a little higher from the ground." Éomer taunts, and his men chuckle. Legolas quickly aims an arrow at Èomer. "You would die before your stroke fell!" He hisses. Aragorn pushes down Legolas' arm. "I'm Aragorn, son of Arathorn." He says. "This is Gimli, son of Glóin, and Legolas, from the Woodland Realm." He introduces his friends. Éomer gestures to Glóreddhel. "And this?" Aragorn was about to speak, but Glóreddhel beat him to it.

"My name is Glóreddhel, but where I am from is no concern of men," she says. Éomer scowls but lets her be. "We are friends of Rohan and Théoden, your king." Aragorn pipes in. "Théoden no longer recognizes friend from foe," Éomer says solemnly and removes his helmet.

"Not even his kin." He ends. The spears are withdrawn. "Saruman has poisoned the mind of the king and claimed lordship over this land. My company is those loyal to Rohan. And for that, we are banished." Éomer says again. "The White Wizard is cunning. He walks here and there, they say, as an old man, hooded and cloaked." He says as he meets Glóreddhel's eyes. He then gives Legolas a meaningful look.

"And everywhere his spies slip past our nets." He ads.  "We are no spies. We track a band of Uruk-hai westward across the plains. They have taken two of our friends captive." Aragorn says.  "The Uruks are destroyed. We slaughtered them during the night." Éomer says, and Glóreddhel narrows her eyes.  "But there were two hobbits. Did you see two hobbits with them?" Gimli tires.

"They would be small, only children to your eyes," Aragorn adds. "We left none alive," Éomer says with a grim look.

"We piled the carcasses and burned them,"  Éomer says and points to smoke in the distance. "Dead?" Gimli breathe. Éomer nods before saying. "I am sorry.". Legolas rests a hand on Gimli. Glóreddhel strains her ears. She can pick up something, but it's far away in Fangorn forest. She decided to look for the sound, and soon she walked from her friend who gave her a surprised look. Éomer also looks after her and cocks an eyebrow after her.

"What happens to her?" He asks, and the trio shrugged, and Éomer whistles. Two horses appear. Èomer: "May these horses bear you to better fortune than the former masters." He says and nods a farewell. Èomer mounts his horse. "Look for your friends, but do not trust the hope. It has forsaken these lands. We ride north!" He says, and the Rohirrim sets off. Aragorn, Legolas, and Gimli look on as the Riders depart before mounting and riding after Glóreddhel.

Aragorn, Legolas, and Gimli ride towards the burning carcasses. They see no sign of the female friend.

Gimli starts to go through the pile and pulls out a charred belt. "It's one of their little belts." He says sadly. Legolas bows his head and closes his eyes. "Hiro in hîdh ab wanath." (May they find peace in death.) he says. Aragorn kicks at an orc helmet. He yells as if physically injured as he falls to his knees. "We failed them," Gimli says.

Aragorn looks to the side, and tracks catch his attention. Aragorn: "A Hobbit lay here, and the other." He says as he follows the ways.

Flashback:

~Pippin yells as he looks up at a pair of thrashing hooves bearing down on him. He rolls over, avoiding them.~ "They crawled." Aragorn says. He starts to follow the tracks, with Legolas and Gimli behind him. ~ Merry and Pippin crawl away from the battle.~ "Their hands were bound." Aragorn says and continues. ~ Pippin rubs his bonds against an ax.~ "Their bonds were cut." Aragorn says.

Aragorn holds up a broken rope. "They ran over here... and were followed." ~ The hobbits run away from the battle, dodging under a horse.~ As they flee, Grishnák grabs Pippin by his belt.~ "The belt! Run!" Merry shouts. Pippin undoes his belt, and the hobbits run off into the trees.~ "The tracks lead away from the battle! Into... Fangorn Forest." Aragorn says.

The three look up into a very dense forest. "Fangorn! What madness drove them in there?" Gimli exclaims.

The hobbits run into the forest. They collapse onto the ground, panting. "Did we lose him? I think we lost him." Pippin breathes but Grishnák bursts through the branches. "I'm going to rip off your filthy little heads! Come here!" He growls. "Trees! Climb a tree!" Merry says, and they climb. Merry looks around and then sighs in relief. "He's gone." He says, but he is pulled by his legs and falls to the ground. Grishnák leans over him. Merry tries to kick him off.

"Merry!" Pippin calls for his friend. Pippin looks down, and as he turns his head, he sees a pair of gleaming yellow eyes blinking in the tree. The tree then starts to move. "Argh!" Pippin exclaimed. Pippin loses his grip and falls. The tree catches him before he hits the ground. "Let's put a maggot hole in your belly." Grishnák sneers and lifts his sword.

The tree stomps and squashes the orc. "Run, Merry!" Pippin yell, and Merry tries to run away but is scooped by the tree. "Little orcs! Búrarum." The tree starts to walk. "It's talking, Merry. The tree is talking." Pippin examples. "Tree! I am no tree! I am an Ent." The tree huffs suddenly it stops, and looks at something in front of it. It's Glóreddhel. She stands with nothing, only her green eyes boring into the tree.

"Indeed you are; now let them go before it gets ugly here." She growls. "Maybe they are orcs, and maybe they aren't. The White Wizard will know." Treebeard says, and Glóreddhel cocks an eyebrow. "White Wizard?" Pippin says, confused. "Saruman!" Merry hiss. Treebeard drops them on the ground, and the Hobbits look up at a White Wizard.

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Nothing to say :)

-Saph