"Run," said Sam, "Run!!!" he said a little more eargently and panicked.

Both Hobbits ran as fast as they could, but with their bond hands it was harder to balance themselves and slowed them down quite a bit. Behind them the horses were now only half a quarter mile away. Frodo looked back and tripped and toppled over. Sam got him to his feet quickly, but it was too late.

The horses had reached them and were now circling the two Hobbits. They went back to back and watched the big horses circle them. If they ducked, they could easily make it under the horses, but they decided against it when the riders took out sharp spears and pointed them at them only a few inched away from their faces. Frodo quickly tucked the Ring away under his shirt so nobody could see it. Sam saw him do it and knew exactly what Frodo was thinking.

We can't let them know we have the Ring.

Both Frodo and Sam surrendered by putting their hands to the sky. There really was no point to that anyway though because they were already bond and unarmed. A man got down from his horse to the left of Frodo and looked down to the Hobbits. He was tall and mostly wearing red and brown armor and had long blondish brown hair. He wore a sword at his side which made the Hobbits feel uncomfortable. He pulled off his helmet and said,

"What business do two children have this close to Isengard?" the man asked, "Where you prisoners?" he pointed at Frodo and Sam's hands.

Sam was offended by what the man had just called them. Children.

"We are Hobbits. Not children," Sam said.

The man raised his eyebrows and said,

"Is that so? Answer the questions and speak quickly," the man said with annoyance by the tone of his voice.

"We were captured as well of two of my kin," Frodo said simply, "We are going back to save them,"

Frodo and Sam lowered their hands back down to their bodies.

"And why where you captured?" the man asked.

"We just got to close I guess," Frodo lied. There was a pause, but then he continued to cover up the lie, "None of your business. We have two men, a dwarf, and an elf coming after us,"

The man looked down at Frodo with his dark brown eyes. They were so dark brown, they could have been black. It felt to Frodo that he was looking through him and the lie he had just stated. The man finally snapped his fingers and all the men with the spears let them down and backed up their horses a little.

"What are your names?" he finally said.

"I am Frodo and this is my friend, Sam. We are from the Shire," Frodo explained.

Before the man could respond, Sam spoke up and asked,

"What is your name?"

"I am Eomer. Son of Theodwyn, Marshal of Riddermark," Eomer said.

"Riddermark as in Rohan?" Sam asked.

Eomer nodded and took a knife out from his belt. Frodo and Sam instantly stepped back a couple paces, but ran into a horse that was part of the circle. Sam stepped in front of Frodo and stared at the knife.

"Easy. I promise I was only going to cut the bonds," Eomer said and gestured to their roped hands.

Sam reluctantly stepped forward first and held out his hands. Eomer knelt down and to their surprise, kept his promise. He cut through the tough rope around Sam's wrists. Once they were off, Sam massaged the marks the tight rope had made on his wrists.

"Thank you, Eomer sir," Sam murmured softly.

Frodo went forward next and put out his hands. Eomer cut his ropes off too.

"Why are you helping us?" Frodo asked rubbing his also sore wrists.

Eomer stood up again and looked down at the Hobbits,

"I admire how one would go to such a dangerous place to try and rescue their friends. I don't know how you will manage getting in and out without getting killed, but then again you are quite small. Take these," Eomer reached into his horses pouch and took out two small knives, but to the Hobbits they were swords. He handed them to the Hobbits blade down, "Besides, you aren't going to let us stop you,"

Eomer got aboard his horse again and said,

"Have a safe journey,"

Then as quickly as it happened, it was over. The Rohan riders rode off into the distance the way they had come. Frodo and Sam were left standing there in silence and in awe to what just happened. Frodo immediately touched the Ring as if to make sure it were still there. Sam inspected the knife he had been given.

"It's nice and shiny like Merry and Pippin's daggers from Galadriel," Sam said and touched the sharp tip, "And sharp too!"

Frodo smiled at him and they both put their new weapons in their empty sword holders that use to hold Sting and Sam's old sword.

"We must be very far behind by now," Frodo said quietly.

"But look on the bright side, Mister Frodo. We were given fine swords and our hands are free," Sam commented trying to stay positive.

"But Merry and Pippin are not. Let's go," Frodo said and started walking away.

Sam frowned, but followed and they walked together again.

-----

It was turning night time again and there was a beautiful sunset in the sky. Frodo and Sam were soon aware of how tired they were and they had to lie down and rest.

"Let's make it over the next hill and then we can stop for the night," Sam said sleepily.

Frodo nodded and yawned.

They climbed the hill slowly, but finally made it to the top. Even in their tiredness, they both gasped and looked ahead in awe. Isengard was but a mile away and they could see the tall black tower, Orthanc. To their surprise, they also saw a group of orcs arriving at the front of Isengard.

"There they are! We aren't too late!" Frodo shouted, half excited, half tired, and half scared all in one. He took a few stepped forward, but then collapsed to the ground. After all, neither one of them had slept since before arriving at Amon Hen.

"We need to rest first, Mister Frodo. We won't do any good in there stumbling around like my old Gaffer now, would we?" Sam joked and helped Frodo to his feet again.

The land where they stood now and up until the gates of Isengard was nothing but dirt, rocks, and some boulders. It all looked very dry and unkempt, unlike the Shire. No more grass to conceal them.

Frodo and Sam made it down the hill together and sat down behind a boulder, so they wouldn't be facing Isengard. Their backs where to it. The minute they closed their eyes, they both drifted off into deep sleep.