This ground is cursed! Estelwen mentally grumbled as she ran next to Gimli. She was a swordfighter with a restless spirit but not a restless body. At first, her enthusiasm for finding the Merry and Pippin kept her going. Now, everything hurt, and all she could think about was how not to stop and keep going.

Gimli sprinted a dozen feet ahead of her before pausing to catch his breath. "Three days! Three days without food or rest."

"Make it four." Estelwen grabbed onto his arm and pulled him forward.

"Oomph!"

"Come on, Gimli! Do not let a woman drag you around!" Legolas called back.

Gimli jerked his arm away. "We dwarves are natural sprinters, very dangerous over short distances! It takes a lot more than a pair of useless lungs to slow us down!" he shouted ahead.

Legolas reached the top of a grassy hill and stopped. There was town up ahead.

"Rohan, home of the horse lords," Aragorn announced, slightly out of breath. He was a Ranger, used to giving chase against high-spirited enemies, but not like this. "There is something strange at work here, an evil that gives speed to these creatures and sets its will against us. Legolas! What do your elf eyes see?"

"The Urak-hai turn north east." Legolas' eyes widened. "They are taking the hobbits to Isengard!"

"Saruman." Aragorn looked behind him.

Estelwen gasped, still trying to catch her breath. "Better him...than directly to the Dark Lord."

Aragorn and Legolas raced ahead, causing Estelwen to summon all her willpower to run faster. As she fell again into the endless motion of running, she was tempted to close her eyes. Was it possible to sleep while running? She shook her head. Wake up!

An hour later, Legolas slowed his speed. He scanned the skies. "A red sun rises. Blood has been spilled this night. I fear it is not the first in this land, nor the last."

Estelwen stopped next to him. "From the orc pack?"

"Packs." Legolas corrected. "We are not the only current target of Saruman. He must be trying to take over Rohan."

Estelwen recalled the town they passed by earlier. "Does Saruman seek to kill Rohan's king?"

"The king is not the kingdom. The people of Rohan would rise against an attack. But Saruman is crafty. He will ensure that there will be no warning. When-"

"Come, let us not waste another breath that would slow us to Merry and Pippin's aid!" Aragorn shouted. Suddenly, he stopped. Raising his hand, he motioned towards a few boulders to their right. The four dashed behind them. Around fifty horses carrying armed riders pounded across the ground they had just stood upon. Without warning, Aragorn jumped to his feet and stepped out from the rocks.

"Riders of Rohan, what news from the Mark?" he shouted out to them.

"What are you doing?" Estelwen hissed, observing how heavily armed the men were. They not only had multiple weapons, but were clothed in thick chain mail and helmets. The riders made a skillful sharp turn. They quickly surrounded them and lowered their spears.

A man with blond hair roughly addressed them. "What business does a man, two elves, and a dwarf have in the Riddermark? Speak quickly!"

"Give me your name, horse master, and I shall give ye mine!" Gimli retorted.

The blond rider's eyes widened as he dismounted his horse. Estelwen's hands immediately flew to the handles of her daggers. If the man made any further hint of aggression, she would fling them before he could blink.

Aragorn noticed and took great pains to remain calm. He lay a hand protectively on Gimli as the blond rider walked up to him. "I would cut off your head, dwarf, if it stood but a bit higher from the ground," the rider said angrily. Estelwen almost unleashed her daggers, but realized that the blond rider's hands were empty, leaving his spear at his horse. He did not intend to do them harm. Estelwen became still. Please do not speak, Gimli. Please leave Aragorn to the talking.

"You would die before your stroke fell!" Legolas retorted, his arrow ready to fly.

Aragorn lowered Legolas' bow. "I am Aragorn son of Arathorn. This is Gimli son of Glóin, Legolas of the Woodland realm, and Estelwen of Rivendell. We are friends of Théoden, your king," he said earnestly.

The blond rider looked intently at Aragorn. "Théoden no longer recognizes friend from foe, not even his own kin." He removed his helmet. "I am Éomer, his nephew."

At this announcement, the riders' spears lowered. Éomer continued, "Saruman has poisoned the mind of the king and claimed lordship over these lands. Do not be fooled by the banner that still flies over our towns. Rohan is falling apart."

Aragorn nodded, taking in their situation. "We are tracking an orc pack-"

"Which one?" Éomer said.

"We have only followed one in particular. They traveled in haste to Isengard, carrying two of our friends with them."

Éomer frowned. "We came across a pack of this intent. We left none alive."

"But did you see two hobbits with them?" Gimli was frantic.

"They would've been small, only children to your eyes," Aragorn described.

Éomer shook his head. "We left none alive." He pointed to a trail of smoke rising in the distance. "We piled their carcasses and burned them."

Gimli's mouth dropped open and Legolas' glare turned morphed in sorrow.

"I am sorry for your friends," Éomer said. After thinking a moment, he gestured to two of his men, who each brought forth a horse with an empty saddle. "May these horses, Arod and Hasufel, serve to help you where your friends could not," he said, making sure that the short elleth personally received one of the horses. Now here is a woman grieving so deeply that she cannot find the voice to wail, he thought, feeling a bit of sympathy.

Estelwen gripped the reins of the white horse next to her, staring intently at Éomer.

"These horses' riders fell last night. You may use them as long as they will be returned to Meduseld, where the king of Rohan dwells," Éomer said, replacing his helmet. No one spoke as he mounted his horse. He turned it around as the men began to follow.

A feminine voice arose louder than the pounding of horses. "Where will you go?"

Éomer blinked twice, surprised to hear her talk. "Where our blood, which runs deep with the desire to protect our people, will be accepted."

"To the nearby villages, then?" Estelwen stepped towards him.

"That is none of your concern," Éomer snapped. He did not expect her tone, thinking it would have been sorrowful or timid. He could have sworn that she was giving him an order instead of a question.

"Do not go far. Rohan will need you, whether the king decides to accept you or not."

"Estelwen!" Aragorn needed her silent. He didn't want her to break the fragile bonds of the unspoken alliance just formed.

"That wasn't our decision to make!" Éomer retorted, replacing his helmet. Such a strange woman! Her dress and looks seem that of an elf. Yet, she speaks as one of us, though more like a demanding queen than an ordinary woman. Leading the riders, he left without another word.

Aragorn gave Estelwen an exasperated look. "Now, what were you thinking?"

She ignored him, trying to mount Arod, the white horse. It reared up and snorted. Legolas quickly moved over to it. Placing his palm on its snout, he coaxed quietly in elvish. Arod planted his hooves and lowered his head, slowing his breathing. Legolas mounted Arod with ease. He held out his hand to Estelwen, who pulled herself up behind him. Gimli looked relieved to be able to ride with Aragorn, as if riding with an elf and on an aggressive horse far from his comfort zone.

They rode swiftly in the direction Éomer had pointed. When they arrived, it was just as Éomer had said. Nothing moved except for the rising grey trail of a dying fire. Estelwen slid off Arod and stood there while the others approached the pile. She was exhausted and worried, but something overcame them both. She heard Aragorn cry out in sorrow and rage. Why do I not feel mourning and grief? She thought angrily. Because I do not believe they are dead! I refuse to believe it!

She strode quickly to Aragorn, who was kneeling in dismay. "Aragorn!"

"Does their deaths not affect you?" Legolas asked defensively.

She ignored him as Aragorn met her eyes. "I will not grieve until we have found them!" she insisted. She could not embrace failure. It was not in her nature. She pointed to the carcasses. "I do not care if we have to dig in this pile of filth, but we cannot stop until we have found them – not after all we have gone through!" Even if she sounded childishly desperate, she did not care.

Aragorn's eyes grazed over the once-green plains near the edge of the Fangorn Forest. Now, the grass was flattened, sections were burnt, and large sections of grass were matted together with dried blood. He spotted a double impression in the grass. "A hobbit lay here," he said softly, daring to hope. He rose and felt along the imprints. "He crawled. Their hands were bound." His hands felt something rough in the grass, and he pulled it out. It was a piece of rope. "Their bonds were cut." He carried the rope with him as he followed on foot, rapidly scanning the ground. "They ran over here and were followed. The tracks lead away from the battle," Aragorn said, astonished. He stopped at the edge of Fangorn Forest.

Legolas looked at Estelwen in amazement. Despair had surrounded them all like a thick cloud, but she had refused to breathe it in. He was not sure what caused her to resist it. Whatever it was, he wanted it too: the ability to search for a way, even in the darkest of times.

Legolas and Aragorn quickly tied the horses to a thick tree near the forest edge, but still out of the sight of those who might pass by. The Fangorn forest felt stranger and more intimidating than the forests of Lórien. Once inside, it looked like night instead of the middle of the day. There was a murky scent that none of them could recognize. Time passed as they followed Aragorn, trailing the invisible pattern of snapped twigs and light imprints on the ground. Gimli bent down, touched a leaf, then his mouth. He spit in disgust. "Orc blood!"

Estelwen tried not to smile at Gimli's disgusted face. "Is that the only way to tell what it is?"

"No, but it is the surest!"

Estelwen suddenly stopped walking. The air tingled around her, and she felt a familiar pull. It was what entranced her while she faced the Ring, and yet, it was also what drew her to the river to save Arwen in Rivendell. Magic. Who or what is calling me?

Legolas watched her closely. She was breathing harder as she slowed into an almost trance-like state. Alarmed, he whispered urgently to Aragorn, "Something is out there!" His keen eyes scanned the forest ahead. "A white wizard approaches."

Aragorn raised his sword quietly. "We must be quick, before he can cast a spell."

Legolas glanced at Gimli, who was touching another dark spot on a leaf, and Estelwen, who was still dazed and staring into space. The wizard's magic is strong.

Aragorn shook his head and Legolas understood. They could be under attack, so they needed to be quick together. Aragorn spun around with a cry, swinging his sword as hard as he could. A white staff came into view, striking the steel so hard that it flew out of Aragorn's hand. Legolas was the second to snap from his spot. He fired an arrow so fast that it would have put the best in Mirkwood to shame. A blinding light flashed from the figure it was aimed at. The arrow rebounded, sinking into the ground. Gimli turned with a battle cry and threw his ax, which was knocked away with the white staff. Estelwen would have shielded her eyes, but she could not. With the light flowed a strong magic in the air. Every vein in her body wanted to bind with it, to accept it. It took every bit of strength to resist.

Aragorn picked up his sword. It burned his hand like a hot coal and he dropped it.

The white figure boomed in a deep voice, "You are tracking the footsteps of two young hobbits."

"Where are they?" Aragorn demanded while shielding his eyes from the blinding light.

"They passed this way the day before yesterday. They met someone they did not expect," the figure said. "Does that comfort you?"

"Who are you?" Aragorn asked, amazed and confused beyond measure. "Show yourself!"

The light diminished and Estelwen felt the draw lessen. Her mind started to clear. What just happened?

The figure's face was now visible. Everyone stared, unable to trust their eyes.

Gandalf stood before them. Every line on his face was there. There was the mischievous twinkle in his eyes. But he was not the same. Everything that was grey or uncertain about him was as clear as the blazing white of his clothes and beard.

Everyone fell to their knees but Aragorn. "You fell," he insisted.

"Through fire," Gandalf finished. He explained how he had gone on to defeat and kill the Shadow Demon of the Mines. "I knew my own death would result from the encounter. But it seemed as though the Valar had other plans." Into him was breathed a new life and a stronger power to reward him for his humility and self-sacrifice. "I am Gandalf the White, here to stay until my task is done."

Those kneeling rose to their feet.

"Much was revealed to me before I changed." Gandalf addressed Estelwen. "You are on a search for truth, as much as you are on a mission to complete your task. I have some information that you may think of as answers. Let me warn you, they are not all appealing."

"I assume that means you've guessed the questions I have not asked?" Estelwen raised her eyebrow.

Gandalf tilted his head amusement. "Most of the time I would agree, but I won't be that difficult right now."

Gimli rolled his eyes. Gandalf noticed. "What? At least I am not as confusing as Galadriel."

"No, you're much worse, my friend!" Aragorn said. Gimli laughed and Legolas smiled.

"Let us go alone, Estelwen." Gandalf gestured for the others to wait behind, so they settled themselves near the trees. Legolas climbed up a couple of branches before sitting down.

"To where?" Estelwen asked. Suddenly, she heard the stream trickling through the forest.

Gandalf smiled. "Where do you think?"

Lembas bread to whoever can guess what Gandalf is going to show Estelwen or tell her! The next chapter will be dedicated to the first person who guesses correctly!

Thank you for reading (seriously, you all are awesome), and if you enjoyed it, please give a golden star or shoot a comment!

~ Reese