-Yes indeed, said Eomer, lowering his blade. But those who roam our lands would do well to be less arrogant in these dubious times. First tell me your real name.

-First tell me who you serve, said Aragorn. Are you a friend of Sauron, the Dark Lord of Mordor?

-I serve only the Lord of the March, Theoden the son King of Thengel, replied Eomer, if they can recognise those who are loyal to him... These are troubled times. These are troubled times. We have become more wary now with the strangers who roam our lands. Come on! Who are you? What do you know about us?

-I serve no one, says Aragorn, but Sauron's servants, I pursue them wherever they go. There are few among mortal men who know more about Orcs, and it is not for pleasure that I hunt them. Those we are pursuing have taken two of my friends captive. In such circumstances, a man without a horse will go on foot and he will not ask permission to follow the trail. I am not unarmed.

Aragorn threw his cloak back. His weapons sparkled in the sunlight and Aragorn stood up.

-Elendil! he shouted. I am Aragorn son of Arathorn, and I am called Elessar, the Stone of the Elf, Dúnadan, heir to the son of Isildur Elendil of Gondor. Do you want to help or hinder me? Choose quickly!

Gimli, Elenwë and Legolas looked at their companion in amazement, for they had never had such a noble and proud attitude towards him.

He seemed to have grown up, while Eomer was shrivelled.

Aragorn had an expression of majesty similar to that of the stone kings.

For a moment it seemed to the elves' eyes that a white flame glittered on Aragorn's forehead like a glittering crown.

Eomer stepped back and a respectful expression of awe appeared on his face.

He lowered his proud eyes.

-We are living in strange days, he murmured. Dreams and legends come to life. Tell me, Lord, what did these dark words mean? A long time ago Boromir son of Denethor left in search of an answer, and the horse we had lent him returned without a rider. What do you bring from the North?

-Choice, said Aragorn. This is what you can say to Theoden son of Thengel: he has before him open war with or against Sauron. No one will be able to live as he lived. But let's leave it at that. I myself will go to the king. At the moment I am in need and I am asking for help or at least for news. You heard him, we are pursuing a troop of Orcs. What can you tell us?

-That there is no point in pursuing them any further, says Eomer. The Orcs were destroyed by our horsemen last night.

-And our friends? What about our friends? Elenwë asked then.

-We have found only the Orcs.

-This is strange, really, said Aragorn. Have you examined the dead? Were there no bodies other than Orcs? They would be small, the bodies of children in your eyes.

-There were no Dwarves or children, said Eomer. We counted all the dead and stripped them, and then we piled the bodies together and burned them. The ashes are still smoking.

-It wasn't Dwarves or children, says Gimli with a slight groan of despair. Our friends were Hobbits.

-Hobbits? said Eomer. What are Hobbits?

-A strange name for foreign people, said Gimli. But those were very dear to us. Hobbits are Half Men.

-Half-Men! laughed the Knight who stood beside Eomer, laughing. Half-Men! But they are only characters from old songs and children's stories. So do we walk through legends?

-That could be the case. Says Aragorn. But it is our successors who will write the legends of our time.

-Time is running out, said the Knight, without paying attention to Aragorn. Let us leave these people to their foolishness. Or let us lionize them and bring them to the king.

-Peace, Eothain! said Eomir in his own language. Tell the Eored to gather on the way and prepare to leave for the Ford of Ent.

Elenwë had recognised the language used by Eomer and allowed himself to interfere in the conversation.

-Men of Rohan, she said in their language, we are not ill intentioned. Believe us.

Eothain raised an eyebrow and asked:

-How is it that you speak our language?

-I am an elf from Rivendell and I have studied the different languages of Middle-earth all my childhood.

Eothain withdrew, calmed down and spoke to the others. They soon left, leaving Eomer alone with the three companions and three horses.

-Everything you say is strange, Aragorn, he said. But you haven't said everything.

-We left many weeks ago from Imladris, as it is called in poetry, Aragorn replied. I was accompanied by Boromir of Minas Tirith. We wanted to go to this city with Denethor's son to help his people in their war against Sauron. But the company with which I travelled had another mission. Our guide was Gandalf the Grey.

-Gandalf! exclaimed Eomer. Gandalf the Grey Household is known in the March, but I warn you that his name is not good for getting the King's favour. He is always a harbinger of strange events: a bearer of evil, some now say. In fact, since he last came here last summer, everything has gone wrong. That's when our troubles with Saruman began. Until then we had counted him among our friends, but then Gandalf came and warned us that a war was brewing in Isengard. He said that he himself had been a prisoner in Orthanc, that he had had difficulty escaping, and he asked for help. But Theoden wouldn't listen to him, and he left. Don't say Gandalf's name out loud within earshot of Theoden! Gandalf took the horse named Gripoil, the most precious of all the king's steeds, the principal of the Mearas that only the Lord of the March can ride. Gripoil returned seven nights ago, but the king's anger is no less great, for now the horse has gone wild and is not allowed to be approached by anyone.