He felt strange here. This was all too familiar, yet he couldn't quite place his finger on how it was. He had confronted the same official that Mal had not had such a great experience with, while trying to arrange a rescue. He had thrown the doors open and walked straight up to the foolish man.

"Were you the one who denied my friend help?" He yelled to the man, "Do you know what she has done for you now? When you denied her help, she found volunteers to help her. In her rescue attempt, she managed to reclaim Osgiliath for you!" Jacob had come straight from the gate to the man, so he still had his scars and dirt on his face. "I carried one of my best friends for miles because no help came for us, and I watched a person who I thought was a friend drive a dagger through the chest of a kind and loyal man. Now, would you say that you are to blame for all of that?" he finished. He turned to a soldier who was standing guard in the hall. "Who is this man's immediate superior?" he asked, with an edge to his tone.

"He reports directly to the king, um... sir. He's the steward," The soldier stuttered. Jacob smiled at the soldier to calm him. Then he turned directly to the man again.

"I wish to speak with him, when he is available." He said, sternly. Then, as he turned to leave the hall, a cloaked figure stood in the back of the room and shouted to him.

"Do not leave, young man," the cloaked man said, "The king has already heard your plea, and agrees with you." Turning to the steward, the man continued, "You should have helped them, Faramir. It was not within your right to deny them any aid." Jacob found it odd that this man, who looked to be a beggar was ordering around the steward of Gondor. The man turned to Jacob, and he could finally see him clearly. He was a bearded man, with long brown hair, but it was neatly combed and brushed, not what he would have expected.

"Who are you?" Jacob asked the man. He simply looked at the Jacob and smiled. Jacob looked around to see that everyone was kneeling even Faramir, which must have meant that the man was... Jacob finished his thought aloud, "Oh."

"Don't worry, it's good to not have everyone kneeling all the time," the king said. Jacob now understood the kings first statement. He was about to ask why the king of Gondor was walking around in clothes like he was wearing, but the king beat him to it, "I was a ranger until I accepted the crown. I still act like one sometimes." He answered to Jacob's thoughts. Jacob was impressed that he could read people that well. "Now, come and take a walk with me to Drinian's home," He continued.

They began to walk along the streets, as Jacob summarized the story of their adventures and what they believed they needed to do. The king listened intently and gave what advice he could to Jacob, and his main point was that they did need to follow the directions given to them by the vision, the origin of which neither of them was sure. When they reached the house, they ended their conversation, and each went to comfort someone different.

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Cat hadn't mourned in the moment, but when she returned to Gondor and saw his wife standing in the door of their home, with his children gathered around her, Cat realized that they wouldn't be the only ones who would be mourning him. Drinian had been her friend, he had found her and given her shelter in her time of need, and she hadn't been able to stop Vince.

As she approached the door, Enma asked, "Where's Drinian? I thought he was going to return with you. Did he stay to fight?" Cat just looked up to Enma, a sad expression covering her face, and Enma knew what Cat couldn't say out loud, what she feared would happen one day.

"I'm so sorry, I couldn't..." she trailed off. Enma simply pulled her into a hug. They went in together, the children realizing what they were seeing. Their mother was going back inside, and their father never would. A few hours later, Jacob arrived with another man. The man claimed to be the king, and despite his rough clothes, Cat believed him. He had an air of authority around him, but a certain gentleness that he showed when comforting Enma and the children. What Cat really was wondering, was how a king could make time to simply come and comfort a family who had lost a member. He seemed to be pondering something himself, while assuring the children that they would be okay.

A while later, after night had fallen, the king turned to Jacob and Cat, saying, "I believe I will join you on your quest. It is one of great importance, and I believe you will need as much help as you can get." Both of them were stunned by this, as they figured a king would have to stay in his city. He explained to them that he had talked to Faramir when his reign had begun, and they had agreed that he could make decisions while the king was away, which he might be. "However, while we are on our journey, you must not call me by my title. You will call me Strider. Not many in the parts we will be travelling will know my face, and those who do, we can trust." He continued. Cat wasn't sure that statement would be true, but she said nothing aloud, for she didn't want to interrupt the king. Just so they might not slip up during their quest, he didn't even tell his name. When he was done, Cat came straight out with her opinion on the matter, despite being somewhat shy of attention.

"I don't believe you should come with us. You are too important to Gondor, and if something happened to you..." She trailed off, because the king was staring at her with a look on his face, meaning he didn't agree.

Jacob leaned over to her and noted, "He was a ranger before he was a king. Undoubtedly, he would come to make sure nothing would go wrong." She had figured he would agree with her, but it seemed like he understood the situation a little better. The king left after they had finalized their plans, and they figured they should get ready to leave tomorrow. It was then that Mal came through the door, seeming to be in a rush.

"You guys won't guess who just showed up here," she said, almost giddy, "It's Mendon, the rider who found me while I was blind."

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They woke the next morning, having stayed at Drinian's home, and ate their morning meal. They prepared to leave for the shire today. They knew it would be a long difficult journey, but at least they had a ranger and a rider of Rohan with them. Mal was quite glad Mendon had arrived to aid them on their quest, she wanted someone she trusted other than the others with her. She still wasn't sure on how much they could trust the king, but she knew she would have to place her faith in him at some point. They discussed riding arrangements, figuring who should ride with who. They agreed that Mal and Cat would ride together, as Cat and Jacob didn't know how to ride at all. Jacob figured he would prefer to ride with the king, as he hadn't yet met Mendon, and he would prefer to keep their best rider free to attack. As they walked down to the gate, where they had planned to meet Strider and Mendon, they simply chatted about different aspects of this new world they were in. They reached the gate shortly before the others, and there they waited. Then, Mal noticed Mendon and Strider coming toward them, but there was another figure with them.

"Do either of you know the third one?" Mal asked the others. Jacob and Cat looked to the group, and a smile spread across Jacob's face.

He raised his hand in greeting and called to them, "Alla, Defréndel. I didn't expect to see you here." Cat and Mal knew now who the third figure was. It was the elf that Jacob had been found by, and it was understandable that Jacob was glad to see him again. It would seem that they had yet another companion on their journey. It was good to know that pretty much everyone in middle-earth knew of their quest, Mal was thinking sarcastically. Then they went to meet the new companion.

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He was already into the lands of Rohan. He had the head start on his old friends. His other spies had reported them assembling a party before they left, so he and Ryan had left Osgiliath immediately with a team of 6 orc elites, and they were making straight for the land of the halflings. He realized that they might have a harder time crossing some regions than the others, so this head start was just what he needed. If they travelled as well as he thought they would, he should meet up with them somewhere around the fortress of Isengard. Now, he turned to his lieutenant for counsel.

He asked Ryan, "Which do you believe to be wiser, to stop when we reach the Isengard and ambush our 'friends', or to push onward to the shire and meet them there?" He asked Ryan, he already knew which he planned to do as soon as he asked Ryan, but now he would simply use it as a test for Ryan.

Ryan thought for a moment then responded, "I think we should attack at Isengard, then we stop them long before they reach their goal, and not risk them slipping past us." Ryan sounded confident in his answer, and he had reason to be. It was not only the answer Vince had been looking for, but the reason, too. Vince was happy to have picked a confident but loyal lieutenant. Still, he felt he couldn't trust Ryan completely. If he had been willing to betray his former teacher, he would do so to Vince as well. Now, they raced across the fields knowing that by now the champions of the free people were on the path here. Their wargs raced across the open terrain. They passed through most of Rohan without trouble, but as they neared the western edge of the region they began to slow. Their wargs stopped and sniffed the air.

"It must be a region patrol of riders." Vince said to the others. Quickly, they moved off the road, ready to pounce. The sound of the patrol's hooves were now audible to the parties ears, not just the warg's keen sense of smell. Soon, the riders came over the ridge they had just been about to cross. He held back Ryan, but still the orcs attacked, their bloodlust was greater than their respect for him.

"I see, sir," whispered Ryan. They continued onward as the fight behind them turned from the orc's favor and they were slaughtered. Orc raids in the region weren't uncommon, but if someone heard that two young boys were attacking as well, word might reach the others and their trap would be useless. Vince was glad to have someone else see things as he did. Someone as smart as him, but still he didn't trust Ryan. He would have to always be on guard against Ryan, because he suspected he was just waiting for a moment of weakness in which he could turn on him. He was his lieutenant, but not his friend.

"Now, we must push on," he noted, "We don't have enough forces to meet them in a straight battle, and they might slip past the two of us." Ryan nodded in agreement, and they began to race across the open fields once more, and this time, their plan wouldn't be foiled. They might not have the greater power, but they did have the advantage. They would have to kill the elf star. Then their quest for domination would never be stopped, because the 'heroes' would never finish their quest.