Disclaimer - I own none of these characters with the exception of Féowin (though her parents are not mine) and Suldal. Everybody else - including Freda - belongs to either J. R. R. Tolkein or New Line Cinema.

Summary - Daughter of Faramir and Éowyn, Féowin, discovers that Saruman has come back and is plotting to take over Middle Earth. She and her lovely palomino horse, Suldal (meaning Wind Foot), must save Middle Earth, but will her parents let her fight in the impending battle?

Author's Note - I'm not exactly and expert on the works of J.R.R. Tolkein - in fact I've only read The Hobbit, and have just started The Fellowship of the Ring, though I have watched all three of the New Line Cinema movies - so if you find any factual errors please notify me and I'll try to fix them ASAP. This is also one of my first fanfictions so don't expect it to be wonderfully good or anything. Feowin is kind of Mary Sue-ish in the first few chapter, but I promise you: I will fix that. If you have any tips on de-Sueing her please share them with me.

Chapter One – The Runes on the Saddle

A hand held a damp rag and scrubbed the tough leather of a saddle. The saddle was the classic brown and had odd runes carved in gold all along the skirt, seat, and panel. The hand that held the rag was callused yet gentle as it moved along the twists and turns the leather of the saddle took. The hand belonged to Féowin, a tall, blonde, thirteen-year-old human. Her hair was the color of rich honey and just brushed her shoulders, her eyes were grayish green, like frost-encrusted grass, her nose was small and pert, her thrust out chin showed stubbornness, but the tears that fell from her eyes showed weakness.

There was a rustle of cloth and Freda sat down on the bench next to Féowin. Freda was a scant inch taller than Féowin for all that she was eleven years older than her, her pale hair was long, it waved softly past her waist, her eyes were hazel and observed Féowin silently. Freda didn't speak for a while, just watched Féowin clean the saddle as she cried silently. When Féowin's tears ceased to flow Freda spoke, her voice melodic, "Every saddle tells a story…"

Féowin looked over at Freda as if noticing her there for the first time, "What do you mean?"

"These runes," Freda's fingers gently traced the golden runes along the saddle. "Are called saddle script, they tell of the knight or shield maiden that the saddle belonged to in their time of glory. I've made a study, I've studied long and hard for several years, and now, I can understand and write saddle script. I, myself, laid these runes to this saddle. Do you wish to hear their story?"

Féowin nodded eagerly, "Yes, please."

"I shall tell you this story if you shall tell me one."

"What do you mean?" asked Féowin curiously. "I know no good stories."

"Ah, but you do know one that I wish to know." To Féowin's odd look, Freda laughed, "I wish to know why you were crying."

Féowin turned a rich red, but began her story anyway, "Mother wouldn't let me go riding on Suldal until I had polished every saddle here!" Féowin motioned to the walls of the room, filled with glistening saddles, "I had been caught up in self pity at the moment. But, I cleaned all of them. I cannot believe that I was so bratty and selfish, I'll never become a shield maiden now."

Freda raised her eyebrows as if to say 'really?' but instead said, "Do you not think that I've had my selfish moments. Do you not think that your mother had a selfish thought never escape her lips? Your mother, one of the best shield maidens of this era had many selfish moments in her beginning. But, utter no word to her that I told you that."

A smile crept across Féowin's face, "Thanks, Freda. You always know what to say."

"It is one of my better qualities," joked Freda. "Now, on with the story..."

Freda's voice took on a mystical tone and images wormed there way into Féowin's mind, "There once was a shield maiden, she was brave and stubborn. Her father wished her not to throw herself into danger, but she went into battle anyway." Féowin saw gray, sharp eyes, and wondered if the images were placed in her mind by magic, "She masqueraded as a man, and fought side by side with the men. She helped win the battle even though her uncle was slain." A hand holding a sword, swinging the sword, hitting another sword, a loud metallic clang, sparks flying. A sword piercing armor, "Even though she committed high treason of disobeying the king's orders, she is still looked upon, to this day, as one of the greatest shield maidens of the era." The visions and stories ended with a shield bearing the insignia of a shield maiden.

Féowin had an awed look in her curious eyes, "Who was she?"

"She is," Freda paused; drawing out the suspense, Féowin leaned forward, trying to catch every word, "Éowyn of Rohan."

The shock was clearly etched across Féowin's face, "M-mother?"

Freda nodded serenely, "She is a great shield maiden, she just doesn't like to brag."

"She has every right to brag. Ah, well, I guess that is what makes a shield maiden: Modesty. Could I learn saddle script?" Féowin asked eagerly.

"No," Freda shook her head, "I learned when I was about seven, the younger you are the easier it is to learn, besides, you need to focus more on your shield maiden training."

Féowin made a dicontented face, "I guess you're right. Now that I'm finished here, I'm going to go and see if mother will allow me to go riding."

Féowin placed her mother's saddle back on a rack and walked away, as she reached the door, Freda called to her, "Be careful of the clouds."

Féowin nodded and jogged up to the practice courts were her mother was practicing the art of sword fighting. Féowin walked over to her, dodging people, swords, and staffs.

"Hello," she greeted her mother, "I cleaned all the saddles. May I go riding now?"

"I guess so," Éowyn said, blocking a blow with the flat of her sword, "But be careful of the clouds, give them a wide berth. We still don't know what evil lurks under them."

"But, I thought you sent men and horses to see what it was?"

"We did, the horses stopped a league away and refused to go onward, the men dismounted and tried to get at it on foot, but, against their own free will, their legs ran away, carrying their unwilling bodies. Stay away, those clouds mean danger."

"Yes, mother, I will," Féowin said.

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Féowin rode Suldal bareback, without a saddle of bridle. The wind blew through Suldal's pure white mane. The rocking, three-beat rhythm of the canter was somehow soothing to Féowin as she watched Suldal's hooves pound the ground.

After a long gallop, Féowin slowed Suldal and looked up at the dark clouds that loomed over the horizon. She was about to turn back when, an idea crawled itself into her mind. If she found out what those unnatural clouds were hiding, she would be swiftly on her way to becoming a shield maiden. She kneed Suldal golden sides; she sprang into a swift canter toward the crest of the hill, near those dreaded clouds. A little less than a league away, Suldal stopped and eyed the clouds, fear written all over her intelligent face.

Féowin stroked her mare's neck and whispered, "Whoa, girl, it's fine. We're just going to go and see what is so bad up there."

Suldal trembled but walked on, reassured by Féowin's soft voice and calming touch. A little way than halfway up the hill, Suldal stopped dead and refused to go any further. Féowin dismounted and began walking up. Her mother had been right about people's legs turning against them and running back down the hill, Féowin's tried to do so, but she tripped herself, so she lay on the ground. She used her arms and crawled up the last part of the hill and peered over.

A vile scent reached her nostrils and Féowin was forced to turn and retch. The lush grass that had once made up the valley was gone, it was all stone and mud. A tall person clad in white robes stood on a large platform in the middle of all the chaos. Things came up from the mud, trees were burning, and some of the creatures were making weapons. She took out a spyglass from one of the pockets in her leggings and trained it on the white robbed figure. A short gasp was emitted from her lips.

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Author's Note - Thank y'all for suffering through my first chapter. Please I would like to hear your comments and stuff, so please review. Sorry about the whole cliffhanger type thing at the end, I needed the next couple paragraphs for my second chapter. I'm also really sorry if the horse terminology is not correct for this time period, I only ride hunt seat, so I do not know.