A/N

Well...guess who finally decided to start writing again. ;)

I am very sorry about the long absence, but high school is a bit more busy than I had been planning on. I can't promise that I will be able to update as regularly as I would like to in the future, but I will be making more of an effort to make time for my writing.

As always, if you have any suggestions or comments please give me a review! They are always greatly appreciated.

I own nothing, as per usual.

Thanks to . for having the dialogue that I forgot to write down while rewatching the Two Towers.

Happy reading, Enjoy!

Part Two: Sacrifice and the Red Dawn

Chapter 16

Manwathiel ran across the rocky plain, feeling acutely every time her feet pounded against the earth, every bead of sweat that dripped slowly down her forehead and on the small of her back. Even for an elf, running for three days with little rest was exhausting.

"Manwathiel!" Aragorn called from behind her. She stopped and turned, grateful for the slight respite, to see him lying down with his ear to the ground.

"There pace has quickened," he murmured, "They must have caught our scent. Hurry!"

Manwathiel moaned inwardly and started to run again, wishing that she had a horse to ride, or even some orcs to fight for that matter. She would much prefer that over endless amounts of running through scenery that never seemed to change.

"Come on Gimli!" Legolas shouted encouragingly to his lagging friend.

"Three days and nights pursuit. No food, no rest, nor sign of our quarry but what bare rock can tell!" The dwarf seemed ever more exasperated than Manwathiel.

She gave him a sympathetic smile and wasn't offended when he grunted in return. Talking would require too much energy, after all.

After running for another immeasurable amount of miles, Aragorn stopped again, taking notice of something on the ground. On closer inspection, Manwathiel's heart leapt to find that it was a shiny leaf used to clasp the cloaks given to them by the elves of Lorien.

"Not idly do the leaves of Lorien fall." Aragorn looked at his companions hopefully.

"They may yet be alive." Said Legolas.

"Less than a day ahead of us." Aragorn pushed forward, his energy suddenly renewed.

Gimli however, was not feeling quite so inspired. He tumbled down the hill behind them, grunting and grumbling.

"I am wasted in the long distance! We dwarves are natural sprinters!"

"Come Gimli, we are gaining on them!" Legolas ran to follow Aragorn.

Manwathiel smiled and helped the dwarf back on his feet. "I know how you feel, my friend. We will have the hobbits back soon enough hopefully, and then we'll be done with this senseless trampling across miles of rocks and grass."

"Aye, I do hope that you are right my lady. I don't know how much more of this any of us can take."

Manwathiel nodded her agreement, and looked up to see Legolas and Aragorn standing at the top of a ridge.

"Rohan. Home of the horse lords." Aragorn stated.

"Yes Aragorn, I think all of us are fairly good with our geography." Manwathiel quipped.

He ignored her and continued on, "There is something strange at work here. Some evil gives speed to these creatures. Sets its will against us."

Legolas jumped to a higher rock and scanned the horizon.

"Legolas! What do your elf eyes see?" Aragorn called.

"The Uruks turn Northeast. They're taking the hobbits to Isengard." Legolas furrowed his brow.

"Saruman!" Cursed Aragorn.

The little company took off again in hot pursuit of their prey.

Legolas stopped suddenly, gazing at the rising sun. Manwathiel went to stand beside him, slipping her hand into his.

"What is Legolas?"

He frowned, still not looking at her, his gaze fixed upon the sun. "A red sun rises. Blood has been spilt this night."

Manwathiel felt a chill run down her spine, but tried to not let his ominous words sink into her heart. She had to remain hopeful, and she knew that sometimes the slightest thing could sink her spirit into darkness.

"Come melamin. Let us find our little friends." Manwathiel tugged slightly at his hand. He simply nodded and started running again, but the worried look had not left his features.

The ground started to shake, and a large company of men on horses appeared in the distance.

"I suppose you were right Aragorn. We are in Rohan. There are some horse lords right there, just as you said there would be." Sarcasm dripped from Manwathiel's voice as she smiled mischievously.

"My lady, I have never known you to be so…satirical." Aragorn raised a quizzical eyebrow at her.

"I've never really had friends to joke with before. I might as well start with you." She said shyly, suddenly feeling rather uncomfortable. Manwathiel wasn't used to being seen as vulnerable, or even as having a less serious side. In Lorien she had always kept to herself, too afraid to become close to anyone for fear of them discovering who she really was. She had found more companionship in the past few months with this company of men than she had ever felt before in the entirety of her long life.

"I wasn't sure I had a sense of humor until now to be completely honest with you." she said to the utter amusement of Gimli, Legolas, and Aragorn.

"I like her even more!" Gimli chuckled, giving her a friendly smack on the back. "You will always be able to find friendship with us, my lady. I don't think there is a man here who wouldn't gladly give anything to keep you safe and happy."

"I can't say I don't agree with that." Legolas smiled, his twinkling eyes making her heart melt.

Aragorn looked as if he might say something in kind, but was interrupted as the Riders of Rohan reached the ridge and quickly made a tight circle around them. Suddenly Manwathiel found herself surrounded by spears, and was standing defensively with her silver knives in hand.

"What business does two elves, a dwarf, and a man have in the riddemark?" The leader glared at them suspiciously. "Speak quickly!"

"Tell me your name, horsemaster, and I shall give you mine." Gimli piped up.

"I would cut off your head, dwarf, if it stood but a little higher from the ground." He sneered.

Legolas had his bow up and pointed at his head before Manwathiel could begin to process what was happening. "You would die before your stroke fell." His eyes flashed with blue fire, even as twenty spears bristled at his throat.

Aragorn stepped in front of Legolas, silently trying to tell him to settle down. "I am Aragorn, son of Arathorn. This is Gimli, son of Gloin, and Legolas of the Woodland Realm. We are friends of Rohan and of Theoden, your king."

Legolas lowered his bow but remained on his guard, standing defensively with his hands on his weapon, suspicious of this strange horse lord of Rohan.

"Theoden no longer recognizes friend from foe. Not even his own kin." Eomer motioned for his riders to raise their spears, and Manwathiel felt herself relax just slightly. "My company are those loyal to Rohan. And for that, we are banished. The White Wizard is walks here and there, they say...as an old man hooded and cloaked. And everywhere, his spies slip past our nets."

"We are no spies." Aragorn said soothingly. "We track a party of Uruk-hai westward across the plain. They have taken two of our friends captive."

Eomer shook his head. "The Uruks are destroyed. We slaughtered them during the night."

"But there were two Hobbits. Did you see two hobbits with them?!" Gimli was starting to lose his patience, as were they all.

"We left none alive. We piled the carcasses and burned them." Eomer said regretfully. He then gave them two horses, Hasufel and Arod, and bade them farewell.

"Look for your friends," he said, "but do not trust to hope. It is forsaken in these lands."

translations:

Melamin – My love