Journey’s End
Chapter 17
The Rohirrim
Without a second thought, I hurriedly scrambled into the branches of the tree that I sat below, as more arrows followed my ascent.
“Hold your fire!” Someone called below me. “No Orc moves that fast!”
I settled on a thick branch, out of sight. The sound of hoof beats reached my ears and I looked down to see that my tree was totally surrounded by men on horses. Just my luck, I get attacked by the Rohirrim.
One man on a horse stepped forward. I could tell by the white horsetail on his helmet that he was the captain of this branch.
“Hello up there!” He called to me, “What business do you have in the Riddermark?”
“My business is my own and is most certainly not yours!” I snapped irritably. I hated being trapped.
I heard a bowstring being pulled back and shrunk back against the tree.
“Hold!” Commanded the captain again. I heard mutters below of ‘It’s a woman.’
“My Lady, this area is not safe. A party of Orcs are camped not far from here. Come down and we can take you to safety.” He called up to me.
“I am aware of their presence.” I replied. “I have been tracking them for the past three days, and you are interrupting my hunt.” I growled.
“What reason can you have for tracking them?”
“My reasons are my own!” I hissed, my hand creeping towards the hilt of my sword.
“You cannot possibly hope to destroy them on your own!” He cried. I sighed and flicked the hood of my cloak over my head, before leaping out of the tree and landing in a crouch.
“That is not what I intend to do. Now let me past.” I requested, standing in front of the captain. I could see that beneath his helmet he was frowning at me.
“Who are you?” He asked.
I wasn’t about to reveal my identity to a party of total strangers.
“I am beyond being courteous.” I spat, my fingertips brushing the hilt of my sword. “Now let me past!”
Spears descended around me as I drew my sword and pointed it at the man who was before me.
“Do you threaten us?” Was his next question.
“Only if you do not stop wasting my precious time. There are lives in danger while I linger here.”
With a flick of the captain’s hand, several tall men dismounted from their horses and advanced upon me.
“I will ask you once more, what is your business here?” The man asked, clearly becoming as irritable as I was. For a moment I sympathised with him, but then I remembered that he and his company stood between me and Merry and Pippin. I sheathed my sword, span on my heel and intended to duck beneath the horses and escape, but I was grabbed from behind, and dragged back before the captain by two burly men. They gripped my arms tightly, forcing me to buckle over. I struggled, kicking at their shins, and I almost broke free, but one punched me in the stomach and I slumped to my knees with a groan as they ripped back my hood, revealing my face.
“Do not harm her!” The captain commanded to my surprise. He dismounted and walked towards me. He crouched before me and examined my face.
