Remains of the Banished | Aragorn || Lord of the Rings

XIV

For the next days, the four tracked Merry and Pippin. Through night and day, with little to no rest, Gimli, Legolas, and Eadrid followed Aragorn as he followed tracks and scents.

Aragorn laid his ear to the ground, closing his eyes and listening for a moment. "Their pace has quickened." Eadrid stood with her hands on her hips and caught her breath. Aragorn jumped up and continued to run. "They must have caught our scent. Hurry!"

Eadrid and Legolas followed quickly, but Gimli took a slow start.

"Come on, Gimli!" Legolas called behind him. 

So they continued still, running atop mountains and over hills.

"What I would give for my horse." Eadrid muttered. 

"What was his name?" Legolas called from behind her. 

She wondered for a moment how he could have heard her but quickly remembered his elf ears and shook her confusion away. 

"Well, her name is Aiyla... Or was. I'm afraid I cannot be sure if she is still around. She could have been let go when I was banished, or perhaps slaughtered." Eadrid took a few breaths as she ran. "I was there when she was born, I raised her and trained her, and there is no other like her."

"You Rohirrim and the obsession with horses." Gimli snorted as he came next to Legolas and Eadrid.

"You Dwarves and your obsession with jewels and the insatiable desire for riches and wealth." Eadrid retorted. 

Legolas chuckled and Eadrid thought she heard Aragorn give a small laugh.

"Too far las," Gimli gruffed, and Eadrid looked over to see him smiling and shaking his head.

Eadrid laughed, but was saddened by the thought of her horse. It was true, the people of Rohan held horses in high respect. But it was not just any kind of horse. The horses of Rohan originated from Felarof, who was tamed by Eorel the Young. He was a valiant and strong horse that led Eorel into the battle and victory for the land that would later become Rohan. So, Felarof was bred for the steed of the kings, Aiyla being one of Felarof's descendants. Those horses, The Mearas, surpassed any other horse in speed, strength, and intelligence, so the Rohirrim had every desire to hold them in high regard.

Aragorn stopped and bent down. He turned around and held one of the leaves that held together their cloaks.

"Not idly do the leaves of Lorien fall." Aragorn smiled slightly, knowing that one of the Hobbits must have dropped his leaf intentionally.

This gave all of them hope, and Eadrid thanked above for any mercy given to the two Hobbits so far.

Legolas looked as hopeful as Eadrid. "They may yet be alive." He said.

"Less than a day ahead of us. Come." Aragorn ordered.

"Come, Gimli!" Eadrid said. "We're gaining on them!"

"I'm wasted on cross-country." Gimli gruffed, falling behind the other three. "We Dwarves are natural sprinters. Very dangerous over short distances."

As they reached the bottom of a hill, Eadrid stopped dead in her tracks.

Legolas stopped with her and Gimli slowed to a stop behind her, huffing and puffing.

"Eadrid?" Legolas asked.

Aragorn noticed and turned around.

The desire to find Merry and Pippin had blinded her of her direction. She knew that when she went over this hill she would find the thing she had been running from for years.

Aragorn stepped in front of her and grabbed her shoulders. "Are you able to do this, Eadrid? I understand if not. You can stay here while-"

"No." Eadrid shook off his hands. "I am done running from it. I should have killed Grima the moment he arrived here, I will not let my land be under his grasp any longer."

Eadrid was the first to go up the hill, and the first to look upon her old lands. She did not know what she was going to find, who she would encounter. Perhaps Grima had turned her own brother away from her, perhaps even her cousins. She could be killed as soon as she arrived. But she would rather die here then as a coward who deserted her people. 

She cursed herself every day for leaving her brother. Theodred and her had grown up together, him only a year older. They were always close, did everything together, and fought too many battles side by side to count. She knew he understood why she fled so quickly. But Eadrid knew he would never understand why she didn't say goodbye before she left.

"Rohan. Home of the Horse-lords." She said as the rest joined her at the top of the hill. Eadrid took a deep breath in. "There is still evil here, that gives speed to the creatures. I have no doubt it sets its will against us." 

Legolas ran forward, looking far across the horizon.

"Legolas! What do your Elf-eyes see?"

"The Uruks turn northeast. They are taking the Hobbits to lsengard!"

"Saruman." Aragorn muttered.

So they continued after them once again.