Fighting the Odds: The Lionheart Returns (A Lord of the Rings Fanfiction)

Book 2: The White Wizard

"Not idly do the leaves of Lorien fall." He murmured. Legolas caught up with Aragorn.

"They may yet be alive." He said, a bit of hope glinting in his blue eyes. Ara released a breath. This was a good sign. One of the Hobbits had tried to leave a trail of breadcrumbs for them. She remained silent, however, as she had in the past few days. Aragorn glanced at her before getting up. He sensed something was wrong as well, they all did. But if they wanted to save the Hobbits they had to keep going.

"Less than a day ahead of us. Come." The ranger began to run once more. Legolas looked back and shouted to Gimli. The poor dwarf had fallen and rolled down the hill.

"Come! Gimli, we are gaining on them!"

The elf began to run off nimbly. It was beyond aggravating to the dwarf. Ara stayed behind to make sure the dwarf was alright.

"Are you okay?" She asked, voice unusually quiet.

Instead of responding to her question he huffed.

"I am wasted on cross-county. We Dwarves are natural sprinters. Very dangerous over short distances." His pride was obviously more wounded than his body. Ara cracked a smile for the first time in a couple of days.

"You're doing great, Gimli." Most would not have been able to do this, pace regardless. The only reason Ara was doing this well was because she and Cassy had underwent the toughest training the Ibilissan military had to offer. Their division had required it.

The small group went on, long into the day.

"Rohan. Home of the Horse-lords." Aragorn said, pausing briefly to let the others catch up. Ara's breath heaved as she stood beside him. Her eyebrows were furrowed. She felt sick to her stomach, for some odd reason.

"I wish I could say that I'm glad to be back." She truly did. Ara had grown to love Rohan in the time where she was stationed there. Aragorn looked to her and nodded.

"There is something strange at work here.
Some evil gives speed to these creatures. Sets its will against us."

Ara's heart sank. She knew what could be causing them to do so. While she prayed it was not true, she had grown nervous.

The four worked their way across the rocks, until they reached an outcropping. Aragorn called to Legolas, who was ahead of them.

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

The elf peered into the distance, looking for the traveling Uruk-hai. His expression soon turned to one of horror. In that moment Ara knew she had been right.

"The Uruks turn Northeast. They're taking the hobbits to Isengard!"

Aragorn's expression darkened.

"Sauruman."

The bender blanched. Unbeknownst to her she had begun to shake like a leaf. Her eyes began to flicker teal, leading Gimli to believe she had no idea it was happening. He grew increasingly concerned as the clouds darkened. He could have sworn he saw electricity sparking across her skin.

"N-no. We have to save them, I would rather have died than-" Ara immediately stopped when she realized she had spoken aloud. Her eyes stopped flickering, but she was still shaking. She was mortified. That was something she had kept to herself. Not even Cassy knew.

Aragorn set his hands on the young woman's shoulders. He met her eye, wanting to help calm her.

"We will not abandon the Hobbits to Isengard, Ara. We will save them, I promise."

Ara took a shaky breath and nodded. She couldn't break down. Especially with her friends in trouble. She nodded and simply took off again, faster this time. The bender would run herself until she dropped to save Merry and Pippin from the torment she had experienced. Such innocent, good people did not deserve that.