Heiress of Isildur (Legolas Love Story)

Chapter 16

Aragorn had his ear to the ground while Farren trailed her fingers over the grass, over the tracks of their prey. "Their pace has quickened, they must have caught our scent" Aragorn growled as Farren pulled him to his feet, 'Hurry!' he yelled back at Legolas and Gimli. Farren and Aragorn had led they way, Legolas not struggling but trying to keep a reasonable gap between them and a struggling Gimli. Farren waited at the top of the hill for Legolas as the elf gracefully bounded up it, as he reached her they both turned to look at Gimli.

'Come on Gimli' Legolas called back. He touched Farren's shoulder as they began to run again after Aragorn, she grimaced at Gimli's complaints, of three days and nights without food or rest. Their water skins were running low and she knew she was dehydrated.

Farren took the lead, nimbly bounding over the countryside, she had always been better at the chase than Aragorn, she was more agile on uneven terrain matching even Legolas' elven swiftness. They had run over the land and rocks for days chasing the Uruk-hai.

Farren's eyes caught on a glint in the mud, she picked up a leaf of Lothlorien. 'Not idly do the leaves of Lothlorien fall' she murmured. Legolas looked down at her,

'They may yet be alive'

'Less than a day ahead of us' Farren agreed as her brother's fingers danced over the leaf.

A yell made Farren look back at Gimli tumbling down a slope, 'Come Gimli we are gaining on them' Legolas shouted.

'I'm wasted on cross-country, we dwarf's are natural sprinters, very dangerous over short distances' was his reply as they ran up yet another hill, this time with Legolas in the lead. They stopped on the top looking out over a green land.

'Rohan. Home of the horse lords' Farren smiled but something felt wrong in her chest. She knew Rohan, loved it and its people but the green was not a bright as usual and a cold feeling in her chest worried her, 'There is something strange at work here'

'Some evil gives speed to these creatures' Aragorn muttered, 'It sets its will against us'. Legolas had bounded over to a further rock. 'Legolas what do your elf eyes see?'

'The Uruks turn North East. They are taking the hobbits to Isengard' he called back.

'Saruman' Farren breathed, she motioned for the boys to follow as they raced down onto the plains of Rohan, up more hills and down them again, Gimli falling and rolling down more than he ran down.

'Keep breathing, that's the key. Breath'

'They run as if the very whips of their masters were behind them' Legolas commented, as they ran across the plains, as the sunset, plunging them slowly into darkness.

Farren stopped ahead of the boys, her ears to the rocks as the moon shone high above them, 'They have stopped for the night' she gasped, Aragorn's eyes widened.

'Let us use this to our advantage then. Come Legolas, Gimli' he called over his shoulder.

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Dawn was rising in the east and even Farren and Aragorn were slowing, Legolas looked at the dawn a worried look gracing his face. 'The red sun rises. Blood has been split this night'

'Let us hope it is not the wee ones' Gimli growled.

They ran into a dip between two sets of rocks, Farren was at the back her fingers ghosting over the tracks in the grass when the sound of horses approached. The boys hurried to the other side throwing themselves into the rocks while Farren crouched on the opposite side as hundreds of horses galloped by.

Aragorn stood, but as Farren moved to follow he shook his head, motioning her down again. 'Riders of Rohan. What news from the mark?' the men turned around riding back at them, surrounding the boys quickly, spears pointed at them, blocking them from Farren's view. She could hear voices and then Legolas' angry shout which seemed to provoke the men into pushing their spears nearer.

Farren stood, she was small enough to make her way beneath the horses, she half expected to get trampled, but a brush of her fingers silenced the horses she moved beneath. Farren recognised the armour of the Rohan man in front of the boys.

'I am Aragorn son of Arathorn; this is Gimli son of Gloin and Legolas of the Woodland realm' Aragorn was saying' The man removed his helmet just as Farren managed to reach the centre of the circle.

'Eomer' she cried; the man turned to her. A smile split his face as the spears were raised away from them. Eomer called her name in response. Farren ran at him jumping into his arms smiling happily, Eomer also laughed spinning her around. The men around them seemed to relax, recognising Farren. 'You're back' a few yelled happily.

'Couldn't stay away from you all' Farren teased back. She caught Aragorn smile, Gimli's look of surprise and Legolas' angry face. She did not know why the elf looked like someone had just smeared dung in his perfect hair, but he was glaring at the spot above Farren's head.

Eomer's face to be precise.

'Theoden no longer recognises friend from foe' Eomer sadly at Aragorn, 'Not even his own kin. Saruman has poisoned the mind of the king and has lordship over these lands' Aragorn, Legolas and Farren shared a worried look. 'My company are those loyal to Rohan, and for that we are banished' Farren gasped in surprise, hand clutching Eomer's, he gave her a sad smile. 'The White Wizard is cunning; he walks here and there they say. As an old man hooded and cloaked. And everywhere his spies slip past our nets' his gaze fell on Legolas.

'Eomer. These are no spies' He touched his shoulder lightly bringing his attention to her, 'We track a party of Uruk-hai heading across the plain, they have taken two of our friends' captive'

'The Uruks are destroyed, we slaughtered them during the night'

'Did ya see two hobbits? Did ya see two hobbits with them?' Gimli burst out excitedly.

'They would be small, only children to your eyes' Aragorn explained, but Eomer looked sadly down at Farren.

'We left none alive. We piled their carcasses and burnt them' he pointed into the distance where smoke was rising.

'Dead?'

'No!' Farren said angrily, moving towards the smoke only for Eomer to grab her arm. Legolas patted Gimli.

Eomer whistled for two horses, one white, one brown trotted forward. 'May these horses bear you to better fortune of their former masters' he took Farren's hand, 'Come with me, Farren. I can protect you'

'She doesn't need you defending her' Legolas said angrily.

'Legolas! Get Gimli and yourself on that horse. Go!' she ordered glaring at the elf's rudeness.

'Eomer, I cannot give up on these two hobbits. If there is a chance, they may still be alive, no matter how small. I must find them. Dead or alive' Eomer gripped her, 'I promise. I will find you again' she touched his cheek, pushing his blonde locks out of his face.

She reached up on tip-toes kissing him on the cheek, 'Be safe' she pleaded, 'Be ready, there may yet come a day soon where the king calls for aid' Eomer nodded, fingers brushing the cheek she had kissed.

Farren turned swinging herself up behind Aragorn on the brown horse as the Rohirrim galloped away, she nodded to her old friend one last time before Aragorn rode towards the smoke with Gimli awkwardly holding onto Legolas' waist.
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A/N Awww I do like Eomer! I'm excited to get further into this story as we diverge from the usual plot more as we get further in. I hope you are enjoying this so far, sorry for the gap in updates, things came up.

Thank you for your support, this has been a fun book to write 

Wren