An Acceptance

Raina had been riding for two days now, sleeping on Hamson’s back all of the night so she could catch up with Gandalf and Pippin. She figured that they too were riding through some of the night and Shadowfax was faster than Hamson, so she had to ride all night every night. It was exhausting.

Finally, Hamson slowed, and Raina blinked, looking up from where she had been resting her head on his.

After cresting a hill, Hamson stopped so that Raina could see the city. Although Hamson, being a creature of Isengard, could run for ridiculous periods of time, by now he was very tired, and very proud of himself for getting his rider there so fast. She patted his fur affectionately when he gave a bark full of self-pride.

Hamson walked the rest of the way to the massive gates. Raina have been worried that she would have to do something special to have them open them for her, but they separated without question.

She rode in, slowing Hamson down even more because of all the people in the streets. Once she was in, one of the gatekeepers came down from the wall to tell her where the stables were, which were not very far away. She thanked him, even though he had not been very polite, and was on her way.

The people in the streets stopped what they were doing to gawk at her, but she had been expecting this. Come riding in on a Wolf of Isengard, wearing full battle gear, and on top of all that *gasp!* this rider was a woman. It was a once-in-a-lifetime sight.

She kept her eyes straight ahead, and her gaze void of emotion. She had learned to deal with stares these past moons. They were the least of her worries.

Once she found the stables, she led Hamson in to find a surprise: a couple stalls had been knocked down for Hamson to stay comfortably.

She grinned to herself and opened the door to find another surprise. She jumped in shock, but Pippin was sitting just inside the stall door and gave a cry of excitement. It was nice to know you’re not alone in such an unfamiliar place.

Pippin jumped up and hugged her, helping her lead Hamson in.

“Gandalf had me wait in here for you… oh, and he’s not going to be happy,” he was saying.

Raina turned to face him. “Oh? And why not?”

“Because, he wanted you to come discreetly. But he had some guards make this stall just in case. He wanted to be able to say you were just a servant girl.” With this Raina gave a snort.

“But either way, I’m glad you’re here,” he said happily. “These people are absolutely crazy. Barely enough food for two meals a day…”

Raina threw her head back and laughed before bending down to hug the Hobbit. “Oh, I love you, Pip,” she said through giggles. “It’s been far too long since I’ve been able to laugh.”

Pippin laughed to, guiding her out of the stall.

“Oh!” he said, as if he remembered something suddenly. “I forgot. Gandalf said that if you showed up in your… you know,” he motioned the gear she was wearing, “clothes, you were supposed to change into this.” He pulled an old, long dress that Raina had seen some of the servant girls wearing in Edoras. She made a face at it before snatching it from Pippin’s grasp with a huff and slipping the robe over what she was already wearing and yanking her braids out of her hair, making her look like any other mortal woman.

She walked out of the stables, and found Pippin leaning against the wall, chewing on an apple. For the first time, she noticed what he was wearing and grinned.

“What on earth have you gotten yourself into this time, Took?” she asked, motioning to his uniform.

“Oh!” he said a proud smile on his lips. “I’m in the service of Steward now. I felt the need, you know, because of Boromir.”

Raina nodded sadly, before a jolt stopped her. Boromir, this was his city. That meant it was also Faramir’s. The Man she had seen in her visions for over half a year.

Pippin stopped a few feet ahead of her, turning to look back at her curiously.

“What is it, Raina?” he asked in a concerned way.

She shook her head. She would have time to think of these things, but in the middle of this busy street did not seem like the place. On the bright side, the people around her did not seem to recognize her as the strange warrior-girl who had come in half an hour ago.

Pippin led her up several flights of stairs until they reached a townhouse built into the same rock as everything else in the city. All the while they were walking, Pippin told her of everything that had been going on since they had gotten there, which was much earlier that morning. He lingered on the Steward, who sounded off his rocker to Raina.

“Well, here we are. Our home for now,” he said. Strange, Raina thought to herself. I haven’t had a home in so long. Just been in communal rooms and wilderness. She shrugged her sack off her shoulder and set it down after Pippin led her in.

“Gandalf’s out a lot, doing stuff,” Pippin said cheerfully. “I haven’t seen him much at all since we got here.”

But as soon as he said this, Raina heard the rhythmic thumps of a wooden staff from outside the little house, and the White Wizard came into the little room they were sitting in.

“Ah, Raina,” he said, giving her a glance over. “So you came in with a bang,” he said grumpily.

Raina nodded. “Had you asked me to come in disguise…”

Gandalf waved it off. “It matters not. As long as not many people saw you. But, I need you to do something for me...”

***

Raina stared up at the stack of wood, and climb she would be facing to get there.

“Think you can do it?” Gandalf asked.

Raina snorted. “’Course I can.”

“And if anyone asks…?”

“I have no idea what that is, and I’m just a lost servant girl from Edoras.”

Gandalf nodded and patted her shoulder before leading Pippin away as if they had said nothing.

Raina peered up at the climb once more before setting off on the winding path of ladders and rocks.