An Ode for Cruelty

A blur of white and grey trailed across the plains of Rohan. Faelwen was scarcely aware of her surroundings anymore; muttering spells under her breath to keep herself moving. Her lungs burned, screaming for air, begging her to stop running, to give in to the need to simply lay on the soft grass underfoot and sleep. The wound on her ribs was certainly taking its toll. Though, Faelwen knew, if she kept up, it should heal soon. She could have drained the life from the grass around her. Every time she thought of it, she laid eyes on Legolas, a Wood-Elf, someone raised to cherish plants for something other than their ability to bring health, and she couldn't fathom shattering that ideal. She scoffed at her own inward battle, for a supposedly evil and sinister creature, she was certainly acting with purity.

Her three companions stopped atop a small rise, all glancing between each other. Faelwen only stared at them quizzically as she continued to mutter. Legolas looked at her, worry in his eyes, motioning for her to hurry. It didn't register. She thought she could hear thunder. Something grasped her wrist, pulling her harshly off to the side. Faelwen stopped muttering, looking up silently into the worried face of Legolas. He held her close, concerned as to why she hadn't reacted. Her head snapped around, away from his as hundreds of horses thundered their way past the barely hidden group. Legolas glanced between Aragorn, the Rohirrim riders and the seemingly scattered Faelwen. He nodded to Aragorn, silently agreeing with the plan he knew Aragorn had formulated. He looked back at the Elf-maiden, still staring after the horses, an lightly grabbed the hood of cloak, pulling it up and over her head. Legolas followed after Aragorn and Gimli, tightly grasping Faelwen's hand.

"Riders of Rohan! What news from the Mark?" Aragorn yelled announcing their presence.
The rider in lead raised his lance over head, signalling the group to turn. Legolas held the now only slightly dazed Faelwen close to him as the riders circled them, lowering their weapons, aiming at least 2000 spears and lances at their heads.
"What business does an Elf, a Man, a Dwarf and a hooded fool have in the Riddermark?" Faelwen presumed he was a Captain of sorts, used to ordering others around, "Speak quickly!"
She moved away from Legolas slightly, brushing her hand against his as she did so, stepping closer to Gimli as he provoked the Rider, "Give me your name, horse-master, and I shall give you mine."
The rider scoffed loudly, stepping closer. Faelwen could smell him near her; could hear his heart beat against his armour as he drew closer to her friend, "I would cut off your head, Dwarf, if it stood but a little higher from the ground."
Without thinking she grabbed a dagger from under the hem of her tunic, catching her hood on a nearby spear as she lunged. She halted just short of the Rider's throat, hearing the stretching of Legolas bow strings and his usually soft voice turned harsh.
"You would die before your stroke fell!"
The weapons closed in around the four, the Rider under Faelwen's dagger signalling them to stop, "If the Elf-maiden was going to hurt me, she'd have done it. Is she yours, Elf?"

Legolas looked an angry sort of stunned as Aragorn forced down his bow.
Faelwen growled out, "I belong to no one!" pushing her dagger ever closer to the arrogant Man's jugular.
Aragorn stopped the Rider from talking again, pushing Faelwen backward and away from the Man as he spoke, "I am Aragorn, son of Arathorn. This is Gimli, son of Gloin, Legolas of the Woodland realm and Faelwen, Queen of the Mornedhel. We are friends of Rohan and of Theoden, your King."
The Man turned thoughtful, hearing Aragorn's sincere and urgent tone, "Theoden no longer recognizes friend from foe," He removed his helmet, glancing toward Faelwen as he did so, "Not even his own kin."
The riders surrounding the group took the removal of Eomer's helmet as their signal to lower their weapons, removing them from the faces of the two Elves with a loud and resounding creak.
Eomer stared between Aragorn and Faelwen as he spoke, "Saruman has poisoned the mind of the King and claimed Lordship over these lands. My company are those loyal to Rohan," He looked at Faelwen, speaking as if he were proud, his eyes lit strangely, "And for that, we are banished."
Eomer stepped close to Aragorn, his voice low and dark, "The White Wizard is cunning. He walks here and there, they say, as an old man hooded and cloaked," He turned to Legolas, hatred in his eyes, Faelwen found herself gripping the dagger tightly, "And everywhere his spies slip past our nets-"
Aragorn, sensing an argument, or worse, cut him off, "We are no spies."
Faelwen spoke, her voice breaking like bells over the ears of everyone around her, "We are tracking a party of Uruk'hai westward across the plain. Two of our companions are being held captive."
Eomer's brow furrowed, "The Uruks are destroyed. We slaughtered them during the night..."
Gimli cried out, stepping close to the Man, desperation bleeding from his voice, "But there were two Hobbits! Did you see two Hobbits with them?!"
Aragorn spoke, clearly concerned, "They would be small. Only children to your eyes."
Eomer looked away, shuffling on his feet, "We left none alive."

Legolas looked at Faelwen, sorrow and anger written on both their faces. He moved to catch her she stepped forward but found he only made a half-hearted attempt, letting her get to the Rohirrim Captain.
"You would know! You would have seen them! One of your men would have seen them!" She yelled at him, tears threatening to well in her pale pink eyes.
Eomer looked her in the eyes, shame clear on his features, "We piled the carcasses and burned them."
Faelwen stepped back, suddenly seeming calm, her voice however was as cold as ice, "If my friends lay dead and burned by the hands of your men, I will not rest until you suffer the same fate."
Eomer merely looked downward, nodding at the ground, "I am sorry."
Legolas reached out, gently touching Faelwen's arm. She looked at him, deep anguish in her eyes she muttered quietly, "Nin noss algwanna ad." (My kin can't die again)
Legolas took Faelwen in his arms, looking back at Eomer. He saw the way he looked at her; reproach, sorrow, shame, desire. Legolas glared at him until he broke his stare on the grieving Elf-maiden.

Eomer pretended he was never staring, turning instead to his Riders, "Hasufel! Arod!", Two horses came trotting throught the crowd and he handed their reins to Aragorn, ignoring the glaring Elf, "May these horses bear you to better fortune than their former masters."
He turned, replacing his helmet and mounting his horse, "Farewell. Look for your friends. But do not trust to hope. It has forsaken these lands."
He looked between the members of the small group, left huddled in sorrow with two horses, his eyes lingering a little too long on the pretty Elf-woman. He kicked his heels into his horses side, directing his men, "We ride north!"