Part 5

“Over here!” said Legolas.

He had found Arador’s leather satchel, and one of the glass vials, lying in the mud. The vial had been uncapped and a small drop of water was still sitting in the shallow spoon attached to its stopper.

“He would never have wandered off and left this,” said Eowyn. She crouched down and, with a steady hand, carefully secured the sample in the vial, and stowed the vial in the satchel. Then, after wiping off most of the dirt with her hand, she slung the satchel over her shoulder.

“Someone took him,” said Legolas, “dragged him, Melmenya—this way.” He was heading back towards the trees.

“How many?” As she rose to her feet, Eowyn’s hand was already on her sword.

“Hard to tell... Two, perhaps. Arador is no fighter, but he is young and strong; I think it would take two to hold him.”

“Why would they take him? He was doing no harm.”

Legolas paused to examine the tracks. In the sticky mud, their general direction was clear, though the details were confused. “He is a confident young man, Melmenya, wearing an Elven cloak; he is very obviously a person of some standing.”

“You think they intend to ask for a ransom?” She came up beside him.

“We know that travellers are regularly robbed on the Newhome road. And Eryn Hollen would make an excellent base for outlaws.”

Eowyn looked about her—to her, the forest provided no landmarks. “Then the man I saw was probably one of them. We should head towards—What is it, Lassui?” She added her final question in a whisper, for Legolas had suddenly raised a hand.

“There are Men up ahead,” he answered, quietly.

“With Arador?”

Legolas did not reply, and Eowyn knew that her question had been foolish, for even Elven senses could not tell him that. He reached for his bow.

She grasped his arm. “Let me go ahead,” she whispered. “You circle round—come at them from the south, and take them by surprise.” It was a sensible plan, for a handful of unprepared men would stand no chance against an Elven archer, but Eowyn knew that Legolas would be reluctant to leave her side.“They will not harm me,” she assured him. “I am worth at least as much to them as Arador is.” She caught his gaze, and held it until she was sure that she had won the argument.

“Very well,” said Legolas, at last. “But try to look harmless, Melmenya. Keep your sword sheathed—though be ready to use it.”

Eowyn smiled. “I shall.”

...

It was exhausting, tramping forward through the mud, for the grey deposit was thicker here, and it sucked at Eowyn’s feet, sticking to her boots and weighing her down. And with Legolas gone, and light fading, the ghostly forest felt threatening, and a unshakable feeling that the trees might suddenly reach out and grab her with their gnarled fingers sent shivers down her spine...

But she caught a glimpse of movement up ahead—a flash of dark hair that might have been Arador’s—and she remembered her mission, and stepped forward, resolutely—

And the ground fell away beneath her feet.