[Eorl of Rohan]

Ferethor couldn’t be bothered to lose any longer time. He rose from his seat swiftly and impulsively, apparently unaware of the fact that his stool was knocked over at the impact. His fist was clenched as he followed Maen’s distraught footsteps, his countenance deathly pale with the worry of both Maen and the fate of Guriel. “I’ll be with Maen.” He called over his shoulder before he headed straight for the stables where Aelimur was saddling Hittai for Maen.


After seeing that she was off, Ferethor did not trouble to take the time to saddle a horse and swung himself up the nearest one with the swiftness of a soldier who had been in such circumstances before. His clear yet desperate voice rang out, with a metallic tint to it that left all in the hearing vicinity no doubt of his career. But probably all were still in the house.


“In the name of Gondor and the High King, Aelimur, I’ll have to pursue and stop Maen from killing the renegade Il Galoth. We cannot let Maen be slain by him, and still less have Maen kill him. Both would be disastrous. I don’t know what my presence is going to do to stop the two Il Galoths that thirst for the blood of their adversary, but my duty as a soldier of Gondor impels me to try my best. Damn the race of Il Galoth!”


Not waiting for an answer, Ferethor compelled his horse to move with a sharp cry and was off in the dry path Maen had taken. His injury was not quite healed, but that was forgotten in the concern for both the young woman and the duty he could not leave unfulfilled.


And Maen. The death of one of his companions and his own injury had wrought a slow change in him that he did not even notice, that of ... compassion, if it could be termed thus for such an unyielding, harsh and callous a soldier. It would not be good for Maen herself to throw her life away for the sake of the vengeance long forgotten, for blood did not wash away blood. It was better to forget the past, and to live and take joy in living. But would she see it? How can he convince her to see it when he wasn't sure that he saw it himself?