Walk To Rivendell" aka "The Eowyn Challenge"

[Alatáriël Lossëhelin]

The rain has stopped, and we are able to travel more quickly, but not quick enough for Glorfindel. The hobbits are exhausted, Strider stumbles with fatigue, and even I, Elf of many journeys, am feeling very weary. We have seen no sign of the Riders, and we fear they may be lying in wait for us at the Ford of Bruinen.

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They cast themselves down in the heather a few yards from the road-side, and fell asleep immediately. They seemed hardly to have closed their eyes when Glorfindel, who had set himself to watch while they slept, awoke them again. The sun had now climbed far into the morning, and the clouds and mists of the night were gone.

"Drink this!" said Glorfindel to them, pouring for each in turn a little liquor from his silver-studded flask of leather. It was clear as spring water and had no taste, and it did not feel either cool or warm in the mouth; but strength and vigour seemed to flow into all their limbs as they drank it. Eaten after that draught the stale bread and dried fruit (which was now all that they had left) seemed to satisfy their hunger better than many a good breakfast in the Shire had done.