The band of Uruk-Hair run across Rohan with Asteria, Merry and Pippin in tow on the backs of three of the soldiers, their hands bound around the Uruk-Hai's necks. Pippin attempts to call on Merry and Asteria who are still unconscious. "Asteria! Merry!" They do not respond as the troupe came to a stop, the leading Uruk-Hai, sniffs the air. Several orcs from the North emerge from behind some rocks. They are led by a short, crook-legged Orc, very broad arms that hang almost the ground. "You're late. Our master grows impatient. He wants the Shire-rats and she-elf now." He said to the leading Uruk-Hai who looked amused "I don't take orders from Orc-maggots. Saruman will have his prize. We will deliver them"

The leading orc known as Ugluk, turned away from the Northern orcs as the smaller orc mocked him as he walked away, but they make no move on the Uruk-Hai. Meanwhile, Pippin keeps trying to wake Asteria and Merry up "Asteria. Merry. Wake up please!" Merry was first to wake up as he lolls his head around, almost as if in a daze; Asteria was not far behind as she was more responsive once awake as she saw their situation.

Pippin looks over to an orc not noticing the elleth was awake herself; and speaks to him "My friend is sick, he needs water." Pippin pleaded as the orc turned and growl as he made his way through the ranks of the prisoners "Sick, is he? Give him some medicine boys!" The orcs laugh and dump a nasty dark substance down Merry's throat causing him to choke "Stop it!" Pippin screamed as they continued; Ugluk spoke "Can't take his draught!" he and the other orcs were laughing as Asteria spoke up loudly in Elvish which they understood "Leave him alone orc filth" she said in such a fierce tone it cause the small army to stop and look at her.

Ugluk sneered at her as he grabbed her face "You listen here she-elf. Saruman especially wants you. Do not test me and think I will not kill you" his voice was menacing and deep as Asteria's face scowled from the disgusting smell of his breath "Anything else to say?" he said as she didn't speak a word, if she said anything else she would not know what would happen to Merry and Pippin; she could see the scared look on the youngest hobbits face as the orc continued to speak to her "Then keep your mouth shut she-elf" he seethed as she forcing released her face. She was weak, she had a head wound like Merry but it was bleeding a lot, it was worse than Merry's.

As the orcs moved to run, the second in command; Mauhur, stopped sniffing the air as Ugluk stopped behind him "What is it? What do you smell?" He didn't respond right away "Man-flesh" The three companions looked at each other with widen eyes "Aragorn" Pippin said softly as Asteria's heart felt relieved; Legolas was coming. "They've picked up our trail. Let's move!" Ugluk spoke loudly to the company. The Uruk-Hai break into a run as the northern orcs follow. Pippin then struggles to remove his elven broach from his Lorien cloak with his teeth. Once he was able to, he spits it on the ground as it landed on the ground. Asteria looks at him in hopes they would find it in time to save them.

On the western Emyn Muil, Aragorn lies on the ground with his eyes closed and ear pressed to the ground, listening. Suddenly, his eyes shot open "Their pace has quickened.... They must have caught our scent" he said as he got to his feet and started to run "Hurry! He said as he took off northward. Legolas is running up the hill behind him as he stops for a moment turning behind him "Come on, Gimli!" he says as he runs uphill. Gimli was struggling to get up the hill as he stopped a moment; taking in deep breaths "Three days and nights pursuit. No food. No rest and no sign of our quarry but what bare rock can tell" He then runs after his companions beyond the boundaries of Emyn Muil.

As Aragorn, Legolas and Gimli, trailing behind, along top of the mountains and hills in search of their friends; Aragorn stops and bends over picking up a small brooch. It was one of elven brooches "Not idly do the leaves of Lorien fall." He said softly as Legolas was behind him; his eyes widened and were filled of hope "They may yet be alive" his voice full of concern for the hobbits but most of all Asteria.

"Less than a day ahead of us. Come." Aragorn said as he started running again with Legolas starting to trail behind "Come, Gimli! We're gaining on them!" and after that Gimli came falling and rolling down the hill "I'm wasted on cross-country. We dwarves are natural sprinters. Very dangerous over short distances" he said as he was huffing. They arrive at a brow of a hill looking down on the plains below "Rohan. Home of the Horse-lords. There's something strange at work here. Some evil gives speed to these creatures. Sets it will against us." Aragorn said in disbelief.

Legolas then runs ahead looking over the plain as Aragorn shouts to him "Legolas, what do your elf-eyes see?!" Legolas stared far off "The Uruks turn northeast. They are taking Asteria and the hobbits to Isengard" Aragorn hearing this; his eyes widened "Saruman..." he said on a harsh whisper. Why would Saruman want Asteria, he understood the hobbits but why an elf maiden. The Uruk-Hai are running across the plain. Aragorn, Legolas and Gimli continue their pursuit all the way into the night.

On the outskirts of Fangorn forest, the Uruk-Hai and other orcs decided to take a break, throwing Asteria, Merry and Pippin to the ground close to each other. "We're not going no further... until we've had a breather" one orc said out of breath. Ugluk spoke up "Get a fire going!" The orcs and Uruks moved towards the trees as Pippin crawled over to Asteria and Merry who were closer together "Merry! Asteria!" he said softly as Merry picked his head up and had a large cut on his forehead "I think we might have made a mistake leaving the Shire, Pippin" he said softly as Asteria turned her head "Do not lose hope dear ones" she said softly as they looked at her with a sad smile, she had a deep wound on her head that was slowly healing as she looked around watching the orcs chop down trees; a low loud groaning noise could be heard across the field.

"What's making that noise?" Pippin asked as both now Merry and Asteria are looking at the forest "It's the trees" Merry said in shock "What?" Pippin asked confused "You remember the Old Forest, on the borders of Buckland? Folk used to say there was something in the water that made the trees grow tall......and come alive." Asteria turned back to them "Elves used to converse with the trees, it helped them grow as well and kept things harmonious. Trees that could whisper.... Talk to each other and even move.." Both Merry and Pippin's eyes widened looking at her.

Her attention turned as she could hear the orcs conversations with her elf ears "I'm starving. We ain't had nothing but maggoty bread for three stinking days." One orc said "Yeah! Why can't we have some meat?!" his attention turned to the hobbits and Asteria "What about them? They're fresh" Ugluk stepped forward towards the northern orc "They are not for eating! They are going to Saruman!" Two Uruk-Hai grabbed Asteria, Merry and Pippin away from the Northern Orcs. "What about their legs? They don't need those" Asteria's face tensed as Merry and Pipping looked at their legs in astonishment "They look tasty, especially the she-elf" He walks towards them but is thrown back by Ugluk "Get back, scum! The prisoners go to Saruman. Alive and unspoiled" he yelled loudly enough for all to hear.

The same orc moved towards them again "Why alive? Do they give good sport? And why a she-elf. Surely Saruman won't miss this one. She's pretty. I want her eyes" Asteria's eyes widened as she tried to moved away "They have something, an Elvish weapon. The master wants it for the war" Ugluk said as he moved between the orc and Asteria. She could hear Merry and Pippin whisper "They think we have the ring" Merry said softly to Asteria "Ssh dear one. As soon as they find out we don't we are dead" Her eyes widened in terror. Another orc came up behind the hobbits "Just a mouthful... a bit of the flank" he said as Ugluk raises his scimitar and cuts off the orcs head which rolls of the hobbits shoulders.

"Looks like meat's back on the menu,boys" The Uruk-Hair pushed past Asteria and the hobbits, throwing them down onto the ground again as the orcs fought to get to the body. "Come little ones!" she whispered harashly as she started to crawl towards the forest with the hobbits not that far from her. They stop as one of the orcs from earlier places a foot on both Merry and Asteria's back; stopping her, as he reached for Pippin's face; squeezing it "Go on. Call for help" he seethed as he lifts his blade "No one's going to save you" Suddenly a spear is thrown into the orcs back as he falls over. The Rohirrim appear on their horses slaying the orcs and Uruk-hai.

"Pippin! Merry!" Asteria calls as she started to crawl again with them not fall behind her; they managed to get their bonds cut with an axe sticking out the ground and managed to get into Fangorn. Asteria made sure she didn't run too far from the hobbits "Did we lose him?" Pippin asked as Asteria turned around " I wish I had my weapons" Suddenly the orc from earlier appeared running through the trees "I'm going to rip out your filthy little innards!" it screamed as they started to run again as Asteria stopped she looked to the trees and looked to the hobbits "Climb a tree boys!" They nodded and started to climb a tree as Asteria wasn't far behind them; her head wound made it difficult to focus but her mission was to keep them safe. Suddenly her ankle was grabbed and was pulled to the ground. She tried to kick the orc away as her head would gave her more issues in focusing "Asteria!" Pippin called out; he turned and looked to see two eyes looking at him "Hooom!" Pippin's eyes widened "Aaagh!" Merry screamed as they both lost grip and started to fall but the tree caught them.

The orc had Asteria roughly by the throat as it raised it's dagger "Let's cut those pretty eyes out" The orc hears a noise just as the tree moves forward and stands on him. "Run Asteria" She moved to get up, but the tree reaches down and picks her up with his free branch as he had Merry and Pippin in the other. He holds them in front of him, squeezing them tightly "Hmmm Little orcs and elleth" Asteria looked at the tree "They are not orcs! They are hobbits!" The tree looked at her "Hmm I am familiar with elves but I've never heard of a hobbit before. Sounds like orc mischief to me!" he squeezes them tighter. "The white wizard would know.." he said as Asteria's eyes widened looking at her companions "The White Wizard?" In an instant, the tree known as 'Treebeard' put them down as they looked up and saw the White Wizard. Asteria; couldn't help but feel a sense of relief and happiness.