“Nothing!” Orophin spat out the word as if it were a curse as he exited Meduseld, kicking the railing nearby. “There is no one here to ask, and we know not where he has run off to. I hope he is not yet dead, for if I find him, I will kill him.” Orophin slumped to the ground next to the great building, resting his forehead on his knees.
Valarda dismounted and sent the horses to graze. She climbed the steps and sat down next to Orophin, leaning her head against his shoulder. “You are not really going to kill him.”
“I am not really going to kill him.”
“We will find him.”
“Yes, we will find him.” Orophin looked out across the deserted land. Not a single person remained, nor animal found, and yet it seemed there had been no reason to leave, for the grass was still green and the buildings intact. “Where did they all go?”
Valarda shook her head. “That I do not know. But unlike your brother and his troops, they did leave a trail to follow. Many must have taken the journey.”
“We do not seek the Rohirrim,” he reminded her.
“But Haldir has gone to help them. He will be wherever they are.” Valarda called to the horses as she pulled Orophin up. “Come. We should still be making better time than the soldiers.”
Orophin reluctantly stood. “I just do not know what I am going to do if he is-“
“Oro, please, do not say such things. Do not even think them.” She cupped his face in her hands and waited until he had focused his gaze on her. “He is not going to die.”
Orophin closed his eyes. “Do not taunt me with false hope.” He pulled away, made his way down the rest of the steps to the horses and mounted, as did Valarda.
“We will follow the trail from this place. I can not imagine a party this large traveling a great distance. They can not be far.” Valarda placed a hand on Orophin’s shoulder before spurring Rumil’s horse forward. “We did not come all this way to give up now.”
