[Beruthiel]

Santiara sat in silence as the others sat and talked. She lay back, her legs stretched out in front of her and her head lying on the ground. Her feet had almost gone numb from all the bruises and cuts, a result of the running. Her whole body ached but since they had rested for a while now, she had become rather accustomed to it.

Her mind wandered as the others chatted, thinking over things that had happened and things that may happen. She looked over each of the slaves and then Rhunnaro and Tenzin. Her brown eyes watching them talk and listen. The Easterling man caught her eye but she looked away quickly. She wasn’t sure what to think of him, whether to trust him or not. No matter what she thought they were following his plan anyway. She recalled him saying something about Minas Tirith and asking them what they were going to do when they got there.

She hadn’t really thought much of after the Hunt. She had always imagined that as soon as she escaped, everything would simply fall into place, but obviously that wasn’t going to happen. What would she do? Where would she go? These and other questions raced through her mind and she tried to search for an answer.

If her parents had been with her she would have gone back to her home town, if it was even still there. She remembered how the Easterlings had burned her beautiful village. How everyone she knew had been taken to work, even the youngest children were forced to work on the fields every day. A swell of anger surged inside her as she thought of all those who had suffered and her eyes flicked up towards the two Easterlings.

She couldn’t help but think of those who were still back in the camps, working on the fields, praying for a sign of hope. Exactly how she had been until a few days ago…

Rhunnaro was talking to Turos and Tenzin and she listened to them. He then came and addressed the group giving them each a knife. When he came round to her she shook her head and pulled out her own dagger, which she had kept hidden until now. 'I'd rather use my own thanks.' She said.

The others gasped in surprise. Santiara looked down at the ground, not sure that had been such a good idea. The man was about to reply but before he could, she had already walked away.