SARUMAN'S WRATH
(DISCLAIMER: Just in case you didn't know, J.R.R. Tolkien owns the rights to Saruman and every other LOTR character, not me. This is based more on the movie than the book)
Gluglutz stood firm to attention as Saruman approached. It was Gluglutz's duty to guard the "special prisoner" being kept on the roof. He didn't know who the prisoner was. He never asked. Orcs were not expected to talk. They were expected to kill, and to do what their master, be it Sauron or Saruman, told them. But Gluglutz wasn't like the other orcs. He had a heart. He felt remorse when his job required him to kill someone. But it didn't stop him from doing what he was supposed to do. He tried to see the good person in side of people. He knew no other orc had a conscience like he did, no compassion. But he wanted to find some in Saruman. But he dared not ask any questions. Orcs weren't expected to talk.
Saruman unlocked the thick stone door without even looking at Gluglutz. He walked up the staircase, and onto the roof. "Lovely view up here, isn't it?" said Saruman. "Forgive me for not appreciating it," said Gandalf. "I am a forgiving man, old friend," continued Saruman, "I am willing to offer you another chance to join me." "I would sooner die than align myself with corruption personified!" exclaimed Gandalf. "That may be how this will end, Gandalf," replied Saruman, "This is your last chance! I don't want your death on my hands!" Gandalf said nothing. "Very well," sighed Saruman, turning and stalking back down the staircase.
Saruman had the only key to the roof. He locked the door behind him, then strode down the corridor, preparing to retire to his chamber for the night. Then he heard a voice: "Are you married, Lord Saruman?"
It was the only thing that Gluglutz could think to say. He didn't want to let his master leave again without anything being said. He was looking for a trace of humanity. "Did you say something to me, Orc?" said Saruman. "I asked a question, my Lord," replied Gluglutz, "Have you ever been in love." Saruman suddenly looked very old, as if his many years had managed to catch up with him. "Once, a long time ago. Her name was Heradilyn. We were married for many years. Not a day went past where I didn't see her face. She was beautiful. She seemed almost elf-like in her beauty. But in her last year, I saw that beauty slip away. She was suffering from a disease of some sort. No one knew what it was. No magic of mine could help her. She died a defeated shadow of her former self. My life has been missing something since her death. I feel as if my will has been weaker. I am old. I can feel it now more than ever. I have one last great task that I must complete, and then it is done." Saruman was shocked. Why had he given away so much of his life to this mere orc? There was something different about this one, some gift that no other orc possessed. Saruman turned and walked away. "My name is Gluglutz," shouted the orc. Saruman stopped, his shoulders hunched forward, then resumed his brisk walking pace, breaking into a sprint to outrun the age that had briefly caught up with him. Gluglutz knew that somewhere beneath all the layers of bitterness and ruthlessness, there was a good man. Somewhere down the line, probably after his wife's death, the good man had been mortally wounded. He couldn't tell if he would ever be given a chance to recover.
It was a few days before Saruman once again returned to the entrance to the roof. This time, he met Gluglutz with a brief nod as he unlocked the door. The time had come. Gandalf had to die. He could have sent one of his Urak-Hai up to do it, but he felt that the only honourable thing would be to do it himself. He owed his old friend that much. Unsheathing the dagger hidden in his cloak, he walked across the rooftop. He was the only one there. Gandalf was gone. A rage filled Saruman. How could he have been allowed to escape? Then Saruman realised how. Gluglutz turned to face Saruman as he descended the staircases. What he saw was a perfect example of barely contained fury. "Did you not hear the eagle?" hissed Saruman. "My lord." Saruman thrust the dagger into the side of Gluglutz's throat. Gluglutz gasped in shock, then fell to the floor. Saruman then rammed the point of his staff into the orc's chest. His anger suddenly stopped dead. He looked down at the dead body of Gluglutz. It is said that the albatross is a truly wonderful bird. Whoever kills one shall be cursed. As a single tear rolled down Saruman's cheek, he thought of Gluglutz's unique gift. Like the albatross, Gluglutz was a truly wonderful creature. A rush of fear swept over Saruman. Was he too now cursed? Saruman cast the thought from his mind, composing himself during his walk down the spiralling staircase in The Tower Of Orthanc. He approached one of the orc guards. "Clean up the scum lying in front of the entrance to the roof," he snapped, not even looking at the orc he was giving orders to. He hovered his hand over the palantir, watching as it began to glow red. It was time for Saruman to move on to the next stage in this one last task.
(DISCLAIMER: Just in case you didn't know, J.R.R. Tolkien owns the rights to Saruman and every other LOTR character, not me. This is based more on the movie than the book)
Gluglutz stood firm to attention as Saruman approached. It was Gluglutz's duty to guard the "special prisoner" being kept on the roof. He didn't know who the prisoner was. He never asked. Orcs were not expected to talk. They were expected to kill, and to do what their master, be it Sauron or Saruman, told them. But Gluglutz wasn't like the other orcs. He had a heart. He felt remorse when his job required him to kill someone. But it didn't stop him from doing what he was supposed to do. He tried to see the good person in side of people. He knew no other orc had a conscience like he did, no compassion. But he wanted to find some in Saruman. But he dared not ask any questions. Orcs weren't expected to talk.
Saruman unlocked the thick stone door without even looking at Gluglutz. He walked up the staircase, and onto the roof. "Lovely view up here, isn't it?" said Saruman. "Forgive me for not appreciating it," said Gandalf. "I am a forgiving man, old friend," continued Saruman, "I am willing to offer you another chance to join me." "I would sooner die than align myself with corruption personified!" exclaimed Gandalf. "That may be how this will end, Gandalf," replied Saruman, "This is your last chance! I don't want your death on my hands!" Gandalf said nothing. "Very well," sighed Saruman, turning and stalking back down the staircase.
Saruman had the only key to the roof. He locked the door behind him, then strode down the corridor, preparing to retire to his chamber for the night. Then he heard a voice: "Are you married, Lord Saruman?"
It was the only thing that Gluglutz could think to say. He didn't want to let his master leave again without anything being said. He was looking for a trace of humanity. "Did you say something to me, Orc?" said Saruman. "I asked a question, my Lord," replied Gluglutz, "Have you ever been in love." Saruman suddenly looked very old, as if his many years had managed to catch up with him. "Once, a long time ago. Her name was Heradilyn. We were married for many years. Not a day went past where I didn't see her face. She was beautiful. She seemed almost elf-like in her beauty. But in her last year, I saw that beauty slip away. She was suffering from a disease of some sort. No one knew what it was. No magic of mine could help her. She died a defeated shadow of her former self. My life has been missing something since her death. I feel as if my will has been weaker. I am old. I can feel it now more than ever. I have one last great task that I must complete, and then it is done." Saruman was shocked. Why had he given away so much of his life to this mere orc? There was something different about this one, some gift that no other orc possessed. Saruman turned and walked away. "My name is Gluglutz," shouted the orc. Saruman stopped, his shoulders hunched forward, then resumed his brisk walking pace, breaking into a sprint to outrun the age that had briefly caught up with him. Gluglutz knew that somewhere beneath all the layers of bitterness and ruthlessness, there was a good man. Somewhere down the line, probably after his wife's death, the good man had been mortally wounded. He couldn't tell if he would ever be given a chance to recover.
It was a few days before Saruman once again returned to the entrance to the roof. This time, he met Gluglutz with a brief nod as he unlocked the door. The time had come. Gandalf had to die. He could have sent one of his Urak-Hai up to do it, but he felt that the only honourable thing would be to do it himself. He owed his old friend that much. Unsheathing the dagger hidden in his cloak, he walked across the rooftop. He was the only one there. Gandalf was gone. A rage filled Saruman. How could he have been allowed to escape? Then Saruman realised how. Gluglutz turned to face Saruman as he descended the staircases. What he saw was a perfect example of barely contained fury. "Did you not hear the eagle?" hissed Saruman. "My lord." Saruman thrust the dagger into the side of Gluglutz's throat. Gluglutz gasped in shock, then fell to the floor. Saruman then rammed the point of his staff into the orc's chest. His anger suddenly stopped dead. He looked down at the dead body of Gluglutz. It is said that the albatross is a truly wonderful bird. Whoever kills one shall be cursed. As a single tear rolled down Saruman's cheek, he thought of Gluglutz's unique gift. Like the albatross, Gluglutz was a truly wonderful creature. A rush of fear swept over Saruman. Was he too now cursed? Saruman cast the thought from his mind, composing himself during his walk down the spiralling staircase in The Tower Of Orthanc. He approached one of the orc guards. "Clean up the scum lying in front of the entrance to the roof," he snapped, not even looking at the orc he was giving orders to. He hovered his hand over the palantir, watching as it began to glow red. It was time for Saruman to move on to the next stage in this one last task.