Chapter 3: Escaped Hobbits

Éowyn was the first to notice that the hobbits were missing. They were on their way back to their quarters when suddenly she stopped and looked around. "Where are the halflings?" she called up to Éomer. Éomer halted and looked back. "I don't know. I had thought that they were back with you, Sister. Has anyone seen them?" No one had. The last one who could remember seeing them was Gandalf, and he said that that was a while back right after they'd come out of the Hornberg. Éowyn, who was immensely fond of the hobbits, turned around immediately, saying, "We must find them right away. Doubtless they were parted from us and now are wandering the streets, lost and frightened."

"More likely they returned to our quarters," Aragorn said. "We shall probably return to find them feasting and laughing. If they are not there then we can start asking around about them."

"Surely someone will have seen them," said Legolas. "I will go and ask around by the Hornberg where they were last seen."

They were not in the quarters. Now everyone was starting to worry. "We must find them before harm befalls them," said Théoden. "It would be an impeachment of my honor to leave two young halfling lost and hungry."

"I fear that harm has befallen them already," Gandalf said slowly. "Were they well, they would have returned here."

"What do you think has happened to them?" Gimli asked.

"I do not know," Gandalf said a bit sharply. "There are countless things that could have happened to two lost hobbits in the middle of a human fortress. We must all go join Legolas and start asking around."

Two days passed and only a few people had seen them, but no one was much help. Needless to say, everyone was extremely worried now.

"You don't think they would have gone outside the gates," said Aragorn to Gandalf.

Gandalf puffed at his pipe and sighed. "Aragorn, they have passed beyond my sight. I do not know where they are, although something tells me that they are in danger."

"Perhaps Saruman has something to do with this."

"It is all too likely. Actually I had thought of that a while back, and I fear that that is the most likely solution although I do not see how he could have gotten a hold of them. Ah, this mystery is beyond me."

Aragorn sighed and stared out the window.

~o~o~

Merry sat against the wall, his head leaned back, his eyes shut. Pippin was pacing around the small stone room. For two days all the hobbits had seen of the outside world was the passage that they only saw when Wormtongue unlocked the door to give them food and water. The little food they got and the darkness was wearing on Merry. All cheeriness had left the hobbit. Pippin tried to comfort his cousin, but to no avail. Pippin said over and over that an escape route would show itself, but Merry doubted that Saruman would let them go, especially after the names Pippin had given. He had asked Pippin why he had given such dangerous names, but Pippin only said, "I don't really know. I just thought that it might come in handy. You never know."

Then it happened at the end of the third day. The escape route showed itself. Wormtongue had just come with supper and left again. The hobbits sank down against the stone wall as they heard the key click in the lock and the footsteps retreating down the hall. Suddenly Pippin sat up. "Merry, did you hear the key click?"

"Yes," Merry grunted, "but I don't see what you're so excited about. We're locked in yet again."

"Perhaps," said Pippin. "Something about that click didn't sound right." The hobbit crept over to the door and gave it a push. It moved. "Merry," Pippin called in excitement, "it's open."

Merry hurried over. "Let's get out of this place."

They opened the door and sneaked out. Hobbits have the ability to move silently, and Merry and Pippin put all of this skill to the test. They heard and saw no one and they came to the main door without mishap. Merry was afraid at first that the door would be locked, but thankfully, it wasn't. In no time they were out on the grounds. Two minutes later they had escaped Isengard completely. However, it was getting dark and they were still very close to Isengard, and they had no horses to get them back to Helm's Deep. "Well," said Pippin, "I guess we'll have to walk."

So walk they did. They walked and walked and walked heading southeast. In an hour it had grown so dark that they could barely see, but they still walked on afraid that Saruman would discover that they were missing and be after them. Both fell more than once over stones they could not see and both were becoming dispirited. Merry was sure that he had never been so tired in his life, but on he walked. They had no idea how long they had been walking when suddenly Pippin fell and didn't get back up. Merry went down on his knees. "Pip, are you alright?"

Pippin groaned, "Yes, but I think I've bruised my knee. I don't think I can keep on going. Surely we're far enough away from Isengard."

They found a large stone and sat down with their backs to it. It was not long before both of them were sound asleep.