Chapter 12: Realm of Horselords
The group had come to a stop to look before them to the city known as Edoras. It had been a pretty restful night before, and with the coming of the dawn the whole company of six had mounted their horses once more and made for the capital of the Kingdom of Rohan.
"Edoras, and the golden hall of Meduseld. There dwells Théoden, king of Rohan, whose mind is overthrown. Saruman's hold of king Théoden is now very strong." Gandalf said causing the others too look to him. "Be careful what you say. Do not look for welcome here." The wizard said as the approached the city before he sent a most pointed look to the two Jedi who understood his secret call for them to be extra silent. They soon came closer to the wooden walls where the entered in through the open entrance as Aragorn caught a flag of the city falling into the dirt, and omen for the fallen kingdom as the very air of the city seemed dank, and stained with a hidden darkness. Though the city was a marvel, perched up high upon a stone mount the golden hall stood proudly before the city of Edoras, though now with the falling of the darkness rising from Isengard, the once greatness and glory of the realm was tainted and lessened, and both Jedi could feel it. The darkness permeated this place and its tendrils whipped and prodded at the group seeking to, like the land itself, taint and corrupt them.
So they began their relatively slow trek through the city upon their horses as everyone looked around and saw odd glances, saddened eyes, and silent looks showing the people to be unwelcoming to these newcomers though they did nothing to acquire this of course it was visible and quite easily sensible. "You find more cheer in a graveyard." Gimli finally spoke what everyone felt as the stares became quite unbearable as they all neared toward the golden hall.
"I think you have a point dear Gimli." Obi-Wan said as he sat behind Anakin and looked about with a grim frown upon his face.
Everyone reached the hall and dismounted their horses with Gandalf, wearing a simple grey cloth over his now all white clothing, led them up the stone stairs of the hall. Everyone was silent and before they could reach the top a bearded man burst forth from the hall with guards flanking him on either side. Gandalf flashed the man a friendly smile, but the man seemed less than happy to be here at all, but not necessarily because of Gandalf, but Anakin eyed him nonetheless causing the man to look him over in return, before addressing them all.
"I cannot allow you before Théoden-King so armed, Gandalf Greyhame. By order of Grima Wormtongue." The man said as he all but sighed at having to say this mans name, and Anakin whispered to his master.
"What kind of name is Wormtongue?" Obi-Wan shrugged but smiled slightly as Gandalf nodded slightly and looked to the group and silently ordered them to follow through. Aragorn took off all his many swords and knives and handed them, as Legolas all but showed off his knives before giving them away, and Gimli, well he reluctantly gave them his ask, almost looking as if a dear friend was leaving his hands.
"And you two as well." The led guard said, but Anakin, with a twinkle in his eyes opened up his arms and waved around a bit.
"See any weapons on me good sir?" Obi-Wan rolled his eyes at the show, but the guards looked at his belt, and simply saw the lightsabers and looked to their leader confusedly.
"Why is it that two, seemingly unarmed men, travel with those who are armed heavily Greyhame?"
"Oh." Gandalf said with a smile. "these are two men from far away you see. They do not have weapons like swords, or bows, or things like that. They travel with their weapons within them." The guard looked confused at the backwards but still slightly true statement from the wizard as he looked to the Jedi again. "Well then I don't suppose you two good men will mind if I take those from you. Just for safety sakes for my king." The man said and Anakin glared his blue eyes towards him, but Obi-Wan quickly stepped forward, clasped a hand on Anakin's shoulder and spoke for him.
"That wont be a problem. You have nothing to fear from me and my companion. Isn't that right Anakin?"
"Yes master." Anakin said with an obviously fake smile and gritted teeth as he all but shoved his dear lightsaber into the guards hand, and Obi-Wan gently placed his as well as Gandalf smiled happily and seemingly done everything to placate the men.
"Now, your staff." the lead man said looking to Gandalf and the wizard narrowed his eyes like a confused elderly man in reply while making another, "oh," noise of his.
"You would not part an old man from his walking stick?" He asked looking to the lead man with a most innocent look, and Anakin had to hide a smirk, as did the others. As the man thought about it for a minute, and almost seeming reluctant he gestured for them all to follow him into the hall with Gandalf winking to a smiling Aragorn as everyone else had small smiles on their face. Especially as Gandalf played up the part by leaning on Legolas as they entered the dark and dank hall shrouded in unseen darkness. Anakin and Obi-Wan took up walking on the wizards right as they began eyeing several dark clothed but not armored men looking to the newcomers with weary eyes as Anakin sensed their intentions, and sneered to them.
"Keep it cool, Anakin. No need to rush things."
"Yes master." he replied as Gandalf spoke up as they entered further with all manner of court members staring at them oddly.
"The courtesy of you hall has lessened of late, Théoden king." Gandalf said loud enough for all to hear as everyone else began to hang back as the men Anakin noticed earlier began following their steps, and Anakin all but silently begged them to come forward and just try something that allowed him to show off.
"Why should I…welcome you Gandalf…Stormcrow?" The very old and sickly looking man upon the throne asked as he seemed confused as to what he himself was saying and looked to a dark haired and quite slimy looking man to his right who nodded, and spoke.
"A just question. My liege." The oily man said as he rose and approached Gandalf. "Late is the hour in which this conjurer chooses to appear. Lath-spell I name him! Ill news is an ill guest."
"Be silent! Keep your forked tongue behind your teeth." Gandalf said with an unimpressed glaring look at the man. "I have not passed through fire and death to bandy crooked words with a witless worm." He declared and jutted his staff forward to the man whose eyes grew wide with fear.
"His staff….I told you to take the wizards staff!" he cried backing away as the men rushed the group and Aragorn, Legolas, Gimli and the two Jedi engaged these as equally witless men in a fist fight that resulted in them being utterly decimated. Anakin rather enjoyed using the Force to push back an unsuspecting man into a far wall making other people present rush away, as Obi-Wan merely took a punch aimed at him and forced the man to the ground before using a Force technique to put him to sleep.
"Théoden, son of Thengel, too long have you sat in the shadows." Gandalf said approaching and beckoning the man upon the throne who looked confused still while growled and kept that oily man from before pinned to the ground as everyone else in the hall approached the unfolding scene.
"Hearken to me! I release you from this spell." Gandalf said raising a hand and allowing a gust of strong and liberating wind rush through the hall and lift the darkness away but the man didn't seem fazed, in fact he looked at the closed eyed wizard and began laughing a hoarse and deep laugh that suddenly grew into a loud chortle as the old man made Gandalf open his eyes and look to him slightly confused. As were the others present.
"You have no power here, Gandalf the grey!" He said laughing as Gandalf sneered in realization as he flung off his grey cloak and allowed a brilliant white light to pour from him sending the man reeling back into his throne.
"I will draw you, Saruman, as poison is drawn from a wound." Gandalf jutted his staff forward and sent the man reeling back again as an unseen but felt power kept him bound to his seat, and both Jedi went wide eyed as the Force swirled in brilliant light all through the room. As Anakin caught Aragorn catching a long haired blonde woman who began to run towards Gandalf.
"If I go…Théoden dies." The voice, not like the one from before, deeper, and more pronounced seethed to Gandalf with a crooked smile on his features as Gandalf once more threw the man backwards with his staff pointed forward.
"You did not kill me, you will not kill him!" He declared and Anakin smirked, because he found it all but impossible to not like the old wizard more and more.
"Rohan is mine!" The man, now scowling, seethed, and was again forced back.
"Be gone!" The man writhed in his seat for a minute before glaring and lunging at Gandalf who jutted his staff forward ad connected it with the mans forehead who flew back into his seat, and then began groaning before leaning forward about to fall before a slightly out of breath Gandalf, and Aragorn allowed the woman from before to rush forward and keep the man steady and in his seat, as before all their eyes the old and decrepit man began to revert and from that came a blond, still elder but not lame man with wavy blonde hair, and blue eyes with a face full of trimmed hair as his eyes darted all over as sight seemingly returned to him, and the darkness lifted.
The man turned his face to look to the blonde woman beside him as a look of recognition crossed his much young now features, and he smiled.
"I know your face, Éowyn…..Éowyn." He said with a smile, and the woman let loose a small sob of happiness at seeing the man return from behind that old and decrepit mask he wore before, as Théoden then looked to Gandalf slightly confused still.
"Gandalf?"
"Breath the free air again my friend." Gandalf said as light once more illuminated the hall, and the people gathered looked on in awe at the return of their king, and both Jedi especially could feel the whole area suddenly become calm once more, as that pervasive darkness began to lift.
Théoden rose to a shaky hand and looked about himself and the room. "Dark have been my dreams of late." He says as he looked to his shaky and trembling hands weakened with lack of use.
"Your fingers would remember their old strength better….if they grasped your sword." Gandalf said as the guard from earlier approached carrying the kings sword and sheath. As he took hold of the hilt he adjusted his hand, remembering how he used to hold it, and slowly lifted the gleaming metal blade up before himself to look into it. Thoughts, memories, and his strength returned to him, and with that came a sudden darkening of his features as he sneered a sideways glare to Grima, who was still on the floor being held by Gimli.
"Guards, take this leech from the Golden hall." he seethed and the guards seemed all too pleased to follow as they grabbed the man by his arms and he was pitifully dragged crying out through the halls out into the daylight where the forcefully tossed him, and threw him down the steps. The noise brought many citizens to attention as they looked in shock at what was unfolding before them. As soon everyone from the hall joined them outside with Théoden approaching the worm with sword ominously held at his side and ready.
"I've only ever served you, my lord!" The man said beseechingly as he lay upon the stone stairs, now broken and bereft of power.
"Your leechcraft would have had me crawling on all fours like a beast!"
"Send me not from your side." Grima begged, as Théoden raised his sword overhead to bring it low upon the man, but Aragorn flung himself forward and caught the kings arms before he could, as the king seethed with rage.
"No, my lord! No my lord." He repeated. "Let him go. Enough blood has been spilt on his account." Aragorn offered the man his hand but the oily man merely spat into it and ran from the city and fled off. No one would miss him of course.
"Hail, Théoden King!" The lead guard, that was soon to be known by Anakin as Háma cried as all went to a bow before the returned to health king of Rohan.
However Théoden looked to the hall as a thought struck him.
"Where is Théodred? Where is my son?"
It was then that he was informed of his sons passing by Éowyn, and the heartbroken man held his composure but his pain and anguish was clear through the Force and he was led away to see the body while everyone returned to their lives and duties, but in a better spirit as Grima and the hold of Saruman passed. The preparations were put underway quickly for the burying of Théodred, and until then the king offered the company rest, and much to Obi-Wan's delight, the time to refresh themselves and bathe. Gandalf continued to be near the king for a time as everyone else went about either resting or cleaning, and Anakin was the quickest done. Only deciding to freshen up he found himself wandering the golden hall as ceremonial guards stood their ground, and other servants, maids, and advisors of the court moved about their duties.
"You there!" Called a familiar voice and Anakin turned to see the main guard from earlier. Anakin inclined his head respectfully to him in return.
"Hello."
"Yes hello, I meant to bring this back to you and your friend, but I got distracted by some of my other duties." The man said holding out two lightsaber hilts, and Anakin's eyes held a glint in them at seeing them as he snatched them up and activated his while clipping Obi-Wan's to his belt and the man jumped back at seeing the blue beam of light, and the strange sounds it made when Anakin twirled it also made him stare in awe as did others who stopped and saw the odd action.
"Thanks, I was beginning to wonder if I needed to go to the king for it back or something!" Anakin said with a grin as the man continued to stare dumbfounded at the beam.
"Ho…how is this possible?"
"How's what possible?" Anakin asked but then snapped the pieces into place.
"Oh, you mean the lightsaber!" Anakin broadened his grin. "Well you see this is a lightsaber. The weapon of a Jedi, and me and my friend are Jedi knights. These weapons can cut through almost anything, but are not even hot to be around. Only when made contact with something does it burn."
"What kind of sorcery is this?"
"Hmm." Anakin said putting his right hand to his chin in thought. Then he snapped his finger as it came to him. "Have your people in recent months seen the falling of two burning objects streaking across the skies?"
The man narrowed his eyes but then widened them in memory before nodding. "Yes, some of the border sentries had reported two brilliant flames falling past our lands and going beyond the misty mountains. Passing close by Isengard." The man said spitting the name of Isengard at the end.
"Some villages saw it as well, and strange happening have been occurring since. Great beasts flying through our skies towards the tower of Orthanc. A small girl was found some days ago in a nearby village, claiming that a blonde woman had made her watch as massive metal monsters shot fire from their hands and killed all the militia of the area."
"Yes I've heard of that, but a blonde woman you say?" The man nodded and Anakin inwardly cringed. 'Looks like a dark Jedi is indeed here, and commanding the droids.' Anakin sighed aloud as he deactivated his saber, and just noticed the crowd of people looking to him.
"Well back to my main point, you see my friend and I were those balls of flame, but before you ask, no we were not really on fire. We travel in these ships that fly even beyond your skies into the far off darkness of space, though the concept of space may be new to you and your people." Anakin said hoping to not sound offensive as the guards eyes widened and others around him began murmuring.
"You and your friend fell from the heavens themselves?!"
"Uh….well yeah sure. I guess that's one way of saying it."
"Are you wizards like Gandalf Greyhame?!" One person in the crowd asked and others murmured their wish to know as well, and Anakin slightly frowned.
"Well….I suppose it really comes down to what you consider a wizard. I mean me and my master, or friend, Obi-Wan are men like yourselves, but we can do things like…this." Anakin said as he lifted his right hand out and lifted a nearby table into their air and twirled it about like he had done so long ago in Rivendell and everyone gasped, or murmured in shock at the sight, and some whispers claimed he was a wizard.
"You see, I don't use magic like Gandalf, but rather I use this energy that flows through all living things, and binds us all together called the Force. There are two sides to it, light and dark. Good and bad essentially." Anakin said in laymen's terms and the people dumbly nodded their understanding. Whether they actually did understand or not was still up for debate.
"Causing a stir again are we Anakin?" The unmistakable Coruscanti accented voice of Obi-Wan asked, and Anakin turned to see his master leaning by a pillar with a knowing smirk on his face, wearing his usual tan Jedi tunic, and Anakin smiled.
"You know me master! Always have to impress the locals!" Obi-Wan chuckled while shaking his head while Anakin finally put the table down.
"Always the one in need of enrapturing the local population with your skills and oh so magnetic personality eh?"
"Come now master! I'm not that bad once you get to know me."
"And know you, I do Anakin." Obi-Wan said laughingly as he approached and Anakin handed his saber hilt to him, and Obi-Wan clasped it back to his belt.
"Is it true then, that you two are wizards?" The lead guard asked still dumbfounded. As obi-Wan cocked a brow and cast Anakin a questioning look, but the blonde Jedi gave him his most innocent look possible.
"We can do many things that are different than what you and your people can do. What we do I suppose can constitute wizardry or magic use by your terms so…yes." Obi-Wan said and Anakin nodded in agreement, and the little crowd whispered their awe.
"They know about us falling from the skies master."
"Oh Anakin, what have you gone and put into their heads now?"
"What, me?! I said nothing more than the truth master!" Anakin said though with a small glint in his eyes, and Obi-Wan again shook his head at his old padawans actions.
"I assure you we are no big deal captain…"
"Háma." The guard said as he shook Obi-Wan's hand then Anakin's.
"Well Háma, we are merely Jedi knights seeking to help out as much as possible until we can return to where we came from, and though I think my apprentice could have worded himself better. That is space, and to other worlds beyond yours."
"Other worlds besides ours?"
"Yes." Obi-Wan said with some humor in his voice. "You see your world is one of many millions of others. Many of which have different life forms on them in many different looks and cultures. Your world however, I will say is one of the most diverse of and most surprising."
Háma smiled at that. "I guess I should find that in a way flattering. Since your coming, I just got done telling your friend here, about the strange happenings."
"Trust me I know what you are speaking of." Obi-Wan said, but Anakin cleared his throat in an interjecting manner.
"Actually master, Háma here just informed me that a village not too far from here said a girl escaped a recently raided village in the west attack by Isengard no doubt. The leader of the 'metal monsters,' is a blonde woman." Obi-Wan's eyes hardened at that, as he turned to Háma.
"Did this girl say anything else that you are aware of, of this blonde woman?" Háma looked deep in thought for a moment before answering. "Not much, word traveled only by travelers, and there has not been many of those as of late since the growing evils of Mordor and Isengard swept across the lands, but I do remember the story saying that not only was this woman in command of Uruk-Hai, and these metal beasts, but that she had glowing yellow eyes that spoke of great evil, as well as a cloak of darkness that shrouded her as she used a sword of red flame to fell her enemies." obi-Wan and Anakin both shared a look with similarly narrowed eyes, hardened facial features, and a single nod to one another.
"We know of this type of woman. She is a sworn enemy to our kind, the Jedi knights. She has similar powers and abilities as us but she serves darkness." Obi-Wan said and the others still silently watching them started to murmur again in fear, and despair.
"Then a dire new enemy we have if in league with Saruman this woman is. IT is strange enough for my people that a woman fights, but to have her command armies, and be more powerful than our men makes many uneasy." Háma spoke truthfully with a grim look.
"You two will however, along with Gandalf Greyhame be more than enough to face her and her metal monsters though right?"
"We'll certainly do our part to make your land safe once more from the likes of her and her monsters. I swear it to you." Anakin replied with hardened eyes and features. While Obi-Wan sighed but nodded along, and the crowd finally began to disperse; though still speak in awe of these men who fell from the heavens, as their fears were slightly placated.
However, the funeral was about to begin, and it was now a time of mourning for many, and for that time, the Jedi remained back at the golden hall, and respectfully allowed the men and women of Rohan to mourn their prince's passing. For in their minds it was not their place to interject themselves into this act of mourning.
It was a day after the ejection of the white wizard of Isengard from the mind and body of Théoden-King of Rohan, and into the cracked and dead land of Isengard rode upon a horse Grima Wormtongue seeking, like a lost pup, to return to its master. No matter if that master was as cruel as the new Saruman was. The man had gone into the tower and informed Saruman of that which he already knew, with a few discrepancies here and there of course, but now the white wizard paced his room in agitation and anger, with an unspoken but ever present swelling of fear within him as well.
"Gandalf the white. Gandalf the fool! Does he seek to humble me with his newfound piety?!"
"There were five who followed the wizard. An elf, a dwarf, and a man, as well as two others of strange looks to them." Wormtongue informed entering from the shadows as was usual of the little leech of a man. As Saruman made a point of loudly sniffing and grimacing in disgust.
"You stink of horse." He informed Grima, who was now put off, and made silent.
"The man, was he of Gondor?" Saruman asked.
"No, from the north. One of the Dúnedain rangers, I thought he was. His cloth was poor. And yet he bore a strange ring. Two serpents with emerald eyes. One devouring, the other crowned with golden flowers." Saruman stiffened and moved into a study alcove inside his tower where books lay scattered. Filled to the brim with accounts, lord, and descriptions of all things you could imagine here upon Middle-Earth and Valinor beyond as well. He searched for some time as darkness soon came down upon Isengard until he found the ring described and looked at with pondering and contemptuous filled eyes.
"The ring of Barahir. So Gandalf Greyhame thinks he has found Isildur's heir. The lost king of Gondor. He is a fool. The line was broken years ago." He then slammed the book shut. "It matters not. The world of men shall fall. It will begin at Edoras." Saruman declared looking off into the distance with cold eyes, as a thought struck him.
"You said there were two other men. What of they?"
Grima looked contemplative as he recalled his memories.
"They wore unusual tunics. One light the other dark. The seemed….out of place among everyone. Yet when my men attacked them, they were able to push them aside with mere hand gestures, and the other forced one man into sleep. I thought them the wizard's apprentices for a moment were he not Gandalf Greyhame I would still think that. However he's not one to teach others of the magic's of the Maiar."
Saruman made a groan of thought.
"Come forth my dear. Is this of any interest to you?" Saruman said and Grima was confused until from the shadows and much to his shock a woman stepped forward. She had brilliant long and straight golden blonde hair tied into a long and intricate braid, a long black draping cloak, and painting across her eyes in some strange skin markings. What caught his attention most were her glowing yellow eyes and pale complexion.
"Yes…these men are Jedi. Two of the most difficult to kill. They are Anakin Skywalker and Obi-Wan Kenobi. They share my powers and abilities but lack my willingness to embrace emotion and the dark side. Rather, they serve the dogmatic and stagnant code of the Jedi order and the light side of the Force. Your Uruk-Hai will not stand a chance against the, not even droids do. Only myself or my general, Grievous, can fight these men." The woman spoke with an accented voice and cold calculation as she paced the room in a circle and cast Grima glares forcing him to back away some, as Saruman rose to a stand again.
"Will these men ruin my plans?" he demanded with his normal tone, but a hidden anger was clear, as the woman met his worried glare with a stern pointed look of her own.
"Not the whole plan no. They will make killing your forces easier, and they may reinvigorate the men some if they accept the Jedi and see their abilities and their willingness to help them. I should have known they had survived and come with us to this world!" She exclaimed and balled her hands into fists as she wrapped herself in the dark side for solace.
"Then since we are allies after all and share our enemies, I suppose you will have to accompany my main force into Rohan when the time is right." Saruman said with finality in his voice as he walked off to once more inspect his forces leaving Grima and the woman in the room. She was silent but a had a sneer upon her features, and when she looked to the eyeing face of Grima she growled.
"What are you looking at?!" She spat but shoved past him without a word leaving Grima alone in the room as the darkness of two forces magic and the Force permeated the air about him, and for the first time of many to come he questioned the wisdom of siding with Saruman the white and in turn Sauron.
Authors Note: I hope you guys like this chapter, and don't worry more will come, and I assure you all of the rising use and show of the Force and what not by the Jedi by both light and dark to the populace. beyond that I hope you guys like that I got a chapter up now, as i am now back in college sadly :( and as such will not have a lot of time to write. Probably mostly weekends, but we shall see right? As always please point out or excuse any and all grammatical errors, and enjoy! :D
Also please review and keep me interested in writing eh? ;)
