It was the unnatural quietness of their surroundings that had everyone on edge. There was not even the songs of the birds to add lightness to their journey. It was as if they knew what was coming and had flown away to safety. Sam tried to lighten the dark mood of the group by joking around, but he soon gave up. Even Merry and Pippin were not their usual selves. It was as if their ordeal had sucked the life right out of them. They were also very quiet as the group headed back to where they had come from not long before. The thought of seeing that place again filled both with dread. Maybe this time they wouldn't be so lucky as to escape this 'Rokin'. They shot apprehensive looks at each other as they walked slightly behind the others.
Xander noticed their reluctance, but as he didn't know them as well as the others did, he thought it was normal for them. Frodo, on the other hand, was worried. He was soon in a deep discussion with Gandalf about it.
"They have been through a lot in the past few weeks," the wizard replied. "You can't expect them to be the Merry and Pippin you know from the Shire Frodo. You have to expect some changes. Give them some time to put their experiences behind them."
Frodo nodded as he looked back at his friends. He missed their jokes and silly pranks. But he knew Gandalf was right. In time, the old Merry and Pippin would return. He could only imagine the hell they'd been living through for the weeks they had been held by Saruman and his evil creatures. They wouldn't speak much about it, except to fill in details that they would need for the coming battle, but he knew they were hurting. Pippin especially. Frodo could see it written clearly in his eyes, but he also knew not to push it. His friends would talk about it when they were ready.
"It seems you didn't kill your friends after all child."
"What do you mean?"
Faith had thought them all dead. What did he mean she hadn't killed them? She quickly crossed the floor of the room and stood beside the old wizard. He pointed deep into the Eye. She gasped with disbelief. There, larger than life, walked Xander, Aragorn, and all the others.
"They found new friends," she whispered. "Isn't that....?"
"The two you let go free?" Saruman snarled in reply. "Yes you fool. Now they will lead them straight to us. We're far from ready..."
Faith laughed. Saruman was the fool. Did he honestly think he would be rewarded for all his betrayals of his people? Betrayal of all the peoples of Middle Earth? Did he think her father, that Sauron, would share his kingdom with one as snakelike as Saruman? If he could betray all he had ever held dear to him, how could they trust him not to betray them too?
"No, it CAN'T be!"
Faith snapped out of her revere. Something he had seen through the Eye had disturbed him deeply. In fact, Saruman looked rather white. She looked again. There was someone else walking with them. Someone who looked rather like Saruman himself. Was this what was frightening the old man? So he had a weakness after all. She chuckled as she filed that away in her mind for future reference. Who knew, it might come in handy.
"Who is he?" she asked innocently.
"No...no-one," he spat as he turned from her and the Eye and briskly walked from the room.
Faith remained to watch her former friends and allies on their journey. Every step was bringing them closer to her.
"Yes, keep coming," she crooned softly. "The fun is about to begin."
Giggling to herself, she curled up in Saruman's huge chair and continued watching and waiting. It was almost time. She felt it inside her. The feeling of exhileration building up. She'd missed the feelings a good fight gave her. It wouldn't be much longer...
Xander noticed their reluctance, but as he didn't know them as well as the others did, he thought it was normal for them. Frodo, on the other hand, was worried. He was soon in a deep discussion with Gandalf about it.
"They have been through a lot in the past few weeks," the wizard replied. "You can't expect them to be the Merry and Pippin you know from the Shire Frodo. You have to expect some changes. Give them some time to put their experiences behind them."
Frodo nodded as he looked back at his friends. He missed their jokes and silly pranks. But he knew Gandalf was right. In time, the old Merry and Pippin would return. He could only imagine the hell they'd been living through for the weeks they had been held by Saruman and his evil creatures. They wouldn't speak much about it, except to fill in details that they would need for the coming battle, but he knew they were hurting. Pippin especially. Frodo could see it written clearly in his eyes, but he also knew not to push it. His friends would talk about it when they were ready.
"It seems you didn't kill your friends after all child."
"What do you mean?"
Faith had thought them all dead. What did he mean she hadn't killed them? She quickly crossed the floor of the room and stood beside the old wizard. He pointed deep into the Eye. She gasped with disbelief. There, larger than life, walked Xander, Aragorn, and all the others.
"They found new friends," she whispered. "Isn't that....?"
"The two you let go free?" Saruman snarled in reply. "Yes you fool. Now they will lead them straight to us. We're far from ready..."
Faith laughed. Saruman was the fool. Did he honestly think he would be rewarded for all his betrayals of his people? Betrayal of all the peoples of Middle Earth? Did he think her father, that Sauron, would share his kingdom with one as snakelike as Saruman? If he could betray all he had ever held dear to him, how could they trust him not to betray them too?
"No, it CAN'T be!"
Faith snapped out of her revere. Something he had seen through the Eye had disturbed him deeply. In fact, Saruman looked rather white. She looked again. There was someone else walking with them. Someone who looked rather like Saruman himself. Was this what was frightening the old man? So he had a weakness after all. She chuckled as she filed that away in her mind for future reference. Who knew, it might come in handy.
"Who is he?" she asked innocently.
"No...no-one," he spat as he turned from her and the Eye and briskly walked from the room.
Faith remained to watch her former friends and allies on their journey. Every step was bringing them closer to her.
"Yes, keep coming," she crooned softly. "The fun is about to begin."
Giggling to herself, she curled up in Saruman's huge chair and continued watching and waiting. It was almost time. She felt it inside her. The feeling of exhileration building up. She'd missed the feelings a good fight gave her. It wouldn't be much longer...