Chapter 26
Before we rode to Edoras, we traveled through Fangorn to Isenguard, It was here we found two people I feared I would never see again.
"Merry! Pippin!" I said.
"Welcome! My lords, and lady! To Isenguard."
I smiled and saw that all around them was ruin.
"You young rascals! A merry hunt you have lead us on and now we find you…..feasting! And smoking!" Gimli said.
"We are sitting, on a field of victory, enjoying a few well earned comforts." Merry blew a smoke ring. "This salted pork, is particularly good." Pippin said.
My eyes widened.
"Salted pork?"
My brother, Gimli and I had spoken at once.
"Hobbits." Gandalf muttered.
I looked over at him but Legolas' eyes caught me. I quickly looked away. I could feel his eyes still on me, but he did not speak. For this I was grateful. We rode forward, now with Merry and Pippin. In the end I did get some salted pork.
"Young…..Master Gandalf! I am hmmm…..glad you have come!"
My jaw dropped when I saw the owner of this voice. This must have been an Ent. For it was a large tree looking creature with a beard and eyes and hands.
"Ah Master Treebeard!" Gandalf said.
That is certainly a fitting name.
I looked over at Gimli, who was looking at the Ent in awe. He clearly remembered what he had said back in Fangorn. I smiled and My brother was chuckling behind me.
"There is a wizard to manage here! Locked in his tower." Treebeard informed us.
"Saruman." I hissed.
We all looked over the towers, for any sign of him.
"Show yourself." Aragorn said.
"Be careful. Even in defeat, Saruman is dangerous." Gandalf warned.
"Then let us just have his head and be done with it!" Gimli said.
"No, we need him alive…we need him to talk." said the wizard.
"You have fought many wars and slain many men Théoden King, and then sought peace afterwards….." came a voice.
I narrowed my eyes and looked up at the former White Wizard.
"Can we not take counsel together as we once did, my old friend? Can we not have peace you and I?"
"We shall have peace…." began the king.
I looked at him in disbelief.
"We shall have peace," he looked up at Saruman. "when you answer for the burning of the Westfold and the children that lie dead there! We shall have peace when the lives of the soldiers whose bodies were hewn even as they lay dead against the gates of the Hornburg… are avenged! When you hang from a gibbet for the sport of your own crows… we shall have peace!" He said.
I nodded and looked back at Saruman.
"Gibbets and crows! Dotard! What do you want Gandalf Grahame? Let me guess… the key of Orthanc? Or perhaps the keys of Barad Dûr itself? Along with the crowns of the seven Kings and the rods of the Five Wizards!"
"Your treachery has already cost many lives! Thousands more are now at risk! But you can save them Saruman. You were deep in the enemy's council."
Normally I would have just had him killed. But Gandalf was right. If we were to save the lives of all the other people, we would need the aid of Saruman.
"So you have come here for information. I have some for you." He held up something. "Something festers in the heart of Middle Earth. Something that you have failed to see. But the great eye has seen it! Even now he presses his advantage. His attack will come soon." Gandalf rode forward. "You are all going to die! But you know this don't you Gandalf? You cannot think that this Ranger will ever sit upon the throne of Gondor. This exile, crept from the shadows will never be crowned King."
At this point my anger got the better of me. I rode forward.
"He is more a king then you shall ever know traitor!"
"Ah the princess of Erebor. Tell me…..can you truly call me a traitor, when you betray your own father?"
"You know nothing of me or my family!" I snarled.
"Gandalf does not hesitate to sacrifice those who are closest to him… those he professes to love! Tell me, what words of comfort did you give the Halfling before you sent him to his doom? The path that you have set him on can only lead to death."
You should have remained in your mountain with your people Princess Silanna!"
"I have heard enough! Shoot him!" Gimli said to Legolas. "Stick an arrow in his gob!"
Legolas reached for an arrow but Gandalf stopped him..
"NO! Come down Saruman! And your life will be spared."
"Save your pity and you mercy! I have no use for it!"
He let a fireball shoot from his staff at Gandalf.
"NO!"
My brother had jumped from the horse and in front of Gandalf. I screamed as the fire consumed both him and Gandalf.
"NO! ERUANTIEN!" I shouted.
I took my bow and looked at Saruman. I notched an arrow in the string, but before I could shoot I saw the fire clear. I looked over and found both my brother and Gandalf safe. I lowered my bow but my icy glare remained on Saruman.
"Saruman your staff is broken." Gandalf said.
At his words Saruman's staff shattered. I saw another small man come up. It was Grima.
"Grima! You need not follow him! You were not always as you were now! You were once a man of Rohan! Come down." Théoden said.
I looked at him and smiled.
"A man of Rohan? What is the house of Rohan but a thatched barn where brigands drink in the reek and their brats roll on the floor with the dogs? The victory at Helms Deep does not belong to you Théoden Horse Master. You are a lesser son of greater sires!"
"Come Grima! Do not listen to him!" I said.
"Grima come down. Be free of him!" Théoden added.
"Free!? He will never be free!" Saruman said.
"NO!"
Saruman turned and looked at Grima. He said something my ears could not hear and then smacked him to the ground.
"Saruman! You were deep in the enemy's council! Tell us what you know!" Gandalf said.
Saruman looked back.
"You withdraw your guard and I shall tell you where your doom shall be decided! I will not be held prisoner here!"
Grima suddenly stood up and stabbed Saruman. I saw Legolas aim his bow but I stopped him.
"NO!"
He looked at me.
"Do not harm him! Let him take his revenge for his people."
"We needed Saruman alive." Gandalf said.
"He would not have spoken." I said turning to him. "And killing Grima shall gain us nothing either way."
Saruman now fell from the top of the tower and landed on a spike. If he had been alive after Grima stabbed him, he was not alive any longer.
"Send word to all our allies and to every corner of Middle-Earth that still stands free. The enemy moves against us! We need to know where he will strike." Gandalf said.
I nodded and then the water wheel Saruman had been impaled on began to turn. I saw the orb he had been holding, which I later learned was called a Palantir, fell into the water.
"The filth of Saruman is washing away!" Treebeard said.
I heard the gates of the tower open. I looked up and saw Grima poke his head out. I smiled a little.
"None here shall harm you Grima. Come out." I said.
He very slowly walked outside into the sunlight. Théoden rode towards him. Grima bowed low.
"I beg your forgiveness my lord!" he said.
"You have more then earned it. Now come! Let us go home."
"Home?" Grima asked.
Théoden smiled.
"Yes back to Edoras."
Théoden held out his hand and Grima mounted the horse behind him. I smiled and Gandalf rode up beside me.
"What caused you to spare his life my dear?"
I helped my brother back onto the horse and then looked at Gandalf.
"My mother once told me 'True courage is knowing not when to take a life, but when to spare one.'" I said.
Gandalf smiled and his eyes twinkled.
"Tawariell has ever been wise. I remember the day I spoke those very words to Bilbo. She must have heard. She and Thorin have raised an excellent child in you and in your brother. You will indeed make a wondrous Queen of Erebor one day."
I smiled, but behind my smile was sorrow. For it was my future as queen thayt kept me from being with Legolas.
"I hope so Tharkun." I said.
Théoden now rode up to me.
"Go on then Grima."
I looked at Grima curiously.
"I thank you Princess Silanna. For my life as well as the courage to face my king again." he said.
He bowed his head and I smiled.
"I hope that one day I can repay this debt." He said.
"Perhaps there is something you can do for me. If your lord would grant you leave."
Théoden nodded.
"You heard what Gandalf said, that we must send word to our allies. I would ask as a favor to me that you ride to my home. To Erebor. To tell my mother and father of what has happened. And also to ensure them of mine and my brother's safety."
"I will gladly do as you ask." Grima said.
"You must tell them you come in the name of the Prince and Princess. Else they will think you an enemy. These days my people are cautious of strangers." I warned.
He nodded and bowed his head once more. He was given a horse and I provided him with a map to Erebor. And with one final bow he was off.