Lord of the Rings: Retold

The Two Towers

Chapter 3:

Morning: the four pursuers are seen again.

Legolas, "the red sun rises, blood has been spilled this night."

Aragorn bends down looking at the ground.

Freya, "blood of what creatures though?"

He hears horses and stands up and gestures for the other two to follow him in hiding behind a rock. The riders of Rohan ride up over the hill a moment later. Aragorn, seeing who they are, steps out.

Aragorn, yelling, "Riders of Rohan, What news from the mark?"

The horsemen turn and circle around and surround the four, spears out.

Éomer, "what business does an elf, a man, a dwarf…. And an Orc, have in the Riddermark? Speak quickly!"

Freya muttered, "I knew they'd question my presence especially."

Gimli, "your real name, horse master and I shall give you mine."

Éomer, "I would cut off your head, dwarf, if it stood but a little higher from the ground."

Legolas draws his bow, and Freya draws her daggers.

Legolas, "you would die before your stroke fell."

Freya, "you harm one of us, you earn all of our wrath."

The spears get closer to Legolas and Freya, Aragorn grabs Legolas' arm and puts it down. Freya slowly lowers her daggers. Gimli lets out a sigh of relief.

Aragorn, "I am Aragorn, son of Arathorn, this is Gimli son of Gloin, Legolas of the woodland realm, and Freya of Rivendell. We are friends of Rohan, and of Théoden your King."

Éomer, "how would an Orc be from Rivendell, a home of the elves?"

Freya, "I was raised there."

Éomer went back to what Aragorn said, "Théoden no longer recognizes friend from foe", Éomer removes his helmet, "not even his own kin."

The riders raise their spears.

Éomer, "Saruman has poisoned the mind of the King and claimed lordship over his lands. My company are those loyal to Rohan, and for that we are banished. The white wizard is cunning. He walks here and there they say, as an old man, hooded and cloaked, and everywhere his spies slip past our nets."

Aragorn, "we are no spies."

Éomer, "yet you travel with an Orc."

Freya, "as I said before, I was raised in Rivendell. I do not serve the White Wizard, or any of his ilk."

Éomer, "hmm, we shall see."

Aragorn, "we track a party of Uruk-Hai westward across the plain. They have taken three of our friends captive."

Éomer, "the Uruks are destroyed, we slaughtered them during the night."

Gimli, "but there were two hobbits. Did you see two hobbits with them?"

Freya, "and a shorter man?"

Aragorn, "they would be small, only children to your eyes. The man as well, being very short in stature."

Freya, "although the latter had a beard."

Éomer, "we left none alive. We piled the carcasses and burned them."

Gimli, "dead?"

Éomer nods, "I am sorry.'

Freya, "Merry…. Pippin…. Tom…"

Legolas puts his hand on Gimli and Freya's shoulders in comfort.

Éomer Whistles, "Hasufel, Valor, Arod, Hazel. May these horses bear you to better fortune than their former masters. Farewell."

Four horses come forward, one sorrel, one brown and white, one white, and one a dark brown.

Éomer, "look for your friends, but do not trust to hope. It is forsaken in these lands", he turns to the riders, "we ride north!"

The riders follow Éomer, leaving the four alone. They ride towards the burning pile of orc carcasses. Gimli searches through the smoldering bodies, as Aragorn and Legolas look around for any sign of the two hobbits and short man. Freya tries to find anything belonging to her friends. Gimli picks up a small sword belt from the pile.

Gimli, "it's one of their wee belts."

Legolas, "Hiro hyn hîdh ab 'wanath. (May they find peace after death)"

Freya, "damnit."

Aragorn shouts and kicks one of the orc helmets, (and it sounded like he broke his foot). He then falls onto his knees and puts his head down.

Gimli, "we failed them."

Freya, "I feel ashamed."

Aragorn looks at the ground, and sees tracks.

Aragorn, "a hobbit lay here, and the other… and a shorter figure."

….

Pippin screams as he lies under a rearing horse, he moves to the side, barely missing the hooves.

….

Aragorn, "they crawled."

….

Pippin is crawling on the ground.

….

Aragorn, "their hands were bound."

….

Pippin finds a discarded scimitar and starts to hack away on his bindings.

….

"Their bonds were cut", Aragorn picks up the ropes.

….

Pippin cuts off Merry and Tom's bonds as well. They run back and forth between the fighting men, horses, and orcs.

….

Aragorn, "they ran over here. They were followed."

….

One of the orcs grabs onto Merry's belt.

Merry, "the belt!"

Tom, "unbuckle it!"

Merry undoes the belt and the orc is left with just the belt in his hand. He scowls and growls.

Merry, "run!"

Tom, "don't have to tell me twice!"

….

Aragorn, "the tracks lead away from the battle."

….

Merry, Tom and Pippin run into the forest.

….

Aragorn, "and into Fangorn Forest."

Gimli, "Fangorn Forest, what madness drove them in there?"

Freya, "the same madness that drives us forward."

….

The scene shifts into Fangorn Forest, Merry and Pippin are running through the trees, with Tom behind them clutching his lute in fear. Pippin, Tom and Merry lay down in a hole created by roots.

Pippin, "did we lose 'em? I think we lost 'em."

The orc comes through the trees.

Orc, "I'm gonna rip off your filthy little heads."

Tom, Merry and Pippin get up and run and hide behind a tree.

Orc, "come 'ere!"

Tom, Merry and Pippin run through the woods away from the orc.

Merry, "trees, climb a tree."

Tom, "on it!"

Pippin climbs up the nearest tree, Merry follows with Tom.

Merry, "he's gone."

The orc grabs Merry by the ankle and drags him down from the tree. The orc leaps on top of him. Merry kicks him in the face.

Pippin, "Merry!"

Pippin looks back at the tree, which now blinks its eyes, then looks away, and does a double take.

Tom, "d-did the tree just BLINK?!"

Pippin, "augh!"

Pippin releases the tree who gives him a stern look, then falls backward out of the tree. The tree catches him.

Orc, "let's put a maggot hole in your belly."

The orc's sword is raised, he hears something behind him and looks out of the corner of his eye. Then as he turns to see what it is, Treebeard steps on the orc and squishes him.

Tom, "he deserved that for saying maggot hole alone!"

Merry gets up.

Pippin, "run Merry!"

Tom jumps onto the shoulder of Treebeard, making sure to stay with the hobbits.

Treebeard takes two steps and picks up Merry in his other hand.

Treebeard, "little orcs, Bu-la-rum."

Pippin, "it's talking Merry, the tree is talking."

Treebeard, "Tree?! I am no tree. I am an Ent."

Merry, "a tree herder. A shepherd of the forest."

Tom, "I've heard many songs about these beings!"

Pippin, "don't talk to it Merry, don't encourage it."

Tom, "saying that might offend it more!"

Treebeard, "Treebeard some call me."

Pippin, "and whose side are you on?"

Treebeard, "side? I am nobody's side, because nobody's on my side, little orc. Nobody cares for the woods anymore."

Merry, "we're not orcs, we're hobbits."

Tom, "and I am a man. Albeit a short one."

Treebeard, "Hobbits? Never heard of a hobbit before. Sounds like orc mischief to me."

He grips Merry and Pippin tighter. They squirm.

Tom, "stop, you'll hurt them!"

Treebeard, "they come with fire, they come with axes, gnawing, biting, breaking, hacking, burning. Destroyers and usurpers. Curse them!"

Merry, "no, you don't understand. We're hobbits, halflings, shire-folk."

Tom, "I vouch for them Mr. Beard!"

Treebeard, "maybe you are, and maybe you aren't. The white wizard will know."

Pippin whispers, "the white wizard?"

Merry, "Saruman."

Tom, "oh dear…"

Treebeard drops the hobbits and man onto the ground, and places the shorter man on the ground with them, they look up and see the white wizard.

….

The scene shifts to Gollum, Naryn and the hobbits, Gollum is racing ahead on all fours climbing over the rocks.

Gollum, "see! See! We've led you out. Hurry, Hobbitses, Goblin, hurry! Very lucky we find you", to Sam as he passes, "nice hobbit."

They move on with Gollum leading. Sam loses his footing in the bog.

Sam, "ooh! It's a bog. He's led us into a swamp!"

Naryn, "it's a bad day to not wear any boots."

Gollum, "swamp. Yes, yes. Come master, we will take you on safe paths through the mist. Come Goblin and hobbits, come."

Naryn, "just call me a Hobbit. I'd prefer it to being called a goblin."

Gollum, "alrights. Hobbits. Real quickly. I found it, I did. The way through the marshes. Orcs don't use it, Orcs don't know it. They go round for miles and miles, come quickly, swift and quick as shadows we must be."

We span around the bog, showing miles and miles of marshes, with the rocky landscape of Mordor in the distance.

Taking a short rest, the Hobbits try to regain their strength.

Sam, "I hate this place, it's too quiet. There's been no sight nor sound of a bird for two days."

Gollum, "no, no birdses to eat, no crunchable birdses. We are famished, yes! Famished we are, precious!"

Naryn, "I'd prefer one cooked."

Gollum spots a worm and picks it up and wiggles it. He then eats it quickly. Sam looks on not sure what to think and looks at his own Lembas.

Naryn, "ugh."

Frodo, "here."

He tosses Gollum a piece of Lembas.

Gollum, "what does it eats? Is it tasty?"

Gollum giggles and tries to eat it, but chokes on it, "it tries to chokes us! We can't eats Hobbit food! We must starve!"

He wails and acts pathetic.

Sam, "well, starve, then. And good riddance!"

Naryn, "calm down Sam."

Gollum, "oh, cruel hobbit! It does not care if we be hungry. Does not care if we should die", he turns his face towards Frodo, "not like Master. Master cares. Master knows. Yes, precious. Once it takes hold of us, it never lets go."

Frodo reaches to touch the ring, and Gollum tries too.

Frodo, "don't touch me!"

He swats Gollum's hand away!

The group stays quiet for a little while.

The hobbits are struggling their way through the swamp. Sam sees faces in the water.

Sam, "there are dead things, dead faces in the water. "

Naryn, "I recommend we keep a distance."

Gollum, "all dead. All rotten. Elves and men and Orcses. A great battle long ago. The dead marshes. Yes, yes that is their name. This way. Don't follow the lights", Sam falls through another hole, "careful now, or hobbits go down to join the dead ones and light little candles of their own."

Naryn, "morbid, but sound advice."

Frodo starts to go off in another direction, he comes to the water and stares blankly at an elf corpse in the water, he starts to waver.

Naryn and Sam, "Frodo!"

The corpse's eyes open and Frodo falls into the water. Underneath the water, white ghostly forms start to surround him, grabbing him. They reach for him. A hand reaches down and pulls Frodo to the surface. Gollum drags him back up onto the land.

Frodo, "Gollum?"

Gollum, "don't follow the lights."

Gollum leaves. Sam and Naryn come up.

Frodo, "Gollum."

Sam, "Mr. Frodo, are you all right?"

Naryn, "anything broken?"

Frodo merely gazes at Gollum as they slink forward.

….

Mordor is seen storming, red, orange and black. Sam sleeps, as does Naryn. Frodo lies on his side stroking the ring.

Gollum, "so bright. So beautiful. Our Precioussss."

Frodo gets halfway up and looks at Gollum.

Frodo, "what did you say?"

Gollum, "Master should be resting. Master needs to keep up his strength."

Frodo, going over to Gollum, "who are you?"

Gollum, "mustn't ask us, not it's business, Gollum, gollum."

Frodo, "Gandalf told me you were one of the river folk."

Gollum, singing, "cold be heart and hand and bone, cold be travelers far from home."

Frodo, "he said your life was a sad story."

Gollum, singing, "they do not see what lies ahead, when sun has failed and moon is dead."

Frodo, "you were not so very different from a hobbit once. Were you? Sméagol."

Gollum, "... what did you call me?"

Frodo, "that was your name once, wasn't it? A long time ago."

Gollum, "my name? My name? Ss… Ss… Sméagol."

A Nazgûl screech fills the air. Naryn and Sam jump up in fright. Gollum screams in terror.

Naryn, "oh no!"

Sam, "Black Riders."

Gollum, "hide! Hide!"

Frodo screams and grasps the spot where he was wounded by the Nazgûl blade. He sees the white faces of the Nine and relives the stabbing. Sam runs over to Frodo, and drags him into cover, with Naryn helping him do so.

Sam, "come on Frodo, come on!"

Naryn, "now is not the time for this!'

Gollum, "hurry, they will see us, they will see us."

Sam, "I thought they were dead."

Naryn, "so did I!"

Gollum, "dead? No, you cannot kill them. No."

A black rider is riding upon a flying beast. The rider sniffs, and the beast roars as they go lower. The rider passes over their head.

Gollum, "Ahhh! Wraiths, wraiths on wings!"

Frodo reaches for the ring.

Gollum, "they are calling for it, they are calling for the Precious."

Naryn, "well they ain't getting it, or Frodo!"

Sam grabs Frodo's hand away from the ring and puts it in his own.

Sam, "Frodo. It's all right."

Naryn, "calm down Frodo."

The Nazgûl flies away.

Gollum, "hurry hobbits, the Black Gate is very close."

….

Scene goes to the woods, Gimli sees black liquid on some leaves. He touches it and then touches it to his mouth. He spits.

Gimli, "Orc blood."

Freya, "pfft, I could've told you that."

The four make their way through Fangorn Forest.

Aragorn, "these are strange tracks."

Freya, "and very large ones at that."

Gimli, "the air is so close in here."

Legolas, "this forest is old. Very old. Full of memory and anger."

The trees groan. Gimli picks up his axe.

Freya, "well, you're right about the anger."

Legolas, "the trees are speaking to each other."

Aragorn, "Gimli. Lower your axe."

Gimli, "oh."

Legolas, "they have feelings my friend. The Elves began it. Waking up the trees, teaching them to speak."

Freya, "and it still goes on to this day."

Gimli, "talking trees. What do trees have to talk about? Except the consistency of squirrel droppings?"

Legolas, "Aragorn, nad no ennas! (Something's out there.)"

Aragorn, "Man cenich, (What do you see?)"

Legolas, "the White Wizard Approaches."

Aragorn, "do not let him speak, he will put a spell on us", Aragorn draws his sword, "we must be quick."

Freya, "everyone keep your guard up."

They all turn to attack, Gimli throws his axe, which is knocked to the side, Legolas loses his bow, which is also knocked aside. Freya's daggers are flown from her hands with a burst of light. Aragorn's sword turns orange with heat and he drops it. They shield their eyes from the bright white light that the wizard is emitting.

"You are tracking the footsteps of two young Hobbits."

Aragorn, "where are they?"

Freya, "and what is it to you?"

"They passed this way, a day before yesterday. They met someone they did not expect. Does that comfort you?"

Freya, "it depends on who they met?"

Aragorn, "who are you? Show yourself!"

The light fades and Gandalf is clearly seen.

Aragorn, amazed, "it cannot be."

Freya, equally amazed, "but it is!"

Legolas, "forgive me!"

Legolas and Gimli look on in amazement, then bow.

Legolas, "I mistook you for Saruman."

Gandalf, "I am Saruman. Or rather, Saruman as he should have been."

Freya, "an understatement, to say the least."

Aragorn, "you fell."

Freya, "with the Balrog."

Gandalf, "through fire, and water. On the lowest dungeon, on the highest peak I fought him, the Balrog of Morgoth."

….

On an icy mountain peak, Gandalf is fighting the Balrog. Lightning connects with Gandalf's sword, it glows, the Balrog comes at him again and Gandalf stabs the Balrog in the chest. The Balrog falls to the mountain below.

Gandalf, "until at last I threw down my enemy and smote his ruin upon the mountainside", Gandalf is lying face up on the mountain peak, he is bleeding from his nose, "darkness took me and I strayed out of thought and time", a bright light is seen, "the stars field of end, and everyday was as long as a life age on the earth."

Gandalf appears again, in a white background, apparently naked, "but it was not the end. I felt life in me again", Gandalf takes a gasping breath, "I've been sent back until my task is done."

….

Aragorn, "Gandalf."

Gandalf, "Gandalf? Yes, that was what they used to call me", Aragorn nods, "Gandalf the Grey. That was my name."

Gimli, "Gandalf."

Gandalf, "I am Gandalf the White."

Freya runs forward and hugs the wizard.

Freya, "never leave us like that again, please."

Gandalf, "never again."

She let's the wizard go as he continues.

Gandalf, "and I come back to you now at the turn of the tide."

….

Reviews:

Amanny: I'm glad you liked it.

….

Gandalf reruns, much to the relief of our heroes! Let's hope things go well for them….

Also, as a note, I currently have a poll up. I'm planning on doing the Hobbit films. The poll is; will Kili live, or die?

Choose!