Chapter 1
Aragorn rode beside Théoden as he, Legolas, Gimli, Éomer, and twenty others followed Gandalf through the forest. So much had happened over the past few months. The One Ring had been found, the Fellowship formed, and the quest to destroy the Ring begun. Boromir — may the Valar keep him — had died; Frodo and Sam had left to take the path to Mordor; the Three Hunters had ridden and battled across the plains of Rohan to find the other two Halflings, and Merry and Pippin…Where were they?
The fact that he did not know what had happened to them bothered him — but as he came within sight of Isengard his fears faded to nothing.
There they were, sitting on the ruined wall like they owned the whole Wizard's Vale. All Aragorn could do was smile as Gimli scolded them.
~o~o~
Aragorn sat on the stones, enjoying his pipe as Merry and Pippin recounted their tale. It was long and strange, but when it was over the Man, Elf, and Dwarf entered the ring of black walls.
Broken pillars leaned and all the circle seemed to be one big lake. Aragorn and the others joined Gandalf and Théoden at the base of the tower of Orthanc.
"Be careful," Gandalf warned. "Even in defeat Saruman is dangerous."
A sudden voice, smooth and melodious, came to Aragorn's ears as Saruman addressed Théoden.
Théoden's answer to Saruman's plea — for that it could only be called — of peace was the only one that could be given.
"We shall have peace…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," the king growled, "for the sport of your own crows…we shall have peace."
Aragorn – even as he listened to Gandalf speak – thought Théoden gave a fitting answer.
Startled by the sound of a rushing wind Aragorn looked up. Saruman's staff had broken, and at Gandalf's bidding he reentered the tower. But as he did a black globe crashed through one of the many windows and into the water.
"A parting shot from Master Wormtongue, I fancy," said Gandalf, "but ill aimed."
Aragorn answered. "Maybe because he could not make up his mind which he hated more, you or Saruman."
Soon, however, they left the Wizard's Vale and returned to Edoras.