The three horses quickly approached Edoras where King Théoden resided. Phoenix peered over Strider's shoulder at the castle sitting on the hill. Behind it was along chain of mountains. She was sure the Fellowship probably trapped around it at one time.
Standing on the doorstep of the castle Phoenix could swear that she saw a woman in a white gown looking down at the three horses approaching. Moments later the woman disappeared.
The horses got closer to the castle and a flag of Edoras flew down from the doors. Strider looked at it momentarily before hopping off the horse. He helped Phoenix down and the five began up the long stone steps to the doors of the castle.
Three or four gaurs came out of the doors. "You are not welcome here." One of them said.
"We are friends of the king," Gandalf said.
The guard paused a moment. "Very well, but I must take your weapons."
Strider nodded and they began taking the weapons from their belts. Legolas took out his knives, and precious bow, handing them to a guard. Strider gave up his sword, along with Phoenix. Gimli looked at his sword sadly before giving it away. Gandalf gave his sword as well. "Your staff." The guard said.
"You wouldn't…part an old man from his walking stick, would you?" Gandalf held on to his staff. The guard nodded that they could pass, and Gandalf could keep his 'walking stick.'
They entered the castle. The king sat on a chair at the end of a red carpet. He had long hair that covered his messy face. His nails were over grown and his eyes seemed to be completely white, totally absent of color. Guards stood in various places. An ugly man dressed in black leered over the king. "What…are you…doing here?" the king mumbled.
"An excellent question, sir," the ugly man asked.
Gandalf approached the king. He took his cloak off and the ugly man saw that Gandalf the Gray was no longer Gandalf the Gray but was no Gandalf the White. "His staff! I told you to get his staff!"
The guards tried to get to Gandalf but Strider, Gimli, Legolas and Phoenix held the off. Well Phoenix tried to. She went to kick one of the guards but he simply picked her up. He held her by the waist but she kicked and punched the man.
Gandalf and Théoden exchanged words but they were not the words from Théoden. Saruman was controlling him. Phoenix didn't pick up what was being said until Théoden said, "If I go, so does he." At that moment everyone seemed to pause. Legolas took this opportunity to punch the guard that held Phoenix in the face. He caught her before she hit the ground.
"Thanks," she said. They watched Gandalf expel Saruman from Théoden's body. A woman, the one who was on the ledge, came running into the room. Strider took hold of her before she could interrupt.
Théoden began to change. His age seem to rewind. He looked at his hands. "A king would know the strength in his hands." Théoden took hold of his sword.
* * *
"Gandalf said to keep you safe…and safe you shall be…" Treebeard said to the hobbits.
Merry and Pippin looked at the scenery behind them. They were sitting on the branches on top of Treebeard's head. Pippin was sitting higher up than Merry. Both were griping to bits and pieces of bark.
They saw the vast background of the lush forest and green mountains. Every now and again were birds fluttering by or a small stream of fire coming from a human camp. P
Pippin took in a deep breath of the fresh air. Now that he wasn't being dragged about and tortured by Orcs he could now enjoy the beauty of nature around him. He missed it so much. Being out in the open brought back so many memories of his child hood in the safe arms of the Shire. He smiled back at the memory that started to come to his mind.
They had been drinking most of the night. Hell they were always drinking. Frodo was ordering drinks for his table. Merry and Pippin were standing on one of the tables, each holding a half empty mug of beer.
"Hey! Ho! To the bottle I go heal my heart and drown my woe, rain may fall and wind may blow but there still may be…many miles to go!" almost the entire tavern was singing along with the two drunken Hobbits. "Sweet is the sound of the pouring rain and the stream that leaps from hill to plain. Better than rain or rippling brook-"
Pippin took a quick drink from his mug and finished out the song "Is a mug of beer inside the Took!"
The tavern laughed along with the young hobbits.
Pippin shook his head, fading the memory. That had been the last time that he had been among the company of many a hobbit before the journey. It was the last time that he saw home.
Then he left and…Phoenix. He missed her terribly. At every moment he could feel her body pressed to his and her lips on his.
"Pippin!" Merry slapped his leg.
"What?"
"Just making sure you're still awake. You've been staring off for quite sometime,"
"Just tired," Pippin replied.
"You miss her?"
Pippin was shocked. He knew that Merry wasn't fond Phoenix, especially after the two of the fist fought over it. "Of course I miss her…"
They left the conversation at that. Merry didn't like bringing her up and Pippin wasn't comfortable about talking about the fight they had. He went back to gaze at the forest.
* * *
Phoenix stood on the ledge of the castle watching Gandalf and King Théoden in the distance while the king was under Saruman's spell, his only son and heir had been killed. He was now burying him in the family plot.
She couldn't see much but she saw Gandalf and the King talking. Théoden held his hand to his face. Phoenix guessed he was crying.
"What are you watching?" she heard a voice ask. She turned to see Legolas approaching. Once he stood with her he was a towering three feet taller.
"Just out there. Thinking,"
"It must be a terrible burden to have to bury one's child," he mused.
"Elves are immortal right?"
"Yes," he replied.
"What's it like living for thousands of years and seeing all of this? All the death and pain?"
Legolas deeply sighed. "Words cannot describe it. But life isn't all loss and death?"
"Prove it," she said. She looked up at him with tears balancing in her eyes. She held a white flower in her hand with a tight grip. She loosened it and let the wind blow it away.