A/N: Hey, only five days late, evil Jade! Thanks for all reviews, on with
our adventure!
War Is Upon Us
Though the journey seemed to take hours, we could not have been travelling for long before we reached the newly made clearing overlooking Isenguard. Treebeard halted immediately, his sharp, stunned movements nearly throwing us from his branches.
Tree stumps fell regularly over the landscape, branches thrown, forgotten, strewn across the land. It took me a few moments to realise what had occurred. I turned to my lover to find a look of pained sadness on his face. He looked down at the kind ent that carried us with great pity.
"These were my friends. . . . ."
His words slower than usual, faltering as the gravity of the horrendous sight struck him.
"I must set you down."
To my horror, Legolas needed no aid and leaped immediately from his high perch. As I should have known he landed on his feet with the agility and grace that was simply part of him. Treebeard nodded his thanks and bent forwards, closing the gap between the hobbits and solid ground. The gap was still some fifteen feet.
"Do not fear I will catch you." Legolas indicated to Merry and outstretched his arms. I felt a warming pride as the little one did not even think to hesitate, jumping free. The elf caught him easily and set him on the ground. Pippin leapt even as Legolas raised his hands again, but still he was caught safely, a testimony to my beloved's quick reflexes.
"I trust you do not require my aid." Legolas regarded me with a raised eyebrow. As tempting as it was, I would be fine. Gandalf was already upon the ground beside him. As I shook my head I watched Legolas re-climb Treebeard's limbs to retrieve the last member of our company who muttered something of sturdier stone. Legolas grabbed at the dwarf, pulling him from the tree and dangling him for a moment in mid air. Once Gimli had retracted his barb over the strength of trees Legolas lent dangerously forward, and I gazed with bitten lip.
Hooking his feet around a branch, Legolas used his own height to lower a squirming Gimli as far as he could, in the end Gimli was not far from the ground. We were startled as Legolas flipped himself full circle back onto the branch and then bounded down once more. Thanks to our quick work, the entire fellowship stood firmly in the mud in less than a minute.
Treebeard turned back to face the forest and let out an almighty roar. The sight that faced us in reply was both a wonderful and horrific one. The ents go to war. Trees from all over the forest answered Treebeard's plea. They united as one, despite never facing such danger before, to aid Middle Earth in it's plight. After gathering his army, the old being turned back to us.
"I must leave you now and head on to avenge our friends and family, we have suffered a great injustice. It will no doubt take us seven days or more to reach the city with a plan we may succeed in." He moved to go with a bittersweet smile.
"Treebeard, wait. You have been so good to us, we wish to help."
"Take us with you."
Treebeard regarded the hobbits with mild surprise. "It will be dangerous, I - "
"No less dangerous than where we are headed I'll bet." None could argue with that point.
"Well, as long as your leader agrees. . . ." The huge ent turned to me. I nodded my assent.
The hobbits almost cheered and climbed aboard again.
"But how will you get to Edoras now?" A valid question, but Gandalf answered with a whistle. We looked amazed as once again a flash of brilliant white appeared amidst trees. A horse of pure light galloped to the maia's side. He spoke with it for a while before two more horses emerged from the forest. I instinctively mounted the darker one, Gimli and Legolas did the same with a steed of steel grey.
"We bid you farewell gentle beings. May the stars shine brightly and fairly upon you." Treebeard responded with a deep bow as we stirred our horses into action and rode hard for our destination.
The city was a shadow of it's former self, a poetic image of windswept ruin, as the torn flag of the King fell at our feet.
As we walked through the maze of frail houses, eyes were constantly upon us, measuring us up, sure we were here to create yet more destruction. But we were not. We silently approached the stone prison of King Theoden.
We were stopped at the door and asked for our weapons, we give them without protest keen to get inside. Gandalf kept his staff in order to keep himself steady. Or so the guards believed.
The stench of age, dust and death ran through the great hall and seeped down the walls. Inescapable as it spoke of inevitable decay. I had to stifle a gasp as my eyes fell upon the former king. He looked as if he had seen over a hundred summers and lived to regret them all, the slimy figure of Wormtongue clutched at his arm, and I was sure, his mind too. Gandalf stepped forward without fear, his staff falling menacingly on the man. Grima shouted in alarm and men approached from each direction. They were dispatched quickly in unarmed combat, Gimli dealing harshly with the poisonous Wormtongue. Gandalf the White proceeded to free Theoden from Saruman's clutches, only partially distracted by the distraught appearance of a maiden, Eowyn, at my left. I grabbed her at the waist to restrain her.
The King sat upon his throne seemed to lose around fifty years, strong and younger once again. As soon as the cold metal of a sword was pressed into his hand he began to recapture his life and kingdom, banishing Wormtongue and mourning for his son. But the kingdom he had regained was no longer safe. Grim news arrived of Saruman's attacks and a decision had to made.
I looked on powerless as Theoden ordered that his people head for the cold, stone trap of Helms Deep.
A/N: You guys know what's coming don't you? Please keep on reviewing. It makes me work faster.
War Is Upon Us
Though the journey seemed to take hours, we could not have been travelling for long before we reached the newly made clearing overlooking Isenguard. Treebeard halted immediately, his sharp, stunned movements nearly throwing us from his branches.
Tree stumps fell regularly over the landscape, branches thrown, forgotten, strewn across the land. It took me a few moments to realise what had occurred. I turned to my lover to find a look of pained sadness on his face. He looked down at the kind ent that carried us with great pity.
"These were my friends. . . . ."
His words slower than usual, faltering as the gravity of the horrendous sight struck him.
"I must set you down."
To my horror, Legolas needed no aid and leaped immediately from his high perch. As I should have known he landed on his feet with the agility and grace that was simply part of him. Treebeard nodded his thanks and bent forwards, closing the gap between the hobbits and solid ground. The gap was still some fifteen feet.
"Do not fear I will catch you." Legolas indicated to Merry and outstretched his arms. I felt a warming pride as the little one did not even think to hesitate, jumping free. The elf caught him easily and set him on the ground. Pippin leapt even as Legolas raised his hands again, but still he was caught safely, a testimony to my beloved's quick reflexes.
"I trust you do not require my aid." Legolas regarded me with a raised eyebrow. As tempting as it was, I would be fine. Gandalf was already upon the ground beside him. As I shook my head I watched Legolas re-climb Treebeard's limbs to retrieve the last member of our company who muttered something of sturdier stone. Legolas grabbed at the dwarf, pulling him from the tree and dangling him for a moment in mid air. Once Gimli had retracted his barb over the strength of trees Legolas lent dangerously forward, and I gazed with bitten lip.
Hooking his feet around a branch, Legolas used his own height to lower a squirming Gimli as far as he could, in the end Gimli was not far from the ground. We were startled as Legolas flipped himself full circle back onto the branch and then bounded down once more. Thanks to our quick work, the entire fellowship stood firmly in the mud in less than a minute.
Treebeard turned back to face the forest and let out an almighty roar. The sight that faced us in reply was both a wonderful and horrific one. The ents go to war. Trees from all over the forest answered Treebeard's plea. They united as one, despite never facing such danger before, to aid Middle Earth in it's plight. After gathering his army, the old being turned back to us.
"I must leave you now and head on to avenge our friends and family, we have suffered a great injustice. It will no doubt take us seven days or more to reach the city with a plan we may succeed in." He moved to go with a bittersweet smile.
"Treebeard, wait. You have been so good to us, we wish to help."
"Take us with you."
Treebeard regarded the hobbits with mild surprise. "It will be dangerous, I - "
"No less dangerous than where we are headed I'll bet." None could argue with that point.
"Well, as long as your leader agrees. . . ." The huge ent turned to me. I nodded my assent.
The hobbits almost cheered and climbed aboard again.
"But how will you get to Edoras now?" A valid question, but Gandalf answered with a whistle. We looked amazed as once again a flash of brilliant white appeared amidst trees. A horse of pure light galloped to the maia's side. He spoke with it for a while before two more horses emerged from the forest. I instinctively mounted the darker one, Gimli and Legolas did the same with a steed of steel grey.
"We bid you farewell gentle beings. May the stars shine brightly and fairly upon you." Treebeard responded with a deep bow as we stirred our horses into action and rode hard for our destination.
The city was a shadow of it's former self, a poetic image of windswept ruin, as the torn flag of the King fell at our feet.
As we walked through the maze of frail houses, eyes were constantly upon us, measuring us up, sure we were here to create yet more destruction. But we were not. We silently approached the stone prison of King Theoden.
We were stopped at the door and asked for our weapons, we give them without protest keen to get inside. Gandalf kept his staff in order to keep himself steady. Or so the guards believed.
The stench of age, dust and death ran through the great hall and seeped down the walls. Inescapable as it spoke of inevitable decay. I had to stifle a gasp as my eyes fell upon the former king. He looked as if he had seen over a hundred summers and lived to regret them all, the slimy figure of Wormtongue clutched at his arm, and I was sure, his mind too. Gandalf stepped forward without fear, his staff falling menacingly on the man. Grima shouted in alarm and men approached from each direction. They were dispatched quickly in unarmed combat, Gimli dealing harshly with the poisonous Wormtongue. Gandalf the White proceeded to free Theoden from Saruman's clutches, only partially distracted by the distraught appearance of a maiden, Eowyn, at my left. I grabbed her at the waist to restrain her.
The King sat upon his throne seemed to lose around fifty years, strong and younger once again. As soon as the cold metal of a sword was pressed into his hand he began to recapture his life and kingdom, banishing Wormtongue and mourning for his son. But the kingdom he had regained was no longer safe. Grim news arrived of Saruman's attacks and a decision had to made.
I looked on powerless as Theoden ordered that his people head for the cold, stone trap of Helms Deep.
A/N: You guys know what's coming don't you? Please keep on reviewing. It makes me work faster.