"Hail, Theoden son of Thengel! I have returned! The storm comes, and all friends should gather together, lest each singly be destroyed." Gandalf spoke.

"I greet you, and maybe you look for welcome, but why should I welcome you here Gandalf? Tell me that?"

"You speak justly, lord." Whispered the man beside him. Even though he was twelve feet ahead of Amiya, she could still see his pale face with his raven black face and when he spoke slobber came down from the sides of his lips.

"You are held wise, my friend Wormtongue, and are doubtless a great support to your master. Yet in two ways may a man come with evil tidings, he may be a worker of evil; or he may be such as leaves well alone and comes only in time to bring aid in times of need." Gandalf spoke softly.

"That is so, but there is a third kind: pickers of bones, meddlers in other men's sorrows, carrion-fowl that grows fat on war. What aid have you ever brought? Do you bring men? Do you bring men, horses, swords, and spears? That is our present need. But who are these that follow at your tail? Five ragged wonderers in grey and black, and yourself, the most beggar like of the four!"

"The courtesy of your hall is somewhat lessened, lord of the mark." Gandalf spoke to the king. "Has not the messenger from your gate reported the names of my companions? Seldom has any lord of Rohan received five such guests. Weapons they have laid at your doors that are worth many mortal men, even the mightiest. Three of my companions wear grey for the Elves clad them and two wear black of their homeland. And thus they have passed through great shadow." Gandalf paused waiting for the suspense to kick in "To answer your question Grima, Captain Amiya of Tenosha has ten thousand soldiers just outside the city's gate."

"It is true than, as Eomer reported, that you are in league with the sorceress of the Golden Wood? It is not to be wondered at: webs of deceit were ever woven in Dwimordene."

Gandalf tossed his tattered robed aside, he stood up and leaned no longer on his staff; as he spoke in a clear voice: "the wise speak of only what they know, Grima son of Galmod. Witless worms have you become. Therefore be silent, and keep your forked tongue behind your teeth. I have not come through fire and death to bandy crooked words with a serving man till the lights fall."

He raised his staff. There was a roll of thunder and the sunlight seemed to be blocked, the hall seemed cold and dark

"Did I not bid you to forbid his staff? Hama has betrayed us." Grima cried. There was a flash of lightning and as the light left they could see Wormtongue on the floor.

"You have got to teach me that!" Tara said as Gandalf smirked.

"My dear, I have no time to teach an immortal, learn yourself!" Gandalf whispered in her direction. "Theoden cast aside your prop! Let us go have some tea and biscuits and then consider the situation that you have dug for yourself." While the grey company discussed war Eomer layed his sword at his kings' feet, which was excepted back into its service.

"I thank you for your countries aid, Captain Amiya. I may one day repay your but I fear that shall be in the distant day." Amiya turned to look upon the lord of the Mark.

"Please, do not mention my country. My men and I shall not return there even if they roll out a red carpet and promise everything we desire. They exiled us for saving their country; we no longer have any reason to return. We have brought everything that we care about on our backs. But I do offer you the service of myself and of my men, when we are either defeated or triumph myself and my men shall end up in Gondor where the beacons of the North are alight and the people forsaken hope." The king nodded.