Three weeks had passed since Keaira had learned her "past" from Saruman. With each passing day her hatred grew stronger for these people and she longed for the time when she would be allowed to devastate their peaceful Shire. She sat in the sleeping quarters that were given to her on the western-facing side of the tower of Orthanc. It overlooked the entrance to Isengard, and as Keaira looked out of her window she saw the foul-looking man named Grima riding up bringing another with him.
The one he brought with him was gagged and their hands were tied to the saddle of the horse that they rode on. A black cloth had been placed over the prisoner's eyes and most of their head. It was impossible to see what they looked like. Keaira, now suddenly very interested, ran down the stairs towards Saruman's chambers to alert him to the arrival of Grima. When she reached the main room of the tower Keaira found that Grima and his prisoner were already there.
"This is the man you brought to teach Keaira swordsmanship I assume," said Saruman looking over the prisoner.
"Well, my Lord, you know my strengths do not lie in physical ability and that I had little chance of successfully subduing a man, let alone a man who was skilled with the blade and so..."
"What is it? You have clearly brought one so why do you make excuses?" Saruman asked, eying his servant warily.
"I...well...I will show you, my Lord."
Grima began to untie the prisoner's gag, followed by the cloth that had been wrapped around their head. When he removed the cloth it became quite obvious why he was making excuses. It was not a man that stood before them, but a woman and a very scared one at that.
"You bring me a woman to teach swordsmanship! How much of a fool are you, Worm?" Saruman shouted, his voice sharp and accusing.
"She is training to become a shield-maiden and very skilled with a blade. I do not think Keaira would mind having a woman as an instructor, and you know that her will shall be easily broken."
"What is your name, shield-maiden?" asked Saruman in a voice much kinder and persuasive.
"Aleathiel," replied the shield-maiden quietly.
"I suppose she will serve the purposes I had intended. You are lucky Grima, very lucky. She shall be Keaira's personal instructor and servant. Keaira! Take her to your quarters and show her around the tower so she can come quickly when needed," said Saruman, allowing the anger to be removed from his voice.
"Yes, my Lord."
Keaira and Aleathiel walked away up the stairs, Aleathiel's hands still bound. Meanwhile Grima looked curiously after her, wondering how his master had so much respect for such an insignificant creature. Finally he could contain his curiosity no longer and asked, "Why do you treat her so well?"
"For the same reasons that I treat my spies well. The more they trust you the less likely they are to betray you when the time comes...and the more amusing their faces when they realize that they were used."
Keaira walked up the stone steps towards her room and then looked down at her new servant and teacher. Aleathiel looked scared and quite confused as everything was happening so quickly.
"How old are you?" asked Keaira hardly.
The girl did not answer, but only looked down at her feet as if in a trance.
"I asked you how old you are!"
"It is no concern of yours," replied Aleathiel defiantly.
"Why are you so cold towards my master. He is only fighting for what was stolen from him. You should be honored to be deemed worthy of his acceptance."
"It is an honor to be taken from your home? From your family? From your love?" she said absently.
"It is an honor to serve the side of decency and not the side of evil!"
"You speak to me of the side of evil! A party of Uruk-hai under the direction of your master and his foul spy kidnapped me from my home. They terrorize my people and burn the villages! You think that this is the side of good? And where are you from Halfling? How did you get here?" Aleathiel asked, somewhat fuming.
"I do not remember actually. My master has told me that I was abused and scorned by my family and friends in the Shire. He said that I ran away and his spy found me, and took me in when none would. I owe him all that I have now," Keaira said.
"If you do not remember then how do you know it is true? Could it not be a well-manipulated lie told to corrupt you? Are you so sure you are on the side of good..."
They had arrived in Caras Galadhon only a short time ago, and now they sat around a table with the Lord Celeborn and Lady Galadriel. After tales were told, and the horrible account of Gandalf's battle with the Balrog told there was silence.
Then the Lady Galadriel said, "I it was who first summoned the White Council. And if my designs had not gone amiss, it would have been governed by Gandalf the Grey, and then mayhap things would have gone otherwise. But even now there is hope left. I will not give you council, saying do this, or do that. For not in doing or contriving, nor in choosing between this course and another, can I avail; but only in knowing what was and is, and in part also what shall be. But this I will say to you: your Quest stands upon the edge of a knife. Stray but a little and it will fail, to the ruin of all. Yet hope remains while all the Company is true." And with that word she held them with her eyes, and in silence looked searchingly at each of them in turn. None save Legolas and Aragorn could long endure her glance. (Tolkien 348)
When the Lady's gaze fell on Pippin, he could feel her searching inside of him as if examining his innermost thoughts. Then, suddenly, he felt her stop and in his mind he saw an image in his mind. It was the Shire, and he was there with Diamond dressed in the most beautiful long white dress. He looked at her for a moment, noticing the sparkling ring on her finger. For a moment, he was scared that Diamond had forgotten him, and was going to marry another, but then he saw himself waiting for her at the end of the isle. It was there, right in front of him.
"She is tempting me," warned a voice in the back of Pippin's head.
He tried to hold her gaze but soon was forced to look away, and concentrate on the promise he had made to protect Frodo. Then suddenly he heard the Lady's voice in his head. "You have proven yourself a valuable asset to this Fellowship, young Peregrin Took, though young you may be. I warn you now. Things are not as they seem. Had you accepted the temptation offered of you, things would not have been as you saw it. Question what you know, for fallacy is hovering over one dear to you..."
The voice faded, and Pippin then was lost in deep and frantic thought. Was Diamond all right? Had the Shire been compromised?
At length the Lady Galadriel released them from her eyes, and she smiled. "Do not let your hearts be troubled," she said. "Tonight you shall sleep in peace." Then they sighed and felt suddenly weary, as those who have been questioned long and deeply, though no words had been spoken openly.
"Go now!" said Celeborn. "You are worn with sorrow and much toil. Even if your Quest did not concern us closely, you should have refuge in this City, until you were healed and refreshed. Now you shall rest, and we will not speak of your further road for a while."
That night the Company slept upon the ground, much to the satisfaction of the Hobbits. The Elves spread for them a pavilion among the trees near the fountain, and in it they left them. For a little while the travelers talked of their night before in the tree-tops, and of their day's journey, and of the Lord and Lady; for they had not yet the heart to look further back.
"What did you blush for, Sam?" said Pippin. "You soon broke down. Anyone would have thought you had a guilty conscience. I hope it was nothing worse than a wicked plot to steal one of my blankets."
"I never thought no such thing," answered Sam, in no mood for jest. "If you want to know, I felt as if I hadn't got nothing on, and I didn't like it. She seemed to be looking inside me what I would do if she gave me the chance of flying back home to the Shire to a nice little hole with...with a bit of garden of my own."
"That's funny," said Merry. "Almost exactly what I felt myself; only, only well, I don't think I'll say any more," he ended lamely. All of them it seemed, had fared alike: each had felt that he was offered a choice between a shadow full of fear that lay ahead, and something that he greatly desired: clear before his mind it lay, and to get it he had only to turn aside from the road and leave the Quest and the war against Sauron to others. (Tolkien 348-349)
When the others had all gone to sleep Merry and Pippin stole away a bit to talk amongst themselves. "What was it that you saw, Merry?" asked Pippin; curious as to why Merry had not told his entire tale.
"I saw...I saw my wedding. And also I saw Diamond safely home..."
"Why would you see Diamond safely at home? That isn't a secret hope that's truth," said Pippin laughing a little at his cousin.
"Oh, Pip. I had hoped...but no I can no longer stand keeping this to myself...it's just that...oh Pippin I can't bring myself to tell you!"
"What is it Merry?" asked Pippin, fear slowly creeping into his voice.
"When Tinedhel returned he told me..."
"He told you that Diamond was safely at home, remember. You have already told me this," Pippin stated.
"No Pippin," said Merry softly.
"Wha...What? If that's not what he said, then what did he say?"
"Diamond followed us. She reached as far as Bree, but she was accused of being a spy by the angry mob of Bree-landers. Tinedhel found this on the streets next to a piece of ripped fabric. I am so sorry, Pippin! I just couldn't bring myself to tell you in Rivendell...I just couldn't bring myself to tell you that she was...she was...dead..." Merry trailed off, handing Pippin the tattered, weatherworn book that he had brought with him.
Pippin looked at the journal with tears in his eyes, and then at Merry. "So this is what the Lady Galadriel meant," he thought. Pippin's heart felt as if it had been torn out and stabbed through the center. He did not cry. He did not feel anything but utter despair. He stood up and walked away defeated. As he did Merry heard him say, "There is no point in continuing on with this Quest! There is nothing left to fight for..."