Shadow of a Doubt
Chapter 9 - Fallen Knight
by Capella no da
Note: FINALLY! *wipes forehead* this one was a LONG time in coming, sorry to you folks *^_^*
If anyone was wondering, I got the tree thing from www.fungrams.com/network/tree2.shtml. ;) feel free to use it in your writing! :D
Lemme see....anything else I need to say? Oh yes, I'll be making up almost all the spells I use here. They'll all just be Latin. I'm not that original.
Well enjoy!
Oh yes, as a P.S., does anyone know the names of all the wizards?
By the way, yes, it's real elvish. :)
____________________________
All alone cold fields you wander
Memories of it, cloud your sight
Fills your dreams, disturbs your slumber
Lost your way, a fallen knight...
-- Otherworld, FFX
____________________________
"What do you mean, you sensed magic? Do you really think it is so rare?"
The sound of a sniveling voice. "But master, it was not Gandalf's or Radagast's, or any other of the wizards."
"Really." A pondering tone. "And I suppose you'll tell me it was none of the Valar, as well?"
"No, master."
Pause. Then, "Do you know exactly what has caused this...magic?"
"My Orcs have captured a man, little older than a boy, master. He carried a wand and had the imperial mark of the Valar on his forehead. He hasn't woken in three days."
A strange hissing noise. "The imperial mark? And he still is not dead? You should have killed him, fool! A messenger from the Valar is not to be taken lightly!"
Whimpering sounds. "B-but master, I th-thought maybe we could turn him? A messenger from the Valar with this power could b-be very useful, master."
"Turn the messenger of the Valar to us...yes, he could be very useful. In one stroke I could use him for the downfall of Middle Earth as well as revenge against Manwe, overconfident fool that he is." Another pause. "See that the boy is...persuaded...to fight for us, but do not kill him. You will be suitably rewarded. You have done well, Saruman."
"Yes, master. Thank you, master."
"Go."
___________________________
Harry woke slowly to a place that was definitely not the forest.
A slow dripping sound echoed in the dark chamber he found himself in. A single ray of light streamed from the arrow-slit window in the top of the spiraling tower, lighting the dust particles in the room as the floated aimlessly around. The roof, which was at least fifty feet above his head, seemed to move. He squinted his eyes and, as soon as he focused on it, the movement stopped. All that was left on the roof was a mosaic of a rider in a dark cloak on a black horse. The picture tugged at something in Harry's memory.
The bed on which he lay was surprisingly soft, the sheet surrounding him almost too silky to be real. The bed was the only piece of furniture in the room besides a small desk on which lay, astoundingly, his wand. Harry figured that whoever captured him couldn't be too bad if they left him his wand, or -- as fear threatened to take over his mind -- they were just too powerful to care. He hoped it was the first.
Struggling to raise his suddenly weak hand to his forehead, the white of his skin when he took his hand away was slick with blood. Suddenly the horrible dream he'd had a few nights ago rose to his mind -- was this a dream, too? The pain throbbing in his head, however, seemed all too real.
"Ah, you're awake."
The voice that came from the shadows in front of him seemed...almost angelic. The words slid together like honey, the smooth voice lilting in just that one phrase. Harry's attempt to sit up made his vision swim for a few seconds. He felt faintly sick.
"Poor boy. You have gone through much today and I am truly sorry for your hurts, my young friend. Let me help you."
The soothing words flowed around Harry and it was all he could do to nod dumbly. The figure stepped out of the shadows and he could swear --
"Professor Dumbledore?" he gasped, luminous green eyes going wide.
The kind looking wizard chuckled. "No, no, young wizard. My name is Saruman, and you are in the tower of Orthanc, under my care."
Saruman? The name sounded so familiar...he thought he'd heard someone else talk about a Saruman, what seemed like years ago. He dismissed it as unimportant. Whoever had told him must have been mistaken. Yes, that's right. The only thing that mattered now is Saruman. Master.
That didn't seem right though. For a moment, Harry had the faint feeling like he'd been put under the Imperio curse, his head a void of white blissfulness. In a remote corner of his mind, his consciousness struggled.
Saruman laid a pale hand on Harry's forehead. Instead of the soothing he had expected, however, Saruman's hand made his scar burn with a vengeance. His eyes looked up at Saruman with hurt and confusion and he twisted, trying desperately to avoid Saruman's hand.
"Stop it," the older wizard snapped, the spell of his honeyed voice broken for a moment. His fingernails dug into the sides of Harry's head.
No, no, no...Harry chanted silently to himself, finally breaking free of Saruman's hand. He flung his hand to the side and grabbed desperately on to his wand, pointing at the wizard and breathing heavily. "Don't come near me," he panted, "or I'll rip your head off your bloody shoulders."
For a moment, Saruman's face seemed to twist into a whole different horrible being, before he relaxed and smiled a genuine smile.
"I used quite a bit of coercion on you, my boy. You're extremely strong." His voice changed back into flowing words. "I could use someone like you to help me out, young one. What do you say?"
Harry smiled sickly sweet. "I say that you're bloody mad," he replied jovially.
Saruman looked perplexed. "Why do you say that?" he asked, nonplused. "Has someone been spreading ill rumors about me?"
"I know what Gandalf has said about you. You try to use your powers to compel people to do what you want. Well, I'm not stupid. It won't work on me and as soon as my friends get here they're going to kill you and get me out."
Saruman's face twisted into an ugly grimace. "Your precious little friends are dead!" he hissed wickedly, curling his hands into claws as if to pounce. Harry shrunk against the headboard.
"They are not," he whispered. And as soon as they get here, you'll be sorry."
If possible, Saruman looked even more vicious. "The Valar will be sorry when they've found out that I've killed their filthy little messenger!" he snarled with vehemence, and in a flash, disappeared.
The Valar? Saruman really was mad. Harry wasn't even sure what the Valar was, save that everyone seemed to regard them as high beings, so maybe they were elves or something.
"Shit," Harry muttered. "I've got to get out of here before he really does go mad and kill me." He pointed his wand at the wall, narrowing his eyes. "Annihilare!"
Nothing happened.
Harry stared at the wall in amazement. That breaking spell was supposed to be able to break any kind of wall or door! He'd tried it so many times...why wasn't it working?
Suddenly a wave of pain crashed into him, forcing to his knees. He clutched his head in his hands and pressed his forehead to the floor, trying desperately to resist the urge to pass out. The pain became too much and he fell to the floor, closing his eyes.
_____________________________
Hlasta!
Mornie utulie...
Harry woke to silence pressing in on his ears. All around him, in the dark that stretched as far as he could tell, little lights flashed on and off. Whispers followed him as he ran blindly.
Yenillor morne tulinte I quettar tercano nuvura...
"Stop!" Harry shrieked to no one, pressing his palms into his ears to shut it out. The whispers became louder.
Hlasta! Qyetes hfirimain!
Listen...
"Please stop!" he screamed desperately at the top of his lungs, lashing out at the tiny flickering lights.
Hlasta...
_________________________
"Stop!"
Harry's eyes flew open in a flash. Breathing heavily, he sat up, feeling the cold floor beneath his hands. He looked up into the cold eyes of Saruman.
"How did you like that, wizard? Magic backlash from trying a spell on the impenetrable walls of Orthanc. I'd daresay you shouldn't try that again, little one. We need your strength." Saruman's voice sounded like ice and death, not sweet anymore.
Harry's teeth chattered as he tried to speak and he found that the words wouldn't come out. Instead, he suited himself with muttering curses under his breath.
"I wouldn't try it," Saruman said sweetly. "I have something to show you and it would be terrible if I had to wait for you to wake up. I daresay you should be careful. The creatures down there are not adverse to manflesh."
Saruman touched his shoulder, despite Harry's best efforts to get away, and they both disappeared in a flash of light.
__________________________
Chapter 9 - Fallen Knight
by Capella no da
Note: FINALLY! *wipes forehead* this one was a LONG time in coming, sorry to you folks *^_^*
If anyone was wondering, I got the tree thing from www.fungrams.com/network/tree2.shtml. ;) feel free to use it in your writing! :D
Lemme see....anything else I need to say? Oh yes, I'll be making up almost all the spells I use here. They'll all just be Latin. I'm not that original.
Well enjoy!
Oh yes, as a P.S., does anyone know the names of all the wizards?
By the way, yes, it's real elvish. :)
____________________________
All alone cold fields you wander
Memories of it, cloud your sight
Fills your dreams, disturbs your slumber
Lost your way, a fallen knight...
-- Otherworld, FFX
____________________________
"What do you mean, you sensed magic? Do you really think it is so rare?"
The sound of a sniveling voice. "But master, it was not Gandalf's or Radagast's, or any other of the wizards."
"Really." A pondering tone. "And I suppose you'll tell me it was none of the Valar, as well?"
"No, master."
Pause. Then, "Do you know exactly what has caused this...magic?"
"My Orcs have captured a man, little older than a boy, master. He carried a wand and had the imperial mark of the Valar on his forehead. He hasn't woken in three days."
A strange hissing noise. "The imperial mark? And he still is not dead? You should have killed him, fool! A messenger from the Valar is not to be taken lightly!"
Whimpering sounds. "B-but master, I th-thought maybe we could turn him? A messenger from the Valar with this power could b-be very useful, master."
"Turn the messenger of the Valar to us...yes, he could be very useful. In one stroke I could use him for the downfall of Middle Earth as well as revenge against Manwe, overconfident fool that he is." Another pause. "See that the boy is...persuaded...to fight for us, but do not kill him. You will be suitably rewarded. You have done well, Saruman."
"Yes, master. Thank you, master."
"Go."
___________________________
Harry woke slowly to a place that was definitely not the forest.
A slow dripping sound echoed in the dark chamber he found himself in. A single ray of light streamed from the arrow-slit window in the top of the spiraling tower, lighting the dust particles in the room as the floated aimlessly around. The roof, which was at least fifty feet above his head, seemed to move. He squinted his eyes and, as soon as he focused on it, the movement stopped. All that was left on the roof was a mosaic of a rider in a dark cloak on a black horse. The picture tugged at something in Harry's memory.
The bed on which he lay was surprisingly soft, the sheet surrounding him almost too silky to be real. The bed was the only piece of furniture in the room besides a small desk on which lay, astoundingly, his wand. Harry figured that whoever captured him couldn't be too bad if they left him his wand, or -- as fear threatened to take over his mind -- they were just too powerful to care. He hoped it was the first.
Struggling to raise his suddenly weak hand to his forehead, the white of his skin when he took his hand away was slick with blood. Suddenly the horrible dream he'd had a few nights ago rose to his mind -- was this a dream, too? The pain throbbing in his head, however, seemed all too real.
"Ah, you're awake."
The voice that came from the shadows in front of him seemed...almost angelic. The words slid together like honey, the smooth voice lilting in just that one phrase. Harry's attempt to sit up made his vision swim for a few seconds. He felt faintly sick.
"Poor boy. You have gone through much today and I am truly sorry for your hurts, my young friend. Let me help you."
The soothing words flowed around Harry and it was all he could do to nod dumbly. The figure stepped out of the shadows and he could swear --
"Professor Dumbledore?" he gasped, luminous green eyes going wide.
The kind looking wizard chuckled. "No, no, young wizard. My name is Saruman, and you are in the tower of Orthanc, under my care."
Saruman? The name sounded so familiar...he thought he'd heard someone else talk about a Saruman, what seemed like years ago. He dismissed it as unimportant. Whoever had told him must have been mistaken. Yes, that's right. The only thing that mattered now is Saruman. Master.
That didn't seem right though. For a moment, Harry had the faint feeling like he'd been put under the Imperio curse, his head a void of white blissfulness. In a remote corner of his mind, his consciousness struggled.
Saruman laid a pale hand on Harry's forehead. Instead of the soothing he had expected, however, Saruman's hand made his scar burn with a vengeance. His eyes looked up at Saruman with hurt and confusion and he twisted, trying desperately to avoid Saruman's hand.
"Stop it," the older wizard snapped, the spell of his honeyed voice broken for a moment. His fingernails dug into the sides of Harry's head.
No, no, no...Harry chanted silently to himself, finally breaking free of Saruman's hand. He flung his hand to the side and grabbed desperately on to his wand, pointing at the wizard and breathing heavily. "Don't come near me," he panted, "or I'll rip your head off your bloody shoulders."
For a moment, Saruman's face seemed to twist into a whole different horrible being, before he relaxed and smiled a genuine smile.
"I used quite a bit of coercion on you, my boy. You're extremely strong." His voice changed back into flowing words. "I could use someone like you to help me out, young one. What do you say?"
Harry smiled sickly sweet. "I say that you're bloody mad," he replied jovially.
Saruman looked perplexed. "Why do you say that?" he asked, nonplused. "Has someone been spreading ill rumors about me?"
"I know what Gandalf has said about you. You try to use your powers to compel people to do what you want. Well, I'm not stupid. It won't work on me and as soon as my friends get here they're going to kill you and get me out."
Saruman's face twisted into an ugly grimace. "Your precious little friends are dead!" he hissed wickedly, curling his hands into claws as if to pounce. Harry shrunk against the headboard.
"They are not," he whispered. And as soon as they get here, you'll be sorry."
If possible, Saruman looked even more vicious. "The Valar will be sorry when they've found out that I've killed their filthy little messenger!" he snarled with vehemence, and in a flash, disappeared.
The Valar? Saruman really was mad. Harry wasn't even sure what the Valar was, save that everyone seemed to regard them as high beings, so maybe they were elves or something.
"Shit," Harry muttered. "I've got to get out of here before he really does go mad and kill me." He pointed his wand at the wall, narrowing his eyes. "Annihilare!"
Nothing happened.
Harry stared at the wall in amazement. That breaking spell was supposed to be able to break any kind of wall or door! He'd tried it so many times...why wasn't it working?
Suddenly a wave of pain crashed into him, forcing to his knees. He clutched his head in his hands and pressed his forehead to the floor, trying desperately to resist the urge to pass out. The pain became too much and he fell to the floor, closing his eyes.
_____________________________
Hlasta!
Mornie utulie...
Harry woke to silence pressing in on his ears. All around him, in the dark that stretched as far as he could tell, little lights flashed on and off. Whispers followed him as he ran blindly.
Yenillor morne tulinte I quettar tercano nuvura...
"Stop!" Harry shrieked to no one, pressing his palms into his ears to shut it out. The whispers became louder.
Hlasta! Qyetes hfirimain!
Listen...
"Please stop!" he screamed desperately at the top of his lungs, lashing out at the tiny flickering lights.
Hlasta...
_________________________
"Stop!"
Harry's eyes flew open in a flash. Breathing heavily, he sat up, feeling the cold floor beneath his hands. He looked up into the cold eyes of Saruman.
"How did you like that, wizard? Magic backlash from trying a spell on the impenetrable walls of Orthanc. I'd daresay you shouldn't try that again, little one. We need your strength." Saruman's voice sounded like ice and death, not sweet anymore.
Harry's teeth chattered as he tried to speak and he found that the words wouldn't come out. Instead, he suited himself with muttering curses under his breath.
"I wouldn't try it," Saruman said sweetly. "I have something to show you and it would be terrible if I had to wait for you to wake up. I daresay you should be careful. The creatures down there are not adverse to manflesh."
Saruman touched his shoulder, despite Harry's best efforts to get away, and they both disappeared in a flash of light.
__________________________