The two women listened to the pounding on the door. Each *BOOM* was
louder than the last, but neither flinched. Dawn smiled grimly to herself:
this was the vision she'd had in Galadriel's mirror, finally coming to
pass. She felt as calm as she had in the vision, and sensed the same from
Eowyn. The sounds of an axe splintering the wood came to them.
Minutes later, the door crashed open. In poured Theoden, Eomer, Gandalf, Aragorn, Legolas and Gimli. They stared at the two women standing alone and battle ready, dumbfounded.
After a stunned pause, Eowyn dropped the sword on the table and ran to embrace her family.
Dawn stood rooted to the spot, completely overcome by the flood of emotions that had engulfed her at the sight of her friends. Her first instinct was to be too relieved for words that they were safe. She even found her eyes raking over Legolas extra carefully to ensure he was truly all right. Half a second later she remembered what they'd done to her.
Legolas almost flinched as he watched the pain, then the fury flood into Dawn's eyes. She looked as if she could reach over and snap their necks with her bare hands, by the mood she was in. He tentatively took a step forward.
"Dawn..." he began softly.
"Go to hell," she snapped. She stalked past them, forcefully elbowing her way through Aragorn and Legolas when they stood between her and the door. She strode out the door without a backward glance.
With a look at the others, Legolas followed her. He found Dawn sitting on an unbroken stretch of wall, staring out the slaughter before her. Below them, and around them, healthy soldiers were tending to the wounded. Dawn ignored them all.
"Dawn?" a familiar voice broke into her thoughts. Legolas sat beside her. She unconsciously shifted away from him a little, and turned her attention back to the field.
"Are you all right?"
She shot him a withering look. That had to be the single stupidest thing she'd ever heard him say.
Legolas looked down at his hands, bloodstained and dirty still. He did not know what to say, how to explain to her that they'd done what was best for her. He and Aragorn and Gimli had decided that, with the odds stacked against them as they were, they could not bear the thought of Dawn getting herself killed. They'd vowed to do what it took to keep her out of the line of fire. But Dawn couldn't see past their actions to begin to understand their reasons.
Dawn started to cry. Silent tears dripped unchecked down her cheeks for a few moments before Legolas noticed them. She squeezed her eyes shut for a moment, her mind was thrown back into Sunnydale. She could see Tara's hurt when she'd discovered Willow had been using mind control on her. How violated Tara had been, how used and disgusting she'd felt. Like the one person she loved and trusted more than anything else in the world had raped her of her mind. Though Willow and Tara had eventually worked through their problems, the memory never left them, and when Glory brainsucked Tara, it made it all the more awful. Dawn was sorry to say she now knew exactly how Tara felt.
Legolas noticed the tears. "Hey," he said gently, bringing a hand up to brush them away.
Before he could lay a hand on her, Dawn glowered at him. "Don't you dare touch me." Her voice was low, but so full of malice that Legolas immediately pulled his hand away. His eyes widened at her.
She shook her head, tears still flowing, and spoke again.
"I trusted you and you took my body, and you used it, used me, to do whatever you wanted, you violated me, raped me of my own free will and the whole time you stood there with a smile on your face and told me it was good for me! And that-" Dawn's voice broke over the word.
"That is more disgusting, more painful and more degrading than anything I've ever know in my entire life. And I've been through a helluva lot before I came here. How could you, Legolas? After what Glory did to me?"
Legolas blanched, remembering then that she had been drugged in her old world so she could not fight her captors.
Legolas sighed. "We did what we thought was best for you, Dawn. We thought you would understand and push these feelings of yours aside."
Dawn stared at him, incredulous. What was best for her? None of this was best for her! This entire world hadn't been best for her since she got here! But it didn't matter. She fought on anyway, and she'd done ok so far. She thought she'd earned their respect, thought they knew her. They didn't know her at all, she realised. If they thought they could cause her the worst pain she'd ever felt in her entire life and she would just 'push the feelings aside' because they meant well, they sure as hell didn't know her!
In a rage, Dawn slapped Legolas. The force of the unexpected blow caused his head to whip around, sending dirty blond hair flying about him in waves. She stood up and walked away. He stared after her, a hand on his already red cheek, which was stinging more than he cared to let on.
* * * * *
Dawn wandered around, looking at nothing in particular. She was just enjoying the solitude for the moment, all the others were busy either cleaning up, or preparing to ride to Isengard that night. She wondered if she would be allowed to go, or if she'd be left behind again.
She vowed to herself that even if she had to follow them the whole way alone, she'd be a part of this. It was, after all, why she was sent here. To help. She felt a stray tear slide down her cheek. Another tear? She brushed it away in annoyance. She didn't have time for tears, and she needed to get over herself, she knew.
She cringed, remembering how she'd lost it and slapped Legolas. She hadn't meant to, and she absently wondered if he was very angry with her. 'Wait,' she told herself. 'You're angry with him!'
She shrugged to herself and didn't give it a second thought. A hand rested on her shoulder and Dawn whirled around.
"Eomer!" she cried when she registered who had touched her. To his surprise, she gave him a quick, exuberent squeeze.
The Marshal was standing before her, a concerned expression in his dark eyes. "Dawn. Are you all right?"
Dawn nodded vigorously. "Yeah- five by five. Are you? I'm so glad you made it through the battle unhurt! I was starting to think I'd never see you again," she babbled happily, relieved to see a friendly face whom she wasn't furious with.
Eomer smiled at her. "Yes, I am well. Are you sure you are? 'Tis not good for one to be alone in these dangerous times," he said, looking about him as if he expected another attack to come out of nowhere.
Dawn was surprised to find she was not angry with Eomer. She realised he wasn't alluding to the fact that she was a woman, just that she was a person and he worried for her. She gave him one of her brightest smiles. "I'm not alone- I'm with you. No safer place to be," she said lightly.
He blushed a little at her compliment. He held an arm out to her. "Shall we return? It is mere hours before the ride to Isengard, and much is to be done."
Dawn accepted the offered arm a little awkwardly, she wasn't used to walking about on a guy's arm, and they turned back towards the gates of Helm's Deep. "So, Eomer... This ride to Isengard thingy? What does a warrior have to do to score herself an invite to the party?"
* * * * *
"Dawn, you must stay behind with Eowyn while we ride to Isengard," Aragorn said.
"No."
"What?" Aragorn was genuinely thrown by Dawn's flat refusal of his orders. Gimli looked annoyed at her stubbornness. Legolas' look was filled with dread. He had been expecting her to insit on remaining with the last of the Fellowship.
His hand unconsciously went to his cheek, where she'd slapped him soundly an hour earlier. He knew how hurt she was that they'd deliberately excluded her from the battle for Helm's Deep. Hurt, and angry.
Dawn was speaking again, her green eyes almost venomous with her rage, boring into the cool grey of Aragorn's gaze.
"I'm going with you. There is no way in hell you're gonna leave me behind like some weak pathetic child while you all play the strapping big heroes off to save the day!"
Aragorn tried to remain patient. "It is not safe," he was speaking to her in a slow, patronising tone, as if she were indeed a mere child to him.
Dawn tried desperately to cling to her last remaining shred of self control. She knew from experience that if she threw a tantrum now, it would only prove Aragorn right, suggesting she could not handle herself. She took a deep breath and forced her voice to remain even. "It has never been safe, Aragorn. I have never known safe. I'd like to, but there is nowhere that is safe until this war is over. And the one thing I refuse to know is fear. I will not hide, I will fight. Forever, if I have to. Besides, Eomer already said I could," she told him with a 'so there!' look. She fought the urge to stick out her tongue at him.
Aragorn sighed and finally nodded his head. Dawn, not even close to forgiving them for their betrayal, turned on her heel and stalked away to prepare for the journey. Behind her she heard Aragorn muttering "I hope Theoden and Eomer have more luck convincing Eowyn to stay."
Dawn smiled to herself as she heard Gimli's deep, rough chuckle at Aragorn's remark. She really liked Eowyn, the first woman she had come across since taking her leave from Galadriel. She understood why she'd had the vision of her new friend in Galadriel's mirror. Dawn knew the woman was very much like herself, and very much like Buffy. She was strong and capable as Buffy, but also as aloof as the Slayer had become over the past few years. But Eowyn was very much in the same situation as Dawn, constantly in the shadow of an older sibling who exuded power, trying desperately to break free but being ever pushed down because she wasn't allowed to be who she was.
It was time to go. Dawn mounted Lightfoot and rode out with the party, much to the chagrin of many of the soldiers. Eowyn, of course, had been left behind. Dawn had hugged her tightly and said she hoped to see her again soon. It was Eowyn's duty to ride to Dunharrow and take charge of the people until the men returned.
Dawn shook her head. It was pretty obvious that the feminist movement hadn't reached Middle-Earth yet.
* * * * *
This is Isengard? Dawn thought to herself as they reached the outer doors. What a dump. She had been riding near the front of the party, since Eomer was the only person she both knew and was on speaking terms with. And most of the Rohirrim stayed well away from her, they didn't think she should be riding.
A silence settled over them as they surveyed the scene. They turned their eyes towards the archway and the ruined gates. There they saw close beside them a great rubble-heap; and suddenly they were aware of two small figures lying on it at their ease, grey-clad, hardly to be seen among the stones. There were bottles and bowls and platters laid beside them, as if they had just eaten well, and now rested from the ir labour. One seemed asleep; the other, with crossed legs and arms behind his head, leaned back against a broken rock and sent from his mouth long wisps and little rings of thin blue smoke.
For a moment Theoden and Eomer and all his men stared at them in wonder. Amid all the wreck of Isengard this seemed to them the strangest sight. But before the king could speak, the small smoke-breathing figure became suddenly aware of them, as they sat there silent on the edge of the mist. He sprang to his feet. A young man he looked, or like one, though not much more than half a man in height; his head of brown curling hair was uncovered, but he was clad in a travel-stained cloak of the same hue and shape as the companions of Gandalf had worn when they rode to Edoras. He bowed very low, putting his hand upon his breast. Then, seeming not to observe the wizard and his friends, he turned to Eomer and the king.
"Welcome, my lords, to Isengard!" he said. "We are the doorwardens. Meriadoc, son of Saradoc is my name; and my companion, who, alas! is overcome with weariness"- here he gave the other a dig with his foot- "is Peregrin, son of Paladin, of the house of Took. Far in the North is our home. The Lord Saruman is within; but at the moment he is closeted with one Wormtongue, or doubtless he would be here to welcome such honourable guests."
"Doubtless he would!" laughed Gandalf. "And was it Saruman that ordered you to guard his damaged doors, and watch for the arrival of guests, when your attention could be spared from plate and bottle?"
"No, good sir, the matter escaped him," answered Merry gravely. "He has been much occupied. Our orders come from Treebeard, who has taken over the management of Isengard. He commanded me to welcome the Lord of Rohan with fitting words. I have done my best."
"And what about your companions? What about Legolas and Dawn and me?" cried Gimli, unable to contain himself longer. "You rascals, you woolly-footed and wool-pated truants! A fine hunt you have led us! Two hundred leagues, through fen and forest, battle and death, to rescue you! And here we find you feasting and idling- and smoking! Smoking! Where did you come by the weed, you villains? Hammer and tongs! I am so torn between rage and joy, that if I do not burst, it will be a marvel!"
Merry did not respond. He was not able to. The second Gimli had exploded, Dawn had been off her horse, thrusting the reins into a stunned Eomer's hands. She flew over and wrapped Merry up in a bear hug, kissing him enthusiastically.
Over Dawn's shoulder, they heard Legolas laugh. "You speak for me, Gimli. Though I would sooner learn how they came by the wine."
"One thing you have not found in your hunting, and that's brighter wits," said Pippin, opening an eye. "Here you find us sitting on a field of victory, amid the plunder of armies, and you wonder how we came by a few well-earned comforts!"
Pippin scrambled to his feet to take his turn at being hugged and kissed by Dawn. He was busy giving Legolas a big wink when Gimli broke in again.
"Well-earned? I cannot believe that!"
The Riders laughed.
Merry chatted idly with Theoden about the history and legends of Hobbits, until at last Gandalf broke into Merry's tirade about the origin of smoking in the Shire. "It is past noon, and we at any rate have not eaten since early morning. Yet I wish to see Treebeard as soon as may be. Did he leave me no message, or has plate and bottle driven it from your mind?"
"He left a message, and I was coming to it, but I have been hindered by many other questions," replied Merry. "I was to say that, if the Lord of the Mark and Gandalf will ride to the northern wall they will find Treebeard there, and he will welcome them. I may add that they will also find food of the best there, it was discovered and selected by your humble servants." He bowed.
Gandalf laughed. "That is better! Well, Theoden, will you ride with me to find Treebeard?"
"I will come with you," Theoden answered.
"I wanna stay here!" a petulant voice piped up.
Gandalf turned and smiled down at Dawn where she stood beside Pippin. "Yes, you may stay. I would be loath to spoil such a happy reunion so quickly! I imagine Aragorn, Gimli and Legolas should like to remain as well."
At the prospect of having them all so close, and with no escape, Dawn blanched visibly. She recovered and nodded weakly, forcing a smile.
The others left and she turned to the Hobbits again. "You guys are ok, right?" she asked, concern colouring her tones.
"Yes, Dawn. We had a rough time, but we are better now," Merry anwered.
Pippin looked up and around at everyone. "Is anyone else hungry?"
* * * * *
They were led into a relatively undamaged guard house. Dawn slipped over a patch of loose stones. Before she could fall, Legolas caught her arm. The Hobbits watched in confusion and worry as Dawn stiffened at the touch, firmly pulling herself away. Pippin opened his mouth to ask, but one look from Aragorn silenced him.
The travellers sat at a long table and were served by Merry and Pippin, who, unabashed, set to a second time. They argued that they had to keep their guests company.
"You are full of courtesy this morning," commented Legolas. "But maybe, if we had not arrived, you would already have been keeping one another company again."
"Maybe; and why not?" returned Pippin. With that, they ate quickly and settled into catching up on each other's stories.
The Hobbits told how they'd drawn the Uruk-Hai away so that Frodo could escape, but then they could not escape themselves. Just as all seemed hopeless, Boromir had come crashing through the trees to aid them. He'd fought hard, but there were too many, and when the thrid arrow had been lodged into the Gondorian's body, they'd been captured and dragged off.
Dawn listened sympathetically as Merry and Pippin spoke of the next few days, being carried by monstrous Uruks, or cruelly forced to run at the ludicrous pace they'd set. They all nodded in understanding when Merry boasted how brave Pippin had been in creating tracks for the hunters, dropping his elven brooch.
"It needed to be done, and I had freed my hands and was able," Pippin said modestly. "I was sorry to lose it, though."
Aragorn smiled warmly at the young Hobbit. "It was the right thing to do," he said. He fished in one of his many pockets, and a moment later he pulled something out and pressed into Pippin's hand.
"My brooch!" he exclaimed happily. "Thank you, Strider."
Merry continued with the story, how when the Rohirrim had attacked, Grishknah had tried to take them, but they'd escaped into Fangorn. They'd eventually met up with Gandalf, and Treebeard had promised to keep them safe.
Next they told all about the attack on Isengard. None of the big people could begin to fathom the battle the Ents had waged on Saruman's home, but they had only to look about them to see the results.
Dawn whistled. "Damn, I've seen some pretty funky fights in my time, but I really wish I hadda been able to see a bunch a trees take out a place!"
"It was pretty amazing," Merry agreed. "And the noise of it as the water came crashing down! 'Twas something we'll not forget, to be sure."
Pippin was nodding happily with his friend. "Yes, but now to you. What have you been up to since we last met?" he asked, as if he was merely catching up with old friends.
They laughed at his casual demeanour and Aragorn jumped into telling them of how they'd discovered Boromir, the ensuing hunt which lead them to Rohan and Eomer. Aragorn spoke of Edoras, of the evils which had befallen the country and how Gandalf had expelled Saruman's influence from Theoden.
The tale moved on to Helm's Deep, and Gimli and Legolas often threw in a line or two about things Aragorn had missed, or their own perspectives. Dawn, however, was silent. She sat aloof, staring sullenly at the fireplace in one of her world class pouts.
She was the first to spring out of her chair and practically bolt from the room when they heard the others returning.
* * * * *
A/N: Wow- complete 180 from movieverse to book- what can I say, I'm a gemini! Hope you're still interested, sorry if Dawn came of a bit melodramatic at the start of this chapter, but hey, she is still Dawn! R&R ~Anoron.
Minutes later, the door crashed open. In poured Theoden, Eomer, Gandalf, Aragorn, Legolas and Gimli. They stared at the two women standing alone and battle ready, dumbfounded.
After a stunned pause, Eowyn dropped the sword on the table and ran to embrace her family.
Dawn stood rooted to the spot, completely overcome by the flood of emotions that had engulfed her at the sight of her friends. Her first instinct was to be too relieved for words that they were safe. She even found her eyes raking over Legolas extra carefully to ensure he was truly all right. Half a second later she remembered what they'd done to her.
Legolas almost flinched as he watched the pain, then the fury flood into Dawn's eyes. She looked as if she could reach over and snap their necks with her bare hands, by the mood she was in. He tentatively took a step forward.
"Dawn..." he began softly.
"Go to hell," she snapped. She stalked past them, forcefully elbowing her way through Aragorn and Legolas when they stood between her and the door. She strode out the door without a backward glance.
With a look at the others, Legolas followed her. He found Dawn sitting on an unbroken stretch of wall, staring out the slaughter before her. Below them, and around them, healthy soldiers were tending to the wounded. Dawn ignored them all.
"Dawn?" a familiar voice broke into her thoughts. Legolas sat beside her. She unconsciously shifted away from him a little, and turned her attention back to the field.
"Are you all right?"
She shot him a withering look. That had to be the single stupidest thing she'd ever heard him say.
Legolas looked down at his hands, bloodstained and dirty still. He did not know what to say, how to explain to her that they'd done what was best for her. He and Aragorn and Gimli had decided that, with the odds stacked against them as they were, they could not bear the thought of Dawn getting herself killed. They'd vowed to do what it took to keep her out of the line of fire. But Dawn couldn't see past their actions to begin to understand their reasons.
Dawn started to cry. Silent tears dripped unchecked down her cheeks for a few moments before Legolas noticed them. She squeezed her eyes shut for a moment, her mind was thrown back into Sunnydale. She could see Tara's hurt when she'd discovered Willow had been using mind control on her. How violated Tara had been, how used and disgusting she'd felt. Like the one person she loved and trusted more than anything else in the world had raped her of her mind. Though Willow and Tara had eventually worked through their problems, the memory never left them, and when Glory brainsucked Tara, it made it all the more awful. Dawn was sorry to say she now knew exactly how Tara felt.
Legolas noticed the tears. "Hey," he said gently, bringing a hand up to brush them away.
Before he could lay a hand on her, Dawn glowered at him. "Don't you dare touch me." Her voice was low, but so full of malice that Legolas immediately pulled his hand away. His eyes widened at her.
She shook her head, tears still flowing, and spoke again.
"I trusted you and you took my body, and you used it, used me, to do whatever you wanted, you violated me, raped me of my own free will and the whole time you stood there with a smile on your face and told me it was good for me! And that-" Dawn's voice broke over the word.
"That is more disgusting, more painful and more degrading than anything I've ever know in my entire life. And I've been through a helluva lot before I came here. How could you, Legolas? After what Glory did to me?"
Legolas blanched, remembering then that she had been drugged in her old world so she could not fight her captors.
Legolas sighed. "We did what we thought was best for you, Dawn. We thought you would understand and push these feelings of yours aside."
Dawn stared at him, incredulous. What was best for her? None of this was best for her! This entire world hadn't been best for her since she got here! But it didn't matter. She fought on anyway, and she'd done ok so far. She thought she'd earned their respect, thought they knew her. They didn't know her at all, she realised. If they thought they could cause her the worst pain she'd ever felt in her entire life and she would just 'push the feelings aside' because they meant well, they sure as hell didn't know her!
In a rage, Dawn slapped Legolas. The force of the unexpected blow caused his head to whip around, sending dirty blond hair flying about him in waves. She stood up and walked away. He stared after her, a hand on his already red cheek, which was stinging more than he cared to let on.
* * * * *
Dawn wandered around, looking at nothing in particular. She was just enjoying the solitude for the moment, all the others were busy either cleaning up, or preparing to ride to Isengard that night. She wondered if she would be allowed to go, or if she'd be left behind again.
She vowed to herself that even if she had to follow them the whole way alone, she'd be a part of this. It was, after all, why she was sent here. To help. She felt a stray tear slide down her cheek. Another tear? She brushed it away in annoyance. She didn't have time for tears, and she needed to get over herself, she knew.
She cringed, remembering how she'd lost it and slapped Legolas. She hadn't meant to, and she absently wondered if he was very angry with her. 'Wait,' she told herself. 'You're angry with him!'
She shrugged to herself and didn't give it a second thought. A hand rested on her shoulder and Dawn whirled around.
"Eomer!" she cried when she registered who had touched her. To his surprise, she gave him a quick, exuberent squeeze.
The Marshal was standing before her, a concerned expression in his dark eyes. "Dawn. Are you all right?"
Dawn nodded vigorously. "Yeah- five by five. Are you? I'm so glad you made it through the battle unhurt! I was starting to think I'd never see you again," she babbled happily, relieved to see a friendly face whom she wasn't furious with.
Eomer smiled at her. "Yes, I am well. Are you sure you are? 'Tis not good for one to be alone in these dangerous times," he said, looking about him as if he expected another attack to come out of nowhere.
Dawn was surprised to find she was not angry with Eomer. She realised he wasn't alluding to the fact that she was a woman, just that she was a person and he worried for her. She gave him one of her brightest smiles. "I'm not alone- I'm with you. No safer place to be," she said lightly.
He blushed a little at her compliment. He held an arm out to her. "Shall we return? It is mere hours before the ride to Isengard, and much is to be done."
Dawn accepted the offered arm a little awkwardly, she wasn't used to walking about on a guy's arm, and they turned back towards the gates of Helm's Deep. "So, Eomer... This ride to Isengard thingy? What does a warrior have to do to score herself an invite to the party?"
* * * * *
"Dawn, you must stay behind with Eowyn while we ride to Isengard," Aragorn said.
"No."
"What?" Aragorn was genuinely thrown by Dawn's flat refusal of his orders. Gimli looked annoyed at her stubbornness. Legolas' look was filled with dread. He had been expecting her to insit on remaining with the last of the Fellowship.
His hand unconsciously went to his cheek, where she'd slapped him soundly an hour earlier. He knew how hurt she was that they'd deliberately excluded her from the battle for Helm's Deep. Hurt, and angry.
Dawn was speaking again, her green eyes almost venomous with her rage, boring into the cool grey of Aragorn's gaze.
"I'm going with you. There is no way in hell you're gonna leave me behind like some weak pathetic child while you all play the strapping big heroes off to save the day!"
Aragorn tried to remain patient. "It is not safe," he was speaking to her in a slow, patronising tone, as if she were indeed a mere child to him.
Dawn tried desperately to cling to her last remaining shred of self control. She knew from experience that if she threw a tantrum now, it would only prove Aragorn right, suggesting she could not handle herself. She took a deep breath and forced her voice to remain even. "It has never been safe, Aragorn. I have never known safe. I'd like to, but there is nowhere that is safe until this war is over. And the one thing I refuse to know is fear. I will not hide, I will fight. Forever, if I have to. Besides, Eomer already said I could," she told him with a 'so there!' look. She fought the urge to stick out her tongue at him.
Aragorn sighed and finally nodded his head. Dawn, not even close to forgiving them for their betrayal, turned on her heel and stalked away to prepare for the journey. Behind her she heard Aragorn muttering "I hope Theoden and Eomer have more luck convincing Eowyn to stay."
Dawn smiled to herself as she heard Gimli's deep, rough chuckle at Aragorn's remark. She really liked Eowyn, the first woman she had come across since taking her leave from Galadriel. She understood why she'd had the vision of her new friend in Galadriel's mirror. Dawn knew the woman was very much like herself, and very much like Buffy. She was strong and capable as Buffy, but also as aloof as the Slayer had become over the past few years. But Eowyn was very much in the same situation as Dawn, constantly in the shadow of an older sibling who exuded power, trying desperately to break free but being ever pushed down because she wasn't allowed to be who she was.
It was time to go. Dawn mounted Lightfoot and rode out with the party, much to the chagrin of many of the soldiers. Eowyn, of course, had been left behind. Dawn had hugged her tightly and said she hoped to see her again soon. It was Eowyn's duty to ride to Dunharrow and take charge of the people until the men returned.
Dawn shook her head. It was pretty obvious that the feminist movement hadn't reached Middle-Earth yet.
* * * * *
This is Isengard? Dawn thought to herself as they reached the outer doors. What a dump. She had been riding near the front of the party, since Eomer was the only person she both knew and was on speaking terms with. And most of the Rohirrim stayed well away from her, they didn't think she should be riding.
A silence settled over them as they surveyed the scene. They turned their eyes towards the archway and the ruined gates. There they saw close beside them a great rubble-heap; and suddenly they were aware of two small figures lying on it at their ease, grey-clad, hardly to be seen among the stones. There were bottles and bowls and platters laid beside them, as if they had just eaten well, and now rested from the ir labour. One seemed asleep; the other, with crossed legs and arms behind his head, leaned back against a broken rock and sent from his mouth long wisps and little rings of thin blue smoke.
For a moment Theoden and Eomer and all his men stared at them in wonder. Amid all the wreck of Isengard this seemed to them the strangest sight. But before the king could speak, the small smoke-breathing figure became suddenly aware of them, as they sat there silent on the edge of the mist. He sprang to his feet. A young man he looked, or like one, though not much more than half a man in height; his head of brown curling hair was uncovered, but he was clad in a travel-stained cloak of the same hue and shape as the companions of Gandalf had worn when they rode to Edoras. He bowed very low, putting his hand upon his breast. Then, seeming not to observe the wizard and his friends, he turned to Eomer and the king.
"Welcome, my lords, to Isengard!" he said. "We are the doorwardens. Meriadoc, son of Saradoc is my name; and my companion, who, alas! is overcome with weariness"- here he gave the other a dig with his foot- "is Peregrin, son of Paladin, of the house of Took. Far in the North is our home. The Lord Saruman is within; but at the moment he is closeted with one Wormtongue, or doubtless he would be here to welcome such honourable guests."
"Doubtless he would!" laughed Gandalf. "And was it Saruman that ordered you to guard his damaged doors, and watch for the arrival of guests, when your attention could be spared from plate and bottle?"
"No, good sir, the matter escaped him," answered Merry gravely. "He has been much occupied. Our orders come from Treebeard, who has taken over the management of Isengard. He commanded me to welcome the Lord of Rohan with fitting words. I have done my best."
"And what about your companions? What about Legolas and Dawn and me?" cried Gimli, unable to contain himself longer. "You rascals, you woolly-footed and wool-pated truants! A fine hunt you have led us! Two hundred leagues, through fen and forest, battle and death, to rescue you! And here we find you feasting and idling- and smoking! Smoking! Where did you come by the weed, you villains? Hammer and tongs! I am so torn between rage and joy, that if I do not burst, it will be a marvel!"
Merry did not respond. He was not able to. The second Gimli had exploded, Dawn had been off her horse, thrusting the reins into a stunned Eomer's hands. She flew over and wrapped Merry up in a bear hug, kissing him enthusiastically.
Over Dawn's shoulder, they heard Legolas laugh. "You speak for me, Gimli. Though I would sooner learn how they came by the wine."
"One thing you have not found in your hunting, and that's brighter wits," said Pippin, opening an eye. "Here you find us sitting on a field of victory, amid the plunder of armies, and you wonder how we came by a few well-earned comforts!"
Pippin scrambled to his feet to take his turn at being hugged and kissed by Dawn. He was busy giving Legolas a big wink when Gimli broke in again.
"Well-earned? I cannot believe that!"
The Riders laughed.
Merry chatted idly with Theoden about the history and legends of Hobbits, until at last Gandalf broke into Merry's tirade about the origin of smoking in the Shire. "It is past noon, and we at any rate have not eaten since early morning. Yet I wish to see Treebeard as soon as may be. Did he leave me no message, or has plate and bottle driven it from your mind?"
"He left a message, and I was coming to it, but I have been hindered by many other questions," replied Merry. "I was to say that, if the Lord of the Mark and Gandalf will ride to the northern wall they will find Treebeard there, and he will welcome them. I may add that they will also find food of the best there, it was discovered and selected by your humble servants." He bowed.
Gandalf laughed. "That is better! Well, Theoden, will you ride with me to find Treebeard?"
"I will come with you," Theoden answered.
"I wanna stay here!" a petulant voice piped up.
Gandalf turned and smiled down at Dawn where she stood beside Pippin. "Yes, you may stay. I would be loath to spoil such a happy reunion so quickly! I imagine Aragorn, Gimli and Legolas should like to remain as well."
At the prospect of having them all so close, and with no escape, Dawn blanched visibly. She recovered and nodded weakly, forcing a smile.
The others left and she turned to the Hobbits again. "You guys are ok, right?" she asked, concern colouring her tones.
"Yes, Dawn. We had a rough time, but we are better now," Merry anwered.
Pippin looked up and around at everyone. "Is anyone else hungry?"
* * * * *
They were led into a relatively undamaged guard house. Dawn slipped over a patch of loose stones. Before she could fall, Legolas caught her arm. The Hobbits watched in confusion and worry as Dawn stiffened at the touch, firmly pulling herself away. Pippin opened his mouth to ask, but one look from Aragorn silenced him.
The travellers sat at a long table and were served by Merry and Pippin, who, unabashed, set to a second time. They argued that they had to keep their guests company.
"You are full of courtesy this morning," commented Legolas. "But maybe, if we had not arrived, you would already have been keeping one another company again."
"Maybe; and why not?" returned Pippin. With that, they ate quickly and settled into catching up on each other's stories.
The Hobbits told how they'd drawn the Uruk-Hai away so that Frodo could escape, but then they could not escape themselves. Just as all seemed hopeless, Boromir had come crashing through the trees to aid them. He'd fought hard, but there were too many, and when the thrid arrow had been lodged into the Gondorian's body, they'd been captured and dragged off.
Dawn listened sympathetically as Merry and Pippin spoke of the next few days, being carried by monstrous Uruks, or cruelly forced to run at the ludicrous pace they'd set. They all nodded in understanding when Merry boasted how brave Pippin had been in creating tracks for the hunters, dropping his elven brooch.
"It needed to be done, and I had freed my hands and was able," Pippin said modestly. "I was sorry to lose it, though."
Aragorn smiled warmly at the young Hobbit. "It was the right thing to do," he said. He fished in one of his many pockets, and a moment later he pulled something out and pressed into Pippin's hand.
"My brooch!" he exclaimed happily. "Thank you, Strider."
Merry continued with the story, how when the Rohirrim had attacked, Grishknah had tried to take them, but they'd escaped into Fangorn. They'd eventually met up with Gandalf, and Treebeard had promised to keep them safe.
Next they told all about the attack on Isengard. None of the big people could begin to fathom the battle the Ents had waged on Saruman's home, but they had only to look about them to see the results.
Dawn whistled. "Damn, I've seen some pretty funky fights in my time, but I really wish I hadda been able to see a bunch a trees take out a place!"
"It was pretty amazing," Merry agreed. "And the noise of it as the water came crashing down! 'Twas something we'll not forget, to be sure."
Pippin was nodding happily with his friend. "Yes, but now to you. What have you been up to since we last met?" he asked, as if he was merely catching up with old friends.
They laughed at his casual demeanour and Aragorn jumped into telling them of how they'd discovered Boromir, the ensuing hunt which lead them to Rohan and Eomer. Aragorn spoke of Edoras, of the evils which had befallen the country and how Gandalf had expelled Saruman's influence from Theoden.
The tale moved on to Helm's Deep, and Gimli and Legolas often threw in a line or two about things Aragorn had missed, or their own perspectives. Dawn, however, was silent. She sat aloof, staring sullenly at the fireplace in one of her world class pouts.
She was the first to spring out of her chair and practically bolt from the room when they heard the others returning.
* * * * *
A/N: Wow- complete 180 from movieverse to book- what can I say, I'm a gemini! Hope you're still interested, sorry if Dawn came of a bit melodramatic at the start of this chapter, but hey, she is still Dawn! R&R ~Anoron.