Buffy belongs to Whedon and everything else is Tolkien's.

Note: This hadn't occurred to me before but something I read on one of the reviews made me realize that not everyone reading this story was familiar with the full plot of the Lord of the Rings. I just wanted to warn those that have not read the The Two Towers that there will be spoilers for both the book and the film in this story.

Thanks for the reviews!

Reunion

Legolas caught Buffy before she hit the ground and lifted her up into his arms. The sword she had been holding slipped from her grasp and landed in the dirt. Looking down at the unconscious Slayer Legolas slowly felt a red hot anger unlike any he had known before flood through his body. Buffy was covered in half healed cuts and bruises. There was a particularly nasty bruise on the side of her face though it had faded to a brownish yellow color. He looked up at the girl who had been running right behind Buffy.

"What happened?" he asked in a hard voice.

Eowyn blanched slightly as the cold gaze of the Elf found her but then she remembered herself. She drew herself up tall and was just about answer him when the Rohirrim soldiers caught up to them. One of them grabbed Eowyn by her arm and tried to pull her away.

"Release me!" she said furiously. She automatically began to reach for the dagger at her waist but then froze as the soldier who held her found himself with a sword pointed at his neck.

"Unhand the Lady," said one of the strangers in a voice full of authority.

Eowyn felt her arm released rather quickly. She rubbed it to get the blood flowing again as she studied her rescuer. He was a man with grey eyes and though he was dressed shabbily his presence exuded honor and nobility. She felt herself caught up in his intense gaze and her heart did a little flip.

"My Lady Eowyn," said a very tall man with a long flowing beard and eyes that spoke of endless knowledge.

Eowyn gasped as she recognized him.

"Gandalf! Glad am I to see you standing before me in good health. Eomer said that you were dead."

"That is a very long tale for another time," said the wizard.

"Your help is greatly needed here. An evil presence has invaded Edoras and poisons the King's mind."

Legolas started forward angrily.

"I still want to know what happened. Who did this?"

Seeing the angry Elf the Rohirrim soldiers began moving in on the group.

"Keep your distance," Gandalf said waving his staff towards the group of soldiers. "We are here to see the King of the Mark. Let us pass."

The normally brave Rohirrim, being slightly awe-struck at the sight of Gandalf the White and a little frightened by the awesome power they sensed in him, parted immediately. After all they were walking towards the Keep not trying to get away. It was a strange little parade that made its way into the city. A wizard in a flowing white robe followed by a man whose bearing spoke of great honor and then a heavily bearded dwarf who glared at all those around and unconsciously fingered his great battleaxe. Last was the Elf with the unconscious girl and the White Lady herself beside him sending worried glances at the girl every few steps.

As they grew closer to the great wooden building where the King of the Mark waited Legolas felt Buffy begin to stir a little and he looked down to find her sharp green eyes staring at him in wonder.

"I thought it was a fever," she mumbled and then on realizing that the Elf was not a hallucination she reached up and threw her arms around his neck.

Legolas stopped in his tracks and simply held the trembling Slayer for a moment It frightened him a little to see her like this. Buffy usually seemed so indomitable and here she was shaking and clinging to him.

Buffy didn't want to let go. She was afraid he would disappear if she did. She hadn't realized how much she had missed him until now. I don't ever want to be separated from him again, she thought fiercely and then stiffened. God, she really couldn't let herself think things like that. She would have to leave him someday, when she went home.

Legolas felt Buffy pull away and wondered at the sudden change. He looked down and saw that the spark had returned to her eyes.

"Put me down," she said.

"Buffy you are too weak," he protested.

"I am not going to be carted around like some invalid. I can walk," she insisted stubbornly.

Legolas sighed at the tone in her voice. He carefully set her on her feet.

Buffy stood steadily and took a deep breath before looking up to see Aragorn, Gimli, and . . .Gandalf? She smiled and picked up her pace until she reached her friends. Upon reaching them she gave Aragorn a hug before bending down to embrace Gimli. She turned to study Gandalf.

"I thought you were dead," she said.

"I seem to be getting that a lot lately," Gandalf replied dryly.

"I'm glad your not."

"So am I."

He was very different, Buffy noted. She would like to know how exactly he had escaped the Balrog but she knew there were more pressing matters at hand.

"Where are we going?" she asked thinking that they could now leave and get on with their hunt.

"I must speak with the King so we are going to pay him a visit," answered Gandalf before striding towards the large doors of the Keep.

"But what about Merry and Pippin?"

"You needn't worry over them," said Gandalf. "They are in good company."

"I don't want to go back there," Buffy said coming to a halt.

It irritated Buffy that she was afraid when she knew that she was not the weak helpless person that she had been when she entered Edoras. It was the memory of Wormtounge standing over her while she moaned in pain that kept her from wanting to go back inside. It was irrational and she had already proven that Wormtounge was only able to prey on those unable to defend themselves but her entire body just rebelled at the thought of returning.

"I'm sorry," she apologized. "I'm being ridiculous."

"Do not say such things," Aragorn protested. "It is obvious that some evil has befallen you here. No one thinks less of you for not wishing to return."

Buffy smiled gratefully at him. Eowyn who had been standing to the side to allow Buffy to reunite with her companions returned to Buffy's side.

"I am the White Lady of Rohan and a Shieldmaiden of the House of Eorl. No more harm will come to you inside these walls. This I promise."

On seeing the hard glint in Eowyn's eyes Buffy had no doubt that the White Lady would have taken up a sword herself to keep this promise. She noticed her friends looking at Eowyn with surprise and respect which made Buffy smile.

"Let's go," she said squaring her shoulders and linking arms with Eowyn. Then the two women began to march purposefully towards the place they had just moments before been running from.

* * *

"Eomer!" Buffy blurted out as she and Eowyn walked into the large entrance hall of the Keep.

Buffy had been so wrapped up in escaping herself she had forgotten that Eomer had been thrown into the dungeon as well.

"I spoke to him of our plans," said Eowyn. "He thought them foolhardy and would have none of them."

"He was correct," Aragorn said.

Eowyn's eyes flashed but before she could say anything Buffy put a hand on her arm.

"I know," she answered Aragorn. "If you hadn't arrived when you did I would probably be back in the dungeon."

Buffy shivered a little at the thought.

"Our plans were fine and had it not been for Wormtounge they would have been successful." Eowyn maintained stubbornly. "You needn't worry for Eomer he may be locked away as you were but he suffered none of the things you did."

"Enough!" Legolas shouted. He placed himself firmly in front of Buffy. "Dungeon? And what things did you suffer? Buffy, I will know what happened here."

Buffy looked up at the Elf. He was already shaking with anger which made Buffy a little apprehensive about telling him everything that she had been through. If he was this angry now . . . She sighed, it was sweet that he was so upset for her and he looked really good when he was angry. Stop it, she told herself. Bad thoughts, bad.

"This will have to wait," Gandalf said.

"No -" Legolas protested.

"It was Wormtounge," Buffy said. "He's working for Saruman."

"What did he do?" asked Legolas.

"He - it doesn't matter. I took care of him."

"He beat her," said Eowyn.

"What!?" came the three outraged voices of Legolas, Aragorn, and Gimli.

"She was weak with illness and fever. He convinced King Theoden to lock her in the dungeon and then he beat her while she was too sick to defend herself. The man is evil and cruel. The way he looks at me makes my skin crawl," Eowyn added with a shiver.

"Where can I find him?" Legolas asked reaching for his bow.

"You mean where can we find him," grumbled Gimli.

"None of you will be going after Wormtounge," Gandalf ordered. "Our priority here is to speak with Theoden and we haven't time to waste on foolhardy plans of revenge. There is an entire regiment of Rohirrim soldiers standing barely ten feet away. I will take care of Wormtounge."

Gandalf said this so forcefully that none dared disobey though Buffy noted that if it were possible for an Elf to pout then Legolas was doing a fine a job of it.

"Now," Gandalf continued while turning to address the nearest soldier, "take us to the King of the Mark."

The soldier blinked and looked at the wizard in confusion.

"Oh for -!" Gandalf exclaimed with a touch of irritation. He then repeated his request in the language of Rohan and was rewarded with smile of understanding from the soldier.

"I know where King Theoden is," Eowyn said. "I will take you there."

She walked to the front of the group and led them in the direction of the Great Hall.