Title: Despair and Hope

Chapter 3: Negotiations With Saruman

"The heir of Isildur," said Saruman, smirking slightly. "Yes, I was expecting you."

Aragorn saw something stir out of the corner of his eye. He turned and gasped at what he saw. It was a pearly white figure, something like a ghost, but there was no doubt of whom it resembled. It was the Lady Eowyn. The face was exactly the same.

He turned back slowly, trying to get his bearings. He took a deep breath and looked down at himself, afraid of what he might see. He also seemed to be of the same pearly white, ghostly material. Were they dead? Was he dreaming? He wondered. It was so highly disconcerting to be able to see the floor through his own self that Aragorn forgot for a moment who was standing in front of him. He gaped for a while, unable to speak.

Saruman cleared his throat.

"Is-is this some sort of trick?" Aragorn asked, his voice shaking slightly. His voice sounded curiously distant, as if it was from somewhere close but from nowhere in particular.

"A trick?" Saruman said. "I should think not. You were calling for me, were you not? I could feel your rage and bewilderment. I thought you would like to speak to me, so I conjured up your spirit. But I did not expect her," he nodded towards Eowyn, "She came because she was thinking of you, I suppose."

"What?" Aragorn said, confused.

"I heard you calling my name. I knew you wanted to speak with me. So I tried to conjure you're spirit to me. But this form of magic is very complicated. Anyone who was thinking of you when I started to perform the spell would have heard your voice calling me. And if they joined in, either by impulse, or otherwise, I would have no choice but to conjure them up as well. So I had to conjure her, for the same reason."

Aragorn turned and looked at Eowyn. A silvery blush crossed her pearly face. He turned back and faced Saruman.

"I don't believe you," he said. He had understood what Saruman had said but he found it very incredible and highly improbable.

"All you have to do is to ask her. She will tell you." Saruman nodded again toward Eowyn.

Aragron turned again, watching Eowyn's face. "Is it true?" he asked. She just nodded once, confirming Saruman's story.

"What do you want with me, then?" Aragorn said harshly.

"What you want with me," the wizard replied.

"I want you to give them their hopes back," Aragorn shouted. "You took them didn't you? Didn't you? You foul, evil traitor! There's no need to pretend you don't know what I'm talking about. You took their hopes. Give them back!"

"There's no need to get angry. Yes, I did take their hopes. But you can't do anything to me now. You have no power over me whatsoever. But you do have something you can give me. Think about it. Your hopes for all of theirs."

"You are insane."

"No I am not. I should put my offer more clearly. If you give me your hopes, then I will give back all of theirs."

"Why should I trust you?"

"You are in no position not to trust me. You are at my mercy."

"If I am at your mercy, then why not just take my hopes forcefully? As you did theirs?"

Saruman frowned, perturbed by the sharpness of Aragorn. "I suppose I must be honest with you," he said. "I took their hopes with the aid of the Palantir. You are the master of this particular Palantir. I cannot use it against you without your consent."

"What do you want with my hopes?" Aragorn asked after a moments silence.

"That does not matter."

"But-"

Eowyn, who had not said anything until now said softly, "I do not understand what it is the both of you are talking about. But…but it seems to me that Lord Aragorn need some time alone to make what is obviously a difficult decision." Aragorn noted that her voice too had the peculiar distant quality.

"Fine," snapped Saruman, moving to the other end of the room and turning his back on the two of them.

~~*~~