A/N:
My dear readers, your cries of "reunion" have not fallen on deaf ears! Nay! I am merely prolonging your agony so that the reunion will be twice as sweet! (But I gave you fair warning in the summary – "will the war of The Ring tear them apart forever?")
Gah! I'm horrid I know! ;-) And I thank you for bearing with the story. I promise that within the next two chapters they will be together again. I think they've learned their lessons. Thanks again for sticking with me, it should be worth it! ;-)
Dazzler420 – Thanks!
Jebb – Thank you. I think Legolas and Eowyn could understand each other. And Gimli is a lot like Deka (to me). And I won't keep you hanging much longer!
Deka was the first to notice the eerie silence and stood up from her position gathering mushrooms to look around and see what was happening.
Several of the Ents had moved off deeper into the forest leaving only a handful remaining in the Entmoot.
"Listen!" Deka anxiously called to her companions. "The Ents have stopped speaking!"
Everyone else froze and turned toward the clearing where the Entmoot had taken place. They had become accustomed to the constant sound of Entish that they did not hear it anymore.
"What happened?" One of the dryads asked nervously, clutching her small bounty of berries protectively to her chest.
"Hroom, mmm, the time has come!" Said Treebeard in a low and ominous voice.
Slowly, everyone made their way toward Treebeard, Everleaf and the other remaining Ents in the clearing to listen to the ancient tree render the Entmoot verdict.
"Hmm, yes. After much, hoom, debate, we have decided that Curunir must pay for his, hroom! Treachery!" Announced Treebeard.
Annowe gasped in disbelief. Several of the dryads and Deka shouted at this small victory. Merry and Pippin looked at each other with wide eyes as if they could not believe what they had heard. Everyone forgot their foraging and began to share what food they had gathered in preparation for the long day ahead.
They quickly divided themselves up with Merry and Pippin taking to Treebeard; Annowe and Deka with Everleaf and the other Ents taking what dryads remained.
"Hroom!" Boomed Treebeard as they all set off toward Isengard in the south. "Hmm, yes! This is the last march of the Ents! Hoom! We go into, hmm, battle! Yes, hoom! Battle!" The great tree strode determinedly forward as the other Ents fell in behind him.
As they drew closer to Isengard, Annowe could see a column of black smoke rising from the vicinity of the tower and wondered what had happened. Had someone else attacked Curunir before them? Could it be Gandalf returned with Legolas and the Rohirrim? Her heart soared in her chest at the thought of seeing him again so soon.
"Deka!" She shouted, pointing to the smoke. "What is it, do you think?"
"Hroom!" Boomed Treebeard. "It is Saruman's filth! Hmmm!"
"What is 'Saruman's filth', Treebeard?" Asked Deka.
"Hroom! Hoom!" The Ent blustered. "The wizard, hmmm, has turned the trees into, hmmm, firewood!" At this horrific revelation, the other Ents began to curse the wizard in Entish.
Deka was horrified and Annowe was stunned. The other dryads began to scream and wail in disbelief.
"Why?" Demanded several of them at once.
"Why? Hroom! Hoom!" Growled Treebeard. "Why indeed! A wizard should know better, hmmm. But his is a mind turned toward domination, hmm. The trees, hroom! Fuel his foul forges for his, hoom, army of filth!"
Annowe's eyes grew wide with horror as the forest began to thin and she could make out the extent of the devastation that Curunir had brought upon the land.
The tower of Orthanc once surrounded by lush trees of oak and beech amid a meadow of dainty violets was now the only thing remaining standing in the smoking, blackened landscape. She gasped and rubbed her eyes, frightened and shocked at the terrible sight.
As the other Ents drew closer, she could hear the dryads gasping followed by a deadly silence as their unbelieving eyes took in the sickening scene before them. Then an eerie wailing arose from their pained throats in a unanimous cry. Annowe shivered at the unearthly sound of the dryads lamenting the devastation.
Her mind could not grasp the destruction. Blackened and charred stumps of trees stuck like rotted teeth from the ruined and smoldering ground. The air stank of rot and smoke. The foul bastard had even dammed up the Isen! Annowe shook with rage at the sight of the precious water held back so that the wizard could complete his nefarious tasks.
She joined her voice to the sounds of the Ents and dryads howling with rage and revenge.
Saruman's remaining Uruk-hai heard the howls and marched toward the sound. As the Enemy drew into view, the howling of the Ents and dryads ceased and the two makeshift armies faced each other over the decimated earth.
"The traitor has feasted himself on this innocent land!" Cried Deka. "Let us serve him the payment!"
A deafening roar of voices from both sides answered her. The ground shook as the mighty feet of the Ents and the heavy boots of the Uruk hai charged toward each other.
Far off at Helm's Deep, Legolas felt a surge of apprehension course through him. Trembling, he sat down on a bench and buried his face in his hands until the feeling passed.
"What is it, lad?" Gimli placed his hand on the elf's shoulder.
"I'm not sure," Legolas mumbled into his hands. "I had the most terrible feeling of dread and anger but it has passed now. I fear for Annowe." Somehow he knew the feeling had something to do with her but he could not give words to it. He ran his shaking hands over his hair in an effort to calm him self.
Gimli patted him reassuringly. "Just the usual pre-battle jitters, nothing more."
Legolas sighed and let his hands fall to his lap. "Perhaps you're right." But he didn't feel any more assured. If anything, the odd feeling grew stronger – quite similar to the way he had felt when he entered Annowe's dream so long ago. He felt almost as if she were in the room with him.
Was it possible for them to be connected during their waking state? He wondered. But why now? What had changed between them?
Still turning the questions over in his mind, he and Gimli made their way to battlements where Aragorn was busily arranging the archers and infantrymen to their best advantage in anticipation of the inevitable attack.
Legolas stood next to Gimli on the wall and gazed toward Fangorn, knowing she was out there with the Ents. The strange feeling that she was very near him became almost palpable and he could not help but look around thinking that she must be near.
Reach for me he heard a voice in his head say. Obediently, he reached out his hand toward the wall and was suddenly jerked forward.
He gave a startled shout and heard Annowe laugh next to him. He looked at her, unsure of what had happened. They were standing in a tree. What in Mordor are we doing in a tree?
"I did it! I did it!" She was shouting at no one in particular and hugged him tightly. Not that anyone could have heard her anyway – the Ents were making a terrible howling noise over the general din of battle.
She gave him a great squeeze and he wrapped his arms around her protectively, stunned by this strange turn of events.
"It was you!" He said wonderingly. She actually was with me!
"You helped!" She replied looking up at him and grinning broadly. "But you're slipping away! Be safe young one! Return to me!"
As suddenly as it happened, he found himself back on the battlements at Helm's Deep. He blinked in confusion. What just happened? Was it a dream?
"You didn't hear a word I said, did you?" Demanded Gimli gruffly.
Legolas laughed giddily. It wasn't a dream! She was at Isengard! Soon, he promised her. Soon we will be together again now that I know where you are.
"Have you gone completely mad?" The dwarf wondered if all of the peril, doubt and fear had finally knocked his friend over the edge of reason.
"No, not completely. Not yet," Legolas winked good-naturedly at the scowling dwarf.
"I said 'I can't see anything'," Gimli repeated, exasperated at the elf's behavior and his inability to see what was happening on the battlefield.
"Would you like me to describe it to you?" Legolas asked mischievously.
Gimli growled. He would show that mad elf!
In the end no one would remember how it started or when – not that it would matter. Like a surreal dream, the battle at Helm's Deep began. Everything seemed to move very slowly in front of Legolas, like time had started to freeze causing the participants to move sluggishly through it. Felling the Enemy as they scaled the walls was an effortless task for him, like cutting wheat in a field.
Scenes of battle flashed before his eyes but yet he did not feel a part of it. He saw Uruk-hai after Uruk-hai fall before him and called out numbers to Gimli but his heart and mind were free from all the fear and pain.
The fleeting memory of Annowe was still warm in his heart and he clung to it desperately. They were connected now and it would take more than death to separate them. How or why it happened he did not know or care, he simply knew that it was.
He had never feared death or pain, he simply feared losing those he loved, especially the nymph. Now he would never have to fear that again. They had connected to each other on some higher level and once they physically united, their bond would be complete and unbreakable.
Around him he could hear the roar of metal on metal and the screams of the dying but he was oblivious to it. Even as the wall collapsed taking men and elves with it, he held his ground until Aragorn called him to retreat to the keep. His body obeyed but his heart and mind had long since fled his body to a peaceable place.
Off in the distance, he heard Aragorn and Theoden planning to ride forth upon the causeway in a desperate attempt to break the siege. He and Gimli mounted the ever-faithful Arod to follow their friend into the thick of the attackers.
I've got to get to her somehow, he thought desperately as a handful of them rode over the causeway trampling Uruk-hai in their path. All of this is an illusion. He wanted to scream at his physical limitations. He was trapped here. This battle needed to end quickly so he could find her or at least contact her again. But the distraction of the screams, flying spears, arrows and knives managed to keep enough of his attention so he could not ignore his physical peril.
Like an answer to a prayer, Gandalf appeared on the horizon leading Eomer's band and other volunteers. The reinforcements charged down the slope to the fortress, smashing the attackers between themselves and the unyielding wall. As quickly as it had begun, the battle was over and Saruman's army crushed.
Legolas looked about him, relieved. He would go as quickly as possible to Isengard. He had seen what was happening there through Annowe and feared they were outnumbered. First he would speak to Aragorn to see where he was going next. Then he would leave for Isengard to claim her. Quickly, he rode back toward the fortress to find Aragorn and inform him of his plans.
He could see the ranger speaking with Theoden and Gandalf and was relieved to see that everyone was safe. The carnage of the battle appalled his elven senses but strangely he did not feel sad or melancholy. Instead, an odd feeling of renewed hope ran through him. How can I look about, seeing all of this destruction and feel hopeful? He wondered. Perhaps he had gone mad. All the sleepless nights, anxiety over Aragorn and the horrors of battle had unhinged his mind.
You're not mad, young one! Annowe's voice laughed in his head.
He turned to the dwarf as they dismounted back inside the walls of Helm's Deep.
"Gimli," he asked anxiously. "Do you think I've gone mad?"
The dwarf eyed him for a moment and then burst out laughing. "Gone mad, lad? Try been mad!"
He clapped the elf heartily and walked toward Aragorn and Gandalf still shaking his head at the bizarre nature of elves.