Saruman led Erin through his study into the main hall. Erin was frightened by where he was taking her yet refused to show her fear. Passing the great hall from one door, nothing appeared unusual. She only saw the chair in which Saruman sat in. Now, it looked like a throne rather then a chair. Saruman had evil plans. Erin could feel it. She knew something wasn't right and it wasn't going to get any better. Erin kept her eyes straight and began thinking to herself.

"I've got to get out of here. But how? Saruman watches me like a hawk. He has to let me out with permission. I can't just get up and leave."

Saruman led Erin to the center of the hall where stood a small table covered by a thin cloth. Something was under the cloth glowing brightly.

"Do you know what this is?" Saruman inquired patiently as he walked around Erin in a mischievous way.

"No," Erin said. She would not address him as "my lord".

"It is one of the seeing stones," Saruman answered for her, "Do you remember studying them?"

"No," Erin lied, "I'm sorry. I can't recall."

"The palantír?" Saruman asked. Erin did not answer. "Perhaps I can evoke your memory." At that moment, Saruman grabbed Erin's wrist and pulled the cloth away. The same fiery eye she had envisioned at Minas Tirith stared back at her. Erin attempted to pull back but Saruman was much stronger then her and held her place. He pressed her hand unto the side of the seeing stone and held it there for a few seconds. Eventually, Saruman pulled his hand away and Erin tried to pull her hand away too. She was unable to. Some force was holding her hand there and she lost all her physical strength. Her other hand was pulled in. She stood there with her hands gripping the sides of the stone and her eyes fixed in its center. She shook as the eye began to speak the Black Tongue to her. Although she did not know the language, its intentions were quite clear. It demanded her name and struggled to fight Erin's mind. Erin fought back but the eye knew what could bring her down. In the palantír, she saw the elves of Middle Earth engaged in battle with men. Haldir was in the battle and fighting off hideous creatures that were entering the city that was attacked. Someone yelled, "Nan barad!" (To the keep!)

Haldir looked off into the distance, nodded and continued to fight. In only a few seconds, he was attacked and killed.

"NO!" Erin screamed. Her hands were released from the grip of the palantír and she fell. She lay there gasping for breath as though she had been rescued from drowning. She kept her look fixed on the ground until two feet appeared in front of her. She looked up seeing Saruman standing in front of her. He extended a hand to help her up. She glared at it for a moment. Did she dare to take his hand? Would that signal friendship? But if she didn't, would that give away her plan to escape from Isengard? With little debating, she decided to accept the help. Saruman pulled her up and looked into her face. "What you saw was what is to come," he told her calmly, "It is unsafe if you follow the wrong company." "The wrong company?" she asked, "Who are they?"

"One of them is the victor," Saruman said, "That victor is obvious and to fight against him is ill-advised. If you follow him, you will be rewarded."

"Rewarded?" Erin inquired again.

"We must join that victor. We must support him. He will share his power with us."

"I don't understand," Erin replied.

"Sauron has returned to power," Saruman explained, annoyed with Erin's ignorance, "He has become too powerful and the only way to endure is to join with him. If we join, we have been promised power beyond imaginable."

"Power," Erin repeated.

"Yes," Saruman responded seeing that he was sucking Erin into his plan, "Control and supremacy above all else. The only detail the Lord Sauron asks is for your help."

"My help," Erin said.

"Yes," Saruman answered, "One wizard is powerful enough but with a witch; the possibilities are beyond belief. Do understand Elendil?"

"I understand," Erin said.

"What course of action will you take?" Saruman asked with a look of malice on his face.

Erin looked around a bit, paced back and forth, then stopped. She looked out the small window viewing the mountains, the forests, and all the kingdoms that were visible. That was power. To be able to control everything in the world. It was a possibility. The worlds would bow down to one of the greatest rulers of all time.

Erin turned her head and looked at Saruman straight in the eye. Her eyebrows bent and a smile broke from her face. Finally she answered,

"Power...now why would I want that, you mother fucking bastard!"