Author: Karina "Galadriel"

Chapter: 9

(Time passed since last episode: about a week)

Time passed slowly at Isengard, so Saruman took to falling asleep on his chair for long periods of time. Katherine got tired of standing in the shadows, so she took to roaming about Orthanc. Grima stayed with Katherine most of the time. The two grew more attached to eachother as the days drew on, and stuck together, though not saying much.

It was at the time when the two of them were spending the most time together that Saruman didn't sleep. He watched the pair under half-closed eyes as they walked around, unaware. Saruman made soft snoring noises so the two would suspect him less for watching and eavesdropping. Nevertheless, Grima and Katherine spoke in whispers so as not to "wake him up". This annoyed Saruman greatly, for he had to strain his ears to hear what they were saying.

Saruman pretended to be asleep until he was sure that they were too caught up in each other to notice him. He slowly rose up from his chair and pulled a slender bundle from his robes. Then, without making a single sound, he advanced on the pair.

Grima was not aware of Saruman at all at the time, for he was staring down and muttering something inaudible even to Katherine's ears.

"Did you say something, Wormtongue?" Katherine asked softly. Grima was very nervous. He had spent much time with Katherine and told her about his feelings, but he never flat-out told her that he loved her. When he looked at her, he saw less of Eowyn and more of Katherine herself.

"I... I..." Grima stammered. Katherine raised an eyebrow. Grima cleared his throat. He never was prepared to tell her the exact same words he had said to Eowyn, though in vain. "I love you!" He finally blurted out.

"You told me that already." Katherine replied, embracing her companion. Grima went from nervous to confused.

"I did? When?" he asked, looking into Katherine's eyes. Her glittering eyes already told him the answer. Katherine brought her face closer to his so that he felt as if he was staring into two dark shining windows of emotion.

"I knew ever since you looked at me the same way you looked at Eowyn. I know that look very well." came her spoken reply. Then, she closed her eyes and smiled. Grima found his chance. He too closed his eyes and brought his face even closer to hers to kiss her.

But, just as their lips touched, Katherine's eyes looked up in surprise and she gave a sharp gasp. At the same time, Grima felt a sharp prick on the middle of his chest. He drew away from Katherine, and she fell limp in his arms. He looked down and gave a cry when he saw the tip of a reddened knife pointing out of Katherine's chest. He looked at her face, her dark eyes now showing no emotional deepness, no longer any sign of the darkness that he had come to love.

Suddenly, the knife was pulled out and Katherine fell to the floor. Grima slowly took his eyes of her and looked into the face of Saruman. Saruman wiped the blade on his robes, the blood stain standing out red against white.

"Now, you won't have to choose." Saruman said, hurting Grima with the lack of emotion in his voice. He turned and walked away, leaving Grima with the now dead Katherine, miserable beyond words.Grima kneeled on the ground, looking at Katherine's face, her features frozen in shock.

With tears forming in his eyes, Grima slowly reached out and closed Katherine's eyes, taking one last look at the the dark eyes that once hypnotized him, that once made him feel wanted. He spent hours mourning over her body, and he was surprised that he didn't run out of tears.

After a while, his sadness turned to anger, and his fists clenched. "Saruman." He growled between sobs. Saruman first tormented Grima, then he struck Katherine across the face... but killing her nearly sent Grima over the edge. He vowed he would avenge Katherine.

Someday...