A/N: Sorry to take so long to update. But my mom got a new computer and it doesn't have a floppy drive, so I couldn't put my stories into this computer. But I'll try to update the stories that I DID save on the floppy disk, and is ready to update at school. And if you haven't noticed yet I have changed the Author's Note to chapter 19!!
Captured in a Dream
Chapter 20
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Last Chapter:
"My lady, what are you doing here?"
Alejandra thanked him as he helped her up. "I was captured by them, along with two others. But I told them to run."
"Come, I will take you somewhere-"
"Watch out!" Alejandra pushed Éomer to the side as a broad sword cut into her side.
Éomer quickly took out his sword and cut the Uruk-hai's head off. Alejandra was on her knees, the broad sword still stuck on her side. Éomer kneeled, looking at the sword.
"Take it out!" Alejandra said through her teeth.
"But-"
"Do it!"
Éomer hesitated but grabbed the sword nonetheless. In one quick move, Éomer pulled it out. Alejandra cried out, holding the wound to stop the bleeding. By this time, all of the Orcs and Uruk-hai's are now dead. Éomer called over one of the riders to help him with the wound. Alejandra than blacked out, the last thing she heard wad Éomer telling her not to worry, she will be fine.
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Éomer and the rider took care of the wound, making sure it wasn't going to get infected.
"What should we do my lord? We cannot leave the lady here, but we cannot take her with us." The rider said, looking at Éomer.
Éomer continued to stare at Alejandra, than he stood up. "She will have to ride with us. Until she is conscious and well enough to ride, she will be in your care."
The rider, surprised, nodded. "Yes my lord."
Éomer than turned to the other riders. "Let us burn these foul creatures."
Once every Uruk-hai, and Orc was being burn, the riders rode away without a second glance.
The group of five ran over a hill at sunrise. Legolas stopped running and looked back at the red sunrise. He had a look of confusion and worry.
"A red sun rises." Legolas looks at the passing group than runs to catch up with the rest. "Blood has been spilled this night."
By mid afternoon, the group was now half ways towards Fangorn Forest. Aragorn stops running and kneels, feeling the ground as it shakes a bit. Then the sound of several horses neighing caught the group's attention. Aragorn stood up, looking at the group. He signaled them over to a rock to hide. Once everyone was hiding out of sight, the Rohan riders galloped by.
Aragorn looked at Legolas and Saul, standing up. As the last rider passed by, he walked out, the other's behind him.
"Riders of Rohan! What news from the Mark?"
Éomer holds his spear over his head, turning it to the left along with his horse. The riders all turned left, circling the group, who can only watch this happen. They all pointed their spears at them and closed in.
Éomer rode up to them. "What business does an Elf, three Men, and a Dwarf have in the Ridder Mark.? Speak quickly."
"Give me your name, horse-master, and I shall give you mine." Gimli said, putting his ax in front of him.
Sighing in annoyance, Aragorn looked at Gimli with a warning look, than to Éomer. Éomer hands his spear to a rider on his right and climbs off his horse. He walks forward, Gimli eyes him cautiously, holding his head high. Aragorn puts a hand on his shoulder from him attacking.
"I would cut off your head, Dwarf, if it stood but little higher from the ground."
At this insult, both Legolas and Alejandro quickly take out their bow and notch an arrow, pointing at Éomer.
"You would die before you stroke fell." Legolas and Alejandro said at the same time.
All the riders closer to Legolas and Alejandro pointed their spears now at them, as the other riders kept their spears at the other group members. Aragorn steps in between Legolas and Éomer, lowering Legolas' bow, as Saul lowers Alejandro's bow.
Aragorn looks around then to Éomer, who was glaring at Legolas. "I am Aragorn son of Arathorn." Aragorn points to Gimli, "This is Gimli, son of Glóin." Then he points to Legolas, "and Legolas of the woodland Realm."
Saul than spoke up. "And I am Saul Hernandez and this is my cousin, Alejandro Rios."
Aragorn looks from the cousins to Éomer. "We are friends of Rohan and Théoden, you king."
Éomer than gets a look of disappointment. "Théoden no longer recognizes friend from foe." Éomer takes off his helmet. "Not even his own kin."
At this, the riders stopped pointing their spears at them. In the back, Alejandra opened her eyes; the first thing she saw was her cousins, Aragorn, Gimli, and Legolas. Smiling, Alejandra looked up to the man who was holding her.
"Could you please go forward?" The man looked down startled. "Please? I know them."
"Yes, of course my lady." He quietly told the rider in front of him to move, as he did so in front of him, until they all moved to let them pass.
The rider rode to the front, Alejandra sitting up straighter.
"My company are those loyal to Rohan and for that, we are banished. The White Wizard is cunning. He walks here and there, they say, as an old man hooded and cloaked." Éomer looks at Legolas. "And everywhere his spies slip past our nest."
Legolas glares back at Éomer.
"They are not spies. I know them, my lord." Everyone turned to see Alejandra.
"Alejandra!" Alejandro ran to her side.
He hugged her as he helped her off the horse.
"Cousin! Glad to see you were able to escape the Uruk-hai's!" Saul said, hugging her next.
"Actually, it was Lord Éomer who saved me, though I got hurt pretty bad." Alejandra said, looking down at her bandaged waist.
"What of Merry and Pippin?" Gimli asked hopefully.
"I told them to run. Into the Fangorn Forest."
"Why did you do that?" Gimli said a bit surprised.
"Because there they will meet somebody they were not expected to meet." Alejandra smiled, her eyes showing a secret no one knows but her.
"So, these are your friends, my lady?" Éomer asked, stepping forward.
Alejandra looked at Éomer, smiling. "Yes my lord. These two are my cousins, as the other three are my friends."
Éomer smiled at the mention of the other two being cousins of her. He looked to the right and gave a sharp whistle. "Hasufel! Arod!" Two horses walked up to Éomer, as he grabs the reins and hands them to Aragorn. "May these horses bear you to better fortune than their former masters. I do not have any other."
"Do not worry. We have our own." Alejandro said, smirking.
He than gave a sharp, but longer whistle than Éomer's. Three horses neighed in a distance but not too long did they gallop up to their masters.
"Nice to see you again, Lighting." Alejandro said, stroking his brown horse neck.
"Flash." Saul smiled, grabbing the reins, as his honey brown horse nuzzled his neck.
"Shadow, my friend. I am happy you're alright." Alejandra said, hugging her grey horse.
Éomer smiled at Alejandra. "Farewell. My lady." He bowed his head to Alejandra and got on his horse. "Look for your friends in the woods. But do not trust to hope. It has forsaken these lands." Éomer than looked at his friends. "We ride North." And off they went, Éomer glancing once back at Alejandra.
"Did we lose him? I think we lost him." Pippin asked breathlessly, looking around.
An Orc than runs out from a bush and looks at the two Hobbits. "I'm going to rip out your filthy little innards! Comer here!" The Orc runs towards them.
The Hobbits start running once again, than they stop. Merry turned to Pippin. "Trees. Climb the trees." He whispered.
Pippin starts to climbing up a tree, Merry right behind him. Pippin was near the top as Merry was halfway, looking around, smiling. "He's gone."
Just as he said that, the Orc grabs Merry foot and pulls him down to the floor. Merry kicked the Orc in the face, making the Orc turn his head slowly towards Merry, his nose bleeding.
"Merry!" Pippin yells, looking at the ground.
The tree opens it's eyes, blinking several times than looking at Pippin. Pippin looks at the eyes, than back at Merry. Ever so slowly, Pippin turns his head to look at the tree. Gasping, Pippin leaned back but than starts to fall back but the tree caught him. The tree than sees the Orc and Merry and steps on the Orc.
"Run, Merry!" Pippin yells, trying to struggle out of the tree's grip.
Merry stands up and starts to run but does not get very far, as the tree grabs him too.
"Little Orcs." The tree said in a deep voice.
"It's talking Merry! The tree is talking!" Pippin said in fright and confusion.
"Tree? I am no tree, I am an Ent."
Merry than looks amaze at the Ent. "A tree-herder. A shepherd of the forest."
Pippin looked at his cousin. "Don't talk to it, Merry! Don't encourage it."
"Treebeard, some call me." Treebeard said, looking thoughtfully at the Hobbits.
"And whose side are you on?" Pippin asked a bit cautious.
"Side? I am on nobody's side because nobody's on my side, little Orc. Nobody cares for the woods anymore." Treebeard said a bit sad.
"We're not Orcs! We're Hobbits!" Merry yelled, annoyed to be call an Orc.
"Hobbits?" Pippin nods eagerly. "Never heard of a Hobbit before. Sounds like Orc mischief to me!" Treebeard grips both cousins, making them start to squirm. "The came with fire. They came with axes. Gnawing, biting, breaking, hacking, burning! Destroyers and usurpers! Curse them!"
"No! You don't understand. We're Hobbit's! Halflings! Shire-folk!" Merry looked up at Treeberad hopefully.
"Maybe you are. Maybe you are not. The White Wizard will know."
Pippin looked up at Treebeard sharply, fear and confusion showing in his eyes. "White Wizard?"
Merry pondered, one name coming to his mine. "Saruman."
Treebeard drops both cousins to the floor. They look up to see a figure in White, an unknown white light shinning on them.
Gimli tasted the blood on the leaf, than spits out in disgust. "Orc blood."
The group walks deeper into the forest, looking around. Alejandra leaned against Legolas' shoulder, making her breathing harder from walking from her wound.
"Would you like to sit and rest a while, my lady?" Legolas asked a bit worried.
"No, I'm fine. Thank you though." Alejandra smiled kindly and looked over to Aragorn kneeling down.
"These are strange tracks." Aragorn traces the prints on the floor.
Gimli slowly walks forward, looking up at the trees. "The air is so close in here."
Legolas looks around, listening. "This forest is old. Very old."
"Full of memory and anger." Alejandra finished, looking up at a tree on her left.
Legolas looks at her strangely. The trees than start to groan, the group looking around. Gimli picks up his ax in both his hands and turns in circles.
"The trees are speaking to each other." Legolas said, looking at Gimli, along with Aragorn and Alejandra.
Saul and Alejandro just look around, their hands on the hilt of their swords.
"Gimli!" Gimli looks at Aragorn. "Lower your ax."
Gimli does so slowly, looking around still. Alejandra looked over to her cousins and nod to them to do the same thing. They did so, standing up straighter.
"The have feelings, my friend." Legolas looks up at the trees.
"The Elves began it. Waking up the trees, teaching them to speak." Alejandra said, smiling at the confused Elf next to her.
"Talking trees." Gimli scoffs, stepping forward. "What do trees have to talk about?"
"Except the consistency of squirrel droppings." Saul said, Gimli agreeing.
"(Elvish) Aragorn, something's out there." Legolas than walks forward, Alejandra trailing behind him slowly.
Aragorn walks next to his friend. "(Elvish) What do you see?"
"The White Wizard approaches." Legolas looks to the right, nodding slightly."
Aragorn sighs, "Do not let him speak. He will put a spell on us."
Aragorn grabs the hilt of his sword and slightly takes it out. Gimli grips his ax better, waiting to slash at the enemy. Legolas gets ready to pull the arrow back, holding the bow tighter. Alejandro helps his cousin, who shakes her head to not draw their weapons. Saul looks at her questing.
"No es Saruman. Pero alguien mas." Alejandra whispers, smiling. (It's not Saruman. But someone else.)
"We must be quick." Aragorn whispers.
And at the same time, they all turn around; a bright white light blinds them. Legolas lets the arrow go, looking to the side. Gimli throws his ax, which is reflected back, as the figure stops it with it's staff. Than Aragorn's sword heats up, making him drop it to the ground. The cousins turn their heads from the bright light, not able to see directly.
"You are tracking the footsteps of two young Hobbits." The figure spoke, it's voice sounding like Saruman, yet Gandalf's at the same time.
"Where are they?" Aragorn yells.
"They pass this way, the day before yesterday. They met someone they did not expect." At this, both Aragorn and Legolas look at Alejandra, as she said the same thing not too long ago. "Does that comfort you?"
Aragorn looks back at the figure, his hand shielding his eyes. "Who are you? Show yourself!"
The figure steps in front of the light, putting his staff in both his hands in front of him. The whole group, but Alejandra, who was smiling like it was Christmas, looked in disbelief.
"It cannot be." Aragorn whispers.
"Forgive me!" Legolas said, kneeling on one knee. "I mistook you for Saruman."
"I am Saruman. Or rather, Saruman as he should have been" Gandalf smiles softly.
"You fell." Aragorn said, still not believing it was real.
"Through fire and water. From the lowest dungeon to the highest peak I fought with the Balrog of Morgoth. Until at last I threw down my enemy and smote his ruin upon the mountain side. Darkness took me and I strayed out of thought and time. Stars wheeled overhead and every day was as long as a life age of the Earth. But it was not the end. I felt life in me again. I've been sent back until my task is down." By now, Legolas has stood up.
Aragorn takes a step forward. "Gandalf."
Gandalf looks at Aragorn confused. "Gandalf?"
The cousins stepped forward. "Yes. That is what we used to call you. Gandalf the Grey. That was your name." Alejandra said, looking directly at Gandalf.
Gandalf smiled knowingly. "I am Gandalf the White." Legolas smiles. "And I came back to you now at the turn of the tide." He than turns and starts walking away, the group following him. "One stage of your journey is over. Another begins. We must travel to Edoras with all speed."
"Edoras!" Gimli said surprised. "That is no short distance."
Aragorn walks next to Gandalf. "We hear of trouble in Rohan. It goes ill with the king."
Gandalf stops. "Yes, and it will not be easily cured." He turns to look at Alejandra having breathing difficulties.
He walks up to her and puts a hand on her stomach. Alejandra looks up at Gandalf confused. Gandalf starts to mutter under his breath. After a few seconds, he takes his hand away, smiling at Alejandra.
"There. No more trouble breathing for you."
Alejandra looked at her waist and took off the bandaged to see that the wound as healed.
"Than we have run all this way for nothing? Are we to leave those poor Hobbits here in this horrid, dark, dank tree-infested-?" The trees start to growl, Gimli turning in circle. "I mean, charming, quite charming forest."
Gandalf turns to Gimli. "It has more than mere chance that brought Merry and Pippin to Fangorn. A great power has been sleeping here for many long years. The coming of Merry and Pippin will be like the falling of small stones that starts an avalanche in the mountains."
Aragorn smiles, "in one thing you have not changed, dear friend." Gandalf leans in. "You still speak in riddles." Aragorn whispers, as they two chuckle.
"A thing is about to happen that has not happened since the Elder Days. The Ents are going to wake up and find that they are strong." Alejandra said, stepping forward.
"Strong!?" Gimli said sharply, earning a low growl. Gimli looks up, "oh, that's good."
"Yes. So stop your fretting, Master Dwarf. Merry and Pippin are quite safe." Gandalf starts to walk once more. "In fact, they are far safer than you are about to be."
Gimli hurries to catch up, mumbling under his breath. "This new Gandalf's more grumpy than the old one."
A/N: How was it? Good I hoped. Please review!!!