Captured in a Dream
Chapter 21
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Last Chapter:
"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."
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The group walked out of Fangorn Forest after two days. Gandalf stopped a few feet away and gave out a long, low whistle. A couple of horses neighed, making everyone look to their left. Everyone but Gandalf was n awe as Shadowfax appeared before them, and five horses behind him.
"That is one of the Mearas, unless my eyes are cheated by some spell." Legolas said in a bit of a daze.
Shadowfax stands next to Gandalf, who strokes his neck. "Shadowfax." Gandalf almost whispered. Shadowfax nods his head at his name. "He is the lord of all horses," everyone but Alejandro and Saul bow their heads.
Alejandra elbowed them, making them bow their head quickly, as Gandalf continues.
"And has been my friend through many dangers." Gandalf looked back at the group with a smile.
He than got on Shadowfax, the rest of the group following his example. They all rode hard and fast to Edoras, hoping it was not to late.
--Forest—
"O rowan mine,
I saw you shine,
Upon a summer's day,
Upon your head,
How golden-red,
The crown you bore a loft.
Such a beautiful verse."
Merry yawns than asks, "Is it much further?"
"Bru-ra-hroom. Don't be hasty. You may call it far, perhaps. My home lies deep in the forest near the roots of the mountain. I told Gandalf I would keep you safe. And safe is where I'll keep you. I believe you will enjoy this next one too." Merry rolls his eyes, as Pippin smiles politely, looking briefly up at Treebeard. "It's one of my own compositions. Right."
Treebeard clears his throat, as Pippin closes his eyes but jerks awake.
"Beneath the roof of sleeping leaves,
And the dreams of trees unfold,
When woodland halls are green and cool,"
Treebeard's voice echoed over all of Fangorn Forest.
"And the wind is in the West,
Come back to me,
Come back to me,
And say my land is best."
Treebeard looks to Merry and Pippin but sees them both asleep. Treebeard continues to walk deeper into the forest. As the sun went down, Treebeard grabbed both Merry and Pippin, setting them down on the ground gently.
"Sleep, little Shirelings. Heed no nightly noise. Sleep till morning light. I have business in the forest. There are many to call. Many that must come." Treebeard turns and walks away. "The shadow lies on Fangorn. The withering of all woods is drawing near."
--Rohan—
The group has camped for the night, letting the horses rest for a while. Legolas, Gimli, Saul, and Alejandro were asleep around a fire that Aragorn was poking with a branch. Gandalf stood a few feet away, looking over the land. Alejandra walked from behind a rock a few feet away. She strolls over to Gandalf, wanting to talk with somebody who wont be suspicious of her or her cousins.
Alejandra stood on Gandalf's left. "What can I do for you, my lady?"
Alejandra took a deep breath. "I know I shouldn't be changing the plot or history or whatever you want to call it. But I believe that some things should be changed." She whispered, not wanting to let the others hear.
"But if you change one thing, another will happen. Either way, something will happen, and it will be three times the consequences."
Alejandra sighed, "I know. I know." Her voice was barely above a whisper.
Aragorn stood up, poking the fore once more before dropping the branch into the fire. He stood next to Gandalf's right, who spoke to him.
"The veiling shadow that glowers in the east takes shape. Sauron will suffer no rival. From the summit of Barad-dûur, his Eye watches ceaselessly. But he is not so mighty, yet that he is above fear." Aragorn looks at Gandalf.
"Though, doubt ever gnaws at him." Aragorn and Gandalf looked at Alejandra, than straight ahead. "The rumor has reached him." Alejandra continued, knowing her information is slowly disappearing. "The heir," Aragorn looked over to Alejandra. "Of Númenor still lives." Alejandra furrowed her eyebrows, trying to remember. Than she whispered, "Sauron fears you, Aragorn. He fears what you may become."
Aragorn stared at Alejandra, than to Gandalf, who puts a hand on Alejandra's shoulder. She turns to see a warning look from him. Alejandra than turns and walks over to her bed, not wanting to waste the little information she has left.
Gandalf than continued where Alejandra left off. "And so he'll strike hard and fast at the world of Men. He will use his puppet Saruman to destroy Rohan. War is coming." Aragorn nods slightly, looking straight ahead. "Rohan must defend itself, and therein lies our first challenge, for Rohan is weak and ready to fall. The king's mind is enslaved, it's an old device of Saruman's."
Gandalf looks at Aragorn, who slightly nods. "His hold over King Théoden is now very strong." Gandalf looks straight again. "Sauron and Saruman are tightening the noose. But for all their cunning we have one advantage." Both Gandalf and Aragorn look at each other. "The Ring remains hidden. And that we should seek to destroy it has not yet entered their darkest dreams."
Both look straight again. "And so the weapon of the enemy is moving towards Mordor in the hands of a Hobbit. Each day brings it closer to the fires of Mount Doom. We must trust now in Frodo. Everything depends upon speed and the secrecy of his quest." Gandalf looks at Aragorn. "Do not regret your decision to leave him." Aragorn turns to his good friend, as Gandalf looks straight. "Frodo must finish this task alone."
"He's not alone." Gandalf looks at Aragorn. "Sam went with him."
Gandalf smiled, "did he?" Aragorn nods. "Did he, indeed? Good." The both look straight again. "Yes, very good."
They stood in silence when Gandalf remembered something. Looking at Aragorn, Gandalf asked, "Where is Ailish?"
--Next day—
Early the next day, the group continued to ride towards Edoras. They rode all day, non-stop, and rested that night. As the sun rose the second day, the group was off again. They had reached a mile away from the city by mid afternoon, stopping above a hill.
"Edoras and the Golden Hall of Meduseld. There dwells Théoden, King of Rohan, whose mind is over thrown. Saruman's hold over King Théoden is now very strong." Gandalf said.
--Throne Room—
Éowny holds the King's hand in hers, stroking it softly. She was on her knees, looking up at the old man that was not her uncle.
"My lord, your son, he is dead." Éowny waits for an answer but the king doesn't say a thing. "My lord?" Again nothing. "Uncle?" Théoden looks at her but stays quiet. "Will you not go to him?" A tear slides down Éowny's cheek. "Will you do nothing?"
--Outside—
"Be careful what you say. Do not look for welcome here." Gandalf said, as he urged Shadowfax, the rest behind him.
--Théodred's room—
Éowny was on her knees next to her cousins bed, crying. Théodred was blue, almost purple. Wormtonuge walks in slowly.
"Oh, he must have died sometime in the night. What a tragedy for the king to lose his only son and heir." Wormtongue sits next to Éowny, who looks up at him. "I understand. His passing is hard to accept." He puts a hand on her shoulder. "Especially now that your brother has deserted you."
Éowny looks at Wormtongue's hand and shrugs it off, standing up. She takes a few steps back.
"Leave me alone, snake!"
"Oh, but you are alone. Who knows what you've spoken to the darkness," Wormtonuge stands up and walks towards her. "In the bitter watches of the night when all your life seems to shrink." Wormtonuge walks around Éowny, looking at her up and down. "The walls of your bower closing in about you. A hutch to trammel some wild thing in. So fair." Wormtonuge than stands in front of her and touches her cheek, than her neck. "So cold. Like a morning of pale spring still clinging to winter's chill."
Éowny closes her eyes, than opens them. They stay quiet for a few seconds, than Éowny scolds at him. "Your words are poison." She than walks out of her cousin's room.
Walking quickly through the halls and the throne room, Éowny pushes the doors open and stand near the edge of the steps. The wind was blowing furiously, Éowny looks to the entrance of the city to see six riders riding towards the city. The wind than rips a banner of it's post.
--Entrance—
As the six riders ride to the entrance, Aragorn looks at a banner that falls down from the sky, than rolls away. He looks up in wonder, than back at the banner. As the riders now slowed their pace, the villagers star at them in fear and wonder. Aragorn and Alejandro look up to the hall and see Éowny looking down at them. They turn away to look at Gimli who was speaking.
"You'll find more cheer in a graveyard." The Dwarf mutters under his breath.
Both Aragorn and Alejandro look back up to see no one but the soldiers standing guard in front of the doors. Alejandro frown a bit, thinking if it was his imagination. The group rode up to the stables and got off their horses. They handed their reins to the stable boy and started walking up the path leading to the Hall. The group walked up the stairs and stopped on top as a couple of soldiers walked out of the throne room and stood in front of them.
He looked at them all, than at Gandalf. "I cannot allow you before Théoden king so armed, Gandalf Greyhame. By order of Gríma Wormtongue."
Gandalf looked the company and nodded. Three soldiers walked up to Aragorn, Legolas, and Gimli, than three more to Alejandra, Alejandro, and Saul. Aragorn, Legolas, Alejandra, Alejandro, and Saul took ALL their weapons off and giving them to the soldiers, who looked amazed at the amount of weapons they carried, especially the three cousins. Gimli looked at his ax than hands it to the soldier. The leader of the soldiers looked surprised, Gandalf just smiled sweetly.
The leader looked at Gandalf's staff. "Your staff."
"You would not part an old man from his walking stick?" Gandalf asked in that old man way.
The leader nodded and turned around. Gandalf winked at Aragorn, walking forward with Legolas holding his arm. Aragorn smiled, as he looked back at the cousins, who also smiled. As they entered, the leader bowed, than walked to the right. Wormtongue leaned next to Théoden's ear.
"My lord, Gandalf the Grey is coming."
All, but Gandalf and Alejandra, look behind them as the doors closes with a loud bang. The group looks to the right side to see some evil men walking along with them, eyeing them wearily.
"He's a herald of woe." Wormtongue continued.
"The courtesy of your hall is somewhat lessened of late Théoden king." Gandalf said, looking at Théoden.
"He's not welcome." Wormtongue whispered, looking disgustingly at the group.
"Why… should… I welcome you… Gandalf… Stormcrow?" The king said slowly, than turned to Wormtongue questioningly at the name.
"A just question, my liege." Wormtongue said, nodding a bit. He than stands up. "Late is the hour in which this conjurer chooses to appear." Gandalf looks to the right, Wormtongue steps up to the group. "Láthespell I name him. Ill news is an ill guest." Wormtongue stops in front of Gandalf, as the group stop also.
"Be silent. Keep your forked tongue behind your teeth. I have not passed through fire and death to bandy crooked words with a witless worm." Gandalf than points his staff at Wormtongue, as he takes a step back in fear.
"His staff. I told you take the wizard's staff." Wormtongue yells, cowering away from the group.
The evil men came running at the group. Aragorn and Legolas ran forward, as the men tried to get to Gandalf, and gave the first punch. Alejandra, Alejandro, and Saul fought those that ran past Aragorn, and Legolas, making sure that the men from the left also didn't get to Gandalf. Though, Gandalf just ignored them and continued to walk forward. Legolas runs past Gandalf, punching a guy back.
"Théoden, son of Thengel, too long have you sat in the shadows."
Aragorn hits a guy behind the knee, trips him, and hit his head, as Legolas punches back to the man who tired to attack form behind. Somehow throughout the confusion, Wormtongue has fallen to the floor and tried to crawl away, but Gimli put his foot on his chest.
"I would stay if I were you." Gimli said darkly.
"Hearken to me! I release you," Gandalf holds his left hand at the king, closing his eyes. Everyone in the room gets closer to see what's going to happen. "From the spell."
Théoden starts to laugh darkly. "You have no power here, Gandalf the Grey."
Gandalf opens his eyes and pulls back his gray cloak, letting it fall to the floor. Théoden looks in horror, the dark throne room now filled with a blinding white light from Gandalf. Everyone looks at him in amazement, wonder, and admiration.
"I will draw you, Saruman, as poison is drawn from a wound." Gandalf points his staff at the king, pressing him against his seat by the invisible magic.
Éowny walked out from a hall that held the rooms, and saw her uncle up against his chair. She ran towards him but Alejandro grabbed her arm. Éowny looks at him in concern and questioningly.
"Wait." Alejandro whispered. They both look back up to Gandalf and the king.
"If I go, Théoden dies."
Gandalf puts his staff even more forward, Théoden pressed up against his chair even more.
"You did not kill me, you will not kill him."
Théoden struggles with the force that was on him. "Rohan is mine." He snarled.
"Be gone." Gandalf pushed the force back to the king.
Théoden sighs and falls forward. Éowny gets out of Alejandro's grip and falls to her knees, catching her uncle. The king gasps, the old man now returning to the king he was once before. He looks up at Éowny, who has tears going down her cheeks.
"I know your face." Théoden said confusedly. Éowny smiles, "Éowny." Théoden whispered, smiling. "Éowny." Théoden than looks up at Gandalf. "Gandalf?"
"Breathe the free air again, my friend."
Théoden stands up. "Dark have been my dreams of late."
Alejandra's eyes twinkled in a knowing look. "Your fingers would remember their old strength better, if they grasped your sword."
The leader of the soldiers walks up to the throne, and kneels, holding the hilt of the sword towards the king. Théoden grasps the hilt, and takes it out of it's sheathe. Wormtongue tries to move away, but Gimli pulls his cloak back, smiling at the king. Théoden looks at Wormtongue, who whimpers in fear.
--Outside—
Wormtongue is thrown down the steps, Théoden walking down the steps with an angry and disgusting look, his sword in hand.
"I've only ever served you, my lord." Wormtongue said, crawling backwards.
"Your leechcraft would have had me crawling in all fours like a beast!" Théoden growls.
"Send me not from your sight." Wormtongue begs.
Théoden growls and grabs his sword in both hands and brings it up above him, getting ready to swing at Wormtongue. But Aragorn runs down the steps, stopping him in time.
"No, my lord! No, my lord. Let him go. Enough blood has been spilt on his account." Aragorn lets Théoden go and looks at Wormtongue.
Aragorn holds out his hand at him, but all Wormtongue does is spit at his hand and runs.
"Get out of my way!" Grí ma yelled, pushing the villagers away.
Aragorn wipes his hand, as the leader of the soldiers walks in front of the king.
"Hail, Théoden king!" Everyone gets on one knee.
Grí ma steals a horse and rides away. Théoden looks around lost and confusion, than looks up to Gandalf.
"Where is Théodred? Where is my son?"
The soldiers look at each other not knowing what to say.
--Next day—
Soldiers and villagers all stand on either side of the path to the tomb. Six soldiers, three on either side, bring down Théodred's body, the king behind his son, as the group is behind the king. Éowny was to the side, holding back tears. She takes a deep breath as the soldiers now stood in front of her. The soldiers bring down Théodred's body to waist level and start putting him into the tomb.
Éowny than starts to sing in a Rohirrim ancestral language. As the soldiers now put Théodred's body into the tomb, and closes the door, Éowny stops singing, the area now dead quiet.
Everyone than leaves, save Gandalf, Alejandra, and Théoden, who picks up a white flower, twirling it in his fingers.
"Simbelmynë." Théoden whispered. He lets go of the flower, dropping next to another. "Ever has it grown on the tombs of my forbearers."
Gandalf was leaning against his staff, a sympathy look towards the king, with Alejandra standing next to him. Théoden looks over to Gandalf.
"Now it shall cover the grave of my son. Alas that these evil days should be mine. The young perish and the old linger. That I should live to see the last days of my house."
"Théodred's death was not of your making." Gandalf argued.
"No parent should have to bury their child." Théoden than lets go of the tears and falls to his knees.
"The child should bury the parent." Alejandra whispered, tears stinging her eyes.
"He was strong in life. His spirit will find it's way to the halls of your fathers." Gandalf than says something in the Rohirrim language.
Both Gandalf and Alejandra than turn to walk back to the hall but sees on top of a hill a horse and a boy falling to the ground. Alejandra starts running towards them, as Gandalf quickly walks back to the city. Alejandra skidded to a stop and kneels next to the boy and feels his pulse.
"Still alive." Alejandra whispered breathlessly.
She picks him up and looks up to the girl on the horse. "Can you ride the horse by yourself?" The girl shook her head. "Okay, um."
"Give me the boy, you ride back with the girl."
Alejandra looks up to see Legolas riding up to them. Alejandra hands him the boy as he gets close enough, than gets behind the girl.
"That is an Elf." The girl said, her eyes wide. "You are an Elf."
Legolas and Alejandra gallop back to the city, Legolas looks over to the girl and smiles.
"Indeed I am, little one."
The girl continued to stare at Legolas in amazement.
--Throne room—
The kids were eating some soup, as Éowny had an arm around Freda's shoulder.
Éowny than stands up. "They had no warning. They were unarmed. Now the Wild Men are moving through the Westfold, burning as they go."
Aragorn and Legolas look at each other, as Aragorn drinks from his cup. Gimli sat in front of them, eating happily, the cousins standing next to Legolas.
"Rick, Lot and Tree." Éowny said, looking back to the children. She puts a blanket on them, Freda looking up.
"Where is mama?"
"Shh."
Théoden has his face in his hands, as Gandalf looks at him. "This is but a taste of the terror that Saruman will unleash." Gandalf points to the kids. Théoden sighs and takes his hands away, Gandalf continuing. "All the more potent for he is driven now by fear of Sauron. Ride out and meet him head on. Draw him away from your women and children. You must fight."
Aragorn takes his pipe away from his mouth. "You have 2000 good men riding north as we speak." Gandalf and Théoden looks at him. "Éomer is loyal to you. His men will return and fight for their king."
Théoden stands up, "they will be 300 leagues from here by now." Gandalf also stands up, as Théoden walks towards the group. "Éomer cannot help us." Théoden sighed, "I know what it is you want of me, but I will not bring further death to my people." Théoden looks at Gandalf. "I will not risk open war."
Aragorn takes his pipe out of his mouth again. "Open war is upon you, whether you would risk it or not."
Théoden looks at Aragorn, taking a few steps forward. "When I last looked, Théoden, not Aragorn, was king of Rohan." Théoden stares Aragorn down.
Gimli takes a drink and belches loudly.
"Are you that naïve!" Alejandro yelled.
Théoden turned sharply at him. "Be grateful that you are friend of Gandalf or I would have banished you fro talking like that." Théoden said quietly.
"But you're walking into a trap! Can't you fuc-"
"Alejandro!" Alejandra yelled, grabbing his arm.
Alejandro yanked his arm out and walked out. All was silent until the door slammed shut. Alejandra turned and walked after him, also slamming the door.
"Sorry for his rudeness and arrogance. We have had a lot more pain than you know." Saul said quietly, drinking from his water.
A/N: How was it? Good I hoped. Please review!!!