A/N: I was wondering if someone would ask about Aranel. Good observation, Zelinia. Thank all of you for the wonderful reviews!
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"Yes!" Gimli said, turning and disappearing up a set of stone steps. Theodan ordered the horses to be brought out, and all soldiers mounted one. Those who couldn't armed themselves with the strongest shields, swords, and determination that they could and prepared to charge out behind their King. The soldiers moved away from the main gate that led to the bridge.
Berethor glanced around at his friends, and then stiffened himself and prepared for the onslaught. Elegost had his bow at the ready, Hadhod seated on the horse next to him with his axe raised and its owner ready. Idrial was looking straight ahead, her gaze fixed on the door ahead. She seemed rather determined to blow off as many Uruks as she could. Morwen had her double axes hefted and ready, with one hand holding both an axe and the reigns of her horse. Eaoden's spear was raised, and pointed at the door. Berethor greatly hoped the man in front of Eaoden did not come to a sudden stop for any reason.
Somewhere above them, a deep horn rang out. The Horn of Helm Hammerhand.
"Forth Eorlingas!" Theodan roared, and the main gate broke open, Uruk-Hai quickly spilling in. Theodan and the soldiers charged forward, their vigor renewed, and killed the Uruks before they could do any harm. The remainders of the gate splintered as the riders charged down the bridge, swinging at the Uruk-Hai that were not quick enough to move. At the bottom of the bridge, Aragorn looked to the East.
A White Rider on a pure white stallion stood at the top of the incline that led to Helms Deep. "Gandalf…" Aragorn whispered. Gandalf looked down at the two armies, which, in spite of themselves all turned to look.
"Theodan King stands alone," He said. Eomer appeared next to him, his sword drawn.
"Not alone," He said softly. His voice hardened. "ROHIRRIM!" He bellowed. Hundreds of soldiers appeared behind the two riders, all heavily armed, and not looking very tired. "To the King!" He called, raising his sword high. The Rohirrim and Gandalf charged down the slope, the wizard holding his staff high. A blinding light hit the valley, and the Uruk-Hai faltered in the light. Their spears were withdrawn for a moment.
Just then, the Riders of Rohan slammed into the army with a force that shook the very foundation of the valley. The combined force of Theodan's troops and Eomer's Riders was enough to scare the once fearless Uruk-Hai army witless. Seeing no other option, the Uruks that could get by the Riders charged up the slope and away from Helms Deep.
The soldiers followed them, intent on killing the rest of them before they could escape. When Berethor and everyone else reached the top of the slope, they were met with a surprise- there was a forest where the plains of Rohan should have been!
"What is this?" Eaoden asked.
"Stay away from the trees!" Eomer yelled. "Everyone stay out of the forest!" Berethor and Morwen exchanged looks. But the reasoning behind Eomer's words was soon clarified. When the last Uruk had disappeared into the forest, there was a terrible groaning noise. It took Berethor a moment to realize that it was the forest that was groaning.
Seconds later, screeching Uruks could be heard as they met a rather painful death from the Ents of Fangorn Forest.
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Idrial had known that the clean up from the fight was going to be long and messy, but it would be worth it. She had found her brother earlier on, and could rest easier removing the elven bodies knowing that Aranel was not among them. He and the other elves of Lorien were expected back in Lothlorien, so she only got a quick goodbye before he left.
Aranel told her that they had to leave because the Orcs of Mordor were assaulting Lothlorien every other day, and that the only reason they were not all dead was because Lady Galadriel foresaw all of the attacks, and they were able to counter them. Idrial regretted not being able to spend much time with Aranel, since she hadn't seen him since he aided them at the Emnet Gullies.
While wandering around the carnage, she met Legolas again. He smiled at her. "Good. There are no more Uruks, so you are free to let your mind wander without the danger of being killed." Idrial glowered at him for a minute, and then reluctantly allowed herself to smile back. "I see you are bad at staying mad at people." He said.
"No, actually I'm not. Ask my brother, he'll tell you that I'm quite good at holding a grudge when I want to," She replied. Legolas barely stopped himself from rolling his eyes.
"I'm looking for Gimli. Have you seen him?" Idrial pointed over his shoulder to the Dwarf, who was smoking contentedly while sitting on a rather large Uruk-Hai. Legolas turned around and approached Gimli. Idrial followed, curious. Legolas examined his bow for a moment, and said:
"Final count… Forty-two." He said. Gimli let out a puff of smoke.
"Forty-two, you say? Well, that's not too bad for a pointy-eared elvish-princeling." Legolas looked up apprehensively, and Idrial felt the corners of her mouth turn up. So this is what they had been counting during the fight. "I myself am sitting pretty on forty-three." The dwarf said smugly. Idrial's glance flitted to Legolas.
The Prince suddenly whipped out an arrow, and shot the Uruk Gimli was sitting on. "Forty-three." Legolas corrected.
"He was already dead," Gimli grunted. Legolas' eyes narrowed.
"He was twitching." The Elf protested.
"He was twitching," Gimli began, "Because he's got my axe imbedded- in- his- nervous system!" He snapped, jerking his axe up and down, making the dead Uruk twitch and jump. Idrial suddenly found that she could not hold back the gale of laughter that had been threatening to surface for some time.
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Berethor, Idrial, Elegost, Hadhod, Morwen and Eaoden accompanied Gandalf, Gimli, Legolas, Aragorn, Theodan, Eomer and Gamling to Isengard to see what had become of Saruman. When they reached the one beautiful country, Elegost's jaw dropped. Isengard was, in all senses of the word, destroyed. Maimed. Mutilated. The mother of all messes.
And in the middle of it all, set atop a pile of debris were two little Hobbits. One of them was asleep, and the other was wide-awake and smoking a pipe. The conscious one grinned and leapt to his feet. "Welcome, my Lords, to Isengard!" He called, giving a kick to his companion, who instantly snapped awake. "Masters Meriadoc Brandybuck and Peregrin Took at your service!"
"You little rascals!" Gimli called, though he was clearly happy to see the two, as were Aragorn, Gandalf and Legolas.
"Where is Saruman?" Berethor asked the Hobbits. "We would much like to have a word with the 'Great White Wizard'." He said, using Saruman's title mockingly. The once-sleeping Hobbit, apparently named Pippin, grinned, and jerked his thumb towards the Black Tower of Orthanc.
"He's being guarded by Treebeard. Though I'm not quite sure why he'd want to leave- Isengard is such a friendly place now that it's under the management of the Ents, don't you think Merry?"
"Oh yes, most definitely Pip. Most friendly indeed." Aragorn rolled his eyes visibly and motioned for Pippin to get on his horse, while Merry climbed on behind Eomer. The Tower of Orthanc seemed a lot bigger, and much more foreboding up close.
"Be careful about what you do and say- even in defeat, Saruman is still dangerous." Gandalf warned. Gimli snorted.
"Then lets just have his head and be done with it!" He snapped.
"I agree," Morwen said coldly.
"No," Gandalf said in a soft but forceful voice. "We need him alive."
"Why?" Hadhod muttered. "I see no ruddy use for him." Gandalf turned to the Dwarf.
"We need him to talk, Hadhod." He said. Eomer growled.
"Knowing what his voice can do, I suspect it will do more harm than good." He grumbled.
"Saruman!" Gandalf called. A White figure appeared at the top of the tower: Saruman, once the most powerful wizard in Middle Earth. Morwen hissed audibly, and Berethor didn't blame her. Saruman held almost all the responsibility for her parent's murders.
"You have fought many wars and slain many men, Theodan King, and made peace afterwards." Saruman said. Everyone instantly went tense. "Can we not take counsel together as we once did, my old friend? Can we not have peace, you and I?" Morwen growled.
"You dare- you dare- to ask for peace after all the people you slaughtered, you vicious, conniving-" She snarled.
"Morwen!" Gandalf said sharply. "Be silent!" Morwen settled down into a moody silence. Theodan looked up at Saruman.
"We shall have peace." Everyone looked at Theodan with astonishment. What was he doing? "We shall have peace, when you answer for the burning of the Westfold, and the children that lie dead there!" Saruman looked taken aback- Morwen had a look of grim satisfaction on her face. "We shall have peace, when the lives of the soldiers whose bodies were hewn even as they lay dead against the gates of the Hornburg are avenged!"
"When you hang from a gibbet for the sport of your own crows-" Morwen smirked at that idea."-We shall have peace." Saruman glared at the King.
"Gibbets and crows!" He hissed. "Dotard!" He then turned to face Gandalf. "What do you want, Gandalf Greyhame? No, Let me guess-" The snide tone of Saruman's voice made Berethor sick. "-The Key of Orthanc? Or perhaps the Keys of Barad-Dur itself, along with the crowns of the seven kings and rods of the five wizards!" He cried. No one looked too pleased.
Eomer and Morwen looked as though they would gladly rip off Saruman's mouth, if only to stop his insane speech. Idrial, Aragorn and Legolas looked angrily at Saruman speaking to Gandalf in such a way. Berethor, Eaoden, and everyone else looked ready to attack Saruman, as they were all expecting him to do. Theodan had a look of righteous fury on his face, but Gandalf, strangely enough, looked calm. He straightened up and looked at Saruman.
"Your treachery has cost many lives." He said. "Thousands more are now at risk. But you could save them, Saruman! You were deep in the enemies counsel." Eaoden groaned when he now realized Gandalf's intentions.
"This was a waste of a trip- He will tell us nothing." He groaned. Saruman smirked sardonically, showing off his not-so-white teeth.
"So you have come for information. I have some for you," He said coolly. Elegost sighed.
"And here comes the ridicule." He said. Eomer nodded in agreement. To their surprise, Saruman whipped out a black sphere with a glowing red light in the middle of it.
"The Palantir," Idrial whispered. Her eyes were wide, and only she and Gandalf seemed to fully understand what the Palantir was.
"Something festers in the heart of Middle Earth," Saruman said, looking into the Palantir. "Something that you have failed to see. But the Great Eye has seen it." Berethor noted the deranged look on Saruman's face, and turned to Gandalf.
"Perhaps we should move back a step or two," He suggested. Gandalf shook his head.
"Do not move." He commanded.
"Even now, he presses his advantage. His attack will come soon." The Wizard said. Gandalf slowly nudged Shadowfax forward, and signaled the others to stay put. Saruman grinned in a most evil manner. "You are all going to die." He hissed.
On the back of Eomer's horse, Merry shuddered involuntarily. Suddenly a bit more nervous, Elegost pulled his horse back a bit. Eaoden followed suit. Aragorn stared up at Saruman with a neutral look on his face. "But you know this, don't you Gandalf? You cannot think that this Ranger will ever sit upon the throne of Gondor." Saruman continued. Pippin sighed.
"Doesn't this man ever be quiet?" He muttered. Morwen, still in an irritated and moody state, nodded in agreement.
"Indeed," She muttered. Berethor looked mad on his new friend's behalf. How dare Saruman speak of Aragorn like that? King or no King, he deserved respect.
"This exile, crept from the shadows, will never be crowned King!" Saruman sneered. "And Gandalf does not hesitate to sacrifice those closest to him- those he professes to love. Tell me, Gandalf, what words of comfort did you give the Halfling before you sent him to his doom?"
"The path you set him on can only lead to death!" Saruman snarled.
"I'VE HEARD ENOUGH!" Gimli barked, drawing attention to himself. "Shoot him, Legolas! Stick an arrow through his head!" Legolas, only too willing to oblige, reached for an arrow.
"No!" Gandalf said sharply, and Legolas stopped. "Come down, Saruman, and your life will be spared." Morwen let out a shriek of rage.
"You would let him live after all that he's done?" She snarled at Gandalf. "I say we should stick with King Theodan's idea- I'd love to see this b-stard hang." Saruman snorted.
"Save your pity and your mercy! I have no use for it!" Idrial yelped as Saruman cast a jet of flame from his staff at Gandalf. The fire engulfed the wizard, and Berethor gasped. But the fire died down, and Gandalf emerged unharmed.
"Saruman!" He yelled, his voice a bit raspy. "Your staff is broken." The staff in Saruman's hand exploded before their very eyes, and the White Wizard was enraged. Just then, a pallid looking man in black appeared next to Saruman.
"Grima Wormtongue!" Morwen gasped. Her face then hardened. "Not much of a surprise- rats do often live in the same pack!" But then Theodan spoke next.
"Grima," He called. "You need not follow him. You were not always as you are now. You were once a man of Rohan! Come down!" Saruman looked back at the now fidgeting Wormtongue and gave a bitter laugh.
"A man of Rohan?" He repeated sourly. "What is the house of Rohan but a thatched barn where brigands drink in the reek and their brats roll on the floor with the dogs?"
"You son of a-" If Morwen was mad before, she was livid now, as was Eaoden, Theodan, Eomer and Gamling. A silencing look from Gandalf was the only thing that kept Morwen from finishing her sentence.
"The victory at Helms Deep does not belong to you, Theodan Horse-Master. You are a lesser son of greater sires." Grima was looking from Saruman to Theodan, as though torn about which to obey.
"Grima," Theodan said quietly. "Come down. Be free of him."
"Free?" Saruman snapped. "He will never be free!"
"No," Grima spoke. Saruman whirled to face him.
"Get down, worm." He snapped, hitting Grima to the ground. His servant let out a cry of pain.
"Saruman!" Gandalf called again. "You were deep in the enemies counsel; Tell us what you know!" Behind Saruman, no one saw Grima unsheathing a knife from under his coats.
"You withdraw your guard, and I will tell you where your doom will be decided!" Saruman said. "I will not be held prisoner here!" Grima came up behind Saruman, grabbed him, and stabbed him hard in the back, several times over. Taking his cue, Legolas strung an arrow and fired. It hit Grima in the stomach. He fell over, dead. Saruman, however, fell backwards off Orthanc, plummeting down until-
SNAP.
…He landed on the pike of the spiked wheel at the base of Orthanc.