Hi guys! I'm sorry this is quite late up, lost my mojo for a bit, but it's just come back from vacation and can hopefully get right back into it. I'm going to be rewarding your patience by uploading twice today. Get this up, finish the next chapter and get that up soon after. So, in about an hour or two, be ready for chapter 14 as well. Xx
Review responses:
Dinosaur Imperial Soldier – Gandalf is in this chapter and Rohan will be the next one x
kionforever89 – No, they won't be seeing the body. I think they go a bit further away from the body to be honest, other wise they might have seen it. Or they saw it and said nothing
. 7902 – I am glad you're enjoying this story so much and hope you will continue to do so xx
MajesticLunicorn – I hate time zones. Can be a pain in the backside sometimes. It all made sense, don't worry lol x
It's cold enough to get snow, but we hardly ever do, unfortunately. Not like in the olden days when snow used to be up to people's knees, according to my mum and dad.
Yeah, I've noticed that as well. Probably just a continuity error
Hmm. . .celebrities that Faron should look like. . .I've never really thought about it before. . .but, if I had to choose, I would have to say Alyssa Milano, aka Phoebe from Charmed. To me, she's got that etheral beauty that I would think of for Faron. Especially in the episode when she is a goddess.
Hmm. . .I might be cheeky and say Gandalf. :D!
Yeah, I remember reading it already.
BobandJerry – Erm. . .what? I'm assuming that means you are enjoying this?
The four of us have gone into Fangorn Forest and are already pretty deep into it. I watch Gimli as he licks some liquid from a leaf before spitting it back out.
"Orc blood!"
I grimace as I follow Legolas and Aragorn across a stream and further in slightly before Aragorn kneels down.
"These are strange tracks."
"The air is so close in here." Gimli grumbles from behind us.
I look around the forest as I all sorts of emotions coming from the trees. "This forest is old. . .very old. Full of memory. . .and anger."
There's a sudden groaning sound coming from the trees.
"The trees are speaking to each other." Legolas says as we all look around.
"Gimli!" I hear Aragorn exclaim.
Hearing a surprised grunt coming from Gimli, I look around to see his axe raised in defence.
"Lower your axe."
"Oh!" he lowers the axe.
"They have feelings, my friend." Legolas says to him. "The Elves began it: waking up the trees, teaching them to speak."
"Talking trees. What do trees have to talk about, hmm? Except the consistency of squirrel droppings."
I grin at this as I walk on.
"Aragorn, Faron, nad no ennas!" Legolas suddenly says as he strides ahead slightly.
"Man cenich?" Aragorn and I ask as we catch up to him.
"The White Wizard approaches."
Legolas nods his head behind us to the right. None of us look around, but I can now sense where he is.
"Do not let him speak. He will put a spell on us!" Aragorn informs us.
The silence from then is so deafening, I can hear the slightest noise, whether it be Aragorn unsheathing his sword slightly, the creaking of Gimli's leather gloves as he tightens his hold on his axe, or the ruffle of the feather as Legolas and I finger our arrows, ready to shoot at the wizard.
"We must be quick."
The four of us quickly turn around to attack, but are blinded by a bright light emanating from the White Wizard.
Gimli cries out as he throws a throwing axe, which Saruman deflects with his staff, along with the arrows Legolas and I fire. Aragorn drops his sword as it becomes hot in his grasp.
"You are tracking the footsteps of two young Hobbits." Saruman says.
I growl slightly as he mentions our friends.
"Where are they?!" I shout.
"They passed this way, the day before yesterday. They met someone they did not expect. Does that comfort you?"
Aragorn steps forward slightly. "Who are you? Show yourself!"
As the light dims, my mouth drops in shock and surprise, my heart stopping and I have to hold onto Aragorn to stop my legs from giving out as I see, not Saruman, but Gandalf, dressed in white robes! His hair and beard are also white, but he stills has the kind eyes and kind face I had always put to Gandalf.
"It cannot be!" Aragorn gasps, obviously in as much shock as I.
"Forgive me. I mistook you for Saruman." Legolas apologises.
"I am Saruman. Or rather Saruman as he should have been."
"You fell!" Aragorn points out.
"Through fire. And water. From the lowest dungeon to the highest peak, I fought him, the Balrog of Morgoth. Until at last, I threw down my enemy and smote his ruin upon the mountainside. Darkness took me. And I strayed out of thought and time. Stars wheeled overhead, and every day was as long as the life age of the earth. But it was not the end. I felt light in me again. I've been sent back until my task is done."
Aragorn steps up to the wizard. "Gandalf!"
Gandalf looks to him in confusion for a moment. "Gandalf? Oh yes. That's what they used to call me. Gandalf the Grey. That was my name."
"Gandalf!" Gimli exclaims, sounding choked up.
"I am Gandalf the White. And I come back to you now, at the turn of the tide."
I walk up to my old friend, now the White Wizard, still in shock at seeing him alive and well right in front of me. After seeing the deaths of my family, and finding out about my kin in Moria, seeing another person I care so much die. . .it was too much for me to bear, and now he's alive!
I just smile as I wrap my arms around him in an embrace, my smile widening as I feel his own wrap around me, holding me close.
"Oh Gandalf. . .My heart soars at seeing you alive once more."
"As does mine to see you safe, my dear. I am sorry of the heartache I caused you."
I just smile as I pull away, kissing his cheek as I do so. "There is no need for apologies, my old friend. You are here now, that is all that matters."
He smiles before the five of us begin walking through the forest.
"One stage of your journey is over, another begins. War has come to Rohan. We must ride to Edoras with all speed." Gandalf informs us.
Gimli's eyes go wide at this. "Edoras? That is no short distance!"
"We hear of trouble in Rohan. It goes ill with Theoden." I say to Gandalf, knowing that he is also a good friend of the King.
"Yes, and it will not be easily cured."
"Then we have run all this way for nothing? Are we to leave those poor hobbits here in this horrid, dark, dank tree-infested. . ."
The rumbling of the trees make Gimli stop his complaining.
"I mean charming, quite charming forest."
"It was 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."
"In one thing you have not changed, dear friend." Aragorn speaks up, a hint of humour in his voice.
Gandalf leans to him. "Hmm?"
"You still speak in riddles."
Aragorn, Gandalf and I laugh at this.
"A thing is about to happen here that has not happened since the Elder Days. The Ents are going to wake up and find that they are strong."
"Strong?" Gimli asks. "Oh, that's good. . ."
Gandalf continues on with Aragorn following.
"So stop your fretting Master Dwarf. Merry and Pippin are quite safe. In fact, they are far safer than you are about to be."
"This new Gandalf's more grumpy than the old one."
I laugh again as we make our way out. After retrieving our horses, Gandalf whistles piercingly. An answering neigh is heard and a white horse appears from the plains to our left.
"That is one of the Mearas, unless my eyes are cheated by some spell." Legolas gasps.
The horse stops in front of Gandalf.
"Shadowfax. He's the lord of all horses, and has been my friend through many dangers."
After this, we all mount up and ride across the plains, on our way to Edoras.
We stop to rest that night. I lay next to Gimli, looking up at the stars, not able to sleep as Aragorn walks past me and stands next to Gandalf.
"The veiling shadow that glowers in the East takes shape." Gandalf begins talking. "Sauron will suffer no rival. From the summit of Barad-Dûr his Eye watches ceaselessly. But he is not so mighty yet that he is above fear. Doubt ever gnaws at him. The rumour has reached him: the heir of Númenor still lives."
Looking up at this, I see both men eyeing each other.
"Sauron fears you, Aragorn. He fears what you may become. 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. 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. His hold over King Théoden is now very strong. Sauron and Saruman are tightening the noose.
"But for all their cunning, we have one advantage. The Ring remains hidden, and that we should seek to destroy it has not yet entered their darkest dreams. 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 back to Aragorn.
"Do not regret your decision to leave him. Frodo must finish this task alone."
"He is not alone. Sam went with him."
Gandalf looks surprised by this for a moment, before a smile appears on his face. "Did he? Did he indeed? Good. Yes, very good."
As they go quiet, I lay and think about what they just said. Rumour of Aragorn may have reached Sauron, but over my dead body will he ever hurt him. I've already lost two little brothers, I'm not about to lose a third to anyone. I will protect Aragorn with my dying breath if I have to.
Well, there we have it. Gandalf is back! Next, we will be arriving in Rohan and freeing Theoden from Saruman's hold, so stay tuned for that. The next chapter, like I said before, should be up within about an hour or two, so be prepared for that one. Please keep your lovely reviews coming! Xx
Translations;
"Aragorn, Faron, nad no ennas!" (Something is out there!)
"Man cenich?" (What do you see?)