'These woods have an eerie feel to them,' Gimli muttered. 'As if they know of what walks beneath them and are whispering to each other of how to dispose of us.'

'These woods are old, even older than I am,' Legolas said. 'A lifetime with them would not be enough to fully understand them and yet still I know they do not like your ax, Gimli.'

Aragorn gestured to Gimli to lower his ax. 'Well, the ax is not for tree limbs,' Gimli felt compelled to say. A sound deeper in the woods took away the attention to the trees. A footstep once more sounded itself, closer this time.

'The white wizard!' Gimli exclaimed. 'Remember what Anna said: Attack before he can speak.' Gimli raised his ax, Aragorn drew his sword and Legolas put arrow to bow. The final footstep was heard right behind them and they turned, weapons ready to strike.

However, they were not able to pierce flesh. Each weapon was flung from the owner's hands in burning red hear and in a blinding flash, he appeared.

Anna reigned in the horse at the wall. A roar was overflowing the place, dripping over the walls. The lands sounded like they were teeming with activity though it needed a lot of courage from Anna just to get off the horse. She whispered to the horse, telling him to stay put and not make a sound.

The tumult became overpowering as her gaze was able to see the half mile from the gate to the tower, all covered in orcs. There were troupes of them in lines, all organized, all armored with black weapons, painted with barbaric was paint, howling their battle cry at the tower.

Her elf eyes were able to let her sense the white figure at a window of Orthanc. The orcs became eerily quiet and the Voice spoke. She covered her ears, not wanting to hear the one that had ordered her limbs years ago.

She ran to Dagnir, hearing, 'You will eat man flesh!'

Anna strove to leave, Dagnir hating the place as much as her. But the call would stay with her the entire way back. A call of glory, promising those once stepped on would rise above the bleeding bodies of their oppressors. In one moment, as her heart jumped at the prospect of superiority and fear of how to get it, she wondered who her real oppressor was.

After the discussion of Gandalf, Aragorn, Legolas and Gimli trailed from one cryptic explanation to another of events past and the locations of the others, their thoughts finally went to those they knew were safe.

'Have you come up with anything on Anna? Anything substantial so we know whose side she is on?' Aragorn asked.

'She is still with us?' Gandalf asked, seemingly surprised. 'I could have sworn she would have found her own path by now.'

'I asked her to come with us to help get the hobbits,' Aragorn answered. 'She is now with Eomer, heading to Edoras.'

'Already?' Now Gandalf stood, somewhat shaken.

'What do you mean? Did you have some future insight of this event?' Legolas asked.

Gandalf was angered at the blindness these three exhibited on the girl. 'Do you really think after years of forsaking society, wandering aimlessly alone, finding Saruman who surely growled horrible things, blaming men and their town, after all that, she would take to a Rohirrim town easily?' Gandalf shook his head and closed his eyes to the repercussions of it all. 'You could have given her the last push she needed to go right back to Isengard's arms and if she goes back, she will tell him all of what we have done and where the ring is at the moment.'

'Eomer will keep his eyes on her,' Aragorn assured.

'All the way to Edoras?' Gandalf asked. 'He does not see safety there for himself. And what is she gets to Edoras without feeling shunned enough to leave. What then? You have heard from Eomer that the king's assistant is sapping his energy. I have suspicions myself that this same assistant hails from Isengard. What if the two meet, Anna and this assistant? She is not yet strong enough to combat the Voice, a power to manipulate anyone's actions if used correctly.'

As the deadly repercussions brewed in their head, Gimli measured it all by her character, which he knew little about. 'What do you make of her, Gandalf? Tell us plainly your opinion,' he demanded.

After a moment of bringing his thoughts together, Gandalf replied, 'I think she has tremendous potential, for good and for evil.' He turned to them, retreating from his own self. 'She had yet to discern the two. She has power within her that even she does not know of.' He grew silent, becoming the old Gandalf again; mulling things over while he gave everyone else small clues.

'Come,' Gandalf said suddenly. 'We must go to Edoras and find what we may.' Gandalf blew a whistle into the winds , bringing forth Shadowfax and the two other horses. Together they rode to the feeble king of Rohan.