At the exact moment they met the foot of the stirs, the doors were thrown open and Anna crumbled and rolled down the stairs. She lay writhing on one of the lower steps, clutching her throat with her mouth open wide and her eyes wider. The burning in her chest would not end and that fact brought tears to her eyes. If only she could just die.
'Legolas, take this,' Gandalf said, seeing him about to move forward any way. Gandalf did not want to take any steps toward Saruman that might seem intimidating or at least meant to be intimidating.
Legolas held a powder in his hand. All he could think to do was put it where Anna seemed to be grappling with some invisible thing around her neck. The white powder gave shape to a hand clutching her throat. The men around muttered as Legolas tore off the white hand and it disappeared once it lost contact with the servant.
Anna gave in a sharp breath and gasped at the sky above. Then, all was silent and Anna's chest stopped heaving and failed to rise. Legolas stooped over her but her eye were not seeing him; already they clouded over with the film of unspent tears.
'Sit her up, Legolas,' Gandalf commanded and Legolas followed suit not knowing what was happening to the one in his arms.
'She will not breathe without my command,' Saruman replied surly. 'I have complete control over her and I always did,' he bragged.
Legolas was not listening to the exchange. He rubbed Anna's back as he whispered in vain, 'You have much to do before your end.' The truth of the words seemed to sink into her, giving her strength and will of mind.'
The back underneath Legolas's hand slowly rose and sunk, and rose again. One more shuddering inhale forced her eyes open. While relief flooded all around, except for a mark of surprise upon Saruman's face, Legolas tried bringing her away from all the stares but Anna stayed his hand, using it rather as support than something to be carried upon.
She stood in front of everyone, before Saruman, releasing at last her support. Her face was serene, the tears splaying new light on her fresh face. Her thunderbolt had not been misplaced from the middle of her forehead and now it gleamed in the reflected haze. She stood now with her chin held high and her eyes once more calmly placed on the offender. Her voice rose to meet the wicked wizard head on. 'You are no longer my master. I will serve no one ever again.'
'She reminds you of someone, does she not, Saruman?' Gandalf commented in the background as Saruman and Anna stared at each other. 'Someone from our younger years.' Saruman broke his gaze from Anna to look at Gandlaf. He remembered their years across the sea, before Middle Earth. A time when they were worshipped as Maiar and before being sent to this land to protect its creatures. Things started to connect. But since Anna did not show these tendencies of power all the time, it must be that this girl is possessed by their left behind familiars from years past. But how could that be?