Okie dokie!! Cookies to all reviewers. I love you all!! Keep reviewing and I don't mind constructive criticism if you feel like you want to give it to me. I mean, I enjoy the ego boost, but I need something to work with to improve my writing. So I give pie for constructive criticism from reviewers.
Disclaimer: I do not own the wonderful work that is LOTR
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Whooooooosh!
Again I found myself on the energy slide. It felt as though I was moving faster then a bat out of a bat cave. I did not appreciate my sudden drop and removal of my body from Rivendell. I could have been safe and warm in the safety of Rivendell. Now it seemed I did not have opportunity.
After another set of twist and turns, I saw the end. It looked like more water up ahead. I just barely had time to hold my breath before I plunged into at icy existence. I swam as fast as I could toward the surface; breaking through with a gasp, only to realize that I was being carried with the river. My adrenal glands started to work really well. I began attempting to swim and looking for a shore to get too. Their were rocks ahead near the shore which I tried to reach. I still had all my supplies, clothes and sword attached to me. Not to mention my shoes were really weighing me down and kept pulling me under. At that moment I wished I had taken more swimming lessons.
After what seemed an eternity, I reached the nearest rock I could grab. Oh sweet relief! That rock was a life saver. I moved from rock to rock trying to climb up them on to the shore. Not succeeding very well at it.
Finally I saw some outgrowth of plants and roots near a rock that I could pull myself up on. It was a good thing I found them. I was getting really tired of fighting the river.
As I desperately tried to pull myself on shore, I felt a hand grab mine. They pulled my arm that held the plants. The deep voice attached to it said "Let me help you! Give me your other hand."
Well it was either do this, or drown, so I chose the latter. I could feel his really long nails that dug into my skin as I was hoisted out of the raging river. Safely on shore, I spat and sputtered as I laid there facing the ground. I had not even got a real look at my rescuer.
"Are you alright?" my rescuer asked.
I looked up and saw a long flowing white robe. Next to the robe was a long white staff. I peered up at the top of the robe. There was an old man's face attached to the robe. He had dark eyes; strangely he seemed rather familiar. It took me a while to think of who he was.
Then I realized who he was.
It was Saruman.
I had a million flash backs of his treachery during the War of the Ring. He must have noticed my paling face and fearful look. He stared intensely into my face; almost in a searching manner.
"You seem rather frightened of me" he said. "Are you?"
I am one of the most honest people in the world, so I had to answer truthfully.
"Ummm….yes…."
"Why is that?" he asked.
This was one of those think fast moments I usually fail at, but fortunately not today.
"I-I-I guess I just fear people with a lot of power." I stammered. I hate it when I stammer.
He smiled in a sort of old man type way then said. "You don't have to be afraid of me."
I bit my tongue. Of course I had to be afraid of him! He betrays/betryed the free peoples of Middle-Earth and helps Sauron ravage/ destroy everything. That is, until they lose.
I could not let him know that I knew what he was secretly about to do/ doing to Middle Earth. If he were to discover the book I was carried, it would be disastrous. Who knows what he could do with all of that information? I did not want to even think about that.
Saruman must have noticed that I sort of spaced out. "Come now, let's get you dried off."
"Where am I?" I asked as I got up to follow him. I got up shakily, and I added to the cake by "smoothly" almost falling over again. Luckily, his back was turned , so he did not catch that.
"You are just outside of Isenguard; near the mountains. If you look over that way, you can even see the tower from here." He stopped and pointed to the left of us.
I saw the high walls, and then the obsidian tower above it. It was enormous, and covered in dark ridges. Somehow, it seemed to intimidate me even more then Saruman. I felt a definite aversion to that place, and I could not think of anyone in there right mind that would go in there with the knowledge I had. But alas, I had to go in there. I needed to dry off, and I needed to get some food. Perhaps, this was an opportunity to get some information about the time period that I was in.
Within twenty minutes, we reached the outside gate. The guard at the front gate opened the door. To my amazement, Isenguard was surprisingly different then I had pictured.The inside of Isengaurd was a huge, manicured lawn containing trees and flowers. The circumference of the manicured circle spanned out in all directions. I couldn't believe it was so beautiful. How can something so beautiful turn to such an ugly mess?
When we reached the tower, he lead me to a room inside with a large fireplace. A carved wooden mantle was over it. There sat a few chairs in the room, but mostly there was not anything as far as fluffy chairs go. About the only thing you could consider fluffy was a woven rug near the fire. Other then that, it was pretty bare.
He told me I could sit anywhere I liked. I choose the chair nearest the fire. He called one of his servants to bring a blanket for me. I had never thought he had servants, but I guess he needed them to take care of this gigantic place.
When the servant came back with the blanket, Saruman said "Please take off your bag and sword."
I took off my bag and the belt that held my scabbard. I was going to set them on the ground next to me, but the servant made a gesture to take them. I drew back quickly and held them toward myself.
"Don't worry, milady. He's just going to put them in a room. But if you would like, you may keep them with you" The servant remarked. His voice sounded reassuring to me. I set them on the ground next to my seat. These items would never leave my side.
"You need not fear, milady. I mean you no harm." Saruman's voice was calm. I wanted to give up the sword out of politeness, yet, something inside me stopped me from doing it.
"My apologies….I just feel very uncomfortable without my sword. I've been traveling for a while with my sword. I guess, it bothers me not having it by my side. Perhaps you understand?" I waited in anticipation for his answer.
"Yes, I do understand. You feel incomplete without it by your side." He walked across the room to a cabinet.
"Yes! He bought it! Score one for me!" I sighed.
Saruman pulled out a small box from a drawer. He removed a smoking pipe from the box, and walked over to the mantle. There atop the mantle sat another carved box. This time he took out a pinch of some dry leaves. It seemed a wild guess, but I felt pretty sure that it was tobacco. (Pipe + leaves smoking! What a new concept!) He sat down in the chair across from me; savoring the smoke that was as sweet as honey to him. I on the other hand tried holding my breath so I wouldn't inhale so much smoke. Too bad he doesn't know second hand smoke can cause cancer.
After Saruman had gotten his smoking fix, he spoke to me. Actually more like questioned me again.
"So, how did you end up in the river.?"
" In a way, I lost my feet" I replied. He wouldn't have believed me if I told him my feet really did disappeared right before me. Or would he?
"Really…." He mused. I felt uncomfortable in his presence, and the awkward silences were not helping in the slightest. I needed a way out of here. Escaping would prove difficult, especially since he sat right in front of me. I couldn't really contact enterprise to beam me out. At least…not in this reality.
Maybe I could make a break for it and find his stores of food and…..Oh wait…..Most likely he would catch me before I even left the tower. Besides, if I did take the food, I'd be stealing. That wouldn't be right. How could I play this to my advantage? Without, of course, getting killed. I must think fast.
"How far is Rohan from here?" I asked casually.
"Rohan?. . .A few leagues or so." He said vaguely.
"I think I need to go there soon. In fact, probably within the day. Is it possible I could be directed in that way? Maybe when I dry off, perhaps?" I crossed my fingers in my mind. Wait, do minds have fingers? Anyways…
" I believe I could assist you with that." He said.
"Great!" I beamed at him. Although, I think I said it a little too loud. He jumped a bit when I did.
Saruman rose from his chair. "Come with me. I'll show you to a room where Hayla will give your some new clothes. I presume you do not travel in a gown?" He questioned with a raised eyebrow.
"Oh, yes. I would deeply appreciate it." I had to hand it to him. Saruman possessed a good sense of perception. At least that remained in my favor. No dress for me. I shuddered at the thought of fighting an orc in an embroidered dress.
He lead me up a steep stairway. Incidentally, the stair case expressed the same color as the rest of the tower; black. For a man who dresses himself in white, he lived in a dark home. I thought about commenting on this subject, but maybe some things are best left unsaid.
The winding stair case branched off in different levels as we climbed higher. Each of the doors were covered in carvings and ornamentation of different kinds. Well, except one of them. Incidentally, that door lead to the room where I would be staying. That is, if I were to stay long enough to even sleep there.
The large wooden door gave way to a surprisingly spacious room. Apparently the servants were not done setting it up, because they all jumped a bit when we entered the room. The one that looked like the maid, squeaked a little and began tidying random things around the room. She seemed rather nervous…Coincidence? I think not. I chose not to notice that when she did. I thought it better that I appeared oblivious to all that was going on. Besides, I needed to keep the book safe. If I did not, the consequences would be dire.
He left me to change in my room. The servants scurried off behind him and I remained alone. Surprisingly the clothes they brought were quite comfortable. It kind of reminded me of tunic. Well, lacking the leggings of course. Which I was perfectly fine with. Leggings are definitely not my thing. To me, they are something that should have been left in the eighties.
Anyways, the dark green pants and white tunic top was really comfy. There were even socks along with it. My shoes needed to dry out some more long with the rest of my clothes. That meant only one thing…Sock sliding!!
Yes, I was going to slide around Isenguard in socks.
With Isenguard's obsidian floor, I could slide around as I chose. Just as long as Saruman or the servants did not see. I decided to head outside and try out my new pare of socks. As soon as I opened the door, my plans were thrown. Saruman's maid stood outside.
You could say I was a bit started. The yelp I gave out when I saw her gave it away immediately.
"Oh my! You scared me!" I gasped.
The maid looked very apologetic. "The master requests that I bring you to the library."
"Oh sure! Lead on," I said merrily.
We walked down the stairs. Myself, I felt rather awkward running around in socks in a place like this. Oh well, I still wanted to slide. Sadly we made it to the library before I found the opportunity to do that.
The library could not even be described in height. It spanned stories and stories of books overflowing to tables on the floor. Histories of every era know the Middle-Earth lay in front of me. I wanted to drool right then. I think any Lord of the Rings fan would fall on their face at the sight. All except the dreaded sues. Then again, they are in their own separate category of evil. This, fortunately is not one of those parodies.
Saruman sat at a long wooden table. He gestured for me to sit down at one of them. I sat a few chairs away. I still was not completely comfortable being near him. Besides there were more books where I was. I could take a peek at them while we talked.
From the minute I sat down, I knew I had been caught. I felt myself immobilized in the chair. My arms and legs, glued to the chair by some unseen force. I was trapped.
"What's going on," I yelled, desperately trying to free myself from the chair.
Saruman chuckled to himself. "My lady, whatever do you mean?" His voice taunted me.
"You know what I mean," I exclaimed.
Saruman leaned foreword. "Well, I have my right to be suspicious," he scoffed. "You clearly aren't around from here. That means you might be a spy. Or better yet you are sent by someone else…"
"Clearly," he continued. "You're hiding something you don't want me to see. I think, just maybe, it might be in that bag. Shall we find out?"
"What are you talking about?" I tried to sound like I did not know anything. It was not too convincing on my part.
He turned to his servant. "Go fetch the ladies belongings and bring them to me."
If Saruman opened those… I was doomed. I could do nothing but pray he would no find the secret pocket. This whole thing could blow up in my face and Middle-Earth would be lost. So, basically everything looked bleak.
What was I going to do?