Hello again everyone! Thank you all very, very much for your reviews. I'm glad you liked the last chapter. I hope you like this one and as always, let me know what you think!
Note: Dialogue in bold is spoken in Elvish.
Disclaimer: I own nothing associated with Lord of the Ring.
Chapter 18
Carita brought Moonlight to a stop and quickly dismounted as her light eyes scanned the scene before her. She winced and looked away at seeing several Urk heads mounted on spears. She did not care for the sight of the creatures alive, and they were even worse in death.
Aragorn was next to arrive and dismounted followed by Legolas who helped Gimli down from the white horse they rode upon. The dwarf moved forward and using his axe began to sift through the still smoldering pile of dead Urks. Carita walked forward and let her eyes follow across the grass. The tracks of the Urks and the Rohirrim were many and some were hard to distinguish, at least for her. It had been many long years since she tracked anything.
At hearing Gimli's heavy sigh, Carita looked over her shoulder and at the dwarf who leaned forward and pulled something from the pile. He stepped back and turned around his eyes on Aragorn and Legolas.
"It's one of their wee belts," he said and Carita moved over to him quickly taking the charred leather from him. It was still warm and Carita shook her head as she gripped it tightly as tears came to her eyes.
"I do not believe it," she whispered softly and closed her eyes.
"Hiro hyn hîdh… ab 'wanath...," Legolas whispered as he bowed his head and put his hand over her heart. Carita opened her eyes and looked at him to see his grief clear on his face. They held each other's gaze until Aragorn let out a grief filled cry and kicked a helmet before he fell to his knees in grief. Carita moved over to him after she tossed the belt to the ground and put her hand on his shoulder.
"We failed them," Gimli said quietly and Carita looked at him as she squeezed Aragorn's shoulder. Aragorn sighed and looked at her briefly before he turned his eyes to the ground before him. Something caught his attention. He moved away from Carita and let his hands ghostly dance across the dry grass.
"A hobbit lay here, and the other," Aragorn said and he moved his eyes following the tracks. "They crawled," he said and began to move ahead. Carita followed quickly with Legolas and Gimli right behind. "Their hands were bound," Aragorn said quietly before he kneeled down and picked up a piece of cut rope. "Their bonds were cut." Carita felt her heart start to race and as Aragorn's eyes quickly followed the ground she knew she had a reason to believe her friends were well, because they were. "They ran over here. They were followed," he added and Carita's heart fell slightly, but Aragorn pressed on. "The tracks lead away from the battle!" Aragorn exclaimed as he took off in a run towards the dark trees and the others followed him. He came to a stop and looked up at the trees with uncertainty in his eyes. "And into Fangorn forest," he finished quietly.
"Fangorn? What madness drove them in there?" Gimli asked and Carita took a step forward and looked up at the trees that had been on the earth longer than she had been.
"Fangorn is not filled with evil," she said quietly before she looked at Gimli who huffed and Carita looked at Aragorn. "If we are to follow, the horses must remain here." Aragorn nodded. Carita looked at Moonlight and smiled. Her horse never needed words, and she knew he would not travel far and he would keep the other two in place.
"Let's find our friends," Aragorn said and the four of them quickly made their way into the forest, with only one of them fearful of what laid ahead of them.
They had been following the tracks within the forest for only about two hours, when Gimli spotted a dark sticky stain on a bush. He moved over and fingered the stain before bringing it to his lips. He growled and spitted before he looked at the others.
"Orc blood," he hissed and Aragorn kneeled down at new tracks he spotted upon the ground.
"These are strange tracks," he said quietly as he raised his hand to his chin and rubbed his beard in slight confusion. Carita moved forward and kneeled down next to Aragorn. She put her hand on the track she could easily make out. The tracks she looked at were rare for people to see, at least at that time.
"Ent tracks," she whispered and looked at Aragorn who frowned, but the man did not voice his question.
"The air is so close in here," Gimli said.
"This forest is old, very old. Full of memory... and anger," Legolas said quietly as he tuned into the forest like the wood elf he was. Groans and creaking echoed around them and Carita and Aragorn stood as they looked around, just as Gimli and Legolas did. Gimli raised his axe ready for battle as his eyes scanned the trees and forest around them. "The trees are speaking to each other," Legolas said as he looked from the trees and at Carita and Aragorn then Gimli.
"Gimli!" Aragorn said in a whisper and the dwarf looked at them. "Lower your axe." Gimli looked at him before he slowly lowered his axe.
"They have feelings my friend. The Elves began it; waking up the trees, teaching them to speak," Legolas told Gimli and Carita smiled before she walked over to Legolas and stood with him.
"Talking trees, what do trees have to talk about? Except the consistency of squirrel droppings?" Gimli asked and Carita grinned as she looked at the dwarf.
"There are plenty of things," Carita told him. "They see much, and feel much from rooted positions within the earth." Gimli scoffed and Carita when to continue when suddenly, the hair on the back of her neck stood on end. She shivered and turned around to move her eyes ahead. Legolas bristled beside her and she knew instantly that Legolas felt the same thing.
"Aragorn, nad no ennas! (Aragorn, something's out there)" Legolas said before he moved forward. Carita followed, but more slowly as Aragorn rushed ahead of her and stood near Legolas.
"Man cenich? (What do you see)" Aragorn asked in a whisper. Carita didn't need to hear Legolas' words. She could feel the power of the person approaching. The White Wizard was making his way to them.
"The White Wizard approaches," Legolas said quietly and Aragorn took a deep breath. Carita started to unsheathe her sword and she saw Legolas draw an arrow.
"Do not let him speak. He will put a spell on us," Aragorn whispered. Gimli had his throwing axes ready and Aragorn put his hand on the hilt of his sword. "We must be quick." Aragorn and Gimli growled as the turned and Legolas fired his arrow, but the White Wizard deflected the arrow. Gimli threw one of his axes, but that too was deflected. Aragorn dropped his sword with a loud clang and Carita soon did the same as the hilt had grown so hot, she could not keep it in her hands.
The light behind the wizard blinded them to his face. Carita raised her still stinging hands to her face to block the light, but she could not make out his features. Something was off, and she could not place what it was.
"You are tracking the footsteps of two young Hobbits," the wizard said and Carita heard Aragorn shift and saw him step forward from the group.
"Where are they?" he demanded.
"They passed this way the day before yesterday. They met someone they did not expect. Does that comfort you?" Carita frowned and she too stepped forward only to have Legolas grasp her arm and held her in place.
"Who are you? Show yourself!" Aragorn said loudly. The light dimmed and Carita gasped as she raised her free hand to her lips.
"It cannot be," Aragorn said as he too looked upon the face of their old friend who fell in Moria. Gandalf stood before them, but he was not cloaked in grey but white, and his beard was long and as pure as his robes.
"Forgive me," Legolas said as he let go of Carita's arm and kneeled. Gimli bowed with a bright smile on his face and tears in his eyes. "I mistook you for Saruman." Gandalf looked at the elf with a small smile before his eyes settled on Carita's tear filled eyes.
"I am Saruman. Or rather, Saruman as he should have been," Gandalf said. Carita sighed and shook her head before she moved quickly to her old friend and embraced him tightly, letting her tears fall. Gandalf chuckled quietly and returned her embrace as Aragorn moved to stand next to them.
"You fell," Aragorn breathed as Carita pulled back and Gandalf smiled at her and patted her cheek before he lowered his hand and looked at Aragorn.
"Through fire and water," Gandalf said. "From the lowest dungeon to the highest peak, I fought with 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 everyday was as long as a life-age of the earth. But it was not the end. I felt life in me again. I've been sent back until my task is done."
"Gandalf," Aragorn said with a smile and put his hand on the wizard's shoulder.
"Gandalf?" the wizard questioned slightly confused before recognition shined in his blue eyes. "Yes... That was what they used to call me. Gandalf the Grey. That was my name." Gimli chuckled.
"Gandalf," he said softly and Carita smiled as she wiped at her tears.
"I am Gandalf the White, and I come back to you now at the turn of the tide," Gandalf said. He made to walk away, and Carita put her hand on his shoulder to stop him. He looked at her and frowned at the saddened look on her face.
"You do not know how angry I was with you for not listening to me," she told him. "You do not know how angry I was with myself for letting you stand alone on that bridge."
"Carita," he said as she lowered her hand and he shook his head. "I know where your heart laid, and I did not wish for you to meet the fate that you would have met that day; here I stand back in your graces once more." Carita smiled and nodded her head. "Come we must move." He said and the five of them began their journey to the edge of the forest. "One stage of your journey is over, another begins. We must ride to Edoras with all speed," Gandalf said as they neared the edge.
"Edoras? That is no short distance!" Gimli exclaimed from his position at the end of the line.
"We hear of trouble in Rohan. It goes ill with the king," Aragorn said gently and Gandalf stopped in his strides making the rest of them stop.
"Yes, and it will not be easily cured," Gandalf said quietly.
"Then we have run all this way for nothing? Are we to leave those poor hobbits here in this horrid, dark, dank, tree-infested-," Gimli stopped suddenly as the trees groaned angrily once more and Carita smiled at the dwarf and then looked at Legolas. "I mean, charming, quite charming forest." Legolas grinned in return before they turned their eyes back to the wizard.
"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," Gandalf said and Carita's smile grew.
"In one thing you have not changed, dear friend," Aragorn said as he walked up to Gandalf, who looked at him curiously. "You still speak in riddles." The pair laughed.
"A thing is about to happen that has not happened since the Elder Days. The ents are going to wake up ... and find that they are strong," Gandalf said.
"Strong? Oh, that's good," Gimli said and Carita looked at Legolas and touched his forearm. The elf turned his eyes to her and she couldn't stop the smile that made its way across her face.
"The tracks earlier in the forest, were ent tracks," she said softly and Legolas nodded remembering her tell Aragorn the same thing. "If they chose to fight Saruman, then they will be practically unstoppable," she continued in a whisper and Legolas frowned.
"Will they not chose to fight?" he asked and Carita sighed, but before she could continue Gandalf interrupted her.
"So stop your fretting, Master Dwarf. Merry and Pippin are quite safe. In fact, they are far safer than you are about to be," Gandalf said and then began to lead them from the forest once more. Carita sent a look to Legolas, but followed knowing that she would have to wait yet again to tell him something.
They exited the forest and Carita called for Moonlight and her stallion trotted over with the two Rohirrim horses in two. Raising her hands to Moonlight's mane, she looked to Gandalf as he whistled. She climbed onto Moonlight's back only to see yet another white stallion charging there way, but that one was much different than her Moonlight.
"That is one of the Mearas, unless my eyes are cheated by some spell," Legolas said quietly as the horse stepped up to Gandalf. Carita smiled as she looked at the horse but then patted Moonlight's neck.
"Shadowfax," Gandalf said with a smile as he ran his hand down Shadowfax's face. "He's the lord of all horses and he's been my friend through many dangers." Carita watched as the others mounted their rides and she leaned into Moonlight's ear.
"Shadwofax is a strong leader, but you, my Moonlight, are my dearest friend," she whispered and Moonlight let out a breath as he shook his head and she smiled before they were on their way to Edoras.
Night fell and the five had taken rest for the night and Carita was thankful for that and the Maiar sighed heavily as she sank down near one of the large rocks. Legolas smiled as he watched her and helped Gimli from the back of Arod. He moved over to her and sat down next to her. Carita smiled as she looked at Legolas. Gimli walked over to Gandalf and talked quietly with the wizard while Aragorn moved off to gather wood for a small fire.
"Twice now, you have made to tell me something and both times you have been unable to," Legolas said softly and Carita took his hand and laced her fingers with his. "Now, if you like I am free to listen."
"I will tell you what I was about to when we were in Fangorn, but I have not the nerve to tell you what I wished to by the river all those days ago," she told him honestly. The moment Aragorn had called Legolas' name that day her nerve to speak her heart to him vanished. Legolas nodded and Carita took a deep breath. "The ents are strong, but they carry no desire to interfere with the troubles of men. Their lives are their trees, and little else."
"But you do not know that they will not fight," Legolas said and Carita smiled.
"That I do not know, but I do know that if Merry and Pippin are as smart as I think they are, they will find a way to get the ents' help."
"Merry and Pippin?" Legolas asked unsure of Carita's faith in them, but Carita squeezed his hand.
"Yes, Merry and Pippin," she said with a laugh and Legolas smiled. Carita looked away from Legolas and to the burning, fire filled sky in the distance. Mordor, the one place she dreaded more than anything, and the place that Frodo and Sam were traveling to on their own. Her connection to the other two hobbits was not strong enough for her to connect with them as she had Merry and Pippin, and she cursed herself for not forging a stronger friendship.
"Carita," Legolas said and she tore her eyes away from the distance and looked at him. "Will you ever tell me of your imprisonment?" he asked suddenly and Carita frowned.
"What?" she asked in a barely there whisper.
"Will you ever tell me of your time as Sauron's prisoner?" he asked and Carita pulled her hand from his and wrapped her arms around her legs.
"That is something I do not ever want to relive," she said as she looked at the tops of her knees. "Those days and nights of my life were dark, but," she paused and looked at him, "someday I will tell you. I will tell you when I am ready."
"You will tell me when you tell me of what you were going to say by the river?" Legolas asked and Carita gave him a small smile.
"No," she said and Legolas raised an eyebrow. "When that day comes, I do not wish to tarnish it by speaking of such darkness." Legolas frowned as Carita stood and walked away from him, and he came to the conclusion that then and there Carita was an utterly confusing being.