Gandalf said to the others "we will have plenty of time to talk about our adventures, but for now we must go and meet tree beard, he is waiting for us" The small group, now with Merry and Pippin, continued on is way towards the tower of Orthanc, until they were approached by treebeard, who was probably the oldest being in arda after the Valar and Maiar. He said to them "Hoooom, young master Gandalf, I'm glad you've come. Wood and water, stock and stone I can master, but there is a Wizard to manage here locked in his tower" Aragorn looked up at the tower and demanded "Show yourself" Gandalf told him "Be careful. Even in defeat, Saruman is dangerous" Gimli added "Well then let's just have his head and be done wit it" Luthien stared in shock at the dwarf and exclaimed "Master dwarf" Gandalf answered to Gimli, but still looking up at the tower "No, we need him alive. We need him to talk"
At that moment, Saruman appeared at the top of the tower, and stared down at the group "You have fought many wars and slain many men Theoden King and made peace afterwards. Can we not take counsel together as we once did, my old friend? Can we not have peace you and I?" He said in a calm manner, as if he hadn't done anything wrong, but Theoden answered in anger "We shall have peace…. We shall have peace when you answer for the burning of the Westfold, and the children that lie dead there! We shall have peace when the lives of the soldiers whose bodies were hewn even as they lay dead against the gates of the Hornburg… are avenged! When you hang from a gibbet for the sport of your own crows… we shall have peace!"
Saruman, now with arrogance said "Gibbets and crows! Dotard! What do you want Gandalf Grayhame? Let me guess… the key of Orthanc? Or perhaps the keys of Barad Dûr itself? Along with the crowns of the seven Kings and the rods of the Five Wizards!"
Gandalf tried to reason with him "Your treachery has already cost many lives. Thousands more are now at risk. But you could save them Saruman. You were deep in the enemy's counsel." But saruman keep his arrogance as he answered "So you have come here for information. I have some for you." Then he took out from his clothes a shining object, Findulias recognized it immediately "That is one of Feanor's palantir" she said "How did it end here?"
Saruman hold the palantir and stared into it "Something festers in the heart of Middle Earth. Something that you have failed to see. But the great eye has seen it! Even now he presses his advantage. His attack will come soon. You are all going to die! But you know this don't you Gandalf?" He said, and then he stared at Aragorn and continued with mockery "You cannot think that this Ranger will ever sit upon the throne of Gondor. This exile, crept from the shadows will never be crowned King." He stared at Gandalf again and said "Gandalf does not hesitate to sacrifice those who are closest to him… those he professes to love! Tell me, what words of comfort did you give the Halfling before you sent him to his doom? The path that you have set him on can only lead to death"
Gimli said with exasperation "I've heard enough! Shoot him! Stick an arrow in his gob!" he said to Legolas, but Gandalf continued, as he put a hand on Legolas arm "No! Come down Saruman and your life will be spared!" But Saruman, his arrogance gone, and now angered said "Save your pity and your mercy. I have no use for it!" then he took his staff and from it came a bolt of fire that hit and surrounded Gandalf, but to Saruman's surprise, it didn't have any effect.
Gandalf just stared at Saruman and said with authority "Saruman….. Your staff is broken!" at his command, Saruman's staff was broken to his owner's shock. Just then Grima appeared behind Saruman, with a scared look on his face, and stared down at the group waiting to hear recriminations. But to his surprise he saw that most of the people down just stared at him with pity. Theoden said to him "Grima! You need not follow him! You were not always as you are now. You were once a man of Rohan. Come down." Grima, not believing what he was hearing, just stood there for a moment paralyzed. But Saruman stared at him with hatred and said to Theoden "A man of Rohan? What is the house of Rohan but a thatched barn where brigands drink in the reek and their brats roll on the floor with the dogs? The victory at Helms Deep does not belong to you Theoden Horse Master. You are a lesser son of greater sires!" But Theoden paid no attention to him and said to Grima "Grima…. Come down! Be free of him!" Grima started to walk away towards the stairs, but Saruman kicked him and he fell on the ground "Free? He will never be free!" he said. Grima just said with despair "No" but saruman kicked him in the face and said "Get down cur"
Finduilas exclaimed with anger "Stop what you are doing" Saruman stopped hitting Grima and stared down at her, surprise on his face as he noticed for the first time the strangers that accompanied Gandalf. His surprise was broken when Gandalf said again "Saruman! You were deep in the enemy's counsel. Tell us what you know!" Saruman stared at him and said "You withdraw your guard and I will tell you where your doom will be decided." He said now with despair, arrogance gone. That despair made him drop the palantir, which fell to the waters below. When Saruman noticed this, he felt very angry and screamed "I will not be held prisoner here! " Then he turned to face Grima and said with mockery "Leave. I don't need a pathetic worm like you at my service" then he went inside his tower. Grima stood up with great difficulty and for a moment he just stood there paralyzed "Grima, come down. I promise you will not be harmed" Theoden assured him again. With great difficulty, Grima made his way down towards the entrance.
As he came out of the door, he stared down ashamed to look into the eyes of the king and his strange friends, ashamed of what he had done. Theoden just approached him and said "You are a free man, but if you want you can come with us to Edoras. Perhaps you will have the chance to redeem yourself" Grima raised his head and stared at the king in disbelief and tears on his face "I..I.. I never knew the true intentions of S..saruman. I never thought his intentions were the destruction of m.. my people. But st.. still I did wrong." He took a deep breath and continued "W..why are you being so nice with me? After all I have d..done" Theoden just stared at him and said "I knew your parents very well, and I know how their tragic death affected you."
Meanwhile, Pippin saw the brilliant shape of the palantir and went to get it "Pippin" Aragorn called after him, but he paid no attention and grabbed the object. He just stared at it from a moment, but Gandalf approached him and said with urgency "Peregrin Took. I'll take that my lad! Quickly now!" No one noticed the look Pippin gave to the palantir before Gandalf wrapped it
Then Gandalf said to Treebeard "Saruman is no longer a threat, he has no power anymore. But it would be wise to keep an eye one him" Treebeard answered "We shall do that master Gandalf. The filth of Saruman is washing away. Trees will come back to live here. Young trees. Wild trees."
Before they left to helm's deep, Theoden asked Grima "Will you come?" Grima just answered "Y..yes my lord".
The travel to Helm's deep was a swift one, and once they got there, Haldir and the Galadhrim said their farewells to the people of Rohan. The last ones Haldir spoke to were Luthien and Finduilas "I shall tell the lord and the lady of the woods of your presence my ladies." Luthien said "You don't want to stay here?? We might still need your help" Haldir smiled and said "I would love to, however the enemy also has forces in the fortress of dol-guldur, and soon the war will also reach the north". Then, after a few more words, they left.
Meanwhile, the people of Rohan prepared to make the journey back to edoras, Luthien saw Eowyn and approached her "It's good to see you again" she said as she hugged the human girl" Finduilas also approached her and also gave her a Hugh but without a word. Eowyn just stared at them wide eyed, for she hadn't seen them wearing their armor and said "I just wish I was there with you side by side, fighting our enemy." Then she smiled and said "I heard the man whispering about the two elven warriors that drove fear into the attacking Uruk's." they were interrupted by Aragorn who said to them "My ladies, we are ready to make the journey to edoras. Once we get there, we will have time to talk about many things that still haven't been explained. Finduilas said "Legolas has given us brief explanation about what has happened in the last few ages, but he didn't go into details. Theoden who heard the conversation said to them. Perhaps in the celebration of our victory we will finally be able to sit down and talk. You promised to tell me about yourselves" Finduilas smiled at him and said "As long as you also tell us about yourself and your people"
The journey back to Edoras was not as perilous as when they first took the same road a few days ago.
At night, once the people had reached the city, most of them gathered at the great hall of the castle to celebrate the victory. Theoden rose from is chair, holding and raising a goblet in toast to the people and exclaimed "Tonight we remember those who gave their blood to defend this country." all the people present raised their cups as well as the King said "Hail the victorious dead" the people answered "hail" and then drank from it.
Finduilas and Luthien were amused by the new competition Legolas and Gimli were about to begin "No pauses, no spills" Eomer explained to Legolas as he brought two barrels of beer, and Gimli added "And no regurgitation. Legolas asked "So… it's a drinking game?" to which some of the rohirrim that gathered around to see "the game" answered "Aye" and laughed. Gimli added with a smile "Last one standing wins heh heh heh!" Finduilas saw Eowyn approaching Aragorn with a cup that she offered to him. "She looks so happy" she told Luthien, who in turn said "Yes, she is. But somehow I still can see some sadness in Aragorn". They saw as Aragorn drank from the cup and then bowed to Eowyn and left. Their thoughts were interrupted as Gandalf approached them "You both seem happy" e told them. Finduilas said "Yes, it's been a while since the last celebration I was in" Luthien added "I see everyone is here, but I haven't seen the hobbits. And I wished to talk with them" Gandalf laughed and said "Probably they are planning something" Teir conversation was interrupted when they heard a now very drunk Gimli laughing "he he he.. here, here" then he took another tankard of beer "Raaar it's the dwarves that go swimming with little, hairy women haha" he burps and drinks some more. A still sober looking Legolas says "I feel something" then he stares at his fingers and continues "A slight tingle in my fingers. I think it's affecting me" Gimli, looking worst than before, laughs and says "heh heh heh what did I say? He can't hold his liquor" But then his eyes crossed and he sits quiet for a moment and finally he falls backward to the floor, to the laughter of all present. Legolas makes a small smile to Eomer and simply says "Game over".
Luthien approaches him and says, while laughing "Legolas, you are very wicked". Their attention was drawn to one table, as they heard someone singing and people gathering around the table laughing and clapping. It was a song completely different to what the people of Rohan or the Elves were accustomed to. As the three elves made their way to the table, they saw the two hobbits, each holding a cup too big for them, filled with beer, dancing a singing "Oh you can search far and wide, You can drink the whole town dry," they kick the table and then each other feet "But you'll never find a beer so brown, But you'll never find a beer so brown, As the one we drink in our hometown, As the one we drink in our hometown." They kick the table again "You can drink your fancy ales, you can drink them by the flagon, But the only brew for the brave and true,… Comes from the Green Dragon!" and they drank the beers in one sip, amidst laughter and applauses. Luthien approached merry and says "That was a beautiful and cheerful songs" Merry blushed and said "Thank you my lady" Luthien laughed and said "Please, no need for formalities. Call me Luthien" Finduilas added "The shire must be a very special place. By the songs and music you can tell the soul of the land and its people".
Merry said "It's true, but elven music is also very beautiful. I remember it from the time I spent in rivendell and Lorien"
Then pippin asked with pleading eyes to Luthien "Can you sing us a song??" Eowyn, who was coming to them, heard this and said "Do you like singing??" Luthien smiled and said "Yes I do. Would you like to hear a song of my people?" Both Eowyn and the hobbits smiled and Pippin said "Yes, I would love to". The people who were around them, heard this and they said to the others that one of the mysterious ladies was about to sing. Soon the whole place was filled in silence, as they all gathered to hear it. Luthien thought for a moment, and decided to sing a tune she used to sing when she danced alone in the woods of doriath, before the coming of the sun and the moon", when she began, each person in the hall thought for a moment that they were in a beautiful dream, as if the song had taken them to a time and place long gone. They didn't understand the words, but each saw in it images of strange and wonderful things." As she finished, there were tears in the faces, even the toughest warriors of the mark were touched by it.
Eomer approached her and said trembling "T..that was beautiful" Aragorn then came and said "I see the old stories were true." Theoden stared at him and said "Perhaps this is the moment to tell stories. I'm sure you would like to hear stories about our people and I, as well as my people, would like to hear tales of distant lands". "Finduilas said "Yes, I would like that".
The king sent for the court's story teller. He was a young man, but despite his young age, he was very versed in the old stories of the kingdom. The rohirrim didn't writte books, but rather kept their history in songs; and he began his song with the tale of Eorl leading his people from the north to the aid of the lords of gondor, then the oath of Eorl of eternal friendship with gondor, the kings that fallowed and the wars they fought against orcs, dunlendings and others. When he finished his song, Finduilas raised from her chair, went to the same spot and said "My people, also has the tradition to put into songs our history. I will try my best to put all of it into one song". She began singing about the one and the music of the ainur, the making of arda and the coming of the valar. The first imprisonment of morgoth, the rebellious valar and first enemy.
The awakening of the elves at cuivinien and their travel to the west. The glory of valinor in the age of the trees and the kingdom of doriath in belerian. Feanor and the making of the silmarils, and how morgoth stole them, the rebellion of the Noldor and Feanor's terrible oath, the slaying of kin by the Noldor and the return to beleriand. The coming of the moon and the sun and the beginning of the first age of the sun. She ended her tale with the deeds done in the war of the jewels between the high elves and the power of angband. The great kingdoms of the high elves, the battles fought, the duel between Fingolfin and Morgoth, The coming of man and the story of Beren and Luthien. At this point those who didn't know it stared at Luthien with wide eyes, but said nothing and continued listening. Finally, with tears on her face, she sang about Turin and the love she felt for him. "Perhaps Aragorn will continue my tale, since what I know of the story ends here during the sacking of Nargothrond" She sat at the side of Eowyn, who said, also with tears on her face "It was very beautiful. I never imagined it was like that".
Aragorn continued "This is where the stories are wrong, as we can see that neither lady Finduilas Faelivrin and Luthien Tinuviel died" He continued where she left, and sang the rest of Turin Turambar's story. Finduilas couldn't help but cry as she learned how tragic and unhappy his life was until his death, even if he slayed the dragon. He continued and sang about Gondolin and its fall, the second killing of kin, the birth of Earendil the blessed, his travel to the west, the third and final slaying of kin, and finally the war of the wrath, when the lords of the west came to make war against morgoth, and the Vanyar and the Noldor that stayed in valinor fought in the valar's army. Morgoth's defeat and how he was expelled from arda into the void." When he finished, Eomer asked with curiosity "What happened to the jewls, the silmarils?" Aragorn answered "One is in the air, Earendil carries it in vingilot. Another rest in the earth, because Feanor's son Maedhros, driven by the oath, stole it from the victorious army of the valar. But as he took it, it burned his hand because of the evil things he did. Driven by guilt, he threw himself into the fires of the earth. The last one lies in the bottom of the ocean. It was thrown there by Feanor's son Maglor, after he stole it. It's said that maglor still dwells in the shores of middle earth.
He took a deep breath and continued "This were the stories of the old days. Now I shall tell you of the days of my kin the dunadan, the lords of the sea in the second age of the sun"
He sang about the glory of numenor, but also it's fall, when most of the people turned evil except the few faithful under the guide of Amandil an his son Elendil. How the last king of Numenor, under the evil influence of sauron, decided to make war against the valar. He ended his tale with the sinking of Numenor under the ocean, and how only the faithfull were saved.
Aragorn then said to the audience "Now I shall tell you about our age. Even if the rings of powers and the one ring were forged during the second age". He began with the forging of the rings by the elven smiths of Ost-in-Edhil under the guidance of Sauron, for he lied to them and they thought of him as a messenger of the valar. How he forged by himself the one ring and revealed his true nature. How he demanded the other rings. How the last three rings of power, the most powerful of them all and forged last by Feanor's grandson Celebrimbor without the help of sauron, were given to three Elven Lords. How sauron stole the lesser rings and gave nine to kings of man and seven to the dwarves.
He finally ended with The founding of the Kingdoms of Gondor and Arnor, the last alliance between elves and man, the defeat of sauron, the failure of Isildur" that last part he said it with sadness, the fall of Arnor in the war against the kingdom of angmar, ruled by the witch king and lord of the nazgul. The last king of Gondor and the ruling of the stewards.
"The rest of the story is well known" he said as he ended his tale.