Chapter3: White Wizard
Disclaimer: I don't own anything from LOTR just the OC and the plot changes.
Ana
Gimli touched a leaf on a bush that had a black sticky substance on it. He touched it to his tongue. He spat it out. "Orc blood." He said. I rankled my nose then hoped the small river. "These are strange tracks." Aragorn said when I drew closer. I noticed the big print in the ground. "The air is so close in here." Gimli said. I placed a hand on a tree that was close by. "This forest is very old." I said looking back at the group.
"The trees are full of memory….and anger." Legolas added. "The trees are talking to each other." Legolas said. I looked behind me and saw that Gimli had his axe up. "Gimli!" Aragorn called to him. He looked at us. "Put your axe down!" I said as a shoved it down. "They have feelings, my friend." Aragorn said. "Elves began it. Waking the trees, teaching them to speak." Legolas told him. "What do trees have to talk about? Except the consistency of squirrel droppings." Gimli said. I shook my head and fallowed behind Legolas.
A strange tingling ran up and down my spine. "Aragorn, Ana, something's out there." Legolas said. My back stiffened as mine and Aragorn's attention focused on the strange tingling. "Who's there?" I asked. I was ignored, I sighed as my hands went to the hilts of my daggers. The four of us walked up the mole hill, our hands never leaving our weapons. "What do you see?" Aragorn asked Legolas. Legolas looks up to us, "The White Wizard approaches." He said as he knocked an arrow into his bow. Both Aragorn and Legolas stepped in front of me. I can hear Gimli shuffling behind me.
My hands tightened around my daggers. "Do not let him speak. He will put a spell on us." Aragorn said as he drew his sword. "We must be quick." He said, he turned and at the same time Gimli threw his axe, which shattered. Legolas shot his arrow which was turned to ash, and Aragorn's and my weapons grew too hot to hold so we had to drop them. "You are tracking the footsteps of two young Hobbits." The wizard said. "Where are they?" Aragorn demanded. "They passed this way the day before yesterday. They met someone who they didn't expect. Does that comfort you?" he asked.
"Show yourself!" Aragorn Demanded. The light disappeared and Gandalf appeared. I gasped. "It cannot be." Aragorn said. "Forgive me, I miss took you for Saruman." Legolas said as he bowed to him. "I am Saruman. Or rather Saruman as he should have been." He said. I walked towards him, I stopped when I reached him. Aragorn took a step towards us. "You fell." Aragorn said. "Through fire…and water. 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 mountain side. 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." He said.
"Gandalf." Aragorn said. Gandalf looked at him. "Gandalf? Yes. That was what they used to call me. Gandalf the Grey. That was my name." he said in realization. "Gandalf." Gimli said in relief. "I am Gandalf the White. And I have come back to you now…at the turn of the tide." He said. He motioned us to fallow behind him, and we did. "One stage of your journey is over, another begins." He said. I looked over my shoulder at Legolas. He looked to be deep in thought. I slowed down a bit and when I was beside him a nudged his shoulder and he looked up at me startled. "Don't go all inner thought on me. No point in being suspicious of him, it is the real Gandalf. I can feel it when I was next to him." I whispered into his ear. Legolas nodded his head and smiled at me.
"We must travel to Edoras with all speed." Gandalf said. "Edoras? That is no short distance." Gimli said confused. "We hear of trouble in Rohan. It goes ill with the King." Aragorn informed Gandalf. "Yes. And it will not be easily cured." Gandalf said. "Then we ran all this way for nothing? Are we to leave those poor Hobbits here…in this horrid, dark, dank tree infested-? Ah-ha, I mean, Charming…quiet charming forest." Gimli said as the forest started talking again. I shook my head at him and walked past him. "It was more than mere chance that brought Merry and Pippin to Fangorn. A great power has been sleeping here for many years. The coming of Merry and Pippin will be like the falling of small stones…that starts an avalanche in the mountains." Gandalf said. I could feel that great power fill the forest and it filled me.
"In one thing you have not changed, dear friend. You still speak in riddles." Aragorn said to Gandalf the both of them chuckled together. "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." He told us. "Strong?!" Gimli asked. "Oh, that's good." He said after a second pause. "So stop your fretting, Master Dwarf. Merry and Pippin are quiet safe. In fact, they are far safer than what you are about to be." Gandalf told him. I smirked. "This new Gandalf is more grumpy than the old one." Gimli said, causing me to giggle at him. We came to a field and Gandalf whistled. A whinny answered and a minute later a pure white horse came into view.
"That is one of the Mearas…unless my eyes are cheated by some spell." Legolas said. Startling me, he was so quiet that I had forgotten he was there, and I felt my cheeks warm when I noticed how close he was to me. The horse stopped in front of Gandalf. "Shadowfax. He is the lord of all horses…and has been my friend though many dangers." Gandalf said. I noticed that our two horses arrived as well and walked over to Aragorn who was on the brown horse, he held his hand out to me to help me up onto the horse. I took it gratefully. I looked over and saw that Legolas and Gimli were sharing the other white horse. After we were all settled we all rode away from the forest and towards Edoras.