I apologize once again for the long wait, but what can I say? We're all busy these days. ;) I wrote most of this in one day, so there may be some mistakes. Let me know if you spot anything.
I would like to give a special thank-you to all the loyal reviewers! You have inspired me to continue writing this tedious story. :) And as of chapter 12, you have made the 100th review possible! :) Thank you so much!
I would like to dedicate this chapter to the faithful and 100th reviewer, King Caspian the Seafarer! Thanks for all your support!
Btw, with everything getting so complicated, does anyone need a recap at the beginning of each chapter?
Now…on with the story!
Lucy's New Friend and Edmund's Old Enemy
The next morning Lucy rode alongside the marching Elves. She was talking to Beriadan who was walking beside her horse. It was a bright and sunny morning. They traveled across the plains of Rohan, heading in a direct line for Minas Tirith. The grass swayed lazily in the breeze and the ground rose and fell gently, creating rolling hills.
Beriadan had asked Lucy about Narnia and she had told him stories from defeating the White Witch, up to the time she had danced with Mr. Tumnus a few weeks ago at the ball that celebrated the end of the tournament. She also told him about her sister's new suitor, Rabadash.
"If you ask me my opinion, he has an ill favored look and displays rude behavior." She told Beriadan. "What about you? If it pleases you, tell me of Rivendell and of your family."
"Very well," he began to describe his country and tell her of the Elves and their customs. Soon after, he began telling her of his family. "I have a brother, who is some years older than myself. He has been in many more battles than I, but stayed behind this time to look after my mother and sister. My father came with me. Presently, I do not see him, but shall later introduce you to him."
"You said you have a younger sister?" Lucy raised her eyebrows in curiosity.
"Yes, actually, you remind me of her. You resemble each other in personality." He replied, smiling up at her.
"Really?" Lucy beamed. "What's her name?"
"Mellimeldisiel. I call her Mel for short." He said. "She is dear to me and I would give up my life for her."
"It seems as if you two are close to each other." Lucy stated with a sad smile.
"We are the best of friends. She gave me this pendant to remind me of her when I am away." He showed Lucy a delicate necklace that he wore underneath his tunic. It was made out of the purest gold and was heart shaped with a tiny diamond in the center. He studied the young queen's face. "You seem melancholy. Is something wrong?"
"You remind me of my older brother." She replied, a transparent tear trailing down her cheek. "I really miss him."
"You must be anxious for him." Beriadan said sympathetically.
"Yes," Lucy sniffed, pulling out her handkerchief. "It's frightening to know that my brother is out there somewhere and could be facing danger."
--
The sun glittered across the dewy grass as the ruins of Isenguard lay on the horizon. Edmund and Peter trotted alongside the hobbits' ponies; Gandalf riding ahead of the small company.
"Who did you say lived here, Gandalf?" Frodo inquired, spurring his bay pony to a slow canter as they approached the crumbling entrance.
"The Ents have been our friends for a long while. They are slow and steady creatures that live among the trees of Fangorn." Gandalf stated fondly.
"What are they like?" Edmund wondered out loud.
"You shall soon find out."
Upon entering the deteriorating gates of Isenguard, they found nothing inhabiting the immediate area. Nothing stirred in the rumble of the destroyed city.
As the Pevensie Kings rode through the once glorious city they looked around. Gray pillars that once stood proud against the blue sky had turned to dust. Rotting wood and a decaying tree littered the grounds. Small buildings sagged under the weight of their collapsing roofs. A crow cawed as he took flight, searching for food.
"Well, this is no good." Sam muttered as he cringed at the eerily silent tower that stood directly before them. "No food, nothing, nobody. At least…I hope."
"What are we going to do, Gandalf?" Frodo inquired as they halted. "There's no one here."
Gandalf thought for a moment, and then spoke. "I shall go look for Treebeard near his home. Sam and Edmund will join me. You and Peter will stay here with the horses and watch for any activity. If you see one of the Ents, ask them where Treebeard is and tell them you have come with me." The wizard dismounted in one sweeping motion and turned back towards the gates. "Come, Edmund, Sam. Time is costly. We must be swift." He took off on a march, his strides covering about two lengths of a man's normal stride.
Edmund waved farewell and pursued, matching the pace. Sam didn't even look back and trotted as fast as he could in order to keep up. Soon they were walking through the gates.
"But Gandalf," Frodo called. "What do Ents look like?" Unfortunately, Gandalf was out of earshot. "Gandalf?" Frodo yelled.
"Well," Peter said. "I guess we will have to wait and see what comes to us."
--
"Hurry up, Sam." Edmund huffed, lagging behind in order to let the hobbit catch up with him.
"You don't have to be so mean about it." Sam puffed. "I have short legs you know."
In a minute, the trio reached the forest. Gandalf stopped and waited a moment for the young men to join him. "Welcome, to the edge of Fangorn Forest. Keep your whit about you; it is quite easy to get lost in a place like this."
Edmund nodded, peering into the dark wood. He wasn't sure who they were going to meet, but he felt comfortable being in the forest.
On the other hand, Sam eyed the trees warily. "Do we have to go in there?"
"Buck up, Sam, and be a man." Edmund snorted, moving forward again.
"I'm not a man." Sam said indigently. "I'm a hobbit."
The king rolled his eyes and jogged ahead. He had to admit that it was darker among the trees than he had thought. Thick moss and shrubbery covered the majority of the forest floor. They jumped a small brook and Edmund tripped a root about as big as a horse's neck.
"Look who's the clumsy one." Sam smirked, leaping over the root.
Ignoring the comment, Edmund said. "How far is it to Treebeard's house?"
"Many leagues," Gandalf replied, quickening his pace.
By now both Edmund and Sam were running behind the wizard. They leapt over fallen logs, small bushes, and enormous roots. The sunlight tried hard to filter through the thick canopy of boughs, failing to provide any light.
"I wonder if these trees have dryads." Edmund wondered out loud.
"Now you're speaking nonsense." Sam spat, sprinting to catch up with the Narnian king. "Believing that dryads are real is hogwash. They are just in legends."
"They are not." Edmund defended his people fiercely. "The dryad women are lovely and the men are strong and amazing soldiers. You need to get it into your dense head that some things that aren't real in some worlds, exist in others. Why do you think you have stories about dryads?"
"Dense? Who are you calling dense? If anything, it's the other way around." Sam argued, stopping defiantly.
Edmund growled through his teeth. "Are you accusing me of something?"
Sam wheezed. "My point has been proved."
"Of all the low and beastly things to say," Edmund's temper flared. He took a step towards the breathless hobbit.
They were about to get into a heated debate, but instantly they both realized something. "Where's Gandalf?" Sam was the first to verbalize the problem.
"I'm sure he's just through those trees." Edmund pointed straight ahead. "As the Great Narnian Woodsman, I will show you how it's done." Winking, he took the lead optimistic that he would shortly find Gandalf.
Sam showed his disapproval, but followed. As they plunged deeper into the forest it got darker, quieter, and creeper. A sense of caution, screamed an alarm in Edmund's head, but there was no way he would back down; not with Sam on his heels.
A calm walk, turned into a anxious jog. As Edmund's worry meter rose, so did his pace. Finally, he could hold his panic back no longer; he ran. Thrashing through the terrain, there was only one thing on his mind: Gandalf. He didn't even know what direction he was heading. All he knew was that he needed to either find the wizard or find the end of the wood in order to get his bearings.
Eventually, he ran out of lung capacity and slowed. He turned to Sam with a pale face.
"So, Great Woodsmen, where are we?" Sam flopped onto the forest floor, exhausted.
"W-we're," his voice quaked with lack of oxygen and fear, "lost." He admitted.
--
After spending all day looking for the "twin" hobbits, Legolas, Gimli, and Aragorn gave up their search. Discouraged, they met in the library to discuss a course of action.
"I think we need to try to find out about our enemy." Gimli suggested with a downcast face.
"How can we find things out, if we don't even know who our enemy is?" Aragorn said, great hopelessness washing over his emotions.
"Aragorn," Legolas said in a determined voice. "We can wait, give up, or search. We mustn't let our emotions control our deeds. Something needs to happen. I think we should gather every stronghold to us. We don't know who we are facing, but we need to be ready for battle."
Gimli leapt up. "I'll bring the dwarves!"
"And I will travel to Mirkwood and gather some archers." Legolas stood. "Aragorn, try to find out what you can about the enemy. We'll try to be back within the week."
"I will." A new hope stirred in the King of Gondor's heart.
In an hour both Legolas and Gimli were upon horses and trotting through the streets. Gimli had not wanted to ride a horse by himself, so after much arguing, Legolas came up the brilliant idea to send someone with him. They would ride together as far as Fangorn. After reaching the wood, they would turn their separate ways.
Later that evening, Aragorn ate dinner alone. "I must do something… but what?" He asked himself.
Finally, he decided it was best to send scouts out to see if he could find the whereabouts of his foe. He inspected the armory, had the captain of his soldiers drill his men, and he intensified the security of Minas Tirith.
--
Eowyn was riding along side Eomer and Faramir when Halindin galloped up from behind the company of horsemen. Eomer halted his troop. "What news do you bring, Captain?"
"A legion of Elves approach from the rear. They come swiftly and armed." He reported.
"How many are in their group?" Eomer inquired.
"At least several thousand," he stated. "Lord Elrond and Lady Galadriel are at the head of the company. A third rides with them, a young lady of noble aspects."
"Do you know who she is?" Faramir queried.
Halindin shook his head. "No, but with the things that have been going on, I wouldn't be surprised if she was some regal from another realm."
"Well, I suppose we will make camp early and see what comes of this new development." Eomer decided rapidly.
--
The sun set as the company of Elves reached the horsemen. Lord Elrond trotted through the encampment to Eomer's tent. He was announced and entered the pavilion immediately.
Eomer stood. "Welcome, Lord Elrond, what brings you to Rohan?"
"My company, along with Lady Galadriel's troop is passing through your country in order to reach Minas Tirith." Elrond stated simply. "A great war has been foreseen in our minds. That is our reason for marching to Minas Tirith."
"Mithrandir came to Edoras to give us the same warning. He commanded my horsemen and me to march to the city as well." Eomer informed him. "We are going in search of the two missing queens, and come with forces in case a battle does arise. You are welcome to join us."
"Where is Mithrandir at the moment?" Elrond inquired.
"He went with Sam, Frodo, Peter, and Edmund to get the Ents. He will be following us shortly."
"Peter and Edmund?" Elrond's eyebrows shot up.
"Yes, they are the Narnian kings that have come to look for their sister." Eomer said.
"Have you met them?"
Eomer nodded. "What about them?"
"We have their younger sister under our protection."
--
Lucy trotted through the strange camp, following Lady Galadriel. She stared at the buff horsemen watching them prepare food, groom their steeds, and chat around the flickering campfires. "Who are these people, Lady Galadriel?" She matched the pace of Galadriel's dapple gray mare.
"They are the people of Rohan; the country we are currently travelling through." She responded, spotting Elrond as he left Eomer's tent. "They are great horsemen and quite friendly." Trotting up to him, she inquired. "Are we to camp here tonight?"
"Yes," Elrond said, mounting his horse. "I have to talk to you once the group is settled."
They cantered back to the Elves to inform them of the plan. That evening things were busy. Lucy helped set up different pavilions, cooked food, and did other various chores to help out. She was so busy that she didn't have time to unsaddle her horse until after the sun went down.
Lifting the light saddle off of the mare's back, she set it on the ground and started rummaging through the saddlebags. "Where is that brush?" She muttered, trying to find the stiff brush.
"Is this it?" A gentle voice spoke up from behind her.
Whirling around, Lucy surveyed the tall lady that stood before her. A sword hung at her hip and her blond hair cascaded down her back. "Yes, thank you." Lucy smiled, taking the object from her hand.
"I'm Eowyn." She introduced herself. "Do you need help?"
"I don't think so." Lucy turned back to the horse. "It's nice to meet you. I'm Lucy Pevensie." She left off her title.
"Pevensie?" Eowyn walked up to the horse and patted its neck. "That name sounds oddly familiar..."
Lucy spun towards her new friend. "It does?"
"Yes, though I don't recall where I heard it." Eowyn dragged her fingers through her hair.
"You haven't happened to meet my sister or brothers have you?" Lucy inquired further, probing for information.
"It depends on what their names are."
"My sister is Susan," Lucy said, "And my brothers are Peter and Edmund."
Eowyn's eyes sparkled with excitement. "I've met Peter and Edmund."
"You have?" Lucy almost shouted. "Where? When?"
"They were in Edoras a few days ago." She said. "When we left for Minas Tirith, they went with Mithrandir to Isenguard."
Lucy's face clouded. "So, they aren't here?"
"No, I'm sorry." Eowyn whispered her sympathy.
Lucy sighed. "So close…and yet…so far." She tried to put a bright face on things. "Well, at least I know their safe. Thanks, Eowyn."
--
Rabadash watched the rocky valley that sprawled out before him. Beyond the gulley, he could see golden plains stretched as far as the eye could see. The bright morning sun chased away the shadows in the canyon, revealing the different colors among the rocks.
The night before he had slept in a barracks with several hundred soldiers, it had been horribly cramped and almost a sleepless night. Bats screeched and fluttered through the halls and into the open ended rooms. At dawn, the guards had been awoken by a dark sounding horn. Breakfast had consisted of a black mush that smelled foul and tasted slimy.
Has the Prince of Calormen watched for movement in the valley, he thought about how he was going to escape back into his own country. He began with planning a sneaky course of action.
"Lord Adrinnd has a Narnian prisoner, but won't tell me who it is. If I am to find out anything, I will have to find it out for myself." He decided.
Later, around lunch time, he was relieved from his post for a half an hour break. He quickly began scouting out the caves, deciding it would be too risky to try to go into Adrinnd's council room now.
He found many different barracks, a stable of sorts that held many different creatures that sent a chill down Rabadash's spine, and found the armory. After trying to find the dungeon for ten minutes, he went down a short hall and found a large pantry.
The shelves were stocked with fruits, vegetables, and barrels of different grains and wine. Several rotting carcasses hung from the ceiling which gave the dark place a sinister effect.
Rabadash grabbed an apple from a basket, ignoring the creepy animals. Near the end of the storage room, he found a smooth rock wall. He thought it strange because all the other walls were rough.
Looking around he spotted a small crack running up the polished stone. He shoved a barrel to the side to get a better view. It was a deep crevice carved into the wall. Glancing around, Rabadash spotted a tiny lever near the bottom of the crack. Pulling it, the prince held his breath.
A popping noise sounded as the stone scraped against the wall. The door slid back, revealing a passage. "By Tash! I wonder where this leads." Rabadash murmured, curious. His heart skipped a beat.
Suddenly, the sound of boots echoed off the hall. Instantly, Rabadash sprang into action. Reversing the lever, he closed the door and slammed the barrel back into place. He picked up the apple core he had dropped and leapt towards the apple basket, trying to act normal.
A moment later who would walk in but Prince Araakk. He stopped when he saw Rabadash. "What are you doing here?"
"Munching on an apple," he winced, knowing that didn't sound like the way he spoke.
"Well, get back to your post." He sneered.
Rabadash nodded and gladly walked back to his lookout.
--
"What is your plan, Pippin?" I asked quietly.
"When the guards come we can run out as fast as we can!" He whispered.
Merry rolled his eyes gravely. "It's going to take a lot more than that to get us out of here. Even if we did get past the guards, the other soldiers would be warned. Let's face it…we'll never get out of here alive."
Pippin's shoulders sagged, "Never mind."
"It's all right, Pip." I tried to encourage him.
"Wait a minute…" Arwen said slowly. "That might work!"
"How?" Merry queried skeptically.
"You're cloaks are Elvish, correct?" Arwen's voice rose.
"Yes, but I don't see how they will get us out of this place." Merry grumbled, crossing his arms.
"Have you forgotten the properties of the cloaks?" She gasped. "The cloaks can conceal you from our captors' eyes."
Merry's eyes glowed. "You're brilliant, Arwen! We can slip past the guards unnoticed. Pip and I can return to Minas Tirith to get Aragorn."
"Ah ha!" Pippin smiled. "When will this plan be carried out?"
"I think it should be tonight." Arwen glanced at me, looking for my approval.
"The sooner we get out of here, the better." I agreed.
--
When the guard came marching down the hall, we were ready. Arwen and I had bunched up our cloaks to make it look like Merry and Pippin were under the material. They were really under their own cloaks and couldn't be seen except for a tiny shadow someone could make out if they looked hard enough.
"Remember, Arwen, we have to stall him." I hissed, leaning close to her ear.
She nodded. "Let's hope he give us some sort of food tonight."
A single guard came into view; he was carrying a small bowl and cup. After unlocking the gate, he stepped in and was about to close the gate, when Arwen distracted him.
"Do you know what's going on?" She asked hastily. I assumed that was the only thing she could think of on short notice.
"What do you mean?" He squinted at her, hesitating at the door.
Arwen hesitated, so I jumped in. "What she means is what's going on with our capture. Has Aragorn come to retrieve us?"
"What?" He said again, clearly confused. "I don't know. Here." He slid the bowl and cup towards us, closed the door, and locked it. He stopped. "Where are the little ones?"
"Oh," I squeaked, motioning to the cloaks. "They are sleeping."
"Humph," he studied us suspiciously as we scrambled for the food and water. A minute later he was gone.
I breathed a sigh of relief. "Merry and Pippin are gone."
Arwen sniffed the bowl. "What is this stuff?" She took a small bite, using her finger and spit the black mush out. "That's disgusting."
"Why don't we share the water?" I suggested halfheartedly, losing my appetite.
--
Merry and Pippin ran through the caves tunnels, trying to find a way of escape. They kept to the shadows and kept their cloaks over their heads. Once in a while they would whisper to each other.
"Merry?"
"What is it, Pip?" He hissed as they stopped in an alcove.
"I'm starving." He rubbed his stomach.
"We're in a life threatening situation and all you can think about is your stomach?" Merry exclaimed, darting ahead. "When we get back to Minas Tirith, we'll eat."
They scuttled down the hall, finding the stable that Rabadash has been in only seven hours before. Gasping as something brayed loudly.
"What is it, Merry?" Pippin trembled.
"Let's take a look." Merry jumped up on some old crates that were lying near the large wooden door of one of the stalls.
A few soldiers milled around down the stall way, filling buckets with grain and other feeds. There were roughly thirty stalls of various sizes lining both sides of the hall. Huge torches lit each stall and a vast door stood at the end of the corridor.
Pippin scrambled up by Merry, holding his breath. Peering down in the dim light, he could just make out a four legged animal with a big head and floppy ears. He latched onto Merry's arm in fear. Merry lost his balance and fell off the crates, dragging Pippin with them. Their cloaks flew off and the soldiers at the end of the hall were alerted.
Merry was the first to recover from the fall. "Come on, Pippin!" He grabbed his friend's hand and dragged him to his feet. "We have to get out of here!"
They ran swiftly back down the passage and ran into another room. More soldiers spotted them, keeping them on the move. Sprinting down a long hall they flung one of the doors open and ran in.
The room was lit with a single torch and the room seemed deserted. Merry took the torch from its perch. "I think we lost them." He puffed.
Pippin wasn't listening, he was gazing around him. "Merry! We've stumbled upon a storage room… full of food!" He flew to the self and took three oranges.
"What luck!" Merry cried, grabbing a banana. They sat on the floor and munched on everything within reach.
Finally, Pippin said. "Now what do we do?"
"Pippin," Merry said gravely. "What do you recall seeing in that stable? Is it something you've seen before?"
"No, I don-, wait." Pippin thought hard. "I've seen them somewhere…but where?" He looked at Merry.
"They were Oliphaunts." Merry said earnestly. "Remember, the battle at Pelenor?"
"Oh, yes." Pippin took a bit of an apple. "That means…"
"That means Aragorn and all of Middle Earth are in trouble." Merry lowered his voice. "I don't know who the people are that own the Oliphaunts, but they don't mean to invite us to a tea party."
"We have to warn Aragorn!" Pippin jumped up.
The door flew open and startled the hobbits. A dark, muscular man entered and slammed the door shut. He glanced around and spotted the hobbits.
"Who are you?" He demanded in a gruff voice.
"W-we're hobbits." Merry spoke, taking a step back.
"Will you tell anyone that I've been here?" He inquired, stepping towards them with his hand on his sword hilt.
"N-no, w-we're trying to escape." Pippin blabbed fearfully.
"Escape?" The man stopped. "From who?"
"You." Pippin pointed.
"I don't intend to do you any harm. I'm here to find out information about something." He said. "I'm Rabadash; I hail from the great land of Calormen. I don't belong in Middle Earth, nor do I want to be here."
"Really?" Pippin peeped.
"Yes, now who are you and what are you doing here?" He commanded them to speak.
Pippin opened his mouth, but Merry jabbed him. "We are prisoners and have just escaped. We're trying to save two ladies, but we have to get back to Aragorn."
"Aragorn? Is that a city?"
"No, he's the King of Gondor. We have to warn him about this army, but we don't know how to get out." Merry said apprehensively.
"Oh?" Rabadash raised his eyebrow. "Are you now? I might be able to help you."
"Really?" Pippin burst.
"Yes, look." He walked to the back of the room. "There is a secret passage in here." He revealed the door way. "I don't know where it leads, but I assume you can get out of this wretched place."
Merry and Pippin darted for the door. "Thanks." They flew past him.
"Wait!" He called, but they had already disappeared down the dark corridor. "Who are the ladies you are trying to save?" He finished quietly. He almost decided to follow them, but thought it best to stay where he was in case those ladies needed a strong hero to save them.
--
The hobbits wasted no time in escaping from Rabadash. They didn't know who he was, but they didn't want to be discovered by anyone else.
"We made it Pippin!" Merry trotted down the passage. "We're free!"
After winding through the hall they found a door. Finding the lever, they threw it back and blinked from the bright sunlight.
--
"Well, I suppose we will have to wait." Peter dismounted his steed.
"I guess so." Frodo nodded.
"Why don't we set up camp?"
An hour later they had a small tent set up just outside of Isenguard. A fire was snapping and hissing, casting long shadows on the grass. The sun was setting as Peter fried several pickled fish.
Frodo was near the forest gathering dead logs for the fire. He picked up another branch when he heard something behind him. He turned and saw a band of goblins stalking towards him. Dropping the wood, he ran. "Peter!" He yelled.
Peter glanced towards his friend who was tearing across the field. Instantly, he hopped on his horse, grasping Frodo's pony by the reins and galloped to retrieve his friend. Picking the hobbit up by his shirt collar he helped him climb aboard his pony.
"Run Frodo!" He called over his shoulder, spurring his horse onward, towards the threatening enemy. His sword flew out of his sheath and plunged into the nearest villain. He fought valiantly, but was clearly outnumbered.
"Peter! Over here!" Frodo shouted from the edge of the wood.
Peter made an effort to reach the haven but couldn't. He was knocked off his horse and fell to the hard ground. His sword flew end over end and stuck in a tree. He looked up and saw a goblin gloating over him; his evil eyes gleaming.
"Aslan," the High King groaned, "help me."