Author's Notes: Here again. I hope you like the story so far. Please reveiw and la-di-da because I don't know what to write in today's Author's Notes.
A Curse Lifted
No nightmares came. I woke up at sunrise with blurred eyes. It had been too warm to sleep under the covers. A figure stood in the corner a deadly silence fell on the city. My heart jumped from my chest.
A yelp came from my mouth. "Out! Get out!" I shouted jumping from the bed and reaching to pick a letter opener that sat on the bedside table. "Out! Unless you want this to slit your throat because I will not hesitate to do so, you foul snake!" I shrieked, probably waking up half of the sleeping citizens of Edoras.
Grima skulked out.
What a creep! First distressing Eowyn and now me. Lord, I felt sorry for any maid working for the King. "If you dare come near me or Eowyn again, Grima. I will burn you where you stand!" I shouted with the purest of hate as I slammed the door and locked it tightly shut. I kept the key in the door making it impossible for anyone to use their key to get in. I put on my leather coat and my boots.
That was wrong, no man should watch a woman sleep unless they were family member, a lover or in my case the rest of Six Nighthunters when we stopped over in the den. Even then we'd set up a thick curtain separating me from the boys if I needed privacy.
'Tara! What's happened? I'm only hunting, nothing bad has happened' Horus asked with worry in my head.
I did not answer straight away, I was still in shock. 'That sneak is a sick minded creep' I pulled my hair into a loose left sided bun.
Then I looked at the wounds on my wrist. As I had expected they had been replaced by fresh plump skin, overnight. I felt sorry for Mortals, they had to heal over long periods of time and they got scars even if they cut their leg in a minir fall. Immortals did not scar unless it is a Keeper Mark or Nymph scar. Then again like Mortals if we have a limb cut off, we will never grow another limb to replace it. My uncle, Lord Knox did not regrow top of his index finger on his left hand, it remained a stump.
I sat in thought at the table. I looked at the burning candles into the flickering orange fire. Was Frodo going to make it? With the Ring went into it's owner's hands the fate of Middle Earth would be doomed, maybe Valinor would be doomed too. Just the idea of the Valar and Varda being helpless sent shivers down my back. If the boarders of my kingdom failed I would not know what to do. I was no person to make battle plans, I could understand defence but offence that was another matter. Old battle games with friends were different to reality. Back then you didn't need to worry about numbers, stores, weapons and so on.
I got up picked up a piece of parchment and a quill. In deep black ink I wrote upon it in my script that still after over 2 centuries and a few decades wasn't classed as the writing of woman of the court. It was small with deathly precise angles without any sort of slant and a mix between join up and printed.
In this script I wrote:
'Dear Lord Elrond,
Saruman has bewitched the King Theoden of Rohan. The Ring heads South with Frodo and I think Sam may have gone too, he is loyal to his master. Boromir has fallen. Pippin and Merry are missing. The Fellowship has parted and broken.
Yours sincerely, Tara Stormhold'
I signed off the letter with my signature and held the letter over the candel. It turned grey then into ash it flew out of the window caught in the wind. I got to my feet and blew out the candle. I walked from the room to where I had sat the day before. The wind was today, blowing the flags to and through in violent whips and gusts.
I sat down looking at the plains with watchful eyes. Three horses ran across the plains coming from the North East, wherer laid Fangorn Forest in thick mist and rainclouds. One white horse bore two riders that were both different heights by a considerable amount, another brown horse bore one rider with black hair and the last bore a man all dressed in white with a snowy trailing beard blowing in the wind.
Hands gripped my shoulders tightly and pulled my arms behind my back. I huffed as I was pulled by force to my feet. "You ruffians need to learn how to be a bit less rough" I mumbled. There was no point in fighting unless I wished for my own execution to come a little quicker, if that was what was going to happen.
Dragged into the halls with my boots scuffing on the floor. I heard Horus squawking. I looked up and saw Horus in a iron cage. Each of the bars had inscriptions in them of fire. 'Calm down, Horus' I told him. 'Those will burn you if you conjure up fire'
The King was sat asleep. Grima stood proudly at his side holding the iron cage. "Pride is man's worse enemy and it comes before the fall, Grima. I hope you remember that." I said looking at him holding Horus's cage. My voice was cold and heartless but I couldn't hide my sarcasm. I smirked.
"My sources say they saw you commit a crime that is frowned upon in this land. Infact you broke two laws. The first was witchcraft and the second was treason against the King." He said as he put the cage down and walked forward.
I laughed, ok maybe that was uncalled for. "Treason? I am afraid you missing the universal definition of Treason. You have to be from the country in question or be trying to kill the sovereign of state. Both of which I am innocent. Oh and you accuse me of Witchcraft? Never have Nymphs been able to conjure such a terroble thing, but you? You know all about that Grima, or is the Tongue you whisper your poison in, an old language long forgotten. I think not. So think first before accuse an innocent person who can recall the book of Laws backwards of crimes which that cannot and would not commit." I smiled before I was dropped to the ground. My body was thrown down in such a manner, that it seemed to other's that I was praying with my palms flat against the cold ground. "Coward, he's playing you like a toy solider, Grima. Once your deeds are done he will stab you in your crocked back and let you die like a the snakes you are" I muttered.
Feet pushed down on my back. "We could break your spine, make you crawl all the way back to your horrid kingdom or we could take you to my master, he'll be crueler. Wait, we could kill your stupid bird. I heard it can turn a Keeper mad if you kill their Phoenix."
They dragged me up again even rougher than the last time. "Yes and I could rip your throat out, has it not occurred to you yet that Saruman might want his prisoner sane and intact?" I pauced and looked at the King. I saw Saruman's eyes flickering behind Theoden's eyes. "Oi, Saruman! I know you can hear this! You damned by the free people, Sauron and your even damned by the people who were once your allies! When this ends I hope you have a list because you'll have to repent for over a decade until you revive forgiveness from us and Nature!"
I blanked out for a second. I saw what was coming in the next seconds. Behind the door was Aragorn, Gandalf as the White Wizard and Legolas.
I came back and smiled. I put my legs wide so each of my feet were behind each of the Ruffian's legs. I lifted my right and kneed the Ruffian on my right into the back of his knee. There was horrid crunching sound. The same thing happened to the Ruffian on my left. They both fell like rocks clutching their knees and sobbing like small children.
The doors behind me opened. Grima suddenly went to Theoden's acting like an innocent bystander. He kicked Horus's cage to me. I melted the lock and freed him. He flew a circle then landed on my shoulder, glaring at Grima. "My lord, Gandalf the Grey is coming. He's a herald of woe" He whispered to the King.
"The courtesy of your hall is somewhat lessened of late, Theoden King" Gandalf spoke hobbling in leaning on his new white staff.
Another group of Ruffians made their way from the shadows ready to attack Gandalf. Grima muttered another poisonous sentence into the withered King's ear. Saruman began to talk from Theoden's lips. "Why should I welcome you, Gandalf Stormcrow?"
Grima smiled and patted the King on the shoulder then walked towards Gandalf. "A just question, my liege. Late is the hour in which this conjurer chooses to appear. Lathspell I name him. Ill news is an ill guest."
Gandalf stood tall above Grima. He looked down upon the snake. "Be silent. Keep your forked tongue behind your teeth. I have not passed through fire and death to bandy crooked words with a witless worm." He leant off his staff revealing it to Grima how cowered back and shouted at the Ruffians.
"His staff. I told you to take the wizard's staff." He shouted and screamed at the Ruffians who closed in on Gandalf only to be stopped by his friends.
One ran up from my left. I stood in a side ways stance then hopped. My back foot slammed into his ribs and he fell to the floor unable to breath.
"Tara! Behind you!" Legolas shouted as he punched the person behind in the face and lifted his elbow up causing it to slam into the Ruffian's jaw.
There was indeed someone behind me. It was Grima. I curtsied, Grima looked at me rather confused by my action. Taking his pause as I chance to make my move, I kicked him in the groin. "That wad for Rohan and this is for myself" I then pushed him back. He lost his balance whilst cringing and holding onto what little manhood he had left and fell back onto the floor.
Gimli put one foot onto his chest. "I would stay still if I were you because I think you've annoyed a very fiery Nymph" I looked Gimli in surprise. Had he really just called me by the correct name of my kin?
Gandalf made his way forward to the King. "Theoden, son of Thengel. Too long have you sat in the Shadows. Hearken to me! I release you from the spell." Gandalf held up his hands and closed his eyes like he was pushing against a invisible barrier.
The withered King laughed. "You have no power here, Gandalf the Grey." He scolded at Gandalf with a wrinkled smile.
Gandalf tossed aside his grey cloak revealing a robe of pure white. The hair of King Theoden stood on end. He seemed to be thrown back by the brilliant light. "I will draw you, Saruman, as poison is drawn from a wound." Gandalf spoke with a power that few had ever seen in him.
Eowyn bursted into the room and went to run to her uncle's side only up be held back by Aragorn.
Saruman voice came threw Theoden's mouth. "If I go, Theoden dies." He warned with his evil eyes in Theoden's eye sockets.
Gandalf strove forward, now standing two metered away from the King's feet. "You did not kill me and you will not kill him."
"Rohan is mine!" Saruman shouted at the top of his lungs.
"Be gone" Gandalf held up his hands once more.
Theoden slumped in his chair. Eowyn ran forwards and knelt in front of her uncle, holding his hand that had began to become young again. Like time had gone back again we watched in wonder as withered cliff became a rock face badly scratched or missing pieces. His hair as had shortened and gone back to the sandy blond hair of Rohan's Heirs. The cataracts in his eyes disappeared. The wrinkles faded with only a few staying around his mouth and on his forehead that were less defined than the once he had whilst under the enchantment.
"I know your face. Eowyn. Eowyn." He looked down at his niece with joy. Then at Gandalf with disbelief. "Gandalf?"
Gandalf chuckled to himself then bowed to the King. "Breathe the free air again, my friend."
Thèoden got to his feet with a little stumbled but Eowyn kept him up straight laughing with happiness. "Dark have been my dreams of late" He fumbled with his hands like an old man but their were young hands not wrinkled dark hands, tormented by arthritis from old age.
"Your fingers would remember their old strength better if they grasped your sword." Gandalf spoke as he turned to Hama who held the King's broadsword.
The King pulled out the blade and looked at it as of remembering something. His eyes fell on Grima, whom was being sat on by Gimli.
Guards threw the wretched snake out of the Hall and down the stairs. I followed closely behind Legolas as the King was in closey behind Grima walking without a fault in his step down the stairs.
"I've only ever served you, my lord" He cowered with Theoden's blade pointing at his throat.
"Your witchcraft would have had me crawling on all fours like a beast!" Thèoden spat as a crowd gathered in the village square.
"Send me not from your sight" he begged with no prevail. Thèoden raised his mighty sword above his head.
I covered my eyes, I never liked the idea of execution and I never would even if it was that worm on the chopping block.
Aragorn ran out and stopped the King with words none expected. "No, my lord! Let him go. Enough blood has been spilt on his account."
Grima got to his feet and ran. He ran like a deer from a hunter through the village shouting for people to get out of his way.
"Hail, Theoden King!" Hama shouted. Everyone knelt before the King with their heads down. Even Hous managed to bow to the King whilst being perched on my arm.
Thèoden looked around as if confused for moment. Then words came from his mouth that left everyone with a heavy chest. "Where is Theodred? Where is my son?"