Author's Notes: Sorry for the wait and how short it is. I hope to hear what you think.

The Speed At Which Disaster Travels

The celebrations soon ended and people began to leave for their homes or set down mats in the hall to sleep on. The floor of the room was now a labyrinth of men sleeping soundly lost in their dreams. The women either were made to leave for their homes with their husbands or brothers. Eowyn left for her room and I left for the one given to me so I could have a wash.

After washing and changing into some clothes and left my room and went out onto the battlements where I sat down and looked at the stars. I was so entranced by these delicate bright stars that I did not notice Legolas come out and sit next next to me.

The hood of his cloak was over his head, protecting his neck from the cold night air. "You should see the stars from the peaks of Mirkwood, now that is a brilliant sight." He murmured looking over in the direction of his home.

I smiled. "Yes and you should see sun set or rise behind the hills of Ashmoor after on a clear winters night." I paused before asking a random question about his homeland. "How's the Spider problem anyway?"

Legolas shrugged his shoulders. "The usual, however they seem to be declining in numbers or leaving for the southern and eastern lands. They still don't dare to come near any Elf settlements but they do still attack small groups of people and travellers."

I nodded, following his words. It was good news to hear that the numbers of spiders were declining in their numbers or leaving for other lands where there are few inhabitants. His hand wrapped round mine as I rested my head on his shoulder.

The air suddenly seemed to get hotter. I became anxious of a danger riding towards us from the South East, from Sauron's Tower. Aragorn walked round the corner puffing at his pipe. The stars were now veiled by a sea of thick clouds.

"The stars are veiled. Something stirs in the East, a sleepless malice." Legolas mused watching the sky with a face of angst.

A blazing eyes flashed before my eyes, followed by a searing pain in my head as it glowed at me.

"Tara! What is it? What can you see?" Legolas pleaded keeping a tight grip on my hand.

I looked up at his face and relaxed, I was not in Mordor, I was safe with my friends and loved one. "The eye of the enemy is moving, he looks to us now." A terrible scream and shout raised from inside.

A cold breath of wind ran down the moors and into the hall. Upon this wind was the voice of Sauron speaking words that sent cold shivers down my spine. "I see you."

Aragorn was oblivious to this voice but the sharp ears of Elves and Nynphs could catch those dark words, that would haunt me till the die he died.

We rushed to our feet and burst into the hall. Pippin stood shaking in the middle on the room, his hands were gripped round the Palantir. A yellow tinged light came from the Palantír and lit up his face of terror. His eyes were wide and his body convulsed in pain.

Horus was sat up rubbing his eyes in his human like form which at the moment he seemed to prefer over his bird form. "I told him not to bloody touch it." Horus huffed irritably and got to his feet, shaking his hair out of his eyes.

Gandalf stirred in the corner, his eyes flashed open. With huffs abs puffs he got to his old feet.

Pippin fell to floor in some sort of spasm in his nerves. He became rigid like some witchcraft had turned him to stone.

Aragorn took the Palantír from Pippin and struggled with it briefly before dropping it to the ground. Horus jumped away from its path, and I darted with Legolas so it rolled through the gap between us.

Gandalf suddenly pounced at the Palantír bringing it to the stop. Quickly, he wrapped the ball in his cloak and covered it to the world.

I darted over to Pippin and knelt by his side. He was laid there paralysed with his eyes shut. He uttered words that were impossible to understand. However he did utter some words that were as clear as day. Those words were "No", "Never" and "Death"

Gandalf came over after handing the Palantír shrouded in his cloak to Horus who held it timidly as if it would explode in his hands at any moment.

He checked over Pippin and murmured a incantation under his breath.

Pippin's eyes flashed open."Gandalf? Forgive me?" He blurted out with a weak voice. His eyes shut again.

Gandalf slapped him on the cheek. "Look at me! What did you see?"

"A tree, there was a white tree in a courtyard of stone. It was dead.

The city was burning." Pippin spoke quietly looking into the distance, reliving the memory.

He was describing Minas Tirith, the capital city of Gondor and what would become the front fort of battle.

"I saw him. I saw him, Gandalf" Pippin pleaded.

"And what did you tell him? Speak!" Gandalf demanded with wide eyes.

"He asked me my name. I didn't answer. He hurt me!" Pippin curled up in a fetal position, as if he was protecting himself from unseen whips.

"What did you tell him about Frodo and the Ring?" Gandalf asked.

Pippin gulped and did not answer. After this Gandalf demanded that we all got some sleep.

When I woke in the morning and got sorted, I left to go see the King with everyone else in the hall.

The King sat on his throne. Gandalf say by his side where Grima used to sit. Pippin and Merry were sat upon the steps, talking to each other. Legolas was sat with everyone at the table looking down at the broth Eowyn had made for everyone. Elrohir wrinkled his nose as he stirred it up and it's horrid aromas rose into his face.

Horus was sat up the rafter, furthest away from the putrid aromas, coming from the bowls of broth. A mouse tail hung out of his beak. I cringed, his meal choice was horrid. I sat down beside Legolas and moved the my bowl over to Elladan who must've had no taste buds or sense of smell. Actually he was always the one that won at dares involving eating something disgusting, sometimes sickness inducing.

"There was no lie in Pippin's eyes. A fool but an honest fool he remains. He told Sauron nothing of Frodo and the Ring. We've been strangely fortunate. Pippin saw in the Palantir a glimpse of the enemy's plan. Sauron moves to strike the city of Minas Tirith.

His defeat at Helm's Deep showed our enemy one thing" Gandalf paused and looked at Aragorn.

"He knows the Heir of Elendil has come forth. Men are not as weak as he supposed. There is courage still. Enough, perhaps, to challenge him. Sauron fears this. He will not risk the peoples of Middle Earth uniting under one banner. He will raze Minas Tirith to the ground before he sees a King return to the throne of men. If the beacons of Gondor are lit Rohan must be ready for war."

Thèoden scoffed to himself. "Tell me! Why should we ride to the aid of those who did not come to ours? What do we owe Gondor?" He asked with anger in his voice.

I sighed. This was typical in any King or Ruler. I myself knew my pride was a let down, but Valar was it worse for the Rulers of Men.

Elladan spoke up. "Well you owe them quite a lot. The are still the first line of defence the lands' of the Free People still have. They've already lost many men by Sauron's hands."

Thèoden glared at Elladan for standing up to him and left to go to his chambers so he could speak with his nephew, Èomer.

Gandalf made arangments for him and Pippin to leave for Minas Tirith, so it wasn't long before I was watching them ride away on Shadowfax.