Pippin's Plight
Rosalie watched the blonde blur of Legolas turn around a corner, and contemplated her decisions. What did he mean Sauron is here? He was being metaphorical right? Well, even then it's so not good. She jumped up, heading after him. She ignored the weird stares as she raced past people; she was used to the judgement of alien strangers.
Legolas was in front of her, rushing down familiar corridors and her heart took a plunge. Isn't the Fellowship staying in these rooms? She gulped. Saruman had that rock that Pippin liked. Oh God Pippin, what have you done? Rosalie ran in, knocking straight into the elf who was staring down in horror at the floor. She peeked around him and gasped.
The small Hobbit was having a seizure on the floor, hands clenched around the Saruman's orb, burning golden. He shook rapidly, Merry stood by to the side screaming. Aragorn ripped the orb from Pippin's hands, sinking to the ground when he did, face screwed up in pain. Merry was screaming, and so was Rosalie. The other Hobbit was lying down, unconscious, eyes wide and glazed over in an expression of fright. The girl sucked in a breath, trembling. "Pippin?" She whispered. Please don't be dead, please don't be dead, please don't be dead.
The screams had awoken Gandalf, a white flash of hope as he appeared behind Aragorn. The ranger let go of the rock, and it rolled across the floor. Rosalie jumped as something loomed inside of it. A dark slit writhing in flames burned inside. A shiver went down her spine and something tapped at her head. As if something or someone was in there with her. The girl stiffened, squeezing her eyes shut. Oh God, get out! She screamed, wanting the thing to take heed and leave. It chuckled darkly and she wanted to vomit.
The wizard threw a blanket over the sphere and it stopped rolling, the darkness in her mind clearing. Aragorn panted, on his knees, sweat dripping down his face. Gandalf turned to Rosalie. Merry's broken whisper startled them all. "Pippin?"
Everyone turned to the little Hobbit in the centre of the room. The girl sucked in a breath, unconsciously clutching at the closest arm. It belonged to Legolas. Pippin's body was still. He didn't look like he was breathing.
Merry ran to his side, shaking his body. "Pippin!" It was painful to listen to him. Rosalie's grip tightened.
"Fool of a Took!" The wizard cursed, throwing the smaller Hobbit aside. Gandalf kneeled beside Pippin, murmuring under his breath, running a gentle hand over the Hobbit's face. Pippin sucked in a breath, and Rosalie and Merry did the same in relief. He gasped, struggling to take a breath, but the wizard held him down. "Pippin!" Merry exclaimed happily, and Rosalie's hand relaxed on the elf's arm.
Wild blue eyes spun around the room, but the wizard stopped them in their track. "Look at me," Gandalf commanded, and Pippin focused on him. His breath was fast and shaky.
"Gandalf," he gasped, "forgive me." Rosalie frowned at the Hobbit's words. You stupid Hobbit, don't touch evil people's ex-property. It's common sense! She thought, but she knew that the wizard would forgive him. In time at least.
The wizard's face grew grim. "Look at me." The command was loud, and he didn't shout, but Rosalie still flinched at his tone. "What did you see?"
Across the room, the ranger had gotten to his feet, and was holding back the other Hobbit. Merry's tears had dried, his friend still alive but Aragorn stared down at Pippin, expressionless and the girl gulped. Behind them all, Gimli still snored, oblivious to all.
"A tree. There was a white tree, in a courtyard of stone." The girl frowned at the Hobbit's description, but the elf and the ranger both stiffened, exchanging glances. Legolas and Aragorn mouthed something to each other, nodding in time. Rosalie frowned at both of them, but neither were giving her anything. "It was dead, it was burning." Pippin whispered hoarsely.
Gandalf took a deep breath through his nose, staring down impassively at the little Hobbit that was still shaking though he was getting calmer. "Minas Tirith," the wizard mumbled, and Rosalie stiffened, glancing slyly at Aragorn. Legolas had informed her all about Minas Tirith – it was where Boromir was from, and closest kingdom to Mordor. The elf nudged her, not too gently, a warning to quit her staring. Rosalie snapped back, flushing a little. She knew Aragorn knew; they both just pretended he didn't. "Is that what you saw?" He asked quietly, and Pippin nodded.
"I saw..." His voice faltered, and tears began to pool. He blinked them away quickly. "I saw him." He whispered. The atmosphere in the room dropped by ten degrees, but not as far as Rosalie's stomach plummeted at his words. Him? Does he mean he heard the same person I did? "I could hear his voice in my head," the Hobbit sobbed.
The girl panicked. I could hear him as well, but I wasn't touching it. Why? Why me? What's gonna happen to me? What's gonna happen to Pippin? Gandalf grabbed his shoulders. "And what did you tell him?" Pippin faltered, and the wizard shook him. "Speak!" Gandalf shouted.
"He asked me my name." Pippin said, staring straight at the wizard. "I didn't answer," he quickly added, then winced. "He hurt me."
"What did you tell him about Frodo and the ring?" Gandalf asked demandingly. Pippin shook his head helplessly, clenching his eyes shut. The wizard shook him harder. "What did you tell him about Frodo and the ring?!"
Gandalf pulled himself off the floor, staring down at the Hobbit below. Merry fought against Aragorn's iron grip but Rosalie knew he would never win. The wizard hoisted Pippin up, shuffling him out of the room. They were all silent. Merry was the one to break it. "Where's he takin' Pippin?" He asked quietly. The ranger gulped but didn't answer. The girl had moved back to the wall, biting her lip, staring blankly at the floor. Gandalf returned silently.
"Where d'you take Pippin?" Merry repeated. Gandalf sent him a look and sighed heavily. He rubbed a hand over his face wearily.
"He is in another room. Sauron was in his mind. I cannot risk it." Was the wizard's reply. Rosalie gulped, eyes widening as she stared down at the floor. Should I tell him? What would he do to me? But if I don't, I put everyone else at risk. No, I have to.
"I could hear him," she mumbled, and in front of her, Legolas and Aragorn stiffened. Gandalf looked up at her. "He was laughing in my head," Rosalie rubbed her arms self-consciously. "And I panicked and kicked it out, I think." They all stared at her impassively.
"Did you touch it?" Aragorn asked her seriously, and the girl shook her head.
"Are you sure?" Gandalf cut in, and she nodded. The wizard stared at her, but she stood her ground, even if she itched to move. "Did he speak to you? Ask you anything? Did you tell him anything? Anything at all?"
Rosalie shook her head, the panic rising again. "No, he just laughed, and it felt... weird and awful and it made me feel shaky and weak. So I just tried to shut him out, and then when you threw the blanket over it, it just stopped."
The wizard nodded slowly, but it felt forced and awkward. Rosalie let out a breath she hadn't realised she was holding. Legolas was glaring away from her. The girl frowned sadly. "I think I'm going to call it a night." She muttered, and the wizard nodded.
"Perhaps it is best if we all do that."
In the morning, Gandalf called a meeting. Rosalie met with her friends in the Great Hall at Meduseld, the decorations from last night's celebrations gone. Théoden was rubbing his chin, looking down at Pippin who stood alone in the centre of the room, the wizard walking back and forth between him and the King.
"There was no lie in Pippin's eyes." The wizard's voice boomed in the semi-empty hall. "A fool, but an honest fool he remains. He told Sauron nothing of Frodo and the ring. We've been strangely fortunate." Éomer frowned at Gandalf's words, glancing between the wizard and the hobbit. "Pippin saw in the Palantir a glimpse of the enemy's plan. Sauron plans to strike the city of Minas Tirith." Beside her, Aragorn sucked in a quiet breath. Gandalf glanced around the room, eyes meeting with the king, Éomer and Gamling expectantly. "His defeat at Helms Deep showed the enemy one thing – he knows the heir of Elendeir has come forth; men are not as weak as he supposed. There is courage still, strength enough perhaps to challenge him."
Théoden looked away from the wizard when their blue eyes made contact. "Sauron fears this. He will not risk the people 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." Gandalf's voice never wavered, showing his seriousness in every word, and Rosalie shivered as those bright blue eyes joined with hers. This isn't good, not at all. Around the room, the men of Rohan and riders of the Rohirrim looked to their leader. The king drew in a breath, glancing around at his audience before looking at the wizard.
"Tell me, why should we ride to the aid of those who did not come to ours?" Théoden asked the wizard mockingly, bitterness oozing into every word. "What do we owe Gondor?" Rosalie gulped as she glared at the King. What? And you will let them die as well then? You cannot be so heartless? She looked away from him, annoyed that the elf had stepped forward to obscure her view of the King, or perhaps to stop him from seeing her.
Aragorn glared at Théoden as well, though not as obviously as the girl beside her. "I will go," the ranger stated, both he and the wizard ignoring the King's questions.
"No." Gandalf said bluntly, and Aragorn reared back a little.
"But they need to be warned," he argued, and Rosalie glanced at him. She'd never seen him talk back to the white wizard. Though this time, she could understand why.
"They will be." Gandalf promised. The ranger raised an eyebrow in defiance, and the wizard sighed. "You must come to Minas Tirith by another road, follow the river, and look to the black ships." He said cryptically, and Rosalie fought the urge to roll her eyes. Can you not for once tell us what we have to do properly? All the stupid little riddles are infuriating! She thought angrily, shifting her weight from one foot to the other. Gandalf eyed each one of them carefully. "Understand this; things are now in motion that cannot be undone. I ride for Minas Tirith, and I won't be going alone." He looked down to the little Hobbit on his right, and sensing him, Pippin looked up, the tiniest glimmer of fear in his eyes.
Gandalf turned and stalked out of the hall, disregarding the dark scowl that Théoden sent him. Everyone watched him go, but once he reached the doors, he looked back directly at Pippin and jolted his head to the side. The Hobbit raced to catch up with him. Merry ran to catch up with Pippin, though didn't greet cheerily like he usually did. Rosalie watched them leave with a pained expression as she followed after them at a slower pace. Things had become awkward and strange with Legolas which was understandable, but she didn't want to spend prolonged periods of time with him at the moment because of it. It wouldn't be as bad if he didn't keep blanking me every time we meet or we're in the same room as each other, she thought huffily, crossing her arms.
"Of all the inquisitive Hobbits Peregrin Took, you are the worst. Hurry, hurry!" Gandalf shouted to the pair behind him, not bothering to look back. Quickly, Rosalie caught up with the Hobbits, walking just behind them. Pippin looked up at her, but all she could do was smile weakly, not encouraging in any way. The Hobbit returned it before turning back to his friend.
"Where are we going?" Pippin asked. Merry just shook his head, scowling almost as darkly as Théoden had. He refused to look at his friend.
"Why did you look?" Merry demanded, turning to glare at the other little Hobbit. "Why do you always have to look?" Rosalie watched the two of them, silently agreeing with Merry.
Pippin sighed, looking at each in turn helplessly. "I don't know, I can't help it." He replied sadly. Merry quickened his pace.
"You never can."
Pippin ran to catch up with his friend. "I'm sorry alright! I won't do it again." He promised and Merry whirled around, frowning, forehead wrinkled deeply and his eyebrows had mashed together.
"Don't you understand?" Merry hissed, and Pippin recoiled. "The enemy thinks you have the ring. He's going to be looking for you Pip." Merry's eyes darted everywhere. "They have to get you out of here."
Pippin gulped, shocked and scared, staring after the other Hobbit that had continued walking. "And you, you're coming with me?" Merry didn't reply to his friend's panicky question. "Merry?" He looked up at the girl behind him. "Rosalie?" He asked, his voice breaking at the end. Rosalie glanced down at her friend, eyes crinkling and she bit her lip before looking ahead at Merry.
The other Hobbit stopped by the doors of the stables, jerking his head to the side, eyes trained on Pippin. "Come on," Merry muttered quietly before storming into the stables alone.
Gandalf was already inside, in the end stall, tacking his white steed, not bothering to look back as the Hobbits and the girl entered. Pippin eyed the horse worriedly as he approached. Without waiting for consent, the wizard lifted Pippin onto the front of the saddle. "How far is Minas Tirith?" He asked and Gandalf sighed, never stopping what he was doing as he fiddled with straps and bags.
"Three day's ride, as the Nazgûl flies," the wizard murmured cryptically, but glanced up at the Hobbit. "And we better hope we don't have one of those on our tail." Pippin grimaced at words that were meant to calm him. Rosalie grimaced as well, reaching out to rub her hand soothingly over Pippin's.
Merry blinked a few times, pulling something from one of his pockets and thrusting it into Pippin's hands. "Here," he grunted, as Pippin took it from him delicately, wonder and confusion spreading across his face. "Something for the road."
"The last of the Longbottom Leaf?" The brown haired hobbit whispered questioningly.
Merry raised an eyebrow, though his voice was saying something different. "I know you've run out. You smoke too much, Pip." He said, and the girl next to him gulped painfully at the emotional emptiness in his voice. Pippin looked down at his present and then at his friends.
"But, we'll see each other soon, won't we?" He asked childishly, and Rosalie's heart clenched. Merry glanced at Gandalf, their eyes meeting as the wizard's lips thinned. Merry hesitated before replying.
"I don't know." He answered honestly, a few cracks revealing his true feelings. "I don't know what's gonna happen." The Hobbit and Rosalie took a step back as Gandalf climbed onto the horse behind Pippin.
"Merry?" Pippin whispered brokenly, and a few tears slid down Merry's face. Something hot trickled down Rosalie's cheek as well, and she realised she was crying too.
Gandalf stared straight ahead, clearing his throat. "Run Shadowfax," he murmured, "Show us the meaning of haste." Pippin's head snapped back to the other Hobbit.
"Merry!" He shouted, as Shadowfax began to gallop, the doors of the stall flying open, and Rosalie had to jump out of the way. The white horse hurtled out of the stables, hooves thundering across the land as he quickly passed through the gates of Edoras. Merry let out a sob, running after them and the girl didn't stop him. She just watched him go, and then Aragorn chase after him.
The pair ran towards the watchtower to the side of the gates, the man running up the stairs two a time to try and catch up to the Hobbit. Goodbye Pippin, please be safe, Rosalie thought, as she walked slowly up to Meduseld.
Gimli and Legolas were waiting outside, watching the white speck in the distance as it grew smaller, taking away two of their friends. Cautiously, the dwarf patted her hand awkwardly when the girl reached them. "Now, now Lass. They'll be alright. Gandalf'll make sure he comes back."
Rosalie nodded slowly, staring back out to the plains until she could see them no more. The dwarf coughed self-consciously, both of his companions staring away from each other, refusing to even peek at the other. He muttered something about trying to find Éowyn, leaving the two alone. Is he mad at me? She wondered to herself, ignoring the urge to look at the elf. I wish he wasn't.
She rolled her eyes mentally. Isn't it better like this? You're human and he's an elf, it's not like he likes you the same way you like him... Right?
The question was burning the tip of her tongue, and she couldn't help herself. "Do you want to -?"
"No," was Legolas' curt reply, as he spun on his heels, stalking away and Rosalie refused to watch him go, her stomach sinking lower and lower with every step the elf took.