Legolas's arrow broke and flew, Gimli's ax broke in the air, my hands didnt get as far as my head before they flew back with force, knocking me to the ground, and Aragorn's sword burned until he dropped it, crying out in pain. We all stepped back, but me for I slid back, shielding our eyes from the blinding light that came not from the sun or any lantern.
"You are tracking the footsteps of two young Hobbits." A voice said, it was Saruman's voice... though masked and joined by many others it seemed. What he said was not a question.
"Where are they?!" Aragorn yelled. Legolas reached down to help me up and I accepted, smiling at him though still wary.
"They passed this way the day before yesterday and they met someone they did not expect. Does that comfort you?" This cant be Saruman... I thought.
"Who are you?" I asked, picking my knives up from off the ground, "SHOW YOURSELF!"
Slowly and dramatically the light faded, replaced by a figure with white hair and a white beard, both thin and well kept. He wore a white set of robes and white shoes, a brooch hooking his white cloak around his shoulders and a staff being held in his hands, old but skillful. The top of the staff was not that of Saruman but carved into a diamond shape many crossing inside of it. His face was not that of Saruman either, but the kind and gentle face of that who I once knew.
Gandalf...
"It's not possible." Aragorn whispered. Legolas and Gimli fell into a bow while Aragorn and I just stared at him, I trying to hold back tears.
"You fell..." Aragorn's voice rang in my ear.
"Through fire," the White Wizard agreed, "And water. "From the lowest dungeon to the highest peak I fought him, the black morbid Morgoth... until at last I threw down my enemy and smote his ruin upon the mountainside! Darkness took me and I strayed out of thought or time. Where every day was as long as a life age on earth. I felt life in me again. I'd been sent back until my task is done."
I stumbled to him, willing myself to touch his arm. "Gandalf..." I whispered lowly, smiling with every muscle in my face.
"Gandalf?" he asked, a look of confusion on his face, "Yes, that was what they used to call me." I nodded, "Gandalf the Grey... That was my name."
"Gandalf!" Gimli cried happily.
" I am Gandalf the White."
"Gandalf!" without thought or reason I threw myself onto him, allowing the surprised look to pass from his face and let him put his arms around me. I smiled as I fondly embraced my old mentor and he embraced me. Backing away from him, I smiled.
"I come back to you now." He said, looking directly into Aragorn's eyes, "At the turn of the tide." Without another word, he threw a grey cloak around his shoulders and began walking away into the forest. Aragorn behind him, then coming Legolas and I, the two elves, and finally, last as always, Gimli, puffing his way along.
"One stage of your journey is over, another begins. War has come to Rohan. We must ride to Edoras with all speed." Coming to the end of the forest, Legolas calls the horses that we rode before to us, as Gandalf whistled into the air, two tones, calling some unknown creature to him.
From over the hill to the left of us came a horse's neigh, making us all turn.
"That is one of the Meras... unless my eyes are cheated by some spell." Legolas said, a smile on his face.
"Your eyes are not cheated Legolas." I said, smiling. "That is Shadowfax."
"Yes," Gandalf said, stroking the horse, as white as snow and graceful as elves, its eyes wide and dark, "Shadowfax, the lord of all horses." Legolas was looking at me I could see and the wind blew my hair into my face, making me turn to the side, but in reality I was turning from him... from that look that made my heart ache with desire. "And has been my friend through many dangers." I smiled.
Suddenly, another neigh rang out in the wind, like an echo and I looked up again, this time seeing a horse that I found most familiar.
"Niethen!" I cried and ran forward to greet my horse, one who had been with me for many years, forced to have been left behind when we got to Moria. His coat was night black and his eyes shining the same green as mine. He did have a single white star on his forehead. I could see Gandalf smiling as I leapt onto my friend's back. "I missed you old friend." I whispered. Niethen looked up at me, smiling in his own horse like way.
My packs were still strapped to him and as I rummaged through one of them, the others making haste as they began to climb onto their horses I pulled out a flute of silver... my flute which I used to call him with.
"I'll never loose it again, Niethen." I smiled and kicked his flanks, making him leap forward and gallop after the other three over the plains that we had once been running over, the wind blowing my hair back as I rode ahead. I shook my head to get a strand out of my eyes and smiled... Eru, I loved this.
Over the plains and beside village walls we rode, not resting once and silent, each of us absorbed in our own thoughts.
Mine were on Legolas, despite my scolding of myself to keep them off of him. Still that night haunted me... the night that he had almost kissed me... he once told me of his love for me... but how can I tell him that I express the same thing after turning him down? He would call me false, accuse me of leading his heart down the wrong path and then breaking away from him and fooling him. I would cry and tell him that I was just not ready... that I love him now! But he would tell me that he was over his love for me... that it was gone. I looked down.
My companions slowing down to a stop pulled me from my thoughts as we approached a city on a cliff, at the very top a wooden house, as good as a castle... no doubt Theoden's home.
"Edoras," Gandalf said, "And the Golden Hall of Meduseld. There dwells Theoden King of Rohan whose mind is overthrown. Saruman's hold over King Theoden is now very strong." I looked up at the city, wondering what kind of welcome we would get. Apparently I had spoken aloud.
"Be careful what you say." He told me, "Do not look for welcome here." And with those words, the four of us rode into the city, leaning back on the horses to keep from falling as they climbed the steep hill. Aragorn and I frowned as a flag, donned with a horse landed beside us, having blown off in the wind.
As we rode through the city, we were stared at by all the people around us, miserable faces and dirty bodies. They stared at us with strange expressions on their faces.
"You'd find more cheer/life in a graveyard." Gimli and I said at the same time and we continued our way up the hill.
I handed my horse's reins to a boy, his hands small and nimble as he whispered in the horse's ear soothing words and took the other two, Shadowfax remaining standing outside of Meduseld, waiting for his master.
"Keep them fed and watered until I return." I said, pulling three gold pieces out of my pouch and handing them to him. The boy smiled widely.
"Thank you My Lady!" he cried and led the horses away quickly, no doubt to get his work done and bring the money home to his mother. Legolas smiled at me.
"Like I said," he whispered, "You think not enough of yourself."
"What's a few pieces of gold to me?" I replied, the very sight of him making my heart flutter, "I live off the land." He smiled and walked with me as we ascended the stairs.
Three guards came out the door, each clad in very much the same armor that Eomer had been, though theirs was much more shiny, armor over their clothing.
"We cannot allow you before Theoden King so armed, Gandalf Grayhem." The head guard said, his hair red and his beard small. Aragorn and I exchanged looks, "By order of Grimal Wormtongue." Gandalf sighed and nodded to us.
Aragorn handed over his sword, bow, and hunting knife, all with a resigned face. Legolas, an amused smile on his face flipped his swords around and handed them to the guard. Gimli did the same with his ax as well, and Gandalf with his sword.
My handing over however took some time. After pulling off my knives, sword, and bow I continued by pulling various knives and throwing darts out of my possession, including a dagger that I pulled out of my shirt. One of the guards rushed in and came out with a bucket as I dumped all my things into them. Legolas looked at me in amazement and Aragorn in silent amusement. Finally hanging over the last dagger I stood back and smiled.
The guard, after being pulled out of the trance of my weapon surrendering with a blink looked at Gandalf.
"Your staff." He said somewhat apologetically. I looked at Gandalf.
"Oh," Gandalf said, suddenly faking the act of old that he looked, leaned on the staff, "You wouldnt part an old man with his walking stick, hm?" The guard nodded and turned away.
"Your boot." Legolas whispered in my ear as I walked in front of him.
"What they dont know won't hurt them... I suppose unless we are attacked." Legolas left my ear and I smiled at Aragorn innocently. He shook his head... and we walked inside. I felt naked, bare without my weapons and walked self consciously, one hand on Gandalf's helping him with his "old man" charade.
The inside of Meduseld was dark, something that wasnt usually the case, guards and armed civilians on either side of us, looking at the companions suspiciously. I looked back at them in the same fashion.
The living dead if I ever saw it, Theoden sat, his skin was white as a cloud and his hair as wispy as one His skin was wrinkled and folded over itself, his eyes sat nearly closed... as if those of a man who had not slept in years.
Beside him sat a man that I had never seen before but I assumed was the Wormtongue character we had heard about before.
He was a dead fish in appearance, no doubt a snake on the inside. His hair hung greasy, around his white face, and his teeth shone a yellow color, his eyes a dead fish blue. He had leaned over to the King and whispered something into his ear.
"The courtesy of your hall is somewhat lessened of late." Gandalf said, "Theoden King."
Wormtogue leaned over again and this time Theoden spoke.
"Why should I welcome you, Gandalf Doncrow?" he asked. His voice was slow, weary, and dead sounding. He looked at Wormtongue.
"A just question my liege." Wormtongue said to him and turned to us, "Late is the hour in which this conjuror chooses to appear." He said. Aragorn and I looked at each other with tired glances. "Ill news is an ill guest."
"Be silent," Gandalf interrupted him sternly, a glare on his usually kind face, "Keep your foul tongue behind your teeth. I have not passed through fire and death to bear creed words with a witless worm." Gandalf held up his staff and what had looked like a dangerous situation turned deadly.
"His staff!" Wormtongue whispered in horror, "I told you to take the wizard's staff! " From all around us guards attacked and I looked at Legolas before sending my fist into one of their faces, sending them crashing to the ground. All around me were battles going on but the only one that I could watch was the one that Gandalf was getting involved in... the battle of power. Grabbing my knife and holding it out to anyone who approached me I watched the wizard, ready to run to his aid if needed.
"Theoden!" he cried, "Son of Thenger. Too long have you sat in the shadows. Look onto me!" he cried. Theoden turned his eyes to Gandalf, "I release you from the spell." He said, and dramatically threw out his hand. It was a few moments before Theoden began laughing.
"You have no power here, Gandalf the Grey!" he laughed. I looked at the wizard.
Gandalf's grey cloak was gone, showing the white beneath, making Theoden cry out in shock.
"I will draw you, Saruman as poison is drawn from a wound." Gandalf said, me standing right behind him, and held out the tip of his sword. Theoden thrashed against his throne, as if trying to get away. A woman, no doubt Eomer's sister, Eowyn, began running forward to go to her uncle, but not until Aragorn held her back.
"If I go, Theoden dies." Saruman's voice was coming form Theoden's mouth as a scowl formed on his face.
"You could not kill me," Gandalf cried, throwing his staff higher in his hand, "you will not kill him." Theoden leaned forward.
"Rohan is mine!" he growled. I knew what would happen next and leapt in front of Gandalf quickly as Theoden yelled and jumped at him, but to no purpose. Gandalf held up his staff and threw him back into his chair, leaving him weary and falling over.
Eowyn fell beside her king, holding his hand and saying his name. I stood beside Gandalf, him breathing heavily. He looked over and patted my shoulder.
"Thank you, Rhasslairiel." He said and I smiled, looking back at the King.
His eyes widened... his face confused and as a caterpillar would change into a butterfly, the deadness of his eyes was gone, the wrinkles on his face disappeared, his face regained its color, and his hair grew shorter and back to the sandy brown which it had been. He looked around at all the people around him, lingering on me but returning to the woman sitting next to him.
"I know your face." He breathed... "Eowyn!" Eowyn smiled and put her hands on his face, tears gathering in her eyes. Theoden King of Rohan looked up.
"Gandalf?" he breathed, "And Alandia..."
"Breathe the free air again, my friend." Gandalf said, a smile on his lips. I bowed and backed away, coming to stand beside Legolas. We looked at each other, smiling.
With help from his niece, the King of Rohan stood, overlooking his hall with the eyes of wonder.
"Dark have been my dreams of late..." he whispered to himself. He ran his hands together, looking at them with a sad wonder. I looked over to still see Wormtongue under Gimli's boot.
"Your fingers would remember their old strength better, if they grasped your sword."
An old, heavy looking sword sheath was brought to the King, the hand of his sword decorated and carved into many designs as his placed his hand over it, clutching the handle. I watched as this scene slowly played before my eyes, so different than the events usually happening with humans. To any other elf I suppose, this would come and go and the memory would never return, for few elves lived by the day, and not the year, for immortal we were and the troubles of men were not our concern. I looked down... I suppose I was different.
Looking back up at Theoden I saw him turn his gaze to Wormtongue, who had wriggled from underneath of Gimli's boot and was now looking at the King with a frightened, enraged look of disappointment.
"Seize him!" One of the guards said and Wormtongue was grabbed, dragged outside with Theoden at their heels.
I sighed as Wormtongue was thrown down the flight of stairs that led to Meduseld, crying out when he hit the bottom. Theoden stumbled down the steps, his sword out and an enraged look on his face.
"I've only ever served you my lord!" Wormtongue cried.
"Your witchcraft," Theoden said, following Wormtongue down the steps, "Would have had me crawling on all fours LIKE A BEAST!"
"Send me not from your sight!"
Theoden's sword swung up over his head and at that moment I knew what he planned to do. "No!" I cried rushing forward but Aragorn got there first.
"No my lord!" Aragorn cried, "No my lord!" Theoden couldnt pass Aragorn's restraining hand. "Let him go. Enough blood has been spilled on his account."
"GET OUT OF MY WAY!" Wormtongue screamed and ran through the crowd of people that had gathered at the bottom of the stairs, in awe that there King had returned from the dead state that he was in before.
"Hail, Theoden King!" someone from the crowd yelled and everyone bowed. I stood back as Legolas did, not bowing in all body but lowering my head. A sudden realization seemed to come to Theoden's mind and he turned around to look at me...
"Where is Theodred?" he breathed... "Where is my son?" I looked up at Eowyn, whose head was bowed and at Gandalf, who smiled at me. I supposed it was me who would tell him.
"Theodred, King Theoden... is dead. It is said that he was ambushed by orcs." Theoden looked at me, his face twisted in pain and shock... I looked down.
"I am sorry, my lord."...