Sorry it's taken awhile for me to update. This chapter ended up being longer than I expected.
I hope you enjoy!
Chapter 17: Awakening
Robin awoke to find herself lying on soft, leaf-covered forest ground. Golden rays of sun filtered in through the treetops, illuminating the huge trees surrounding them. She groggily stood up and brushed the leaves off her cloak. Merry was still asleep beside her, but Pippin was awake, sitting on a tree root beside a gurgling stream, holding a rather large stone bowl. "Morning, Robin!" he greeted cheerfully.
"Morning, Pip," Robin yawned, walking over to him. "What's that?" she asked, pointing to the bowl.
"I found this by the stream," Pippin informed her, gesturing to a big stone jar. "I don't know what it is, but it's quite good." Pippin happily took a sip from the bowl.
"Could I have some?" she asked.
"Sure, I guess." Pippin refilled the bowl with a clear liquid and handed it to her. Cautiously, Robin took a sip. Though it looked very much like water, the drink had an earthy, rich taste to it. A feeling of energy and refreshment flowed through her body. Eagerly, she drank some more, spilling a little on her lap.
Pippin laughed. "I suppose you like it!" he chuckled.
Robin drained the bowl. "Yes, very much!" She handed the bowl back to Pippin, who refilled it and began drinking again.
Merry awoke with a yawn, propping himself up on his elbows. "Hello? Treebeard?" he called. "Where has he gone?"
"I had the loveliest dream last night," Pippin remarked. "There was this large barrel full of pipe-weed, and we smoked all of it! And then, you were sick!" Robin fell off the tree root in a fit of giggles as Pippin sighed and leaned back against a tree. "I'd give anything for a whiff of Old Toby."
"What's that?" Robin asked, gasping for breath.
Merry held out his hand and helped her up. "It's a type of pipe-weed we smoke in the Shire," he informed her.
"It's the best kind!" Pippin added. "Well, aside from Longbottom Leaf, that is."
Suddenly, a loud groaning reverberated through the trees. "Did you hear that?" Merry asked nervously. Another groan echoed through the forest. "There it is again! Something's not right here. Not right at all."
Pippin grabbed the stone bowl and jar and jumped off the root. As he straightened up, he made a strange noise that sounded awfully like a deep groan.
Merry's eyes widened in surprise. "You just said something…Treeish!"
"No I didn't," Pippin denied. "I was just stretching." The strange noise was heard again, but this time it came from both Robin and Pippin.
Merry whirled around. "What in the world?" He then proceeded to walk around Pippin, examining him. "You're taller!" he exclaimed.
"Who?"
"You?"
"Than what?"
"Than me!" Merry then walked over to Robin, inspecting her as well. "And you're taller too!"
"We've always been taller than you!" Pippin chuckled.
Robin shook her head. "Uh, Pippin, actually-"
Merry cut her off. "Pippin, everyone knows I'm the tall one. You're the short one."
"Oh please, Merry," Pippin chided. "You're what, three-foot-six? At the most? Whereas me, I'm pushing three-seven!" He made another treeish burp. "Three-eight!" He happily drank some more from the stone bowl. Robin giggled at his eagerness, but her chuckles soon dissolved into a treeish belch, causing her to go silent.
Merry stared at Pippin in disbelief. "Three-foot-eight…You did something!"
Pippin shrugged his shoulders, trying to put down the bowl discreetly. Robin walked over to Merry and whispered in his ear, "It's the drink." Merry's eyes widened in understanding, and he snatched the jar away from Pippin.
"Merry, no!" Pippin yelled. "Don't drink it!" Merry completely disregarded him and drank. His eyes shone with excitement as he ran off with the jar, taking another sip. Pippin chased after his cousin, trying to grab the jar. "Merry! No, Treebeard said – he said that you shouldn't have any!"
"Pippin!" Robin shouted, running after the two fighting hobbits. "You know that's a lie!"
"I want some!" Merry complained.
"It could well be dangerous!"
"Then why'd you let me have some!"
"Give me it back, Merry!"
The tree hobbits scrambled onto some large tree roots. The jar flew out of Merry's hand as the tree groaned and the roots shook. "What's happening?" Pippin asked worriedly.
"Aagh! It's got my leg!" Merry shouted.
Robin yelped as her hand became trapped. "Merry!"
"ROBIN!" Merry struggled against the tree roots, but it was no use. The three hobbits were drawn deep into the tree. Dry brown leaves fell over their faces, muffling their cries for help.
"Away with you," a familiar deep voice commanded. "You should not be waking. Eat earth. Dig deep. Drink water." The hobbits gasped for air as the tree released them. "Go to sleep," Treebeard continued. "Away with you." The Ent turned towards the hobbits. "Come, the forest is waking up." He gently picked up the hobbits and began walking. "It isn't safe. The trees have grown wild and dangerous. Anger festers in their hearts. Black are their thoughts. Strong is their hate. They will harm you if they can. There are too few of us now. Too few of us Ents left to manage them."
Pippin, Merry, and Robin rode upon Treebeard's shoulders again as they traveled through the forest. "Why are there so few of you when you've lived so long?" Merry asked. "Are there Ent children?"
"Bru-ra-hoom," Treebeard sighed. "There have been no Entings for a terrible long count of years."
"Why's that?" Robin questioned.
"We lost the Entwives," Treebeared replied.
"Oh I'm sorry," Pippin apologized. "How did they die?"
"Die? No, we lost them. And now we cannot find them. I don't suppose you've seen the Entwives in the Shire?"
"Can't say that I have," Merry replied. "You, Robin?"
Robin shook her head sadly. "I don't think so. What about you, Pip?"
Pippin also shook his head. "What do they look like?"
Treebeard sighed glumly. "I don't remember now."
~o*o*o*o~
Kayden, Peyton, Legolas, Gimli, Aragorn, and Gandalf galloped hard across the dry plains of Rohan. Eventually, an immense hill rose in the distance. Small houses dotted the slope, and at the crest of the hill stood a great building, almost like a mansion. "Edoras and the Golden Hall of Meduseld," Gandalf announced. "There dwells Théoden, King of Rohan, whose mind is overthrown. Saruman's hold over King Théoden is now very strong."
As they approached the wooden gates of the city, a relatively large banner floated down to the ground near them. It was trimmed with red, with the symbol of a galloping white horse emblazoned upon a field of green. "What is that?" Peyton asked.
"'Tis the standard of Rohan," Aragorn replied, before following Gandalf through the gates.
The six of them rode slowly through the city of wooden houses with thatched roofs. A certain air of foreboding hung about them. Many of the townsfolk stared in silence as they trotted past. "It's quiet," Kayden commented. "Way too quiet."
"You'll find more cheer in a graveyard," Gimli remarked dryly from behind Legolas.
When they reached the Golden Hall, Kayden, Peyton, Legolas, Gimli, Aragorn, and Gandalf gave their horses to a couple of stablehands and began climbing the stairs to the hall. The building was massive, made of wood like all the others in the city. Golden patterns swirled over the entrance. As they approached, several guards burst through the heavy green doors to meet them. A man with long reddish hair addressed them. "I cannot allow you before Théoden King so armed, Gandalf Greyhame. By order of Grima Wormtongue." He and his men moved forward to take their weapons.
Gandalf paused for a moment, then nodded to the others. Reluctantly, Peyton handed the guard her dagger, bow, and quiver of arrows. "You so much as breathe on these and you are D-E-A-D dead!" she growled. The guard shifted nervously before putting the weapons down gently as if they were nuclear bombs.
Kayden glared at the guard before giving him Brethil and Veryan. Then, after a pause, Kayden reached down and pulled out her two boot-knives. "If anything happens to these, you will be dead before you can say 'Rohan.' Understood?" The guard nodded quickly and carefully put the blades down next to Peyton's weapons.
After everyone else had been disarmed, the man with the red hair turned to Gandalf. "Your staff."
The wizard glanced as his staff. "Oh, you would not part an old man from his walking stick." The man looked concerned for a moment, then turned around to lead them into the hall. Gandalf winked slyly at Aragorn and the two girls before grabbing Legolas's arm to make it appear like he actually needed assistance. Aragorn, Peyton, and Kayden smiled ever so slightly at each other before following them in.
The hall seemed rather dark and desolate. Many engraved pillars stretched up to the high roof. Not much light reached inside, especially after the doors slammed shut behind the six travelers. At the very end of the hall, two figures sat awaiting them. One was an old, decrepit man, dressed in excess furs. His white hair was unkempt and stuck out from beneath the crown upon his head. The other was a pallid man with dark, oily locks that hung limply beside his face. This man whispered something into the king's ear, who did nothing to respond. Kayden noticed a flicker of movement in the shadows. A group of foul looking guards was watching them, following their every move.
"The courtesy of your hall is somewhat lessened of late, Théoden King," Gandalf stated in a loud, commanding tone.
"Why should I welcome you, Gandalf Stormcrow?" the king asked, his voice slow and weak.
"A just question, my liege," the greasy man whispered to the king before turning to face Gandalf. "Late is the hour in which this conjurer chooses to appear. Lathspell I name him. Ill news is an ill guest."
"Be silent!" Gandalf commanded. "Keep your forked tongue behind your teeth. I have not passed through fire and death to bandy crooked words with a witless worm!" The wizard raised his staff in the man's face.
"His staff!" he gasped, shocked. "I told you to take the wizard's staff!"
The foul men Kayden had seen in the shadows now charged towards them, trying to attack Gandalf. Immediately, Aragorn, Legolas, Kayden, Gimli, and Peyton sprang into action. Kayden swiftly grabbed one that was rushing towards her by the shoulder and drove a knee straight into his groin.
"That's gotta hurt," Peyton commented as she punched another guard square in the jaw. Kayden smiled before kicking another in the gut, causing the guard to fly straight into the pillar behind him. Peyton then noticed a particularly greasy worm trying to crawl away. "Oh, no you don't!" She ran over and placed a foot firmly on his chest. "I would stay still if I were you!" she spat, slapping him hard on the face.
Throughout the whole frenzy, Gandalf remain untouched. "Théoden, son of Thengel," the wizard called as he advanced on the king. "Too long have you sat in the shadows." Legolas and Kayden took out the last of the guards and watched in silence as Gandalf drew closer to Théoden. "Hearken to me!" the wizard ordered. "I release you from the spell." Gandalf shut his eyes and held up his hand, releasing a gentle blast of wind.
"Ah hah, hah, hah…" Théoden slowly began to laugh mockingly at the wizard. "You have no power here, Gandalf the Grey," he cackled.
Anger etched across Gandalf's face. The wizard threw off his cloak, revealing the bright white robes underneath. The decrepit king was pressed back into his throne by the brilliant light emanating from Gandalf. "I will draw you, Saruman, as poison is drawn from a wound." He thrust his staff forward, throwing Théoden back into his chair.
Suddenly, a young woman with long blonde hair rushed into the hall. She immediately tried to run to Théoden's side upon seeing him in distress, but Aragorn grabbed her and held her back. "Wait," he instructed.
"If I go, Théoden dies!" The king spoke once more, but it was not his voice that issued forth from his mouth. Kayden recognized it as the voice she had heard on Caradhras.
"Saruman," she growled.
"You did not kill me, you will not kill him," Gandalf stated authoritatively, thrusting his staff at the king a second time.
"Rohan is mine!" Saruman snarled, continuing to speak through Théoden.
"BEGONE!" Gandalf commanded. Suddenly, Théoden lunged at the wizard, who threw the king forcefully back into his throne. Théoden slumped forward in his chair. Aragorn lost his grip on the young woman, who sprinted to catch the frail man. Everyone watched in amazement as the king slowly began to change. His frizzled white beard and hair became shorter and turned the color of pale gold. Color rushed back into his face as it grew younger. The bright blue eyes of the king became clear as the summer sky once more, staring around the room in confusion. Théoden finally let his gaze rest upon the blonde woman beside him.
"I know your face," he murmured, trying to remember. "Ėowyn…Ėowyn…" The woman broke into a wide smile, crying tears of joy. Théoden then turned and looked at the rest of the people in the room. "Gandalf?"
The wizard smiled. "Breathe the free air again, my friend."
Theoden stood up, probably for the first time for many long years. "Dark had been my dreams of late," he commented, flexing his fingers experimentally.
"Your fingers would remember their old strength better if they grasped your sword," Gandalf commented. The red-haired guard stepped forward, holding in his hands a blood red sheath. Théoden stared at the hilt in wonder. The pommel was made of gold, and two gilded horses' heads touched noses above the grip, forming a heart-shape. Recognition flared in the king's eyes, and he seized the sword, slowly unsheathing it. Suddenly, Théoden's expression darkened, and he turned to the worm held fast by Peyton.
Quickly, guards seized Wormtongue and threw him out on the steps of Meduseld. "I've only ever served you, my lord," he whimpered at Théoden, who stumbled down the steps after him.
"Your leechcraft would have had me crawling on all fours like a beast!" Théoden spat, his voice rising in anger.
"Send me not from your sight," Wormtongue pleaded.
Théoden raised his sword high. Fury was etched onto his face as he swung at Wormtongue, ready to end the pitiful worm's life.
"No, my lord!" Aragorn shouted, catching Théoden's arms in mid-swing. "Let him go. Enough blood has been spilt on his account." Aragorn reached out a hand to help Wormtongue up, but the man just spit on the Ranger's hand before scrambling down the steps.
"Get out of my way!" he shouted, bowling over many people in the crowd that had gathered to watch the events unfold.
Once the worm had left their sight, one of the guards raised the cry, "Hail Théoden King!" All dropped to their knees and bowed, including Aragorn, Kayden, and Peyton, the latter staring after Wormtongue in utter disgust.
Théoden gazed around in amazement, but then a look of concern passed over his eyes. "Where is Théodred?" he asked. "Where is my son?"
As you can see, Peyton really likes slapping people.
PLEASE REVIEW! It makes me happy!
Oh, and check out the poll on my profile!