The road goes ever on and on
Down from the door where it began.
Now far ahead the road has gone.
And I must follow if I can.
Pursuing it with eager feet,
Until it joins some larger way,
Where many paths and errands meet,
And whither then?
I cannot say.
- J. R. R. Tolkien
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Ruth frowned as they stopped upon a hill that overlooked Isengard. What was once the proud meeting place for the council of the Istari was now a desolate dark place that stunk of dark magic and death.
"Man cenich, Ruthímiel? Mani naa ta?" (What do you see, Ruthímiel? What is it?) Ruth sighed and spared Haldir a glance.
"I see nothing, Haldir," he spoke sadly. "I only see how the mighty have fallen."
"Let's us make sure they stay that way," Théoden grumbled after his stopped his horse beside Ruth's.
The Green Istar looked over his shoulder. Aragorn was right behind him, with Gimli riding with him. Legolas and Gandalf were to Aragorn's left and Theodred and Eomer were to Aragorn's right.
They were a small company, but they feared no fight against Saruman.
"The Ents have done a lot of damage," Gandalf commented.
"They have fought against a Wizard, Gandalf." Ruth smirked at the older Istar. "I do believe that damage could not have been avoided."
Gandalf chuckled. "It is not impossible to fix," he said and Ruth nodded.
"Let's go. We should end this once and for all." He nudged Orion forward and the others followed him.
Ruth frowned as they neared the entrance to Isengard and saw two small figures sitting on top of a stone wall some two feet above water.
"Are those..."
"Merry! Pippin!" Ruthímiel interrupted Gimli, jumped off of Orion's back and ran through the knee high water towards the two Hobbits.
"Ruthímiel!" the two shouted, jumped off of the wall and ran into Ruth's awaiting arms. Ruth didn't care that he was up to his chest in dirty water. He had the two in his arms again and tears of joy were freely trailing down his cheeks.
"I worried so much about you, iliathínethe!" (younglings) Ruth whispered as he hugged them tightly while the others caught up to him.
"You worried us all," Aragorn said and Merry and Pippin grinned up at him when Ruth let go of them. He cupped Pippin's cheek with his right hand and Merry's with his left, looking at them with love filled eyes.
"I am happy to see you."
"We're happy to see you too, Ruth!" Pippin piped out. "We were worried about you as well."
Merry nodded. "We had hoped you would catch up with us as quickly as possible. Does this mean you can use your powers again?" he asked and Ruth nodded.
"Fully."
"Another Istar." Everyone looked up at the low, rumbling voice and saw a huge tree walking towards them. "Master Radagast didn't tell me Master Gandalf was not riding alone. I am Treebeard."
Ruth stood up and bowed his head at Treebeard. "I am Ruthímiel the Green. We have not met yet, Master Treebeard." Ruth smiled up at the Ent while Merry and Pippin took places by his sides and Ruth placed his hands on their shoulders. "Thank you, Master Ent, for taking care of Merry and Pippin. Heavens know what trouble they would be in had they not been with you."
"Hey!" Pippin shouted indignantly.
"I'll have you know that we have been more help than even we believed we could be!" Marry added.
"I do not doubt that," Ruth said. "I merely implied that you two are prone to getting into trouble almost as much as I was when I was young."
"You still get in too much trouble," Gimli grumbled and everyone laughed while Ruth rolled his eyes.
"Where is Radagast?" Gandalf asked.
"He is waiting for us at the foot of the tower. He wanted to wait for you. He believes he is not strong enough to deal with Saruman alone and as for me…" Treebeard sighed and shook his massive head, a few leafs falling out of his canopy. "Stone and Metal I can bend, but a Wizard…"
"Leave him to us," Théoden said and Treebeard raised an eyebrow at him.
"Come then," he said. "He locked himself within the tower." He turned and started to lead the way. Ruth climbed Orion's back and pulled Pippin behind himself while Gandalf pulled Merry into his lap.
They rode forward in silence, heavy atmosphere weighing heavily upon them.
"Ruthímiel!"
Said Wizard looked up and smiled widely when Radagast waved at him. He was sitting on top of a high rock with his staff in his hand and a relieved smile on his face.
"I see you're well!"
"I am, Master Radagast!" Ruthímiel said and Radagast sighed before he nodded towards the top of the tower.
"Saruman has been quiet for a day. He never even thought of coming down from the top of Orthanc."
Everyone looked up and found the White Istar gazing down at them, holding onto his white staff. "Well, well, well." The wind carried Saruman's voice towards them and everyone shivered at the low, hateful tone. "What do I owe the pleasure of having the Middle Earth's mightiest visiting me at such an hour?"
"You know very well that this is not a visit, Saruman," Théoden hissed spitefully and Saruman looked at him.
"Not so long ago we were friends, Théoden King," Saruman said, his tone changing to a peaceful one. "Can we not try to talk for the sake of old alliances? For the sake of peace?"
"Peace?" Théoden said. "You want peace?" He glared up at Saruman. "We will have peace. We will have peace when you pay for the destruction of Westfold. We will have peace when you pay for all the tears we've shed, for all the blood your monsters spilled, for all the innocent children you've had slaughtered!" Théoden roared. "Then we will have peace."
Saruman sneered at the King of Rohan and looked at Gandalf. "I didn't know you had a student, Gandalf. He is just as meddlesome as you are."
"Ruthímiel is not my student, Saruman," Gandalf said and Saruman looked at Ruth. The Green Istar had a look of severe dislike on his face and his eyes were glimmering with magic.
"An Istar without a staff. A rare occurrence," Saruman noted, lips tilting into a smirk. "Someone like you, Ruthímiel the Green, hasn't been seen in these lands since Sauron the Great."
Everyone shot glances at Ruth and the Green Istar simply raised his head proudly, eyes glaring daggers at Saruman.
"You know that you will meet your judgment no matter how much you try to delay it," Ruth said in a tone rarely heard from him. His eyes flashed silver for a second and Saruman tensed up. "I have defeated you when you were possessing Théoden. What makes you believe you present a threat to us?" Saruman sneered at him. Ruth's lips twitched and his nose wrinkled. "You dabbed into the darkest of Magic. Necromancy is forbidden to use by the Powers That Be. Nothing waits for you, Saruman. Nothing but darkness. Do you think Sauron will help you? Do you think he will come to your aid? You are alone, Saruman! Surrender and your death may be quick."
"And who are you to decide whether I shall live or die?!" Saruman thundered and Ruth's eyes glowed like the moonlight.
"I am Ruthímiel the Green! Chosen by the Valar to be the Guardian of Life! Sent to guard all that lives! I have fought grater Evils than you, Saruman! You have no right to question my authority!" Ruth's rage-full exclamation was met with shock on the part of his companions while Saruman sneered at him, baring his teeth.
"I am Saruman the White!" he roared, slamming the end of his staff against the hard stone of the Tower. "I am the most powerful Wizard in Middle Earth! What can a measly Green Wizard, who speaks with animals and cohorts with Elves and Dwarfs and Men do against me?!"
"So you have heard of him," Gandalf concluded and Saruman looked at him.
"I have heard of the supposed Guardian of Life," he hissed. "An Istar not of this world. I thought it all nonsense, of course," he spat out. "This Child is nothing, Gandalf. I had thought you smarter than this. I thought you would see that Middle Earth is lost. Sauron will win. You will all die."
"The only one here who will die is you, Saruman!" Gandalf threw off his gray cape, making Saruman's eyes widen.
"Impossible! There can only be one White Wizard!" Saruman cried out in shock.
"And there is only one!" Gandalf said and pointed his staff up. "Your staff is broken, Saruman! You will meet your end!"
In that moment Saruman's staff started to glow and tremble in his hands. A second later it exploded, and everyone covered their eyes with their hands at the bright light. A wave of power washed over them and they were able to open their eyes in time to see Saruman sway over the edge of the tower and fall.
"Heavens..." Haldir rasped out and Ruth bowed his head.
"Rim úrthun súrine jené tu látham khóleth. Rim woliá címine úmah gártha do látham zíbun. Rim zémen oboirine luth póthela sit Xayé thale Ji." (May the wind strip the flesh off your bones. May the water wash away the darkness of your evil. May the Earth forget your existence when Winter turns to Spring.)
No one knew what Ruth had said, but a cold shiver ran down their bodies. Something rolled out of Saruman's sleeve and into the water.
"Pippin!" Ruth snapped and tried to grab him, but the Hobbit was too fast. Ruth jumped off of Orion's back and caught up with Pippin in time to stop him from grabbing something from the water. "Do not touch that, iliathín," (youngling) he said and Pippin looked at him with confusion written all over his face.
"Why?" he asked as Ruth took off his cloak, throwing it into the water.
Gandalf rode over to Ruth while Radagast jumped off the rock he has been standing on. They both looked at Ruth and the youngest Istar offered the wrapped stone to Gandalf.
"Because, young Pippin, that thing is all together Evil," Gandalf said and accepted it from Ruth.
"Let's leave this place," Théoden said. "We have nothing to look for here."
Ruth mounted Orion's back and pulled Pippin in front of himself.
"The water will wash away Saruman's evil," Treebeard rumbled lowly. "Soon there will be new trees growing here and all evil will be forgotten."
"I hope your words come true, Master Treebeard," Ruth said and the Ent smiled at him.
"Lye an'omentuva, Calenim'othar. Yela iire lle naa e' anta ar' Arda quenuva." (We shall meet again, Calenim'othar. Call if you are in need and Middle Earth shall answer.) Ruth smiled and bowed at Treebeard.
"Le fael," (Thank you.) Ruth said. "Tenna enta lume, namaarie." (Until that time, be well.)
"Shall I meet you in Edoras?" Radagast asked and Gandalf and Ruth looked at him.
"Go to Rivendell, my friend," Gandalf said. "Boromir might need your assistance on his way back."
Radagast smiled and nodded. "We will meet up on the road then," he said and left while the company turned their horses and made their way towards Edoras.
Haldir caught up with Ruth and the Istar looked at him from under messy bangs when he noticed that Haldir was observing him studiously. "Mani naa ta, Haldir?" (What is it, Haldir?) Ruth asked and Pippin looked at him, tilting his head back as far as it could go.
"Tiri en' Coia?" (Guardian Of Life?) Haldir asked and Ruth laughed quietly, although the Elf noticed a note of caution in Ruth's voice.
"Essa amin esse ale' avare nauva Gurthi ar' dethole rehtuva coiar." (A title I received after I refused to become a Destroyer and chose to save lives instead.) Ruth said and Haldir nodded.
"Lle quenuva amin en' ta telwanin." (You will tell me about it later.) Haldir spoke carefully and Ruth chuckled, nodding in agreement.
"Vee' lle merna." (As you wish.)
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Ruth sighed and looked at the star covered sky. The sounds of the party going on in the great hall were like a muffled background noise as he kept watch. He stood on the patio overlooking the city with Haldir's cloak wrapped tightly around his lithe form. There was darkness in the East. Darkness and flames. His heart was heavy and his thoughts dark.
A part of him wondered how they could celebrate such a small victory, but the other part argued that every victory, no matter how small, was worthy of celebration.
"Lle dele." (You are worried.)
Ruth looked at Haldir as the proud Elf approached him and lush lips tilted into a small, sad smile.
"Amin naa." (I am.) He sighed when Haldir wrapped strong arms around Ruth's waist and Ruth leaned his head back on Haldir's right shoulder.
"How is your shoulder?" Haldir asked and Ruth hummed.
"As well as it can be," he answered and they fell into comfortable silence.
The sounds of celebration were the only thing breaking the silence of the night. Ruth closed his eyes as the recent events ran through his mind. Every second, every word, every move, every sign was analyzed and yet Ruth could find no peace in it.
"Tampa nowa," (Stop thinking.) Haldir whispered in Ruth's ear.
"I can't. Every time I catch a moment of peace I cannot help but think of everything that has happened so far. I cannot stop thinking of everything that could have and still could go wrong. I cannot help but wonder if Frodo and Sam are still alive and well. I cannot help but worry about Boromir and Radagast. I cannot..."
"Hush…" Haldir turned Ruth in his arms so that the Istar was facing him. "Stop. What is past is past. You cannot change it, you cannot fix it." Ruth sighed and buried his face in Haldir's chest. Haldir hugged him tightly and hid his face in Ruth's sweet smelling, velvety hair. "Do not torture yourself with questions and long passed possibilities." Ruth wrapped his arms around Haldir's waist and pressed himself as close as he could go. "We are alive, Amaelamin," (my beloved) Haldir whispered against Ruth's forehead, pressing his lips against the soft skin. "For now that is more than enough."
Ruth forced down a swallow and tightened his hold on Haldir.
And even though only a part of him agreed with that statement, he hadn't had the heart to voice his doubts.
Yes, they were both alive.
For now that would have to suffice.
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Ruth twitched and opened his eyes.
"Uuma dela." (Don't worry.)
The Istar looked up at Haldir's shadowed face.
"You fell asleep," Haldir explained seeing the confusion in Ruth's enchanting gaze.
Ruth frowned. They were still on the patio, but they were in the shadows, leaning against the wall. Ruth was resting in Haldir's lap with Haldir's arms wrapped lovingly around him and his head resting on Haldir's firm chest.
"Have they finished the celebration?" Ruth asked and Haldir hummed.
"They have. They are all asleep."
Ruth sighed and closed his eyes, resting his head on Haldir's shoulder. "I can't believe I fell asleep just like that," he muttered and Haldir chuckled, raising his hand and running his fingers through Ruth's velvety strands.
"You are tired and drained, astalder," (valiant one) Haldir said and kissed Ruth's forehead. "I am sure you haven't rested properly ever since you've left Lothlórien."
Ruth snorted. "And I will not be able to rest until this is over," he whispered and Haldir hugged him tighter.
"I shall watch over you, melamin," (my love) Haldir said. "Hauta." (Sleep.)
Ruth's eyes were closing against his will. Haldir's warmth and his strong presence seemed like a shield that kept away the darkness. He was close to falling asleep that he all but jumped out of Haldir's arms when a wave of something dark and sister washed over him.
"Ruth? What is it?" Haldir worried, staring at his beloved.
Ruth was quiet for a few painfully long minutes, appearing as though he wasn't even breathing, and then with a sharp intake of breath Ruth looked at Haldir and the Elf knew that something had gone wrong before Ruth spoke a word.
"He's here."
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Dun, dun, duuuuuuuuuuuun….