The group was riding single file through the trees of Fangorn and Alarain glanced around nervously. Gandalf was in front, followed by Theoden, and the ranger and her were next. Boromir was behind them, and Legolas and Gimli were not far back on their horse, Arod. Eomer, who she had been introduced to earlier, brought up the rear.
Gandalf's handsome steed, Shadowfax, suddenly gave a loud whinny as they came through the trees. Alarain looked ahead to see two small figures sitting and feasting on the broken wall of Isengard. Pippin gave a loud and silly laugh when he spotted them. Alarain broke out into a grin and glanced back to see Boromir looking equally excited. She knew he felt responsible for their capture and was relieved to see them safe and well.
"Welcome, my lords." Merry said, getting to his feet. He saw her and spoke again. "And lady, to Isengard!" he gestured behind him and Alarain widened her eyes at the sight. Through the broken wall, she could see that a large expanse of water covered the ground inside.
"You young rascals!" Gimli exclaimed. "A merry hunt you've led us on, and now we find you... feasting and... and smoking."
She and Boromir exchanged a silly glance and Aragorn snickered in front of her.
Pippin spoke up. "We are sitting on a field of victory, enjoying a few well earned comforts." he smiled. "The salted pork is particularly good."
The dwarf stared at him eagerly. "Salted pork?"
"Hobbits." Gandalf muttered quietly.
"We're under orders, from Treebeard." Merry continued. "Whose taken over management of Isengard."
Gandalf signaled to follow him and Boromir spoke. "Come on you rascals. Mount up with us." He heaved Pippin up behind him and Merry hopped on with Eomer.
Alarain tried to calm herself as they entered, but all she could think of was the beatings and torture she had received there. Aragorn felt her grip tighten and rested a hand on hers. "He can't hurt you." he whispered.
Her fears were forgotten though, when she saw something very odd. Something she had never seen before. A walking, talking tree.
"Hrooooom... young master Gandalf." It greeted. "I'mmm... glad you've come." The tree rumbled in a deep voice.
"What is that?" she whispered to the ranger.
He turned his head. "That is an ent." She nodded in understanding, but still continued to stare at the huge creature.
"Wood and water, stock and stone I can master, but there's a wizard to manage here, locked his tower." Treebeard said roughly.
"Show yourself." Aragorn whispered quietly.
Gandalf glanced over. "Be careful." he said. "Even in defeat, Saruman is still dangerous." Alarain shuddered at his words.
"Then lets just have his head and be done with it." Gimli grumbled.
"No." Gandalf said quickly. "We need him alive. We need him to talk."
Her heart suddenly raced as she heard a familiar voice. "You have fought many wars and killed many men, Theoden King, and made peace afterwards." They turned their gazes up to the sky and saw the wizard standing there, on the very top of his great black tower. "Can we not take council together as we once did, my old friend?" The terrible feeling in her stomach grew as she heard the lies behind his kind voice. "Can we not have peace, you and I?" the wizard spoke.
Theoden scowled. "We shall have peace." he said quietly before raising his voice in anger. "We shall have peace, when you answer for the burning of the Westfold, and the children that lie dead there! We shall have peace, when the lives of the soldiers whose bodies were hewn even as they lay dead against the gates of the Hornburg, are avenged!" he shouted, eyes glaring up. "When you hang from a gibbet for the sport of your own crows... we shall have peace." A feeling of triumph rushed through her as he spoke.
Saruman's face grew annoyed. "Gibbets and crows! DOTARD! What do you want, Gandalf Greyhame? Let me guess. The key of Orthanc? Or perhaps the keys of Barad-Dur itself? Along with the crowns of the seven kings and the rods of the five wizards?" he bellowed. His voice echoed through her ears and she looked down from him, resting her head on Aragorn's back.
"Your treachery has already cost many lives. Thousands more are now at risk." Gandalf replied. "But you can save them Saruman. You were deep in the enemies council."
"So you have come here for information." Saruman paused. "I have some for you." Alarain looked back to him to see he had held up an object in his hands. It was a dark, round ball that gave off an air of dread. "Something festers in the heart of Middle-earth." he said, staring deeply into the ball. "Something that you have failed to see. But the Great Eye has seen it." Lowering his hand, he continued. "Even now, he presses his advantage."
Gandalf moved Shadowfax forward as Saruman's voice grew evil. "His attack will come soon." he said. "You're all going to die. But you know this. Don't you, Gandalf?" The wizard below said nothing. "You cannot think that this ranger will ever sit upon the throne of Gondor." Aragorn stiffened in front of her and she tightened her grip. "This exile, crept from the shadows, will never be crowned king. Gandalf does not hesitate to sacrifice those closest to him, those he professes to... love." He said the word as if it was a poison that he couldn't even grip the meaning of. "Tell me... what words of comfort did you give the halfling before you sent him to his doom? The path that you have set him on can only lead to death."
Alarain felt a great anger rise in her. She glared up and he finally noticed her. "Alarain." he growled. "What a pleasant surprise. Do you still follow this pitiful group of misfits? Why don't you come up here and be spared from their miserable ways." Aragorn straightened as if trying to protect her from the wizard's gaze. "Or has this ranger corrupted your mind as well?" His voice sounded thoroughly disgusted as he continued. "Has your love for him blinded you Alarain?" She felt her companions eyes turn to her and she avoided their gazes as her face heated up. Aragorn tried to turn and look at her, but she ducked her head from his eyes.
Gimli suddenly spoke up, saving her from further embarrassment. "I've heard enough." he whispered to Legolas. "Shoot him. Stick an arrow in his gob." The elf moved to do so, but Gandalf stopped him.
"No." he said, and turned again. "Come down Saruman, and your life will be spared." His voice was almost kind as he said it, though Alarain could tell he was putting it on.
"Save you pity and your mercy! I have no use for it!" he yelled, and using his staff, sent a flaming ball of fire flying towards Gandalf. It enveloped him and Alarain gasped. The fire dissipated to reveal that Gandalf was unscathed.
"Saruman." he called. "Your staff is broken."
At his words, the wizard above was shocked when his staff burst into many small pieces before his eyes. He glared down and she saw a pale, dark haired man walk up behind him.
"Grima!" Theoden called up. "You need not follow him. You were not always as you are now."
"That is Grima Wormtongue." Aragorn informed her.
"You were once a man of Rohan. Come down." the king said proudly. Grima, as Theoden had called him, bowed low before turning to obey.
"A man... of Rohan." Saruman spat. "What is the house of Rohan but a thatched barn where brigands drink in the reek and their brats roll on the floor with the dogs? The victory at Helm's Deep does not belong to you, Theoden, horsemaster! You are a lesser son of greater sires." he growled.
Theoden looked up at him with anger in his eyes. "Grima." he said, obviously trying to control himself. "Come down. Be free of him."
"Free?" Saruman yelled. "He will never be free!" Then he turned to the man and exchanged words. His hand suddenly shot up and he slapped Grima across the face, causing him to fall the floor.
"Saruman!" Gandalf snapped. "You were deep in the enemies council. Tell us what you know."
"You withdraw your guard, and I will tell you where your doom will be decided. I will not be held prisoner here."
"Gandalf!" Alarain exclaimed suddenly as she saw Grima run up behind Saruman.
He was clutching a knife in his hand and plunged it repeatedly into the wizard's back. She winced as he did so and Legolas let an arrow fly. It hit Grima in the heart and he yelled out in pain before falling back dead. Saruman slumped and his body fell too. It dropped over the edge and twisted as it fell through the air. When it landed, it was impaled on a large spiked wheel with a disgusting sound.
Merry gasped and Alarain looked away, though she couldn't help but feel triumph run through her as she realized he was gone, never to haunt her again. Her arm felt a strange rushing sensation as the wizard's evil hold on her diminished. The feeling stayed, but she hid the fact that something had happened to it. Not everyone there knew of her scar, and she wanted it to stay that way.
Turning from the body, Gandalf spoke to Theoden. "Send word to all our allies, and to every corner of Middle-earth that still stands free. The enemy moves against us. We need to know where he will strike."
The wheel that Saruman now lay on began to turn and he was slowly submerged beneath the water.
"The filth of Saruman, is washing away." came Treebeard's deep, gravely voice.
Pippin dropped down from behind Boromir out of the blue and sloshed through the water as Treebeard kept talking about trees.
"Pippin?" Boromir called.
The hobbit ignored him and reached down into the water. Lifting something up, he brought out the dark ball the the wizard had been looking in.
"Bless my bark!" the ent exclaimed.
Gandalf rode up beside him. "Peregrin Took. I'll take that my lad." he said, extending his hand for it. The hobbit hesitated and Gandalf urged him. "Quickly now." Pippin passed it up to him and the wizard hurriedly covered it with his robes.
Pippin climbed back on with Boromir and the group set off, wishing Treebeard farewell. It was an awkward ride back behind Aragorn after what Saruman had said, and what made it even more awkward was the fact that she had her arms wrapped around his middle. She tried to distract herself with concentrating on the ground rushing by, but that, however, only resulted in her feeling sick and she soon looked back up.
Alarain was relieved when Edoras came into view. They galloped towards it and she as they neared the walls, she began to make out small shapes of people bustling about inside.
As soon as they were in the stables and she was off Brego, Alarain rushed away in search of Brenir, not giving Aragorn a chance to stop her. Knowing she would find her hound with Eowyn, she headed for Meduseld, the Golden Hall. Eowyn was waiting eagerly on the steps and greeted her as she approached.
"Alarain. You are back. All is well I presume?" she asked.
Looking at the ground, Alarain mumbled her answer. "You could say that."
Eowyn grabbed her arm and stopped her. "Are you alright?"
She sighed. "I'd rather not talk of it if you don't mind." she said quietly before changing the subject. "Where is Brenir?"
Eowyn laughed. "In the kitchen. The cooks have taken a liking to him. I swear, if he stays there for much longer, you are going to have quite a fat dog on your hands!" Alarain smiled and Eowyn pulled her into the building. "You look exhausted." she said. "Come. There is a bath waiting for you in your chambers, as well as one of my dresses. It's a lovely green that would go with your hair beautifully. There is going to be a feast tonight in celebration of the victory and you must come."
Alarain thanked her when they reached her door and slipped inside. She undressed, carefully taking her many bandages off, and slid into the hot water. When she was done, she put on the dress that was waiting for her and sat on the bed, deep in thought. The woman didn't feel up for a feast, but felt rude if she didn't go. Gazing out the window at the fast approaching darkness, Alarain thought of the ranger she had come to know so well and felt confusion overwhelm her. Love?
A knock at the door jolted her out of her thoughts and she called for whoever it was to come in. And who should it be to walk through that door but Aragorn. She stared at him for a moment before her nerves took over and she glanced back down from his gaze.
"I need to check your wounds." he said from the doorway.
She nodded and he closed the door quietly before walking over and sitting down. His hands were gentle as he cleaned out a cut on her arm with a wet rag before rewrapping it using a fresh bandage. He moved to her shoulder where she had another large scratch and glanced up at her brown eyes. She was avoiding his and looking out the window, counting stars as she tried to focus on anything but the man who was so close. If she wanted to, she could just lean forward and... Cut it out Alarain!
"Are you coming to the feast?" the ranger asked, concentrating on her scratch.
"I should."
He looked back to her. "If you don't wish to, you could always make the excuse of painful wounds." he said. "No one would blame you."
She smiled slightly at his sneaky attitude and looked down as she fiddled absently with her fingers. His rough hands ran over her arm gently and she shivered at the touch. Aragorn finished and walked to the window, pulling it closed as he thought the reason she had trembled was from cold. As he turned and looked down at her, something changed in his eyes. Her heart began to pound as he walked slowly back over to the bed, gaze unmoving.
"Alarain." he whispered as he sat down facing her.
The ranger rested his hand on the bed so his body was over her. Glancing at her lips, he moved closer. They stared at each other for a moment before he began to close the gap and her eyelids fell slowly as she felt his nose brush hers.
"I'm coming in and I hope I'm not interrupting anything!" an elf's voice called from the other side of the door.
They leaped apart and Aragorn stood as Legolas entered. He stopped and his eyes moved across them both, taking in their embarrassed looks. A mischievous smile grew on his face and his eyes twinkled.
Deciding to make some trouble, he spoke. "Come, Alarain. You are going to miss the feast!" Snatching her hand, he whisked her off and Aragorn followed reluctantly behind.