Everyone looked angered and frightened as Saruman's words reached them.
"You're all going to die", he said. "But you know this, don't you, Gandalf? You cannot think that this Ranger will ever sit upon the throne of Gondor."
"How does he know this?" Solatiri whispered.
"The Eye sees all", Aragorn whispered back.
Saruman turned his eyes to Aragorn and scoffed.
"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. Tell me, what words of comfort did you give the Halfling before you sent him to his doom?"
"Frodo", Solatiri said.
"The path that you have set him on can only lead to death", Saruman said.
"I've heard enough!" Gimli said.
"As have I!" Solatiri said readying her bow and arrow.
"Shoot him. Stick an arrow in his gob."
Solatiri aimed at the figure on the tall tower.
"You think you can kill me, woman?" Saruman said. "I have heard about you as well. A woman born in Rohan, abandoned to live in Gondor. You are with child from a man who has left this world. Unmarried…you and your child will amount to nothing."
"Enough!" Solatiri yelled as she fired her arrow.
"No!" Gandalf said a moment too late.
Everyone watched as Saruman waved his staff reducing her arrow to splinters.
"Foolish girl", Saruman said.
"Come down, Saruman, and your life will be spared", Gandalf said.
"Save your pity and your mercy", Saruman said. "I have no use for it!"
He pointed his staff at Gandalf, releasing a ball of fire. Everyone backed away in horror as Gandalf and his horse were completely engulfed in the flames. Everyone watched as the fire faded and both Wizard and horse stood completely unharmed.
"Saruman…" Gandalf called out. "Your staff is broken."
As soon as he said those words, Saruman's staff broke into useless pieces of metal. As Saruman looked down at his broken staff, everyone watched as a man dressed in black appeared behind him. It was Grima Wormtongue.
"Grima", Theoden called out. "You need not follow him. You were not always as you are now. You were once a Man of Rohan. Come down."
Grima smiled thinking he would be able to have a second chance in Theoden's court. He nodded and bowed as he started to back away.
"A Man of Rohan?" Saruman said amused. "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 Horse-master. You are a lesser son of greater sires."
Grima looked at Saruman then to Theoden. Theoden noticed the sad look on Grima's face as he wondered what to do.
"Grima, come down. Be free of him."
"Free?" Saruman said. "He will never be free."
"No", Grima said.
He turned to him before backhanding him hard enough to bring him to the floor.
"Get down, cur!"
"Saruman!" Gandalf said. "You were deep in the enemy's counsel. Tell us what you know!"
"You withdarw your guard, and I will tell you where your doom will be decided", Saruman said. "I will not be held prisoner here."
Everyone gasped as they saw Grima come up from behind Saruman with a knife in his hand. He grabbed him and stuck the knife into his back numerous times. Legolas raise his bow and shot an arrow into Grima's chest. Saruman fell from the top of the tower, landing on a sharp spike on a wheel, impaling himself. Solatiri, Pippin and Merry gasped as they saw the dark stone fall from Saruman's sleeve as the wheel slowly turned, sending his body into the water.
"Send word to all our allies", Gandalf said. "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 filth of Saruman is washing away", Treebeard said smiling. "Trees will come back to live here. Young trees, wild trees."
"Pippin!" Aragorn called.
Everyone watched as Pippin jumped off Aragorn's horse and waded through the water. They saw him pick up the dark stone that Saruman held.
"Bless my bark!" Treebeard said in surprise at the stone.
"Peregrin Took", Gandalf said. "I'll take that my, lad."
He took the stone and wrapped it in his cloak, hiding it from all view. Pippin looked at Gandalf afraid and uncertain almost as if he was hiding something.
"Pippin?" Solatiri said. "You can ride with me if you want."
"Thank you, my lady", he answered quietly.