Out of Sight, Out of Mind//Legolas

Chapter 15; The Ride of the Rohirrim

Aragorn, Gilan and Legolas burst inside the room where the wizard and the hobbits are sleeping. Or were.

"Help, Gandalf! Help him." Merry shouts and Gilan pieces together a blurry picture of a small hobbit, Pippin, trashing on the ground with the mysterious crystal orb in his hands.

"Fool of a Took!" Gandalf yells and Aragorn grabs the sphere from the hobbit's hands. After a bit of struggle he lets it go and it rolls away.

"No. Look at me." Gandalf shakes Pippin and the poor hobbit's voice weakly speaks.

"Gandalf, forgive me."

"Look at me! What did you see?"

"A tree, there was a white tree in a courtyard of stone. It was dead. The city was burning."

"Minas Tirith? Is that what you saw?"

"I saw- I saw him! I could hear his voice in my head." Horror crept over them all.

"And what did you tell him? Speak!"

"He asked me my name. I didn't answer. He hurt me!" Gilan's heart broke.

"What did you tell him about Frodo and the Ring?" Pippin stays silent, falling into a sort of trance.

***

"There was no lie in Pippin's eyes. A fool but an honest fool he remains. He told Sauron nothing of Frodo and the Ring. We've been strangely fortunate. Pippin saw in the Palantir a glimpse of the enemy's plan. Sauron moves to strike the city of Minas Tirith."

"How can we be sure that's not what Sauron wanted him to see?" Gilan asks with a worried look.

"We can't. There is one thing that we know for certain. His defeat at Helm's Deep showed our enemy one thing. He knows the Heir of Elendil has come forth. Men are not as weak as he supposed. There is courage still. Strength enough, perhaps, to challenge him. Sauron fears this. He will not risk the peoples of Middle Earth uniting under one banner. He will raze Minas Tirith to the ground before he sees a King return to the throne of men. If the beacons of Gondor are lit, Rohan must be ready for war."

"Tell me! Why should we ride to the aid of those who did not come to ours? What do we owe Gondor?" Gilan takes in a deep controlled breath as he stomps down his anger. Then he suddenly calms as he feels Legolas' presence next to him.

"I will go!" Aragorn takes a step forward.

"No!"

"They must be warned!"

"They will be. You must come to Minas Tirith by another road. Follow the river. Look to the black ships. Understand this, things are now in motion that cannot be undone. I ride for Minas Tirith and I won't be going alone." Gandalf turns to Pippin and the hobbit gulps. They follow them to the stables where Shadowfax is resting and give their goodbyes. Gilan crouches down to Pippin.

"You lost your elven dagger to the orcs, right?" The hobbit makes a small noise of agreement. Gilan unsheathes his father's dagger and gives it to him. "This was made by my father. I hated him, but it saved my life. And it shall save yours too. And in the darkest hours, remember your home."

***

"You have to teach me that." Aragorn told him as they watched Shadowfax run into the wild.

"What exactly?"

"How to speak so reassuringly."

"You already do a great job at that, don't fool yourself."

"I don't know if that's anything king worthy." Gilan frowns and turns to him, unseeing eyes staring right into Aragorn's soul.