Dragon Rider in Middle Earth

XXI

Pippin loses his grip and falls. The tree catches him before he hits the ground.

-Let's put a maggot hole in your belly- the orc brandishes his dagger above Merry's head.

The tree stomps and squashes the orc.

-Run Merry!- Merry tries to run away but is scooped by the tree.

-Little orcs! Búrarum- The tree starts to walk with them in his hands.

-It's talking Merry. The tree is talking.

-Tree! I am no tree! I am an Ent.

-Treeherder! A shepherd of the forest.

-Don't talk to it Merry. Don't encourage it.

-Treebeard some call me.

-And whose side are you on?

-Side? I am on nobody's side. Because nobody is on my side, little orc.

-Nobody cares for the woods anymore.

-We are not orcs. We are Hobbits!

-Hobbits? Never heard of a Hobbit before. Sounds like orc mischief to me.

He strengthens his hold on the hobbits, squeezing them.

-They come with fire, they come with axes. Biting, breaking, hacking, burning. Destroyers and usurpers. Curse them!

-No! You don't understand. We are Hobbits, halflings. Shirefolk!

-Maybe you are, and maybe you aren't. The White Wizard will know.

-White Wizard?

-Saruman!

Treebeard drops them on the ground and the Hobbits look up at a White Wizard.

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•••••

Aragorn, Arya, Legolas and Gimli are in the Fangorn Forest. Gimli tastes some liquid on a leaf, then spits it out making Arya recoil slightly in disgust. Why in the world would he do that?

-Orc blood!

-These are strange tracks- Aragorn says.

-The air is so close here.

-This forest is old. Very old. Full of memory... and anger.

Bass voices are heard from the trees. Gimli raises his axe.

-The trees are speaking to each other.

-Gimli!- Arya shouts at the dwarf.

-Huh?- he looks at her.

-Lower your axe- she hisses.

-Oh!

-They have feelings, my friend. The Elves began it: waking up the trees, teaching them to speak- Legolas explains getting closer to them.

-Talking trees. What do trees have to talk about, hmm? Except the consistency of squirrel droppings.

-Aragorn, nad no ennas! (Something is out there!)- he warns Aragorn. Arya really needed to learn how to speak more fluently in Sindarin. She understood it but it was harder for her to speak it.

-Man cenich? (What do you see?)- the man asked.

Legolas' eyes dart to his right.

-The White Wizard approaches- he gets closer to Arya who was now cursing that the forest had been to small and low for Argent to pass through with them. He had had to be left behind.

-Do not let him speak. He will put a spell on us!- Aragorn wraps his hand around the hilt of his sword, Gimli tightens his hold on his axe, and Legolas draws back his arrow. Arya does not move, the aura the person in front of them emitted was not dark, but familiar -We must be quick.

The three turn around to attack, but are blinded by a bright light emanating from the White Wizard. Arya covers her eyes behind them.
Gimli's axe and Legolas' arrow are deflected and Aragorn drops his sword as it becomes hot in his grasp.

-You are tracking the footsteps of two young Hobbits- the wizard says in a distorted voice.

-Where are they?

-They passed this way, the day before yesterday. They met someone they did not expect. Does that comfort you?

-Who are you? Show yourself!

The light dims, revealing Gandalf, dressed in white. Legolas bows before Gandalf, Gimli following him. Arya rushes at the old wizard enveloping him in a tight hug making the man chuckle and caress her hair.

-It cannot be!

-Forgive me. I mistook you for Saruman.

-I am Saruman. Or rather Saruman as he should have been- Arya releases him and backs away to stand once again by Legolas.

-You fell!

-Through fire. And water. From the lowest dungeon to the highest peak, I fought him, the Balrog of Morgoth. Until at last, I threw down my enemy and smote his ruin upon the mountainside. Darkness took me. And I strayed out of thought and time. Stars wheeled overhead, and every day was as long as the life age of the earth. But it was not the end. I felt light in me again. I've been sent back until my task is done.

-Gandalf!

-Gandalf? Oh yes. That's what they used to call me. Gandalf the Grey. That was my name.

-Gandalf!

-I am Gandalf the White. And I come back to you now, at the turn of the tide.

They walk along the forest with him leading them.

-One stage of your journey is over, another begins. War has come to Rohan. We must ride to Edoras with all speed.

-Edoras? That is no short distance!- Gimli protested.

-We hear of trouble in Rohan. It goes ill with the king.

-Yes, and it will not be easily cured.

-Then we have run all this way for nothing? Are we to leave those poor hobbits here in this horrid, dark, dank tree-infested...- The trees rumble -I mean charming, quite charming forest.

-It was more than mere chance that brought Merry and Pippin to Fangorn. A great power has been sleeping here for many long years. The coming of Merry and Pippin will be like the falling of small stones that starts an avalanche in the mountains.

-In one thing you have not changed, dear friend- Aragorn laughs.

-Hmm?

-You still speak in riddles.

Aragorn and Gandalf laugh.

-A thing is about to happen here that has not happened since the Elder Days. The Ents are going to wake up and find that they are strong.

-Strong? Oh, that's good.

-So stop your fretting Master Dwarf. Merry and Pippin are quite safe. In fact, they are far safer than you are about to be.

-This new Gandalf's more grumpy than the old one.

Arya and Legolas look at each other and smile as the group follows Gandalf.

••••••••••

Outside the forest, Gandalf whistles piercingly.
An answering neigh is heard and a white horse appears from the plain, galloping. It's muscles moving beneath his skin in the sunlight.

-That is one of the Mearas, unless my eyes are cheated by some spell- Legolas said.

The horse stops in front of Gandalf,.

-Shadowfax- he pets the horse -He's the lord of all horses, and has been my friend through many dangers.

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