Remains of the Banished | Aragorn || Lord of the Rings

XVI

By nightfall the four had reached the smoking pile. 

Eadrid dismounted her horse, who she was sad to realize was nowhere near as trained as Aiyla, and began to search for any sign of Merry and Pippin.

In the pile, she saw a glint of metal. 

"It's one of their wee belts." Gimli said as Eadrid held it up.

Legolas bowed his head and muttered in Elvish. "May they find peace in death."

Eadrid dropped the belt and turned away. "No, they must have escaped." Eadrid searched around the pile for anything else.

Aragorn kicked a strewn helmet and cried out, falling to his knees.

Gimli sniffed. "We failed them."

Eadrid stood in front of Aragorn. "Get up."

Aragorn looked up at her with raised brows.

"Get up. They are not dead."

"How do you know?" Legolas asked.

"A ladies intuition." Eadrid looked back to Aragorn. "Look."

Aragorn nodded and looked at the ground for a few moments.

He stopped a few feet away and touched the ground. "A Hobbit lay here. And the other." Aragorn traced his hand along the path the Hobbits laid. "They crawled. Their hands were bound."

Aragorn stood, holding cut rope, eyes raised at Eadrid.

"Their bonds were cut."

Eadrid nodded and followed Aragorn.

"They ran over here." Hope crept into Aragorn's voice. "They were followed. Tracks lead away from the battle..." Aragorn stopped quickly. "...into Fangorn Forest."

"Fangorn?" Eadrid breathed. "What madness drove them in there?"

They had no choice but to follow, despite the dark stories that stained their childhoods.

Eadrid passed a leaf, the same dark blood splattered on it that stained her tunic. "Orc blood."

They began to run through the forest, Aragorn stopping every so often.

"These are strange tracks." He muttered.

"The air is so close in here." Gimli said quietly.

"This forest is old." Legolas looked up at the blanket of trees that hid the sky from view. "Very old. Full of memory......and anger."

A deep groaning filled their ears. Eadrid put her hand on the hilt of her sword.

"The trees are speaking to each other." Eadrid whispered.

Aragorn looked at Gimli. "Gimli! Lower your axe."

"They have feelings, my friend." Legolas said. "The Elves began it. Waking up the trees, teaching them to speak.

"Talking trees." Gimli huffed. "What do trees have to talk about? Except the consistency of squirrel droppings."

"Something's out there." Legolas said.

"What do you see?"

Legolas looked deep into the forest. "The White Wizard approaches." He said in quiet bitterness. 

"Do not let him speak." Aragorn said. "He will put a spell on us."

Eadrid drew her sword.

"We must be quick."

They quickly turned around and were met with a brilliant white light. 

Gimli and Legolas' weapons were thrown to the side as they attempted to attack, and Aragorn's sword turned red hot.

Eadrid raised her sword, but before she could do anything, it disappeared into ash.

Eadrid stared at her empty hands as a voice appeared from the light.

"You are tracking the footsteps of two young Hobbits."

"Where are they?" Aragorn demanded.

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

"Who are you?" Aragorn shouted. "Show yourself!"

And out of the white light came the person Eadrid could never have expected to see.

Gandalf was before them, dressed in white, and held a white staff.

"Forgive me." Legolas said quietly and bowed his head. "I mistook you for Saruman."

"I am Saruman." Gandalf smiled. "Or rather, Saruman as he should have been."

"You fell." Aragorn whispered.

"Through fire, and water." Gandalf paused. "I've been sent back...until my task is done."

Eadrid took a step to him. "Gandalf."

"Gandalf?" He looked puzzled then smiled. "Yes. That was what they used to call me. Gandalf the Grey. That was my name."

"Gandalf." Gimli repeated. 

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

The five walked through the forest, Gandalf now wearing a grey cloak over his white robes.

"One stage of your journey is over. Another begins." Gandalf looked over to Eadrid. "We must travel to Edoras with all speed."

"Edoras?" Gimli asked. "That is no short distance!"

"There is still great trouble in Rohan. It grows more ill with the king." Eadrid said.

Gandalf eyed Eadrid carefully. "Yes, and it will not be easily cured."

"Can it be?" Eadrid asked.

"We will try."

"Then we have run all this way for nothing?" Gimli scoffed. "Are we to leave those poor Hobbits here...in this horrid, dark, dank tree-infested-?" The trees groaned once more. "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."

Aragorn smiled. "In one thing you have not changed, dear friend." Gandalf looked at him curiously. "You still speak in riddles."

"A thing is about to happen that has not happened since the Elder Days." He looked around the forest. "The Ents are going to wake up...and find that they are strong."

"Strong?" Another groan. "Oh, that's good." Gimli said quickly.

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

Gimli muttered to himself. "This new Gandalf's more grumpy than the old one."

As they reached the edge of the forest, Gandalf stopped, and whistled loudly. 

In the distance, Eadrid saw a white horse galloping towards them. 

Her breath caught. "One of the Mearas... It cannot be."

The beautiful white horse stopped in front of them, whinnying as Gandalf stroked him.

"Shadowfax." Eadrid whispered.

"He is the lord of all horses..." Gandalf said. "And has been my friend through many dangers."

Eadrid stared in awe as Gandalf mounted him.