A Shattered Life (LOTR/Legolas Fanfic)

Chapter 16- Reunion in Isengard

BEGINNING OF PART III

Gandalf, Eomer, Aragorn, Legolas, Gimli, Amara and Theoden all riding through the forest looking warily around. Amara smiles as distant laughter reaches her ears. She glances at Legolas, whose ears twitch at the sound of the two long lost hobbits. A smile grows on his face.

As they rode out into the open, Amara spotted Merry and Pippin lounging among some ruins. Pippin spots the company first.

"Ahaha!" He salutes them with his mug. Merry Stands.

"Welcome, my lords to Isengard!" He slurred out. With her hood up, Amara doubted that the hobbits even knew she was there.

"You young rascals. A merry hunt you've led us on and now we find you feasting and- and smoking!" Gimli stuttered out in disbelief.

"We are sitting on a field of victory enjoying a few well earned comforts. The salted pork is particularly good." Pippin slurred.

"Salted pork?" Gimli said.

"Hobbits!" Gandalf muttered. Then suddenly the hobbit fell silent and their faces sad.

"Though...the victory isn't without cost..." Pippin murmured. He glanced at Merry.

"We lost Lady Amara. She was killed by the Uruks." Merry said. Amara rode forward and removed her hood.

"You really think I'd go down that easily?" She asked. Pippin sprung up and jumped from the ruins, Merry close behind. Amara laughed and descended from her horse just as both hobbits reached her and tackled her into a hug.

Questions flooded from Merry and Pippin's mouths before Amara silenced them.

"I'll tell you everything later, for now let see the havoc you've raged on Isengard.

"We're under orders from Treebeard who's taken over management of Isengard." Merry announced. Suddenly the sun was blocked out my a large Ent as he peeked over the ruins.

"Come on, Pippin." Amara helped the hobbit onto her horse as Merry climbed up on Aragorn's horse. Amara climbed up after him and they made their way into the flooded grounds of Isengard.

"Hoooom, young master Gandalf, I'm glad you've come." Treebeard hummed. "Wood and water, stock and stone I can master, but there is a Wizard to manage here locked in his tower."

"Show yourself." Aragorn said, looking up at the tower.

"Be careful. Even in defeat, Saruman is dangerous." Gandalf warned.

"Well then let's just have his head and be done with it." Gimli declared.

"No, we need him alive. We need him to talk."

"You have fought many wars and slain many men Theoden King and made peace afterwards. Can we not take counsel together as we once did, my old friend? Can we not have peace you and I?" Saruman spoke from a top his tower.

"We shall have peace. 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! When you hang from a gibbet for the sport of your own crows we shall have peace!" Theoden spat.

"Gibbets and crows! Dotard! What do you want Gandalf Grahame? Let me guess the key of Orthanc? Or perhaps the keys of Barad Dür itself? Along with the crowns of the seven Kings and the rods of the Five Wizards!"

"Your treachery has already cost many lives. Thousands more are now at risk. But you could save them Saruman. You were deep in the enemy's counsel." Gandalf reasoned.

"So you have come here for information. I have some for you." Saruman holds up a large perfect sphere and looks into it, "Something festers in the heart of Middle Earth. Something that you have failed to see. But the great eye has seen it! Even now he presses his advantage. His attack will come soon."Gandalf rides forward.

"You are all going to die! But you know this don't you Gandalf? You cannot think that this Ranger will ever sit upon the throne of Gondor. This exile, crept from the shadows will never be crowned King.

"Gandalf does not hesitate to sacrifice those who are 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? The path that you have set him on can only lead to death." Saruman spat.

"I've heard enough! Shoot him! Stick an arrow in his gob!" Gimli said.

Legolas and Amara both reach for an arrow.

"No! Come down Saruman and your life will be spared!" Gandalf shouted.

"Save your pity and your mercy. I have no use for it!" Saurman s directed a bolt of fire at Gandalf which he survives with no ill effects.

"Saruman.. your staff is broken!" Gandalf said and with his words, Saruman's staff bursts.

Grima Wormtongue appears behind Saruman.

"Grima! You need not follow him! You were not always as you are now. You were once a man of Rohan. Come down." Theoden called

Grima looks down as his king and looks as if he might just come down when Saruman spits.

"A man of Rohan? 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 Helms Deep does not belong to you Theoden Horse Master. You are a lesser son of greater sires!"

"Grima. Come down! Be free of him!" Theoden ignored Saruman.

"Free? He will never be free!" Saruman shouted.

"No!" Grima cried.
Saruman turns around to Grima.

"Get down cur!" Saruman slaps him to the ground

"Ah!" Grima cried.

"Saruman! You were deep in the enemy's counsel. Tell us what you know!" Gandalf pressed. Saruman turns around to face Gandalf. Grima pulls a knife out behind Saruman.

"You withdraw your guard and I will tell you where your doom will be decided. I will not be held prisoner here!"

Grima rises up behind Saruman and attacks him with the knife, stabbing him twice in the back. Legolas aims an arrow at Grima who falls shot in the heart. Saruman falls from the tower and is impaled on a great wheel below.

"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." Gandalf said.

The water wheel turns and Saruman disappears beneath the water head first. The orb drops from his hand into the water.

"The filth of Saruman is washing away. Trees will come back to live here." Pippin sees the fallen orb and dismounts. "Young trees. Wild trees."

"Pippin!" Amara called as Pippin moves towards the orb. She too dismounts and waded towards the hobbit and he bent and picked up the orb.
Pippin looks into the orb and it holds his gaze for a minute.

"Bless my bark!" Treebeard said. Amara reached Pippin and put her arms on his shoulders. Her eyes locked onto the orb and she swore she could hear a voice whispering to her.

"Peregrin Took. I'll take that my lad! Quickly now!" Gandalf said loudly, breaking both Amara and Pippin's trance.

Pippin hands the Palantir to him and he wraps it up. He looks sheepish at Gandalf and watches him intently as he turns away. Amara climbed back onto her horse and grabbed onto Pippin, pulling him up in front of her.

The company turned their horses away and left the ruins of Isengard.