The Link for teh dress is now wearing: http://www.google.com/imgres?imgurl=http://joechip.net/liana/uploads/october09/halloween-lotr-costume-series-seven-galadriel-white-layered-gown-with-silver-circlet-tabbed.png&imgrefurl=http://www.joechip.net/liana/2009/10/10/halloween-lotr-costume-series-7-galadriels-white-layered-gown-with-silver-circlet/&h=708&w=287&sz=250&tbnid=XEQxodziE9Gj1M:&tbnh=96&tbnw=39&zoom=1&usg=__UrWSuE5TAnHsqIfRfuAJ25N0UOA=&docid=m8BceEZ_lJ8UWM&sa=X&ei=P6LXT6f4Bcmr2AX0zcCPCw&ved=0CJ4BEPUBMAE&dur=4237
After the defeat at Helm's Deep, all of us decided to move back to the Rohan castle and plan for the next event that would happen after we defeated Sauron's army. All of us were relieved that the war was partially over. Frodo and Sam had not yet discarded the RIng into the firey depths of Mordor. But we all awaited it and planned for it. For Sauron's eye would be fixed upon the great mountain at all times. But that was for later thought. We had other ideas now. AS for what had happened to Isengard during our battle. I had known that the Ents had gone to war, which was extremely rare. But what had they done to Saruman and his own little army? I was going to have to discuss that with Theoden and pray he was still on my side.
"Theoden! May I have a word?" I called upon him from his table at which he was speaking to other great men about the defeat. I walked over to him.
"Ah! And gentlemen! This is the Army General I have been talking to you about. Alisson Took." Theoden noticed my prescence and made it known. I put on a smile for the men and waved slightly. Out of the corner of my mouth, I whispered to him, "Theoden, may I have a word? It is news of Isengard." I added in to make sure that I captured his full attention. He had stopped showing me off and stiffened up.
"One second men. I must attend to some other needs." He said and turned toward me.
"Come. We must speak privately. This is a large matter at hand." I told him. He whisked me off to a small cavern that was within the walls of the castle. A small concave that had been carved out of the grand stone. A sitting area maybe back in the day when war was not a worry, but now it was a secret message station.
"What do you want and what news of Isengard?" He asked me.
"Isengard, Theoden? Let's just say that there is no more Isengard." I hinted him. A small smile creased my lips.
"What do you mean? It has been destroyed? Who has done it? Conquered Saruman and his own army? How did you hear of this?" Theoden bombbarded me with questions.
"Theoden calm down. Isengard was defeated only days ago. Just when I had arrived to Helms Deep. The Ents...went on a war rage and defeated the place. Now that only stands is the structure of Orthanc itself. There are no known survivors, But I would think that we shoudl travel there to see of there are." I told him. He took in this information with ease, trying not to get ahead of himself.
"We will ride out tomorrow. For now, let us rest, for war has weakened our minds and bodies. Go. Reunite with your loved ones." He patted me on the back and told me to head off. I nodded, actually glad to spend time with the Fellowship.
It felt quite wonderful to be back in Rohan. Under its thatched roof and comfy living styles. And I was happy that Pip and I had regained our room that had had so many twists and turns that I knew them by heart. It was kind of like a third home for me. The second being the Human World. I knew I could not go back, but I thought about it sometimes.
I walked down the corridors and halls, no longer etched with a dark and cold feeling, just a relief that the war was over and we had a break before the wave of another one would hit us. I entered the familiar room, expecting to see happy faces, but instead was filled with sadness. Why couldn't something good happen every once and a while. I wanted to think that it was somethign small, but there was a small feeling that it was much grander than I thought.
"What has happpend?" I asked.
"There...there has been an unfortunate death. Quite unexpected." Gandalf had stepped forward from the faces. I had not seen him...in forever.
"Who was it?! Was it someone I know?" I questioned.
"Well, yes. Of course. But I do not want to beat yourself up over it. You coulnd't have done anything to save it. It was...as I say, fate." Gandalf seemed very hesitant to tell me who had died. I was scared. I didn't want to look up at the faces and see who was missing from them.
"Who. Tell me." I demanded. But with not as much force that I usually do.
"Your dear and near friend, someone close to all of us...Boromir." Gandalf sighed as he sat back down, his greiveance too much for his own body to handle. I was in shock too.
"Boromir? But he was with me the whole time! I never saw him fall!" I tried to think back to the battle at Helms. I had left a couple times. But they were too quick for someone to pass away.
"Unfortunatley, when you, Zachariah, Meriadoc, and Pergrin left, many arrows, not just one, hit him. He did not give up, but collapsed from damage of his heart after the 4th arrow." Gandalf had been watching me? I hadn't seen him up there.
"But..." I stopped. For the first time, I could feel no emotion. But how could that be? Boromir was close to me. Like a brother. "Gandalf...I feel no pain. No sadness." I looked up at him. He did not seemed puzzled at all. Actually an amused look came over his face.
"I know it is wrong to smile at such a time as this is, but I do have a feeling that the small Elvish in you has completely kicked in. As Elves do not have any emotion, neither do you. But you have some, since of your mixed races. Elven, Hobbit, and Man." Gandalf informed me on my "elven maturity". I was slightly disappointed but I realized that it was for the best of me. Gandalf had known that I would have gotten mad at my self for letting Boromir die.
"Oh." I walked to the bed and sat down. "Theoden informed me that we all will be leaving for Orthanc at Isengard tomorrow. It has been defeated. He told me that we should rest and take this time to be with the ones we care for." I advised the group of people in our room.
And with that message, they dispatched. Only Merry and Pippin stayed with me. Everyone else went either to their own rooms to sleep, or to the Main Hall to meet up with people. I scooted back and had my back up againts the headboard of the bed. My back had been hurting rather strangely. It must have been the baby. My headaches were becoming more and more recent and painful. AS of the one right now, I could barely think, let alone talk. I put my two fingers up to my temple and rubbed them. I tried not to show that I was in great pain.
"Alice what's wrong?" Pippin came up to the bedside and sat down next to me, one hand on my shoulder and another in my hair.
"Nothing." I told him, but that would not easily let him stray away.
"You say that all the time, but you never mean it." He questioned me.
"My new senses...they are so honed and I am not used to them. Every light I see shines brighter. Every step I hear, echoes in my ear. Every time I breath, I can taste the walls that were made of wood. It hurts." I told him. Part of it was true. everything was so honed, that my body was weak to it.
"Oh.. I wish I could help you. But I think the only thing to fix that is for you to get used to it." Pippin told me.
"I know. I know. I think maybe after sleep, I will be better. Perhaps, I will sing myself to sleep." I thought about it.
"How about I?" Pip volunteered. That would be better.
"Yes. But. Can you sing me the song that I had made up?" I asked him.
"The one that I had hear you singing a couple days ago?"
"Yes. That one."
Pippin sat near me but was careful not to sing too loud. But he began, "Home is behind. The world ahead. And there are many paths to tread. Through shadows. To the edge of night. Until the stars are all alight. Mist and Shadow. Cloud and shade. All Shall fade. All shall....fade..." He whispered it and sung it with perfect tune and rythem. I easily fell asleep to the sound of his singing voice. In my subconcious I could even hear Merry snoring, being put to sleep by Pippin's song.
I was easily able to communicate with Sam and Frodo but they weren't in a good place. I saw them, climbing high mountains and dark places. Sam would whine constanstly. Eitehr Frodo or Gollum would get mad.
"Samwise." I attempted to whisper think.
"Alice. How was the war? Are you okay? You sound sick?" He thought to me.
"We won. Isengard was defeated. Helms Deep wasn't." I tried to put a happy thinking frame to him, but it did not work.
"But there is something else that is in the back of your mind. I can hear it. Not quite, but almost." When Sam said that I realized that there was something lurking in the back of my head. A deep, dense and dark thought.
"Sam...I...With this baby inside me and everything I have been going through...I think...I think that...my time is up. I'm running out of time...the strength and will has left me. Samwise, I'm dying. And there is nothing I can do. You and Frodo must get the Ring to Mordor." I told him.
"You...you're dying? But how is that possible? And your pregnant?!" Sam was surprised with this news.
"Yes. Didn't you know? But in that case, you must get the Ring to Mordor." I told him.
"I am not in charge of the Ring. Frodo is. He has to. Not me." Sam told me. I knew that but Sam was helping Frodo. "I need to go. Talk to me later please." Sam pleaded.
"Okay. I will. Goodbye for now." I told him. The images faded out and I fell in and out of the dream state. The dream was that I was laying down. On a beautiful bed. Silver and grey marked the ceilings in beautiful decorations, but I could not pay any attention to it. For my body felt like it was being twisted up and kicked. The pain was unbearable. I looked out the window and saw the remnants of war. Small fires still burning up in the dried patches of the land that we had fought on. The smoke was rising and heading toward Mordor. I felt like I was alone in the room. Everyone else had left for Mordor. To go help Sam and Frodo. And I wasn't there. There was a great urge for me to go back to the Shire, but I knew that I couldn't. I wasn't about to leave them.
"Alice. Alice...wake up!" I heard someone calling my name and I instantly knew it was a dream. I started up and looked around. The setting were still the same. Merry and Pippin were still by my side. Merry, sleeping in the chair, Pippin, next to me on the bed.
"What is it?" I asked. Why did someone wake me up?
"Theoden wants us at his Dinner table. Right now." Pippin informed me.
"In these clothes?" I asked. All of us were still in our war clothes that were strewn with blood and grass stains.
"He gave us new ones." Pip pointed to the edge of the bed.
Once again, I was faced with a very fancy dress. Theoden probably thought that the most recent war was going to be my last. I got up out of bed and picked up the dress. This time it was a deep, icy blue dress. The shoulders were made so that they did not sit on top of my own shoulders but down on the side.The clear blue arms barely went down to my wrist. The dress was lacy and very pretty. I took it and went into the bathroom. I locked the door and sat down on the edge of the tub. I was tired and just wanted a break. I huffed and sighed. But I finally took off the nasty war clothes and tossed them to the side. The heavy chainmail clinked as it fell. I breathed in as I slid it on. The dresses I wore always fit me perfectly. But this one, it did fit me, but not a slightly pregnant me.. It showed the bump a little. That's what worried me. There was really only one way to see if it really raised attention. I unlocked the door and stepped out into the room. Merry and Pip were already dressed and ready to go. I tried to act like the normal me, but it was very difficult. I wanted to be fiesty again!
"Aye! Nice dress." Merry commented when I came out. My heart stopped but then kept beating, knowing that he only commented on the dress, not me.
"Thank you." I thanked him.
"Alright! Shall we go to dinner?" Pippin asked, putting his suspenders on.
"Yessum!" Merry said as he pulled open the door. I walked out of the room with Pip and Merry followed us. We walked along the corridors and halls, slowly meeting up with some of the fellowship. Some of them were still blown away from the death of Boromir. I was too, but there was no emotion to it.
When all of us were together, we went to the dining hall and met up with other soldiers that were closer to us and Theoden. The table was larger than I remembered from last time. Of course last time, i was drunk...Shivers ran through me. Let's not repeat that again.
The Fellowship took our seats altogether. I looked at us. Wow. We made it far. Theoden sat at the head of the table with Eoywen. She seemed pleased. Eomer had joined us with the Fellowship. Even though I had not seen much of him, I knew that he had been working hard at the war site.
"Welcome. One and all! For we have made it past the first maybe even the second stage of this War we will win! So far luck and fate has been on our side! I would like to thank a couple of specific people, even though all of you are important to this war!" Theoden raised his glass. I couldn't help but smile at his speech. "I would like to thank, first off, my niece, Eowyen who, no matter what was always there to help and that did a lot for us!" We all cheered, clapped and smiled for her. There were a couple hoots and hollers but that was from the stable boy who had just been walking through. "And to Alison Graham Greenleaf Took! For being my General Army leader and showing me that the women of Middle Earth are stronger than I think. With your command you lead us into a battle and a majority of us came out alive!" i was shocked when he toasted me. I had thought that he had always had a slight dislike for me, but that seemed to have changed. Cheers and clapping rang out through the castle. I smiled. I had no clue what to do. BUt that changed. I stood up with my own glass and spoke
"Thank you Theoden for choosing me and leading these people with you will and bravery. That will not be forgotten." I told him. I sat back down as the cheers and clapping went around.
"Well then, let the feasting begin!" Theoden called out. Everyone dove for the food at the table. All of us were very hungry for we hadn't eaten a full meal since the morning of our trip to Helms Deep. Otherwise we had been snacking on leftover Lembas and some other dried fruits with no taste. And of course, water. So this was a magnificent feast for the lot of us. And I made sure to get a lot. I piled on bread, meat, ooh fancy cheese! An apple or two, and maybe some roast pork. I naturally ate like this and I knew that it wasn't the pregnancy doing this. I poured in some wine that I could actually handle this time. After all of the preperation, I was ready to eat. I picked up the fork, and knife and began to dig in! Oh I was so hungry. The scent of the food from my plate was making my mouth water. I cut off a peice of pork and ate it. Oh my goodness! That stuff was sooo good. I began to eat more and more. I tried not to look like a pig and ate other things too, such as the apple, the cheese and bread! Carbs were good.
I looked all around and saw that people around me were stuffing their faces too, so I didn't look too out of place. This food...it was bringing back so many memories. It wasn't even from the Shire! I was remembering Shire memories. When I first arrived at the Shire, meeting the four hobbits. Falling in and out of love with Frodo and falling in love with Pippin. Hanging around and celebrating there. The clothing, the gum....oh memories. The time I had first met Gandalf too! It was amazing, everything I learned that day.
"Alice, your zoning out." Merry whispered to me. I snapped back to the Dining Hall of Theoden. He was right. Time had passed.
"Yeah...I was. But I was remembering the first time that I had come to Middle Earth. Do you remember that?" I asked him. Amusment lit up in his face.
"Yeah! Oh that was funny. Such a good day too! The couple of days we were there were pretty cool. Meeting someone from the world near us. You were magical. You made us grow!" Merry also remembered the gum.
"Yeah...that was cool. I can't wait til we get to go back to the Shire." i sighed and wanted dearly to leave everything behind and go to the Shire and raise a family there.
"An anncouncement! Tomorrow a group of people and I will be heading out to Isengard to go and seee what had happened. Please note that Eowyen will be in charge at that time." He said. The people around the table nodded. "AS for that I will be retiring to bed! As you all should too. It has been a long couple days." He said. I easily obliged. I was tired and wanted to sleep.
"Pip, I am going to go to bed. You can stay if you want. I was just letting you know." I told him.
"I think I'm sleepy too. We also have the ride to Orthanc, which is a slight longs way." He groaned as he got up from the table. He had acquired some nasty bruising due to the war and so had I. THey were very painful and almost as painful as the ache in my head and back. I was going to be so...messed up when I get to the Shire. What a sight.
So Pip and I walked down the halls and away from the late nighters who stayed up for the music and things. As we walked, I striked up an intersting convo.
"So Pippin, when can I meet your mom and dad? You know, cause I never met them?" I told him.
"Oh Yeah! Umm soon. I mean...when we get to the Shire! Yeah! Of course!" He told me. There was something slightly off about what he said, but I chose to ignore it. We walked along the halls and ended back in our cozy room. I aimed straight for the bed and slid under the covers. Pip took a while but he soon joined me. We both fell asleep as soon as out heads hit the pillow. It was going to be a long day tomorrow.