Chapter soundtrack: 'Charlie Brown' by Coldplay.
† Chp. XVII †
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"A red sun rises, blood has been spilled this night." Legolas utters, his eyebrows furrowed as he looks to the ground in despair, before continuing his trek across the hills.
After discovering that the hobbits are being taken to Isengard, Aragorn accompanied by Gimli and Legolas follow the trail without so much as a rest. Eager to rescue their friends, the trio cross fields and rock ridden cliffs in pursuit. But now, with the elf's new observation, tension rises at the thought of a great loss.
Suddenly, the loud shrill of a horse grabs their attention, and the trio hastily duck behind boulders in order to hide from the unknown posse. Hooves thunder against the ground, enough to create the illusion of a brewing storm, and the riders soon come to sight.
The men are vast in numbers as they sit upon their steeds, banners of Rohan raised high, while the trio remain unnoticed by the large group. However, Aragorn has a change of mind, and the man steps out of hiding as he shouts a message to the horsemen.
"Riders of Rohan! What news from the Mark?"
A signal from the lead causes the pack to turn in direction, surrounding the three in an encasement of horses and spears. Aragorn raises his hands, stunned by the array of weapons in which threaten he and his company.
"What business does an elf, a man and a dwarf have in the Riddermark?" The head of the horsemen demands, as he cuts through the barrier with his steed. "Speak quickly!"
"Give me your name, horsemaster, and I shall give you mine." Gimili replies, staring up at the man with a slight nod.
This irritates the leader, and he begrudgingly dismounts his horse, staunching towards the dwarf with a look of distaste. Aragorn places his hand on Gimli's shoulder as an act of reassurance.
"I would cut off your head, dwarf," The horseman seethes. "If it stood but a little higher from the ground."
"You would die before your stroke fell!" Legolas remarks, swiftly loading his bow into the direction of the leader. This gesture comes as a surprise to the dwarf, and Aragorn pushes the nocked arrow aside as all spears are now focused towards the elf.
"I am Aragorn, son of Arathorn." Aragorn states, easing the tension. "This is Gimli, son of Gloin, and Legolas of the Woodland realm. We are friends of Rohan and of Theoden, your king."
The horseman drops his gaze to the ground at the name of Rohan's king.
"Theoden no longer recognizes friend from foe, not even his own kin." He states, removing his helmet. The spears are withdrawn as the head of horsemen continues.
"Saruman has poisoned the mind of the king and claimed lordship over these lands. My company are those loyal to Rohan. And for that, we are banished. The White Wizard is cunning. He walks here and there, they say, as an old man, hooded and cloaked. And everywhere his spies slip past our nets."
His eyes drift to Legolas, hesitation and caution seeping from his intense gaze.
"We are not spies." Aragorn once again speaks up, his voice low but honest. "We track a party of uruk-hai westward across the plain. They've taken two of our friends captive."
"The uruks are destroyed, we slaughtered them during the night." The leader replies with a monotone voice.
"But there were two hobbits!" Gimli bellows in desperation. "Did you see two hobbits with them?"
"They would be small, only children to your eyes." Aragorn adds on.
The horseman lowers his gaze, a deep breath racking through his chest as he goes to speak, but the dwarf cuts him off.
"Or a girl? Robin Hood she goes by! Lassie wouldn't have gone down without a proper fight!" Gimli remarks, as he stares at the man with expectance.
The leader of the horsemen snaps up his gaze at the mention of the outlaw, a hint of despair gathering in his eyes as a low murmur stirs from within the group of men.
"You are friends of Robin?" He questions, a stern expression embedded on his features.
"You know of her." Aragorn utters, his eyebrows slightly furrowed as the elf tilts his head. "She is a part of our fellowship."
Once again lowering his gaze, the leader sinks in his thoughts, before his head raises, all emotion erased from his features.
"Every living person knows of Robin Hood." He replies, before lowering his tone and slightly shaking his head. "We left none alive."
Aragorn, Gimli, and Legolas tense as a deep sadness swells from within their chest, but there is also a twinkling glimmer of hope. Robin would have protected the halflings with her life, and the three know this.
"We piled the carcasses and burnt them." The horseman states, pointing into the direction of a wafting smoke cloud.
A heavy atmosphere lowers onto the gathering as Aragorn looks to the ground in despair, Gimli uttering words in shock. Legolas bows his head and places a hand on the dwarve's shoulder, he himself hurt by the horseman's words.
"I am sorry." The leader utters, as he surprisingly looks to also be in mourning. The man then whistles, summoning two riderless steeds.
"Hasufel! Arod!" He calls, handing the reins to the man and elf. "May these horses bear you to better fortune than their former masters. Farewell."
The two look to the ground, grateful but also still in mourning of their friends, and the horseman remounts his steed, giving one last statement.
"Look for your friends, but do not trust to hope." He remarks, looking down towards the trio with a sudden coldness. "It has forsaken these lands."
And with that, the horseman orders his men to ride North. With the thundering of hooves and the rippling of banners, the steeds gallop down the hill, leaving the trio with the forsaken job of locating the possibly deceased bodies of their friends.
•
~Røbins P.Ø.V~
I grin at the feeling of earth and soft moss beneath my bare feet. It has been a little while since I've visited Fangorn, and unsurprisingly, the forest hasn't changed at all. It still holds its fresh, sweet-scented, and warm atmosphere.
"Where are we going?" Pippin questions as he trails behind, alongside Merry.
"You'll have to wait and see." I reply, smirking back at the two hobbits.
They seem weary of the trees due to their not-so-pleasant encounter with sweet old Treebeard, but being a friend of the forest, I know for a fact they have nothing to stress about. Talking trees can be scary, but after all, they're only overgrown shrubs. Besides, I know the feeling of experiencing Fangorn for the first time. It's a very strange and remote place, outside of their world, feeling as though it is far from anything that has even happened.
Navigating my way around the thick trunks and low hanging branches, I move a sheet of leaves to the side and reveal the glistening water of Fangorn's lagoon. The sweet scent of distant wood borne carried by a cool breeze at night drifts through the still air.
"Well would you look at that, sunshine!" Merry remarks, stepping into the clearing.
"It's beautiful!" Pippin adds on, following his friend as his eyes are wide in awe. "How did you know it was here?"
I chuckle, also stepping into the clearing whilst slipping out of my hood and jacket. A slight pain racks through my shoulder, but not enough to make me cower.
"Trust me, when you spend years living with ents, you tend to get a bit restive." I reply, unbuttoning my pants and sliding the ends over my ankles.
Don't worry, I still have a singlet and underwear on. Wouldn't want to corrupt the minds of two innocent young hobbits now would we?
"What, never seen a woman in her undergarments before?" I question with a grin, humored by the two hobbits who awkwardly look in every direction other than my body.
Their chubby little cheeks turn red and Pippin opens his mouth, but before he can make a statement, I run over to a rope which hangs from a branch, gripping on and swinging my body out across the water. Letting go, I plummet into the lagoon.
"Robin!" The hobbits shout in concern, running over to the edge.
I raise my eyebrows, before standing to reveal that the water is only waist deep.
"Come on in! It's shallow enough." The hobbits eyes go wide with excitment as they begin to remove their cloaks, and I grin, continuing on. "The water has healing properties, just don't drink too much. It's meant for ents, not hobbits."
My wound already seems to be reacting with the water, and I look as the swelling begins to go down and the redness slowly seeps away. It will never be fully healed, but atleast I don't have to worry about infection.
Two loud splashes pull me out of my trance, and I laugh at the hobbits who begin water tackling each other. Swimming over, I reach Merry and dunk his head, laughing as Pippin jumps on my back and pulls me under aswell.
"Let's get her Pip!" Merry orders as I resurface, before mocking fear towards the two 'scary' halfings.
"You'll have to catch me first, short asses!" I reply, dashing back onto land and once again swinging from the rope, sending myself hurling into the middle of the lagoon.
•
With sunset comes a chilly breeze, and the hobbits rug themselves up as I fetch wood for a fire. My damp hair drips down my back, causing a shiver to rack down my spine, and I wrap my cloak tighter around my wet body.
"You might be using an ent's right leg to keep us warm." Merry states, looking to me with raised eyebrows as I approach with a bundle of sticks.
"We could use yours instead?" I reply, also raising an eyebrow as the hobbit tilts his head.
"But being truthful, aren't you using the ents dead bodies for firewood?" Pippin questions inquisitvely, and I chuckle as I set down the sticks.
"It's like a haircut. Trees, specifically ents, shed branches when they get too damaged or unnecessary, just like how you cut your hair when it gets too long or annoying." I inform, beginning to kindle the wood. "Trust me, when you spend such a long time around these creatures, you begin to learn everything about their ways."
The hobbits nod in understanding, however a sudden bright light pierces into our vision, and I instinctively bring my hand up to cover my eyes. A white glow overwhelms our beings, and my heart races at the sudden fright.
"Seriously, you need to stop blinding us every time you approach." The light slowly dulls, and I continue to lecture the figure. "We know you're majestic, but the constant reminder isn't necessary."
Gandalf chuckles as he steps forward, the light fading from behind him.
"A constant reminder is necessary when summoned." The wizard states in his ever-so-wise tone, and I roll my eyes. I feel as though sometimes he comes up with riddles just to confuse his opposer.
Speaking of which, forgive me for you must also be rather confused. Yes, Gandalf died, but he didn't. Somehow he got revived because he 'hadn't strayed from his assigned task, nor had he finished it'.
Everything about wizards is confusing.
"Well come on then, you can't make a big entrance just to disappear again." I remark, summoning the wizard to sit as I plant myself atop a soft patch of moss.
"Precisely, we can't risk you leaving our sights again." Merry adds on, referring to past events, and the wizard nods as he takes a seat by the fire. I can't help but drift my gaze over his white hair and cloak, a feeling of yearn brewing in the pit of my stomach.
"So, if you're now Gandalf the white... what happened to Saruman?" I question, the feeling within me growing all the more intense.
It is almost as if the wizard can sense my concern, and he lowers his gaze to the fire, a low tone laced within his ancient voice.
"He has sided with Sauron" Gandalf mutters, his deceleration sending a hard kick to my stomach.
"N-no, that can't be." I breathe out heavily, my gaze falling to the ground as I take in his words.
Merry and Pippin knit their eyebrows together as I lift my head, returning to a placid expression in order to make myself seem unfazed.
"It will be impossible to reach Mordor with Saruman watching our steps..." I ponder, calming my rigid breathing. "Rohan! Rohan will help! I know King Theoden and his me-"
"King Theoden has been locked under a spell by Saruman. We will recieve no help from Edoras." The wizard states, puffing out smoke as he takes another draw from his pipe.
And once again, my stomach recieves a beating.
"Well if that is the case, we remove the disease." I remark, and the wizard raises an eyebrow as he turns his head to look me in the eye.
"We show Saruman that our forces can overcome his witchcraft, and free Theoden." My mind speaks, as I seem to have no filter. But then again, do I ever have a filter?
"I have experienced the power of Saruman, and I do not wish to face it again." Gandalf mumbles, and I cross my arms.
"Well then I guess I will go on my own." I retort, staring into the fire. "Theoden was there when I needed him, and I will not abandon my loyalties."
There is a moment of silence as Gandalf contemplates the idea, before Pippin pipes up.
"I'm going with Robin!"
"You just want to avoid Mordor." Merry argues.
"No I don't, I want to help the king."
"And how will you do that, Pip? Annoy the spell out of the man?"
"No! I'll... I'll..."
"So be it." Gandalf interrupts Merry and Pippins arguing, his voice coming out loud and stern. I sit up in interest.
"We will leave for Rohan following the arrival of our company, however the hobbits reside in the safety of Fangorn until we return." The wizard bargains, and I grin in victory. "Their minds are too vulnerable of possession."
"That's not fai-"
"How do you know the others are coming?" I question, cutting Pippin off as I am glad to hear that the rest of the fellowship are well, but also curious of Gandalfs prediction.
"A true wizard never reveals the trick to his magic." Gandalf replies, and I roll my eyes.
"A wizard of many secrets, you are." I reply, picking up a stick and tossing it into the flames as I fear for the fate of an old friend.
"Same could be said for you, Robin, or should I call you Eretria?" Pippin pipes up, and Merry also raises his questioning gaze. I look from the hobbits to the wizard, and he gives me a slight nod as if hinting for me to explain.
However, something tells me he already knows the story.
"It's not that I'm trying to hide anything, I just don't want to cause a pity party." I utter.
The camp falls silent, and I ponder whether or not to dampen the mood with my ever-so-sad life story.
"Well go on, we won't make a deal out of it." Merry insists, sitting himself up and preparing for a story.
"However we do like parties, so I can't assure you that there will be no party of pity." Pippin adds on, an innocent smile etched onto his features.
I chuckle at the hobbit, before once again glancing at Gandalf who eyes me with expectance. Drawing in a deep breath, I do what only few have witnessed.
"Well you want an explanation, I'll give you one. Listen carefully, because it won't be repeated twice."
-
Does anybody have an idea of why Robin might go by two different names?