It was in that moment that I chose to look up, and my breath caught sharply in my throat. It was at a later time than I had first imagined, the sky had turned a dark midnight blue, but it was not that which caused my horror. It was the white twisted smoke columns, rising from the depths of Isengard. And the hollow yells I heard faintly, being cried out in anger, rage and especially wrath. Wizardry. Cruel wizardry. I winced, thinking as to what monstrosity Saruman had created for this event. And what torture he was forcing my sister to endure at this moment. My eyes flashed in anger with the memories of the condition she was in when I had seen her in my dream-like state. Her situation would have surely not improved. It would have gotten worse. And how long could Arwen stand it? And remain alive?
I urged Hope forward towards the dismaying sight. “Take heart in speed! You have given much, but I beg of you, steed of Rohan, fly! It is your speed that brings hope!” She heard the desperate note in my voice and increased her stride quickly.
The scenery faded into a blur, a meaningless blur. Or perhaps it was not the velocity at which we were travelling that caused this haze of our surroundings. Perhaps it was my own tears at the thought of the horrifying consequences if I should fail.
***************
I had paid little, if any attention to the broken hand in the pale morning light. I had had not the time. Neither did I take note of the rumblings I heard scattered around me. I feared not the trees, rather I feared Saruman. Though several incidents in the night, I could hear another’s hoof beats, somewhat echoing Hope’s, but at a faster speed. I chose to ignore it; time was too short for guessing games and stalkers. I had disregarded all for several hours but the broken gates caught my eye.
They were shattered, pulled down and twisted into harmless rubble. What ground lay behind it was a wreckage, a wasteland of debris and shambles. Dear Valar, what in the blazes of Mordor had happened here? I stared doubtfully towards the ruined landscape, obviously once powerful and mighty, existing to assist in the takeover of Middle Earth for evil purposes.
Aie!” I shrieked at the sight of trees digging. Trees. Trees are supposed to stay planted in the earth. Not dig trenches in the ground. “ELBERETH! WHAT DEMON OF SAURON /IS/ THIS?” Aie, I should have listened to my mother’s father’s words. Fangorn’s Forest truly did hide demons beneath its branches. Wait… walking trees…a faint bell rang in my head and I frantically searched my mind for some information concerning these creatures. It seemed that the shock of the ruined Isengard had caused me to lose all knowledge, that everything had been erased from my head. Faith! This is no time or situation to waste time! Think, think, think! There must be /some/ explanation.
An arm grabbed me off my horse, and I shrieked. A leafy ‘hand’ was clapped over my mouth and I was brought to its…face, I suppose. Its eyes terrified me, holding wisdom beyond years, and were slightly flickering among the wood. Aie! Ents! I remembered tales of the odd trees called Ents but I did not calm, or cease in struggling against this…creature. Now, /was/ this an ent? Or a trickery of Saruman? He had twisted pure creatures before, and I had never faced an Ent before in my lifetime. /Was/ this an ent? Or one of an unfamiliar breed of cruel monsters employed to carry out the evil deeds of the Dark? I repeated the tales I had been told. Ents…They went against all logic I had ever known or grasped. Trees are to stay treelike. Simple. Trees /do not/ walk, talk and be…not treelike! But none the less, I did not care what it was. Either working for the White or the Dark, I did not care. I wished to be out of its grasp, and as soon as possible.
Let me go! FREE ME THIS INSTANT!” My words were muffled through the foliage, yet I knew without a doubt that this…thing understood what I was saying or at least trying to say. I kicked at the tree-like creature and it dropped me. Hope had long fled, watching cautiously from several yards away. I do not hold any grudge against her, as this beast was terrifying. I feared the unknown, and this most certainly was unknown to me. Something spoke calmingly ‘Ent’ inside my thoughts, but I trusted not the little voice in my head. I did not trust even myself.
I was being stared at curiously and the noises about me ceased. An audience of these… things gathered around me, and I leapt to my feet, drawing my sword.
Stay back!” I tried to place a threatening tone in my voice but failed miserably.
A nearby one chuckled, “Greetings, she-elf, daughter of Elrond.”
I flinched, near dropping my blade, “What /is/ this madness?”
Faith! Oie! Over here!” “Faith!” Two familiar voices mingled together and I twisted in the direction of the sound. Two figures flung themselves towards me, ducking underneath the approaching creatures, which knew my name. The Halflings!
Merry! Pippin! What a wonder to see you /here/! Stay behind me, these…things are dangerous and are not to be messed with. We can tell one another tales later. Where are the Ents that Gandalf spoke of? Or are these Ents?” I glanced at Pippin questionably before pushing both behind me. The hobbits burst into laughter, a strange sound in this dreary situation. I turned to face the Halflings.
What is wrong with you? Can you not see that we are in serious peril? I cannot see the humour in this situation. Please enlighten me,” I said, keeping a wary eye on the watchful creatures.
Of course, Faith! You would think that an elf knew what an Ent or a Huorn looked like, would you not, Pippin?” Merry grinned and my gaze flickered onto the other who nodded.
Yes! And a Princess at that! Faith, these /are/ Ents,” Pippin spoke kindly and I stared at both, temporarily disregarding the danger of the leafed ones.
Are you quite sure?” I asked warily. I had been tricked in the past in an event that I wish not remember, and was not willing to repeat that near-fatal mistake.
Yes! Quite!” Pippin chimed.
Friendly?”
Most surely! They saved us from death in the woods!” Merry spoke.
I cast a suspicious gaze over all before reluctantly sheathed my weapon. I trusted these hobbits more than the voice, even if the Halflings seemed to be half mad at times. Mind you, when their temporary insanity occurred, it was always when food was present. And I caught no sight of any edible provisions here.
Ho, hum… That was an interesting discussion, little ones and Princess. Lady, I have heard much of you and your, hum, adventures with these two…Halflings. I suppose you to be an enemy towards the blood-thirsty, evil-hearted, monstrous criminal that we, the Ents and Huorns, have trapped in his tower. Yet may I ask of you one question? For what purpose did you come here?”
I looked directly into his eye, “I shall tell that to you, Ent, when you inform me of who you are.”
Its eyes gleamed with hidden mirth before speaking. “You are suspicious of us, Lady? You have little need to be. My name I shall not say yet these two, the Halflings, call me by the name of Treebeard. You may do the same.”
I mused his words. “Treebeard…Fangorn! You are Fangorn! The one from the legends!”
I suppose so. Now, I insist that you must, in return, tell us of why you, exactly, are here and your intentions.”
I focused onto the wise Ent. “Yes, Fangorn the Great. I am here to find someone whom I thought had died but have recently realised was not dead. She is being held within Saruman’s fortress and I must find her. Thus, I must go and face the traitor whom you so vividly and correctly described.” I found myself lapsing into more formal language facing the one with the wisdom of Ages long past.
He spoke thoughtfully, and slowly, “If I allow you to do such, you shall most surely kill yourself. You may consider yourself strong, Lady, but Saruman’s powers are greater than you could possibly imagine.”
I glared at him, mood changed the moment such words left Fangorn’s mouth, “I do not consider myself to be all powerful and mighty, wise one, it simply is, that I have no decision to make whatsoever! I shall not abandon my sister to an existence of torture, misery and death!”
He blocked my path, “Ho, hum, well… daughter of Elrond, you are certainly not going in there seeing as you are not certain your kin /is/ in there.”
Fangorn! She has not time for this. And she is in there! I can sense it, somehow. You seem to not know, exactly, of whom I speak! She is Arwen! The Evenstar! The Elven Light of Middle Earth! And she is being tormented! Let me pass, Fangorn, and if I die, I will die knowing that at least I tried to save her. Please, Fangorn. I will beg if I must,” I raised imploring eyes onto the Ent, though I had already hastily devised a plan, my mind in full function once more.
And if you do not let her go, the moment your back is turned, Treebeard, she will go anyway,” Pippin interrupted.
I stared at the hobbit in shock, “How in Middle Earth did you guess my intentions?”
Merry laughed, “It is not that difficult, Faith. What you were plotting to do was written clearly on your face.”
Fangorn watched us again with interest before speaking once more. “I must take time to consider this. And until then…”
I glared at the Ent before darting around him, avoiding his long arms, and all those of the others. “I do not have time for this nonsense. And neither does Arwen. If I do not return, tell my father that I face my death bravely, and to not grieve. Grieve over the Evenstar, perhaps, but not I. It would be a waste of tears… You will do that, will you not, dearest of hobbits?” I called over my shoulder, neatly dodging any Hurons or Ents that stood in my path.
Of course, Faith! But you will not die!” Merry cried back.
Well, I am glad that /somebody/ is confident,” I muttered under my breath, avoiding all talking trees but making a steady path towards the towering Orthanc. I pushed all traces of doubt out of my thoughts and focused on my one aim. To get Arwen out of her nightmarish torment. And I care not if I die, or if I live, as long as my sister makes it out alive. That is all that I ask, Elbereth. That is all I ask. Nothing more.
Hate. When I think of the fallen wizard, rage used to fill my thoughts, my heart and my mind. Now, I felt weak, insignificant, and exposed to the true power that this demon could and would express at my arrival. He had such a terrible power and control over me, the ‘possession’ of one that I held dear. He had my sister. And there was little I could do about it. If anything.
Wait…I realised what this madness was. Weakness…frailty…doubt… It was a trick! It was a mind game, a challenge of strength and a show of power. Aie, Saruman is in my thoughts! Or at least his poison is. I shuddered. Yes, Saruman held control, a mental power greater than I could possibly imagine, and he was displaying it now. He knew I was coming. And he knew why I was approaching him, throwing myself like a beggar at his ‘grand’ doors. And he was weakening me, making myself fall subject to my greatest enemy, my own doubt. My eyes blazed with fury at myself for falling for the trap, for slipping through the fingers into his trickery and evil ploys. Aie, Saruman, I have seen through your little game. And I intend on conquering it. Demon of Morgorth, after experiencing a major chasm with the ents in your pathway to conquering Middle Earth, I may only be a crack, but I intend on being one very deep crack. I shall not allow you to torture the Evenstar without some consequence. I may cause only a scratch, but may that cut burn with everlasting poison for the torment and pain you have caused her. May Saruman burn in an everlasting chamber of flames and be at the mercy of merciless hands forever. Even if I cannot give him this well deserved ‘gift’, I can try. And I would try my best to deliver such, I thought, with a cruel smirk upon my face.
