All Shall Fade (LOTR-Wattys 2014)

All Shall Fade - Chapter 32 - Sweet Nothings

All Shall Fade

Chapter 32

Sweet Nothings

The ride to Isengard wasn’t long, and most of it was spent under the cover of Fangorn forest. I had lengthened Aduial’s reins, allowing her to pick her own safe path over the labyrinth of roots that covered the forest floor. Occasionally I would glance over at Aragorn, but he seemed preoccupied with the path ahead of him. Everyone else was silent, except for Gimli who would occasionally make some passing comment about the forest, but quickly shut up once Legolas reminded him of what the trees had done to the Uruk-Hai back at Helm’s Deep. I smiled a little to myself as the dwarf’s ranting quietened, but I glanced up as I began to hear other voices. Two in particular, belonging to two people whom I hadn’t seen in a long time. I smiled, and Aduial seemed to sense my urgency to get out of the forest as she jogged impatiently. As the trees began to thin I could hear loud laughter, and smell smoke. I wrinkled my nose as I began to make out the individual voices.

“Mmm! Green Dragon!”

“A mug of ale in my hand... Putting my feet up on a settle after a hard day’s work.”

“Only, you’ve never done a hard day’s work.” This statement was followed by another loud round of laugher and as our small party left the cover of the trees, I spotted the two Hobbits perched on part of a large, broken down wall, surrounded by a cloud of smoke and both laughing hysterically. I grinned, glad to see that whatever had happened to Merry and Pippin after we had been separated in Fangorn hadn’t been too traumatic. As Pippin spotted us, he hooted loudly, raising a tankard which I could only presume was full of some kind of ale as Merry unsteadily scrambled to his feet, holding his pipe aloft.

“Welcome, my lords and lady… To Isengard!” He slurred, pointing vaguely at the flooded area of land behind him.

“You young rascals!” Gimli cried, “A merry hunt you’ve led us on and now we find you feasting and … And smoking!”

“Drunk as skunks and high as kites by the looks of things.” I smirked, running one hand through my hair as Pippin fired me a blissful, glassy-eyed smile.

“We are sitting on a field of victory enjoying a few well earned comforts.” He stated, taking a bite out of what looked like some kind of meaty sandwich, “The salted pork is particularly good.”

“Salted pork…” Gimli grumbled as Gandalf shook his head beside me.

“Hobbits…” He muttered.

“We’re under orders from Treebeard who’s taken over management of Isengard.” Merry announced, pointing again at the flooded land.

“Well then we best take our discussion to him.” Gandalf said, and Aragorn and Eómer rode up to the Hobbits – Aragorn sitting Pippin behind him in the saddle and Eómer taking Merry. I would have taken one, but I wasn’t sure if I even trusted myself on a horse yet, let alone myself and a passenger. Instead, I looked ahead, shuddering at the sight of the ominous, tall tower constructed of black stone that loomed over the landscape. I’d seen it once or twice in my earlier dreams, before Saruman and I started communicating, but seeing it in person it was so much more intimidating. As we rode through the ruins of the wall, I nudged Aduial forward and she reluctantly stepped into the knee-deep water that surrounded the tower. We weaved around the floating debris, and I frowned as I saw a tree looming out of the water ahead of us. It seemed so out of place in this floating wasteland of industry and machines. It seemed even more out of place when it moved. At first I thought I had imagined it, but when it turned to us, revealing a face constructed from bark and leaves, containing two bright yellow eyes I froze, and beneath me Aduial did the same. Clearly walking trees weren’t something she was accustomed to. I glanced around, seeing how everyone else was reacting. Gandalf, Merry, Pippin and Legolas were treating it as nothing, Théoden and Eómer looked a little alarmed, and Aragorn just appeared to be mildly bemused. I felt a comforting hand get placed on my arm, and I turned to see Legolas ride up beside me.