𝐈𝐋𝐌𝐀𝐑𝐄̈ || A.

𝗖𝗛𝗔𝗣𝗧𝗘𝗥 𝟏

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.·:*¨༺ 𝗖𝗛𝗔𝗣𝗧𝗘𝗥 1 ༻¨*:·.
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THE RETURN TO EDORAS

Whilst Eowyn had taken her people back to Edoras. The riders follow towards Edoras. Picture pans into the Golden Hall with Eowyn standing on the parapet. Eowyn offers a goblet of wine to Theoden as she kneels in front of him. She retires behind him. Theoden offers the goblet in toast to the people of Rohan. "Tonight, we remember those who gave their blood to defend this country!" He offers up the goblet.
     "Hail the victorious dead!" "Hail!" they return his toast. Aragorn hesitates and thinks of them before he drinks. The feast has begun. People are feasting at long tables. "No pauses, no spills," Eomer explains. "And no regurgitation," he lifts the tankard to his mouth. "So, it's a drinking game?" Legolas asks. "Aye!" the Rohirrim laugh. "Last one standing wins heh heh heh." He drinks his tankard in one go. "Let's drink to Victory! To Victory!" Legolas begins to drink from his tankard. Slowly, while Gimli started his fourth.
     Eowyn has a goblet in her hand, approaching Iladya with a smile. Iladya watches Eowyn offer her the goblet. She takes the offered goblet. "West Iladya, hal." She takes the goblet and drinks. She smiles at her and she looks intensely at her. With a little smile, she walks away. Theoden joins Eowyn and watches Iladya walk away. "She is an honourable woman," Theoden smiles, "as I didn't expect anything less from an elf." "You are an honourable man," Eowyn smiles, causing Theoden to nod. "It was not Theoden of Rohan who led our people to victory." He looks down and she looks concernedly at him. "Ach, don't listen to me," he smiles, "you are young and tonight is for you."
     She smiles. She feels a spark of happiness. Something she hasn't felt in years.

Back at the drinking game, Gimli drinks another tankard of ale and across to Legolas also downing another tankard. "Heh heh heh heh," he laughs, "raaar it is the Dwarves that go swimming with little, hairy women hahah." "I feel something," he looks at his fingers. Eomer raises an eyebrow in amusement. "A slight tingle in my fingers, I think it's affecting me." "Heh heh heh," Gimli slurs, "what did I say? He can't hold his liquor!" His eyes are crossed and he sits quietly for a moment, then keels over backwards off his stool. Legolas watches him fall, raises his eyebrows and looks over at Eomer. "Game over?"
     At another table, Merry and Pippin are singing and dancing on the table. "Oh you can search far and wide, You can drink the whole town dry — they dance on the table kicking their feet against each other — But you'll never find a beer so brown, But you'll never find a beer so brown, As the one we drink in our hometown, As the one we drink in our hometown — they stamp on the table — You can drink your fancy ales, You can drink them by the flagon. But the only brew for the brave and true," Pippin stops and looks at Gandalf and hesitates. "Pippin!" Merry calls. Pippin turns back to Merry and continues with the song. "Comes from the Green Dragon!" Laughter and applause.
     Gandalf is clapping and smiling. Aragorn walks up and joins him. "No news of Frodo?" he asks, whilst watching. "No word. Nothing," Gandalf replies. "We have time," Aragorn says, "every day, Frodo moves closer to Mordor." "Do we know that?" Gandalf asks, turning to him. "What does your heart tell you?" Aragorn asks. "That Frodo is alive," he smiles, "yes, yes he is alive."

After the party, everyone is fast asleep. Except a few. Aragorn walks outside, start to fill his pipe and sees Iladya standing looking at the distance. Aragorn tilts his head and walks over to her. "Why are you awake, my lady?" Aragorn asks gently. "The stars are veiled. Something stirs in the East, a sleepless malice," she whispers, "the eye of the enemy is moving." She casts a glance aside as she says,
     "He is here."

Pippin stirs awake and gets up. He pauses, checking whether everyone is asleep. He walks up the centre of the room. "What are you doing?" Merry's voice startled Pippin for moment. Pippin whirls around guiltily. He looks at Merry then continues with what he was doing. He approaches Gandalf but hesitates when he see his eyes open. "Pippin!" Pippin waves his hand in front of Gandalf's eyes. They don't move. He is asleep. Pippin looks at the bundle in Gandalf's arms. "Pippin!" Merry warns again, sitting up. Pippin ignores him and picks up a jug. Gandalf mutters something in his sleep making Pippin recoil in fear. But he gains more courage and grabs the bundle from Gandalf's arm, replacing it with the jug. "Pippin! Are you mad?" Pippin puts the bundle on the floor in front of him and Merry and unwraps it.
     ''I just want to look at it, just one more time," he reasons. "Put it back!" Pippin's smile turns to a frown and an orange glow emerges from the Palantir with a black pupil showing. Pippin's hands fuse onto the Palantir and he begins to shake. "No!" Pippin shakes and closes his eyes. "Pippin!"
     "I see you!" The voice of Sauron echoed through his mind. Pippin screams and stands up with the Palantir stuck in his hands. His mouth is open in a soundless scream! "Pippin!" The Palantir is surrounded by fire. Pippin falls to the floor seemingly struggling with it. "Help! Gandalf help!" Gandalf wakes and Iladya and Aragorn burst into the room. "Help him!"
     Iladya takes the Palantir from Pippin, struggles briefly with it and drops it on to the floor. Iladya falls to floor, only to be caught by Aragorn. The Palantir rolls away. Merry dodges it as it rolls still further. "Pippin!" Gandalf runs after the Palantir and throws a blanket over it. "Fool of a Took!" he snarls but then he sees Pippin lying on the floor with his eyes open. "No." He runs to Pippins side, shoving Merry out of the way. He holds Pippin's hand, puts his other hand on his forehead and closes his eyes. He mutters something inaudible under his breath and moves his hand to Pippin's cheek. Pippin jumps, gasps and wakes up.
     "Look at me," Gandalf says calmly. "Gandalf, forgive me!" Pippin cried, closing his eyes again. "Look at me," he repeats, "what did you see?" "A tree, there was a white tree in a courtyard of stone. It was dead ... the city was burning." "Minas Tirith? Is that what you saw?" "I saw, I saw him! — Gandalf's eyes widen — I could hear his voice in my head." "And what did you tell him? Speak!" "He asked me my name. I didn't answer. He hurt me!" "What did you tell him about Frodo and the Ring?" Pippin just looks at Gandalf's face.