Hope ↠ LOTR

I. Together

Fangorn Forest was shrouded in a thin mist that rolled through the foliage, the heads of the trees blocking out the sunlight that shone above the riders that were within. Led by Gandalf, they made their way through the thickets of conversing trees on their way to Isengard. Slowly the leaves grew sparse and streaks of twinkling light lit up their path until the sun entirely shone down on them when they reached the edge of Fangorn.

Athena's face broke out into a wide grin when she heard the familiar laughter of Merry and Pippin ahead of them, her eyes beaming with happiness when she saw them perched on the crumbling stone wall that encircled Isengard—which had now been completely flooded. They both had pipes in their mouths and mugs sat beside them, no doubt filled with ale.

Merry stood up on the wall to greet those that rode towards them, stretching his arms out wide to either side of him. "Welcome, My Lords and Lady to Isengard!"

"You young rascals! A merry hunt you've led us on and now we find you, feasting and... and smoking!" Gimli exclaimed from behind Legolas.

"We are sitting on a field of victory, enjoying a few well-earned comforts. The salted pork is particularly good," Pippin explained, clearly under the influence of the leaves he was smoking.

"Salted pork?" He asked, hope now in his voice.

"Hobbits," Gandalf muttered under his breath, Athena trying not to laugh at his disgruntled reaction.

"We're under orders from Treebeard, who's taken over management of Isengard," Merry intercepted the conversation.

"Treebeard?" Athena asked them with confusion.

"Big fellow, he's a tree with a beard," he explained to her.

She nodded slowly, his words were vague but also told her everything that she needed to know even though his name itself gave it away. After a moment of looking at them she dismounted from her horse and their faces lit up. She barely had time to open her arms before the two Hobbits sprinted towards her and threw themselves at her. Laughing, she stumbled back a little but managed to regain her balance, wrapping her arms around them both and trying to pretend the pain that coursed up her shoulder didn't exist.

"Oh do be gentle with her!" Gandalf quickly raised his voice and they turned to him when he softened it ever so slightly. "Her shoulder is not up to par, but she should have warned you of that in the first place," he directed his last remark to her and she felt as if she were being scolded by a parent by the way he was looking at her.

"What happened?" Merry asked as the two of them quickly pulled away from her with concern overtaking their faces.

"We didn't hurt you did we?" Pippin asked afterwards.

She shook her head and rested her hands on their shoulders, crouching down to be eye level with them with a reassuring smile. "No. Not at all. And I'll explain later."

Of course she lied but she wasn't going to make them feel bad about something that she had been at fault for, plus she didn't regret it for one moment. They smiled in relief but Athena's face contorted into one of utmost confusion, her eyes flitting between the two of them. Merry and Pippin shared a look, confused about her behaviour and neither of them having an answer for it. With furrowed eyebrows she stood back up but kept her hands on their shoulders, staring down at them before moving them to stand either side of her. They had no idea what was happening but didn't complain and only obliged to the guidance of her hands. She hummed to herself and moved them back in front of her, removing her hands from their shoulders.

"Have you grown taller?"

"Taller? Of course not! We've always been this height, right Pip?"

"Right! We're far past the growing stage, perhaps your memory has grown hazy."