to love someone else

Chapter 26: white wizard

''Aragorn? Where are the horses?''

Hasufel and Arod were no longer where they had left them. They had tied them, and all there was left was torn rope. What happened? Were they stolen? Did they free themselves and run? What in the world would make them want to run so desperately, giving them the strength to tear the ropes apart? A dread nested in the pit of Aerin's stomach. The uneasiness almost made her a bit sick from the modest breakfast that was a bit of lembas and nothing more. ''They'd stirred but I thought it'd pass, that they'd calm down. Alas, they broke free. There was nothing I could do.''

''But why?'' Aerin asked. ''Legolas says he saw a cloaked old man in the woods, and that his presence made the horses restless. He receded from the forest but the horses never calmed.'' Aerin gulped. A cloaked old man with so mighty a bad energy that it made their horses tear their bonds apart and run free. ''Does this not alarm you?'' Aerin asked, watching him calmly gather up his things. ''It does. But we must enter the forest anyway.''

''I know, but- How do we- What do we do?'' Aerin questioned confused at the situation. ''You seemed eager to enter yesterday,'' he remarked, ''We face it head on.''

''I am still eager,'' Aerin explained, ''I want to find our friends as soon as possible. But we must be cautious, Aragorn.'' ''And we will be.''

''I wonder if they've found a place safe enough to spend the night,'' Aerin mused. ''They're probably safer than Frodo and Sam,'' Aragorn frowned. Frodo and Sam. Amidst all this chasing, Aerin had almost forgotten about how much danger threatened them too. She didn't like thinking about it. It made her insides twist into a knot. ''I do not see him anymore,'' Legolas said when he and Gimli had returned. They had scouted a good deal of the forest. ''I am telling ye, the Elf was dreaming it,'' Gimli grumbled. ''I wasn't dreaming it, there was someone, and it terrified the horses.''

''They were terrified because of this wretched forest! If I were a horse, I'd probably leave the foolish folk to it and break free just as well.'' Gimli grumbled. ''Well, I almost wish you were one, that'd at least make you useful.'' Legolas shouted. ''Phrrrr!''

''Stop it! Both of you,'' Aerin shouted making her voice louder, ''To think you're so old and you act like children.''

''We will be cautious,'' Aragorn concluded, ''We do not know what kind of things are hidden by magic inside.'' Silently, they followed the tracks into the forest. Fangorn looked frightening from a far, spooky in a way that made a chill settle into her bones. But it was even worse once they stepped inside.

Once they entered the Fangorn forest, Aerin felt as though even the air itself has become sinister. It is damp and dense, and she wished for nothing but to reach a clearing once more. There is barely any light in it. She could not imagine what it was like during the night. They walked slowly and carefully; as silently as possible. All their senses heightened, they wanted to make sure to see the said cloaked man before he sees them. As dense and moist as the air was, Aerin smelled something in it, something familiar.

''Orc blood!'' Gimli exclaimed, confirming her suspicions. He had tasted the liquid dripping off a leaf and spat it out, and Aerin grimaced in disgust. She would be rubbing her tongue clean until the day she died, if she were him. ''These are strange tracks,'' mused Aragorn. ''The air is so close here,'' Gimli pointed out, and Aerin nodded. ''I feel like... I'm suffocating slowly.'' She whispered quietly. ''This forest is old, very old. Full of memory... and anger,'' said Legolas, observing the trees. Deep, low voices could be heard in not so far a distance. Not knowing what it may be, Aerin instinctively reached for her sword. Gimli followed suit and raised his ax in the air. ''The trees are speaking to each other,'' said Legolas. ''Oh,'' Aerin could only utter; and she released the grip on her swordhilt. ''Gimli!''

''Huh?''

''Lower your ax,'' Aragorn whispered a warning.

''Oh!''

''They have feelings, my friend. The Elves began it - waking up the trees, teaching them to speak,'' explained Legolas.

''Oh,'' I could only utter; and I released the grip on my swordhilt.

''Gimli!''

''Huh?''

''Lower your ax,'' Aragorn whispered a warning.

''Oh!''

''They have feelings, my friend. The Elves began it - waking up the trees, teaching them to speak,'' explained Legolas. ''Talking trees,'' Gimli muttered, ''What do trees have to talk about, hmm? Except the consistency of squirrel droppings.'' Aerin snorted, trying not to laugh out loud and hold it in. She was as silent as she could have been; she thought she'd die if she did not let all that laughter out. It is always like that in life: whenever you are not supposed to laugh, things are all the more funny. ''You silly, silly Dwarf.''

''Aragorn, nad no ennas (something's out there)!'' exclaimed Legolas, running before them, looking intently ahead. ''Man cenich (What do you see)?'' implored Aragorn. ''Prestad? (Trouble?)'' Aerin asked, ''No dirweg! (Be careful!)'' Aragorn replied. ''Westron, please!'' Gimli threw his hands up. ''The White Wizard approaches,'' Legolas replied. ''What do we do?!'' Aerin panicked. ''Do not let him speak,'' ordered Aragorn, ''He will put a spell on us! We must all put our hands on our weapons, ready to strike." He added. ''We must be quick,'' Aragorn whispered. Aerin  could feel his presence; she could feel him approaching them from behind. 1, 2, 3... she counted with her breaths. Her eyes were on Aragorn, waiting for a sign. When he looked at her sharply and gave a nod, she knew it was time. Together, they turned and charged forth to attack, but before they knew it, they were blinded by a bright white light.

Her sword started heating up at an abnormal speed; before Aerin could even realise it, it was no longer bearable. She dropped it, leaving herself completely helpless and unable to attack, barely able to defend herself. She looked to her left; her companions were disarmed as well. Only Legolas was shooting, but the arrows were deflected one by one by some magic. ''You are tracking the footsteps of two young hobbits,'' the wizard spoke to them. ''Where are they?!'' demanded Aragorn. ''They passed this way, the day before yesterday. They met someone they did not expect. Does that comfort you?''

''Who are you?! Show yourself!!''

And then the light disappeared, and the wizard showed his face. But it was not the wizard they all expected and were afraid to see. familiar stood before Aerin, a face she grew to know very well. And she could not believe that person was indeed standing there, before her very own eyes, dressed in breathtakingly bright white robes. Her eyes widened in shock and disbelief, taking it all in. Gandalf. How? Legolas and Gimli bowed before the miracle. ''It cannot be!'' exclaimed Aragorn. ''But- but how?'' Aerin asked, her voice almost shaking. ''Forgive me,'' said Aragorn, ''I mistook you for Saruman.''

''We all did.'' Aerin muttered and Gimli chuckled. ''I am Saruman. Or rather Saruman as he should have been, smiled Gandalf. ''You fell!'' Aragorn stood with his mouth wide open in complete confusion. ''Through fire. And water. Until at last, I threw down my enemy and smote his ruin upon the mountainside. Darkness took me. And I strayed out of thought and time. Stars wheeled overhead, and every day was as long as the life age of the earth. But it was not the end. I felt light in me again. I've been sent back until my task is done.''

''Gandalf!'' Aerin cried out, fearing that small tears of joy might form in her eyes. ''Gandalf? Oh yes. That's what they used to call me. Gandalf the Grey. That was my name,'' he said as if trying to remember. ''Gandalf!'' Gimli exclaimed in joy. ''I am Gandalf the White,'' he said, as if introducing himself to us for the first time. ''And I come back to you now, at the turn of the tide.''