The Stranger and the Woodland King

Training

After the events that night in Lothlórien, Pandora was sent to Isengard. The whole place had been rebuilt and the river had been diverted around the main tower. As Pandora walked across the bridge that spanned the river, she felt uneasy. While Isengard was under the care of Gandalf, the location was the site of so much evil that it was still being felt. Gandalf met her at the base of the tower. He smiled at her when she approached.
" I see you were well taken care of by the elves," Gandalf said, inviting her in.
Pandora nodded. She was nervous about this whole thing. She'd been sent to Isengard to visit Gandalf and learn magic from him. However, she wasn't sure if she was capable. Sure she was a practitioner of modern magic back home but in this realm, things would be radically different. Gandalf understood her nervousness and tried his best to be comforting.
    " Come, let me show you to the library," Gandalf said.
    They entered the library and Pandora was surprised at how huge it was. She could spend days reading in here. Gandalf smiled at her amazement.
    " Let's start here," he said, pulling out a thick book titled 'Magic for Beginners'
    He handed the book to Pandora and told her to read it all the way through.
   " Magic requires study. It's not easy to learn but you are indeed gifted with it," Gandalf said.
   Pandora took the book and nodded. She went to a comfortable chair in the corner to read. The book was a bit dusty as it hadn't been read in a while. She skimmed the first few chapters before Gandalf came to check on her progress. After asking her some questions, it was clear to Pandora that she needed to study more thoroughly. She picked up the book again and read carefully through the chapters.
    The next few days passed like this. Pandora would get up early to eat and study the book. Eventually she was given other books to read from. Gandalf was working her hard. However, she was determined to be a good student to Gandalf. After all, he saved her life. She owed him.
   Eventually, she was ready to get her own staff for casting. Pandora wasn't entirely sure how that staff would come into her possession. That was until one night when she was out getting herbs for healing. What looked like a small meteor fell to the earth right in front of her and cracked open. Upon closer inspection, there was a beautiful starlike quartz rock inside. She took the stone to Gandalf who determined the rock was indeed magic. A perfect conduit for her casting. Pandora then set the stone into a willow wood staff, carved from the willow branch that the meteor knocked loose.
    The next few days after that, Gandalf trained Pandora in sword fighting and casting spells. She was very clumsy at first but eventually got the hang of it. She learned how to cast spells that caused fireballs and others that blinded enemies with light. She learned how to parry a sword and wield her staff in one hand. Gandalf worked her hard but Pandora learned quickly. After one sparring match in which Pandora froze Gandalf solid in ice, she was ready to be given the title of 'witch'.
     One day, Gandalf called Pandora to him and informed her that she was to return to Mirkwood.
   " It was no mere coincidence that you ended up there. Your place is among them," Gandalf said.
   " Why there?" Pandora asked.
   " That's something you have to figure out yourself," Gandalf said to her, "take what you learned here and use it out there."
   Pandora nodded. It was a bittersweet ending to her training. She'd come to love Isengard and learning from Gandalf. However, she knew it was time for her to leave. Pandora was given a horse to return to Mirkwood. It was a long journey but she'd be ok. With orcs no longer an issue, she'd have a smooth journey. Pandora mounted her horse, her staff at her back. Before she left, she turned to her former teacher.
    " By the way, thanks for saving my life," she said.
  " You're welcome," Gandalf replied as she rode into the distance.