Aragorn met us in the clearing, "Frodo and Sam have taken a boat" he said, "they will travel on to Mordor alone. Where are Merry and Pippin?"
I exchanged a glance with Legolas, "I think the Uruks took them" I said. Aragorn let out a curse, "Ok we'll bury Boromir and then go and find them."
"This river goes by Minas Tirith," I said "we could place the body on a pyre in a funeral boat and send him down the river."
Aragorn let out a short laugh, "Think it through Gimli, we're just above the falls of Rauros the waterfall would put out the fire in seconds" he said "I'm sure Faramir and Denethor would really appreciate the half burnt corpse of their loved one just washing up on the docks".
"Oh.." I said "yeah you're right. I didn't think about that"
After we had buried Boromir we set off in pursuit of the Uruks. I wasn't sure how I'd feel about departing from Frodo and Sam but I found myself enjoying the trip with just Legolas and Aragorn. I was surprised, as always, by how easy the act of leaving was, and how good it felt. The world was suddenly rich with possibility.
Aragorn and Legolas ran off ahead and quickly outdistanced me. When I had caught up with them they were sitting down finishing off some food. By the time I had collapsed next to them, they set off again after the Uruks. I quickly gulped down some water and set off after them again grumbling to myself, "Stupid, speedy Legolas".
About six in the evening we came out of the moorland to a white ribbon of road which wound up the narrow vale of a lowland stream. As we followed it, fields gave place to bent, the glen became a plateau, and presently we had reached a kind of pass where a solitary bonfire smoked in the twilight next to a wild sprawling forest.
Just then we heard the thunder of hooves and a company of soldiers rode passed. Aragorn hailed them, "Riders of Rohan" he said "What news from the 'Mark?"
The company wheeled around and Éomer confronted them, "Who wants to know?" he asked.
"Easy cowboy" I said, "This is Aragorn, Legolas of the woodland realm and I am Gimli, son of Gloin. We are friends of Théoden and Rohan."
Éomer relaxed, "Unfortunately Théoden cannot tell friend from foe these days."
"I sense all is not right in Rohan." Aragorn asked "What happened to you, friend?"
Éomer let out a sigh "In 3018, my crack Éored unit was sent to prison by Wormtongue's court for a crime they didn't commit. These men promptly escaped from a maximum security stockade to the Edoras underground. Today, still wanted by the government we survive as soldiers of fortune. If you have a problem, if no one else can help, and if you can find us....maybe you can hire the.."
"Oh!" I said excitedly "I know you! You're The Rohan People's Front"
Immediately the warriors brandished their spears and gathered around us menacingly.
"The Rohan People's Front!" Éomer spat "The only people we hate more than Saruman and Wormtongue are the bloody Rohan People's Front. We are the People's Front of Rohan!"
Their spear-tips hoovered inches from our throats as I quickly apologised "I'm sorry Éomer. I meant to say the People's Front of Rohan. We've heard of your exploits from as far away as the Lonely Mountain."
"Oh yeah?" Éomer said looking mollified "What about our allies, the Rohan People's Popular Front?"
I nodded my head eagerly "Oh yes defiantly" I said "We've heard of them too. What ever happened to the Popular Front?"
Éomer gestured to the side "That's him over there, Éothain."
"Sorry to cut in" Aragorn said "but we were looking for a group of Uruk-Hai that were travelling to Isengard. We're in a bit of a rush since they captured two of our friends."
Éomer and the rest of the Rohirrim shifted nervously in their saddles. "Your friends didn't happen to be small orc like creatures did they?" Éomer said.
I laughed "No, not at all." I said "Hobbits are humanoid, typically around three feet tall, although our friends are slightly taller than average, they have curly dark hair, slightly pointed ears, large feet and they shun footwear. Whereas an orc is humanoid, typically around three feet tall, although some are taller, they have wide mouths, long arms and fangs. Totally different."
The Rohhirim visibly relaxed and let out a sigh of relief "Oh thank God" Éomer said "because we came upon a group of Uruks and orcs last night and killed everyone. Their bodies are burning in that pile over there. Anyway see you around, have a great day." I smiled and waved them off.
I turned around to find Legolas and Aragorn next to the burning bodies. "Do you think... " Legolas started sadly.
"This was definitely the group that took Merry and Pippin." Aragorn said with a resigned look.
"I wonder what happened here." Legolas wondered aloud.
I studied the tracks on the ground. The impressions were crisscrossed with hoofprints but I began to notice a pattern. I showed a mark to Aragorn, "Look!" I said "the hobbits lay here." I followed the marks around "It looks like there was an argument between the orcs and Uruk-Hai." I continued "One of the orcs made a move against the hobbits, he wanted to kill and eat them. 'They look tasty' he said, but an Uruk-Hai stopped him 'Get back, scum! The prisoners go to Saruman. Alive and unspoiled.' the Uruk said."
I examined the marks even more closely " The orc continued 'Just a mouthful...a bit of the flank.' but the Uruk-Hai wasn't having it. He killed the orc here and the rest of them devoured him. Then Merry said 'Pippin let's go!' The two hobbits used the distraction to escape.." I followed the hobbits prints till the disappeared into the forest. "They escaped into Fangorn."
"Quick into the forest, they can't be too far ahead." Aragorn said with renewed enthusiasm. Legolas looked impressed "Good work, Gimli I'm impressed", he said.
We followed the tracks as far as we could but they soon disappeared into the murk of Fangorn. We continued our search but we were beginning to lose hope when Legolas called out a warning, "The white wizard approaches!"
"It's Saruman" Aragorn said "Don't let him speak, he'll put a spell on us"
As soon as we heard the footsteps approach we all jumped out to attack when we were stunned by a blinding flash of light.
"Gandalf!" I cried "You're alive!"
He smiled "Gandalf? Yes. That was what they used to call me"
"Don't you know who you are?" I asked in surprise.
"I know who I am." Gandalf said seriously "I'm a dude, resurrected by a dude, with the consciousness of another dude."
"But you fell!" Aragorn said, barely keeping the emotion from his voice.
"Through fire and water. From the lowest dungeon to the highest peak I fought with the Balrog of Morgoth. Until exhausted we collapsed, evenly matched, our strength sundered."
"Then how did you defeat it?" I asked, enthralled.
Gandalf smiled "There upon the mountainside with no strength left to bear arms. I scratched four lines into the rock. Again and again we fought with our wits, playing over and over again until the Balrog finally learned, 'A strange game' he thundered 'the only winning move is not to play'. Then as he contemplated the futility of force I caught him unawares and struck him down with my sword."
