The Pirate King and The Elf Prince

Isengard

Gandalf leads Aragorn, Elizabeth, Legolas, Eomer, and Théoden through the dark forest as they ride. The moving forest of Fangorn... opens before them ... creating an avenue of trees, which allows them access along the old Isengard road. A thick, humid mist fills the forest. Looking warily around from the forest to the ruins of Isengard, they heard a distant laughter.

The forest separates ahead, revealing the ruins of Isengard. All about the great stone wall is cracked and splintered into countless jagged shards. Far off, half veiled in the swirling steam, the tower of Orthanc stands ... unbroken by the storm-pale waters lap about its feet. Two small hobbits are sitting on the smashed wall ... Merry and Pippin! A feast of loaves of bread, meats, and wine is spread before them. They puff on long pipes as they lie back in the sun, talking about their home and long days of work. Pippin nods and laughs, agreeing with him.

The sounds of horses attract their attention.

"Ahaha!" Pippin salutes them with his mug.

Merry jumps up as he spots the group riding out of the trees before them, and at the same time, he cuts Pippin off before he can respond in kind to Merry's insult about Pippin not working a day in his life. "Welcome, my Lords and my Lady, to Isengard!"

Gandalf, Aragorn, Elizabeth, Legolas, and Gimli stare at the sight before them... Relieved to find the Hobbits safe and in good spirits.

"You young rascals! A merry hunt you've led us on, and now we find you feasting and smoking!" Gimli grumbled at them, but the worry came from a good place, and he was happy to see them again.

Pippin's words are slurred as he explains, "We are sitting on a field of victory, enjoying a few well-earned comforts." While eating a sandwich. "The salted pork is particularly good."

"​​Salted pork?" After days of ratios, Gimli was suddenly interested in the sound of good food. A little bit of drool can be seen in his mouth.

Gandalf shakes his head in a mix of disgust and fondness, "Hobbits."

"We're under orders from Treebeard, who's taken over management of Isengard." Merry said, pointing behind him.

Gandalf leads the company through the flotsam and jetsam, which floats upon the muddied waters surrounding the tower...

Treebeard, The Giant Ent, strides towards them, alarming all but Gandalf. "Burarum ... Young Master Gandalf. I'm glad you've come. Wood and water, stock and stone, I can master, but there's a Wizard to be managed here ... locked in his tower."

Aragorn whispered, looking up at the tower, "Show yourself."

Elizabeth tilts her head, observing the tower, and side-eye her partner, "Be careful. Even in defeat, I bet Saruman is still dangerous."

Gimli said, "Well, let's just have his head and be done with it."

Gandalf shakes his head, "No. We need him alive. We need him to talk."

Saruman's voice is heard around them, but clearly, it's above them, "You have fought many wars and slain many men, Théoden King," He shows himself on the top of the tower. "And made peace afterwards. Can we not take counsel together as we once did, my old friend? Can we not have peace, you and I?"

Théoden eyes narrowed, "We shall have peace. We shall have peace when you answer for the burning of the Westfold and the children that lie dead there! We shall have peace when the lives of the soldiers whose bodies were hewn even as they lay dead against the gates of the Hornburg-are avenged! When you hang from a gibbet for the sport of your own crows, we shall have peace."

"Gibbets and crows? Dotard! What do you want, Gandalf Greyhame? Let me guess. The key of Orthanc. Or perhaps the Keys of Barad-dur itself, along with the crowns of the seven kings and the rods of the Five Wizards!"

Gandalf tries to reason with him, "Your treachery has already cost many lives. Thousands more are at risk. But you can save them, Saruman. You were deep in the enemy's counsel."

"So you have come here for information. I have some for you." Saruman lifts his Palantír and gazes into it. "Something festers in the heart of Middle-Earth. Something that you have failed to see. But the Great Eye has seen it." He puts the Palantír back down. "Even now, he presses his advantage. His attack will come soon. You're all going to die."

Gandalf approaches the base of Orthanc.

"But you know this, don't you, Gandalf? You cannot think that this Ranger will ever sit upon the throne of Gondor. This exile crept from the shadows and will never be crowned king. Gandalf does not hesitate to sacrifice those closest to him, those he professes to love. Tell me, what words of comfort did you give the Halfling before you sent him to his doom? The path that you have set him on can only lead to death."

"I've heard enough!" Gimli whispers to Legolas. "Shoot him. Stick an arrow in his gob."

Legolas reaches for an arrow, but Elizabeth stops him, "Not yet."

Gandalf nodded to Elizabeth, stopping Legolas from killing Saruman, "Come down, Saruman, and your life will be spared."

"Save your pity and your mercy. I have no use for it!" Saruman sends down a giant fireball toward Gandalf. An enormous flame surrounds where Gandalf is. A shield now surrounds Gandalf as the flames die down.

"Saruman, your staff is broken." Once Gandalf spoke, Saruman's staff broke in his hands into many pieces. Grima shows up behind Saruman.

Elizabeth watches everything keenly and looks for anything out of place. Théoden tries to convince Grima to leave Saruman to be free once more. She spots it.

The symbol... Her jolly Roger... Captain Jack Sparrow was here.

Grima pounces on Saruman and stabs Saruman several times. Legolas releases an arrow, hitting Grima. Grima winces in pain and falls back, making Saruman plummet off the tower and towards the ground. He lands on top of a spear on one of his own devices. Disgust fell over the faces of several of the riders.

Gandalf turns to the group, "Send word to all our allies and to every corner of Middle-Earth that still stands free. The enemy moves against us. We need to know where he will strike."

The wheel spins, sinking Saruman into the waters. The Palantír falls out of his robe and into the water.

The Old Ent nods his head wisely... "The filth of Saruman is washing away. Trees will come back to live here. Young trees. Wild trees."

Pippin sees an orange glow in the water. He wades into the water and picks it up, eyeing it curiously.

Aragorn felt Pippin leaving, "Pippin!"

Treebeard's eyes widen, "Bless my bark!"

Gandalf quickly realized what it was, "Peregrin Took! I'll take that, my lad. Quickly now."

Pippin hands the palantír to Gandalf, who quickly wraps it in his robe. Pippin looks sheepish at Gandalf and watches him intently as he turns away. Gandalf looks back at Pippin ... troubled.

Elizabeth closed her eyes, feeling a migraine coming on, but she had to see if Jack left anything for her. It took a few minutes, but she found a message in a bottle addressed to her.

~*~

Lizzy, I decided to leave Rivendell for my own adventure after you left. A lot has happened, but when you find this note, find me. You are not going to believe the journey I have been on. I'm close to finding a key to help this war, but I need you-the Pirate King-the true master of the sea. Also, I'm supposed to tell you to read a letter, don't know what that means. Hopefully, you will cause I don't. See you soon. Captain Jack Sparrow