LOTR: The Untold Tale (A Legolas/OFC Romance)

The Seed of Doubt

Gandalf's POV

We approach the Orthanc. Ithilwen is seated behind me whilst the Hobbits ride with both Aragorn and Theoden. Treebeard approaches, shocking everyone but Ithilwen, Merry, Pippin and myself. 

"Hoooom, young.. master Gandalf, I'm.. glad.. you've.. come. Wood and water, stock... and stone I can master, but... there is a Wizard... to manage here... locked in his... tower." 

 Looking up at I can not see any sign of Saruman, but I know he is watching, waiting. 

 Aragorn follows my line of vision, "Show yourself." 

 From behind me I can hear Ithilwen whimper faintly as small shivers rake her body. 

 "Be careful. Even in defeat, Saruman is dangerous." 

"Well then let's just have his head and be done with it."

"No, we need him alive. We need him to talk. "

Saruman comes into sight. Leaning on his staff he looks down upon us. His eyes lock with Ithilwen before she buries her head into my cloak. What has he done to her? 

 His eyes shift to Theoden, "You have fought many wars and slain many men Theoden King 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?" 

I scoff to myself.  Saruman will never want true peace. 

 "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!" He yells from our spot on the ground and Saruman's face grows angry. 

 "Gibbets and crows! Dotard! What do you want Gandalf Grahame? Let me guess... the key of Orthanc? Or perhaps the keys of Barad Dûr itself? Along with the crowns of the seven Kings and the rods of the Five Wizards!"

Approaching slowly by a pace or two, I look up, I can feel Ithilwen's hands curl into tight balls at my side. "Your treachery has already cost many lives. Thousands more are now at risk. But you could save them Saruman. You were deep in the enemy's counsel." 

 No guilt passes his face. His only reaction is a smirk. 

 "So you have come here for information. I have some for you." He holds up a large glass ball. My eyes widen as I see a Palantir. Saruman peers into it before speaking again. 

 "Something festers in the heart of Middle Earth. Something that you have failed to see. But the great eye has seen it! Even now he presses his advantage. His attack will come soon. You are all going to die! 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 will never be crowned King." 

 His eyes land on Ithilwen once again. "Your weapon is ruined, the seed of doubt has been planted and by each passing hour grows stronger. Although this can be prevented, actions among yourselves are causing further damage."

My eyes widen, he played with her mind. I don't even know where to start looking. What could she possible doubt? Her worth among us? Her lack of a family? 

 My thought were interrupted as Saruman continued, "Gandalf does not hesitate to sacrifice those who are closest to him... those he professes to love! Tell me, what words of comfort did you give the Half ling before you sent him to his doom? The path that you have set him on can only lead to death." 

Gimli seems to run out of patience then, "I've heard enough! Shoot him! Stick an arrow in his gob!" As Legolas reaches for an arrow I hold up a hand, stopping him. 

 "No! Come down Saruman and your life will be spared!" 

"Save your pity and your mercy. I have no use for it!" Before I can even blink he sends a bolt of lightening directly at me and Ithilwen. 

 I call upon a force field to protect the three of us. Ithilwen clings to me desperately. Long gone is the brave girl I had only seen a few days ago. Now in her place stood a frightened and tormented soul.

"Saruman..... your staff is broken!" His eyes widen in fear as his staff shatters. 

 I can hear muffled sentences coming from Ithilwen and I listen closer, "Legolas, he will save me," she mumbles quietly, suddenly I am sharing a memory with Ithilwen.

*Flashback starts*

Saruman enters the small dark cell and approaches the injured girl. 

 "Ithilwen wake up, I want you to meet someone..." Saruman's voice is not his own, he speaks in Elvish, I recognize the voice as Legolas'. 

 Ithilwen slowly opens her eyes, "Legolas?"  she whispers hopefully. But her eyes sadden and I can see that in her head she see's Legolas standing with... Eowyn? 

  "Ithilwen, meet Eowyn, I plan to take her as my bride." Ithilwen shakes her head tears filling her eyes as she poor her heart to the man she believes to be Legolas. 

"No, Legolas please, I love you, we are meant to be I can feel it. Please just tell me you feel the same, tell me this is a joke." 

Legolas' laugh is cold and cruel, "I could never love you. You are nobody. Unworthy of anything more than a lonely existence. Your pathetic and weak. Eowyn is noble, she has stolen my heart and it is her I will bind myself too. While you remain here. Alone and unloved for eternity." ​

Suddenly the picture changed. Small flashes here and there. Always the same general thing. Saruman would take on a different faces and voices in her mind and plant doubt. But the one that had broken her heart and spirit. The one that made her give up hope, was Legolas proclaiming himself to someone else, and confirming Ithilwen's worst fears. 

 To her, she was unworthy, unloved... and alone.

*Flashback ends*

The memory ends in time for me to see Saruman's body fall from the tower, impaling him on a great wheel barrow below. 

 "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 water wheel turns and Saruman disappears beneath the water head first. The Palantir drops from his hand into the water. 

"The filth of Saruman is washing away. Trees will come back to live here. Young trees. Wild trees." Treebeard's voice rings through the air as Pippin dismounts and picks up something out of the water. 

"Bless my bark!" Treebeard exclaims looking at the Palantir Pippin now holds. Pippin gazes into the glass ball, enchanted. 

 I approach him, still sitting on shadowfax, "Peregrin Took. I'll take that my lad! Quickly now!" Pippin hands the Palantir to me reluctantly and I wrap it up within my robes. 

He looks sheepish at me and I can feel him watching me intently even as I turn away.