The Return of Ringil[COMPLETED]

Chapter XIII

Third person's point of view.

Celeblasdes wouldn't say out loud that she was worried she had gotten her hopes up too high when she saw the mass of burning Uruks. Though her face was hidden, her hold on Aragorn's waist said she was undeniably worried. Reaching the burning mass,

Celeblasdes leaps off Aragorn's horse and looks about the remains and the grass for any sign of the two hobbits. Gimli sat knelt by the pile looking through the chard flesh, bone, leather, and armor, "It's one of their little belts." Gimli said his voice wobbly with sadness.

Celeblasdes's voice broke as she sat back and sobbed, her hands pressed into her eyes as she lay bent over, hands on her shoulders pulled her up a bit but as she moved something caught her eye, taking in a deep breath she reached for it and looked at it.

Looking at it in her hands it was a cut rope. Frowning she looked to where it was cut. "A Hobbit lay here," She said moving hay and grass, "and the other." she said her still blurry, but she walked knelt as she followed their footsteps, the other hot on her heels.

"They ran over here... and were followed." she added seeing the third set of prints. "The tracks lead away from the battle!" Aragorn shouted seeing the same layout, "And into...Fangorn Forest." Celeblasdes said as hope came back to her, without hesitation she ran in, "Celeb–!"

Aragorn shouts when she takes off without warning, following after her the three males race to keep up as she follows the tracks again, and only stops when strange and large tracks have taken up the place of the Hobbits'. "Orc Blood." Gimli states after tasting liquid on a few leaves to his right.

"These are strange tracks." Celeblasdes says with Aragorn over her shoulder, "The air is so close here." Gimli said pulling at his collar. "This forest is old. Very old. Full of memory... and anger." Legolas said softly looking around, Bass voices are heard from the trees. Gimli raises his ax at the sound, "The trees are speaking to each other."

Aragorn sensing the anger as well looked to Gimli, "Gimli!" the startled dwarf turned to him, "Huh?" rolling his eyes Aragorn snapped softly, "Lower your ax." gasping in understanding Gimli did as he was told.

"They have feelings, my friend. The Elves began it: waking up the trees, teaching them to speak." Legolas explained while Celeblasdes followed the tracks, "Talking trees. What do trees have to talk about, hmm? Except for the consistency of squirrel droppings." Gimli said joking,

"Aragorn, nad no ennas!" (Aragorn, something is out there!). Celeblasdes said jumping from root to root where the feeling came from, standing behind her Aragorn asked, "Man cenich?" (What do you see?) Legolas stood behind the Man listening as well.

Celeblasdes' eyes dart to her right. "The White Wizard approaches." Aragorn looked to Legolas and Gimli, before muttering, "Do not let him speak. He will put a spell on us!" Celeblasdes reaches her hands behind her to grip her twin daggers, Aragorn wraps his hand around the hilt of his sword,

Gimli tightens his hold on his ax, and Legolas fingers his arrow. "We must be quick." Celeblasdes instructs. The three turn around to attack but are blinded by a bright light emanating from the White Wizard. "Argh!" Gimli roars as he throws his ax, Legolas letting loose and arrow only for it to be deflected as well.

Celeblasdes and Aragorn had to drop their weapons upon the fact that they became too hot to hold. "You are tracking the footsteps of two young Hobbits." the Wizard said his voice deep and overlapped. "Where are they?" Celeblasdes shouted her hand held over her eyes to shield them from the light the wizard emulated.

"They passed this way, the day before yesterday. They met someone they did not expect. Does that comfort you?" Stepping towards the wizard Celeblasdes shouted, "Who are you? Show yourself!" The light dims, revealing Gandalf, dressed in white.

Celeblasdes and Legolas bows before Gandalf, Gimli following them. "It cannot be!" Aragorn gasped out, "Forgive us. We mistook you for Saruman." Gandalf smiled, "I am Saruman. Or rather Saruman as he should have been." Aragorn stepped forward more his voice full of disbelief. "You fell!" Gandalf nodded,

"Through fire. And water." then his eyes unfocused as he seemed to fall back into a memory. "I've been sent back until my task is done." Aragorn smiled and took another step, "Gandalf." the white wizard smirked.

"Gandalf? Oh yes. That's what they used to call me. Gandalf the Grey. That was my name." as everyone spoke, nobody had noticed yet that Celeblasdes had stayed in her knelt position, "Celeblasdes?" Aragorn said softly kneeling beside her, but she didn't move only to hold his hand and squeeze slightly,

She could feel the self-disappointment in herself for not being able to keep everyone together like her mother would have been able to if she had been in her shoes. The look in Gandalf's eyes didn't help, though he wasn't blaming her for anything she still felt obligated to be the glue that kept everyone together.

"Child look at me," Gandalf said and lifted his chin with his fingers, "It isn't your fault, you had no control over the outcome of the fates of others, but do not fret, Merry and Pippin are just fine." nodding softly Gandalf got up and Aragorn helped Celeblasdes up, he pulled her into his chest and gently stoked her hair,

As Gandalf took the cloak from Legolas that was meant for Celeblasdes. Walking along the forest, Gandalf spoke, "One stage of your journey is over, another begins. War has come to Rohan. We must ride to Edoras with all speed."

Gimli grumbled, "Edoras? That is no short distance!" Aragorn set his hand on Gandalf's shoulder, "We hear of trouble in Rohan. It goes ill with the king." the white wizard looked in between Celeblasdes and Aragorn and she nodded, "Yes, and it will not be easily cured." Celeblasdes said,

"Then we have run all this way for nothing? Are we to leave those poor hobbits herein this horrid, dark, dank tree-infested..." Gimli said insulting the forest, the trees rumbled. "I mean charming, quite charming forest." Gimli said when he heard the trees rumble.

"It was more than mere chance that brought Merry and Pippin to Fangorn. A great power has been sleeping here for many long years. The coming of Merry and Pippin will be like the falling of small stones that starts an avalanche in the mountains."

Celeblasdes hearing this patted Gandalf's shoulder, "In one thing you have not changed, dear friend." he mumbled slightly confused, "Hmm?" and she answered, "You still speak in riddles." the three of them laughed lightly before heading to the exit. "A thing is about to happen here that has not happened since the Elder Days. The Ents are going to wake up and find that they are strong." Gandalf said staring into the distance.