What Happened Thereafter {A LotR Fanfiction}

The Fate of Saruman

[Dedicated to Believing_In because we have a lot in common and share a lot of the same interests, which is so cool! It was great to meet you, Believing_In!]

The forest was quiet except for a few birds that flew overhead, singing a happy melody for all to hear. Ivy made her way towards the end of the line of trees and wondered where her enemies had gone. Especially Saruman. She was worried that he might have entered the Shire and successfully overpowered it, but then she swallowed and told herself that would never happen. The hobbits would never allow evil to seep through their boundaries. Ivy's joints were aching and she was unbearably tired and was so thirsty her mouth was producing next to no saliva. But she was almost safe! She was almost home!

When Ivy reached the edge of the forest, she scanned the perimeter. The battle had begun again, and since she didn't have her dagger, she couldn't let herself be seen quite yet. She searched for any fallen weapons close by, and suddenly spotted a man who was near death who was propped up against a tree close to her. She scuttled over to him and grabbed his sword from his hand. It was far to heavy and long for her to handle, so she looked the man straight in the eye and said: "Any daggers?"

The man weakly lifted his arm and gestured to his belt. A dagger was strapped to his belt. It was covered in his blood, and Ivy winced when she grabbed hold of it. But it would have to do. She stared again at the man and felt tremendous pity for him. He hadn't wanted this. She was sure he had a family of his own and was only following Saruman's orders. Maybe he had only been trying to protect his family from the evil wizard.

"Do not be afraid, sir. You are not alone anymore. I'm sure you were a brave soldier. Go in peace." She placed a hand on the man's forehead, and he closed his eyes at her touch, and heaved his last, scraggly breath. Ivy felt sorry for him, but death was a part of life, and it was his time to die. She patted the man's head once more before turning around, taking a deep breath, and heading for the battlefield. 

---

Daffodil and Frodo had teamed up against a man that was twice as tall as the tallest man she had ever seen, and carried four extra weapons at his sides. He'd already clobbered a poor little hobbit who had fallen to the side, and was now eyeing Frodo. Something behind Daffodil's eyes burned and she felt a a volcano inside her chest explode. Her father had died because of these evil people, and he'd done absolutely nothing to deserve it. He should still be alive!

"Take that, you selfish brute!" Daffodil swung Sting and drove the tip of it into the man's knee-bone. He howled and Daffodil continued the attack, with Frodo looking on as a bystander, his mouth ajar. 

"THAT'S FOR IVY!" Daffodil shouted. She dodged his swing and plunged Sting into his foot. 

"THAT'S FOR THE SHIRE!" 

The man screamed in pain and sweat trickled down his face. But Daffodil didn't stop there.

"AND THIS," she said, stabbing the man in the stomach. He gasped and fell to his knees and she stared, unblinking, into his eyes. 

"THIS IS FOR MY FATHER!" 

Frodo had never seen Daffodil so violent before. He ran to her side and pulled her away by the waist before the man was able to use his dying strength against her. 

"Remind me to never make you angry," he joked. Daffodil was quiet for a moment, and then told him that she was only getting warmed up. The way she said it made Frodo think of Thorn. 

"Have you been hanging out with Thorn, recently?" He asked. Daffodil gave him a strange look and shook her head.

"I'd laugh if you weren't so serious," she said. Frodo grinned and Daffodil smoothed the front of her dress down. She had calmed down and was feeling a bit guilty for being so ferocious before, but the enemy never showed any mercy, so why should she?