YOU ONLY LOVE ONCE | 𝐋𝐞𝐠𝐨𝐥𝐚𝐬 𝐱 𝐑𝐞𝐚𝐝𝐞𝐫

Chapter X

I'm sorry I didn't update, we lost power. I just went through the majority of the chapters of this book and corrected the errors I could find. Also, thank you so much for 100+ reads! 🧝🏻‍♂️

You rode up to a smoking pile of carcasses and you dismounted. Gimli picked up a little belt.
"It's one of their wee little belts." He sniffled.
"May they find peace in death." Legolas said bowing his head. You felt the tears that were threatening to fall, slide down you cheeks. Aragorn kicked an Uruk helmet and he fell to his knees with an angry yell.
"We've failed them." Gimli said grimly.

Aragorn looked at the ground as if in a trance.
"What is it? What do you see?" You asked desperately.
"A hobbit lay here. And the other." He starred tracing their steps.
"They crawled. Their hands were bound." He picked up a piece of rope.
"Their bonds were cut." He handed you the rope and continued walking.
"They ran over here. They were followed." He walked forward a little more.
"Tracks lead away from battle." He stopped in front of Fangorn forest.
"Into Fangorn Forest."
"Fangorn? What madness drove them in there?" Gimli asked.

You were deep in the forest. Gimli put his finger to what seemed like blood and he tasted it.
"Orc blood." He said spitting the blood out.
"These are strange tracks." Aragorn said observing the leaf covered floor.
"The air is so close in here." Gimli remarked.
"This forest is old. Very old. Full of memory... and anger." Legolas said.

You heard a deep groaning. It startled you and you grabbed Legolas's hand. He looked over at you and you blushed bright red. You quickly let go of him.

"The trees are speaking to each other." Legolas said as if nothing had happened. You were thankful. The last thing you needed was Aragorn or Gimli knowing you had grabbed a boys hand.

"Gimli! Lower your axe." Aragorn ordered. Gimli looked at Aragorn in confusion for a second and let out a small 'oh!' When he finally understood.

"They have feelings, my friend. The elves began it. Waking up the trees, teaching them to speak." Legolas said.
"Talking trees. What do trees have to talk about? Except the consistency of squirrel droppings." Gimli laughed nervously.

"Something is out there." Legolas said suddenly.
"What do you see?" Aragorn asked.
"The White Wizard approaches." Legolas said.
"Do let them him speak. He will put a spell on us." Aragorn ordered. You took out your daggers and prepared to throw them.
"We must be quick." Aragon said.

You turned around to find yourself blinded by a bright light. Your daggers grew hot in your hands, and you dropped them.
"You are tracking the footsteps of two young hobbits." Saruman's voice came from the blinding light.
"Where are they?" Aragon asked.
"They passed this way the day before yesterday. They met someone they didn't expect. Does that comfort you?" Saruman's voice said again.
"Who are you?" Aragon demanded.

Gandalf stepped out of the light. You resisted the urge to run up and hug him.
"It cannot be..." Aragon whispered.
"Forgive me." Legolas said getting on to one knee. Gimli did the same.
"I mistook you for Saruman." Legolas explained.
"I am Saruman. Or rather, Saruman as he should have been." Gandalf explained.
"You fell..." Aragorn said.
"Through fire... and water. From the lowest dungeon to the highest peak... I fought with the Balrog of Morgoth. Until at last I threw down my enemy... and smote with ruin upon the mountain side," Gandalf explained. "Darkness took me... and I strayed out of thought and time. Stars wheeled overhead... and every day was as long as a life age of the Earth. But it was not the end. I felt life in me again. I have been sent back... until my task is done."

You ran forward and hugged him.
"Gandalf..." you whispered.
"Gandalf? Yes. That is what they used to call me. Gandalf the grey. That was my name.
"Gandalf." Gimli said cheerfully.
"I am Gandalf the White. And I come back to you now... at the turn of the tide." Gandalf smiled.

You walked out of the forest. Gandalf has put a grey cloak on. He wanted to keep his new power hidden until the time is right.
"One stage of your journey is over. Another begins. We must travel to Edoras with all speed." Gandalf said.
"Edoras? That is no short distance!" Gimli complained.
"We hear of trouble in Rohan. It goes ill with the king." Aragorn said.
"Yes, and it will not be easily cured." Gandalf said.
"Then we have run all this way for nothing? Are we to leave those poor hobbits here... in this horrid, dark, dank tree-infested-?" Gimli was cut of by loud groans.
"I mean, charming... quite charming forest..." Gimli said nervously.

"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." Gandalf said.
"In one thing you have not changed, dear friend," Aragon said. "You still speak in riddles." You laughed.

"A thing is about to happen that has not happened since the Elder days. The Ents are going to wake up... and find out that they are strong." Gandalf said.
"Strong?! Oh that's good!" Gimli said, still nervous.
"So stop your fretting, Master Dwarf. Merry and Pippin are quite safe. In fact, they are far safer then you are about to be." Gandalf said.
"This new Gandalf's more grumpy than the old one." Gimli muttered.

You stood in a line staring at the plain. Gandalf whistled, and a white horse comes galloping towards you.
"That is one of the Mearas... unless my eyes are cheated by some spell." Legolas said in awe.
"Shadowfax. He is the lord of all horses... and has been my friend through many dangers." Gandalf said.
"Wait. Where are our horses?" You asked.
"Oh. Right. You may be needing those." Gandalf said.

After a while of searching you had finally found your horses. Gimli rode with Aragorn and you rode with Legolas.
"To Edoras." Gandalf exclaimed before setting out. You close behind.