With a secret mission to marry an elf, Wynne must join Legolas' and Elvenking Thranduil's new quest as a horsekeeper. She begins an adventurous journey, encountering orcs and monsters, friendly uruk-hai, a lady dwarf and many Fellowship heroes - but...
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~ Wynne learns about Saruman's atrocities and later sees Thranduil in a new situation. ~
22. Elvish Pedicure
Sidra's face had clouded considerably, but in a melancholy way rather than angry. "Saruman did much evil," she said, her voice heavy with sadness.
"I know I promised myself I wouldn't kill again, but if I ever meet that load of excrement I will cut his throat." Nugu seemed to have forgotten Wynne was there.
"No you won't." She laid her hand on his bound wrists, rubbing them soothingly.
"Probably not." He grimaced. "I'd certainly feel tempted, though. The tree people were much too soft on him."
"Papa. Thtone." A tiny, gray hand held a pebble under the uruk-hai's nose.
"Thank you Muzadi." Nugu tried to ruffle the boy's hair with tied-up hands.
Wynne tactfully moved away, giving them some privacy. She was shocked by what she had learned about the origin of uruk-hai.
Legolas came over to her, features unusually morose. "I overheard your conversation. Horrendous. If Gandalf had known this I am sure he would have treated that fell wizard much harsher."
"What happened to Saruman?"
"You remember the ents? The tree-herders I spoke of some time ago." When Wynne nodded, he told how the ents defeated Saruman by flooding the entire vale of Isengard. The water had poured down into the myriad of caves underneath the wizard's tower, effectively drowning all the orcs and uruk-hai he had kept there.
Saruman and his associate Gríma were left to themselves in the locked tower, but after a few months the ent in charge had released them. Gandalf came across the pair some time later but he also took pity on them and let them run.
They had died eventually, or so Legolas had heard; the servant killed his master and was then shot by an army of hobbits, but not before they had wrecked much havoc in the hobbits' homeland.
"The ents and Gandalf ought to have examined the caves below Isengard after they dried out," Legolas continued. "If he kept women slaves their remains would have been found and buried properly."
Wynne began to tremble, overcome by that same bizarre fright that had made her sleepless for so many nights after her own kidnapping. There was nothing dangerous here now yet her body seemed to believe so.
"Forgive me, I should have realized–" He put his arm tightly around her shoulder.
"No it's alright, I just... sometimes I just think of what could... if the orcs that time–" She broke off and swallowed thickly.
"I know."
It was comforting to have Legolas so close; Wynne often felt he was the only one who truly understood her.
