The Return of the King and Queen

Chapter 25: Isengard

The ride to Isengard was swift, they slowed things down once they entered Fangorn Forest. Thought it still had an ancient feeling to it the air was lighter, not as sick as it was the first time they had been in there. The rode through the forest in a single file line, Gandalf leading the way. In the distance talking could be heard, the voices that of two very familiar beings.

"Only you've never done a hard day's work." Merry said, both of them laughing in response as they smoked their pipes. They both then saw a group come from behind the trees. Merry stood up on top of the wall they were sitting on and announced. "Welcome My Lords and My Lady to Isengard."

"You young rascals, a merry hunt you lead us on and now we find you feasting and...and smoking." Gimli scolded them while Legolas, Aragorn, and Autheil smiled at them, just glad to see them alive.

"We are sitting on a field of victory. Eating a few wells earned comforts. The salted pork is particularly good." Pippin replied. "Salted pork?" Gimli questioned, knowing he would like some.

"Hobbits..." Gandalf muttered under his breath unimpressed.

"Were under orders of Treebeard, who has taken over management of Isengard." Merry told them. "Come, we must go." Gandalf said. "Come, my little ones." Amdiriel said as she jumped off her horse, both hobbits running into her arms. "Are you both okay?" she asked as she pulled away looking over the two of them, checking for injuries. "No, no we are fine but do we have an adventure to tell you." Pippin said to her. "I bet you do." Amdiriel smiled. "Come one of you with me and another with Aragorn." She said and put her hand out to them. Merry grabbed her hand and Pippin went over to Aragorn who held out his hand out. "It's good to have you two back." he told Pippin.

They enter Isengard, the place was flooded with water making it mercy but no orcs or Uruk-hai in site but lots of trees, walked around, making this place their new home. "You were very busy, I see." Amdiriel said as she looked around at the scene in front of her. "You don't know the half of it." Merry replied, pride in his voice.

"Oh, young master Gandalf. I'm glad that you've come. Wood, stock and stone I can master but there is a wizard to manage here locked in his tower." the large talking tree named Treebeard said to them as they now stood in front of the tower.

Aragorn looked up at the tower angrily "Show yourself." he whispered as he looked up at he

"Be careful. Even in defeat, Saruman is dangerous." Gandalf warned them.

"We'll let's just have his head and be done with it." Gimli suggested. "Yes." Amdiriel quickly agreed thinking it was reasonable for all that wizard had put them through

"No." Gandalf rebuked them "We need him alive. We need him to talk." Gandalf explained his eyes scanning the top of the tower. Aragorn sat next to Amdiriel who was unsettled, the place was giving Amdiriel a bad feeling, and the master who ran the place had bad blood between them. He had killed her brother and two of her close friends.

"You have fought in many wars and slain many men, Théoden King, and afterward made peace. Can we not take counsel together as we once did, my old friend? Can we not have peace you and I?" a voice sounded from above them. They all looked up to see Saruman standing on top of the tower his staff in his hand.

"We shall have peace..." Théoden trailed off and then looks back up at Saruman, anger written all over his face. "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 shewn even as they lay dead against the gate of the Hornburg are avenged!" Théoden then gritted his teeth "When you hang from a gibbet for the sport of your own crows we shall have peace!"