Princess of China

We rode through Fangorn Forest, me rather reluctantly after seeing what it did to the Uruk-hai. Everyone was quiet through the forest until we came to a clearing with a wall that was almost reduced to rubble with Merry and Pippin sitting on it.

"Welcome, my lords, and lady, to Isengard!" Merry said, standing on top of the wall.

"You young rascals! A merry hunt you've led us on, and now we find ya' feasting and…and smoking!" Gimli yelled.

"We are sitting on a field of victory, enjoying a few well-earned comforts." Pippin said, eating what looked like a huge slice of bacon. "The salted pork is particularly good."

"Salted pork." Gimli said, like he was suddenly hungry. I thought I heard his stomach growl. Oh, wait. That was mine.

"We're under orders from Treebeard who's taken over management of Isengard." Merry said.

We grabbed the Hobbits, Merry ridding with Eomer and Pippin with Aragorn. We rode through the flooded remains of Isengard to the tower, where a giant walking, talking tree stood. What's next? Talking animals?

"Young Master Gandalf." The tree said. "I'm glad you've come. Wood and water, stock and stone I can master. But here is a wizard to manage here, locked in his tower."

"Show yourself." Aragorn whispered.

"Be careful. Even in defeat Saruman is dangerous."

"Then let us just have his head and be done with it." Gimli said. "No. We need him alive. We need him to talk."

"You have fought many wars and slain many men, Théoden King and made peace afterwards. Can we not take counsel together as we once did, my old friend?" Another man dressed in white with long white hair and a long white beard appeared at the top of the tower. "Can we not have peace, you and I?"

"We shall have peace." Théoden said. "We shall have peace when you answer to 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 hewn even as they lay dead against the gates of the Hornburg are avenged! When you hang from a gibbet for the sport of your own crows we shall have peace."

"Gibbets and crows? Dotard." I didn't know what a Dotard was, but it didn't sound like a friendly name. "What do you want, Gandalf Greyhame? Let me guess. They key of Orthanc? OR perhaps the keys of Barad-dur itself along with the crowns of the Seven Kings and the rods of the Five Wizards!"

"Your treachery has already cost may lives. Thousands more are now at risk. But you could save them, Saruman. You were deep in the enemy's counsel."

"So you have come here for information. I have some for you." HE held out a black sphere about the size of a bowling ball. There was a stabbing pain in my head and my wrist was on fire. "Something festers in the heart of Middle Earth. Something that you have failed to see. But the Great Eye has seen it. Even now he presses his advantage. His attack will come soon." Gandalf rode forward. "You're all going to die. But you know this, don't you, Gandalf? You cannot think that this Ranger will ever sit upon the throne of Gondor. This exile, crept from the shadows, will never be crowned king. Gandalf does not hesitate to sacrifice those closest to him, those he professes to love. Tell me, what words of comfort did you give the Halfling before you sent him to his doom? The path you have sent him on can only lead to death."

"I've heard enough. Shoot him. Stick an arrow in his gob." Gimli said.

Legolas reached for an arrow but was stopped by Gandalf. "Come down, Saruman, and your life will be spared."

"Save your pity and your mercy! I have no use for it." He lifted his staff and shot a ball of fire that engulfed Gandalf, startling the horses.

The fire disappeared and Gandalf was unscathed. "Saruman, your staff is broken." His staff exploded into pieces in his hand. The black haired, slimy man appeared behind Saruman.

"Grima, you need not follow him. You were not always as you are now. You were once a man of Rohan. Come down." Théoden said.

"A man of Rohan." Saruman said snarkly. "What is the house of Rohan but a thatched barn where brigands drink in the reek and their brats roll on the floor with the dogs? The victory at Helm's Deep does not belong to you, Théoden Horse-Master. You are a lesser son of greater sires."

"Grima, come down." Théoden took that rather well. "Be free of him."

"Free? HE will never be free."

"No." Grima said.

"Get down, cur!" Saruman backhanded Grima, sending him to the ground.

"Saruman!" Gandalf yelled. "You were deep in the enemy's counsel. Tell us what you know!"

"You withdraw your guard, and I will tell you where your doom will be decided. I will not be held prisoner here." Grima came from behind Saruman and stabbed him in the back repeatedly.

Legolas let an arrow fly and it hit Grima in the chest, killing him. Saruman fell from the tower, being speared by a wooden spike sticking out of a wheel in the water.

"Send word to all our allies and to every corner of Middle Earth that still stands free. The enemy moves against us. We need to know where he will strike." Gandalf told Théoden.

The giant wheel began moving and the evil bowling ball fell from Saruman's sleeve as he was submerged under water.

"The filth of Saruman is washing away." The tree said, making me jump. I had totally forgotten he was there. "Trees will come back to live here. Young trees."

Pippin jumped down from Aragorn's horse and into the water to grab the evil bowling ball.

"Peregrin Took." Gandalf said, approaching Pippin. "I'll take that, my lad. Quickly now." Pippin handed Gandalf the bowling ball rather reluctantly.

He climbed back on Aragorn's horse and we rode back to Edoras.