Element of the Heart - A Lord of the Rings/Legolas Fanfiction

Chapter 22: Holding Back

Saruman looked up from the thick spell book at his desk and shifted uneasily. He could afford to display such an action while he was alone.

A black-hooded figure pounded up the stairs to the top of the tower. The door to Saruman's study flung open as the pair of red eyes bore into Saruman, who was pretending not to be affected by them. The figure stood there, waiting. The surrounding air simmered.

Saruman slowly rotated his head and raised his eyebrows like a parent exasperated by a bothersome child. "What troubles you, Lord Anorath?"

"Cease your foolish games, wizard." Anorath shot back. "I was never to be trifled with!" He had answered Saruman's request by releasing the Demon of the Mines from its cold slumber. And what had he discovered in turn? A lie! That strange woman from the company had peaked his curiosity as he traveled back to Isengard. How is it that a woman made it into a quest with the wretched kings and nobles of the races? When she used her power days later, he had felt its release, rolling into him like a shockwave. "Why did you not tell me there was an earth-born with the company?" Anorath demanded.

Saruman nodded patiently, but inside he was trying not to panic. He struggled to make sense of the random reasons that formulated in his mind. "She is not nearly as strong as you, so you need not-"

"I know that," he cut in sharply.

"You misunderstand me." Saruman got up, his staff echoing through the room every time it struck the ground. He walked until he was only an arm's breadth from Anorath. "Years ago, I sent a Mordor assassin to kill her, to end her before she could cause any trouble. He has failed, but now..."

Anorath mentally zoned him out while a deep and powerful presence entered his mind.

"Ignore my puppet. He has no words of use to you."

Anorath was about to ask what he should do, but changed his mind. "I will return to Mordor. Nothing here is of use to me."

The Dark Lord Sauron rumbled with a sort of approval. You are improving. Deference to others is a weakness, though ignoring my commands would be folly.

Anorath glared at Saruman, who was annoying him more by the second. You have a purpose for me here, in Isengard?

"What matters is I want you there." Sauron rebuked.

Anorath visibly shuddered from the searing pain that spiked through his body. Saruman looked at him curiously, unaware of the dark magic that enabled the Dark Lord to speak into Anorath's mind.

Remain with the army. When the time comes, you will have your chance against her.

Knowing better than to argue like a child or mindlessly agree like an orc, Anorath kept silent. Raising his hood again over his head, he left the room, leaving Saruman to bellow to the walls on how he himself would make an end of the female earth-born.

*****

Estelwen was not the only one to notice the elegant black arrow that had caused Boromir's death. Aragorn, slightly bent over Boromir's unmoving body, grasped the arrow and pulled. Estelwen looked away as the blood gushed out. She was relieved that Aragorn had done it himself because she knew she would not have the strength to do so.

Aragorn lifted the arrow, almost three feet long, to his eye level. "There are runes on the shaft." He looked at Legolas. "They are ancient, and I know not what they say."

Legolas took it. "I am not familiar with this dialect. It is dark and strange. But a certain phrase is familiar, and is known by the spell-casters and ancients of my kin."