The Unknown

Chapter 17

In the sleeping quarters I see Pippin stirring from the corner where I sat with my hood pulled slightly over my eyes. I pulled back my hood a little bit to see Pippin creeping towards Gandalf.
"What you doing?" Merry whispered. Pippin is startled by Merry being awake. Pippin continues to creep closer to Gandalf who sleeps with his eyes open.
"Pippin? Pippin? Pippin! What are you doing?" Merry is very concerned and that's when I realise what Pippin is doing but it's too late he has already snatched the Palantir from Gandalf.
"Pippin, are you mad?" Merry hisses. I pull back my hood fully and creep towards Pippin as to not frighten him. Merry sees me and gives me a concerned look.
"I just want to look at it. Just one more time," Pippin says transfixed by it. I can feel it's dark energy and I feel that I can't move any faster than I am. I want to dive for Pippin and take it off of him but my legs are shaking and they can't move fast.
"Put it back! Put it back!" Merry hisses his eyes darting to me every few seconds. Pippin uncovers it and I can't move. My heart is beating extremely fast. I want Gandalf to just wake up and grab it. I can still manage to move but I can't grab him yet. If I startle him it could be bad.
"Pippin!" Merry hisses twice trying to get his attention. Pippin is transfixed. I can see what he is seeing. Its bad very bad. Sauron's voice echoing in my head too. He is asking about Frodo and the ring. Pippin says nothing.
"Help! Someone help him!" Merry cried and I am broken from the globe. I launch forward grabbing the Palantir from Pipping holding it under my cloak. I can feel it's energy trying to tell me to take it out but I don't allow it to control me. I can feel it trying to speak to my ring it starts to burn on my hand. Gandalf holds a blanket and nods at me. I take it out from under my cloak and he throws the blanket over it and takes it off of me. I can still feel it's energy but it's distant and my ring stops burning, I take it off and it's left a mark on my finger.
"Fool of a Took!" Gandalf cries. He lifts Pippin's slumped head.
"Pippin!" Merry tries to get his attention.
"Gandalf! Forgive me," Pippin pleads.
"Look at me! What did you see?"
"A tree ... There was a white tree . . . in a courtyard of stone . . . It was dead! The city was burning."
"Minas Tirith?? Is that what you saw?"
"I saw . . . I saw him . . . I could hear his voice in my head." I knew what Pippin saw.
"And what did you tell him? Speak!"
"He asked me my name, I didn't answer . . . he hurt me . . ."
"What did you tell him about Frodo and the Ring?"
"Nothing," I say.
"You saw it!?" Aragorn asks concerned.
"I was standing being him. He told nothing."
"Did you see anything different?" Gandalf asked.
"No. He didn't know I was watching. He was speaking to Pippin completely unaware that I was there."
"Curious." Gandalf then looked to the ring that I was holding because it burnt my hand. It had something to do the ring that hid me but when Sauron wasn't concentrating on Pippin he tried to burn my ring, why though?

I stayed with Pippin and Merry who were still quite in shock I had to make sure Pippin didn't try anything else stupid. We walked up to the group, Gandalf turns on his heels quickly to Pippin.
"I ride for Minas Tirith! And I won't be going alone!" Gandalf says. He quickly hurries off motioning for Pippin to follow him, Merry just automatically follows. Everyone is left not quite knowing what is going on or what exactly Gandalf was going to do next. I soon follow them Aragorn not far behind me they are heading to the stables. Gandalf is leaving now.

Pippin is sitting on the back of Shadowfax.
"How far is Minas Tirith?" He asks as I walk up.
"Three days ride as the Nazgul flies and you'd better hope we don't have one of those on our tail," Gandalf replies freaking Pippin out even more. Merry hands Pippin a small package.
"Here, something for the road," he says.
"The last of the Longbottom Leaf," Pippin is saddened by his friend's gift.
"I know you've run out you smoke too much, Pip," Merry says with a smile.
"But we'll see each other soon? Won't we?"
"I don't know.... I don't know what's going to happen." Gandalf mounts Shadowfax.
"Merry?" Pippin says in distress.
"You coming wolf?" Gandalf asks me. I consider it.
"Tell Legolas I went with Gandalf, Merry." Merry nods. I half want to go nearer to where I heard the wolves howl. I turn into a wolf. Legolas is used to me leaving without saying goodbye he knows I always come back. Gandalf spurs Shadowfax.
"Run Shadowfax, show us the meaning of haste," he orders.
"Merry!" Pippin says panicked. Shadowfax runs out of the stables me close on his heals. I look back momentarily and see Aragorn and Merry in the watchtower.