You've undoubtedly heard the tale of Robin Hood, but what if I was to tell you they got it all wrong?
First of all, Robin is female.
{All characters other than my own belong to J. R. R. Tolkien}
Aspects of this scene will be modified to suit the story.
† Chp. XXVIII †
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Fangorn groans at our presence as the fellowship trots through the old forest, myself bringing up the rear. Eomer stays a good distance infront, and let's just say that I'm not complaining. Besides, I need some space in order to let my thoughts gather.
To say that I'm dreading Isengard would be an understatement.
Yes, we may have conquered the valley and avenged the ents, destroying Sauron's little Uruk-hai farm whilst doing so, however that was never the fear.
Confronting the wizard in the tower was.
And now, thanks to old mate Gandalf, we will be doing just that.
My stomach stirs with anxiety, as I fail to evaluate the situation as a whole. How could the same wizard who raised my younger self, protecting me against the evils of the world and encouraging the independence and strength of my character be the same being who has caused so much death and destruction? How is it possible that an individual of such wisdom and compassion has given in to such evil?
So many innocent lives lost. So many families torn apart, villages burnt to ash, children both mentally and physically wounded, all due to the corruption of a single being.
A writhe of anger tears through my body as images of the past flash through my head. I shared my life with Saruman, informed him of my past, even cried in his arms as the memories seemed to burn a permanent hole into my mind. I trusted the wizard with my life. He was aware of the vulnerability and trauma in which these past events had ravaged through me, and despite this knowledge, Saruman has used his power in order to bring the same chaos into the lives of other innocent humans, other innocent children.
It felt like a flail to the gut.
Even the cheering of two beloved halfings cannot seem to pull me out of my tense state, as Merry and Pippin appear from the break of the trees, happily settled a top Isengard's broken wall.
"Welcome, my lords, to Isengard!" Merry calls out, proudly standing to his feet and pointing a stubby finger towards the looming tower.
There it is again, the writhe of dread.
"You young rascals! A merry hunt you've led us on and now we find you feasting and smoking!" Gimli grumbles. The rest of the fellowship seems rather amused, well, all except Gandalf. I don't think Grandpa minded the absence of the Took.
