The Lady of Rivendell

Chapter 14 - Minas Tirith

Most of the party had died down, and now, it was quiet. The main hall held nothing more than a couple of too drunk to move soldiers, snoring, dreaming of days to come. Outside, its dark, the only light provided by the moon as it shone over Rohan, the grassy planes a dark shade of blue. Aragorn had just walked outside, leaving the warmth of the fire that cast waving flickers of orange light against the stone walls. 

I lean back into my seat, a wave of calm and tranquillity falling over me, until it vanished.

The change was sudden. An evil presence filled the air. It was Sauron, he was here. I race towards the sleeping quarters, closer to where the evil was emanating from. I swung the door open. As it thudded against the wall, Pippin fell to his knees, his face twisted in Agony, his mouth open in a silent scream. 

"Someone help him!" I race into the Room, as Gandalf starts to wake. 

I wrench the blanket from Gandalf, and, as quick as I could, wrapped it around the Palantir while wrestling it out of Pippins grasp. As soon as it left his hands I threw it into the corner of the room. Aragorn and Legolas race through the doorway. I hear a thud as Pippin falls to the ground. There is a moment of silence. Everyone catches their breath, and nobody moves. Until Gandalf storms towards the hobbit as he cowers on the floor, sweaty faced and panting. 

"Forgive me..." The trembling Hobbit says quietly, voice wavering.

"Look at me!" Pippin looks up at Gandalf, eyes watery as he tries to calm down. "What did you see?"

The Hobbit hesitated, trying to recall the visions from his ordeal.

"A tree... There was a white tree..." My ears perked up. "In a courtyard of stone... It was dead, the city was burning."

Gandalf leaned back, ever so slightly.

"Minas Tirith? Is that what you saw?" Shakily he nodded.

"I saw... I saw him, I can hear his voice in my head..."

"What did you tell him? Speak!" The Took flinched.

"He asked me my name, I didn't answer!" He was close to sobbing now, "He hurt me..."

The Wizard gazes at the Hobbit intensely, looking deep into his eyes, to see if Pippin was telling the truth. I trusted Pippin enough to know he wouldn't risk the lives of his closest friends.

"What did you tell him about Frodo and the ring?"

----------------------------------------------

Theoden looked down, a dark look on his face. The mood was grave and grim.

"There was no lie in Pippin's eyes... " The old Wizard said. "A fool, but an honest fool he remains. He told Sauron nothing of Frodo and the Ring."

I could hear the Dwarf next to me let out a sigh of relief.

"We've been strangely fortunate. What Pippin saw in the Palantir was a glimpse of our enemies plan."

The hall was silent for a moment, as Gandalf looked around at all of us.

"Sauron moves to strike the city of Minas Tirith. His defeat at Helm's Deep showed our enemy one thing."

He turned to stare at Aragorn.

"The heir of Elendil has come forth. Men are not as weak as he supposed. There is courage still, strength enough left to challenge him!"

The hall is silent. Theoden continues to listen intently, but says nothing. The Wizard moves on.

"Sauron fears this. He will not risk the peoples of Middle-Earth uniting under one banner. He will raze Minas Tirith to the ground before he sees the return of the King."