The group made its way, winding through Fangorn Forest on its way to Isengard. It was unexpected what they would meet there. Thinking that Saruman would fight with tooth and nail against their arrival and they would need to take down hordes of Orcs, it was a bittersweet discovery to spot three hobbits sitting at the entrance to Isengard. The hobbits sat eating, drinking, and the males were smoking. Most of all, they were laughing. Earein glanced around as Lariniel pulled up on her horse beside her, smiling.

"Apparently, we are not needed," the elf woman murmured.

Earein grinned back. The area had been completely flooded. Large Ents, the kind that Earein had only heard of in books, milled around moving rocks and surveying the destroyed area. There were no sign of Orcs, fires, or Saruman. Merry wobbled up onto his feet upon seeing them.

"My Lords! Welcome to Isengard!" he called out.

The expression on her father's face was amusing to Earein as poor Gimli was instantly riled up.

"You young rascals!" he shouted from his place behind Legolas," A merry hunt you've led us on and now we find you feasting and... and smoking!"

Aragorn was smiling from ear to ear. It was all Earein could do to give him a slight smile back before looking away. A burning sensation erupted in her chest whenever she looked at him or thought of him. Pain of embarrassment? A horrible awkwardness? Possibly both feelings were roiling about inside her, making her heart threaten to stop within her chest. Him knowing her feelings was almost as bad as him not knowing.

"We are sitting on a field of victory enjoying a few well-earned comforts," Pippin responded to Gimli.

Diamond popped a portion of meat into her mouth.

"As may be obvious, we have had quite a night. This is our reward!"

"The salted pork is particularly good," Pippin added, causing Gimli's jaw to drop open.

"Salted pork?" he asked in a softer voice.

Earein rode up beside her father you glanced at her before shaking his head slightly.

"Hobbits..." he muttered.

She put a hand on his arm and rubbed gently, hoping to quell his irritation. Merry continued on, pointing to one of the Ents.

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

Gandalf turned his horse toward the tower and began venturing forward. As they passed, they helped the Hobbits onto the backs of some of the company's horses. The horses plowed through water that was above knee level if Earein had deemed it necessary to dismount. Making his way to Treebeard, the Ent seemed joyful to see them.

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

The group looked up and around, trying to find the wizard.

"Show yourself," Aragorn hissed.

"Be careful," Gandalf warned them all," Even in defeat, Saruman is dangerous."

Earein gripped her staff tighter in her grasp.

"Well, let's just have his head and be done with it," Gimli suggested.

"No," Gandalf insisted," We need him alive. We need him to talk."

Earein's horse shifted uncomfortably beneath her. She murmured to the horse in Elvish to calm it. She could feel Aragorn's eyes on her, so she turned to Gimli.

"Maybe he will die after he talks, hm?" she whispered to him.

Legolas gave her a stern look from his spot in front of the dwarf, but the other winked at her. It was then that Saruman appeared at the top of the tower.

"You have fought many wars and slain many men, Theoden King and made peace afterwards. Can we not take counsel together as we once did, my old friend? Can we not have peace, you and I?"

His deep voice reached easily to their ears by magic. Theoden looked off to his right before answering.

"We shall have peace. We shall have peace when you answer for 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 Hornsburg, are avenged! When you hang from a gibbet for the sport of your own crows, we shall have peace."

Saruman's anger was evident.

"Gibbets and crows?" he growled, "Dotard! What do you want, Gandalf Greyhame? Let me guess. The 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! As well as that of the destructive creature you created that is considered a wizard!"

Earein's mouth tightened into a line from anger, but stayed quiet. It was the angry ranting of a man who has lost all power and was not worth her words.

"Your treachery has already cost many lives," her father spoke up, "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," he replied, somewhat amused," I have some for you."

Above them he pulled out a dark crystal ball. Earein frowned, unsure of what it was. Her father's forehead creased in concern, alerting her to the fact that whatever it could be was dangerous.

"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. 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 set him on can only lead to death."

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

Legolas, obviously feeling similarly, moved to grab an arrow.

"No," Gandalf protested," Come down, Saruman, and your life will be spared."

"Save your pity and your mercy," Saruman sneered, "I have no use for it."

Using the end of his staff he sent a fireball toward Gandalf. Though the fire enveloped him, causing all of the horses, except Earein on Meia, to move away, the fire dissipated. The White Wizard stood unharmed to Saruman's surprise.

"Saruman," Gandalf called up," You're staff is broken."

They all watched as Saruman's staff disintegrated in his grasp, disappearing in a puff of black smoke. Grima Wormtongue came shuffling fearfully into view behind the defeated wizard. Theoden called up to the man who had tears in his eyes.

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

Saruman glowered down at them as Grima bowed low to the King.

"A Man of Rohan?" he growled," 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, Theoden Horse-master. You are a lesser son of greater sires."

There was silence for a moment before Theoden spoke up softly.

"Grima...come down. Be free of him."

"Free? He will never be free."

"No," Grima responded.

Saruman turned to him then.

"Get down, cur!"

The smaller man was slapped down to the ground. Earein moved her horse forward, tempted to storm the tower and kill the wizard, but Aragorn's hand wrapped around her arm.

"Saruman!" Gandalf called up instead," You were deep in the enemy's counsel. Tell us what you know!"

The man on the tower turned back to look down at them.

"You withdraw your guard, and I will tell you where your doom will be decided. I will not be held prisoner here."

It was then that Grima jumped up from the ground, a dagger in hand, and stabbed Saruman in the back. Legolas quickly readied an arrow and fired it at the smaller man. As Grima stumbled back, Saruman fell from the tower and fell heavily on a spiked broken piece of a water wheel with a horrible crunch. A shudder went through Earein as she heard the Hobbits gasp. Aragorn's grip on her arm tightened for a moment before loosening. Gandalf did not take his eyes from the body.

"Send word to all our allies," he entreated Theoden," and to every corner of Middle-earth that still stands free. The enemy moves against us. We need to know where he will strike."

The weight from Saruman's body caused the wheel to turn and the dead man disappeared beneath the water. Treebeard turned away from the wheel and looked at Gandalf.

"The filth of Saruman is washing away," he announced," Trees will come back to live here. Young trees. Wi-"

"Pippin!"

Earein turned at the sound of Aragorn's voice. She spotted Pippin, who had been seated behind Aragorn, wading through the water. With all eyes on him, he pulled the orb that Saruman had been carrying on him from the water. Earein's father moved his horse toward the Hobbit.

"Bless my bark!" Treebeard exclaimed.

"Peregrin Took," Gandalf called out.

The Hobbit turned abruptly to him.

"I'll take that my lad," he said, reaching out for the orb with his hand covered by his cloak," Quickly now."

He passed it over before slowly making his way back to Aragorn. As the Man pulled him back onto his horse, Gandalf turned to lead them out of Isengard.

"We go not to Rohan," he announced.

As they moved along, Earein was called out to by Pippin. Glancing back at him, she hesitated before falling back a bit. He just had to be on Aragorn's horse...

"What is it?" she asked, gently.

"What was that thing? The object I gave to Gandalf?"

Earein hummed in thought. After a moment she remembered something from her studies.

"A seeing-stone. Also known as a Palantiri. There are seven of them and very rare. Ancient artifacts. I never really paid too much attention to my artifact studies. I can name things, but not what they are for. I would not trouble myself over it, Pippin. It's best that it's in Gandalf's hands."

Something in the Hobbit's eyes told her he would trouble himself over it, but at that moment her eyes met Aragorn's and they both looked forward quickly. Soon they were racing across the plains to Rohan.