“We cannot debate much without knowing more of what Saurman plans to do,” Legolas stated as they were gathered back in the throne room.

As Lienan debated her decision in the House of Healing, the others had gathered once again for their own debate on what was to be done about Saruman and the plan that he had.

“Will it be alright if we seek Lienan’s aid now?” Frodo asked Arwen.

“She has had her rest and I suppose we all are in need of food to replenish our strengths,” the Elven Queen said, “Go get her Frodo.”

Lighting up with joy, Frodo rushed off into the rain to get his beloved Lienan from the House of Healing while the others waited in the throne room continuing their conversation on Saruman.

“Gandalf, do you know nothing of this new evil that Saruman seeks to unleash?” King Elessar asked the aging wizard.

“Unfortunately I do not,” Gandalf replied sadly, “Saruman was the wisest in lore aside from Elrond and he is far from here.”

“Yes, he is,” the Lady Arwen agreed somberly.

“To learn all that Saruman knew of the lore of Middle-earth would take an entire age to learn,” Gandalf explained.

“And we do not have an age,” Legolas concluded, “I do not think we even have a week.”

“Maybe the Ents can help us,” Pippin suggested, “They were able to stop him then, why not now?”

“If Saruman has indeed returned to Isengard then the Ents may be under the spell of Saruman,” Gandalf explained, “Or worse.”

“Treebeard,” Merry whispered in horror, “No, it can’t be.”

“It’s merely a possibility, Merry,” Legolas said comfortingly, “We do not know for certain.”

At that moment, Faramir entered the grand halls of the throne room after spending some time with Rowena and their unborn child.

“So, have we decided what is to be done with Saruman?” he asked hopefully.

“Not yet,” King Elessar replied, “We have been debating long of this matter and are in need of food first before we can continue.”

“Where is Lady Rowena?” Arwen asked, “She will do good to eat also.”

“She has gone into the city on an errand,” Faramir replied with a sigh, “Is there nothing we can do now of Saruman?”

“I know that you wish for nothing else but the safety of your unborn child, Faramir,” the King of Gondor said to the Prince of Ithilien, “Hopefully Lienan may help us with what she knows.”

“Gandalf!” came Frodo’s cry from outside in the storm.

With a huff Frodo stumbled into the throne room, out of breath from running so hard in the pouring rain.

“What is it Frodo?” Gandalf asked as he helped the Hobbit up from the floor.

“Lienan,” Frodo said in between gasps for air, “She’s gone!”

~*~

Lienan quietly and secretly rode away from the land of Gondor on her black steed.  As she galloped across the fields of Rohan, a cloaked figure on a horse stepped out from behind a pile of boulders.  Recognizing the figure, the Elf maid stopped.

“You should be in bed,” Rowena said as she took off her hood.

“And you should be in Minas Tirith where your baby will be safe,” Lienan retorted.

“Did you think that I would not guess what you planned to do?” Rowena asked, sounding calmer than she looked.

“I did,” Lienan replied, “That is why I said nothing and left as quickly as I could.”

“You cannot possibly think that you will defeat Saruman on your own,” the Rohan native insisted.

“And you cannot think that you are coming with me,” the Elf maiden retorted, “I will not allow you to put your child in danger, not even for me.”

“That is not your decision to make,” Rowena said sternly, repeating the words Prince Imrahil had said to her not long ago.

“So you would put your child, Faramir’s child, in danger just so I would be safe?” Lienan pointed out.

Rowena was silent as the two of them sat there on their steeds in the pouring rain.  Every bone in their beings were soaked to the core and still they stayed there.

“I have caused you all so much trouble,” Lienan continued at Rowena’s silence, “Saruman needs me to unleash this evil; I alone must stop him.”

“I understand why you must do this,” Rowena said softly, barely audible in the thundering rain, “Therefore I will not stop you.”

“Thank you, my dear friend,” the elf said warmly.

“Be careful and return safely,” Rowena called as her friend prepared to leave.

With simply a nod in response, Lienan rode off towards Isengard with more speed than her steed could muster.  As Rowena watched her dear friend disappear into the dark horizon, Rowena rubbed her growing child in her stomach in comfort all the while never knowing that they were being watched by a pair of evil and menacing eyes in the tower of Orthanc.

“Do you see her?” Saruman asked his servant, an all knowing smirk on his face.

“Yes, I see her,” Grima sneered as he shielded his eyes from the driving rain, “She rides as if the armies of Mordor were on her heels.”

“Good,” the wizard said, “Prepare for her arrival.”

“Yes, Master,” the slinking creature said obediently.

“You know not the mistake you have made, my little elf,” Saruman mused as he continued to watch her approach, “You will be mine.”

With her Elven eyes, Lienan could see a glimmer of Saruman standing at the top of Orthanc.  As she neared the tower, she began to doubt that it was a good idea to come alone to face the wizard.  

“He’ll be expecting me I’m sure, but so be it,” she said to herself as she rode through the rain, “I can handle his tricks.”

~*~

“Gone!” Legolas exclaimed in shock.

Upon hearing of Lienan’s sudden departure from the city, the others began to worry fearfully about her safety and the reasons behind her sudden disappearance.

“She wouldn’t…” King Elessar stated with worry.

“I’m afraid that she would,” Frodo clarified.

“Would what?” Pippin asked in confusion.

“She’s gone to face Saruman alone,” Legolas replied somberly, concern for his sister growing with every passing second.

“Yes, she has,” Rowena interrupted as she appeared at the doors of the grand hall, “I’m surprised you never thought that she would.”

All turned towards the pregnant woman as she slowly made her way towards the small crowd gathered around the King’s throne.

“You knew?” her lover questioned.

“Yes, and I tried to stop her, even offered to help her,” the pregnant woman replied, “But she would not ask me to come, even forbid me to follow her.”

“You should have told us,” Legolas said, “We could have stopped her or helped her.”

“She did not want help from any of us,” Rowena snapped, “If we had stopped her now she would have gone at another time.”

“That may be true but she cannot possibly stop Saruman on her own and expect to survive.”

“Perhaps she does not expect to survive,” Rowena stated morbidly.

Though it was a cruel thought, all knew it to be true.  They knew the elf maiden to be very self-sacrificing.  Whether they would allow it to happen or not was another matter.

“She WOULD risk her life to save Middle-earth,” Legolas said somberly, “It is who she is.”

“No,” Frodo protested, “We have to stop her!”

“She was already in the fields of Rohan and quickly heading towards Isengard when I left her,” Rowena stated, “It may already be too late.”

“It’s never too late,” someone interrupted.

At the sound of the new voice, everyone turned to the door once again.  They were all surprised to see the familiar form of their friend Maelute leaning casually against the door post, her arms folded across her chest.