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Garnae spoke. "Indeed, we shall show swift justice, and yet mercy upon the wrong-doer. For nothing was evil in the beginning. It is said even the Haradrim cruel, the Rhûn-men broad and Orcs themselves were not so. We must make sure that as few lives are lost as possible. We shall not slay him." Yet Garnae doubted his words. How could they possibly achieve this goal? Was bloodshed inevitable?
The trees were cold and dark. They seemed to whisper as the wind sighed past their boughs. Had they known the tree people? The ones that had destroyed Isengard? The ones that had known, as it was rumoured, the Ents?
As if in answer to his question, Thomas, who had been keeping quiet, said, "I think that these trees have known no Shepherds. They seem wild and free, and dangerous. We shall be careful."
Garnae suddenly remembered Cordelia was afraid of the dark. He rode closer to her, putting his arm around her. But is it for her fear, or for mine?
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