WWXLV: The Fellowship of Saruman

[Legate of Amon Lanc]

As even Tom Bombadil was already present, the Fellowship set out. They headed south, at the Ford of Bruinen they left the Road and went on by narrow paths among the folded lands. Their purpose was to hold this course west of the Mountains for many miles and days. The country was much rougher and more barren than in the green vale of the Great River in Wilderland on the other side of the range, and their going would be slow; but they hoped in this way to escape the notice of unfriendly eyes. The spies of Sauron had hitherto seldom been seen in this empty country, and the paths were little known except to the people of Rivendell. What more, their hope lay with passing through Hollin and Dunland unnoticed and reaching Isengard, where they would refresh and continue in their journey eastwards.

However, it was not their fate to take the easy path. They had been a fortnight on the way when the weather changed. The wind suddenly fell and then veered round to the south. The swift-flowing clouds lifted and melted away, and the sun came out, pale and bright. There came a cold clear dawn at the end of a long stumbling night-march. The travellers reached a low ridge crowned with ancient holly-trees whose grey-green trunks seemed to have been built out of the very stone of the hills. Their dark leaves shone and their berries glowed red in the light of the rising sun. And that was the time when Saruman called all the Companions to him, and many who looked at him wondered: as his face was now grim, grey-hued and weary. But before anyone could ask him, Saruman spoke.

"I have grave news for you," he said. "And I know it is not pleasant to hear that, but that is the truth. Last night, something happened that forced me to reconsider and change my plans. The power of the Enemy has moved. I have to leave you."
Screams of surprise were heard. But Saruman raised his hand to make silence.
"What more," he continued, "you need to change your path. Yes, it is like that: the Enemy has learned about my change of sides. Isengard is no longer safe. Sauron will strike soon, and he will strike hard. And bringing you to Isengard will be the most dangerous of all choices. You don't know what powers he is governing. But there is hope even in this turn of events: if you take a different road, and I keep the Enemy focused on Isengard, his Eye may be distracted and you will have safe passage – at least for some time."
Then his face turned stern again. "Unfortunately, this is not the only peril. I have seen other things."
"Seen?" several of the Companions shouted.
"Yes, seen," Saruman said. "And I am not going to withhold this from you. Some of you will understand, and I am not going to lose time with the others who won't. I have looked into the Palantír, and I learned that the Enemy knows. But I also saw something else." He looked at each of the Companions, as if he were piercing them with his gaze. "I know there are three of you who are traitors. You plan to betray the Fellowship. But I was given the chance to repent, and so I give it to you. Come forward now and confess. You will be sent back, but no harm will be done to you and you are free to go wherever you wish. I will lay a Command Word on you not to tell anything to the Enemy, but that will be all."

There was silence. After some time when no one has moved, Saruman slowly nodded. "So be it," he said. "I have no time to spend with you. It is no use arguing. I have, as I told you, some pressing business away south; and I may be already late. We may meet again before all is over, and then again of course we may not. That depends on your strength and courage and sense. But those three of you I have to warn. You may be hidden, but you are alone. The others remain faithful to their mission. If you do not leave your crooked paths, you will die surrounded by enemies. And there is more than you can see. While I will not be present, my legacy remains with you. I carried the Palantír with me all the way – but I don't have it anymore. I have entrusted it to one faithful among you, about whose intentions I am sure. And I know there are more among you devoted to the protection of this Fellowship. Whoever among you is faithful still, try to keep together. Find the traitors, and send them back. This is my last advice. I really must leave now."

With these words, Saruman passed by the silent company. But he could not resist to add several words. He turned for the last time.
"Head for the pass of Caradhras," he said. "There is the road the Enemy would not watch. Goodbye, be careful and – don't forget my thoughts are with you. The power of Orthanc cannot be lightly thrown aside, whatever threats may lie before you."

With these words, Saruman really turned away and disappeared between the rocky slopes of the hills of Hollin.

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The Fellowship has entered Hollin.
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The Fellowship:

Aganzir - Lobelia Sackville-Baggins
A Little Green - Éomer
Gil-Galad - Gandalf
Groin Redbeard - Dáin II. Ironfoot
Gwathagor - Halbarad
McCaber - Elrohir
Meneltarmacil - Uglúk
Nerwen - Elladan
Nogrod - Tom Bombadil
Rune son of Bjarne - Galadriel
Sally - Théodred
THE Ka - Radagast
Thinlómien - Gildor Inglorion

The first Journey begins. Everyone may post now. Traitors, stop PMing.

[Nogrod]

After Saruman vanished behind the hills Tom looked at the others. They seemed troubled and insecure - all thinking of possible schemes Saruman's speech had opened and thence looking at each other wearily. That was not to be if they had to travel that day as well.

So he took his staff and things and started singing loudly while he went on.

Hey dol! Merry dol! Ring a dong dolly!
Ring a dong! Hop along! Fal lal the holly!
Grey's from the mount,
blossoms to count
shining red and found!
On your mount!
There's a day ahead
no time for bed.

The road goes ever on and on,
and c'est si bon, c'est si bon!

Hey! Come merry dol! Derry dol! And Merry-o
Show me the faces more like cheeri-o, cheerio!

Tom is going with the others!
Now, who actually bothers,
the fickle hearts of the young and restless,
like this wizard Saruman this one jestless?
Their mind goes with the wind:
like they feared they'd sinned...

Once this, once that
like a weary blind bat,
they search for the right
even if it's within their might
in the first place,
in their own grace...

Tom's going forwards, bright flowers bringing
Hey! Come merry dol! Can you hear me singing?

Tom walked away from the camp towards the mountains. He was not actually caring whether the others followed or not but he hoped the "eyelash-lifers" would follow his example.

[Gwathagor]

Halbarad paused for a moment as he looked up towards the mountains in the distance, then concentrated on the trail at his feet as he began to trudge steadily along behind the jolly dancing figure ahead of him. Early starts make easy journeys, he thought to himself, and he prepared his mind for the long day's march he knew was ahead of the party.

He was not happy about Saruman's revelation that there were traitors in their midst. Steady minds are going to indispensable, he thought grimly. Especially with Saruman gone.

He looked over his shoulder to check on the progress of his companions, then back ahead where Bombadil was still dancing and singing nonsense.
Halbarad chuckled slightly. I can't understand a word that funny Bombadil-fellow is saying.

[Groin Redbeard]

Saruman was gone. Dáin stood still for a long while clutching his red axe, still trying to shake the ever pressing thought of dought in his mind. He eyed his comrades.

"Well it won't do us any good to just sit here, unless we hold council," he said gruffly.

"What should we do now that Saruman has left us and traitors are in our midst?" he barred his teeth and gripped his axe even tighter at the thought.

EDIT: X'ed with Tom Bombadil

[Nogrod]

Tom heard the grim words of the dwarf while he was entering the holly-wood.

"We can walk as we talk!" he shouted back and went on bursting to a song once again.

"The traitors they
will slip away
their hearts and minds
as they're in binds
to their lies
like the flies
are to these lilies
and golden daffodillies!
Hey ho, don't you fear
for old Tom is near!"

EDIT: X'd with Halbarad

[Groin Redbeard]

Originally Posted by Nogrod

"We can walk as we talk!

The traitors they
will slip away
their hearts and minds
as they're in binds
to their lies
like the flies
are to these lilies
and golden daffodillies!
Hey ho, don't you fear
for old Tom is near!"

The dwarf sprinted forward with renewed energy at Bombadill's words, but the others seemed depressed for they had not uttered a sound, but Gandalf, the wizard and in Dain's mind the wisest of the company, would have his say before long; until then he kept his mind on walking.

[Meneltarmacil]

Traitors among us, eh? Aye, I've seen a few in my time as a Captain, and I'd rather not mention what I did to 'em in front of everyone else here. Let's just say they never got the chance to cross us again.

Mark my words, this is going to be bloody. I suggest we use every means necessaary to ensure survival here. Do not hesitate to go after those whom you find guilty.

I know that I'm probably more likely to be suspected than most here, being an Orc and all. But I am a loyal servant of Saruman and would never turn against the White Hand even if it meant my death.

And this horrible singing is getting on my nerves...

[Nogrod]

Tom heard the voices of others receding while he went and then slowly fade away...

Suddenly he managed to bring his mind back to the mission. Stopping with his yellow boots he tried to capture any notion of the others coming after him. There was nothing.

So he sang out aloud once again.

"Fear no alder grey! Heed no hoary holly!
Other than that would be utter folly!
Fear neither root nor bough! Tom goes before you.
Hey now! Merry dol! I'll be waiting for you!"

He stood and listened the voices coming forwards... and the orc complaining about his singing.

"Now this silence I do not like... those with evil intentions would gladly that we just walked in silence..." he muttered mostly to himself. "But also complaining about nothing looks dubious...".

Tom straightened his back after picking up a bunch of flowers. Ohh, Goldberry would love these!

"It was the orc, right? Well I must be wiser than that to suspect him for being hasty... those orcs with their life-span of what? Maybe I should just let him wail as much as he wants? At least toDay? I have a bad feeling about orcs being made guilty everytime they meet these other shortlived races... Now Gandalf and Radagast, where are you? With you I'd really like to talk a bit... well at least later."

Then he saw a bunch of a rare Marsh Labradors (ledum palustre) and went for them totally forgetting other things at hand...

"Oh, Goldberry, my deary,
with these flowers so cheery,
What happiness could you see?
What brightness could you feel?
Tom is back soon again
in our own cosy den!"

[Nerwen]

Elladan gave Uglúk a sidelong glance. Out of habit, he said nothing, but his mind was not the less busy for that.

Listen to this Orc, he thought, boasting and half-threatening us already– not to mention trying to pre-empt our suspicions with his "I know that I'm probably more likely to be suspected than most here".

So we should not hesitate to go after those we find guilty? An excellent suggestion.

Elladan's hand rested lightly on the hilt of his sword. He never forgot his mother's torment...

EDIT: X'd with Tom Bombadil.

[Gwathagor]

Halbarad didn't like orcs, for obvious reasons, but was beginning to agree with Ugluk about Bombadil's singing. What does it mean? he wondered. He seems so jolly on the outside, but I wish he'd speak plain and to the purpose, like an honest man and a soldier.

He chose not to say anything, as Halbarad was no complainer, but all the same he could not help but wonder if that whimsical exterior was simply an effective cover for something darker.......the apparently nonsensical rhymes and airs began to take on an eerie, dream-like, almost sinister quality in Halbarad's mind. He shook off the feeling.

Steady on, he thought. Steady on.

He called back to Elladan and Elrohir, whom he knew from previous journeys. "If you don't hurry, Bombadil's going to beat you two over the mountain!"

EDIT: Crossed with Nerwen/Elladan

[Groin Redbeard]

Uglúk's talk was not the type that Dáin wanted to here. Clearly the Urúk's thirst for action was greater than even his own. He observed Elladen tightly clamping the hilt of his sword, it looked like it might get bloody indeed.

"Curve your tongue Uglúk," Dáin barked. "Try to controll that brutal Orc nature of yours, you are among decent people now. You are loyal to Saruman I have no doubt, but why should we believe you to be innocent? Your thirst for blood is great perhaps too great!"

Dáin than laughed out loud, "Well, one good thing has come out of this: we can no longer hear Bombadil's singing! Come he is far ahead of us, let us hasten to him."

[Rune Son of Bjarne]

Galadriel who was not interily displeased with the turn of events turned to Halbarad and spoke "Worry not about Iarwain Ben-adar; he might wander hither and thither, but he will not go too far and never be lost"

Although Galadriel had great confidence in Tom Bombadil, she did find some of his muttering odd.

As she passed the orc she looked at him with some disgust, she could not belive that he had been allowed on this mission. "After all, he is a wicked creature and can we really trust Saruman to an extent where we allow him to let the enemies servants enter our ranks" She thought to her self.