The forest was quiet and still in a way that seemed satisfied to Legolas as they rode through the trees. Gandalf and Theoden in the lead with himself right after. Aragorn riding with Gimli behind him with Eomer. The trees allowed them to pass and their horses trotted along without fear. Legolas half wanted to go faster but the path was narrow and while the trees were content now, they might not take kindly to any insults. They had all seen what had happened to the orcs who had fled the battle. The trees had ripped them apart. 

By the time they reached Isengard, Legolas was growing antsy. He was nervous of what he would find. Of what was waiting for him. It had been twenty years. He had been waiting for this for twenty years and worry was making him cautious. The greeting sight of the surrounding wall being half demolished in places and the grounds of the tower flooded and in shambles didn't help his concern. While it was good news that Saruman held no forces. He could only hope that Namir had not been hurt in the attack. Laugher greeted them as they grew closer and two small figures waved at them from where they were sitting on top of the wall with their pipes. 

"Welcome my lords", Merry greeted with an enthusiastic wave of his hand. "To Isengard". 

"You young rascals!" Gimli exclaimed at the sight of them. Pippin waved his pipe cheerfully. "A merry hunt you've led us on and here we find you feasting and.. and smoking!" Aragorn began laughing and Legolas couldn't help but smile slightly. 

"We are sitting on a field of victory enjoying a few well earned comforts", Pippin stated contentedly. Merry blew them a smoke ring to emphasise the words. "The salted pork is particularly good". 

"The salted pork?" There was longing in Gimli's voice. 

"We're under orders from Treebeard", Merry grinned. "Who's taken management of Isengard". 

Gandalf steered his horse closer and waved at them. "Come down from there. We have a wizard to speak to". The two hobbits stuffed more food into their pockets and pulled their cloaks back on before climbing down the rock. Merry got on the back of Gandalf's horse while Eomer helped pull Pippin up behind him.

"Oh, Mr Legolas", Merry called once he had been seated. "There's someone waiting for you at the tower. He can't leave until Saruman is dead but he is alright. He says he's your friend". Legolas whipped his head towards him as his eyes widened. 

"Patience Legolas", Gandalf called. "We must first deal with Saruman before we can free Namir". Legolas reined in his emotions. The white wizard was right. If Namir couldn't leave while Saruman was still alive, then they would have to take the wizard out first. He bit his tongue and steered his horse after Shadowfax as Gandalf trotted through the destroyed wall. 

The water was higher than expected and Ents were roaming the grounds. The towers standing like a black spear point towards the sky. Legolas strained his eyes but the windows were small and he could see no sign of his lover. An Ent that must have been Treebeard met them at the steps to the tower. When it spoke, it was with a rumbling voice. "Young master Gandalf. I shall let you speak with him. Gold and water, stock and stone I can master, but a wizard is to manage here. Locked in his tower". 

"Lets just have his head and be down with it", Gimli voiced. 

"He has no power here", Gandalf muttered. 

"The filth of Saruman is washing away", Treebeard agreed. "Trees will come back to live here. Young trees, wild trees". Pippin had spotted something in the water. He slipped off the back of Eomer's horse and waded through the debris. He bent down to pick something up and when he rose, it was with a glass ball in his hands. The glass a deep black with something glowing inside. 

"Peregrine Took", Gandalf called. Pippin jumped. "I'll take that my lad. Quickly now". Pippin handed it over and the wizard wrapped it in his cloak. 

"Where is the wizard?" Aragorn murmured. His gaze on the tower. 

"He is locked in his tower", Treebeard replied. "With the skin-changer". 

Legolas had heard enough. He was off his horse in one movement and striding towards the doors. The water soaked his boots up to his knees but he didn't care. "Where is he going?" Gimli voiced loudly. "He can't be going in there". 

Suddenly a howling scream broke the silence. Everyone looked up in surprise as a white robed figure staggered to his balcony. Saruman was dressed in robes that were once white but were now soaked red with blood. Rips covered the fabric and the gore of muscle and flesh was exposed. It was a gruesome sight and they all watched as the wizard staggered, then tipped over the railing. Figure falling for a moment before landing with a splash to their right and lying still. A second scream followed but cut off abruptly. "That sounded like Wormtongue", Eomer commented with a amused smile. Legolas laughed. It was such a sudden sound that the others stared at him in surprise. Even Aragorn was wide eyed. The elf rarely laughed and the sound was new to the others. Without waiting further, the elf was darting up the tower steps and into the dark building. 

"Has he gone mad?" A voice asked as he disappeared from sight. Legolas paid them no mind. His feet taking the first flight of stairs two at a time as he ran. 

"Namir!" His voice echoed off stone corridors, bouncing back in the gloom. It was so dark in there that he did not know how one could live there. The walls were suffocating and no light seemed to break through. "Namir!" Up the next flight of stairs onto the third floor. On this level, blood was steered across the floor in trails. Legolas followed them round corners and past rooms to a open doorway. His breath caught as he skidded to a stop. 

The room was the one with the balcony where Saruman had fallen from. It was a hexagonal shaped space of black marble. The shiny surfaces once must have looked imposing but now they were sticky with blood. A corpse lay in the centre of the room. Eyes lifeless and face frozen in terror as hands clutched at his stomach in order to keep in all his guts. The elf recognised the face of Saruman's lackey, Grima Wormtongue. The slimy man had died a very horrible death, that much was clear. By his side was a metal collar. The metal corroded and the structure broken in two separate pieces. They were discarded on the floor, tossed aside. But apart from the body and the collar, there was nothing else in that room. Legolas turned around. "Namir?" 

From the darkness of the corridor ahead came the clicking of claws on stone. Legolas dropped to his knees as a familiar large black panther came padding out of the shadows. Brown eyes peered at him for a second before the cat was walking closer and pressing his forehead to the elf's chest. Legolas let out a relieved noise and threw his arms around the beast's neck. "Radag", he breathed into thick fur. "Egleri- I elena, Namir". The beat let out a warm, comforting purr and Legolas sighed deeply as he pressed himself to the beasts warm body. Blood coated Namir's paws but he didn't care. He was simply glad to have found him. 

unedited 

Egleri-i elena = Praise the stars. 

Radag= Beastie.