Gandalf's discerning eyes raked over Aragorn from across the Golden Hall and the wizard's smile hardened a bit. "Well met, Aragorn. I am certain yours is a worthy tale, and I long to hear it."

"I fear not, Gandalf. It is more a tale of blunders and decisions poorly made."

"There are surely many tales that need telling," Théoden broke in. "However, I seem to remember that orcs from Mordor march to Rohan as we stand here. Let us discuss battle strategy. The time for tales will come soon enough."

"Of course, lord," Gandalf replied.

"But more important," Théoden continued from his throne, "you have labored long and hard all this night, Gandalf, and Lord Aragorn has not taken rest as well. Now the sun forewarns of a new day. I suggest we close the night and begin the day with a meal. Thus fortified, we can speak long on all things of war."

"Sound reasoning, Lord Théoden," Gandalf said. "My friend here appears in need of more than one meal." Aragorn regretted that his appearance told so much of the tale of his hard journey.

As Théoden directed a guard to call for a meal to be prepared, Hama entered the Hall. He stopped short as he saw the king. "My lord, I—you are here—I thought to—" He straightened. "I wish an audience as soon as you are able. There are two new prisoners I wish to bring to your attention."

"Prisoners? I heard nothing of new prisoners," Lord Théoden said with a scowl. "Today, I am able as I ever have been. Bring them now."

"Eh, yes, my lord," Hama said hesitantly. His eyes narrowed and he took a few steps more to the king.

The king smiled. "Yes, Hama, I am your king once more."

A hesitant smile broke out on his face. "I shall return shortly, my lord."

Théoden sighed and looked at Gandalf. "I suppose you ought to tell your tales now. The meal shall have to wait. And likewise must talk of battle wait. It is early—the sun has not yet risen."

Aragorn looked to a window behind him. The sky was beginning to brighten with the approach of dawn. With that light came Mordor.

"The sun shall begin stealing what time we have soon enough," Gandalf said. "Once you have seen to the prisoners, we may have our meal and our discussion. We ought to address how to meet Sauron's orcs and decide whether we wait for them to meet us here in Edoras or go out to greet them in the fields of Anórien. Without Saruman's army of uruk-hai, strategy will be critical. We must also consider the role Saruman was crafting for Gondor. They may be in more need of aid than we." Théoden nodded his agreement.

Instead of two, three came through the door to the Golden Hall behind the doorwarden. Pippin followed closely behind his cousin and Gimli. The three surveyed the scene in an instant, and the hobbits promptly forgot they stood before a king.

"Gandalf? Gandalf!" said Merry, then Pippin. "It is Gandalf!" Merry ran the length of the Hall to him and hugged him fiercely. Aragorn marveled at how easily the hobbits accepted the return of the wizard.

Gimli was not far behind the hobbits. "I never thought to see you again, my good wizard." Gandalf let out a boisterous laugh as the three members of the Company surrounded him.

"How? When? How?" Pippin said in a rush. "Actually, I don't truly care for the answers. Only that you're here—you are really here?"

Gandalf nodded. "Yes, Pippin, I am. It warms my heart to see you all. Remember, Gimli, we never know who or what we are going to see around the next bend. Are you the prisoners of whom Hama spoke?"

"They are. Now come. We must approach the king," Hama said to the two.

"My lord," the doorwarden said upon reaching the throne, "these two arrived last night, they say with news for Rohan. It was Grima who judged they should be imprisoned. I thought rather that you might wish to hear their tale and decide for yourself their fate."

"And the other?" Théoden said with a frown.

"That is the cousin of the holbytla. He and Aragorn were brought to Edoras by Saruman." Pippin hung back with Gandalf. Aragorn had missed that smile on the hobbit's face.

King Théoden sat back on his throne and looked at the two for a long time. "What cause did Grima claim for their imprisonment?"

"They were found in Rohan without permission, my lord, and so were trespassers. But I believe he did so to keep them from you."

Théoden looked at Hama thoughtfully. "You have already been called wise once today. Mayhap for the second time are you deemed wise, and before the rising of the sun. I will hear their tale."

Merry and Gimli stepped forward to stand before the king. Merry spoke immediately. "I would like to apologize for trespassing, sir."

Théoden looked intently at Merry. "What is your name?"

"I am Meriadoc Brandybuck of the Shire, lord. And if I may, we call ourselves hobbits, sir."

"Hobbits?"

"They are holbytlan, my lord," Hama offered.

"Yes, yes, I see," Théoden grumbled. "But they prefer to be called hobbits, and hobbits they are, then."

Gimli spoke up. "I am Gimli, son of Gloín, lord, from the LonelyMountain. I was imprisoned with my friend Merry by Saruman in Isengard before being imprisoned here by Grima."

"Isengard? You were imprisoned by Saruman as well? It seems Saruman has had far greater schemes than we knew."

Aragorn wondered how much of their tale Gandalf knew. The fates of the others were likely unknown to him. But then, he was Gandalf.

Gandalf turned to the king. "Lord Théoden, these stout people are some of the characters of this tale you have had to piece together belatedly. They are part of a Company that set out from Rivendell on a quest given to them by Elrond himself."

"Indeed," Théoden began. "You are an impressive group, and I see you at the end of many pains. You were certainly more formidable as you stood before Elrond.

"But trespassing is against our laws. Such a decree seems to have been necessary in this dangerous time—at least, Grima saw fit to declare it unlawful. But I would know what news it is you have for Rohan that you would come from Isengard on foot to bring it."

Merry and Gimli look downcast. While in the jail below, they had not been forthcoming with great detail of their ordeal. Or rather, they had shared much of the story to a point, then had grown silent. "We had planned to warn you of Saruman's plans," Gimli said, regret roughening his voice. "But we were too late."

King Théoden nodded and was silent. At length, he spoke again. "Yes, you were late. We learned for ourselves of Saruman's treachery, and we have seen to him." The king silently considered them. "You came onto Rohan's lands without permission—but for honorable purposes. I see no reason to continue your imprisonment."

"We thank you for your mercy, lord," Gimli said.

Théoden nodded. "You have traveled far from your homelands. I must say, all hobbits must live in the Shire and nowhere else, for none here knew of your people save from children's tales."

"Well, tell all your children that we are certainly no tale. We are true and alive."

Once Lord Théoden had finished speaking with Merry and Gimli, they turned again to Gandalf, Aragorn, and Pippin, while Hama remained to speak more with the king. When Gandalf assured them that Saruman was no longer a threat, Pippin looked immeasurably relieved. His time serving the errant wizard had weighed on Pippin.

Having clung to Gandalf while Lord Théoden made his decision, Pippin now drew away from the wizard's side to return to Aragorn. "Are you well now?" It seemed Pippin had not relinquished his role as his caretaker. "Was there a Black Rider?"

"Gandalf has rid us of the Ringwraith. For myself, I improve every moment. All about me seems clearer. I have spoken with Théoden and Gandalf on Saruman's deceptions and explained myself to the king. I believe I did a passable job." Aragorn felt the eye of Gandalf on him.

"Have you told them all of Saruman's plans for Rohan? The orcs coming to Edoras—coming for you?"

He sobered as he thought of the Nazgûl. But then he looked at Pippin and his heart lightened a small bit. "It seems that Gandalf has it in hand, Pippin. I believe, in fact, that he already knew all of it. Gandalf has changed, as you will learn, but in some ways, Gandalf is still Gandalf."

While Pippin went on to interrogate his two small friends further, Gandalf's attention focused on Gimli's wrists, still shackled in the iron cuffs the orcs had used to imprison him. Aragorn knew not how they would remove them. Suddenly the wizard's expression filled with surprise. Did he know how to remove the cuffs? Aragorn hoped so, for Gimli's sake.

Gandalf turned to the king. "Lord Théoden, pardon the interruption, may I request that you call for the Lady Éowyn?" Gandalf stepped closer to the king to speak with him further, with an urgency that perplexed Aragorn.

"Had the Nazgûl already departed when you arrived, Aragorn?" Gimli asked quietly. "For we sensed its leaving as we ascended from the jail."

"Yes, it had, but not in the way you might think." Aragorn gestured behind him, revealing the black robes left behind by the Ringwraith.

Gandalf returned to the four of them and said, "It is a wonder to see you all here. The Valar are indeed wise."

"Yes, we are nearly all here," Gimli said quietly. Then his eyes lit up and he looked at Merry. "Come, Merry. There is one thing we must do. Gandalf, would it be possible to approach the king once more?"

"Yes, of course." Brows furrowed, Gandalf led them to Lord Théoden.

Gandalf returned to the line of pillars to which Aragorn had withdrawn with Pippin. When Gandalf rested a hand on Aragorn's shoulder, the touch was a balm to the man's mind and body. "Your mind is clear, I take it?"

"It is clearer than it has been for many days. My will is my own again. But much of the time that Saruman clouded for me remains in a fog. Pippin has been informing me of the events of past days, but some I hear as if for the first time. Those days may be lost to me."

Gandalf scowled. "How did Saruman cloud your mind?"

Aragorn was momentarily chilled. He whispered, "I believe Saruman obtained a Seeing Stone, a palantír, Gandalf. He put my hands onto the Stone again and again." He closed his eyes. "It wearied me beyond telling. Then his voice..." Aragorn swallowed hard.

Gandalf frowned deeply. "I want to see this Stone. But I begin to understand. I do not know if I can restore all that you have lost. But mayhap this shall help." Gandalf then brushed his hand across Aragorn's brow.

Aragorn was still. The caress of Gandalf's hand was a waterfall as refreshing as Nimrodel's waters. He breathed deeply and felt strong for the first time in days. Opening his eyes, he smiled and felt at last to be the man he once was. The Ranger had returned.

Gandalf smiled. "Better."

Aragorn nodded. "Not all memories have returned, but you have dispersed the fog," he breathed deeply. "I can see my way again."

"Thank you, Gandalf!" said a voice from below. Pippin brimmed with gratitude. "I tried to keep him abreast of all that had occurred lately, but I couldn't make him remember, not like you could. I couldn't make him Strider again!" Pippin beamed at Aragorn for a moment, then sobered. "Don't worry about giving him back all of his memories. I've told him, there are some things you just don't wish to remember."

Aragorn grinned. "To be a hobbit." He crouched down and put his hands on Pippin's shoulders. The young hobbit's smile was as soothing to his heart as Gandalf's touch had been to his spirit. "I cannot thank you enough, Peregrin Took, for all that you have done for me. You tended to my arrow wound, and you did your best to keep me from madness in a place of only madness. I have you to thank for my very life. I shall never forget it."

But as Aragorn spoke, the smile slipped from Pippin's face, and Aragorn saw the guilt that still plagued the hobbit.

"There is no need to thank me, Strider," Pippin said somberly. "Perhaps now I have repaid the debt I owed you, though I shall never truly make up for what I did." Pippin's head hung low, his voice small.

Aragorn had already said what he could to rid Pippin of his notion of debt. "Pippin, do you mean to say that all the tending you did for me was only as payment for the debt you felt you owed me?"

Pippin looked up, confusion mingling with the misery in his eyes. "Had you not owed me that debt, you would have left my wound to fester and kill me? You would have left me to Saruman's nightmares and madness?" Aragorn cocked his head in question.

Pippin opened and closed his mouth. Then the words burst from him. "If I had owed you nothing, Saruman would have never known who you were!"

Aragorn sighed and bowed his head. "I arrived at Isengard with that wound. It was not your doing. And you know my thoughts on Saruman's discovery of my identity. He would have learned my true name eventually. But he would have been much angrier had he felt I had tried to keep the knowledge from him. And I would have paid dearly for his anger."

Pippin was apparently unconvinced and still miserable. Aragorn sighed. "Pippin, I said there was nothing for which to forgive you, but if you have need of it, you already have my forgiveness. Now, you must forgive yourself."

Pippin's eyes welled as the final straw was laid. Before he could protest, Aragorn gathered Pippin in his arms, and Pippin grasped him for all his worth as his tears flowed.

A few moments later, Théoden spoke again. "A meal awaits us, so that we may break the fast of this long night. And there remains much to discuss of battle. But I first ask that you all approach the throne."

They drew near to where Théoden stood, one of his guards close by. Gimli and Merry stood beside him, each wearing oddly anxious expressions. The king looked to each of them, appearing far stronger than when Aragorn had first entered the Hall.

"Warriors have few needs on such missions so vital as a quest appointed by Elrond. But every warrior must have his weapon. Upon your capture by the orcs, all of your weapons were taken from you by the beasts. I know they would be missed dearly by each of you."

"Indeed, lord," Aragorn answered quietly, his hand moving to the pommel of his sword. "In truth, even during the torments I have suffered of late, I cannot say I had not given thought to my lost weapon. It is an heirloom of my house, and they are fewer for our recent trials. The Sword Andúril cannot be replaced, and it has proved its worth once more in what it has done for me."

"I am pleased it aided in restoring you. It happens that your sword was not all that was discovered on the fields of Rohan. With it was a traveling pack filled with rather interesting items."

Aragorn's mouth dropped open as the guard brought forth his old pack. He had forgotten the bag, though not what had once been within. What had been left after the orcs had ransacked it, he dared not think.

The king drew out of the pack two small daggers, one a match for the other, amazingly still in their scabbards. Any more he meant to say was cut off by the cries of Merry and Pippin.

"My knife!" they said as one.

"I thought we might quickly learn to whom these belonged." He handed the hobbits their daggers with a smile.

"Gimli, they found our knives!" Merry said, looking at his weapon in wonder. Pippin had already strapped his on.

Aragorn realized the orcs would want nothing of these knives of old. They had been bound with spells by the Men of Westernesse, and the orcs would spurn them, as they had his and Legolas's weapons.

Pippin asked, "Was not Gimli's axe among the weapons?"

Théoden looked to Gimli. "I fear no axe was found."

"You will not find it," the dwarf said darkly. "The orcs took the axe for their own. I have no wish to hold that weapon after it has been used by an orc."

Lord Théoden nodded solemnly, then reached into the pack once more. Gimli, Merry, and Pippin looked on with equal curiosity.

Aragorn's breath caught in his throat. "The Ring of Barahir." He looked with awe upon the ring in the king's hand. More ancient than all they held, it had been created by the Elves, and so an orc could not bear its touch. "I thought it lost." Aragorn's throat tightened, and he reached for the ring and returned it to his finger. "I cannot thank you enough, Lord Théoden."

"I am not finished!" Théoden said gruffly, then smiled. "There is one other item the scouts found on the fields of Rohan." The king nodded to the guard, who went obediently to the side door and returned with Legolas's bow.

The five reunited friends fell silent as Gandalf accepted the weapon.

Gimli said in a strangled voice, "He held that bow more dear than anything I know. Would that I could return it to him. I wish to hold it for him if he cannot."

Merry put a hand on his shoulder and then turned to Gandalf, face twisted in misery. "When we made our escape, we could not go back for Legolas. We had to leave him..."

Gimli finished for him, his voice rough and forceful. "We left him hanging in chains in the depths of Orthanc, days ago. I swore I would return for him and I shall."

Gandalf rested the bow on its end. "Perhaps you yet shall be granted your wish." He turned to the rear of the hall and nodded, and a guard opened the door behind them.