Forlorn, But Not Forgotten: The Return of the Entiwives

Chapter One: Shores of the Brandywine

His face wavered in the dim embers of the burning herbs; soft, slow curves drew clouds of smoke which rose from the fine-wrought silver pipe in his hand. A gentle breeze blew on the warm, March eve. Peregrin Took sat alone on the moonless shores of the Brandywine, his cloak drawn over his head; the rest of the grey elven-cloak hovered around his body, completely obfuscating it. Pensively, he bit on the pearl mouthpiece of the pipe and blew smoke out his nose, trying to filter the jumbled thoughts rumbling around his head.

Despite the unusually warm spring weather, Peregrin, or Pippin as he was called by his friends, continued to pull the cloak tight around him as he smoked. The sweet smell of the herb danced through his senses, clinging to the cloak. He breathed outward, only to inhale the aroma; the stew of smoke and thought boiled up and out away from him, while held tight to his doubts. Pippin looked onto the river, watching its waters flow and jump over the rocks, quietly bubbling and whistling on its way. The young Hobbit sat there, stoic, uninterrupted, until the wind changed and a bitter smell entered Peregrin's nose. He turned to his side to see his friend, Merry, leaning against a large tree.

Meriadoc Brandybuck was dressed in a long-sleeved green tunic, left unbuttoned in the warm weather, it gently bristled in the wind. Brown leather pants covered his lower half. In his left hand was a silver pipe just like Pippin's.

"You were nearly impossible to spot all huddled in your cloak, Pippin. If it wasn't for the light of your pipe, I would never have found you."

"Perhaps I didn't want to be found," Pippin said.

"Come now, Pippin. I thought this was my time of year to be grumpy and sore."

"What do you mean?" Peregrin asked him.

"Don't you remember? It was just over three years since I struck the chief of the Nazgul. Every year about this time," he said, pointing to his limp right arm with his pipe, "the ole right arm is sore and achey."

Peregrin said nothing.

Merry stood there for a moment, smoking. "What's bothering you, Pippin?"

"Do you ever feel, I don't know, unfinished?" Pippin said.

"How do you mean?" Merry asked.

"I mean this whole affair with the rings and all that."

"Why no, Pippin. I mean, it has been nearly two and a half years since the defeat of Saruman and the retaking of the Shire, let alone the other mess. We've rebuilt the Shire better than ever with Sam's usage of Galadriel's gift. What could be unfinished?"

"I've been thinking a lot about Treebeard," Pippin said, still staring out at the river.

"The old Ent?" Merry asked.

"Yes."

"How so?"

"Regarding the Entwives," Pippin said.

"What do you mean? We told old Treebeard that if we saw or heard anything, we'd let him know, and we haven't."

Pippin finally looked up at Merry, with a glance mixed of hope and consternation: "Yeah, I know.” Pippin's eyes locked onto Merry's. “But I was thinking that maybe we should go look for them."

"What?” Pulling his pipe from his mouth, Merry scratched his forehead with the index finger of that hand. “How would we even go about doin' that, Pippin? We wouldn't even know where to start."

"I thought we'd go see Tom Bombadil," Peregrin said, turning back to the river.

"Bombadil? How would he have anything to do with the Entwives, Pippin?"

Peregrin Took took another puff from his pipe as he watched the river. "Well, remember Old Man Willow, the old tree that swallowed me and had a good grip on you, too? I was thinking that he might be an Ent. And if he was, Bombadil might know something."

Merry's eyes widened as his memories came back to him and he slid everything into place. "Well now that you mention it, I suppose he was. Tom said something about the creature being older than old, and having a twisted heart through time. I believe Treebeard did say such something about certain Ents that he knew."

"Yes," Pippin said. “And I thought at least this would be a good place to start."

"But Peregrin, that thing nearly killed two out of the four of us. How will we two have a chance against it?"

"Merry, we are not the same defenseless, naive Hobbits that we were then. We are quite stronger and more equipped now. We are even a little more than Hobbits now, thanks to Treebeard's droughts. I'm not saying we could defeat or even kill the old thing, but we should be able to survive a meetin' with it."

"You're really set on this, aren't you?" Merry asked.

"Yes."

“And you’ve thought a lot about this?”

Peregrin looked up at his friend again, his eyes steady. “Yes.”

"Well, then, when did you want to leave?" Merry asked.

"As soon as your arm stops aching."

Chapter Two: The Old Forest

Within the next two days the Hobbits were ready for their journey; food and supplies were packed and two ponies were prepared. Peregrin and Meriadoc had readied their mail and helmets given to them by the Lords of Gondor, as well as their battle-worn shields and swords, all well-concealed under their grey elven-cloaks. Both of the young Hobbits looked quite different than the scared young boys who had run from the Dark Riders with Frodo and Sam. Now both rode outward, armed and armored: riding with respect and prestige, well known as leaders in the retaking of the Shire.

The two rode with a confidence and skill, that they had before in leaving the Shire had not possessed. They were rather warm underneath the mail and cloaks, but they realized the tremendous survival value of having the very same items that made them uncomfortable in the early spring heat. As they pulled onto the Great East Road other Hobbits looked at them and wondered where the great Peregrin Took and Meriadoc Brandybuck were going now, on what adventure might lay before them. The two friends had decided that it would be safer to ride down the road a bit and then cut through the woods just before the Barrow Wights, so to travel through as little of the wood as possible to reach Tom's house. They did not want to run into Old Man Willow before they had to and they preferred to do so with Tom Bombadil. Only things would not be so simple.

"I don't understand," Pippin said, looking around Tom Bombadil's house. "There's no sign of him or Goldberry."

The two Hobbits had waited outside when there was no answer at the door, but after several hours of waiting, they had decided to have a look around. Nothing looked awry; the house was neat and well kept, but it was empty. Pippin and Merry were quite disappointed to see no sign of Tom.

"The question now, is what do we do?" Merry asked.

Pippin looked at him and shrugged. "The sun will be down soon."

"Perhaps we should camp here overnight."

"And what if Bombadil never returns?"

Merry sighed. "I wish Gandalf were here," he said.

"Yes, but you know full well he went across the sea with Bilbo," Pippin said.

"Yes."

"Besides, we don't need him. And while it would be much easier with Tom Bombadil's aid, we can do this by ourselves," Pippin said.

"But don't you think we should wait until morning to look around the forest? I don't really want to move around at night. Not here, any way."

"But Merry, it's hardly even dinner time, let alone bedtime. There's no use quittin' now."

"Peregrin, you're being a bit rash, I believe."

"We can take torches into the forest to see our way."

"I don't think the old trees will like that too much." Merry said.

"Yes, but the fires will also be a defense,” Peregrin said. “A sword in one hand, a torch in the other. With the light reverberating off of our mail, we will seem a very imposing duo, Merry."

"You're sure about this?"

"Sure. I don't think it's unreasonable. Otherwise I wouldn't be sayin' it. I think it's a risk of sorts, but one must take risks now and then."

"I suppose,” Merry said. “It must be the Tookish part of you."

"Perhaps. Let's get to work," Pippin said.

"We should probably at least have dinner first," Merry suggested.

"Of course.”

Pippin and Merry left the ponies at Tom's house and had started their search through The Old Forest on foot. The flickering light from their torches jumped back and forth, creating wavering shadows on the edges of light and dark. The Hobbits crept steadily along the quiet shores of the Withywindle, working their way along from Tom's house, knowing that it was along this line that they had met Old Man Willow.

Pippin looked at Merry beside him with an eager look. The young Took was quite eager and expecting to find a clue about the Entwives from Old Man Willow. Merry was a little bit more anxious. His brow had a thin line of sweat dripping down his face, the strange warmth of the night stifling him. Pippin, while warm, paid little attention to the discomfort. His eyes were roving across the terrain, scanning for any movement in the trees that could be construed as more than just the mere swaying of the branches in the wind.

While Merry was gazing into the light's reflection off of the Withywindle and Pippin glanced at his companion for a mere moment, the branch swung down, banging Pippin into Merry, and knocking the two of them to the ground.

Pippin managed to immediately roll over and pick up his torch, but Merry had to fight just to stay out of the river, and his torch was already hissing in the water, steam rising.

Pippin got to his feet and lifted his sword, thrusting it out defensively, holding the torch high. Before him loomed an enormous tree, its thicker branches held out like arms. One was reaching for Merry and the other was raised high. Pippin dove at the arm moving towards Merry as the other arm came down; the powerful arc of the falling branch shook the bank and sent dirt and stones flying along with Pippin. Nimbly eluding the tree's second strike, Pippin scrambled forward, swinging the sword at the branch nearly grasping Merry. The old tree seemed to moan as his sword dug into the thick branch under the dimmer light of only one torch.

By now, Merry had risen to his feet and held forth his sword. In a swift, fluid motion, he pulled the shield, which had been strapped to his back, down in front of him, held in a defensive position. Pippin, seeing Merry up, edged away from him, "Let us not enable him to take us both out in one swing," he hissed. Merry nodded and in turn edged away on his own.

"We mean you no harm, Old Man Willow," Merry said.

The tree groaned again and swung at Merry. His shield was raised and he turned to duck behind it, so the blow was only a glancing one, but Merry was still forced to take a few steps backward under the force of the blow and he was none too happy about the entire occurrence.

Pippin thrust forward with the torch while pointing the sword at Old Man Willow as he yelled at him. "Old one, we have no quarrel with you, but if you force us to, we will hew you down or burn you out. Do not doubt our strength or resolve. We two Hobbits have drunk some of your own Ent drought. That is why we are so large for Hobbits."

The tree was apparently unimpressed as it seemed about to swing at Pippin again. Waiting until the last moment, Pippin darted forward under its long arms and dipped the torch at its roots. The thing roared again, but as it brought its arms down to put out the small fire, Pippin swung his steel at the branches, preventing it from doing so.

On the other side of the mammoth tree, Merry swung his sword, digging it deep into the Ent's bark with his strong arms. The tree roared again, as Merry put his foot on the side of the tree, to help pull the sword back out. "Don't you hurt, Pippin!" he cried.

Peregrin stamped out the small fire before him with his own foot, looking up at the old tree. "We don't want to fight you,” he shouted. “We just want to know if you've seen or heard anything of the Entwives. Our friend Treebeard wishes to know."

What seemed to be a deep chuckle emanated from up beyond their view, as if from the forest itself. Straining their ears as they had learned to do, almost as if listening to the wind itself, the Hobbits could make out, a subtle rumbling. "Treebeard, eh? Hoom. His wishes shall ever be follies."

"No riddles!" Merry shouted from behind the Ent. "Why should you want to see him fail?"

The thing only seemed to laugh.

"He's horrible and twisted, that's why, Merry," cried Pippin. The young Hobbit again set the grass near its roots to flame. Yet this time, instead of trying to put out the flames, the twisted Ent turned his attention to Pippin. This time, the young hero was not quick enough to react and Old Man Willow easily bowled him over. Merry, however, was quicker, ducking under the old Ent’s other large branch which sung toward him. Slipping around the trunk, Merry picked up the fallen torch and pushed it toward the twisted Ent’s branches, trying to catch a leaf or two with the flickering flame.

"Stop being so horrible," Merry cried. "We only want to know if you've seen or heard of the Entwives."

The tree now pulled up its roots and backed away. As Merry helped Pippin stand again, they both swore they heard it whisper, "They will never cross the Brandywine." Then it pulled away and started moving at a high speed that the Hobbits knew they could not match.

"We had better get moving, Pippin. If Old Man Willow has any more of his twisted followers, we are not going to want to be here much longer. We should go get the horses, sleep at Tom's house, and rest. Maybe Tom will return."

Peregrin stared off after the disappeared Ent. "Perhaps. Perhaps. We should set a watch, though, in case the Ents come after us."

"Yes," Merry said, nodding. “Highly sensible.”

“Let’s go,” Peregrin said, turning.

Chapter Three: Back to the Shire

Merry gently shook Pippin, waking him up in the still early morning. "Wake up Pippin. It's past time we eat and get on our way." Peregrin blinked and slowly rose. He looked around him, wiping the dew from his cloak, catching sight of the morning birds flying from tree to tree; he supposed that was a good sign. Pippin supposed birds would not be fluttering around if evil Ents were about.

Pippin looked back over at his friend. "I don't know geography as well as you, Merry," he said. "What exactly did the old Ent mean? He said that the Entwives would never cross the Brandywine. Does that help us determine where the Entwives might be?"

"That's the thing I can't figure out." Merry sat on the ground next to Pippin and began to draw in the dirt. He traced out the continent of Middle-Earth. "See how the Brandywine cuts off almost only the Shire and the lands further to the north-west?" Pippin nodded. "Exactly. There is no reason they would want to go up there. There are plenty of other places they could have run to escape the wars Treebeard spoke of."

Pippin looked down for a moment, thinking. "What if they're not trying to keep them out, Merry."

"What do you mean?"

"What if they're trying to keep them in?" Peregrin said.

"I—you mean to say that they might be in the Shire?" Merry asked, eyebrows raised.

"Doesn't that make more sense?"

"I suppose. Only there are plenty of forests on the other side of the Ered Luin and the Ered Luin Blue Mountains, closer to the sea. Or what of the lands North of the Shire? It might take forever, Pippin. We don't even know how to identify the Ents if we see them. Old Man Willow happens to be a nasty Ent who is prone to attacking travelers. I doubt the Entwives are going to take any notice of us."

"Perhaps we should go back to the Shire and think about it," Peregrin said.

"Yes," Merry said. “Very sensible.”

Traveling back along the Great East Road, having safely traversed the Old Forest, Merry turned to his friend. "Listen, Pippin. I'm all for adventuring and such, but this is seeming to be a bit of an impossible mission. I don't know if we could accomplish what we're trying to do in the rest of our lives."

"If that is what it takes," Pippin said, his gaze on the road ahead of them.

"Peregrin Took. I dare say Treebeard would feel free to call you quite 'hasty' right now. Ents live centuries upon centuries. What makes you think that you are the particular Hobbit that has to do this particular event in this particular time? You've done and experienced plenty: more than most Hobbits or men."

Pippin turned to his friend. "First of all, Merry: Why not me, why not this, and why not here and now? Someone has to do it and just because it's difficult or even impossible doesn't mean we can't attempt or accomplish it.” He paused for a moment. Pippin stared off at the road again. When he once more spoke, his gaze did not meet Merry’s. “Second of all: What have I done?"

“What do you mean, Pippin?” Merry asked.

“Just what I said. What have I done?”

"Why, Pippin, you've—"

"Done nothing.” Peregrin turned back toward his friend as they rode on, a fire in his eyes. “I slew one monster who then fell on top of me and knocked me unconscious. Sam and Frodo are the ones that carried the Ring to Mount Doom. You helped slay the Captain of the Ringwraiths, Merry. I have done nothing."

Merry bit off his hasty reply. He looked forward and swallowed, thinking a the moment before responding. "If this is about who's done what, I mean—"

"No, Merry. It's not even all that. It is more that everyone looks up to me and why? I don't think I've really done as much as you all. I haven't pulled my weight in all that happened to us, in all our adventures."

"Oh, Pippin."

"Don't misunderstand me, Merry. I just don't want to be a fake. I don't want everyone to look up to me when I don't feel worthy of such adoration."

Merry scratched his forehead. "I never knew, Pippin."

"I know. I don't always think like this, but when I do, it’s enough to trulybother me. I just thought though if we could find the Entwives, then that would be something special."

Merry looked back at Pippin determinedly. "Well then. What can I say? We shall."

Pippin smiled.

As the two rode back into Buckland, Peregrin spoke up after a while. "I've been pondering this problem of finding the Ents, Merry."

"I was wondering perhaps why you've been so quiet," Merry said.

"What about the Phial of Galadriel that was given to Frodo?" Pippin asked.

"What about it?" Merry said.

"Well, I thought it only shone light, but remember how Sam said he got the Guardians at Cirith Ungol to allow him to pass through, using it?"

"Yes."

"Well then, the Phial obviously has magic properties. Perhaps its light would enable us to find Ents from normal trees."

Merry turned away from Pippin laughing. "You certainly have everything figured out Pippin. Are you sure you need me for this mission?"

Now it was Pippin who laughed. "Of course, Merry. You're my best friend. I wouldn't dream of leaving you out of this."

"Well, thank you."

"I'm perfectly starving,” Pippin said. “Isn't it about time we ate lunch?"

"Why don't we ride on to Bag End and eat there? I'm sure Sam wouldn't mind. Perhaps he and Rose wouldn't mind two adventurers joining them for a meal."

Not much later, Sam looked back and forth over his two friends. "W-Wait a minute," he stammered over tea and muffins. "Y-you want to borrow the Phial of Galadriel? Well, w-what I mean to say, is it really going to help you?"

"We hope so," Peregrin said.

"You hope?"

"Sam, it's not as if we are going to lose the Lady's gift. We just think it might help us find the Entwives," Merry said.

"I thought the Entwives didn't exist no more," Sam said.

"They do," Pippin said, shrugging. "And we have reason to believe that they exist beyond the Ered Luin range."

"Well, now, then I should be going with the two of you. This all sounds rather dangerous."

"Come now, Sam,” Merry said. “You have familial responsibilities. You have a wife and child. You can't go around adventuring any more. It wouldn't be respectable."

"I know that, Merry. It's just that I don't feel right letting you two take all the danger to yourselves, if you know what I mean."

Merry laughed. "You didn't mind leaving us when you ran off with Frodo at the falls of Rauros."

Sam looked embarrassed for a moment. "Well—well, I wasn't really leaving you, Merry. I was looking after Frodo. Besides I left you with Boromir and Aragorn and all the rest. You were quite well looked after."

“Sure,” Merry said.

"Uh-huh," Pippin added.

Pippin and Merry laughed, exchanging knowing glances. At this, Sam only got redder. He tried to speak again, but was a too flustered. Instead, he got up to get more tea.

"Shame on you boys," Rose said when Sam left. "He's such a gentle folk and you be teasing him like that."

"Oh, he's a big boy, Rose," Merry laughed.

Sam came back and poured more tea into each of their cups.

"Will you lend it to us?" Peregrin asked.

Sam looked back and forth between his two friends, still holding the teapot. Slowly, he nodded. "Yes. I mean, from what I hear, Treebeard and his Ents did quite a lot to help defeat Saruman and his armies. The least I can do is try and help you find his Entwives."

"Exactly," Merry said. "And we're very grateful for it too. A little bit of magic is always good to have. And elven magic at that."

"Where are you two going to start your search?" Rose asked.

"We thought we'd head west for the Grey Havens, and try to determine whether to go north or south from there," Merry said.

Chapter Four: The Grey Havens

Peregrin and Meriadoc's ponies trotted toward the waters of the Gulf of Lune, the Ered Luin range looming to their left. Despite the warmth, they could still see the snow on the peaks of the mountains. They were moving down a worn path with few trees surrounding them. It was mostly a flat plain and from where they were, they could see the water rising on the horizon before them.

"We shall soon have to make a decision Merry," Pippin said.

"Yes, I know."

"You do know geography better than me. What do you think we should do?"

"I don't know, Pippin. But if we go south to Harlond we don't have to cross the River Lhun. I think that that might be our best option."

"That sounds good to me, Merry."

By the time the two Hobbits had reached the forests of Harlond, it was nearly dark. They stopped to rest the ponies and to eat. They were not exactly sure what they were going to do, but Peregrin thought it was fairly simple. They should merely walk through the forest and see what happens; hold the Phial of Galadriel aloft and see what effect it had on the trees.

As they rode slowly into the forest, Merry looked at the enormous and tedious task before them. "Pippin, are you sure this is what we should be doing? This could take forever."

"Then we had best be 'hasty,'" Peregrin replied.

"Very funny, Pippin. But seriously, this may take forever. Do you have any idea how many trees there are here?"

"No. But we can't give up without trying, Merry. They may be here. Imagine how happy old Treebeard would be if we could find Fimbrethil and the other Entwives. I can't walk away from that chance. If I have to walk around and stare at trees for weeks on end or longer, I will.” He glanced over at his friend. “Are you with me?"

"Of course," Merry replied, smiling nervously. “Of course.”

After weathering the Old Forest twice and the woods of Fangorn, the woods of Harlond did not seem very frightful. Peregrin and Meriadoc had seen and experienced places which were much more dangerous and terrifying than these ordinary woods. The most frightful thing they had seen thus far was a stray wolf and it ran off as they approached. Now and then, they ran across smaller animals such as squirrels and raccoons; overhead, owls hooted and crows cawed. They were both getting tired, as well as bored, but it could not be helped. Pippin was holding the Phial; they had been taking turns carrying it, as their arms got tired. The ponies had been kept at a very gentle pace as the Hobbits slowly searched each tree and were not at all unhappy.

"Do we even know exactly what we are looking for, Pippin?"

"I don't know, exactly, Merry. But the light must show something different."

"We don't even know if this will work."

"Well we have to try something, Merry. I—"

Peregrin stopped his pony suddenly and with a hiss told Merry to do the same. "Look," he whispered. That big oak!" They both stared at it under the light of the Phial. They saw it. It was different. It almost seemed to have a face woven into the texture and design of the bark. More than that, it seemed to have a look of pure malice.

Before he knew what to expect, Pippin found himself flying through the air, slapped by a branch which suddenly leaped out of the dark. The Phial fell to the ground and shone only a small bit of light from its low angle.

Merry turned the pony and jumped off, drawing his sword. He slapped the Pony's hindquarters with the flat of his blade to send it out of danger; it needed little encouragement and Pippin's horse followed close behind. Luckily, he had already been holding his shield, as it had been starting to wear his back out. Merry wanted to see if Pippin was all right, but he did not dare take his eyes of off a foe he could barely see, especially since he was against a foe the likes of which he had seen destroy stone castle walls.

Another branch roared out of the dark. Merry just saw it before it came down, managing to leap to his right to avoid the blow. He turned and swung his sword on the branch as it retreated, but it did not cut deep, if at all. "Pippin!" he cried, as he stood his ground, unsure of what to do.

"I'm here," Merry could hear off to his left somewhere.

"What are we to do?"

"Back up! It's moving toward you!"

"Oh boy." Merry started to see it and he started to back up, but then he noticed that it wasn’t moving toward him at all, but towards the Phial. "Pippin—" he began.

"I have it."

Pippin darted out of the darkness and dove for the Phial, rolling, and returned to his feet in one motion: even as two branches swung down to crush him. Pippin leaped between the two gargantuan arms, threading back out to safety again. He paused only to toss the Phial to Merry and then disappeared into the dark again. Merry dropped his shield to catch the Phial.

"Pippin!" There was no answer.

"We don't want to fight you, Ent,” Merry said. Why do you insist on attacking us?"

The Ent gave no answer and only kept advancing. Merry held the Phial aloft: maintaining his stance, holding the sword before him, yet inching backwards. "Old tree, we are only searching for the Entwives. We are friends of Treebeard."

At this, the thing seemed only to get more mad, lunging forward with remarkable speed and stabbing forward at Merry. Merry swung the sword hard to fend the Ent off and actually dug deep into one of the branches, but another grappled him from his backside and lifted him high in the air. Merry grunted as his torso compressed. The Ent lifted him higher and higher. Merry was still attempting to save himself with his sword, but at his angle, and with the pressure exerted by the Ent, he had little chance of doing so.

The higher Merry rose, the louder the breeze blew, and at first Merry heard nothing but that, until he remembered that the Ents speech could be very confusing if you weren't listening for it. But when he finally made it out, he heard, "Other little thing come out, hoom, or your friend gets squeezed."

"Pippin!" Meriadoc called as loud as he could.

Just then, Merry noticed a spark of light near the trunk of the tree. He did not have to wait long to understand. The Ent seemed to bend over to look, and suddenly began to roar with rage. Merry realized that Pippin had just lit a fire under the Ent. The Ent started to squeeze harder and indeed probably would have killed Merry had his full intention been on it. But as it was, Peregrin was running around the tree, lighting many fires, and the Ent was occupied. Failing to hit Pippin with the one branch, the Ent started swinging Merry around to hit Pippin.

Merry was very soon nauseous.

Just as Pippin had gotten a solid ring of fire burning underneath the Ent, the big tree landed a glancing blow, which knocked over the Hobbit. The Ent seemed as if it was about to crush Merry for the inconvenience of existing in its grip, but that was still only his ancillary concern as he continued to try and put the fire out with his other major branch. It was then that Peregrin regained his footing, had his sword raised and dropped it with a ferocity and a strength that was before unknownst to Hobbits. The blade, being one of the finest forged tools of man, a gift of the Lords of Gondor, cleaved deeply into the Ent's arm-branch, cutting nearly half way through. The Ent let out a terrible roar that was deep with bass and rumbled through the Hobbits' bones. Suddenly released, Merry dropped to the ground with a rough thud and an achey, crushed feeling: the whole forest spinning around him as a result of a severe case of motion-sickness. Fortunately, the blow had been just enough to distract him long enough.

The Ent continued to Roar while Pippin helped Merry to his feet and they began to retreat. The small flames began to lick upwards slowly, more and more becoming a full-fledged blaze. Pippin picked up Merry's shield as they backed away. All that was left was to walk away and to try and ignore the horrible screams that would haunt them for years to come.

"I don't feel too good about having done that, Merry," Pippen said once they were safely away.

"I tried to talk to him, but he wouldn't listen. Besides, he would have crushed me to death," Merry said, rubbing his ribs gingerly.

"I know."

"I am surprised to have found one of those evil Ents here, though,” Merry said. “I didn't think they'd be here, so far West. Maybe we should have gone North after all, if the boundaries of their watch are here in Harlond. Maybe we should have went to Forlond."

Peregrin stopped walking. "Did you say Forlond?" he asked, grasping his friend’s shoulders.

"Yes," Merry said, looking into his friend’s eyes. “Why?”

"Gandalf's beard. I knew I should've improved my geography."

"What do you mean?" Merry asked.

"Apparently the same way you should have brushed up on your Elvish."

"What are you talking about, Pippin?"

"Forlond is Elvish for Forlorn, Merry. Think of the meaning of the word: sad or lonely. Often regarding an abandonment or an estrangement from something. It must refer to the Entwives."

"Could it be it that simple, Pippin?"

“It’s been under everyone’s noses all along,” Peregrin said, smiling.

“Well, I guess Ents don’t know their maps that well, either,” Merry said. “Or Elvish."

“We need to head north,” Pippin said, shaking his friend’s shoulders lightly before releasing them. He turned and looked West.

“North is this way,” Merry said pointing.

“Oh, of course,” Pippin stammered.

“North it is,” Merry said, biting back a laugh.

“North,” Pippin said softly. “To Forlond.” He gazed into the distance, turning to the North.

“Do you really think we’ll find them there?” Merry asked. “Up North?”

"We must," Peregrin said, still staring off. “This has to be it.”

Chapter Five: Forlond

"Do you think that there will be any more of the evil Ents up North, Merry?"

"I can't really say, but I don't think so,” Pippin said. “I think that while the Entwives cannot cross to the Southern lands, this evil net of Ents is not powerful enough to challenge the Entwives in their own home. If they could destroy them, they probably would, but since they cannot, they must settle for keeping them in one place."

"I suppose that makes sense," Merry said.

The difficult thing for the Hobbits was to get to Forlond. If they traveled Northwest, directly towards Forlond, they would have to cross the widest part of the Gulf of Lune, which without a boat was impossible. Thus, they had to go back past the Grey Havens, northeast, down the River Lhun until they could find a place narrow or shallow enough to cross.

Once they came around the Ered Luin mountains, they still had to cross the plains south of the River Lhun. Once crossing the Lhun, they had to backtrack southwest along the river, to circumvent the Ered Luin Blue Mountains. Having moved around that mountain range, they could enter the forests of Forlond and continue their search for the Entwives.

In geographic value and inhabitation, the area of Forlond was not much different than the region of Harlond. Neither held many people, if any, and there was assorted wildlife roaming the area, free of the influence of so-called civilization. More likely than not, the two were in for another long, tedious search.

The young, but oversized Hobbits had no sooner finished their lunch just inside of the forests of Harlond, when they heard a rustling noise a little ways off.

Both Hobbits immediately stood and looked around them, hands on their swords. The forest was almost still, other than the rustling sound that they had heard. No animals could be seen or heard and there was no wind. There was only the faintest rustling noise. The sun was shining down nearly directly above them. They were both beginning to sweat under their heavy layers of mail, helmets, and all.

"Do you see anything, Merry?" Pippin asked.

"Not a thing."

They were about to sit back down when a voice rumbled softly through the forest. "You need not fear, if you are who I think you are."

The Hobbits spun around to see a large tree where before there was nothing. Pippin's eyes went wide and Merry's jaw dropped. They wondered if this could really be what they thought.

"Fimbrethil?" Peregrin asked.

"I am her," the wind whispered.

At that moment, Pippin's eyes started to well up. He had to fight off the joy from spilling over too fast. Merry patted Pippin's shoulder softly.

"Then we've found you," Pippin said.

"Yes. Some of my sisters told me that there were small-folk who might be searching for us. I thought that they were being hasty in their estimation. I was incorrect."

Merry bowed to Fimbrethil. "Meriadoc Brandybuck at your service, ma'am. You can call me Merry."

"And I am Peregrin Took,” Pippin said, bowing as well. “Treebeard called me Pippin."

"I say. Hum. Did you say Treebeard? In Fangorn?"

"Yes," Pippin replied. "We met him in the Fangorn woods. He helped us against the forces of evil in a great war."

"Hum, you little folks are quite hasty. I do think you’re really ahead of yourselves. Where are you from?"

"The Shire," Merry answered. "We're Hobbits."

"A touch big for the little-folk are you not?" the Entwife asked.

"We drank Ent droughts. They have made us bigger and stronger," Peregrin said.

"Indeed. You shall have more tonight when you, hum, dine with my people."

"Thank you," both Hobbits answered.

"You see, we shall need to find a way to get you to Treebeard."

"Oh we know the way," Merry answered. "We just go back through the Shire, head east to Bree, then take the Greenway Old South Road down towards Isengard and ride east to the Forest of Fangorn. It shall take quite some time, but it’s an easy enough route."

"Yes, but you are not the first to try to go from us to him. The twisted ones do not allow it."

"The evil Ents?" Pippin asked.

"Yes."

Both Hobbits fell quiet. Fimbrethil, as patient as a typical Ent, felt no need to break the silence and waited for them to speak again. She and her people had been trying for centuries to escape, so she really had no new input on the subject.

"How did you know that we were coming?" Pippin asked at last.

"The crows told us of your movement and of your battle with one of the twisted ones."

"Could these crows take messages to our people in the Shire?" Pippin asked.

"I do not think they would understand the crows' speech," Fimbrethil said.

"Could they take a physical message that we could tie to their feet?" Pippin asked.

"Hum. I suppose so."

"The evil Ents wouldn't stop them?" Pippin persisted.

"Not even their reach is that long," Fimbrethil sighed.

"Good. I have an idea," Pippin said.

Chapter Six: The Escort Away

Pippin and Merry smiled as they stood on the western shores of the River Lhun. Across the waters stood the Took with thirty armed Hobbits. Each of the little warriors smiled back at their friends, the great Captains of the Shire, Peregrin Took and Meriadoc Brandybuck. Of course, it helped that Pippin was the heir to the Took.

"Hello, there, son," the Thain said.

"Hello, sir," Pippin answered respectfully.

Slowly and cautiously Pippin and Merry had their horses wade across the river at the low point. Upon the other side, the two Hobbits dismounted.

"So what is all this ruckus that you have everyone running about for?" the Thain asked.

"We are raising the Shire," Pippin answered.

"For what?" the Thain asked.

"Do you remember the stories we always told about the Ents, the big trees that could walk and talk?" Pippin asked.

"Yes. But to be honest, I never took that to be more than talk," the Thain replied.

"Well, it is more than talk. We didn’t exaggerate when Merry and I told you about the war and the tree-people, the Ents, that helped us. And now we have to help them. Long ago, the Ents lost what they call the Entwives, the female members of their race. We must reunite the two."

"Okay. I can understand why you would want to do that," the Thain said, raising his eyebrows and dropping them again. "But why the call to arms?"

"Well, that’s our other problem," Merry interjected. "There are certain evil Ents, that for whatever reason, wish to prevent that reunion. And there are plenty around here that are trying to kill us, the messengers to the Ents of Fangorn."

"I see," the Took answered. Many of the armed Hobbits looked at each other, murmuring. Didn't Pippin and Merry say that the good ones had knocked down stone walls? What then would these evil ones do to them?

"That leaves us with two choices," Peregrin said. "One, we tell each Hobbit what needs be told and see how many can make it to Fangorn Forest. Or two, we become proactive and go on the offensive, laden with firestarting equipment and axes, and destroy the evil Ents, and perhaps creating enough of a distraction to allow the two of us through."

The Thain looked at the two heroes of the war. "Which do you boys recommend?"

Pippin and Merry exchanged glances.

"The latter," Merry offered. "As Pippin pointed out to me earlier, the former plan would expect a high casualty rate, while leaving the evil Ents in place. The latter will hopefully help eliminate many of the evil ones, doing a great service to Middle-Earth, and allow us to get safely to the south. At that point, I am assuming that Treebeard and his people will come north with us and destroy with furious vengeance any evil ones they find on their way to their loved ones."

"What about this Bombadil fellow that you sent Sam after?" the Thain asked.

"Word travels fast, eh?" Pippin asked.

"Of course,” Pippin’s father said, a glint in his eye. “We Tooks have our ways."

"Tom Bombadil is a magical fellow, sir," Merry explained. "And we thought he and his wife Goldberry would help control the Old Forest."

"Okay,” the Thain said. “So how do we find these Ents?"

"We will give this to one contingent," Pippin said, holding the Phial of Galadriel aloft. "It will help you see the Ents under its light.

"The crows say that you and Sam have a natural affinity for talking to them, so you two will lead the other contingents. The crows can identify Ents. They have been well taught by the Entwives."

"Right," Merry added. "Sam will lead his force southwest into the cradle of the Ered Luin mountains. The contingent with the Phial will head due South from the Shire, and you, Thain, will lead your force southeast towards the Greenway Old South Road, where you will escort us."

"Very sound tactical assessment, Meriadoc."

"Thank you, sir," Merry said.

"Each force must give its hardiest warriors axes to chop the trees and cut their branches if necessary. Although your first option should be to assemble archers with flaming arrows. That way you should be able to keep your distance, while defeating them. You must keep this up regularly until we return,” Peregrin said. “And the Shire must be put in a state of emergency, in case the Ents attack any of the settlements. Hopefully your assaults will deter them from this and force them to keep a distance."

"You boys certainly have everything planned," the Thain said, smiling.

"Yes, sir," Pippin said, smiling the same smile.

It would turn out that the plan worked quite well until they neared the Sarn Ford, where at twilight, they were assaulted by five Ents. The squadron of thirty men were caught off guard and nearly wiped out at the onset. However, Merry quickly took control of the battle and managed to salvage the Hobbits' chance of survival.

While Peregrin had done all in his power to save the archers from being taken out, Merry restructured his troops so that the side flanks were primarily manned by axe-men. Those with swords distracted the Ents from the axe-men by continually moving and warning the axe-men when the attack was coming. By then, Merry saw that Pippin had saved the archers, and regrouped them near the middle. He left the side at the Took's command and ordered the archers to open fire.

The flaming bolts struck outward at all Ents persistently and flames leapt into the darkening sky. Steel swung, creating reverberating thuds deep into the barks of the Ents. Amidst the fallen bodies and violence, the Took commanded his son and his nephew to make a run for it, promising to overcome the impossible odds of the evil ones.

Daring not miss the opportunity, the two rode through the gap created by the flanks widening and pushed their ponies as hard as they dared: light dancing off of their helms and mail as they rode, each otherwise disappearing into the grey folds of their elven cloaks. The horse hooves clamored on the old road, kicking up dirt, leaving the sounds and sights of violence and unnecessary death behind them.

Chapter Six: Fangorn

For the first time in a long while, Pippin and Merry smiled. It looked as if they were about to do something no one had done in centuries, perhaps millennia, of effort. They were about to return to Fangorn with the message of the Entwives whereabouts. The two had faced great danger both alone and while accompanied by the Took's Hobbits. Yet, they had come out of it all with only minor damage. Merry was still a little sore from their run in with the Ent in Harlond, but other than that they were physically all right. Both still had nightmares from what had happened at Sarn Ford, but they were able to push those images away by day. Each day they grew stronger and stronger: no doubt still feeling the extra rush of the Entwives' drought. Their increase in strength was both physical and emotional. There was a tremendous excitement which they both felt in regard to telling Treebeard the news they had.

Pippin, in particular, was very proud of the whole affair. He finally felt that the hero status which he had been accredited, was deserved. Merry had reminded him countless times that it was his ingenuity that had enabled them to defeat the evil Ent in Harlond and that if he had not fought so valiantly at Sarn Ford to save the archers and put them in the right position, the battle would soon have been lost. And of course, it was all his idea. He had also known the elvish to send them to Forlond, which without, might have otherwise left the task an impossible one.

As they approached Isengard, they looked upon the desolation from the War of the Rings and marveled at the damage done by the Ents. In retrospect, they felt extremely lucky to have avoided having been killed thus far. Although, they knew that the Shire was not without its own casualties. Thinking forward, they also wondered how great the wrath of the good Ents would be against their evil brothers when they found out the truth.

As they approached closer to what had once been Saruman's home, they saw a large tree near his indestructible tower. It seemed to be swaying in the wind. The sun was high overhead and it was a very grand spring day. The Hobbits rode toward the tree. As they stepped up, the tree swayed in their direction and they heard sonorous chords from the direction of the tree. The Hobbits looked at each other and smiled.

"Hello?" Merry called out.

"Little friends," the Ent creaked.

"We have an important message," Pippin said.

The Ent rumbled with what seemed to be a laugh. "Ho, ho. So hasty, you little ones. Do you not remember me? I am who you would call Quickbeam."

"Quickbeam!" Merry exclaimed. "Why, yes. I believe Treebeard called you the hastiest of Ents."

"The hastiest of Ents is still very slow and patient compared to you, little ones."

"We have reason to be hasty, Quickbeam," Pippin explained. "Our home is at war with evil Ents."

"Hoom—what? What say you?"

"Evil Ents are at war with our home northwest of here, Quickbeam," Pippin said.. "They are doing so because we now know that they have been keeping the Entwives captive along the Northwest shores."

The young tree stiffened, and had they known better, they would have said that the grand thing was surprised, even quite taken aback.

"That indeed is a reason to be hasty—the Entwives. Hoom. A moot must be called. You must wait here. Treebeard will come see you, while I gather the rest. If you thought us Ents were hasty in acting against Saruman, you have seen only sluggardness."

Indeed, even before he had stopped speaking, the tree was up and gone, faster than they would have thought possible: but a motion they were nonetheless familiar with. As it turned out, it was less than an hour before a familar tree came out of the forest.

"Hoom. Hoom. There is nothing Treebeard can say or do to repay you two, Pippin and Merry. You have done the Ents a service that lies beyond any thing that any man, elf, dwarf, or Hobbit has ever done for us. Indeed most of them have been enemies of ours: cutting and burning us. But now we have names that shall be passed on for centuries. More lines for the great song: telling of Peregrin Took and Meriadoc Brandybuck."

"The whole thing was Peregrin's idea, Treebeard," Merry said.

"Well. Well. Hoom. I am forever in your debt, Peregrin Took."

"What are you going to do now?" a blushing Pippin asked.

"We are all going to march northwest immediately and destroy these twisted ones."

"All of you?"

"Yes, Pippin. Our time here is done. The barren lands to the north will be our new home. With the Entwives."

“Immediately?” Merry asked.

“We are by nature, patient, brooding creatures,” Treebeard said. “But we have already waited too many centuries to be reunited with our Entwives. It is our only hope and desire now. And on this, there is no disagreement, no need for discussion. In this, being ‘hasty’,” Treebeard chuckled at his little friends, “is our only option.”

Merry and Pippin could see dozens of trees gathering on the edge of the forest. The time had come. The imposing shadows cast in the waning hours of the day made Merry and Pippin fear for the evil Ents, despite their twisted natures—they were soon to be no more.

Around nightfall, Quickbeam had gathered all of the Ents that existed in the forest of Fangorn. They all drank of the droughts they had prepared—Pippin and Merry included—and prepared to go. The Ents seemed unusually agitated and loud; their melodious voices were teeming with anxiety and anger. Pippin and Merry almost felt agitated themselves just listening to them. The Hobbits agreed to let one of the Ents put the horses to sleep with special herbs and carry them northward. Treebeard himself would carry Pippin and Merry.

The large, angry congregation set forth in mid-night, and blistered forth with a speed characteristic of only hasty Ents.

Chapter Seven: Triumph of the Ents

At Sarn Ford, the contingent of Ents agreed to split up. Now that they knew the true extent of the twisted ones' crimes, they were dedicated to wiping out all of them. And Ents had just the right temperament and patience to do just that, no matter how long it took. Knowing that the Entwives existed, and where they were, these Ents did not fear waiting until the Evil Ents were wiped out. Thus, it was decided that a large contingent would go southwest along the Brandywine on the north shores and root out all the twisted ones. Treebeard agreed to stay in the Old Forest and take care of Old Man Willow himself. Then he would lead a small group of Ents due West to the Grey Havens and head directly for the Entwives. Quickbeam would lead a large contingent northwards sweeping past the Midgewater Weather Hills and the North Downs, coming west across the Hills of Evendim, and then coming down the west shore of the River Lhun to Forlond: taking a bit longer to reach the Entwives.

As for Pippin and Merry, they planned on riding to the Shire and seeing to the affairs there. No doubt, the Sheriffs and mayor were quite stressed out by now. The Hobbits hoped that the Thain and Sam had kept them all vigorous in their efforts and that the Shire had been protected.

Fortunately, Peregrin and Meriadoc had need not been worried. Regular patrols had been sent out, and between the crows and elven magic, many evil Ents had been rooted out. At first, there had been much fighting, but as word spread among the twisted ones, they began to retreat more and more, and to be found less and less. As Merry predicted, the Ents did not retaliate on the villages of the Shire, considering that much too dangerous. When one lived for millennia, one tended not to do much to risk that existence on something so risky as petty vengeance. In addition, both the Took and Sam had gained much renown from their efforts. Moreover, Pippin and Merry were once again heralded as great heroes, especially for their role at Sarn Ford, which had saved many lives, kept alive the mission, and in particular, had kept alive the Took. Indeed, had that patrol been demolished, no direct descendant would have been able to claim the title of Took, and so the family was quite indebted to them both.

Despite all the glory being handed out accordingly, the warriors of the Shire and all of its other inhabitants were quite glad that the whole thing was coming to an end. Merry had ridden all over the Shire to inform people of the coming of the good Ents. He instructed no one to attack Ents anymore, unless they are attacked first; he explained all about the battles that was even then were going on amidst the Shire and the surrounding areas.

Pippin did little in the next few days beside sit by the Brandywine and smoke from his pipe. Merry came to see him amidst his traveling about the Shire, but there was little to say. That is, until Treebeard came over the Buckland bridge.

"Hello Pippin," he said when he found his small friend.

"Hello, Treebeard."

"I believe the area you call the Old Forest will be a little safer from now on," Treebeard said.

"Good," Pippin said, pulling his pipe away from his mouth.

"I cannot thank you enough."

Pippin looked up at his friend. "I am glad only to have been able to help you, Treebeard. Although, there is one thing I would like."

"Name it," the Ent breathed.

"I'd like to see you to Fimbrethil," Pippin said.

"Then you shall."

"I believe I would like Merry to come also. I think more than anything Merry and I would like the see your reunion. We would like to see the happiness that we have all fought so hard for."

And so Peregrin and Meriadoc rode in Treebeard's branches until the Grey Havens. On the other shore was Fimbrethil, waiting. "Isn't it too wide and deep here for you to cross?" Pippin asked.

"No, my friend. Submergence is not a problem for an Ent."

"Well then, we'll get off here, thank you," Merry said, stepping down.

"No, thank you, my friends. Here is a little gift for you too. He handed down two large jars of Ent drought. "On days when you feel lonely or weak, drink some of this, and think of me."

"Maybe we can come visit you, Treebeard," Pippin suggested.

"I would like that."

With that, the old Ent stepped into the waters, slowly sinking foot by foot under the dark waves, until he disappeared. On the other side, Fimbrethil waved to the two Hobbits; they waved back, big smiles on their faces. The Entwife stood wavering in the gentle wind, but more than they thought was natural given the light velocity the wind carried that day. The two Hobbits looked at each other and realized that the great thing was actually anxious to see her love.

The waves rippled on the other side of the River Lhun and they saw the top of Treebeard's branches begin to peek through. Steadily, his thick, strong form emerged from the folds of the river. He slid his way towards Fimbrethil, digging his roots around hers and embracing her with his branches. They did not move after that, but stood together entwined. Pippin and Merry figured that there was no need for the two to be hasty. After a long moment, watching the two, they turned, very satisfied at seeing the reunion, happy not only for those two, but for all the other Ents and Entwives that could now come together, to once again share their love, and ultimately have children, to once again bring Entings into the world.

The sun set behind the two Hobbits, as they turned to start their long march back to the Shire. The breeze blew on their ears and spring birds cawed while insects clicked in the dusk. Without his helmet, the wind ran through Merry's short hair, blowing it back, rippling it. Peregrin's was cut too short to even do so and the wind streamed over his head. They both wished they were out of their mail, but neither had wanted to be hasty in leaving it at home.

They looked at their gifts and wondered how big and how strong they'd end up, knowing they wouldd never have to wonder about being small again. Their conversation kept the journey home lively and entertaining. But in the end, what they had was a memory. A memory of the two trees embraced in happiness and love—and that was the image, in days to come, that would always make the horrible images of war and death disappear—the image of Treebeard and Fimbrethil, branch in branch, root by root, intertwined, their long estrangement over, their love never forgotten.

Forlorn, But Not Forgotten:The Return of the Entwives