Lona nodded and urged her horse on again towards Edoras. It didn't seem like long before the hill side city came into view. Lona couldn't help the look of happiness that came over her face as she viewed her home.

Caran looked upon Edoras, her heart sank to her feet. She had hoped she would not have to return to her home. It housed too much pain now. Still it was her only option, she would just have to deal with it. Caran lowered her eyes from the mighty city and looked sideways, watching for danger.

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Lona nudge her mount on again. She looked around the city. It had changed. No longer came the sound of happy voices, no longer was the sound of children singing and laughing. It was silent. There were tombs she had visited that held more cheer. The sadness seemed to weigh like a heavy blanket over the once thrilling town. "What has happened here?" she whispered as she rode on. She suddenly heard a commotion inside the great Hall. She dismounted and rushed to the doors, ignoring the guards and throwing the doors open. Inside there had been a fight. There was a man, an elf, a dwarf, and a wizard. The wizard was slowly approaching her king. She watched, alarmed.

Caran followed Lona, her sword raised. However when she saw the scene before her she stopped dead in her tracks. Lady Eowyn came running out from one of the side doors. The man stepped over to her and restrained her. This angered Caran, but before she could take any action the wizard began to talk to her King. However, he did not name her King, Theoden, he named him Sauroman. Could this be? Had Sauroman betrayed them?

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Sauroman? What? She stepped inside the doors slowly, hoping not to attract attention. What was happening? She watched with confusion and slipped around to the side, approaching the wizard and her king cautiously, her hand on her sword.

Caran gripped Lona's arm and tugged her back wary of the wizard. There was something familiar about him, but it surely could not be. Caran looked around the others in the King's hall. The elf she knew without a doubt. It was Prince Legolas of Mirkwood. Her eyes fell to the dwarf. It was a strange group to find in the Halls of Meduseld indeed.

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Lona jerked her arm away from Caran, giving her a warning look. She was going to find out what was happening. She recognised none of the people there except Theoden.

Caran recoiled from Lona, drawing her hands to herself. Caran sighed faintly and stepped back into the shadows, watching the scene before her. She wondered what had happened to Theoden and how Sauroman had been able to poison his mind. He would have had aid. Caran spied the man under the dwarfs foot. Clearly she was not the only one who had figured this. Caran sheathed her sword and crossed her arms over her chest.

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Lona saw the man under the dwarf's foot also. She eyed the man with them, thinking he looked familiar. But she shook her head and began walking at a faster pace towards the wizard and Theoden, but stopped as Theoden lunged, but was pushed back into his seat. He changed right before her eyes, into the Theoden she had known of old. Her jaw dropped.

Caran stepped forward and out of her guarded stance, her hands reaching out as though to catch him, even at her great distance from him. She exchanged a worried look with Eowyn as she glided forward. Curiousity pulled her closer, eager to know what was happening. Theoden's eyes cleared and he looked upon the crowd gathered in front of him. Caran recognised the different levels of shame that scrawled across his younger face. Caran and Lona had missed much while they were gone indeed.

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Lona stepped forward. "What has happened here?" she asked quietly, fearing the answer. She looked to the wozard's companions, her eyes wide with curiosity and wary. She waited for an explanation.

Eowyn ran to her uncles side, reaching for his hand. She squeezed it gently, worry burning in her eyes. Clarity and recognition returned to Theoden's eyes as he continued to look out at the crowd watching him. His eyes came to rest on Eowyn. "I know your face," he said with a growing smile. "Eowyn," he sighed. Happiness flooded Eowyn to have her uncle back. Theoden's eyes returned to the crowd and they widened with surprise at the wizard. "Gandalf?" He asked. "Breathe the free air again, my friend" Gandalf answered with a sigh of relief.

Caran marveled at King Theoden's rejuvination, her eyes wide with surprise. Her ears pricked as Lona asked what had happened. Caran looked amongst the crowd in the hall. Gandalf was the first to answer. "Your King was being manipulated by none other that Saruman the White. Rest assured he is safe now." He looked to Lona and Caran, smiling reassuringly.

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Gandalf? Lona's jaw dropped. how had all of this come to be. She approached the throne quietly. "My companion and I have news, that believe may be related." she dropped to her one knee. "I would request help."

Theoden looked down at Lona. "Dark have been my dreams of late. Have you come to tell me that reality has grown darker?" Caran stepped forward and lay a hand on Lona's shoulder. "Perhaps we should give King Theoden some time to adjust first?" she asked, bowing her head to her King. Theoden nodded his head to her, he recognised her face vaguely. He rose to his feet shakily, his hands trembled at his sides. "Perhaps your fingers would remember their own strength if they grasped your sword?" Gandalf suggested. A moment later Hama, one of the guards ran to Theoden, holding his sword out to him. Theoden grasped his sword in both hands and raised it high. Grima fell into his line of sight, he advanced on him immediately.

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Lona cringed, but bowed at Theoden took his sword. She then retreated into the shadows. She should not have spoken. She walked out the door and stood outside, letting the cold wind blow over her.

Caran sighed faintly and followed after her companion. She closed the door behind her before crossing over to Lona. "Something terrible is going on. Something bigger than our own problems." Caran stared out over the Gap of Rohan, scrutinizing it's every shadow as though something was hiding within them. "We shall give King Theoden time to settle. He has received a nasty shock and I do not think that is the least of his problems. Have you seen Prince Theodred?" Caran shook her head. "I fear the worst."

Suddenly the doors were cast open, slamming back on their mighty hinges. Grima had been thrown from the halls and had landed unceremoniously on the ground. Theoden continued to advance on him. "Your leeachcraft would have had me crawling on all fours like a beast!!" He growled, raising his sword to strike him. Grima gasped and plead for Theoden's mercy. It was the man that had came to his aid. "Enough blood has been spilt on his account," he had told Theoden. Theoden fell silent to consider the hidden meaning behind this. Grima, seezing his chance, scurried to the nearest horse and rode out of Edoras as fast as the horse could carry him.

"Hail Theoden King!!" Hama bellowed. The villagers dropped to their knees and bowed their heads to their rejuvenated King.
Theoden simply looked out to them, searching for a face. Suddenly he realised he was not there. "Where is Theodred? Where is my son?"

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