I HATE THE MIDDLE AGES!
Chapter 11: The feast
(The return of the king)
Gandalf told King Théoden that the Ents had defeated Saruman, so the monarch and magician decided to go to Isengard. Hermione, Gimli, Legolas and Aragorn decided to accompany them.
“Shall we go through the forest of Fangorn?” Hermione asked somewhat apprehensive.
“Don't worry Hermione, the Ents will let us through to Isengard," answered the magician.
Hermione felt the oppressive atmosphere of the forest, and what is worse, she noticed as if she were being watched, and that is that the ents were clearing the way to let them pass, but no one in the group seemed to notice.
"Hogwarts forbidden forest is nothing compared to this place," the girl thought nervously.
“Gandalf, do you think there are acromantulas in the forest?” Hermione interrogated him, fearing the answer. Harry and Ron were very descriptive when they told her about their adventure with Aragog and his countless starving offspring.
“Now that Sauron threatens the world, several gloomy creatures spread everywhere, I wouldn't be surprised if there were giant spiders in these parts," replied Gandalf, who knew about the adventure of the two children thanks to Hermione's description of it as soon as they entered the forest.
“If there were centaurs I would be calmer Gandalf.”
“I fear that these creatures do not live in the forest of Fangorn.”
The group finally arrived in Isengard, the place was flooded because the river overflowed in the middle, Hermione was watching the high tower with attention, when suddenly a few screams caught their attention, it was Merry and Pipin, who welcomed the group, while tasting food and tobacco.
“Damned hobbits! I have mixed feelings! I don't know whether to hug or beat them," said Gimli, a prisoner of exasperation.
“Guys, I'm so glad you're safe and sound!” Hermione said to them and getting off the horse she shared with Aragorn, she went to hug the hobbits.
The hobbits told the group that Barbol and the Ents had defeated Saruman, who had secluded himself in the tower. Gimli and the others wanted to settle accounts with Saruman and Grima, but Gandalf convinced them to leave them alone as they posed no danger to anyone.
Barbol was present and greeted the travelers, in that Pipin drew something that was lying beneath the stagnant waters.
“Give me that at once," the magician commanded him, and Pipin gave it to what Hermione looked like a sphere of black crystal.
Théoden said goodbye to Barbol wishing him a promising future.
“That's impossible, there are no more ent women, we don't have children," said Barbol sadly, and he left the group.
“Don't you know where ent women could have gone?” Hermione asked Gandalf, learning about the sad story of the shepherds of the forests.
“I have no idea Hermione, I went to the old forest in the region to investigate one day in my youth, but I only found ucornos, nobody knows the destiny of the women ent.”
“And if they went south or far east.”
“The distances are enormous Hermione, I don't see how they could have come that far without perishing at the hands of the orcs or the wild humans of Harad or the eastern steppes," he said, and Hermione was saddened by the ents, marvelous beings whose extinction was already certain.
.
.
Hermione and the others came to the king's city and were greeted with great joy.
“And to think that when we first arrived, I thought a funeral was more festive," said Gimli.
“Gandalf, what was that thing that Pipin gave you?” Hermione asked.
“Now is not the time to talk about it," said the magician, as he watched the hobbits stretch their necks to listen to the conversation. Hermione noticed and conjured up the Muffliato spell so that the two hobbits wouldn't listen to him.
Gandalf explained what palantir was all about.
“Something strange in this world, now the pieces of why Saruman betrayed us fit together," said Gandalf, through the palantir, Sauron convinced Saruman to join him.
“Instant communication," Hermione thought, and described how the magicians of his world communicated through chimneys, and how the Muggles had surpassed the magicians with scientific advances such as teleconferencing.
Gandalf was amazed at everything the girl told him, but he had to clear his mind because the king summoned them to the entrance of the golden castle to celebrate the feast of victory.
“After each battle we gathered here to toast our fallen brothers," said the king inside the castle, "but today we will celebrate that none of our brothers perished in combat, and all thanks to the protector of the kingdom of Rohan, Lady Hermione, the chestnut witch saviour of Helm's abyss.”
A great acclaim rumbled in the place and Hermione was surprised that King Théoden, has used the term of Witch in his speech, apparently all the doubts regarding Hermione were clarified and all accepted her nature without falling into foolish superstitions.
The banquet wasn't how Hermione imagined it, there were no minstrels or elegant ladies in the place, only brutal men making a big fuss and pouring their beer more on the floor than in their throats.
At least the food was digestible, as Théoden ordered the cooks not to skimp on spices and Hermione was able to enjoy well-seasoned meat, although she was surprised at the absence of beef and fruit at the banquet.
“No one eats Hermione beef," explained Aragorn, "not even farmers, cattle are draft animals.”
“What about milk? At least they drink milk, don't they?”
“Milk? that's peasant drink, a gentleman would never drink such a thing," he said, and Hermione opened her mouth in shock.
“So fruit, is it also only for the peasants?” the girl said.
“The knights also eat fruit, but it is more peasant food," Aragorn told her and explained how some of the food was forbidden to peasants by order of the King.
“How can they forbid such a thing!” She answer him indignantly, "We are all equal! I hate the Middle Ages!”
“But Hermione, we are not the same," Aragorn insisted, somewhat confused with Hermione's phrase because he was quite sure that he was in the middle-earth's third age.
“What the hell Aragorn, surely Legolas and Gimli don't think the same way, do you guys?”
“Hermione," said Legolas calmly, "Aragorn is right, peasants and gentlemen cannot be equal or the order of the world would collapse, the same happens with the wild elves or Rivendel's elves, so it is natural that some meals are only for the peasants and they are forbidden to eat others.”
Hermione was shocked, expecting more from the elves.
“I always believed that the elves were above all that Medieval crap... give me back my childhood! I hate the Middle Ages!”
“Hermione... we are in the third age of the...”
“Yes, I know how fucking age we are Legolas!” She shouted furiously at the elf, and Legolas was as white in the impression as Gimli and Aragorn. Some men stretched their necks to know the reason for their savior's anger.
"Sorry, Legolas... I didn't mean to yell at you, I'm really sorry," Hermione said sadly and shaking a little bit because of the adrenaline.
“You don't have to apologize, Hermione," Legolas said with a sad look.
“Of course I have to apologize to you Legolas," said a blushing Hermione and holding his hands, "it's not your fault at all, I was an idiot to think that things in this world would be different from how they were in my world in the Middle Ages.”
“But what about you Gimli (my faithful and trustworthy Gimli), even in the dwarf realms the same thing happens?”
Gimli became uncomfortable and nodded his head. Hermione looked down and decided not to insist on the matter, but unfortunately the witch saw something strange, a maid was crying and being comforted by an old woman in charge of the kitchens, the girl's clothes (Hermione thought she would be twelve years old) was torn...
Hermione shuddered and ran to the young woman and verified her worst fears. The old woman and the little girl disappeared through a door and Hermione raised her head, her eyes were on fire, she had to tell someone about this outrage, but she did not see the king, instead she could see Eomer.
“Eomer, you have to do something!” Hermione shouted to the man and proceeded to explain the situation.
“And?” said Éomer, raising his shoulders.
“WHAT DO YOU MEAN, "AND" CURSE!”
“The man only asked for his "fun" with the peasant, everyone does it.”
“How is it possible! Knights are supposed to defend the weak and the poor!”
“Hermione, the duty of every knight is to protect the king and the people of good (noblety), I don't understand why you bother, she is only a woman.”
So this was the prince, the knight in shining armor? Only an illiterate brute no better than his peers from other realms.
Hermione couldn't control herself, she was so furious that she didn't even pull out her wand, she just punched the warrior in the middle of his nose. Éomer would not have fallen for the witch's weak strength but stepped in false to avoid the girl's blow so he fell backwards. Hermione then placed her foot on Eomer's chest and pointed the wand at him. Everyone present looked at her open mouth.
“ALL... ALL OF YOU ARE EVILS!” Hermione shouted and with the Reducto destroyed the main meson.
Hermione realized what she had done and hurried out of the castle.
“Hermione wait!” Gandalf shouted, behind him there was a scuffle, the girl thought it was her friends fighting with Rohan’s men.
“Better return Gandalf, "said Hermione, whose hands trembled.
“It seems to me that it would not be prudent, Hermione.”
“I'm sorry Gandalf... sorry, I failed you.”
“You didn't do it Hermione, I think you acted well, I don't accept the manners of men either.”
“Gandalf...”
“I would have liked to teach men other ways of thinking and acting, but since I came to this world so long ago, my mission was to lead men to defeat the great enemy Sauron, but someday you will accomplish what I could not.”
“Gandalf... I'm just a woman... A stupid, dirty woman.”
"You are pure, you come from the stars,” Said Gandalf and hugged her to comfort her.
“What am I going to do now, Gandalf?”
“You'd better go to Minas Tirith, report to the seneschal Denethor and wait for our arrival.”
Gandalf hugged her again and entered the castle. Hermione wanted to say goodbye to his friends but thought it best to leave immediately.
Hermione walked down the stairs and noticed how the dagger delivered by Lady Galadriel vibrated strongly. The girl pulled the dagger out of her belt and drew it. Hermione touched the blade and felt a hook pulling from his navel, the dagger was a portkey.
TO BE CONTINUE...
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