"My Rowan Tree......"

In this vast valley south of the Misty Mountains and east of Isengard, in this ancient forest, an old and distant voice wafted.

"Your brilliance is dazzling...... Under the Summer ...... Your canopy is golden red...... Like a tall crown......"

When Gandalf and Anne meet with Aragorn, Golden Bolt, and Legolas who have entered the Fagon Forest, the tall Tree Man Treebeard is walking and strolling through the deep Fagon Forest with two little hobbits, Pippin and Merry.

Then, in his boredom, the whiskers were reading to the two hobbits the poems of the old tone that their tree shepherds loved. Because the shepherd spoke slowly and in a long tone, it often took a long time for it to finish a short paragraph, until the two little hobbits sitting on it were drowsy.

"What a beautiful poem......"

The self-feeling tendrils didn't notice the half-drooping eyes of the two hobbits, so he decided to change to another one and continue singing for a while.

After all these years, very few people who could talk to it entered the Fagon Forest and still lived to see themselves, so Treebeard was not going to give up this opportunity to talk to outsiders.

"Treebeard, how far are we?"

Pippin the hobbit, who was sitting in a fork above the whiskers, was already a little impatient, and they had been wandering around the Fagon Forest for half a day now!

However, until now, they don't seem to have reached their destination? Everywhere you look, there are those strange ancient trees, if you don't have a tree with you, let the two of them walk on their own, you have to get lost!

"Please don't rush ......"

"Perhaps, you will feel a little far away...... My house is deep in the forest, at the foot of that mountain......"

Upon hearing Treebeard's words, the two hobbits stood up and began to look into the distance, and then they quickly gave up.

Because, in the distance, there are several mountains, and they don't know which one they mean at the foot of the mountain. And, even if it's the most recent one, it's estimated that it will take more than half a day? Now they both complained a little, and they didn't know what Gandalf was going to do, why they didn't want to take the two of them with them?

"I promised Gandalf that I would keep you safe...... With my protection, you'll be safe......"

"I believe...... You guys, maybe you'll like my next poem? ”

After calming the two hobbits on his shoulders and head a little, Treebeard was about to continue reading its seemingly never-ending poem.

"That's right, Treebeard! We heard Gandalf say that you don't seem to have a good relationship with Lord Anne the Witch? So what's going on? ”

Merry didn't want to continue to listen to the talkative and slow old tree man continue to babble on those boring old poems, so he quickly opened his mouth and changed the subject.

"That's right! Tree whiskers, I also want to know why! Did the little witch offend you? ”

Pippin was also interested in the topic, and after hearing Melly's question, he also came up as soon as possible.

According to what Gandalf secretly told them before, if the two hobbits hadn't appeared in time and attracted the attention of the half-orcs to the treemen and the little witch, and then gave everyone a staircase to go down, maybe the lawless little Annie would have been fighting with the treemen, right?

"Hmm......"

"It's because ...... That little human girl, she's an evil little witch...... She also wants to burn our forests...... My last of these Fagon forests ......"

And she even wanted to barbecue those cute little squirrels...... Wicked Witch ......"

Treebeard, who had just wanted to continue reciting a poem of his own, heard the two hobbits ask about it, and with a little annoyance, he snorted in an inexplicable sound in their ancient language.

It has whiskers, and I don't like the little girl who plays with fire, I don't like it very much! In fact, none of them herders like any creatures that play with fire or use fire!

Because the flames will burn their trees and destroy their forests!

During the War of the Ancients in the First Age, the evil Veramogoth and his demons burned down the forests of their tree herders many times, destroying one ancient tree after another, and they burned many of them......

Of course, they don't like humans or dwarves who play with axes and chop trees! Will they destroy their forests, cut down their precious trees, build their ugly cities and make room for those farmlands?

In Treebeard's eyes, their Númenorians were just as bad as a bunch of bad guys, all invaders......

"Nope! Treebeard, I think maybe you've misunderstood something? ”

"Lady Anne is actually a very good person, she is not evil, she is ...... at most Sometimes it's just a little naughty? ”

When he was in Rivendell, Pippin, who had stolen chickens and dogs with little girls, hastened to defend Anne.

As for roasted squirrels or something, Pippin didn't go to catch them with Melly when he was in Charles, and they were delicious! It's just a little hard to catch, and there's not a lot of meat?

Therefore, Pippin doesn't think there is anything bad or evil about this, after all, Treants can grow up by eating soil, but hobbits or humans like them must eat meat!

"Pippin is right!"

"Lady Anne is not actually evil, she is a wonderful little human girl! We are strong and very good, and insects will not look down on us because we are weak! ”

"Perhaps...... The worst thing she has done is to secretly catch the sika deer that pulled the cart of King Ayron and roast it?! ”

After hearing Pippin's words, Melly, who was sitting on the familiar shoulder, also nodded in agreement, and he also liked the powerful little witch! He felt that the other party seemed to be more similar to the two of them hobbits? And, although sometimes a little elf-like, most of the time, she's easy to get along with, as long as you don't deliberately make her angry!

"Hmm...... Elond? Sika deer? ”

The treebeard groaned as it walked, and it suddenly felt a little confused, because it seemed to be a little familiar with the name Elon. Although it has forgotten a lot of things because it has fallen asleep so many times?

But it thinks it's likely to have heard or known about the one named Elon before? However, for a moment, it couldn't remember who the other person was, or where it had seen it......

"Nope! Melly! Are you crazy? You must not talk about it! ”

As soon as he heard that Merry dared to tell the story that Lord Anne and the two of them had stolen the sika deer pulled by Lord Rivendell when he was in Rivendell, Pippin, who was sitting above, immediately exploded, and he couldn't wait to jump down and directly cover the other party's unobstructed mouth.

How can this kind of thing be said casually?!

You know, that sturdy deer is King Elon's most beloved pet...... Supposedly, that thing still comes from a kingdom of gods called Amen Continent? It seems to be an auspicious beast?!

Pippin still remembers very well that at that time, when King Elon learned that his divine beast was missing, he was very angry! After scolding the guards, he angrily ordered the soldiers to wander around the forest, trying to find the lost deer for him, who would never return?!

And if you let the other party know that his beloved divine beast Hualu has already been captured alive by a powerful little girl and put into the stomachs of the three of them, then there must be a big incident, right?!

Looking back now, Pippin is still drooling!

That magical beast from Amen Island tastes really unusual! That kind of excellent taste, extraordinary taste bud enjoyment, is by no means comparable to those ordinary beasts here in Middle-earth.

It's a pity that they didn't bring kitchen utensils at that time, and they didn't have enough spices, and in that kind of fearful environment, they could only barbecue hastily......

"Melly! We swore that we would never talk about it! ”

After warning Melly again, Pippin suddenly remembered something.

He remembers, in that golden forest, there seems to be the same kind of flower deer? It's a pity that Lord Anne didn't go on an expedition with them at that time, so the two of them, who thought they were incompetent, didn't dare to attack the divine beast in the Golden Forest in the end......

"Huh!?"

Merry also seemed to realize that he had just lost his words, so he quickly looked at the old shepherd treebeard, who was listening to the conversation between the two with curiosity.

"Tree whiskers...... You're not going to tell that Elrond King, are you? We're friends, aren't we? ”

After glancing pitifully at the bushy mossy beard of the tree, Merry asked cautiously. If this tree man was familiar with King Elrond, Merry felt that they would probably have to find a way to hide back in the Shire sooner rather than later.

"Elon...... Who is King Elrond?! ”

After thinking about it for a while, the treebeard shook its head in annoyance, it couldn't remember who the Elon King was now, but at the same time it was sure: it must have heard of this name before!

“……”

"King Elon is a human, very tall, with black hair, blue eyes, and a little white skin...... Moreover, he is also the owner of a large lumber yard and, it is said, is particularly fond of cutting down trees? Trust me, Treebeard, you're not going to like him! ”

"That's right! That's it, that King Elrond, it is rumored that in order to make money, he has to cut down at least a large area of forest every year! ”

After glancing at each other with glad eyes, Merry and Pippin hurried to tell Treebeard everything about the Elrond King.

"Hmm......"

"Although...... It feels like the two of you aren't exactly telling the truth...... But...... I do dislike that guy...... If I see him, I'll stomp on his ......."

Lumberyard owner? Or a human who specializes in cutting trees to make money? And a huge area of forest is cut down every year?!

It's so shameful, so cruel! If you cut some wood a little bit to survive or do something necessary, the Kisushi Shinobu will be over! At most, just as invisible?

However, if it is cut down for the sake of making money, it will certainly not be forgiven!

So, if these two little hobbits are telling the truth, and if this is really the case, then Treebeard thinks that the next time he encounters that human called King Elrond, for the sake of those beautiful forests in Middle-earth, it will definitely step on it directly, and will definitely not give the other party a chance to quibble or escape!

“……”

“……”

After hearing Treebeard's murderous words, Merry and Pippin secretly glanced at each other again.

Then they prayed silently that the shepherd's treebeard would never run into Elvendell's Elven King, Elon! Otherwise, when the time comes, maybe something big will really happen! After all, that's much more serious than stealing a deer or something!

"That's right, Treebeard! I seem to have heard you mention that you tree people have lived for so long, at least tens of thousands of years? But why are you only a few hundred Treants left? ”

Pippin, who didn't want to dwell on the sensitive topic just now, hurriedly asked.

In any case, he needed to quickly distract the old tree man, he didn't want to hear any more words about King Elon or the sika deer.

"In the past 10,000 years, haven't you ever given birth to a little tree man?!"

Pippin was genuinely curious about this question.

The magical tree herdsmen, and the ones they rule over that move, and kill all the evil trees that enter the Fagon Forest?

At first, he thought that the tree man was the kind of big tree that could move! They were ordinary trees, growing bigger and taller, and then one day they suddenly opened their eyes and pulled their roots out of the ground as their feet. This becomes a tree man?

But if that's the case, shouldn't the number of shepherds be so small?

But if the other party is mated by the male and the female treeman to give birth to the little treemen, then where are the little treemen? Why had they been walking around the Fagong Forest for so long, and they had never seen it?

"Hmm...... Little Tree Man ......"

Upon hearing Pippin the Hobbit, Treebeard muttered that he didn't know what he had said, but his expression suddenly became depressed.

"We ...... It's been years since there was a baby treeman......"

The Treebeard sighed heavily, this is a serious problem, it has been pestering the Treemen for so long that they are now almost on the verge of extinction?

"Our tree wives...... They're all gone......"

The whiskers turned its head, and it didn't seem to want to talk to the two hobbits about the things that made it feel uncomfortable and sad.

They are the shepherds, the shepherds who still live here in the Fagong Forest, have been alone for thousands of years...... And, if nothing else, this state will continue, and then, they will most likely continue to mix until the day when they are completely extinct?!

"Oh! I'm sorry though...... But how exactly did they die? ”

Treebeard didn't seem to want to continue the conversation, but Pippin still wanted to continue.

This kind of exciting news can't be found anywhere else! Later, if they had made it back to the Shire after their adventure, they could have written it down like Bilbo Baggins Sr., and then brag to the Charles' friends and family when they had time, wouldn't they?

"Dead? No...... They didn't die ......"

Hear that the hobbits have misunderstood and thought their tree wives are dead? The treebeard quickly shook his head in denial, so that Pipin, who was sitting on it, almost lost his balance and fell.

"Tree Wife...... They're gone...... We can't find them anymore...... We lost them ourselves......"

As he spoke, he seemed to be touched by something particularly sad, and began to speak aloud:

"We have crossed the Anduin River to the land where they lived, but ...... But I only found a desert ......"

"Everything was destroyed by the war...... The fighting has caused great damage to their homes......"

"Our tree wives...... They're not over there......"

"We searched and searched...... Summoned and called...... Also asked all the people I met......"

"Some people say they've never seen a tree wife...... Some say they went west...... Some people say head north...... Others said...... Are they going south or east? ”

"But no matter how we find it...... I just can't find them...... We...... I really lost them......"

The further down he went, the more mournful and angry his tone became! If the shepherds wept, they must have been crying by now, right?

This may be part of the reason why the shepherds of the Fagon Forest hate orcs, humans, and almost all sapient beings?

To them, it's the flesh creatures who cut down their beloved forests and destroyed their tree wives' habitats! This hatred is even greater than the vast Fagon Forest now! Their resentment is as high as the tallest tree!

Countless years have passed since this incident, and it has almost forced them to become as chaotic and crazy as those Hunn, so that when Hun hunted those creatures that entered the Fagon Forest, the tree whiskers have always turned a blind eye, or even simply ignored it, and used sleep to pass the lonely time?

"You're in the Shire...... Haven't you ever seen our tree wife? ”

With that, Treebeard turned his head and looked at the two little hobbits with some expectation. These people, who are said to have visited half of Middle-earth, may have seen their tree wives?!

"I don't think I've seen it...... What about you, Melly? ”

After looking at the pitiful appearance of the tree beard, Pippin could only shake his head regretfully, he was sure that they really didn't see a big tree that looked similar to the tree beard, or could move?

"Tree wife? What do they really look like? Let's talk about it first? Perhaps, where have I seen it? ”

Merry thought about it for a moment, and then, he quickly turned his head abruptly and asked Shusu. Because, he found that he didn't even know what the tree wives looked like, and how could he remember whether he had seen each other?

"Hmm......"

"What do tree wives look like...... We don't remember much either......"

The treebeard froze, then blinked its huge eyes, thought hard again, and finally, suddenly became even more depressed......

Because, time is too long, and they have been living in the Fagon Forest for so long that they have almost forgotten what the tree wives look like......

"Perhaps...... We shepherds can only ...... Did as the wicked little witch asked......"

Seeing that the hobbits didn't know where their tree wives were, the tree whiskers sighed in resignation.

Although Treebeard really resents the evil little human witch, it is still resigned to its fate! For the sake of their shepherds' wives, for the sake of their offspring, and for the sake of no longer being a single tree, the tree must decide to submit to the little witch for the time being, and do as the other party commands......

"Your Excellency Anne? What reason does she have? And why did you do what she asked? ”

Pippin felt a little puzzled and inexplicable, didn't they just talk about the tree wives? Why did it suddenly get to Anne the little witch again? What's the matter with her?

"That's right! Didn't you just say that you hate Lady Anne? ”

Melly also leaned over curiously and asked.

What is it that would make these powerful tree people willing to succumb to a little girl they hate? He thinks this thing might be much more interesting than the tree wife or something!

Knowing a lot of strange things today, maybe, after returning to the Shire, they can really learn from that old Bilbo and write everything they know into a thick book?

"Hmm......"

"That's right...... The little witch is very evil...... She made us tree people to respond to her army...... We don't like war...... But...... She seems to know where our tree wife is......"

There's nothing like a group of tree herders who have been alone for thousands of years to find tree wives and blackmail them! So, after hearing what the little witch had secretly said to it at that time, the treebeard could only sigh deeply again.

It really has no choice but to compromise......

“……”

"Tree whiskers? Are you really sure? As far as we know, Lady Anne Witch is sometimes very naughty, maybe she's lying to you?! ”

Pippin and Merry looked at each other awkwardly, and could only persuade the old tree man.

The temperament of that little witch Anne, they have more contact with it, and they are more clear! So, they don't really want this honest old tree man to be coaxed by some unscrupulous little girl, and then end up with a bamboo basket to draw water?

That would be too cruel to their shepherds......

"No ......"

"That little witch, she's a strong person who can't lose to Vera, she won't fool me easily......"

Hearing the words of the two hobbits, the tree whiskers rolled their huge yellow-orange eyes for a moment, and finally shook its head slowly.

"She described it to me ......"

"In that deep wood...... There is a sea of strange flowers...... Where the plants ...... The vitality is unusually vigorous...... And also...... Several special forms of green energy ......"

"That'...... It's our tree wife...... Several tree wives ......"

At this point, the tree whiskers even began to tremble.

Apparently, it was excited now, and if it hadn't been for the wicked little witch asking them to serve in her army and fulfilling her demands before telling them where the tree wives were, perhaps it would have called for its companions by now, and ran to the tree wives as fast as it could, day and night, right?

Never underestimate the determination of this group of people who have been alone for tens of thousands of years!

"But by that alone, can you be sure that this is your tree wife? Have you all forgotten what they look like? ”

"That's right!"

Pippin and Melly were also a little crying and laughing for a while, they didn't expect that this tree shepherd could be so sure that those things were their tree wives based on these inexplicable descriptions?

Didn't they even forget about themselves? Now, why is it so sure? This thing, the two of them sound a little unreliable! It's a flower, it's energy, or something, so it must be a tree wife?

"No...... The Tree Wives will change into special forms...... This...... I'm pretty sure...... That's ...... them."

"We've waited too long...... It's been a long time......"

"Now...... I'm finally going to find them......"

"So...... Even if we are in the company of evil little witches...... Even if let's start a war...... Let's destroy the whole world...... We're also ...... to do it."

For the first time, Merry and Pippin actually saw that cruel and cold expression on the face of the treebeard! And, of course, those big, yellow-orange-orange eyes that are getting brighter and brighter......

————

In the Rohan Prairie, three horses stopped in the distance of this huge herdsmen's city, looking at the palace towering over a huge stone hill and the residential area that surrounded it below.

Here are three horses and five knights, and the one who rides alone on a tall white horse is little Anne! After she and the other four walked out of the Fagon Forest, they forcibly took over the pony that Gandalf had summoned with great difficulty!

Then, naturally, the dwarf Golden Bolt and the elven prince Leglas rode a gray war horse, while the white-robed wizard Gandalf was very embarrassed and squeezed together with Aragorn on the back of the maroon war horse.

"Andoras, the golden palace of Medusi!"

"This is the Rohan Kingdom, the palace of the Hussar King of Hieudon! We finally arrived, hopefully everything is still in time......"

It was only after seeing the palace and the city in the distance that Gandalf breathed a sigh of relief, and now he could finally stop squeezing passionately with Aragorn on a warhorse, what a torture......

According to the exiled Iomo who Aragorn met before, the current king of the Rohan kingdom, Xiyodon, seems to have been controlled by Saruman with an evil spell and has become indistinguishable from the enemy?!

If that's the case, then they'll have to act quickly!

Gandalf knows that some spells, if they last too long, are likely to have a very bad effect on the human brain!

Originally, Gandalf was still a little worried, he was afraid that his magic would not be able to counter that Saruman's control over the Hussar King of Sieudon? After all, Saruman is much stronger than him, who is still limited in strength!

Don't look at the white robe he is wearing now, but he himself knows that this was given to him by Queen Galadriel of the Golden Forest, and it has nothing to do with his own strength! He did not die in the battle against the Firedemons, nor was he resurrected by the Veras and released from the limits of his strength.

However, after glancing at the little girl riding on his horse Miaras Divine Shadow Wing, Gandalf nodded secretly, although this little girl was a mess most of the time, but if this little girl was there, it would have been much easier for him to counter Saruman's spells!

"Huh? Is this finally the case? ”

Anne, who had been napping on horseback, opened her eyes in a daze when she felt the horse stop.

"Then let's hurry up and get in, shall we? It's exhausting! This horse, it's not fun at all, it's too slow and it's bumpy! ”

At this time, little Anne patted the white steed under her very dissatisfied, and wanted it to quickly carry her to the city gate in the distance.

Along the way, she didn't sleep comfortably on the horse's back at all!

“……”

A person riding a horse alone, and still dare to say that she is tired when she doesn't let others ride with her? Gandalf and Aragorn don't know what to prophesy to use to describe this terrible little girl!

"Anne...... Jet Shadow said it doesn't like you very much......"

Turning his head to look at the white pony who was snorting his nose with the mane on his neck, Gandalf couldn't help but not be able to tell his partner's thoughts.

"Oh? Then it should be rejoicing! ”

Reaching out and grabbing the other mane's white mane, Anne turned his head over and looked at the huge eyes of the pony before Anne nodded, and quickly shook her head again.

"Uh, glad ......? What is this statement? ”

Gandalf didn't quite understand the little kid's thoughts, and Shadow didn't like her and was glad he didn't like her? What kind of logic is this? It's completely nonsensical!

"Because horse meat is not tasty! Bitter and astringent? ”

"So, I'm not going to eat it because it doesn't like me! What do you think? Shouldn't it feel a little lucky?! ”

This beautiful horse, if it were any other animal, and then hated herself, would have been roasted and eaten by Anne!

"What do you see? Look again, be careful and I'll eat you! ”

Seeing that the big horse dared to turn his head and stare at him, daring to be angry and speechless, Anne glared back mercilessly!

“……”

"That's right, not only is Jieying happy, I'm also very lucky!"

Gandalf's lips trembled, and it took a long time for such a sentence to come out.

Luckily, his mount is a horse, isn't it? Otherwise, its fate might have been the same as that of Rivendell and some magical creature in the Golden Forest!

That little kid, really think she didn't know what she did? It's just that he doesn't dare to say it casually!

Thinking about it this way, it seems that Miss Galadriel also knows that this little girl ate her magical animal, right? Otherwise, she wouldn't have been that rushing expression at that time?

"Let's go, let's go with ......"

So Gandalf and the others could only look with the others at the white pony in front of him, which was running towards the city gate with a grunt, and the blonde and red-dressed imp on its back!

"I really don't understand, why does my daddy Gloin like this little girl so much? But I don't like her at all! ”

"It's weird all day long, and it's scheming, it's sinister and cunning, and it's not like a normal little girl!"

The dwarf Jin Li, who was in Legolas's arms, had the courage to muttered two words of dissatisfaction when he saw the little girl rushing out on horseback.

"I don't really like her either......"

Legolas nodded, agreeing with the dwarf in his arms, and he didn't like this little girl who especially liked to give people nicknames!

What did she call herself before? A pointy-eared little white face who likes to play with bows and arrows? What does this mean!?

The Sylvan elves of their dark and dense forests were originally pointy ears and good at bows and arrows, and he didn't deny that! But what's the deal with this little white face's nickname? That sounds like it sounds like it's not a good word, right?!

"Alright, stop complaining, at least she's not too bad and she's on our side, isn't she? Let's hurry up and keep up......"

Seeing in the distance, it seemed that the Rohan cavalry guarding the gate was trying to surround the little girl galloping on horseback, Gandalf hurried to ask Aragorn, who was in charge of riding the horse in front of him, to hurry up.

He really doesn't want this little girl to make trouble in the royal court of the Rohan Kingdom again after making trouble in the Fagong Forest once?!

On the top of the Silaksigil Peak, Gandalf had seen the terrifying power of this little girl when she went berserk, and that didn't seem to be her true strength? So, he definitely didn't want to see some little girl threaten to burn all of Andoras again?