Author's note: For those of you reading Flight of the Dragon, don't worry,
I haven't abandoned it.
***
"If you insist on keeping up this pace it will take months to reach Minas Tirith," Legolas said from where he waited for Gimli to catch up with him.
"I thought you elves were known for your patience," Gimli retorted.
"Well, since we live thousands of years it is a useful skill, I'm just worried that at this speed your brief, mortal life will have ended before we even sight the city." Legolas enjoyed teasing Gimli, since the dwarf got annoyed so easily. Legolas had missed Gimli during the year that had passed since the end of the quest, though nothing would ever make him admit that. It was likely that Gimli had slowed his pace on purpose just to annoy Legolas, but Legolas would pretend not to notice just so he could tease the dwarf for his slowness.
At last the called a halt for the night. Despite Legolas' complaints, they were actually making good time. They were passing through the Druadan forest on the west road on the way to visit Aragorn in Minas Tirith.
"Since you are obviously so exhausted by your exercise," Legolas said, "I had better take first watch."
Gimli glared at him, but agreed. Legolas had expected Gimli to argue that he was fine and stubbornly insist on taking the first watch. Instead the dwarf had called his bluff and now he would have to stay awake half the night.
It was a pleasant night to be awake, with stars and a thin sliver of moon lighting the sky. Legolas sat, listening to the sounds of creatures moving in the trees and the rhythmic snoring of his companion. Suddenly he tensed, hearing something that didn't sound quite right, though it was difficult to tell over the sound of Gimli's snores. He reached out for his pack, which contained his knives. Unfortunately he hadn't thought to keep them closer at hand.
Suddenly figures charged from the trees. A foot stamped heavily down on his outstretched hand.
"Gimli!" Legolas called, as someone grabbed him from behind and pressed a knife to his throat. Gimli didn't get the warning in time to escape another figure disarming him and treating him in much the same manner as Legolas.
Legolas struggled as much as he was able to without cutting his own throat as one of the figures swiftly bound his hands behind his back. He could see that Gimli was being bound as well.
"Are you sure it's them?" a voice asked.
"An elf and a dwarf travelling together. Who else could it be?" In the dim light Legolas saw enough of his companions to know they were human, but couldn't tell much else.
"Send a message to the mistress and let her know we have them," the first voice said. A man, but the other one who had spoken was a woman. Legolas wondered who they were as he struggled. But the hands that held him were strong and the ropes tight.
"I wouldn't struggle if I were you," the man said, "Our orders are to capture you alive, but no one ever said you had to be unharmed." Legolas stopped struggling, not because he was afraid but to conserve his strength so that he would be better able to escape later.
***
Pippin was woken up by the sound of knocking. He got out of bed and hastily pulled a dressing gown over his nightshirt. The knock continued insistently, and he hurried to the door. It stopped just before he got there as he called out he was coming.
He opened the door, and his eyes went wide with surprise at the sight that greeted him. Nothing. Had he just been dreaming the someone was knocking?
"Hello?" he called as he stepped outside into the night air. He was about to go back inside when someone grabbed him from behind. A hand clamped over his mouth so he couldn't cry out and someone else yanked his hands behind him. He struggled wildly as his hands were bound and a thick gag shoved in his mouth. He continued kicking as a sack was pulled over his head, rendering him blind. Strong hands lifted him from the ground and Pippin was carried, though he couldn't guess where.
"Inform the mistress of our success," a woman's voice said, "we have them all."
***
Aragorn slowly became aware of an aching pain in his head. Then he became aware of the uncomfortable position he was lying in. It didn't help that whatever he was lying on appeared to be moving. It was only when he tried to shift into a better position that he became aware of the fact that he was tied up.
He tried to open his eyes, but he was blindfolded. His head throbbed, probably not helped by the fact it was hanging below the rest of his body. From the movement and the sounds of hoof beats he guessed he was tied over a horse, his hands and feat tied together by a rope that past under the horse's stomach. He called feel the awkward shape of the saddle beneath him. Those things were designed for sitting on, not being tied over.
How had he got like this? He tried to think but his recent memories were blurry. He must have been hit over the head. It would certainly explain why it hurt the way it did. Where was he?
"I think he's awake," a man said.
"Good," a woman replied, "I wasn't looking forward to explaining to the mistress if he was permanently damaged."
"Who's your mistress?" Aragorn managed to ask through a dry throat.
"The Lady Reyalla." Rayalla. That name was familiar. Aragorn creased his brow trying to remember why, but his thoughts seemed to be moving slowly. He knew he'd heard it before though.
***
Lady Reyalla sat looking out of a window at her gardens. She sighed, wondering how much longer they would be hers to tend. She was sad, because if she was right it would soon be another's duty to look after them. But it she was wrong, what then?
The door opened, and she knew who was there even before she turned to look. There were only two people who would enter without waiting for permission, and the tread was too heavy to be her daughter.
She turned to see an old man standing there. Those who didn't know him wouldn't be able to read his expression, but Reyalla had known him for a very long time. Long enough to know that he was angry with her.
"The messages have all arrived," he said, "the members of the Fellowship are being brought here."
"Good," she said, "they should be here soon."
"It's not too late to change your mind."
"You gave me your word you would not interfere," Reyalla said with a hint of annoyance.
"If I meant to interfere your servants would never have reached their destination," she heard the anger in that voice and became worried. She knew he wouldn't hurt her. Probably.
"This was your suggestion."
"Not your methods."
"I don't have time to waste on your methods," Reyalla sighed again.
"There are better ways."
"What? Keeping them locked up for months, unaware of what's happening or why? Missing their families and friends?"
"I do not approve."
"You never do," Reyalla said.
The old man sat down, again without waiting for permission. "I often approve of things, just not when they're so blatantly wrong."
"Sometimes things have to be sacrificed for the greater good, don't you agree?"
"Only when there is no other choice," the man replied.
"And I have no choice. I don't have hundreds of years to waste like you do. I'm rapidly running out of time." Reyalla sighed again, and looked out of the window. She had to hope that he would be among them. If he wasn't. . .
***
"If you insist on keeping up this pace it will take months to reach Minas Tirith," Legolas said from where he waited for Gimli to catch up with him.
"I thought you elves were known for your patience," Gimli retorted.
"Well, since we live thousands of years it is a useful skill, I'm just worried that at this speed your brief, mortal life will have ended before we even sight the city." Legolas enjoyed teasing Gimli, since the dwarf got annoyed so easily. Legolas had missed Gimli during the year that had passed since the end of the quest, though nothing would ever make him admit that. It was likely that Gimli had slowed his pace on purpose just to annoy Legolas, but Legolas would pretend not to notice just so he could tease the dwarf for his slowness.
At last the called a halt for the night. Despite Legolas' complaints, they were actually making good time. They were passing through the Druadan forest on the west road on the way to visit Aragorn in Minas Tirith.
"Since you are obviously so exhausted by your exercise," Legolas said, "I had better take first watch."
Gimli glared at him, but agreed. Legolas had expected Gimli to argue that he was fine and stubbornly insist on taking the first watch. Instead the dwarf had called his bluff and now he would have to stay awake half the night.
It was a pleasant night to be awake, with stars and a thin sliver of moon lighting the sky. Legolas sat, listening to the sounds of creatures moving in the trees and the rhythmic snoring of his companion. Suddenly he tensed, hearing something that didn't sound quite right, though it was difficult to tell over the sound of Gimli's snores. He reached out for his pack, which contained his knives. Unfortunately he hadn't thought to keep them closer at hand.
Suddenly figures charged from the trees. A foot stamped heavily down on his outstretched hand.
"Gimli!" Legolas called, as someone grabbed him from behind and pressed a knife to his throat. Gimli didn't get the warning in time to escape another figure disarming him and treating him in much the same manner as Legolas.
Legolas struggled as much as he was able to without cutting his own throat as one of the figures swiftly bound his hands behind his back. He could see that Gimli was being bound as well.
"Are you sure it's them?" a voice asked.
"An elf and a dwarf travelling together. Who else could it be?" In the dim light Legolas saw enough of his companions to know they were human, but couldn't tell much else.
"Send a message to the mistress and let her know we have them," the first voice said. A man, but the other one who had spoken was a woman. Legolas wondered who they were as he struggled. But the hands that held him were strong and the ropes tight.
"I wouldn't struggle if I were you," the man said, "Our orders are to capture you alive, but no one ever said you had to be unharmed." Legolas stopped struggling, not because he was afraid but to conserve his strength so that he would be better able to escape later.
***
Pippin was woken up by the sound of knocking. He got out of bed and hastily pulled a dressing gown over his nightshirt. The knock continued insistently, and he hurried to the door. It stopped just before he got there as he called out he was coming.
He opened the door, and his eyes went wide with surprise at the sight that greeted him. Nothing. Had he just been dreaming the someone was knocking?
"Hello?" he called as he stepped outside into the night air. He was about to go back inside when someone grabbed him from behind. A hand clamped over his mouth so he couldn't cry out and someone else yanked his hands behind him. He struggled wildly as his hands were bound and a thick gag shoved in his mouth. He continued kicking as a sack was pulled over his head, rendering him blind. Strong hands lifted him from the ground and Pippin was carried, though he couldn't guess where.
"Inform the mistress of our success," a woman's voice said, "we have them all."
***
Aragorn slowly became aware of an aching pain in his head. Then he became aware of the uncomfortable position he was lying in. It didn't help that whatever he was lying on appeared to be moving. It was only when he tried to shift into a better position that he became aware of the fact that he was tied up.
He tried to open his eyes, but he was blindfolded. His head throbbed, probably not helped by the fact it was hanging below the rest of his body. From the movement and the sounds of hoof beats he guessed he was tied over a horse, his hands and feat tied together by a rope that past under the horse's stomach. He called feel the awkward shape of the saddle beneath him. Those things were designed for sitting on, not being tied over.
How had he got like this? He tried to think but his recent memories were blurry. He must have been hit over the head. It would certainly explain why it hurt the way it did. Where was he?
"I think he's awake," a man said.
"Good," a woman replied, "I wasn't looking forward to explaining to the mistress if he was permanently damaged."
"Who's your mistress?" Aragorn managed to ask through a dry throat.
"The Lady Reyalla." Rayalla. That name was familiar. Aragorn creased his brow trying to remember why, but his thoughts seemed to be moving slowly. He knew he'd heard it before though.
***
Lady Reyalla sat looking out of a window at her gardens. She sighed, wondering how much longer they would be hers to tend. She was sad, because if she was right it would soon be another's duty to look after them. But it she was wrong, what then?
The door opened, and she knew who was there even before she turned to look. There were only two people who would enter without waiting for permission, and the tread was too heavy to be her daughter.
She turned to see an old man standing there. Those who didn't know him wouldn't be able to read his expression, but Reyalla had known him for a very long time. Long enough to know that he was angry with her.
"The messages have all arrived," he said, "the members of the Fellowship are being brought here."
"Good," she said, "they should be here soon."
"It's not too late to change your mind."
"You gave me your word you would not interfere," Reyalla said with a hint of annoyance.
"If I meant to interfere your servants would never have reached their destination," she heard the anger in that voice and became worried. She knew he wouldn't hurt her. Probably.
"This was your suggestion."
"Not your methods."
"I don't have time to waste on your methods," Reyalla sighed again.
"There are better ways."
"What? Keeping them locked up for months, unaware of what's happening or why? Missing their families and friends?"
"I do not approve."
"You never do," Reyalla said.
The old man sat down, again without waiting for permission. "I often approve of things, just not when they're so blatantly wrong."
"Sometimes things have to be sacrificed for the greater good, don't you agree?"
"Only when there is no other choice," the man replied.
"And I have no choice. I don't have hundreds of years to waste like you do. I'm rapidly running out of time." Reyalla sighed again, and looked out of the window. She had to hope that he would be among them. If he wasn't. . .