Okay, so I've told the story of how Shagrat lost his mother, and I've started the story of his life when he left Mordor. But what happened in between? How did Shagrat end up in Mordor in the first place. This fic is meant to answer these questions, as well as demonstrate the relationship between Shagrat and Sauron and how it was formed. That's all I have to say. Ronnie-dear! Disclaimer time!
Sauron: D. L. owns nothing except Isthey and some of the Barad-dûr characters.
D. L. : Thanks, Ronnie-la! (jump hugs Sauron)
- 1. Taken -
It had been about two months since their mother died. Shagrat and Isthey had become used to her absence, having the old healer Tinana to care for them instead. The six-year-old Isthey and his two-year-old baby brother, Shagrat, had taken up residence in a spare room at the back of Tinana's hut. It was right beside where Tinana herself slept, so when Shagrat got frightened by a storm or had a nightmare (a common occurence for him), he could run to her and hide in her covers. Currently, the two were walking alnog the willow lined banks of the stream, Shagrat running in and out of the curtain-like willow branches with his arms spread. The branches slid over him like a smooth, green river, a leaf occasionally getting caught in his hair. Suddenly, Isthey reached out and grabbed his brother's arm.
"Shagrat, look!" He pointed a little ways down the stream to where a large heron stood dipping its beak into the water as it tried to catch the small silvery fish that swam up and down the stream.
"What is it, Isthey?" the little one asked as he stared at it.
"It's a heron. They're very rare in these parts." Shagrat nodded and turned back to the stream, watching the heron as it continued to fish. Suddenly, Shagrat's blue eyes brightened and he ran into the stream.
"Ma t'aryón (1), what are you doing?" Isthey asked as Shagrat jumped all over the creek sending up sprays of water.
"I wanna catch a fish too, Isthey! Like the heron did." He stood chest deep in the water as his hand darted into the the water again, just misssing the fish.
"Oh, you almost had it. Good try, though." Shagrat tried a few more times before he let out an exasperated sigh. He turned to climb out, back to his brother. At that moment, the current of the stream shook the rocks beneath his feet loose. Shagrat fell into the water, going under completely, only to come up gasping and spluttering.
"Shagrat!" Isthey cried. The stream wasn't all that deep, but Shagrat couldn't swim yet. Isthey knew, had he been there, his father would have told him to stand by and let Shagrat get himself out. But his poor baby brother was so tiny, and looked so scared. Isthey decided he wasn't his father and plunged into the water. He easily caught Shagrat in his arms, and the baby clung to him for dear life. Isthey carried him back to the bank and sat down beneath a willow tree with Shagrat in his arms, the baby shivering and crying softly.
"Shh, shh, it's okay, Shagrat. You're all right now." Isthey stroked Shagrat's long black hair softly, trying to comfort his little brother.
"B-b-but I-I d-didn't-t catch the f-f-fish-sh." the baby muttered sadly. Isthey saw something glttering on the ground and smiled.
"Oh really?" he asked, "Then what is this?" He held up the end of Shagrat's tail, where a silvery fish had latched its jaws around the tuft of hair on the tail's end. Shagrat's eyes grew wide.
"I did it! I caught a fish like the heron!" His tears stopped immediately, replaced by the big, bright smile Isthey loved to see on Shagrat's face. He hated seeing his brother hurt or crying. To Isthey, this look was the one that fit Shagrat best.
"You try, Isthey!" Shagrat chirped, "You try! It's fun!" Isthey laughed as his brother tried to pounce on the flopping fish, which had let go of Shagrat's tail.
"Oh, I probably won't get one like you." Isthey answered.
"Come on! Pwease?" Shagrat sat down on his knees and looked up at his brother, his eyes wide and sad-looking, his lower lip stuck out so he looked like he was about to cry again. Isthey's heart melted; he could never bring himself to say no to that sweet, innocent face, and Shagrat knew it all too well.
"Oh, all right, Shagrat. For you." Shagrat clapped his tiny hands in delight as he watched Isthey's hand shoot under the water and come back up clutching a wriggling fish.
"Yaaaay, Isthey!" Shagrat applauded his brother's catch.
"Here, let me string them up and we can come get them for dinner tonight." Fish was one of Shagrat's favorite foods. It was also the only meat that was soft enough for Shagrat's baby teeth to chew.
"Hey, Isthey. I think I hear horsies." Shagrat's ears were pricked toward one of the hills that ringed the vale where the orcs' village was. Isthey listened, and he too heard the distant thundering of hooves.
"Maybe it's the warriors." Shagrat said.
"Maybe. Or maybe it's messengers from the other clans." Isthey added. Shagrat tugged eagerly on his hand.
"Can we go see, Isthey? Pleeeeeeease?" Isthey nodded and walked in the direction of the hill, his brother frolicking along beside him.
It was the last time Isthey saw his brother happy.
They looked over the hill and gasped at what they saw. Cloaked, hooded Men on huge black horses. Swords glittered at their sides and the armor on their shoulders glinted in the sunlight. Most terrible of all was the one who led them. He was tall, clothed in black, and wore a helm with no eyeholes, so that only his hideous decaying mouth was visible. A barbed whip hung at his side.
"Those aren't warriors. Or messengers." Isthey whispered.
"W-we should-d get out of h-h-here." Shagrat stammered, clutching Isthey's arm and trying to hide behind him, "W-w-we should t-tell some-m-one. G-g-get h-help." The two orcs agreed and ran for the village. The sound of the horses was getting closer, until the riders crested the hill and must've caught sight of them. Isthey ran as fast as he could, forgetting for a moment that Shagrat wasn't as fast as him. That would be his crucial mistake.
"Isthey! Help!" Shagrat screamed. Isthey turned around and saw, to his horror, one of the riders had caught Shagrat!
"No! Shagrat!" Isthey took off toward the rider who held his baby brother.
"Help me, Isthey!" Shagrat cried again, his shrill little voice filled with fear, tears streaming down his face. Isthey ran as fast as he could, but the horse was faster. As he ran, he saw that the other riders had young orcs on their mounts with them, and he could see parents and family members racing after them in a futile attempt to save the little ones, who were crying and screaming for their mothers, fear running rampant among them. Shagrat kicked and squirmed against his captor, but it was useless. The man just held him tighter.
"ISTHEY!" Shagrat screamed. The rider let go of one side of his reins and smacked Shagrat across his cheek, making the baby shriek in pain. Isthey felt anger rise inside him, driving him forward. How dare this stranger kidnap and hurt his sweet little Shagrat that way! Shagrat's eyes were waterfalls now, his soft blue eyes squeezed shut from the pain of how tight the man was holding him and the slap across his face. Isthey surged forward, his rage driving him, Shagrat's tear soaked face being his only concern. He would save Shagrat, then he would wipe away those awful tears and hold his brother tight and tell him how much he loved him, and do whatever it took to make him smile and laugh again.
Such were Isthey's thoughts until his foot caught on a root and sent him sprawling. When he looked up again, Shagrat was almost gone, the rider that had him disappearing over the hill. All he could do was lay there, stunned, as his baby brother was taken from him, never to be seen again.
"Shagrat." he whispered, his own tears flowing now. He'd let him down. He had promised Shagrat that he would take care of him, protect him. And he had failed. Bacause of that, Shagrat was gone.
He got up and followed the tracks the horses had left. Suddenly, he saw something white laying in the dirt. He walked over and picked it up, his tears coming faster as he saw what it was. Their mother's eagle-feather-and-bone hairpiece, which he had given to Shagrat the day their mother died. Now it was all he had left of Shagrat.
Back at Tinana's hut, Isthey lay on his bed in their back room and cried, Shagrat's little blue blanket clutched in his hands, held tight against his chest. Never again would he hear Shagrat's lovely voice, the sweet sound of his laughter, or the innocent way he said "I love you" that only Shagrat was able to do. Never again would he see that adorable face, those wide and soft blue eyes, the smile that he loved so much. It was all gone. And it was all his fault. Just the day before, the two had gotten into a fight and Isthey had said he wished someone would take Shagrat off his hands. Now he regretted ever even thinking such a thing. All he wanted was for Shagrat to run up to him now and beg to be held. Isthey would have gladly obliged, his baby brother being his whole world, despite any of their fights, he loved Shagrat more than anything. He sighed and looked down at the little blanket.
"I'm sorry, Shagrat." he said softly, "I'm so sorry I couldn't save you. I'm sorry I was a terrible big brother." He felt his heart break as he said those words, and he clutched Shagrat's blanket tighter.
Outside his door, Tinana stood listening. Isthey had told her what happened, her dress still soaked with his tears. When would it end? When would their children be safe from these wild Men, these terrible marauders who stole them and did Eru-knew-what with them. She could imagine poor little Shagrat, wherever he was, scared to death and crying for his brother. The very thought broke her heart. She turned away from Isthey's room, only hearing five soft words as she left.
"I love you, little Shagrat."
XxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxX
(1) "T'aryón" is "brother" in Uruk-hai (NOT Black Speech. I'm making up the language for the Uruk-hai clan myself)
Wow. Okay, that was sad. It probably won't be happy again until Chapter Three. Just stay with me until then. I promise it'll be worth it.
Sauron: (sniffling) It will. Trust me.
D. L. : Ronnie, are you crying?
Sauron: NO...yes.
D. L. Aaaawwww, somebody needs a hug. (hugs him)
Sauron: (sob) Review please. (crying)