Disclaimer: I do not own LOTR. If there would have been more female influence in the novels, duh.


The Clandestine Kidnapping

"Not I, nor anyone else can travel that road for you.

You must travel it by yourself.

It is not far. It is within reach.

Perhaps you have been on it since you were born, and did not know.

Perhaps it is everywhere - on water and land."

― Walt Whitman, Leaves of Grass


August 2014

This was my spot.

High up in the mountains surrounded by the woods was the place where I felt most at peace. I laid claim to this granite stone from the first moment we ventured here as a family. It felt entirely too long ago when we were all here together. I dipped my bare feet into the cool stream watching the water trickle over the miniature waterfall to join the larger pool down below. I lay back fully against the warm surface of the rock closing my eyes and soaking in the rays of the sun. Summer camping trips were always the best, especially in Onion Valley.

Onion Valley was located near the town of Independence, California. Admittedly, Onion Valley wasn't the most extreme camping ground for thrill seekers, but it was reclusive. There weren't many people who knew about this particular camp ground or travelled this far out. There were much more popular camping sites, but this had been one of my father's favorite camps sites and the one we went to every summer and spring.

Dad had so many memories coming up here with his friends after high school. I always loved listening to the stories of the times that Mom, Dad and their best friends came here together.

I smiled thinking about my parents realtionship. My Mom had pursued my Dad like nobody's business. Mom was two years his junior and became infatuated with Dad at nineteen. My Dad had been working at a hospital part time and also working as a musician when they met. Dad wasn't looking for anything serious or permanent; he was a musician after all. But still they dated off and on for a year or two and when my Dad took my Mom to this valley everything had changed.

I shook my head and laughed thinking about my Dad telling me this story when I was younger.

My Dad sat in a fold out chair sipping a beer gazing into the crackling fire while Mom was mixing hot chocolate into plastic cups for us. My little brother sat curled in my lap trying hard not to fall asleep.

"And then what happened?" I asked eagerly.

"Well I took your Mom out here." He smiled from the other side of the campfire.

"And you went backpacking to the same place like you did with that other girl?"

Mom was laughing freely and she handed me a cup filled to the brim with marshmallows. "No, not the same one, actually not as hard as the trail your Mom and I took."

I urged him to continue, "And she complained the whole time."

"Yep, it was probably one of the worst trips I've ever been on. She said she'd been backpacking before, but obviously hadn't. We left early and broke up a few weeks after that. But your Mom," he continued glancing at her as she came to sit by him in her own chair, "Toughest gal I've ever met."

Mom made a comical face and started to giggle girlishly while opening the cap of a margarita. Mom had always let me a have a few sips of the flavored drinks she had when we went camping.

"We went on this long hike hoping to camp by this lake I heard about. Anyway, we take a wrong turn and end up at a completely different lake. Not only that, but the trail was twice as far; we got into the camping ground after dark. When we settled in for the night her feet were covered in blisters and bleeding through her socks. I had no idea, she hadn't complained the entire day."

I widened my eyes and looked at my Mom. "How come you didn't say anything Mom?"

I watched her reach over and rub the back of my Dad's neck. "Because," she whispered conspiratorially, "I wanted to make sure he knew what a catch I was."

I remember laughing and smiling so much my face hurt. I eventually woke up my brother, but he wasn't too upset when we started making smores.

It was hard to believe that a few months later we would be orphans.


There was something wet and rough pressing against my neck. I squirmed away as a gust of warm air rushed against me followed by a whine. Blearily, I opened my eyes pushing Diana's wet nose from my neck and sat up. Stretching, I looked up at the sky and realized I must have fallen asleep as it was near dusk. There was also a brisk chill beginning to set in and I needed to be back soon or Daniel would be worried.

"Hey, Brennan!" speak of the devil. Diana, my two year-old german shepherd mix, barked excitedly, and before I knew it, raced down the hill towards my brother.

"Where have you been? You were supposed to be back over an hour ago." I rolled my eyes and stood up making my way down the slope.

"I know sorry!" I replied as I sat down on a particularly slanted rock and slid down.

"Fall asleep again?" he smirked as I approached him.

I gave Diana a firm pat. "Ya," I smiled sheepishly.

We started the 30 minute walk back to camp with Diana sniffing around following us leisurely. Daniel slung his right arm around my shoulder and I scrunched my nose. "You stink," I told him poking him in the ribs in the process.

He laughed and trapped my head under his arm. "I think I smell like a sexy beast myself. Just like I'm wearing axe, don't you agree?"

I struggled minimally under his sudden head lock, but not actually wanting to hurt him. "You're disgusting. You know I could hurt you if I wanted to right?"

"Oh, big tough jiu jitsu chick. How could I ever forget? So sorry." He tightened his hold nearly suffocating me until I faked a quick jab and twisted out of his grip and had his arm at an odd angle behind his back. "Ow, what the fuck!"

"You asked for it, brat. Big sister can still kick your ass."

"Ya, big assed sister for sure."

I pulled his arm tighter behind his back. "I'm sorry, what was that?" I asked him sweetly.

"Nothing, oh beautiful and wise sister. Now, how about not ripping my arm off please? You'll have to fix it you know."

I released him and he stumbled forward a few steps rubbing his shoulder.

"Bitch."

"And I love you too."


That night we sat around the campfire roasting marshmallows on our last evening in Onion Valley. Daniel sat on my right and Diana lay at my feet eating a sausage. There were six of us gathered around the fire, Caroline and her husband Max, and Emma and her fiancée Hadley. Caroline and Emma were two of my best friends through physical therapy school, but we hadn't seen each other much since we'd spent our last year of school completing clinical rotations in different cities. Most of my clinical rotations had been in Arizona near our university. Caroline and Max lived near the university so I got to see them a bit more. Emma did most of hers in Los Angeles so she could live with Hadley. While we chatted weekly via Skype it wasn't the same as seeing her nearly every day for two years. Still, it was nice to have everyone together in one location for once, especially since we had something to celebrate. We were celebrating our graduation, passing our board exams, and drinking to the start of a new and hopefully successful career.

And my brother, well he was along for the ride and helping me move back home to California. He definitely needed some time away from video games, but at least video games were better than his current girlfriend, Stacy. I absolutely loathed Stacy. If there was one thing for sure, I was not letting that floozy move into our home and shack up in my 19 year-old brothers room. I don't care how hot he thought she was, she'd been mooching off of us for the last 6 months and burning holes in my furniture with her cigarettes long enough. Yep, I definitely had a few negative feelings towards this girl. Don't get me started on the amount of makeup she had caking her eyes.

Emma started singing a favorite song of mine and I couldn't resist the temptation to bring out my guitar and make a production of it. I smiled at Emma and countered her lighter high pitched voice with my lower one and laughed when Diana and Cannoli (Caroline and Max's corgi), chimed in with their own melody. The dogs continued to bark and Emma and I sang many a nameless tune well into the night. Looking around at everyone had me wondering when we would all be together like this again. We were laughing, smiling and reveling in good times now, but when would we have the chance to do this again? They had been my family (framily as they called it), and I valued family more than anything. I was going to miss them, but they already knew that and there was no way I was going to voice these thoughts to them again. It would result in Emma's infamous eye roll along with her telling me I was being too mushy.


"Shit! Daniel what the hell? You almost merged into a car!" I nearly yelled at my brother while I frantically waved an apology at the large SUV currently honking at us. At least they hadn't flipped us off. No, wait. Yep there it was, C7 unmistakably.

"Could you just lay off for one second, Sis? It's your fault anyway; you have so much freaking shit I can't see out of my windows!"

I crossed my arms and huffed at him. "My windows," I said under my breath.

He looked over at me and gave me this unbelievable look. "Yes, technically it's your car. And maybe a little appreciation would be nice. I only flew out to Arizona to help pack up your crap and help you move back home. Oh, and went on a camping trip with your little friends."

I stared at him irritated. "Don't give me that. I know you have a bromance going on with Max, not to mention you were hoping to catch some lesbian play by accident."

Daniel spluttered in indignation and his cheeks turned a twinge darker. He opened his mouth in protest and then shut it. I smirked at him and leaned against the cool window feeling triumphant.

We were on our way back from the lodge we had left my car parked at during our camping trip. I pulled my freshly cleaned hair up in a ponytail. I had thoroughly enjoyed taking a shower after four nights out in the bush. Driving from Arizona to the campsite had been a long drive, and while my brother had been a good companion for the most part, he hadn't driven at all. I was more than happy to let him drive on the way back home, despite what I thought of his driving ability.

I tried, usually unsuccessfully, to check my behavior with my younger brother. We were seven years apart with him at 19 and me at 26. Seven years was a large gap in maturity for anyone, but it was an especially large one for a man. And well, even without our parents passing away at such a young age, I probably still would have mothered him to death. Despite this, I found myself always struggling to find a balance between cool older sister and mother hen. It was not an easy task, and I continually had to count to ten so I didn't nag him about every single thing.

It was worse when I caught myself nagging.

We were so different from each other it was almost bizarre. He was a huge gamer, with innate intelligence, and an awkward countenance with women. Sometimes I just wished he had some sort of drive or desire to do something with his life. I couldn't put him through college by myself. Community college I could handle, but university was another thing entirely. With his grades I highly doubted he'd receive a scholarship, and while he had been talented in baseball, he hadn't pursued it after high school. I'd finally wrangled him into getting a part time job at Taco Bell, one of his favorite fast food chains. Oddly, he rather work there than the card shop (actually the comic book shop where he played that Magic game). I think it might have something to do with the free food.

I felt that we had finally gotten a few things figured out by this point though. I would pay for his three years at community college (he'd failed a couple of courses), and he would work part time and put the majority of his money in his savings. No matter what, he would have to take out loans for university, but at least it would only be two year's worth of loans at a state college so it wouldn't break the bank so to speak. He was doing really well so far, and I think some of it had to do with me coming home. For all of our arguments and troubles we loved each other. We were family, and blood was thicker than water, or something metaphorical like that.

The moment I turned 18 and aged out of the foster system I had gone through hell in the form of the legal system so I could become his legal guardian. We had been lucky as far as foster kids went. We stayed together through most of our years in foster care except for the last two merely because the older couple couldn't afford both of us anymore.

I started working legally as soon as I turned 16. My first job was working weekends at a local book store and a few days after school when it didn't interfere with soccer practice. During the summer I continued my weekends at the book store and managed to do a summer soccer program at a local high school. When I turned seventeen the summer before my senior year in high school I found a job working at a private outpatient physical therapy company residing in an assisted living facility. The owner and head physical therapist (PT), Dr. Jake Dawson, had been a friend of my mothers. My mother by license had been a PTA (physical therapist assistant) but had dealt more with the business aspect of PT, and actually hired Jake before he had started his own business. It was the best job both in pay and experience I could ever hope for. The atmosphere was fun, relaxed, and I found strong role models in both Jake and his PTA, Delia. Delia had taught me everything I knew about baking. At 45, she was young at heart. We had kindred spirits for the odd and creative ranging from bacon, zombies, baking, and books.

Jake and Delia had inspired and encouraged me to get into Sacramento State's kinesiology department, a pre-physical therapy degree, and later encouraged me to apply to Doctorate school for PT. I was lucky enough to get a full ride undergraduate scholarship for athletics in soccer, but still maintained Sundays at the bookstore. The elderly couple that ran it had been very generous and kind to me over the years and I felt somewhat obliged to continue even with playing an NCAA Division One sport. I probably wouldn't have graduated on time and maintained my grades as well as I had if not for taking summer classes. Not the easiest thing to do during the summer, while trying to practice and work. I ended up working Fridays at Jakes clinic and the weekends at the bookstore during the summer. Playing a sport was like having a job and to maintain and improve my skills I had to manage my time like a crazy person between working Friday-Sunday, playing soccer, and taking a college course in the summer. But the extra money was something I could not afford to lose even if soccer was paying for school. I knew I was going to need it eventually, especially since I was raising my younger brother.

Basically, the world was always spinning for me. If you weren't in my classes, on my soccer team, at work, or had something to do with my brother I probably didn't know you. Along the way I picked up a few hobby's, mostly having to do with music since my dad had been a musician. My dad had been brilliant at the harmonica, and talented with the guitar and drums, but I found I had more of a talent for the guitar and singing. Not that I was going to be winning any competitions or anything, but it was a way to connect with my dad just like being a DPT (Doctor of Physical Therapy) was a way to stay connected to my mother.

It wasn't until I entered graduate school that I actually slowed down a bit. I spent three years studying, enjoying the world and making lifelong friends. It was like the world had opened up to me. I had successfully seen my brother through high school, as I took a year off before entering graduate school to work and stay with Daniel during his senior year. I didn't work during grad school or play soccer. And while I enjoyed playing a collegiate sport and was beyond grateful for the opportunities it gave me, I was also ready to move on and begin the next stage of my life.

Moving to Arizona for graduate school had been a difficult decision. In the end it had been good for my brother who no doubt needed a little space at his age. Distance makes the heart grow fonder right? In our case yes. I wasn't continuously nagging him and he wasn't annoying the crap out of me. I came home nearly every chance I could and I think we were better for it.

Naturally being older I had been raised by our parents while he could barely remember them as he had still been in pre-school when they had been in the accident. Or technically, we all had been in the accident, but somehow my brother and I had survived. For the most part I couldn't remember much of what happened except for holding my crying younger brother and staring at the vehicle in flames. Severe concussion, the doctors had said. It still didn't explain how we had miraculously escaped the collision sans critical injury.

Deciding to make up for my absence over the last few years, I gave Daniel an annoying sisterly poke in the side. "Bitch ho aka Stacy not living up to your standards anymore?" Diana gave a loud bark from the backseat. "Diana concurs," I teased as I turned and ruffled her ears.

He snorted and started digging around in his shirt pocket looking for something. Daniel drove precariously as it was and driving one handed was making me nervous. I had trust issues with other people driving as it was.

"Stacy's done, went off with some drummer."

Great, now I felt like the worst sister/mother ever.

I rubbed the back of my neck. "Sorry Daniel, really."

He glanced at me, "No you're not."

"That she's gone, no. That she was a bitch to you, yes."

"Whatever." He rolled his eyes at me and fished out a lighter and a pack of cigarettes. He clumsily began the process of lighting a cigarette when I angrily swiped it from his fingers. "What the fuck Sis?"

"What the fuck yourself Daniel! You said you'd quit! We're driving on the freeway in the dark and you are going to smoke in the car. Unbelievable."

My voice was rising in volume and I was getting seriously angry. "You know how I feel about you smoking, and multi-tasking while driving. Not to mention you lying to me!"

"Shut up, I'm tired of you trying to boss me around. You don't know anything. All you fucking do is get on my case about everything; can't you just leave me the fuck alone for once?"

We were both yelling and obviously angry by this point. It came as no surprise that neither of us noticed the flash of light or the sudden change from freeway to rocky terrain. And most definitely not the large tree.

"You never liked Stacy, never gave her a-" he continued on and it was only until I realized that the car was jerking more than normal that I looked away from him.

"Daniel…"

"-chance. Couldn't you have at least-"

"Daniel!"

"-tried for once? It's not like it would have killed you and another thing-"

"DANIEL!" I yelled at the top of my lungs and reached across him to turn the wheel and car away from the tree that way nearly upon us.

"Shit!"

We both turned the wheel hard to right while Daniel stepped on the brakes. Luckily we missed the large tree in front of us…and crashed into a much larger one.


I awoke with a startled and painful gasp. My head was throbbing. I could barely hear past the pounding in my head. I slowly blinked my eyes open and groaned as I sat up feeling the huge bump on my forehead. My hand came away sticky with bright red blood.

Great, highly oxygenated.

I tried not to panic as I stared at the bright red staining my hand but as my breathing accelerated I became more aware that every breathe I took was restricted and almost painful. Mindlessly, I tugged at the seat belt that was strapped securely across my chest. After a few fumbled attempts I managed to release the safety device and immediately took deep and calming breathes. Breathing was difficult as I was nearly in panic mode. My anxiety built until I was nearly hyperventilating and all I could think of was getting out of the vehicle. I frantically looked around, almost comically so, and winced as I turned my neck quickly. In the back of my mind I'm pretty sure I was grateful I knew a handful of talented physical therapists.

There was glass surrounding me and the windshield was beyond repair and the windows completely shattered. Slowly gaining some awareness I looked over to my brother and found him unconscious and collapsed on the air bag that had obviously been released on impact. Seeing him unconscious renewed my haste to get out of the car. I pulled on the door handle cursing until I remembered to unlock to the door.

I gracelessly fell out of the car in a heap and groaned. Fumbling with my sluggish limbs I managed to race round to the other side and grasp Daniel's door. Swearing yet again I went around back to my door and unlocked the rest of the car and then ran back around to open his.

I probably stood there for a minute with my hands fluttering in the air above him debating with myself on whether or not I should move him. Moving someone from these types of situations was never good, best to call an ambulance and get help as fast as possible. I struggled to find my ipone7 and promptly threw it on the ground when I discovered it was shattered.

A disgruntled, but painful sound came out of Daniel as I was still going over options in my mind.

"Daniel! Are you okay?" I asked frantically as he lifted his head from the air bag.

"Fuck," he swore and I gave a relieved sigh.

He immediately began to undo his seatbelt. "What the hell happened?"

I furrowed my brow, "I-I'm not really sure." I rubbed at a few tears that escaped. "Don't move!" He looked at me oddly and continued his efforts to get out of the car. "I said don't fucking move! I'm a health professional; would you listen to me for once?" I growled at him.

He acquiesced with a roll of his eyes. After a few moments of making sure it was safe for him to move I got the pocket knife from my bag and proceeded to cut his unrelenting seatbelt and slash his air bag. I helped pull him out as gently as possible and had him sit down while I gave him a once over and started asking him questions.

Daniel hissed loudly and weakly tried to push me off when I palpated his rib area. "Enough," he growled. "What's with all the poking and prodding and questions? I already have headache."

My face turned into a frown, but I didn't take his manner to heart. I'd be pretty angry too at this point. "No serious cognitive repercussions." He gave me look and I rephrased, "I just wanted to make sure you were oriented."

He gave me a dry look. "Of for the love of-you're okay mentally. Although I'm not sure about your state before" I muttered.

He winced and grabbed his rib cage when he attempted to reposition himself. I bit my lip, "I think you may have a few broken or cracked ribs. You'll need an X-ray though. We need to get some help."

"Great," he said getting to his feet. I rose after him and frowned when I realized that the woods looked decidedly unfamiliar and there was no trace of the highway. I grew even more concerned when I couldn't find Diana anywhere. After a few minutes of calling for her I heard a loud bark and saw her run out from the woods. I sighed in immediate relief and embraced her after checking her over for injuries.

"You alright, Sis? Your air bag didn't go off" Daniel asked.

"Child safety," I replied. I gave myself a once over and concluded that save for the small bleeding head wound and goose egg on my forehead I was fine. "Ya, I'm okay" I said at last still hugging Diana.

He looked at me with a goofy grin, "Oriented times three, four, whatever number it is?" I shoved his shoulder lightly at his display of arrogance.

We checked out the car first and dismally noted that it was totaled. Both of our phones were shitfaced, and my wireless on my ipad wasn't working for some reason. We got a few flashlights out and went looking for the highway, agreeing to stick close to the car as it was still pretty dark out. The more we looked around the more apprehensive and tense we were. Over an hour later and I was starting to get scared and neither of us could come up with any logical explanations as to what happened and how we got here. The foliage in the area was different as were the trees. Daniel noted that the positions of the stars in the sky were different than when we were driving earlier. And the moon was in a different phase as well. This did nothing but increase our distress.

"We should head back to the car," I said at last. "We'll figure out our next move come morning." It sounded pretty logical in my head and I was proud that my voice hadn't wavered much. If I was honest, I was getting unnerved and wanted to go back to the relative safety of our crash site. Putting it that way made us sound like aliens. No more Sci-Fi movies for a while.

Daniel nodded at me but turned to Diana at her abrupt barking. We rushed over to where she was sniffing at the leaves, her nose and ears moving at alarming rates. We followed her for a bit and our curiosity grew as she started digging. Without much effort she pulled forth a piece of odd metal. I reached down and with a little effort pulled the object from the ground with a grunt that landed me flat on my arse. Daniel and I both looked unbelievably at the object in my hands. I started to shake slightly and couldn't believe what I was holding.

It was a sword; an authentic sword covered unquestionably with dirt and dried blood. Daniel and I looked at each other with wide eyes not able to grasp what we were seeing. Nearby, Diana was pulling something else from the ground. Once free she proudly presented her treasure in my lap.

It was a severed human arm. I'm fairly certain all of the blood drained from my face. Shaking uncontrollably I struggled to scramble as far away as I could until my back was against a tree. After a few minutes of staring at the appendage, I grew aware of Daniel's retching nearby and Diana's concerned whining at my side. She licked my hand and I blinked once, then twice, but the extremity refused to disappear.

"Daniel," I croaked. I cleared my throat and tried again, "You-you okay?"

He stumbled over to my side and rudely shoved Diana over. His shoulder pressed against mine and I could feel the clamminess of his skin beneath his shirt. "No, I'm not okay. Who the fuck would be right now?" I silently agreed.

I couldn't stop staring at the arm and the sword a few meters away. Even in the darkness I felt like I could still make them out perfectly.

"Okay," I started. "We crashed into a tree-"

"A tree that isn't native to the area."

"Right" I licked my lips. "There was a light; I remember that much and we were arguing. But the highway isn't anywhere near us and the stars are in a different position."

"The moons different too."

I nodded. "The forest is a lot denser as well. And to top it off there's an authentic sword and a severed arm a few yards away."

"Please don't remind me."

"This doesn't make any sense."

He looked at me with wide eyes. "Don't say that."

"Wha-?"

Daniel shook his head, "You have sense and logic and all that shit. Don't you dare say you have no clue what's going on."

I looked at him in disbelief; I don't think I had ever seen him this scared. His fear heightened my own. "Well I don't!" I nearly yelled at him. He shook my shoulders and we angrily tousled like children for a minute for no apparent reason.

Both of us were breathing heavily at that point and I closed my eyes and leaned my head back against the tree. There was nothing but the sound of our breathing and that of the night around us for a few moments.

"Aliens?" Daniel's voice whispered out. I opened my eyes and peered at him blankly for a second. He gave me a wobbly grin and I leaned my head against his shoulder accepting his obscure apology.

"Possible," I said. Truly I didn't actually believe in the existence of little green men, but I whole heartedly thought that the universe was too large of a place for humans to be the only intelligent life out there. Maybe it was a good time to stop reading so much fiction.

We were both extremely exhausted at this point and decided to head back to the car until morning. With a few complaints from our abused bodies we got to our feet and trudged back to our crash site. We unanimously decided to leave Diana's treasures behind. There was still time for this to turn out to be a bad dream.

I must have been more tired than I thought as Daniel was getting farther and farther in front of me. He turned around a moment later after noticing I was lagging behind him. "Come along Dorothy."

I quirked my brow at him as I reached his side. "What?" he shrugged. "We're obviously not in Kansas anymore."

I rolled my eyes and audibly groaned. Too weary and bewildered to berate him I gestured to Diana. "Come along Toto."

Daniel rewarded me with a tired smile and a laugh that immediately made him wince. Together we made it back to the car for the rest of the night.


Saruman the White peered into his Plantir with satisfaction. It had taken no small amount of his abilities to call forth the energy required to reach across time and space. However challenging, his task had been completed. No, he corrected himself. His task had just begun and there were many more things to see to before his efforts were rewarded.

He turned and called forth a creature of his own making, the Uruk-hai. The gruesome creatures were obedient, fierce, and ruthlessly at his command. It had taken the wizard decades to perfect this cross breed of Orc and Man, but the result had pleased him to some extent. Faithful servants were a rare commodity, but the beastly creatures were needed in large quantity, especially if he was to produce a army large enough for his disposal.

Turning at the sound of large footsteps, Saruman gazed at one of his most vile and obedient Uruk-hai, Shaataz. The Uruk-hai pounded his chest in deference and nodded to the powerful wizard.

"I have a task for you," spoke Saruman. "Gather a dozen of your most fierce warriors and best trackers. You will scour the human villages starting in the East fold of Rohan searching for an object for Lord Sauron. Tear down all who stand in your way and feast on man flesh. However, I would advise discretion. This object is of great value. You will return only upon the completion of your task, failure will not be tolerated on penalty of death." Shaataz nodded swiftly with a fierce scowl. "This image will show you what you seek. Do it no irreparable harm or there will be consequences."

Shaataz gazed into the White Wizards Plantir and furrowed his brow. Puzzled, he looked at Lord Saruman, but his face betrayed no emotion. Instead he nodded and pounded his chest once more. "It will be done."

Saruman gazed out of Isengards tower. It would not be long before events began to form and word of the return of the mighty Lord Sauron spread. Lord Saruman dismissed the Uruk-hai and turned to the small grunt orc that had been sent to retrieve Shaataz. With a small but nefarious smile he said, "Send for our guests from the Brown Lands." With a nervous nod the orc hurriedly went forth to do his masters bidding. Within a few moments he, along with a few other orcs and Uruk-hai came dragging in six dirty and half-starved Uruk-hai.

The six Uruk-hai struggled but were easily forced to their knees. Saruman approached them cordially. "I bid you welcome, friends from the Brown Lands."

The Uruk-hai nearest to him nearly succeeded in rising to his feet and spit in the wizards direction when he was forced down again. Saruman's somewhat congenial smile disappeared as he sneered at the Uruk-hai.

"I suggest you teach your kin manners before I kill them" Saruman directed to another Uruk-hai. The Uruk-hai's amber eyes glared with contempt but he gave a grunt and the other Uruk-hai quieted with a growl.

"Much better. I have a proposition for you. I need you to retrieve something of great importance. If you retrieve it your lives will be spared."

"No," growled the Uruk-hai.

The wizard raised a brow, "I believe you have no choice."

"I would rather die."

"That can be arranged, as can the deaths of your clan residing in the Brown Lands."

The proclamation was received with ferocious snarls and snapping teeth. "You lie!"

"I assure you, I am privy to the exact location. It has been beneath my notice thus far, but I can and will kill every one of them."

The emotions varied across the Uruk-hai's faces from rebellious anger to inconceivable fear. Saruman was considerably pleased with their reactions. "I do remember those days fondly, when I was first breeding your sordid race. I particularly remember breeding a young righteous woman from Rohan with piercing brown eyes and blond hair."

The Uruk-hai that had been speaking thus far grew in agitation. Saruman watched in pleasure as the creatures eyes grew wild and his nostrils flared. "Ah, then you are the babe she and her orc lover stole away with."

The Uruk-hai growled fiercely and nearly broke free from the two orcs holding him despite his obvious malnutrition. "Know this, you shall do as I say, and you and your pathetic clan will be spared. Should anything go wrong I have forces in the Brown Lands at the ready."

"How do I know you do not lie?" snarled the Uruk-hai.

"You do not."

"What's the catch?"

Saruman raised his wizards staff into the Uruk-hai's face. "I have sent a group of Uruk-hai to retrieve the very same object. If you retrieve it and bring it back first, you and your filth will be left to your own devices. If you fail, you will all die." With a rough push he removed the magical staff from the Uruk-hai's face.

"Don't trust your own?" taunted the Uruk-hai.

"I trust no one" replied Saruman. "However, in the past I have found a little incentive does wonders. You have much to gain and far more to lose should you fail. Don't you agree?"

The Uruk-hai furrowed his brow in contemplation, but could think of no other alternative. He looked at the other members of his clan and saw the resignation in their eyes. When he met Dargum's eyes and saw his nod, he turned back to the wizard. "Yes."

Upon the wizards command they were released and only under the threat of death of their kin did they not retaliate. The wizard bid him to view the object he was to retrieve in his magical orb and if possible the Uruk-hai grew more troubled. "Her appearance may be different, but the mark on her hip shall stay the same." Narghaash wanted to ask questions, but he knew they would not be taken well. They were given instructions on where to start their search and presented with a few necessary supplies.

As his group turned to leave Saruman called, "Your name beast."

"Narghaash," he spat half turned towards the wizard.

Saruman nodded, "Bring it to me unspoiled. Remember what awaits, should you fail, Narghaash."

Narghaash gave no reply as he followed his kin away from the vile Saruman.

Exiting the perimeter, Dargum looked at him. "What we have to get?"

"A white skin female." Dargum looked at him in confusion and Narghaash shrugged. As they continued on, Narghaash couldn't help but wonder what Saruman could possibly want with a single female, other than to breed her to make more of his kind. Like they did with his mother in order to make disposable creatures like him. But to go to so much trouble for one female seemed absurd.

Still, Narghaash had never seen a female with such features as hers in his life. Some part of him hoped they wouldn't find the female.


"I feel like my mum is in heaven sharing a cup of tea with Lady Fate and plotting my life out like a chess game."

- Jenny Frost


AN: Please read and review! Reviews are love and I know you people are out there. Love it, hate it, just want to say hello? Review! I typically respond to my reviewers. I know it seems slow going now, but it will pick up I promise. I have a lot to write. C7 is the dermatome that includes the middle finger.

Next Chapter: In which a brother and sister realize they are not in Kansas anymore and a impromptu rescue occurs.