Traps and Ambushes

Tozgrit settled into his crevice on the bluff and watched the easterlings with interest. The Army massing below had no idea just what they were up against. It wasn't just invaders with superior forces; it was a dragon and a witch as well. They seemed well trained and armed, but they were going to lose. That didn't really matter to him, just as long as he had the diversion to retrieve the Morzethu. But another idea suddenly formed in his devious mind, and Tozgrit knew how to get what he wanted, everything he wanted. He could offer his services to their leader, information that could give them the edge. All he wanted in return was Zalaya and free passage. Yes, the idea had merit, but there was only one problem. How should he approach them?

"Surrender your arms and come with us," an angry voice said behind him.

Tozgrit slowly turned, "I am unarmed."

"Ha! No one travels this land unarmed," the rough looking easterling said sarcastically.

"I do, for my arms were taken by your enemies, though I escaped. I believe you and I can help each other," Tozgrit said carefully.

"Our Warlord can be the judge of that," the soldier answered with a sneer. "Bind his hands; let him tell his tale to Turais."

Godwin stood with Grayson behind a small stand of trees and silently exchanged determined looks. The prisoners were being routed this way, and soon they would be within range to attack. Most of the gladiators were quite young; no doubt they didn't survive long. There were thirty of them with feet chained together in a long tether and their hands were bound. He could hear the faint jingle of the heavy links as the well practiced marchers drew near. It was obvious that these young men would have no hope of flight. Their guards numbered about twenty, but they were all well armed, and close. Godwin hoped he had considered every variable in this attack. The prisoners would be very vulnerable when the fighting started. He waited and watched, and he could see that Grayson was getting anxious. It was obvious that Grayson was about to speak when Godwin finally gave the signal. He turned to his most trusted captain and gave a slight smile and a nod.

"Now," he said quietly.

Grayson smiled broadly and nodded to one of the rangers in the tree above them. A horn sounded and the caravan was suddenly swarmed by more than a hundred soldiers. There was very little swordplay, and not a single arrow had been fired, at least not by the easterlings who had been taken completely by surprise. It was over in moments with not a single guard surviving the brief fray. Godwin stepped out into the clearing to face the expectant faces of the gladiators. One of them seemed to be a leader of sorts, and he met Godwin's gaze with boldness.

"Who are you lord, and why have you spared us?" he asked Godwin.

"I am Godwin, son of Silverhelm. It was for your sakes that we attacked," Godwin said and then looked at Cilmo. "Find the keys to these shackles and we'll get them back to camp and see to their needs."

"As you command," Cilmo said curtly before relaying the order to search the bodies of the fallen for keys.

Godwin glanced back at the newly liberated men and realized they had all knelt before him. He simply would not get used to that.

"Rise… please," Godwin said in a voice heavy with emotion. "Today you are free, and free men do not bow to anyone."

"No, my Overlord, free men joyfully bow to honor a just ruler. I offer you my service, if you would find me a sword, I would die defending you, Lord," their leader said, and there was a hearty echo of 'aye's' from the rest of them.

Cilmo located keys and started unlocking the shackles and cutting the ropes from their hands. Godwin was quite moved by the sight of his people offering support to him.

"I would like very much to destroy the camp where you were trained. I would be honored if you would all join me. I'm sure these fallen guards have no use for their arms, please… help yourselves," Godwin said with a smirk.

The gladiators all stood and divested the fallen of their weapons. There was nearly enough for all, and Godwin knew they would find the rest weapons in the camp. He looked to their leader and called him over.

"What is your name?" he asked.

"Most of us have lost memory of our true names; we carry only those given us by our trainers. I am Chaos, there is Talon and Onyx, and over there is Saber and Shadow," Chaos said as he bowed. "We are warriors all, and look forward to fighting someone other than each other."

Godwin felt a knot in his throat. How horrible their lives must have been to have lost touch with their true names. But the names they carried were fitting for warriors. "Come then. A good meal and restful night will do us all good. On the morrow, we will invade the camp."

"My lord, they know you are coming," Saber said.

Godwin smiled, "I know, but no amount of warning will help them."

Turais languished in his plushly furnished tent and nursed a bottle of wine as he stared at a map thoughtfully. Westerners had overrun his borders with a respectable force, and he was the one forced to deal with it. All the other Warlords would benefit from his confrontation, but none deigned to send him any help. Why would they? It wasn't as though there was actually cooperation between them, or friendship, or even tolerance. They all wanted more than what they had, and that greed bred poor neighbor relations. Turais didn't care about that, but this time, they needed to pull together. This long lost child of Silverhelm's was serious, ten thousand men and elves serious. It would not be easy to defeat them, his own force was much smaller, but they had skill. They also had advantage of surprise and terrain. And the only one they had to kill was the leader. What is a conquest without the conqueror?

"A prisoner for you to question, Lord Turais," one of his soldiers said from outside the tent.

Turais smiled at the thought of entertainment. A distraction from his work was most welcome right now. If she were pretty, it would be even better. He grabbed his whip and emerged from his tent, but his smile faded when he saw only a man, and a foreign one at that.

"What do I care to hear from this foreigner?" Turais demanded angrily. "I crave entertainment."

"I know about the approaching army, for I have recently escaped them. I would be willing to help you, if you could help me in return," Tozgrit said.

Turais' eyes were full of anger at the presumption of this man. He had not been given permission to speak! He snapped his whip and then swung it at the prisoner's neck, letting it wrap around several times. He was careful not to pull it tight… yet. His face twisted into a sneer and he stepped closer.

"What could you possibly know that would aid us against so many? And what do you want that you think I would be willing to help an ignorant foreigner?" Turais asked icily.

"If you would win, you must take out their strongest weapons first," Tozgrit said.

"Indeed?" Turais smirked as he pulled the whip a little tighter around his neck.

"Or would you care to be some dragon's next meal?" Tozgrit gasped out.

Turais loosened the whip and looked at the foreigner levelly, "They have a dragon? Where in this age did they find a dragon?"

Tozgrit smiled, realizing his fortunes may have just changed, "A woman brought him to them, and she commands him. If you would have the advantage, I suggest you take the woman. The dragon will do anything to protect her, perhaps even change sides."

"Who is this woman?" Turais asked with a twinkle in his eyes. A woman prisoner was much more to his liking.

"She belongs to me, they took her from me," Tozgrit said angrily. "I can help you kill the dragon, and all I ask in return is this woman and my free passage."

Turais was not in a bargaining mood, and certainly not in the habit of giving woman away. But he was good at using people and breaking promises. The advantage of dealing with a foreigner was he was not aware of that reputation. "What is your name then?"

"Tozgrit, Hunter of the North and high leader of the Lossoth."

Turais nodded to his guard to cut the ropes and then gave his new partner a chilling smile, "Tell me all about… dragons."

They were moving quietly, surrounding the camp and preparing to attack. It was early, before dawn, but Godwin realized it was too quiet. He saw no sentries, and that made him nervous. He looked to the sky where Skrug would be circling to locate the enemy, but he was nowhere in sight. Godwin furrowed his brow and turned to Aragorn.

"They are gone," he said in annoyance.

"Let's make sure," Aragorn said. "We may find something useful in one of the huts."

Godwin was annoyed at having been wrong about this plan. They had brought quite a few men, having wanted to overwhelm the camp quickly, but it had been a waste of time. Where had they gone?

Zalaya smiled at the children that were bringing her wood for the breakfast fire. They were all very sweet, and desperate to be helpful. She handed her spoon to one of the girls and stepped back from the fire. The delight she saw in her young eyes was heart warming. With things in hand here, and a half empty camp, Zalaya decided to slip out of camp and go bathe. She wanted to look her best when Godwin returned; even if she wasn't right for him she wanted him to still notice her. She sighed at the selfishness of that, but gathered her small bag and snuck out of the protective perimeter of the camp.

Varno had been left behind when the soldiers went to destroy the slave camp, so he'd been keeping watch. When he saw Zalaya leave, he followed. He didn't want to call her back just yet, he was curious as to where she was going. But he wouldn't let her go unguarded.

Turais' men were in place, all of them surrounding the invaders' camp. It was at only half strength, and most of those were still asleep. The leader and his best warriors had gone on a fruitless venture to a deserted camp. They wouldn't return in time to be of any concern. Turais watched the women and children tending fires and elbowed his new ally.

"Which one?" he asked.

Tozgrit smiled when he saw Zalaya leaving, "The one who is heading right for us."

Turais noted her youth and exotic features and he slowly smiled. What a treat, a wondrously enticing little treat. "Let her get as far from camp as possible before taking her. I don't want there to be any calls for help or sounds of struggle. "And do not harm her," he added with the wickedest of grins, "That pleasure will be all mine."

Tozgrit turned to him with horror on his face, "The woman is for me, that was our bargain."

Turais smirked, "I do not recall making any bargains with an ignorant savage today. Dirigo, Jovred… tie him up for me, won't you?"

Tozgrit realized too late that he had made a mistake, a very serious mistake.

Godwin and the rest of his force were returning to camp when Skrug descended right in front of them. He looked at Godwin with sheer fury in his eyes and Godwin just knew that something had happened to Zalaya.

"What is wrong?" Godwin asked quickly.

"She is gone," Skrug said evenly.

"Can you track her? I mean, can't you find her?" Godwin asked nervously.

"No," Skrug said with panic in his voice, "She won't let me."

Aragorn cocked a brow at that, "What do you mean?"

"I can't even feel her, she is… gone. It must be her cursed ring. It is the only way she could break our bond. You must help me find her. It is your enemy that took her, I am certain. There were signs of them near the camp. How did they know to take her, of anyone they could have taken as prisoner, why her?" Skrug, for being a great and powerful dragon, seemed almost childlike in his worry.

"So much for regrouping," Alcon said under his breath, "We'd best start the search."

Skrug shook his head, "No need, they went that way, I will show you. Come little King, I will carry you. Your men can follow."

Godwin didn't hesitate. He mounted up quickly and gazed back at his soldiers who were watching in fascination. They had never seen anything like this before.

"They try to gain an advantage by taking a prisoner, and one very near to my heart. Will we allow it?" he asked.

"Nay!" was the unanimous answer. Zalaya had earned everyone's respect after volunteering to get captured before the last raid. They were all with Godwin, no one protested.

"Then let us give them the battle they are begging for," Godwin said with a hard edge to his voice. Then to himself, "They will pay in blood for this." They took the one person in his life that meant everything to him. How could they have known that she was so important? Did they have a spy in his camp?

Skrug took to the air and the riders followed. It wasn't until Godwin was whisked high into the air that Skrug confessed the full tale. "Ranger I am sorry."

"You were with the army, Skrug. This is not your fault," Godwin reassured him.

"No, I am sorry for my deception. They were going to kill her if I hadn't done it," he said remorsefully. "All they wanted was… you."

Godwin understood immediately. He wasn't even angry about it. "You could have just told me, I would have come with you."

"They would not have allowed it. I do not intend to abandon you to them, but they need to see you," Skrug said. "Their leader, he is quite evil… no, not evil, completely insane."

"Hurry, Skrug, please hurry!" Godwin pleaded. Turais was the cruelest of the Warlords. The Merciless Road was evidence of that. The thought of him having Zalaya captive made his blood boil.

Tozgrit didn't like where his scheme had taken him. He was hanging from an old stone archway by his arms and his feet were chained to the ground. He felt like a wolf skin on a stretching ring. His joints ached, and his head hurt form the blow they'd dealt him on the hill. The last thing he'd seen was Turais holding Zalaya by the throat. And now he was hanging here, watching her struggle with her own bonds. She wouldn't even look at him.

"Zalaya," he whispered again.

"Why didn't Skrug kill you?" she asked in annoyance.

"He saw honesty in me and spared me," Tozgrit said.

"Then my friend is slipping, for this was surely your fault."

"Forgive me, Morzethu," Tozgrit said. "I was trying to get you to come home with me."

"If anything happens to my Ranger, I will kill you myself," she said icily as she turned her angry gaze on him. "You never had a chance with me; no man has a chance with me. Nothing matters but the Ranger."

"You are his lover," Tozgrit accused.

Zalaya turned away, "Friend."

"They will kill him, and me, but you may not be so lucky," Tozgrit said. "Call the beasts and escape. I do not want you to be hurt."

"When Skrug returns, I doubt I will need any other aid," she said lightly.

"He betrayed you; he went to capture your king despite your pleading. He is like any male creature that you meet, he loves you. He would destroy the whole army for your sake. As long as that Warlord has you, he has that dragon in his power," Tozgrit said firmly.

"What did he offer you for that little bit of knowledge?" Zalaya asked.

"You," Tozgrit said flatly.

"I see he keeps his promises."

Tozgrit scowled. He had no argument, he'd been a fool.

Varno finally stirred beside Zalaya and she bent closer to check his wound again. "Shhh, we are prisoners. Are you alright?"

"My Lady, just where were you going?" Varno asked hoarsely.

"Zalaya suddenly blushed as the young elf looked at her, "I wanted a bath before the Ranger returned. All those hours over a hot fire made me look horrid…"

Varno shook his head and chuckled, "If you had asked, I would have kept guard for you at a discreet distance."

"Doesn't matter now," she scowled. "They will get what they want soon enough."

"Indeed I shall," Turais said as he joined them. "Your dragon has been spotted carrying your precious Overlord. Once I have killed him, there will be no one in my way but Faulghaunt. He will fall quickly, and I will marry his daughter and be the next Overlord."

"My Ranger will kill you," she said bitterly.

"Your Ranger? Your Ranger? How perfect! I had no idea you were his woman. What fun this will be. Oh, look. Here he comes now."

Godwin stared at the camp with pure fury in his eyes. When he saw Zalaya and the Lossoth hunter, he knew what happened. There was the source of his information. And Varno had been taken too. He would rescue them. He and Skrug would rescue all of them, and then perhaps Skrug would deal with the hunter.

They landed in the open, right in front of the prisoners. Skrug watched the leader carefully, noting the large blade held at Zalaya's throat.

"Welcome back, Dragon."

"Here is what you asked for, now give me the woman," Skrug said angrily.

"I think I will keep her," Turais said. "At least until I kill this invader here."

Godwin looked at Turais with fire in his eyes as he slid off Skrug's back and took a few steps closer. "If you would kill me, then release your hold in her and come and get me!"

Turais smiled at the power he held. He tightened his hold on her hair and pressed his blade a little tighter against her neck. Zalaya had enough, and she started to sing.

"Holzevretzznia de naizzi morzethu ne volneii…"

Just on the other side of the trees, they heard the angry roar of an oliphaunt, and then it came crashing through the trees. Turais lost his footing as the ground shook and he fell away from Zalaya. Godwin leapt on him quickly, and the pair struggled. Skrug just smirked at the sudden chaos and started attacking the Warlords' men, those that weren't already fleeing for their lives from the rampaging oliphaunt. Soon several other oliphaunts had joined the wild march and they stormed through the camp trampling everyone and everything in their path, though they carefully avoided Zalaya and those around her. By the time Godwin's men arrived, there was very little left of the camp save bodies.

Grayson, Aragorn and Alcon rode over to where Godwin sat holding Zalaya. Beside him was Varno, and at their feet was a man with so many wounds he was hard to identify. Skrug was curled up sleeping with a satisfied smile on his face, and no one was speaking.

"Son?" Alcon prompted.

"Turais is dead, his army is… no longer a problem, and I am tired," Godwin sighed.

Grayson looked at the trembling woman in his arms and furrowed his brow with concern, "Is she alright?"

Godwin looked at him with an expression too serious by half, "We arrived in time. Truthfully, she took care of most of the battle herself."

Aragorn looked around and recognized the Oliphaunt tracks. It must have been quite a sight. "Where are the oliphaunts now?"

Zalaya straightened up, "I sent them home. They didn't like it here, but they are not violent beasts. I asked much of them today."

Aragorn smiled at her, "Godwin, why don't you and Skrug take her back to camp while we clean up things here. This will be quite a bonfire."

Godwin nodded, "Come, Varno. You could use some rest, too. Skrug can carry all of us easily."

Skrug cocked a brow at the sound of that, but didn't protest. He owed the king for his deception. He carried the trio home gladly. Then he went into the wood to sleep. His belly was quite full, but the most satisfying morsel had been the Lossoth hunter that betrayed his mercy. That meal was long overdue.

With all the easterling bodies piled up for burning, Aragorn glanced at Turais' wounds again. Godwin had probably dealt with him and it was obvious what frame of mind he'd been in. He tossed his torch on the grisly pile and looked at Alcon.

"What do you think?" he asked, knowing that his nephew would understand the vague question.

"If a man took Arwen from you, would he look any better when you were finished with him?" Alcon challenged.

Aragorn's jaw tightened at the thought, "No."

"Zalaya will be queen of Rhûn someday. My son will have no other," Alcon said. "I will have no other daughter-in-law."

"Come to terms with your misgivings?" Aragorn asked with a smirk.

Alcon just gave a snort and went to organize the riders to move out. He had come to terms with his misgivings a long time ago. It was her misgivings that worried him. He had seen noble misunderstandings hurt relationships before. She felt unworthy of Godwin, and Godwin felt lost without her. Alcon hoped they would work through it soon. There was entirely too much drama between them. Maybe a marriage of convenience wasn't such a bad idea…. Nah, never mind.

"Don't ever risk yourself like that again," Zalaya said shakily. "Couldn't you see it was a trap?"

Godwin smirked at her bluster. She was railing him for rescuing her because it was a risk. She was cute when she was being stubborn. "Of course it was a trap," he said lightly. "It really didn't matter, I had to come."

"I'll not have you take risks on my account, Ranger. Your country needs you…"

Godwin pulled her against him, "And I need you, Zalaya. When will you understand that I will not be denied?"

"I thought Rangers were honorable men," she said breathlessly.

"I am honorable, my lady. I intend to honor you the rest of my days," he said huskily as he bent down and kissed her brow. "Now, go and rest."

She stepped away from him and looked into his eyes, "This is all wrong, you know that."

Godwin sighed and looked at her with deep affection. It was obvious that he was ignoring her protests. "Don't venture out of camp again without an escort. Goodnight, Zalaya."

She frowned, but gave him a nod, "Goodnight. Thank you for coming for me."

Godwin watched her disappear into her tent and smiled. He would walk through fire for her, and he would wait as long as it took to convince her that she belonged to him. He didn't want to rule alone, he didn't want to live alone. He wanted her beside him. But despite her affection for him, it would not be an easy courtship. Lossoth were stubborn people.