Author's Note:  - Nova asked about the telepathy:

I wish I'd never started this whole telepathy thing sometimes. I should have just given them all cell-phones and be done with it.

In case anyone is confused it actually works the same way. Legolas started the whole mess with a simple telephone exchange with one subscriber – Pippin. Then Gandalf hooks in but he's not really prepared to pay the full roaming rate, so he just has a local landline and can only talk to people he's near (but really loudly). If he wants to call long distance he has to go through another exchange, which originally was just Legolas.

Legolas expanded his network a little and gave Pippin full roaming coverage at no extra cost, which was a pretty good deal. He also offered an 'introduce a friend to the network' scheme and took Merry on as well, although initially that was just on a one-2-one local basis and also experimented a little with vid-phone.

However in a separate business venture Merry and Pippin set up their own network and cut out the middleman. And even started offering long-distance connection to occasional users like Gandalf.

Legolas still has dial-in privileges but no longer owns the monopoly (those anti-trust suits can be hell).

Now that's as far as it goes for this particular network BUT, The Dark Lord has His own network, and both the other networks can interface with it. However they tend not to have dial-in rights and at the moment can only receive in-coming calls. So when the DL talks to Pippin he can hear and to some extent answer and the others can join him on a party-line, and the same is true of the Witch King.

However, it has to be said that they get pretty pissed off when they catch others listening in and tend to disconnect them without serving notice or just cast them into a black abyss – pretty much like phone companies the world over.

Has everyone got that now? If not, do please ask again – ahem.

52 Lost and Found

Grima Wormtongue shook Merry yet again and this time he sat him up and roughly patted his cheeks as well. The sleepy hobbit eventually stirred and opened his sightless eyes. He tried to reach out to stop the hand that was slapping him and found that his wrists were tightly bound and that someone was holding them down. He remembered the kidnapping.

In his semi-awake state, his mind sent out an automatic distress call.

'legolas! pip!'

'Merry, Merry you're awake. What's happening, little one?'

'merr… what you go do?'

'not know… hit face… wakeded up…'

'You hit your face and woke up?'

'no… worm-thing hitted face… i woked up'

Merry could still feel a dull ache in his upper chest.

'…you go hurt now legolas?'

'I slept too and I feel better now. The wound hardly hurts much.'

'i good too… get beer in break-fast…'

'Did you Pippin? That was nice. Did you drink a lot?'

'no spill lot…'

'That's probably for the best.'

"Pay attention! Wake up!" Wormtongue slapped Merry's face again, pulling him from the mind link. "Get on your feet!" Merry was dragged up and stood a little shakily, "You have to get up on my horse now." Wormtongue pulled him over to where the horse was tied up. "Climb up on that rock." He pushed Merry forward so that he could feel the rock in front of him.

"Wait!" Merry turned to face Wormtongue. "Can I have a drink? I'm terribly thirsty."

"I suppose so." Wormtongue reached for his leather water bottle and handed it to the hobbit. "Wouldn't want you to die of thirst."

Merry was genuinely thirsty and unstoppered the vessel and took a good long swig. He was also desperately thinking of ways to leave a sign for Legolas.

Wormtongue decided the hobbit had had enough and snatched the bottle back. "Now climb up onto that rock." He snarled.

"I – I can't…" Merry stammered trying frantically to think of another delaying tactic. A genuine one arrived unbidden. "I need to pee."

"Go ahead then," Wormtongue realised he could hardly deny that request. "But be quick."

Merry turned away from where he could tell Wormtongue was standing and felt in front, taking a few tentative paces, until he found a tree. He quickly took his pee and then moving away from his captor, as if by mistake, stumbled forward, finding a clump of grasses with his hands. Before Wormtongue had noticed, Merry tied several clumps of grass into knots then quickly stood and turned around with his tied hands out in front of him, feeling his way forward.

"Over here!" Wormtongue was growing very impatient now. "Get here."

"Where are you?" Merry feigned not knowing which way to go.

Wormtongue came over and seized the little hobbit tightly by his upper arm and almost dragged him back to the rock and pushed him up onto it. The man then mounted his horse and pulled Merry up in front of him.

"Where are we going?" Merry thought there was no harm in asking, after all as far as Wormtongue was concerned, there was no one he could tell?

"I am going to deliver you to Sauron myself," Wormtongue kicked his horse forward. "We are going to Barad-dûr."

****

'Merry are you listening?'

'where go merr?'

'I don't know Pip, someone is probably talking to him. What are you doing, little one?'

'out… big orc taked i… cold… i get poppy!'

'I know I can feel it. You must try to stop having that poison Pippin. It's not good for you.'

'not pois… good…make go warm…'

'Legolas? made knot i…'

'Merry? What did you do?'

'made knot – in grass and grass – you go find i… make more…'

'You tied knots in the grass so I can find you?'

'did!'

'Where are you now?'

'on horse… ridering worm-thing…'

Merry tell me all you can. Éowyn and I are going to try and follow you now.'

'not go'ed much yet… i sleeped long… not go'ed much first went big man…'

'Wait. When the first big man took you, you didn't go far. Then you slept a lot. Now you still haven't gone far.'

'i sayed that!'

'merr… you go come get i?'

'i-i try go find you pip… not got stay worm-thing…legolas sayed.'

'Hmm…'

'legolas you go find merr and go find i both?'

'I don't know yet, Pip. Merry remember what we said about finding Pippin?'

'…do 'membrer…but worm-thing take i there…'

'He's taking you to Barad-dûr?'

'is…'

****

"Éowyn are you ready to leave?" Legolas opened his eyes and tried to spring to his feet but was caught by a stab of pain to his recent wound.

"I'm ready, it's you who concerns me." Éowyn sheathed her sword and looked up at the elf. She was dressed ready for battle and looked like one of the knights who had ridden off that morning, except for her much slighter frame and long blonde tresses. "It is nightfall now, is this a good time to start a search?"

"I will be able to ride I am sure." Legolas climbed to his feet more slowly this time. "We have to hurry, we cannot wait for dawn. Wormtongue is taking Merry to Barad-dûr."

"This is dire news indeed." Éowyn offered Legolas a hand, which was gratefully accepted. "Where should we begin?"

"At the place Merry and I were first attacked."

Legolas and Éowyn gathered what little supplies they needed, he his bow and quiver and she her helm to hide her flowing hair and they bade farewell to Gandalf and Gimli. Legolas mounted upon Arod and Éowyn riding Windfola, they made their way from the camp to the spot where Legolas had been hit by the arrow.

Dismounting, the elf cast around looking for an indication of the direction in which Merry may have been taken. It was not long before he found the discarded sword and buckler and passed these to Éowyn for safe keeping.

"Here is a sign!" Legolas could clearly see, even in the pale moonlight, fairly recent hoof prints on the dry earth. "This was the first direction they took."

"Have you spoken with Merry again?" Éowyn strapped the little sword and buckler to her saddle. "Are they still travelling?"

"Yes and I do not believe Wormtongue will stop for darkness." Legolas leapt back up onto Arod, wincing his face in discomfort at the movement. "So neither may we."

The two rode off side by side into the night, hoping to stay on the right trail.

****

"It can't hear you, yer knows." Grutfley sat in the small, shared room watching with bored half amusement. "Either that or it's really stupid."

"It's not stupid," Smagnu was getting quite defensive over his protégé. "It'll learn in a minute, you'll see."

He placed the whisky bottle on the other side of the room again making sure that Pip saw where he put it. Then he took Pippin over to the other side of the room and pointing at the liquor removed the leash from round his neck and said "Fetch Pip – go on – go and get it."

Pippin looked at the Uruk and then at the bottle, his face pulled into a concentrated frown, trying to work out what was required of him. He knew they wanted him to do something, stay by the orc? Go somewhere? Look at something? What?

Smagnu gave him a little push towards the bottle, nodding in its direction. Pippin decided that maybe he wanted him to play some kind of tag and backed away tentatively, but in the wrong direction.

"No!" Smagnu fetched him back again and nearly cuffed him, but decided to try patience once more. He took Pip by the hand and led him over to the bottle and pointed at it. Pippin looked up at him – mystified. What did that mean? Leave his bottle alone?

"Fetch!" Smagnu tried again.

Pippin tried the opposite approach this time and reached up and touched the bottle and looked back to see if that was right. Smagnu was nodding encouragingly so the confused hobbit picked it up.

"Give!" Smagnu held out his hand for the bottle and Pip placed it carefully in his big palm. This earned him a pat on the head, making him realise he had at last done something right.

Smagnu once more placed the bottle in another part of the room, took Pippin away from it and then pointed to the bottle with the mysterious command. But the hobbit had finally got the idea and he scampered over to the bottle, picked it up and brought it back to Smagnu.

"Good little Pip," Smagnu this time gave him a little taste of poppy juice on his finger.

Pippin was relieved to have finally worked out what the Uruk wanted although he was not too sure that being a pet dog to an orc was a suitable occupation for the son of the Thain. But at least it got him some poppy juice.

They repeated the exercise several times and, with each retrieval, Pippin was given a little more poppy.

"So it works in here," Grutfley grunted begrudgingly, "How about trying it out on the real thing, before you get it totally stoned on that juice?"

"All right, let's go before the rest of the night lot come back off duty." Smagnu picked Pippin up under his arm and put the leash back round his neck. "Are you coming?" He hitched his head towards Grutfley.

"Yeah worth a fugging laugh if it does it." Grutfley climbed off the bed to follow his partner. "It can get me some an all."

They made their way down to the storeroom, which was only opened at certain times. The orcs were doled out rations through a small hatch about a foot square. It was bolted shut from the inside whilst unmanned.

However, Grutfley knew, from having worked there at one time, that the bolt could be undone from the outside by reaching through a very small opening above the hatch. He also knew that his fingers were too big to fit through the opening.

"Lift it up and push its hand through the gap at the top." Grutfley said. "If its clever like you say, it should work out what you want."

Smagnu did as told and Pippin found the bolt immediately and pulled it back. The hatch swung open. The hobbit turned to Smagnu enquiringly and he was pushed headfirst through the tiny space, nearly strangling as he fell through the other side as the Uruk still had hold of the leash.

Smagnu dropped the cord and pointed towards the whisky supplies that he could see on the far shelf. Pippin now knew exactly what was wanted and scampered over to fetch a bottle or two. He felt a little more comfortable knowing he was being trained as a burglar rather than a dog. "Just like Uncle Bilbo with the dwarves," he thought.

He managed two bottles at once and, bringing them back to Smagnu, placed them carefully in his hands. The Uruk stored the bottles in his pockets and then reached his arm down to pick the hobbit up but Pippin was already off again to see what else this room had to offer.

He found a barrel of apples and put four in his pockets and then discovered some small bags of sugar and ran back to Smagnu with these. Before the Uruk could grab him he was back investigating once more.

This foray yielded a whole cheese wrapped in waxed paper and a pot of honey and then Pip spotted a store of small bottles that was very familiar and dear to his heart. He discarded the honey and put six of the little bottles into his bulging pockets instead.

He ran back to the hatch again planning to give the cheese to Smagnu, although not the little bottles, and go back for the honey, but the Uruk was too quick for him and after taking the cheese managed to grab the little hobbit by the hair.

He got a firmer grip on Pippin by his scruff and hauled him back through the opening, and held him up in front of his face wagging a finger at him and obviously scolding him. They pushed the hatch closed and held Pippin up again, putting his hand through the opening at the top so he could reset the bolt. With their ill-gotten gains the three burglars made their way back to the small room.

"Not a bad haul." Grutfley surveyed the two bottles of whisky, the apples, three bags of sugar and a large cheese. "P'raps that little imp ain't so bad after all."

"See I told you little Pip was clever." Smagnu picked the hobbit up and then noticed something still in its pocket. "What you got there, Pip?"

Pippin put his hand over his pocket trying to protect his personal trove, but Smagnu was having none of it. He held Pippin's wrists together and fished in his pocket pulling out the six little bottles of poppy juice.

"It's clever all right," Grutfley agreed. "Make a fugging good little thief, if it don't kill itself with that stuff first!"

****

TBC

Original Reviews

Reviewer

Date

Chapter

Type

Floria Tosca

2002-08-10

52

Signed

When Merry is taken to Barad-dur, maybe Smagnu will scoop him up and start a collection! I suppose Merry will be a little harder to put to use, but he can translate for Pip. It seems that you aren't the only one who wants hobbits for their birthday. On a slightly more sober note (pun intended), Pippin's going to need Narcotics Anonymous after this little adventure. As Gandalf said about Gollum in the movie, "he will never be free of his need for it."

FictionHobbit

2002-05-08

52

Signed

Tsk BAD Future Thain! BAD

Pervinca

2002-05-08

52

Signed

Whee! The second half of this chapter was rather fun. I love that Pippin's name is Pip even with the orcs. I'm torn: Do we want Merry to meet up with Pippin or to be rescued by Legolas? Good thing it's up to you, I guess!  No, I have nothing substantial to say, just that I enjoy this chapter and the fic as a whole very much.

Ginger

2002-05-08

52

Signed

lol I like how you explained the whole telepathy thing even though I understood before "I should have just gotten them all cell phones" lol You coulda gotten them those motorolla pagers too that send text messages to each other lol  Well besides that I love this story I often come to find up to 10 new chapters up! You post/write very quickly! Well Keep up the good work I look forward to reading more of your wonderful story!

Crystal Pribble (crystal_pribble@hotmail.com)

2002-05-07

52

Anonymous

I just found your story a day ago, and I did not go to bed until I had read the entire thing! You are a fantastic writer and your imagination is so vivid...I envy you. I think you explain things very clearly, and believe that it is truly the skill level of the readers that holds them back from understanding. Please, continue writing with such enthusiasm and grace. I cannot wait to see the end of the story. Its so touching and heartwarming, I find myself crying while reading. I eagerly anticipate the rest...and the end! :)

Roz Morgan and Race skylark

2002-05-07

52

Signed

Note to self don't print out stories to read at school, I was laughing too loud at the part where you explained how the telepathy worked and right in the middle of a test to so I had my print out taken away!  I loved it!

MarigoldG

2002-05-06

52

Signed

Boy, you got a lot accomplished in this chapter! I liked when Merry woke up he sent out that automatic distress call.. sorta I'm here (wherever that may be) where are you guys..? I read back to make sure, and I don't think Pip knows who/what worm-thing is...wouldn't he be more concerned about who has Merry in his clutches and caused Legolas to be hurt? Unless he knows worm-thing means Wormtongue from Edoras.. didn't look back that far, lol! Pip's announcement that he had beer for breakfast and Legolas answering  "Did you Pippin? That was nice. Did you drink a lot?" "..no spill a lot.." "That's probably for the best." had me in hysterics...! Merry was very good at procrastinating with Wormtongue, and had a good idea 'tripping' to tie the knots...if Wormtongue had any decency at all, and had gone to help Merry up he might have  noticed...see what happens when you're sooo mean ...and I liked the way Merry played up his blindness so that Wormtongue will see him as more helpless, perhaps forgetting a bit of his earlier fierce behaviour and letting his guard down a bit...Merry is more careful in his conversation with Pip and Legolas about promising to come for Pippin - he IS going toward the Black Tower, but Legolas may rescue him before he gets there and he doesn't want to promise Pip anything he might not be able to talk Legolas into...Loved the orcs 'teaching' Pippin in their room, and had a vision of a very small Pippin being shoved through tiny pantry windows by his  older and bigger cousin Merry, years ago, when Merry was training him as his own accomplice in crime, lol! It was so telling how 'soft' on his 'pet' Smagnu is getting that he 'thought' of cuffing him, then decided to try patience once more...an orc with patience! Pip's thought of being unsure that being a pet dog for an orc was a suitable occupation for the son of the Thain was hysterical, but what made it even funnier to me was his later realization that he was being trained as a burglar...well, that's all right then! Just like Uncle Bilbo! And it's not like Pip has no experience along these lines anyway... I could just picture a triumphant grin on Pippin's face as Smagnu was waggling that big  finger in his face...And even Grutfley now is making comments about Pip and his poppy juice! Now if Pippin had been truly thinking properly (as I'm sure he'd been coached as a wee one by Merry) he would have only four in his pocket and hidden two somewhere else on his person...better for him though that he wasn't thinking too clearly!

I apologize for all of the typos in my review of the previous chapter...I had a virtual hangover from the virtual party!  Actually I had a not so virtual husband wanting to look up some needless junk about Bruce Springsteen hanging over my shoulder, lol...doesn't he realize this is MUCH more important!? LOL

Aiwendil Greenleaf

2002-05-06

52

Signed

I could use a little Pippin thief.......... Two good chapters, BRAVO!!

roadkill-writer

2002-05-06

52

Signed

He he...Pip the burglar...he he... I've just got a couple of questions: 1. Do you have any big long term plans for Eowyn in the future. She's sort of been there in the background the whole time without doing much, so what I was wondering is, is she gong to have an important role to play, such as rescueing Merry, or something like that? I hope so, because I like Eowyn. 2. Is Pip actually going to get hurt by the Opium? He's not gonna get poisoned and die or anything? I would cry! Oh wait...I do that anyway. I just need some reassurance about the little hobbit! 3. Has Merry still got his flute? I don't know what relevance that's got to the story, but I was jsut wondering. Cheers, Roadkill

Nova

2002-05-06

52

Signed

Oh, I understood how you set the telepathy up, and how you had it working, but I didn't know if you were planning to enhance it in future installments. Maybe the good guys could use it to their advantage, like Pippin talking to the Uruks/Orc to find out what they are doing to him, or Merry being able to use the eyes of Grima without his knowledge to get free, or either of them spying on the Can Opener of Death and his slimy maggots- oops! I mean Sauron and his minions. Give respect where respect is due. (I may not LIKE Sauron, but I respect him. I respect anyone who can squash me flat.) Thanks for the really really long answer to my question! I felt honoured.

Shame on you, Peregrine Took! Before you know it, Merry will come and rescue you and you will love Smagnu for his poppy supply more than your sweet cousin. When you get back to the Shire and live in shameful disgrace, whoring around for opium and slumming in the gutters of Michel Delving. Stick with apples. They're much safer, and considerably cheaper.

Is the stealing of rations going to effect the orcs on the whole? I'm sure that it will be noticed, and someone will get into trouble because of it, but will it cause shortage among the troops, leading to riots and such? Let's see, Nova- 100,000 orcs, one wheel of cheese, a few bottles of booze, and a couple of apples... Nope! Guess not. Even *I'm* not that bad at math. Perhaps I should stop trying to guide the plot toward pillage, rampaging, and general chaos. I apologize.

Nova P.S. oo! Oo ! Another Deep, Pertinent Thought! (I'm just full of them today, aren't I?) Is there an accessible palantir in Barad-dur? Just another thing Pippin could get in trouble with....

Mistoffelees

2002-05-06

52

Signed

~faints from the loveliness of the story~ Pip's a nice little theif, no? I never would've seen those bottles of poppy juice coming..;) ~pause~ Aaaaah! Nooo! I've killed you with my endless questions and unquenchable thirst for knowledge. Every wizard should have a Mistoffelees or two in their care, to teach them the meaning of the word, and correct them. Or something like that. ^.^ ~shoves several many altoids in her mouth~ So you must be..somewhere between 30 something and 100 and something. Well that narrows it down to about...70 something different ages you could be. This is where process of elimination comes in..You probably aren't 111..JRR was..er..50 or 60 when he wrote these, maybe 40..Hrm...I think you're 37. Am I close? Am I? ..Oh darn! My reviews are getting longer and shorter but still long. Oh well.

Dindae

2002-05-06

52

Anonymous

A personal question, for ME? You shouldn't have. I live a place that would make a priest swear from the heat. In fact, a priest visiting from Glasgow (he was visiting a Catholic Church, but if anyone comes from my homeland, I find out... eventually), he arrived in the summer, a really stupid thing to do. One day he was talking to someone and he said,"Now I know what Hell is like!" I still haven't said where I live, have I? I live in the Valley of the Sun (hah!), Arizona. And hating every minute of it. I know how he feels, I can't get used to the heat (neither can my skin, have to wear t-shirts at all times and 45spf sun block, and I still burn! lucky me.) But I think he deserved it, because he was a Celts fan and I'm a Hearts and Rangers girl. (I can have more than one team) I really enjoyed your explanation of the telepathy thingy-dooda. Do you mind if i print it off? Please? With a Ring of Power on top? Oh, I just realised: Out of the twenty Rings of Power available, how many did the hobbits get? None, nothing, nil, bugger all! So, in my happy world full of alchohol and fish 'n' chip suppers (complete with newspapers), I have given my boys their own magic rings. Of course, they're not THAT powerful, but it keeps them happy. Time to go, ta for now!

Lightpoet

2002-05-06

52

Signed

Hmm...cell phones...all becomes clear now! Thanks for the explanation and keep up the good work! ^.^

Invidi

2002-05-06

52

Signed

Oooh ho! What a clever little imp our dear Pip has become. And thank you so so so so so so much for keeping true to a Hobbit's attitude by allowing Pip to keep going back for more stuff, it was delightful. =)

And Merry's stalling was clever too. I hope Grima falls off his horse and breaks his tongue. Ole Meanie that he is.

...so you expect the ending to be the same as the books? It's just the stuff in the middle that's changed, rightio? Cause if that's how it works, then you're doing awesome so far. =)

I really can't wait for more, and I'd feel more inclined to write a longer review, but I drank too much root beer and I must take my leave. ;) I love the Uruk/Orc/Imp interaction though! Ta ta! ~*Invidi*~

Windfola

2002-05-06

52

Anonymous

HAHAHAHAHAHA! Cell phone! BRILLIANT! *teehee, was that little cameo role in reward for the salsa con queso, or had you planned it? ;)

Original A/N

I don't know what I'm going to do with Pippin – he's getting worse!

I may be a little sporadic posting over the next week or two as I have to go to Bath this week for work and to Bradford the following week, when I will be away for three to four nights, which means away from my p.c. I will try to keep on writing – but it sometimes takes a little longer to put the chapters up.

But don't let that stop you reviewing! Thanks for all the trouble you take and Hi NYAdas, nice talking to you today.

Q&A

Bean says If only he could hear, but if he could hear and speak, do you think they'd like him as much?

I think you're right, the fact he doesn't talk makes him more vulnerable and in need of protection.

Windfola: iv'e got virtual tortilla chips and salsa con queso for the virtual party)

They were great! Did everyone have a virtual good time?

Dindea Do you know where my nearest branch of "Hobbits 'r' Us" is?

Depends where you live?

Mistoffelees: Do you have this entire thing (or just some) of it plotted out, or are you basically just making it up as you go along?

The second one – making it up as I go along. Marigold will tell you because every time I change the plot I email her to check it out for me. I have a general idea of where it will go and write a bit of an outline, but the actual chapters are not written. I do them day by day.

This actually makes for some inconsistencies in style, because it develops as you're writing, e.g. the way the hobbits mind speak has changed a little as I've had different ideas about how it should sound, but that is to be expected. They're learning and I'm learning!

Mistoffelees how long is this story going to be?

Don't know for sure – really don't. Just till it reaches a natural conclusion or I run out of words I guess.

Mistoffelees Did you suddenly have an epiphany, Llinos, to write this story?

No.

Mistoffelees: How old are you?

Older than Pippin and Merry, younger than Bilbo and JRR when he wrote the original. Okay?

That's all the questions I can manage tonight. Thanks to everyone else for the excellent reviews, long and short I love to read 'em all and I'm sorry if I missed anyone's question. If there is something you really need to know and I didn't answer here, send me an email and I promise I will answer it. Lizallinos@aol.com

Cheers and nighty night all.

Llinos