THIS CHAPTER DEALS WITH AN ORC TRYING TO 'HANDLE' ROWENA. I'M SORRY, BUT THIS IS WHAT AN ORC WOULD ABSOLUTELY DO. IT'S NOT GRAPHIC AND HAPPENS RIGHT AS EOMER AND HIS MEN ARRIVE, SO IT'S SHUT DOWN QUICK, KAY? LOVE YOU ALL! NOW, TO REVIEWS!
Me and Not You 1001: Yeah, Boromir made a big mistake with that comment, that's for sure! XD Glad you liked it, love! The bit about Rowena 'not' wanting to to Mordor was my reaction. I'd be like, "I can refuse, right? I'm not going to, but I do have that option, correct?" ;P Gotta love an independent, modern woman's reactions to the more medieval society Tolkien created! XD
GOD BLESS AND GOOD DAY!
~THE LUPINE SOJOURNER
This cycle goes on about two more days. It's now noon of the fifth day since our capture (I think; the days are beginning to blur together). It's hard not to think that maybe, this time, Aragorn won't be able to find us. Or perhaps they all decided to go with Frodo to Mordor.
But, regardless, I can't let Pippin think we won't be rescued eventually, so I keep up a brave face and assure him every night that Aragorn and Legolas and Gimli were still hot on our tail. And every night, I send up a prayer to whatever gods exist here that we somehow get out of this.
And then evening comes and there's something angering most of the smaller Orcs. it takes another few minutes to figure out what. The smaller ones want to stop for the night but the bigger ones aren't as keen on the idea.
"Merry, Winnie." Pippin whimpers, wriggling over to us.
"I think we made a mistake leaving the Shire, Pippin." Merry replies, and I smile.
"Well, if you hadn't left the Shire, then you'd have never met me, would you? Or Aragorn, Legolas, or Gimli." Pippin pretends to consider this for a moment.
"...I think I agree with Merry on this one." He says cheekily. I scowl playfully at him as we all share a rare smile.
"Then I won't tell you about the knife in my boot." Aragorn had given me one of his spares, even coaching me on grips and simple swings in the canoe and when we stopped to eat and sleep. The pair instantly realize what I'm talking about; the Orcs hadn't bothered to take anything from us, in too much of a hurry to even search us properly. They'd even stopped taking the time to re-tie my leg bindings, as it just wasted time. Same with the boys.
Before they can reply, there's a loud creaking that seems to come from the trees, as if they were protesting the Orcs cutting them down. I frown.
"...Please tell me you heard that, too." I whisper, looking back toward the forest. Merry sits up, looking confused and slightly terrified.
"What's making that noise?" Pippin asks timidly. Merry swallows.
"It's the trees." He breaths. I blink.
"Merry, trees don't move unless there's wind."
"If they're Ents, they can." Merry replies.
"What?" Pippin replies, sounding almost incredulous. "That's just a spooky story to keep us out of the woods when we were little, Merry." He adds. Merry shakes his head.
"No, it isn't. Remember the Old Forest, on the Borders of Buckland? Folk used to say there was something in the water that made the trees grow tall and come alive." I frown.
"'Alive'?" Pippin repeats. Merry nods.
"And they could whisper, talk to each other...even move." He continues. I huff.
"So, there are anthropomorphic trees in Middle-Earth? Great." Then, commotion from the ranks of Orcs draws our attention.
"I'm starving!" An Orc growls, holding up the nasty bread we'd all been forced to eat the past few days. "We ain't had nothing but maggoty bread for three stinkin' days!" He adds, throwing the bread on the ground in disgust.
"Yeah!" Another, smaller one, whines in agreement, his voice unpleasantly high and reedy. "Why can't we have some meat?" He presses, then notices the the three bound prisoners not ten feet away. I pale. Oh, no. "What about them? They're fresh." He asks, licking his lips. "We might even get to have some fun with the female, while we're at it."
"They are not for eating, or fun!" The large leader snaps, leading a few of his more loyal cronies to stand in front of us. I never thought I would, but I was almost tempted to thank that Orc. Almost. The leader's words do not allay the others' desire eat to the boys and rape me, however. The leader sees this and grabs my wrist bindings, dragging me backwards and further away from the mutineers as others grab Merry and Pippin. As soon as I can, I shift myself to stand on front of the boys.
"What about their legs?" Another mutineer, the one who'd called our troop late earlier, pipes up. "They don't need those." He then licks his lips. "They look tasty, 'specially that female!" He adds, daring to run forward. The leader shoves him back.
"Get back, scum! The prisoners go to Saruman, alive and unspoiled."
"Having a bit of fun won't spoil 'er." The Orc protests. "And why alive?" He asks, jeering at us. "Are they all good sport? Or is it just the female?" The surrounding Orcs seem to find that amusing, leering at me and cackling horribly.
"They have things the Master will want. Weapons, one Elvish, one...well, you saw the female use it, didn't you?" The leader of the mutineers reluctantly nods. "The Master wants new weapons for the War. We're providing them." Pippin's eyes are wide in terror as he leans over to Merry.
"They think we have the Ring." He whimpers. Merry shushes him instantly.
"The instant they find out we don't, we're dead and Rowena, too, probably." I want to ask what the 'ring' is and why it's so important, but I know better. I feel the hairs on the back of my neck stand on end, even as the high, reedy voiced Orc comes up from behind, trailing his filthy, grubby hands all over me, even daring to unbutton a few buttons on my shirt. I try to wriggle away, but am grabbed again in seconds, hand now completely over my mouth. I thrust it away immediately.
"Stop!" I growl. The thing merely smiles.
"Just 'ow I like 'em; feisty, with just a little backbone." He replies, leering evilly at me. "When I'm done with you, I'll take just a bit off- -" He never got to finish the sentence as the leader of the platoon has finally taken enough and swings the sword, the Orc's head rolling between my feet and bumping against Merry and Pippin's ankles. I'd barely ducked in time to avoid being gashed. There's tense silence for several slow seconds, and I pull the boys to me. I knew something horrible was about to- -
"Looks like meat's back on the menu, boys!" The leader roars. Just as the Orcs rush forward, I pull the boys down and reach for my knife. I quickly cut my bonds and get to work on Merry's when I am kicked aside, an Orc's boots thudding enough to make me see stars and the next thing I know, I'm straddled by the leader of the mutineers. He pins me down securely, grabbing my mouth painfully as his other hand unbuttons a few more buttons. I wriggle around, grunting and trying to get my mouth free.
"Go on. Call for help." He growls. My heart thuds painfully in my chest as he leers at me and draws closer. "You're mine. No one's gonna save you now." He jeers, then, miraculously, a spear sprouts out of his chest. He screeches in agony and rolls over, even as I slice his throat with my knife and finish cutting the boys' bonds as the sound of a herd of horses approach, coupled with riders' whistles.
"I'm sorry." Merry stammers. "I couldn't do anything! He was going to- -"
"I know, but he didn't. Now, let's go before we're attacked, too!" I interject, doing up a few buttons and grabbing their hands. "Follow me and stay low." I order, bending and running forward. We'd not made it twenty feet when an arrow skims my shin painfully. I gasp in agony and drop to the ground, clutching at the wound. "Go! I'm right behind you! Don't stop running! I'll catch up!" I cry, even as I try to tear a strip of my shirt to make a sort-of bandage. The boys, bless them, stayed where they were. "Go!" I snap and they finally get moving as I finally get the strip. Tying it off, I stand and don't even have time to test my weight before I am grabbed by the back of the shirt and hauled roughly onto a horse that carries me away from the forest, where we'd been trying to seek shelter. Merry and Pippin were lost in the sea of riders and Orcs. "Hey! Put me down!" I then scream, struggling to break free. In the end, the rider was so startled, he accidentally lets me go and I fall off the saddle, my head cracking harshly against a rock and I know nothing more.
=#=#=#=#=
When I came to, I was lying on a bedroll in front of a fire, alone for the moment. I sit up and see a few tents only big enough for two people, tops. That, and my forehead (where I hit the rock) had been expertly treated and bound, as well as my leg.
Seconds later, I note I've been tied at the wrists again, but this time there was at least bandages on my sores, so they could heal. Regardless, I groan and stand to find someone I can get answers from and (hopefully) find Merry and Pippin.
"Hey!" I bark at the first man to come across me. He was fairly handsome, with jade green eyes and straw-colored hair down to his shoulders, tied back from his face in a half-up style I used myself a lot. He had broad shoulders accented by the armor he wore. "Why am I tied up?!" I demand. I'm too tired to be polite, and the headache I have is not helping.
"I gave the order myself." I bristle and stalk a few steps closer.
"Why?!" I snap, glaring at him. He scowled back. I now notice just how big he looks.
"You are an unknown woman. That, and it is King Theoden's orders that all sojourners in Rohan be detained until he can question them. I am truly sorry, milady. If I could, I would remove those ropes, but I cannot." I huff and roll my eyes.
"Did you at least find two Hobbits? They weren't far ahead of me. We were trying to take shelter in the woods, and we were separated when some idiot grabbed me and hauled me onto his saddle." Eomer frowns.
"Nay, I saw none with you when I thought I had grabbed an Orc for questioning." He's suddenly smirking, the cheeky little bugger. "I was, I admit, rather startled to find that you were a prisoner of theirs, not an Orc yourself. Then, you slipped right off Firefoot, my horse, and I brought you back here." I groan and sink to the ground, deciding to at least try to be polite to this guy.
"Yeah, my friends and I have been their prisoners for the past...five days, I think. I dunno; the days start blending together soon enough. Now, Orc rope is very coarse, and my sores are starting to really hurt, despite the kind treatment I am grateful for. Can we just take the rope off until we get where we're going?"
"I'm afraid not, milady." The man replies. I begin to groan, then stop short.
"Look, it's been a stressful day, sir. I'm sorry for the poor first impression. I'm Rowena O'Neil, but please call me 'Winnie'." I introduce myself and he chuckles, shaking my bound proffered hand. We shake hands and I try not to grimace at the catching and rubbing on the sores on my wrists.
"Eomer, son of Eomund, is my name." I nod, wondering why his father was introduced, too.
"Pleasure. Um...can I get some food? All the orcs gave us was maggoty bread and some foul draught stuff." Eomer nods.
"Of course. Please, right this way." He leads me to a small tent and enters, sitting down on the opposite end and my mouth waters at the bread, cheese, and meat available. I barely manage a 'thank you' before chowing down hungrily. Eomer smiles. "You have a voracious appetite, milady." I stop mid-chew and force myself to eat a little slower.
"Sorry. I'm just so hungry. Trust me when I say maggoty bread is not satisfying."
"I meant no offense, Rowena. I shall take your word about the bread in future." He says with a wink and a smile. I flush a little (smiles were unfairly cute on him. Don't judge!), but then it vanishes when Eomer suddenly sags, as if wearying of forcing himself to be cheerful.
"In truth, milady, we seek my cousin, Theodred. He is missing with his Eored- -all skilled riders and warriors. They were due to return nigh on seven morns ago." Just before we were captured. I note absently. I awkwardly touch Eomer's hand.
"I'm sure you'll find him." I mumble shyly, retracting my hand suddenly.
"Aye, I hope so. This was the area he was patrolling, last any heard. So it is here we hope to find him, but in the meantime, perhaps you'd like some rest?" I nod wearily.
"Yes, that would be great." I then look at my hands. Sleeping with bound hands was difficult, but do-able. I am then handed a bedroll (a luxury I had sorely missed) and am a little shocked when Eomer simply lies down, leaving not much room in the tent. I then shrug and lay down myself, exhaustion overruling me and I fall to darkness within minutes.
=#=#=#=#=
The next morning, I wake to find myself in the bedroll without a tent. Eomer was approaching as I sat up, rubbing my eyes and stretching best I could.
"I was just about to wake you, milady. We are about to mount up to continue our search." I nod.
"Yeah, yeah. I'm…" I yawn and pop my neck and my back. "I'm coming." I then stand and follow Eomer. He hands me something he calls waybread with a few boiled eggs and I have to scarf them down. Eomer then helps me mount Firefoot and then he smoothly slides in behind me. I flush and try to scoot forward, but there is no room left. So I am left to be smushed against a guy I hardly know in a saddle. Life sucks sometimes. Eomer has to hold the reigns, so the situation becomes even more awkward as he has to wrap his arms around me.
"I'm sorry, Rowena." He mumbles, feeling as awkward as I do. I swallow my nerves and shrug.
"It's...It's alright."
A few hours later, we are nearing a few large boulders. Then, just as we passed them, I hear a voice I thought I'd never hear again.
"Riders of Rohan! What news from the Mark?" My eyes snap wide. It was Aragorn!