"Turn around, Eomer! Turn around!" I all but screech, trying to see my friend even as Eomer raises his spear and wheels Firefoot around, his men trusting him and turning around, as well. "Those are my friends!" I explain happily. The men encircle the guys and I find only Legolas, Gimli, and Aragorn standing there. I beam at them, scrambling down. "Guys! I'm so happy to see you!" I cry as they hug me. They then notice that I am bound.
"What is this?!" Gimli demands sharply, pointing at the ropes and reaching for his ax. "Why have you bound this maiden?! And why is she injured?!" He growls. "If you've laid hands on her, I swear by Durin- -" Eomer dismounts, and held his hands up placatingly.
"I apologize, but it is the law of this land in these dark times. I have no choice but to obey."
"That is no excuse! She has been- -"
"Gimli, enough!" I interject. "They rescued me from the Orcs! I owe them my life!" I snap. "So put that ax down and relax. If you must know, I fell off Eomer's" I pointed to my new friend to illustrate who I meant, "horse, and hit my head on a rock. That's how I got injured! They took me with them, dressed my wrists, too, after the Orc rope gave me blisters and sores, before they had to re-tie them. They've been taking really good care of me. I'm fine! It's alright!" Gimli looks shell-shocked.
"Lass, yer defending these ruffians?!" I nod sternly as I square off against him without fear.
"Yeah, I am! They've been really kind to me. Eomer told me he really didn't want to have to tie me up, but he has no choice. I'm fine with it, really." Legolas steps forward.
"In any event, we owe you and your men a debt of gratitude, Eomer, but I must ask; did you not find two halflings with Rowena?" Eomer shakes his head.
"Alas, I did not. I must admit, I was more concerned with putting an end to those filthy Orcs." I then decide to tell my friends where Merry and Pippin went.
"We were separated when Eomer and his men attacked. We were heading into the forest just over there." I explain, pointing with my hands to the forest. Every man pales.
"What madness drove you to go in there?" Gimli whimpers. I flush with guilt.
"It seemed a logical place to take shelter in all the chaos of the skirmish. I'm sorry. I told them to go on and not look back cus my shin was nicked in the chaos." I explain in a rush. Gimli softens and pats my forearm as he sees the look in my eyes.
"You did what yeh could, lass. No more could be asked of you." He replies. I sniffle.
"If they're dead because of me…" I bite my lip as sudden tears threaten to spill out.
"I have heard strange tales of that forest, yes, but...we cannot give up now." Aragorn says gently. "Not while hope yet remains."
"Hope does not remain." Eomer mutters bitterly, remounting Firefoot. "I will, however, return the lady to your care and provide you one more gift; Hasold! Arod! Gremund!" Three horses are lead forward, riderless and ready to gallop. "May these horses bear you to better fortune than their former masters. I ask only this; that you return the horses to Edoras when your quest here is complete. In lending them to you, I stake my good name, and perhaps my freedom and rank, on your honor and good faith." I smile up at him.
"Thank you for mistaking me for an Orc." I whisper, patting his leg in farewell. "Hope you find your cousin." Eomer nods.
"I thank you, mIlady, and look forward to your arrival at Edoras, across the Entwash." Aragorn nods.
"I know the Golden Hall and it's location. I will return the horses as swift as may be." He assures Eomer. "Fare you well." Eomer sighs, putting a hand on my shoulder.
"Look for your friends, Rowena, but do not hold to too much hope. It has forsaken these lands." WIth that, he orders his men to ride north and they instantly obey. First thing Aragorn does is hug me as normally as possible, then he takes out a knife and slashes my bonds.
"I really a- -" I am cut off by a bear hug from Gimli.
"Now I can hug yeh proper, lassie! Oh, 'tis so good for these eyes to see you again." I grin and hug him back.
"I'm really glad to see you all, too, believe me, but we gotta go get Merry and Pippin." Gimli guffaws.
"You are a strong, brave woman, Rowena. Even so, surely you'll be wanting a meal and a rest first?" I shake my head and decide on Gremund, managing to swing fairly smoothly into the saddle, wincing as the bandages on my shin catch on my cut. This wasn't so hard, this horseback riding. So far at least.
"There's no time! You don't understand! That forest...I swear the trees spo- -"
"We have heard the tales of Fangorn Forest, I assure you, Rowena." Legolas says, mounting Arod and Gimli reluctantly lets the Elf help him into the saddle. Aragorn mounts Harold and we're set.
"Then we gotta go!" I bark, kicking the horse's sides. Obediently, Gremund starts forward. I swallow. So far so good, but...I'd only ridden once, for my Sweet Sixteen party, and I barely remember it at all now. Just that- -oh. I had to be confident, dominant, and sure of my directions...I think. I wheel Gremund toward the forest. Thankfully, no one argues and we ride off at a swift gallop. I take a lot of cues from the others as to how to make Gremund run faster, and he was a good horse, well trained, so he obeyed without a hitch. It's about an hour's hard ride to the forest, but by the time we got there, the sun was setting and we all agreed it would do the Hobbits no good to go blundering into a forest with night so close, get lost, then be left to the mercy of...the trees. I know they moved and groaned without wind. I know it!
So, reluctantly, we settle down for the night.
"Lass?" Gimli asks. I nod.
"Yeah, Gimli?" He sighs.
"Yeh don't have to answer, but...what happened when you were with the Orcs?" I swallow, the memory of being groped and straddled by an Orc unpleasant, to put it mildly.
"Not a whole lot while they were running, thank God. We rode piggyback, with ropes securing us to the carriers. Then, at night, they'd throw us down and prepare camp, tossing us maggoty bread and...some kind of draught that tasted like an alcohol in my world called vodka, that burns down your throat and makes you feel unnaturally warm, but it also gave us a kind of frenzied energy, as well. The Orcs, when they would look at me, taunt each other about 'sport' and 'fun' with me, but thankfully the leader had orders to bring us to someone named Saruman 'alive and unspoiled'. It didn't deter them from wanting to eat the boys' legs and rape me, though. So the leader made an example of the main mutineer, but while all this was going on, an Orc came from behind…"
"He didn't!" Gimli barks, everyone's eyes and being darkening in rage at the unspoken action the Orc was about to take. I flinch, both at the memory and the sudden rage in my friends.
"Nearly, but no. He had me pinned and was...but then a spear crashed into his back and the rider's attack began. In the confusion, the Hobbits and I got free of our bonds with the knife Aragorn gave me and made for the woods, when a Rohirric arrow grazed my shin. It hurt like crap and I stopped to tear a bandage from my shirt. As soon as I was done, I was swept up by a man I'd later know as Eomer and mistaken for an orc that needed to be questioned. I demanded to be put down and he was so startled, my wriggling suddenly made me fall off the horse. I hit my head and Eomer's been taking care of me ever since." I explain. The trio of men are silent for a long moment.
"You are truly a strong, capable woman, mellon." Legolas breathes. "Any other woman would have died of fright." I shrug.
"Benefit of being Scottish, I suppose; we're renowned for our resilience." Gimli chuckles and claps my shoulder heartily. Unfortunately, it's right on my bruise and I hiss.
"Ow! That's right where I landed when the Orcs would throw us down." Gimli pales slightly.
"Apologies, lass!" He all but squeaks. I shrug.
"It's fine. They're starting to heal." I reply, smiling. "Now, I think I'm about to fall asleep talking. I'm going to bed." The others nod and Legolas takes first watch.
As I settle down, for the first time in five days (not including my time with Eomer), I felt safe, secure and almost literally glowing with the warmth of both the fire and the knowledge that I had found a group I could call my family in this crazy, upside down world.
SHORTER THAN THE PREVIOUS CHAPTERS, I KNOW, BUT I HAVE BEEN TURNING THIS INTO AN ENTIRE RE-TELLING OF MY STORY AND I DON'T WANT TO DO THAT. APOLOGIES FOR NOT WRITING OTHER THINGS, LIKE AUS AND THE PROMISED ALTERNATE WORLDS THEY COULD MEET IN. HERE'S AN IDEA I HAVE IN MIND FOR NEXT CHAPTER. LIKE ME KNOW IF YOU CAN GUESS THIS FANDOM!
Being a bartender means you learn a lot about the utter depravity men are capable of. Women, too. Humans in general- -though aliens fall into this category, too- -can be ruthless to each other, petty and embittered to the point of brutal vengeance on their wrong-doers.
On the flipside of that, I oftentimes find myself feeling for the victims, left to pick themselves up after all was said and done. Alcohol seemed a popular coping mechanism among our kind (and several species of aliens, too). Then he walked in.
He sat at the bar and ordered two whiskeys on the rocks, puffy eyes denoting lack of sleep. "Damn woman…" He groans, shooting an entire whiskey straight back. He was quite handsome with his square jaw, slightly grown out black hair, and the lukewarm dark brown eyes of someone who's been put through all seven Rings of Hell in mere hours. "Taking the entire planet with her!" He says, shooting the other drink back.
"Slow down; you'll get alcohol poisoning." I tease, unable to help it. He merely grunts and orders two more drinks.