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CHAPTER FIVE -- Bartering
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"It was many years ago. I don't really know how many, I've lost track of the days. I was raised and lived in Mirkwood in the court of King Thranduil. I'm not going to bore you with a lot of the details, but I will tell you how I came to be here, and perhaps that will put your mind away from your own problems." I stroked his hair while he sipped at the wine, grimacing at the taste, but I knew that whatever it took for me to continue the story he would do. I had bade the guard to move away, for he was frightening the hobbit, despite the fact that he had not laid a hand on him.
I wrapped the blanket a bit snugger around him and pressed a grimy cool cloth against his forehead. "I doubt that you have been there…it is nothing like Rivendell, and you mentioned that. But I will not go into descriptions. Let us just say it is more pleasant than here. " Did my eyes deceive me or was the orc listening. The creature met my eyes in challenge and I continued the story. I knew that he was listening too.
"I suppose it was my fault really, I had insisted on being in the hunt for the White Stag that night. But we had no idea what shadows were lurking in Greenwood. I was a spoilt one you know, always getting what I wanted. I was the youngest, and they all felt obligated since my father and mother had already traveled to the west. Legolas let me go on the hunt, but not without an escort. "
"You -do- know L-Legolas?" Frodo was still cold, still shivering, but his eyes were fixed on me now, bright and shining with tears.
"Hush now, drink."
He blinked, a merciful haze was developing in his vision and he was going a bit numb. I saw that he was feeling the effects of the alcohol but I did not stop with the tale now that I began it. I knew that the potency of the drink would help him forget what he went through.
"Yes." One of his wounds had begun to bleed again and I wished I had something to stitch it with, but I was limited in my means. I took to cleaning it once again, and fortunately the alcohol made it easier for him to endure. He shivered a little, and I looked at the Orc for a moment, debating whether or not the big creature would give me his coat if I asked him. Nope, if there was one thing I knew about Orcs, they were particular about their possessions, he'd never give it up. Maybe if I bartered for it…
"Karkosh…" I paused in the tale a moment, Frodo whimpered a bit but I put my finger to his lips, this was important. I dug my hand in my pouch looking for something…I had a crude bracelet that I had once taken from the body of a Orc who had died in one of the guard scuffles. I was all of a sudden reminded at the number of bits of jewelry that my master had 'given' me and touched my hand to my face. I lifted my hand up to my nose, where three were already fastened, arranged artistically to the color of the jewels within them. They weren't gold…but a crude copper metal, like the rest of the jewelry he forced on me. I grimaced a bit and took a deep breath. "Come here."
He came over with a questioning look, and crouched down. Frodo shivered and cowered a little as he stared at the creature in fear. I lifted the bracelet from my pouch…it was a shiny copper with little spikes on it I saw Karkosh's eyes light up when he looked at it as the spikes were shaped like skulls. He reached out his hand but I pulled it away. "Trade." I pointed at his coat. He rose and walked away, I waited. Then he looked back at the bracelet. I knew he was trying to figure out if it was worth it. Orcs weren't -that- bright. Finally, he shrugged and nodded, removing his very smelly…but warm…jacket. I gave him the bracelet and he wandered back to the wall to sit down and peer at it with a creepy looking smile.
I shook the coat out and laid it over the Halfling with a satisfied smile. His shivers began to cease a little and he gazed up at me hopefully for the rest of the story. He was starting to think again. I reached down and let my fingers run through his curls soothingly. "There now, better?" he nodded somewhat dizzily.
I tucked the coat around him securely, though he wasn't at all pleased by the smell…or the feel of it. Never mind, it would keep him warm. He sipped a bit more of the drink, not quite grimacing as much…he was obviously beginning to get used to the taste. I tried to smile…but it came out very faint. It seemed to comfort him nonetheless.
"Then I will continue with the tale…"
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CHAPTER FIVE -- Bartering
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"It was many years ago. I don't really know how many, I've lost track of the days. I was raised and lived in Mirkwood in the court of King Thranduil. I'm not going to bore you with a lot of the details, but I will tell you how I came to be here, and perhaps that will put your mind away from your own problems." I stroked his hair while he sipped at the wine, grimacing at the taste, but I knew that whatever it took for me to continue the story he would do. I had bade the guard to move away, for he was frightening the hobbit, despite the fact that he had not laid a hand on him.
I wrapped the blanket a bit snugger around him and pressed a grimy cool cloth against his forehead. "I doubt that you have been there…it is nothing like Rivendell, and you mentioned that. But I will not go into descriptions. Let us just say it is more pleasant than here. " Did my eyes deceive me or was the orc listening. The creature met my eyes in challenge and I continued the story. I knew that he was listening too.
"I suppose it was my fault really, I had insisted on being in the hunt for the White Stag that night. But we had no idea what shadows were lurking in Greenwood. I was a spoilt one you know, always getting what I wanted. I was the youngest, and they all felt obligated since my father and mother had already traveled to the west. Legolas let me go on the hunt, but not without an escort. "
"You -do- know L-Legolas?" Frodo was still cold, still shivering, but his eyes were fixed on me now, bright and shining with tears.
"Hush now, drink."
He blinked, a merciful haze was developing in his vision and he was going a bit numb. I saw that he was feeling the effects of the alcohol but I did not stop with the tale now that I began it. I knew that the potency of the drink would help him forget what he went through.
"Yes." One of his wounds had begun to bleed again and I wished I had something to stitch it with, but I was limited in my means. I took to cleaning it once again, and fortunately the alcohol made it easier for him to endure. He shivered a little, and I looked at the Orc for a moment, debating whether or not the big creature would give me his coat if I asked him. Nope, if there was one thing I knew about Orcs, they were particular about their possessions, he'd never give it up. Maybe if I bartered for it…
"Karkosh…" I paused in the tale a moment, Frodo whimpered a bit but I put my finger to his lips, this was important. I dug my hand in my pouch looking for something…I had a crude bracelet that I had once taken from the body of a Orc who had died in one of the guard scuffles. I was all of a sudden reminded at the number of bits of jewelry that my master had 'given' me and touched my hand to my face. I lifted my hand up to my nose, where three were already fastened, arranged artistically to the color of the jewels within them. They weren't gold…but a crude copper metal, like the rest of the jewelry he forced on me. I grimaced a bit and took a deep breath. "Come here."
He came over with a questioning look, and crouched down. Frodo shivered and cowered a little as he stared at the creature in fear. I lifted the bracelet from my pouch…it was a shiny copper with little spikes on it I saw Karkosh's eyes light up when he looked at it as the spikes were shaped like skulls. He reached out his hand but I pulled it away. "Trade." I pointed at his coat. He rose and walked away, I waited. Then he looked back at the bracelet. I knew he was trying to figure out if it was worth it. Orcs weren't -that- bright. Finally, he shrugged and nodded, removing his very smelly…but warm…jacket. I gave him the bracelet and he wandered back to the wall to sit down and peer at it with a creepy looking smile.
I shook the coat out and laid it over the Halfling with a satisfied smile. His shivers began to cease a little and he gazed up at me hopefully for the rest of the story. He was starting to think again. I reached down and let my fingers run through his curls soothingly. "There now, better?" he nodded somewhat dizzily.
I tucked the coat around him securely, though he wasn't at all pleased by the smell…or the feel of it. Never mind, it would keep him warm. He sipped a bit more of the drink, not quite grimacing as much…he was obviously beginning to get used to the taste. I tried to smile…but it came out very faint. It seemed to comfort him nonetheless.
"Then I will continue with the tale…"
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