Author's note: Thanks to everyone who reviewed. I've taken the advice about
the summary, and changed it. If you were desperate for more after the first
part, I dread to think how you'll be after this one.
***
It was still dark when Sal was shaken awake the next morning. He saw that clean clothes had been laid out for him, and a good breakfast of porridge and bread sat on a table. His last meal? He ate it hungrily, knowing he might as well enjoy the last pleasures he was offered.
"Hurry now!" the guard ordered, gesturing to the clothes that lay ready, before leaving him to change. Sal was glad to change out of the clothes he had been wearing since the night of his folly. He had barely finished dressing when the door opened again and the guard ordered him out. He was surprised that he wasn't put in chains again, but even so he doubted he would be able to escape if he tried.
The sky was beginning to lighten in the east as they went outside and across the courtyard towards the gate. Sal wondered where he was being taken. If he was being taken out into the city, it would mean people would watch as he was killed. His parents would be shamed publicly. Tears pricked his eyes, but he blinked them back. There was no sense in crying over what could not be stopped.
Sal soon discovered their destination, as he was led to the stables near the seventh gate of the city. Horses and ponies were being made ready for a journey, and Sal was almost certain there had been a mistake. Why would they bring him here? A tall man crossed to Sal from where he was saddling a bay horse.
"Do you ride?" he asked.
"I can, but I haven't ridden often," Sal replied, then realised who it was he was talking to, "your majesty."
"You will fair well on Star," the king replied, indicating the horse he had been saddling. Sal was filled with wonder that King Elessar would be performing this task himself, instead of giving it to the grooms. Sal stood alone in the stable door, and looked at the other occupants of the stable. A man with blond hair was talking to a small boy by a grey pony. Then Sal looked closer, and saw the pointed ears. That was no man, but an elf! And the boy was not a boy at all, but a small man! A halfling! There were others in the stable, that moved in and out of view among the horses. Another halfling, and a being who was certainly a dwarf.
Whatever punishment was being prepared, Sal thought it was worth it to have been given this chance to see the beings, who were almost certainly the legendary companions of the king during the Great War.
"Come," King Elessar said, as he finished his task. He held the reins of Star out to Sal, then went to take the reins of his own horse. The group gathered in the stables led the horses and ponies out to mount in the yard outside. Sal was able to see clearly who was there. The elf mounted a horse that bore no saddle or reins, and the dwarf clambered clumsily up behind him. The two halflings rode on sturdy ponies, and the king rode before the company as they made their way at a steady walk through the empty streets of the city.
They cantered from the gates of Minas Tirith, the eastern sky blazing gold. When dawn came suddenly, directly in front of the small company, Sal knew they were heading towards Mordor. That name still filled him with dread, even though the dark lord had been destroyed for years. His fear had been put aside briefly by the wonderment at seeing these living legends, but now it returned. He was being taken to the land of nightmares.
"Hello," Sal broke from his thoughts to see that one of the halflings had ridden up to his side. His little pony was keeping pace with the horses surprisingly well. Sal guessed they must be from Rohan.
"Hello," Sal responded, not certain how he should react to this cheerful- looking fellow. Didn't he know what Sal had done?
"I'm Pippin," the halfing said.
"Salafir, but most people call me Sal."
"Strider says you know Bergil," Pippin said.
"Strider?"
"King Elessar. When we first met he was in disguise, going by the name Strider and so we've called him Strider ever since." Sal couldn't imagine anyone calling King Elessar a name so derogatory.
"Do you know Bergil?" Pippin repeated his question.
"Yes, and he's always boasting of his friendship with Peregrin Took. I never knew how much to believe of it."
"Oh, we are friends," Pippin confirmed, "when I came to Minas Tirith in the war, I was lonely, so he showed me the city." Pippin went on to talk of those last days of the war. Sal had spent those days in Tumladen with his mother, with no way of knowing what was happening in the city and fearing each day for his father, who was a soldier in the army of Gondor. He told Pippin so, and soon they were talking as though they had been friends all their lives. Sal almost forgot the fear that had been weighing him down.
They stopped at midday for some food. Sal felt isolated as the other members of the company talked cheerfully of pasts they had shared, or at least knew something of.
"How is Sam?" King Elessar asked the two halflings.
"He's well," the other halfling, Merry, replied, "but Rose is pregnant again and he didn't think he could leave her."
"Give them my congratulations," King Elessar said. "And what of you, Pippin, I gather there are similar congratulations due to you soon?"
Pippin laughed, "You learn things before I do. Diamond only told me she suspected she was pregnant. Even she didn't know for certain."
"You will have a fine son." Sal wondered how he could be so sure, but didn't dare ask. "We should probably continue."
The company stood up, and King Elessar went to repack the saddlebags they'd opened for the food. Sal noticed something in one of the saddlebags that didn't fit. It was a long, thin object, wrapped in cloth, that stuck out from the bag. As King Elessar shifted the object to make room in the bag, the cloth slipped slightly and metal glinted in the sunlight. The hilt of a sword.
***
They rode on until sunset, and the sky burned red. Sal was tired, having been awake since before dawn, and was grateful when King Elessar said they should make camp. They had crossed the Anduin, and stopped beneath a grove of trees in Ithilien with a small stream nearby. Sal noticed again the sword that King Elessar bore, until the king covered it completely with the cloth. He placed it down carefully, and the company unburdened the horses, putting the bags at the base of a tall oak.
Legolas tended the horses, while the halflings drank at the stream. Sal stood uncertainly by. None of them were on the alert for the attack. None of them suspected. King Elessar straightened from where he was bending over their gear, the instant an arrow hit where his head had been.
A moment later orcs leapt from the trees. The company were in a frenzy, seizing weapons in order to defend against this sudden attack. Sal, unarmed and defenceless, dodged a blow from an orc sword, diving out of the way. He hit the ground hard beside their bags, and reached wildly for anything with which to block the death strokes of the orc. His hand reached fumbling in cloth, met the metal hilt of the sword.
There were cries and shouts from around him as the rest of the company fought the orcs. There was a clash of steel as Sal brought up the sword to block the orc's. He scrambled to his feet to be better positioned to fight. He blocked blow after blow, trying to remember what little training he had been given. It could only have been a few moments, when he didn't deflect a blow enough, and the sword scraped his arm. It felt as though the blade were red hot, and fire seared down his arm from the cut. He managed to thrust his own sword into the orc's chest before he stumbled, his legs going weak.
It was just a scratch, he told himself, already defending against another orc. Shadows were growing across his vision as his legs gave in and he fell to the ground. He saw the orc raising its sword to kill him, when the word went dark. The poison on the blade had done its work.
***
Author's note: Hee hee. I'm evil. You'll have to hang on 'til next time to find out what happens to him.
***
It was still dark when Sal was shaken awake the next morning. He saw that clean clothes had been laid out for him, and a good breakfast of porridge and bread sat on a table. His last meal? He ate it hungrily, knowing he might as well enjoy the last pleasures he was offered.
"Hurry now!" the guard ordered, gesturing to the clothes that lay ready, before leaving him to change. Sal was glad to change out of the clothes he had been wearing since the night of his folly. He had barely finished dressing when the door opened again and the guard ordered him out. He was surprised that he wasn't put in chains again, but even so he doubted he would be able to escape if he tried.
The sky was beginning to lighten in the east as they went outside and across the courtyard towards the gate. Sal wondered where he was being taken. If he was being taken out into the city, it would mean people would watch as he was killed. His parents would be shamed publicly. Tears pricked his eyes, but he blinked them back. There was no sense in crying over what could not be stopped.
Sal soon discovered their destination, as he was led to the stables near the seventh gate of the city. Horses and ponies were being made ready for a journey, and Sal was almost certain there had been a mistake. Why would they bring him here? A tall man crossed to Sal from where he was saddling a bay horse.
"Do you ride?" he asked.
"I can, but I haven't ridden often," Sal replied, then realised who it was he was talking to, "your majesty."
"You will fair well on Star," the king replied, indicating the horse he had been saddling. Sal was filled with wonder that King Elessar would be performing this task himself, instead of giving it to the grooms. Sal stood alone in the stable door, and looked at the other occupants of the stable. A man with blond hair was talking to a small boy by a grey pony. Then Sal looked closer, and saw the pointed ears. That was no man, but an elf! And the boy was not a boy at all, but a small man! A halfling! There were others in the stable, that moved in and out of view among the horses. Another halfling, and a being who was certainly a dwarf.
Whatever punishment was being prepared, Sal thought it was worth it to have been given this chance to see the beings, who were almost certainly the legendary companions of the king during the Great War.
"Come," King Elessar said, as he finished his task. He held the reins of Star out to Sal, then went to take the reins of his own horse. The group gathered in the stables led the horses and ponies out to mount in the yard outside. Sal was able to see clearly who was there. The elf mounted a horse that bore no saddle or reins, and the dwarf clambered clumsily up behind him. The two halflings rode on sturdy ponies, and the king rode before the company as they made their way at a steady walk through the empty streets of the city.
They cantered from the gates of Minas Tirith, the eastern sky blazing gold. When dawn came suddenly, directly in front of the small company, Sal knew they were heading towards Mordor. That name still filled him with dread, even though the dark lord had been destroyed for years. His fear had been put aside briefly by the wonderment at seeing these living legends, but now it returned. He was being taken to the land of nightmares.
"Hello," Sal broke from his thoughts to see that one of the halflings had ridden up to his side. His little pony was keeping pace with the horses surprisingly well. Sal guessed they must be from Rohan.
"Hello," Sal responded, not certain how he should react to this cheerful- looking fellow. Didn't he know what Sal had done?
"I'm Pippin," the halfing said.
"Salafir, but most people call me Sal."
"Strider says you know Bergil," Pippin said.
"Strider?"
"King Elessar. When we first met he was in disguise, going by the name Strider and so we've called him Strider ever since." Sal couldn't imagine anyone calling King Elessar a name so derogatory.
"Do you know Bergil?" Pippin repeated his question.
"Yes, and he's always boasting of his friendship with Peregrin Took. I never knew how much to believe of it."
"Oh, we are friends," Pippin confirmed, "when I came to Minas Tirith in the war, I was lonely, so he showed me the city." Pippin went on to talk of those last days of the war. Sal had spent those days in Tumladen with his mother, with no way of knowing what was happening in the city and fearing each day for his father, who was a soldier in the army of Gondor. He told Pippin so, and soon they were talking as though they had been friends all their lives. Sal almost forgot the fear that had been weighing him down.
They stopped at midday for some food. Sal felt isolated as the other members of the company talked cheerfully of pasts they had shared, or at least knew something of.
"How is Sam?" King Elessar asked the two halflings.
"He's well," the other halfling, Merry, replied, "but Rose is pregnant again and he didn't think he could leave her."
"Give them my congratulations," King Elessar said. "And what of you, Pippin, I gather there are similar congratulations due to you soon?"
Pippin laughed, "You learn things before I do. Diamond only told me she suspected she was pregnant. Even she didn't know for certain."
"You will have a fine son." Sal wondered how he could be so sure, but didn't dare ask. "We should probably continue."
The company stood up, and King Elessar went to repack the saddlebags they'd opened for the food. Sal noticed something in one of the saddlebags that didn't fit. It was a long, thin object, wrapped in cloth, that stuck out from the bag. As King Elessar shifted the object to make room in the bag, the cloth slipped slightly and metal glinted in the sunlight. The hilt of a sword.
***
They rode on until sunset, and the sky burned red. Sal was tired, having been awake since before dawn, and was grateful when King Elessar said they should make camp. They had crossed the Anduin, and stopped beneath a grove of trees in Ithilien with a small stream nearby. Sal noticed again the sword that King Elessar bore, until the king covered it completely with the cloth. He placed it down carefully, and the company unburdened the horses, putting the bags at the base of a tall oak.
Legolas tended the horses, while the halflings drank at the stream. Sal stood uncertainly by. None of them were on the alert for the attack. None of them suspected. King Elessar straightened from where he was bending over their gear, the instant an arrow hit where his head had been.
A moment later orcs leapt from the trees. The company were in a frenzy, seizing weapons in order to defend against this sudden attack. Sal, unarmed and defenceless, dodged a blow from an orc sword, diving out of the way. He hit the ground hard beside their bags, and reached wildly for anything with which to block the death strokes of the orc. His hand reached fumbling in cloth, met the metal hilt of the sword.
There were cries and shouts from around him as the rest of the company fought the orcs. There was a clash of steel as Sal brought up the sword to block the orc's. He scrambled to his feet to be better positioned to fight. He blocked blow after blow, trying to remember what little training he had been given. It could only have been a few moments, when he didn't deflect a blow enough, and the sword scraped his arm. It felt as though the blade were red hot, and fire seared down his arm from the cut. He managed to thrust his own sword into the orc's chest before he stumbled, his legs going weak.
It was just a scratch, he told himself, already defending against another orc. Shadows were growing across his vision as his legs gave in and he fell to the ground. He saw the orc raising its sword to kill him, when the word went dark. The poison on the blade had done its work.
***
Author's note: Hee hee. I'm evil. You'll have to hang on 'til next time to find out what happens to him.