Author's note: Sal is about thirty-five in this story. And I promise, he
will show up at some point, just not for a few chapters.
***
"Who are you?" the tall man demanded. He seemed to be the leader of this group. Merry was sitting on the ground, his wrists tied behind him, the tall man towering over him, the bearded man standing slightly behind him.
"We're just travellers," Merry said, "we didn't mean to interfere."
"Your name?" Merry didn't reply. Frightened as he was by these men, he wasn't going to cooperate that much.
"He's a halfling," the bearded man said, "and he wears the silver tree. How many halflings have been given that? He must be dear to the king." Merry noticed the bearded man's right hand moved slightly, while previously it had been held still. It moved in an almost imperceptible gesture.
"We should kill them," another man said, as soon as the hand fell still again.
"No, Jaren," the bearded man replied, "we can used them."
"They know too much," Jaren protested, "they would be a danger."
"If I am right, then the king would pay a fair ransom for these two."
Merry wasn't in any mood to here these people talk about ransoming him. "We will not cooperate!"
The bearded man bent down close to his face, "Even if your friend's life is the price of your cooperation?" Merry turned and looked at Pippin, who had been dumped on the ground as though he was a thing and not a person. They obviously cared nothing for life, or they wouldn't be doing this. Merry had no reason to doubt that they would hurt Pippin, or worse, if he didn't do what they wanted.
"You'll behave yourself," the bearded man said, "unless you want to watch as we kill your friend. Slowly." Merry knew he had no choice, he wouldn't let them hurt Pippin any more than they had done already.
"I decide what's to be done with them!" the tall man said
"We could double our price," Jaren said, obviously swayed by the bearded man's argument. Merry wished they weren't talking about him as if he weren't there.
"Think about it, Fadell," the bearded man addressed the tall one, "we could ask for a thousand gold coins instead of five hundred."
"Jaren, sort out his arm," Fadell ordered. Merry noticed the bearded man move his hand in a quick gesture again.
"Of course," Jaren replied, moving to Pippin's side. The bearded man seized Merry and carried him over to where the figure they had seen was still lying. The figure was a human boy, who couldn't have been more than ten years old. He was lying with his eyes closed, either asleep or unconscious. Merry wondered what he'd done to make these people want him. There was a metal peg which had been driven into the ground. The bearded man shoved Merry down next to this and tied his wrists to it. He could feel movement behind him and guessed he was doing the same thing to the boy.
The bearded man again bent over Merry. "As long as you behave yourself, you and your friend will be unharmed. I can't promise otherwise."
***
Eldarion regained consciousness slowly, as though rising through murky waters. He became aware that he was sitting, slumped over his legs, his arms tied to something behind him. He must have been out for a long time, as the sun was now high in the sky. They had forced him drink something that must have been a sleeping potion. He shifted slightly, trying to see if the bonds would give, when his hand brushed against something warm.
"Are you alright?" a concerned voice asked. Eldarion turned as well as he was able, to see another person doing the same behind him. He looked like a man, but was a lot smaller than a man. A hobbit! Father had told him about them, but he hadn't met one before.
"I think so," Eldarion replied, "Who are you?"
"Merry Brandybuck." Eldarion was shocked. Father had often talked about the great quest. He had never hoped to meet the hobbit who had helped kill the Nazgul king. Even in such a terrible situation, there was a spark of joy at this meeting.
"Who are you?" Merry asked.
"Eldarion, son of Elessar."
"You're Strider's son?"
"Strider?"
Suddenly a shadow loomed over the two of them, and they looked up to see the bearded man looking down on them. "Keep quiet!" he ordered.
"And if we don't?" Eldarion asked.
"You will hold your tongue, unless you wish us to remove it!" Eldarion shuddered, fear washing over him like a river. "You two are prisoners here. Remember that before you consider disobeying." The man turned and walked away. Eldarion stared down at the ground, wondering what Father was doing. He and Mother must be so worried about him. Would Father come charging to his rescue? Fighting these men as his had fought orcs in the great war?
He clung to that image of hope, even as his hands went numb from the ropes round his wrists and his muscles ached unbearably. Father would come for him. Father would save him.
Suddenly there was a cry from the other side of the camp. He tried to turn and see, but the bonds prevented it. He heard Merry whisper something quietly, in a frightened tone.
"Pippin!"
***
Author's note: I love cliffhangers, bet you never guessed. Please review, or I might leave you with this one for a while.
***
"Who are you?" the tall man demanded. He seemed to be the leader of this group. Merry was sitting on the ground, his wrists tied behind him, the tall man towering over him, the bearded man standing slightly behind him.
"We're just travellers," Merry said, "we didn't mean to interfere."
"Your name?" Merry didn't reply. Frightened as he was by these men, he wasn't going to cooperate that much.
"He's a halfling," the bearded man said, "and he wears the silver tree. How many halflings have been given that? He must be dear to the king." Merry noticed the bearded man's right hand moved slightly, while previously it had been held still. It moved in an almost imperceptible gesture.
"We should kill them," another man said, as soon as the hand fell still again.
"No, Jaren," the bearded man replied, "we can used them."
"They know too much," Jaren protested, "they would be a danger."
"If I am right, then the king would pay a fair ransom for these two."
Merry wasn't in any mood to here these people talk about ransoming him. "We will not cooperate!"
The bearded man bent down close to his face, "Even if your friend's life is the price of your cooperation?" Merry turned and looked at Pippin, who had been dumped on the ground as though he was a thing and not a person. They obviously cared nothing for life, or they wouldn't be doing this. Merry had no reason to doubt that they would hurt Pippin, or worse, if he didn't do what they wanted.
"You'll behave yourself," the bearded man said, "unless you want to watch as we kill your friend. Slowly." Merry knew he had no choice, he wouldn't let them hurt Pippin any more than they had done already.
"I decide what's to be done with them!" the tall man said
"We could double our price," Jaren said, obviously swayed by the bearded man's argument. Merry wished they weren't talking about him as if he weren't there.
"Think about it, Fadell," the bearded man addressed the tall one, "we could ask for a thousand gold coins instead of five hundred."
"Jaren, sort out his arm," Fadell ordered. Merry noticed the bearded man move his hand in a quick gesture again.
"Of course," Jaren replied, moving to Pippin's side. The bearded man seized Merry and carried him over to where the figure they had seen was still lying. The figure was a human boy, who couldn't have been more than ten years old. He was lying with his eyes closed, either asleep or unconscious. Merry wondered what he'd done to make these people want him. There was a metal peg which had been driven into the ground. The bearded man shoved Merry down next to this and tied his wrists to it. He could feel movement behind him and guessed he was doing the same thing to the boy.
The bearded man again bent over Merry. "As long as you behave yourself, you and your friend will be unharmed. I can't promise otherwise."
***
Eldarion regained consciousness slowly, as though rising through murky waters. He became aware that he was sitting, slumped over his legs, his arms tied to something behind him. He must have been out for a long time, as the sun was now high in the sky. They had forced him drink something that must have been a sleeping potion. He shifted slightly, trying to see if the bonds would give, when his hand brushed against something warm.
"Are you alright?" a concerned voice asked. Eldarion turned as well as he was able, to see another person doing the same behind him. He looked like a man, but was a lot smaller than a man. A hobbit! Father had told him about them, but he hadn't met one before.
"I think so," Eldarion replied, "Who are you?"
"Merry Brandybuck." Eldarion was shocked. Father had often talked about the great quest. He had never hoped to meet the hobbit who had helped kill the Nazgul king. Even in such a terrible situation, there was a spark of joy at this meeting.
"Who are you?" Merry asked.
"Eldarion, son of Elessar."
"You're Strider's son?"
"Strider?"
Suddenly a shadow loomed over the two of them, and they looked up to see the bearded man looking down on them. "Keep quiet!" he ordered.
"And if we don't?" Eldarion asked.
"You will hold your tongue, unless you wish us to remove it!" Eldarion shuddered, fear washing over him like a river. "You two are prisoners here. Remember that before you consider disobeying." The man turned and walked away. Eldarion stared down at the ground, wondering what Father was doing. He and Mother must be so worried about him. Would Father come charging to his rescue? Fighting these men as his had fought orcs in the great war?
He clung to that image of hope, even as his hands went numb from the ropes round his wrists and his muscles ached unbearably. Father would come for him. Father would save him.
Suddenly there was a cry from the other side of the camp. He tried to turn and see, but the bonds prevented it. He heard Merry whisper something quietly, in a frightened tone.
"Pippin!"
***
Author's note: I love cliffhangers, bet you never guessed. Please review, or I might leave you with this one for a while.