Author's note: I promise Sal will be showing up soon, probably in the next
chapter, but I can't promise anything. I've been known to change the plot
of a story three times in one trip to the gym. But I will promise that
you'll get a big surprise when he shows up.
Yes I did read all your review, Phoenix Flight. I don't mind babbling, I do it myself quite often.
Saphie, you may understand how Eldarion could be kidnapped from Minas Tirith later on.
Valin, yes I am from the UK.
Anyway on with the story.
***
Pippin slowly came to. He was lying on the ground where he had been abandoned. His muscles were stiff and aching, and his arm painful, but it was bearable. Slowly, his mind sifted through all that had happened.
Lifting his head, he saw that no one was paying him much attention. There were men moving about, and a couple of horses. He was near the edge of the hollow where he and Merry had stumbled across the camp. But where was Merry?
Shifting slightly, he saw Merry, tied with a boy near the centre of the camp. An armed man stood guard over them. Pippin could see no way he could get to them. If he tried, he would be bound as well. Sorrow rose up inside him, but he pushed it aside. The only hope any of them had was if he could get away, find someone who could help. The Rangers patrolled all of Gondor, surely he'd be able to find one.
He waited, until he was sure no one was watching him, and leapt to his feet. He was running the instant he was up, hearing a cry from behind him as he reached the lip of the hollow. He ran, and didn't look back.
The land was too flat. There were a few dips and hollows, like the one he had been in, but nothing that would give him cover. The patches of plants and trees were sparse, and wouldn't hide him. An arrow whizzed past, narrowly missing him, and still he ran. Another struck the ground by his feet.
Pippin was terrified, and his lungs were burning from the pressure of running so hard. His legs were growing tired and he could feel that he was slowing. He wouldn't be able to keep this up, and there wasn't a chance of escape.
***
Merry watched the leader of the band, Fadell, as he ordered his men to seize arms.
"Jaren!" he snarled angrily, "I thought you had him drugged!"
"He should have been out for a few hours more. I gave him just over half the drug I would have given a man. I figured that would keep him out for as long because of his size." Merry watched the man protest, clearly afraid. Merry hoped he'd be hurt for what he'd done. More importantly, he hoped Pippin would reach safety.
"Ganth!" Fadell called to the bearded man, "Make sure he doesn't get away! Do what you have to!" The bearded man nodded, and ran the way Pippin had gone.
***
Pippin saw a patch of rocks, half-covered by grass and weeds. He couldn't keep running like this, and they offered the most protection of anything around him. He scrambled down among them, and breathing heavily, turned a looked back the way he had come.
He couldn't see the camp any more, but there was a bearded man on the grass, heading straight for Pippin. Pippin wished he had his sword, but grabbed a loose rock from the ground. As a weapon it was pretty pathetic, but it was better than nothing.
Pippin waited, afraid, as the man approached. He knew he was hidden, but the man must have seen him come here. He couldn't run any more, and he couldn't fight. Hope seemed to have faded completely, but he gripped his rock, waiting until the man came in sight to throw.
As the man stepped up onto one of the rocks, looking down at where Pippin waited, he was struck in the face by a well-aimed rock. He staggered back, surprised, and hurt. Pippin didn't waste a second. He was scrambling out of the rocks and running again.
Suddenly a hand grabbed his cloak and he fell. He spun over onto his back, looking up at the man who stood over him. The man drew his sword, and Pippin stared trembling at the blade, as the point pressed against the centre of his throat.
"You shouldn't have run, little hobbit."
***
Merry looked up as Ganth returned. Pippin wasn't with him, and Merry allowed himself a moment to hope. He had escaped! He would find someone who could help them!
Then Ganth spoke.
"He won't be talking to anyone about us. He's dead."
***
Author's note: Please don't hurt me. I didn't mean to kill him, it just happened. Honest.
Yes I did read all your review, Phoenix Flight. I don't mind babbling, I do it myself quite often.
Saphie, you may understand how Eldarion could be kidnapped from Minas Tirith later on.
Valin, yes I am from the UK.
Anyway on with the story.
***
Pippin slowly came to. He was lying on the ground where he had been abandoned. His muscles were stiff and aching, and his arm painful, but it was bearable. Slowly, his mind sifted through all that had happened.
Lifting his head, he saw that no one was paying him much attention. There were men moving about, and a couple of horses. He was near the edge of the hollow where he and Merry had stumbled across the camp. But where was Merry?
Shifting slightly, he saw Merry, tied with a boy near the centre of the camp. An armed man stood guard over them. Pippin could see no way he could get to them. If he tried, he would be bound as well. Sorrow rose up inside him, but he pushed it aside. The only hope any of them had was if he could get away, find someone who could help. The Rangers patrolled all of Gondor, surely he'd be able to find one.
He waited, until he was sure no one was watching him, and leapt to his feet. He was running the instant he was up, hearing a cry from behind him as he reached the lip of the hollow. He ran, and didn't look back.
The land was too flat. There were a few dips and hollows, like the one he had been in, but nothing that would give him cover. The patches of plants and trees were sparse, and wouldn't hide him. An arrow whizzed past, narrowly missing him, and still he ran. Another struck the ground by his feet.
Pippin was terrified, and his lungs were burning from the pressure of running so hard. His legs were growing tired and he could feel that he was slowing. He wouldn't be able to keep this up, and there wasn't a chance of escape.
***
Merry watched the leader of the band, Fadell, as he ordered his men to seize arms.
"Jaren!" he snarled angrily, "I thought you had him drugged!"
"He should have been out for a few hours more. I gave him just over half the drug I would have given a man. I figured that would keep him out for as long because of his size." Merry watched the man protest, clearly afraid. Merry hoped he'd be hurt for what he'd done. More importantly, he hoped Pippin would reach safety.
"Ganth!" Fadell called to the bearded man, "Make sure he doesn't get away! Do what you have to!" The bearded man nodded, and ran the way Pippin had gone.
***
Pippin saw a patch of rocks, half-covered by grass and weeds. He couldn't keep running like this, and they offered the most protection of anything around him. He scrambled down among them, and breathing heavily, turned a looked back the way he had come.
He couldn't see the camp any more, but there was a bearded man on the grass, heading straight for Pippin. Pippin wished he had his sword, but grabbed a loose rock from the ground. As a weapon it was pretty pathetic, but it was better than nothing.
Pippin waited, afraid, as the man approached. He knew he was hidden, but the man must have seen him come here. He couldn't run any more, and he couldn't fight. Hope seemed to have faded completely, but he gripped his rock, waiting until the man came in sight to throw.
As the man stepped up onto one of the rocks, looking down at where Pippin waited, he was struck in the face by a well-aimed rock. He staggered back, surprised, and hurt. Pippin didn't waste a second. He was scrambling out of the rocks and running again.
Suddenly a hand grabbed his cloak and he fell. He spun over onto his back, looking up at the man who stood over him. The man drew his sword, and Pippin stared trembling at the blade, as the point pressed against the centre of his throat.
"You shouldn't have run, little hobbit."
***
Merry looked up as Ganth returned. Pippin wasn't with him, and Merry allowed himself a moment to hope. He had escaped! He would find someone who could help them!
Then Ganth spoke.
"He won't be talking to anyone about us. He's dead."
***
Author's note: Please don't hurt me. I didn't mean to kill him, it just happened. Honest.