Author's note: I've decided to punish you for not reviewing. You'll have to
wait to find out what happens to Sal.
***
Eldarion's arms were hurting, he could barely feel his hands, and it seemed that a lead weight was over his heart. Merry had been sobbing for a long time, but he was still now. Eldarion didn't know the other hobbit, but if he was the same one Father had talked about, it was a great loss to the world that he was dead.
His thoughts strayed back to his parents. Would he ever see them again? He was afraid how Mother would grieve his death. And he was afraid that Father would not come to rescue him in time. If these people had killed Pippin, they wouldn't be afraid to kill them as well. Where was Father?
After a while, he felt Merry's fingers moving against his wrists. He twisted round to try and see what he was doing. Merry twisted so that they could talk.
"Can you feel the ropes round my wrists?" Merry asked in a whisper.
He tried. "Yes."
"Try to undo the knots. I'll do the same for you." He shifted so that he was in a better position, his figures groping numbly for the knots.
"Stop wriggling!" Both turned to see the man who was standing guard over them.
"You'd be uncomfortable too if you had to sit like this," Eldarion said. He knew it was dangerous to provoke them, but he couldn't let them guess what they were really doing.
"Keep still! Or you'll be more than uncomfortable." Eldarion tried not to move, as his fingers, hidden between the two bodies, worked on the ropes. He could feel Merry doing the same behind him. It was very difficult work as the knots were tight and his fingers were numb.
Eventually, after what seemed like hours, he felt the rope that held his wrists give slightly. After that it was easier for him to work, and soon the ropes that held both prisoners slipped away. The guard was still watching them carefully, so they sat as they were, not wanting to give away the fact that they were now free.
The sun sank towards to horizon agonisingly slowly. Time went passed and another man came to guard them. The men prepared to eat, and Eldarion's stomach growled in envy. He wished they would him something to eat. The men couldn't expect them to be useful hostages if they starved them to death.
Fadell must have been thinking along the same lines. "Jaren," he ordered, "take something to the prisoners!" Jaren did as he was told. Eldarion wondered if he planned to undo their wrists so that they could eat, and was afraid that he would discover what they'd done.
Fortunately, Jaren did no such thing. He broke small pieces of bread from a larger chunk and held them up one at a time for Eldarion to eat. The bread was stale, but Eldarion was hungry enough not to care. When he had finished with the bread, Jaren held a water bottle to his mouth, allowing him only small sips at a time, though he could easily have drunk the contents of the bottle in one gulp.
Once the small meal was finished, Jaren went through the same process with Merry. Not once did he look at the ropes that no longer bound them. Eldarion felt somewhat more hopeful about their chances, if only because now there was something in his stomach.
The sun finally set and the camp prepared for sleep. One man sat beside the two prisoners as always, but their chances were better against one than the whole camp. Eldarion wanted to run as soon as the men had lain down to sleep, but Merry had gripped his arm and whispered at him to stay still.
The stars were gleaming above them and a thin moon gave a little light. The man who had been sitting near them kept yawning. After a while, he stood up, and began to walk around the little camp. It was probably a good job the moon was so thin. By the time the man reached the other side of the camp he was just a dim shadow, barely visible.
Merry was on his feet, and Eldarion was quick to follow. They fled together into the night. Suddenly a cry went up from behind them as their guard noticed, and in a moment there was uproar.
Eldarion made the mistake of looking back. His foot caught on a loose stone and he fell. Merry turned back to help him, and the delay was all the men needed to catch up with them.
Arms grabbed Eldarion and hauled him into the air. He screamed and yelled, until the man who held him put his hand over his mouth. The two were carried back to the camp, and someone shoved a gag in Eldarion's mouth, binding his wrists behind him, even tighter than before.
Merry was struggling against his captors, but they forced a gag in his mouth as well. Eldarion followed his example in trying to pull free, but he was pushed to his knees, and held there by strong hands. He had to watch as Merry stood, his arms pulled behind him by one of the men, as Fadell punched him in the stomach.
Merry jerked forwards, only to be stopped by the arms restraining him. Another blow fell, and then another. Eldarion turned his face away, his eyes screwed up against the vision in front of him. But he couldn't close his eyes to the sound of fist meeting flesh.
When the sound stopped and Eldarion looked back, Merry was lying on the ground, unconscious and bleeding, his body a mass of bruises. Eldarion wept for his friends pain, and for the loss of their hope.
***
Author's note: I could teach Sauron a lesson or two about being evil. Don't worry, I will let you know what's happening with Sal. At some point.
***
Eldarion's arms were hurting, he could barely feel his hands, and it seemed that a lead weight was over his heart. Merry had been sobbing for a long time, but he was still now. Eldarion didn't know the other hobbit, but if he was the same one Father had talked about, it was a great loss to the world that he was dead.
His thoughts strayed back to his parents. Would he ever see them again? He was afraid how Mother would grieve his death. And he was afraid that Father would not come to rescue him in time. If these people had killed Pippin, they wouldn't be afraid to kill them as well. Where was Father?
After a while, he felt Merry's fingers moving against his wrists. He twisted round to try and see what he was doing. Merry twisted so that they could talk.
"Can you feel the ropes round my wrists?" Merry asked in a whisper.
He tried. "Yes."
"Try to undo the knots. I'll do the same for you." He shifted so that he was in a better position, his figures groping numbly for the knots.
"Stop wriggling!" Both turned to see the man who was standing guard over them.
"You'd be uncomfortable too if you had to sit like this," Eldarion said. He knew it was dangerous to provoke them, but he couldn't let them guess what they were really doing.
"Keep still! Or you'll be more than uncomfortable." Eldarion tried not to move, as his fingers, hidden between the two bodies, worked on the ropes. He could feel Merry doing the same behind him. It was very difficult work as the knots were tight and his fingers were numb.
Eventually, after what seemed like hours, he felt the rope that held his wrists give slightly. After that it was easier for him to work, and soon the ropes that held both prisoners slipped away. The guard was still watching them carefully, so they sat as they were, not wanting to give away the fact that they were now free.
The sun sank towards to horizon agonisingly slowly. Time went passed and another man came to guard them. The men prepared to eat, and Eldarion's stomach growled in envy. He wished they would him something to eat. The men couldn't expect them to be useful hostages if they starved them to death.
Fadell must have been thinking along the same lines. "Jaren," he ordered, "take something to the prisoners!" Jaren did as he was told. Eldarion wondered if he planned to undo their wrists so that they could eat, and was afraid that he would discover what they'd done.
Fortunately, Jaren did no such thing. He broke small pieces of bread from a larger chunk and held them up one at a time for Eldarion to eat. The bread was stale, but Eldarion was hungry enough not to care. When he had finished with the bread, Jaren held a water bottle to his mouth, allowing him only small sips at a time, though he could easily have drunk the contents of the bottle in one gulp.
Once the small meal was finished, Jaren went through the same process with Merry. Not once did he look at the ropes that no longer bound them. Eldarion felt somewhat more hopeful about their chances, if only because now there was something in his stomach.
The sun finally set and the camp prepared for sleep. One man sat beside the two prisoners as always, but their chances were better against one than the whole camp. Eldarion wanted to run as soon as the men had lain down to sleep, but Merry had gripped his arm and whispered at him to stay still.
The stars were gleaming above them and a thin moon gave a little light. The man who had been sitting near them kept yawning. After a while, he stood up, and began to walk around the little camp. It was probably a good job the moon was so thin. By the time the man reached the other side of the camp he was just a dim shadow, barely visible.
Merry was on his feet, and Eldarion was quick to follow. They fled together into the night. Suddenly a cry went up from behind them as their guard noticed, and in a moment there was uproar.
Eldarion made the mistake of looking back. His foot caught on a loose stone and he fell. Merry turned back to help him, and the delay was all the men needed to catch up with them.
Arms grabbed Eldarion and hauled him into the air. He screamed and yelled, until the man who held him put his hand over his mouth. The two were carried back to the camp, and someone shoved a gag in Eldarion's mouth, binding his wrists behind him, even tighter than before.
Merry was struggling against his captors, but they forced a gag in his mouth as well. Eldarion followed his example in trying to pull free, but he was pushed to his knees, and held there by strong hands. He had to watch as Merry stood, his arms pulled behind him by one of the men, as Fadell punched him in the stomach.
Merry jerked forwards, only to be stopped by the arms restraining him. Another blow fell, and then another. Eldarion turned his face away, his eyes screwed up against the vision in front of him. But he couldn't close his eyes to the sound of fist meeting flesh.
When the sound stopped and Eldarion looked back, Merry was lying on the ground, unconscious and bleeding, his body a mass of bruises. Eldarion wept for his friends pain, and for the loss of their hope.
***
Author's note: I could teach Sauron a lesson or two about being evil. Don't worry, I will let you know what's happening with Sal. At some point.