Author's note: TWO TOWERS WAS BRILLIANT!!!!! Completely different from the
book, but still brilliant. I sat on the back row with Sam, Aragorn, Arwen
and random elf. Arwen decided half way through she'd be better as Eowyn, so
random elf became Arwen.
Sam managed to spill Aragorn and random elf's coke, and I spilt some of the popcorn while helping clear up the spilt coke. It was funny, and we got such a lot of strange looks while walking through town. Can't imagine why. Some guy even insisted on shaking all our hands afterwards, I don't think he'd ever seen anyone so insane, and it is hard to beat us for insanity.
Sam and I were making comments all the way through, and humming along to the 'dum dum da da dum' bits of the theme tune. It was a great film. Though I'm sure you'll find that out for yourselves when you go and see it.
OK, enough babbling, on with the story.
***
Acathon was one of the Rangers ordered to search for the stolen prince. They had all been given specific areas to search, but so far no one had found any sign of Eldarion. Acathon was worried about the young boy. No child should be taken like this just because of who their parents may be.
He was riding slowly along, eyes fixed on the ground, searching for tracks. He gradually became aware of hoof-beats, and raised his eyes to the horizon. Someone was approaching him fast, riding hard.
He halted and reached for his sword, but as the rider came closer, he recognised him. The rider raised a hand in greeting, reining his horse to a halt.
"Don't tell me you're in trouble again, Salafir," Acathon said with a grin.
"No," Sal replied, "though the king is a little annoyed I haven't been to visit him." Acathon laughed. He was never entirely certain of the relationship between Sal and Elessar. After Sal was banished, anyone would think they hated each other, but there were times when one would think they were the greatest of friends.
"Do you bring orders?" Acathon asked.
"Indirectly." Sal held out a letter, which Acathon took, before riding off in a different direction. Puzzling over what he could mean by 'indirectly', Acathon opened the letter and began to read.
***
Merry ached all over. He was lying on his side, his hand tied behind him. The arm that was pinned under his body was agony. He tried to shift into a more comfortable position, only to find he couldn't. His hands were tied to a metal peg as before, only this time his legs were bound together to another peg. There was a gag in his mouth.
He looked around to see Eldarion bound in a similar fashion. The boy seemed unhurt, though he'd obviously been crying. Merry lifted his head, but that small movement caused it to throb painfully.
Jaren had obviously seen even this small movement, as he came over. He crouched beside Merry's head, a cup of something in his hand. He pulled the gag from Merry's mouth and held the cup in front of him.
"Drink," he said. Merry shook his head, keeping his mouth tightly closed. It felt as though there were dwarves mining in his head.
"It contains healing herbs and something to dull the pain. Nothing more." Jaren said. Merry wanted to ask why Jaren cared about his well-being, but that would have meant opening his mouth.
"If I prove it's safe, will you drink?" Merry didn't answer. Jaren sighed, and lifted the cup to his own lips, taking a small sip. He then held the cup close to Merry's face. Merry decided to risk it, seeing that this man could force him to drink if he wanted.
The liquid in the cup tasted sweet, and a little familiar. Most of it spilt on the ground from the awkward angle of his mouth, but what he did swallow began to have effect immediately. The pain that filled his entire body dimmed, and it felt as though his heart was filled with light. He couldn't quite place why it was so familiar, then it hit him as Jaren was standing up.
"Athelas," he said. Jaren looked at him, plainly surprised.
"Yes," he replied.
"Why?" Merry asked.
If Merry had surprised him, his answer surprised Merry more. He crouched down again and spoke quietly. "Because you don't deserve any of this." Then he was gone. Merry wondered if he might have found someone who would help them, then he remembered that it was Jaren who had said they should die when they were first captured.
***
Merry was able to sleep for a while. As he dozed between sleeping and waking, he wondered vaguely if there had been a sleeping drug in that potion Jaren had given him. Perhaps he was just so exhausted by recent events that the pain throughout his body was overcome.
He became slightly more awake as Ganth entered the camp. Merry was too drowsy to wonder where the man had been, and only just awake enough to pay attention to what he said to Fadell.
"I've delivered the message. We will learn soon enough whether the king accepts or not."
"He will accept," Fadell said, "unless he wants his son to enjoy our hospitality for a very long time."
Sam managed to spill Aragorn and random elf's coke, and I spilt some of the popcorn while helping clear up the spilt coke. It was funny, and we got such a lot of strange looks while walking through town. Can't imagine why. Some guy even insisted on shaking all our hands afterwards, I don't think he'd ever seen anyone so insane, and it is hard to beat us for insanity.
Sam and I were making comments all the way through, and humming along to the 'dum dum da da dum' bits of the theme tune. It was a great film. Though I'm sure you'll find that out for yourselves when you go and see it.
OK, enough babbling, on with the story.
***
Acathon was one of the Rangers ordered to search for the stolen prince. They had all been given specific areas to search, but so far no one had found any sign of Eldarion. Acathon was worried about the young boy. No child should be taken like this just because of who their parents may be.
He was riding slowly along, eyes fixed on the ground, searching for tracks. He gradually became aware of hoof-beats, and raised his eyes to the horizon. Someone was approaching him fast, riding hard.
He halted and reached for his sword, but as the rider came closer, he recognised him. The rider raised a hand in greeting, reining his horse to a halt.
"Don't tell me you're in trouble again, Salafir," Acathon said with a grin.
"No," Sal replied, "though the king is a little annoyed I haven't been to visit him." Acathon laughed. He was never entirely certain of the relationship between Sal and Elessar. After Sal was banished, anyone would think they hated each other, but there were times when one would think they were the greatest of friends.
"Do you bring orders?" Acathon asked.
"Indirectly." Sal held out a letter, which Acathon took, before riding off in a different direction. Puzzling over what he could mean by 'indirectly', Acathon opened the letter and began to read.
***
Merry ached all over. He was lying on his side, his hand tied behind him. The arm that was pinned under his body was agony. He tried to shift into a more comfortable position, only to find he couldn't. His hands were tied to a metal peg as before, only this time his legs were bound together to another peg. There was a gag in his mouth.
He looked around to see Eldarion bound in a similar fashion. The boy seemed unhurt, though he'd obviously been crying. Merry lifted his head, but that small movement caused it to throb painfully.
Jaren had obviously seen even this small movement, as he came over. He crouched beside Merry's head, a cup of something in his hand. He pulled the gag from Merry's mouth and held the cup in front of him.
"Drink," he said. Merry shook his head, keeping his mouth tightly closed. It felt as though there were dwarves mining in his head.
"It contains healing herbs and something to dull the pain. Nothing more." Jaren said. Merry wanted to ask why Jaren cared about his well-being, but that would have meant opening his mouth.
"If I prove it's safe, will you drink?" Merry didn't answer. Jaren sighed, and lifted the cup to his own lips, taking a small sip. He then held the cup close to Merry's face. Merry decided to risk it, seeing that this man could force him to drink if he wanted.
The liquid in the cup tasted sweet, and a little familiar. Most of it spilt on the ground from the awkward angle of his mouth, but what he did swallow began to have effect immediately. The pain that filled his entire body dimmed, and it felt as though his heart was filled with light. He couldn't quite place why it was so familiar, then it hit him as Jaren was standing up.
"Athelas," he said. Jaren looked at him, plainly surprised.
"Yes," he replied.
"Why?" Merry asked.
If Merry had surprised him, his answer surprised Merry more. He crouched down again and spoke quietly. "Because you don't deserve any of this." Then he was gone. Merry wondered if he might have found someone who would help them, then he remembered that it was Jaren who had said they should die when they were first captured.
***
Merry was able to sleep for a while. As he dozed between sleeping and waking, he wondered vaguely if there had been a sleeping drug in that potion Jaren had given him. Perhaps he was just so exhausted by recent events that the pain throughout his body was overcome.
He became slightly more awake as Ganth entered the camp. Merry was too drowsy to wonder where the man had been, and only just awake enough to pay attention to what he said to Fadell.
"I've delivered the message. We will learn soon enough whether the king accepts or not."
"He will accept," Fadell said, "unless he wants his son to enjoy our hospitality for a very long time."