Author's note: As always, thank you to everyone who reviewed. I'm glad
you're all happy that Pippin's alive
***
Jaren was cleaning one of the many cuts on Merry's face, but his mind was elsewhere. He was trying to think of a way in which he could warn Sal, let him know what was happening. He couldn't think of anything that wouldn't ruin the whole plan. He couldn't do that. It didn't matter that Sal was his friend, a Ranger had a duty to the king and to Gondor. If Jaren abandoned his orders for Sal's sake then both Eldarion and Merry would almost certainly die.
"You don't approve, do you?" Jaren looked up at the quiet voice. Athruw, one of their band, had come upon him without him realising. He shouldn't have let his guard down. A Ranger was supposed to be alert at all times. Still, no harm had come of this.
"No," Jaren replied quietly.
"Why don't you just leave?" Jaren wondered whether Athruw was asking honestly, or if Fadell was trying to find out how loyal he was. Jaren wouldn't put it past the thief.
"And have Fadell kill me?" Jaren asked.
Athruw leaned in closer, over Merry's sleeping form. "I don't like this either," he said, "if the two of us go together we can get out. The traitor's already told the king about us. If we go now we can get away before they come." Jaren was still worried this might be a trick of Fadell's to catch him off guard.
"I said I would help in this. Whatever else I may have become, I am still a man of my word. We'll get our money, and I'll be able to start a new life for myself away from Fadell. Away from kidnapping and thieving."
"And these two will have to suffer for it?"
"The king will pay, and these two will go home safely. In the end, we'll all get what we want."
"Unless we get caught." Jaren didn't say anything to that. He wondered whether this man might be sincere in his disapproval of Fadell's methods. It was possible that he really was looking for a way out.
"How did you end up with this group?" Jaren asked.
"My home burned down in a fire, my wife still inside. She and I had been arguing that evening and I went out for a walk to clear my head. I returned late, to find only ashes. Everyone assumed I'd started the fire and refused to give me work. I wandered, but people distrust strangers, and I couldn't get work anywhere else either. I took to stealing food just to stay alive, until Fadell's gang came across me. At first I thought working with Fadell would just be more of the same, stealing to live. By the time I realised differently it was too late to back out." Jaren listened to the poor man's sad tale. It had probably never occurred to him to go to Minas Tirith and seek the help of the king. Jaren had no doubt that Aragorn would have helped him, but it was too late now.
"What about you?" Athruw asked. Jaren suspected he was being honest in his story of his origins, but that wasn't enough for Jaren to trust him with the truth.
"A similar enough story," Jaren said, "though without the wife."
"You won't tell Fadell what I told you?" Athruw asked.
"No," Jaren replied, "but I will not help you either. Let us both hope we get our gold, so we can be free of him." Athruw walked away, and Jaren returned his attention to Merry, only to find the sleeping hobbit wasn't as asleep as he had thought. Merry was looking up at him with pain-filled, sorrowful eyes.
"Please help us," he whispered. Jaren glanced quickly around to make sure not even Athruw was close enough to overhear.
"I give my word as a Ranger, both you and the prince will return home alive and well." Merry looked slightly surprised, but then he smiled.
"Thank you."
***
Sal rode away from Minas Tirith towards the nearby hills that rose up into the mountains behind the city. He had left his horse outside the city with one of the Rangers, as a horse inside the city would have attracted too much attention. He was confident now that Pippin was safe, and that there was a good chance of ensuring the safety of Eldarion and Merry. All the plans were made, all that remained to them now was to carry them out.
He rode hard for several hours, the hidden path becoming steeper and rockier, until he came close to the place where the camp was made. He dismounted, and led the horse up the difficult slope, loose stones slipping away from under his feet. Both he and the horse stumbled as they walked.
The shelf of rock on which the camp was made was hidden from below, and it looked as though the slope just continued for miles. It was chosen partly for that reason, so that the group could hide, and partly because no one could sneak up on the camp because of the rocks. Even the best Rangers would have difficulty walking up here unheard. Even an Elf would struggle. But Sal knew the camp was there and eventually reached it.
He looked around, taking in the position of the men. Jaren was beside Merry and Eldarion, for which Sal was glad. Jaren would be looking after them. But there was worry on Jaren's face, and Sal saw his hand flick in the gesture of danger. Sal didn't have time to worry what the danger might be, when something hit him behind his legs, causing him to fall to his knees.
"What's going on?" he demanded, but he had a feeling he knew. Around him the men of their company were drawing weapons and Fadell came and stood in front of him, a bow in his hands with an arrow on the string.
"We've found out what you're planning," Fadell said. A man stepped up to him, one wearing the uniform of Gondor, and Sal recognised him as Marend. "You're planning to win back the king's favour by helping his son now."
"I knew there was something going on when I saw you in Minas Tirith," Marend said, "but I never guessed until the king said so that you'd come back because of him. You'd sell us all out for the man who banished you?" Sal was glad he only guessed that much. It wouldn't do for them to find out the whole truth while there was still a chance they would escape.
"I don't like people who betray me, Salafir," Fadell said. Sal glanced over at the prisoners. From the expression of shock on Merry's face, he hadn't recognised him. It was hardly surprising, since almost sixteen years had passed since their last meeting, and Sal had changed a lot from that frightened boy whom Merry had befriended.
"I don't like you either, but sometimes we have to work with those we dislike," Sal replied, keeping his tone cheerful and calm. His hand moved quickly at his side, gesturing at Jaren to continue as planned. To take care of the prisoners. He saw Jaren give a small nod and knew his orders would be carried out.
It was amazing how in those moments Sal's senses seemed more acute than ever before. His eyes picked up a small movement and his ears the sliding of stone over stone. Probably some mountain animal on the scree slope. It felt as though he could hear the breathing of every man around him separately, as he sought with all his Ranger training to find some way of escaping.
He looked across at Jaren, and saw the sadness in his friend's eyes. His hands were already resting on his bow, but Sal shook his head almost imperceptibly. It wouldn't do for them to throw away the mission because of him. Duty came before self, both for the king's guards and his Rangers. For one who was both, duty was too important to risk. He had a duty to Elessar, to Eldarion, and to Merry. He wouldn't risk any of them for the hopeless sake of his own life.
Sal looked back into Fadell's eyes. It was better to die here at the hand of his enemy than to die in Minas Tirith at the hand of his friend. Fortune hung by his side, and he could go down fighting even if there was no chance of success. He would die a warrior's death.
In one swift movement, he was on his feet, fortune in his hand. He charged towards Fadell in one desperate assault, just as an arrow was fired, its target perfect.
***
Author's note: So, Jaren's a Ranger, Athruw wants to betray Fadell, Sal has betrayed Fadell, and now he's just been shot. I love cliffhangers. Review, and I'll consider being nice to my poor characters and letting them have a happy ending. If not, I'll kill them all. Mwa ha ha ha.
If you don't believe that I'd do it, go and read the author's note in Fortune's Blade chapter three.
***
Jaren was cleaning one of the many cuts on Merry's face, but his mind was elsewhere. He was trying to think of a way in which he could warn Sal, let him know what was happening. He couldn't think of anything that wouldn't ruin the whole plan. He couldn't do that. It didn't matter that Sal was his friend, a Ranger had a duty to the king and to Gondor. If Jaren abandoned his orders for Sal's sake then both Eldarion and Merry would almost certainly die.
"You don't approve, do you?" Jaren looked up at the quiet voice. Athruw, one of their band, had come upon him without him realising. He shouldn't have let his guard down. A Ranger was supposed to be alert at all times. Still, no harm had come of this.
"No," Jaren replied quietly.
"Why don't you just leave?" Jaren wondered whether Athruw was asking honestly, or if Fadell was trying to find out how loyal he was. Jaren wouldn't put it past the thief.
"And have Fadell kill me?" Jaren asked.
Athruw leaned in closer, over Merry's sleeping form. "I don't like this either," he said, "if the two of us go together we can get out. The traitor's already told the king about us. If we go now we can get away before they come." Jaren was still worried this might be a trick of Fadell's to catch him off guard.
"I said I would help in this. Whatever else I may have become, I am still a man of my word. We'll get our money, and I'll be able to start a new life for myself away from Fadell. Away from kidnapping and thieving."
"And these two will have to suffer for it?"
"The king will pay, and these two will go home safely. In the end, we'll all get what we want."
"Unless we get caught." Jaren didn't say anything to that. He wondered whether this man might be sincere in his disapproval of Fadell's methods. It was possible that he really was looking for a way out.
"How did you end up with this group?" Jaren asked.
"My home burned down in a fire, my wife still inside. She and I had been arguing that evening and I went out for a walk to clear my head. I returned late, to find only ashes. Everyone assumed I'd started the fire and refused to give me work. I wandered, but people distrust strangers, and I couldn't get work anywhere else either. I took to stealing food just to stay alive, until Fadell's gang came across me. At first I thought working with Fadell would just be more of the same, stealing to live. By the time I realised differently it was too late to back out." Jaren listened to the poor man's sad tale. It had probably never occurred to him to go to Minas Tirith and seek the help of the king. Jaren had no doubt that Aragorn would have helped him, but it was too late now.
"What about you?" Athruw asked. Jaren suspected he was being honest in his story of his origins, but that wasn't enough for Jaren to trust him with the truth.
"A similar enough story," Jaren said, "though without the wife."
"You won't tell Fadell what I told you?" Athruw asked.
"No," Jaren replied, "but I will not help you either. Let us both hope we get our gold, so we can be free of him." Athruw walked away, and Jaren returned his attention to Merry, only to find the sleeping hobbit wasn't as asleep as he had thought. Merry was looking up at him with pain-filled, sorrowful eyes.
"Please help us," he whispered. Jaren glanced quickly around to make sure not even Athruw was close enough to overhear.
"I give my word as a Ranger, both you and the prince will return home alive and well." Merry looked slightly surprised, but then he smiled.
"Thank you."
***
Sal rode away from Minas Tirith towards the nearby hills that rose up into the mountains behind the city. He had left his horse outside the city with one of the Rangers, as a horse inside the city would have attracted too much attention. He was confident now that Pippin was safe, and that there was a good chance of ensuring the safety of Eldarion and Merry. All the plans were made, all that remained to them now was to carry them out.
He rode hard for several hours, the hidden path becoming steeper and rockier, until he came close to the place where the camp was made. He dismounted, and led the horse up the difficult slope, loose stones slipping away from under his feet. Both he and the horse stumbled as they walked.
The shelf of rock on which the camp was made was hidden from below, and it looked as though the slope just continued for miles. It was chosen partly for that reason, so that the group could hide, and partly because no one could sneak up on the camp because of the rocks. Even the best Rangers would have difficulty walking up here unheard. Even an Elf would struggle. But Sal knew the camp was there and eventually reached it.
He looked around, taking in the position of the men. Jaren was beside Merry and Eldarion, for which Sal was glad. Jaren would be looking after them. But there was worry on Jaren's face, and Sal saw his hand flick in the gesture of danger. Sal didn't have time to worry what the danger might be, when something hit him behind his legs, causing him to fall to his knees.
"What's going on?" he demanded, but he had a feeling he knew. Around him the men of their company were drawing weapons and Fadell came and stood in front of him, a bow in his hands with an arrow on the string.
"We've found out what you're planning," Fadell said. A man stepped up to him, one wearing the uniform of Gondor, and Sal recognised him as Marend. "You're planning to win back the king's favour by helping his son now."
"I knew there was something going on when I saw you in Minas Tirith," Marend said, "but I never guessed until the king said so that you'd come back because of him. You'd sell us all out for the man who banished you?" Sal was glad he only guessed that much. It wouldn't do for them to find out the whole truth while there was still a chance they would escape.
"I don't like people who betray me, Salafir," Fadell said. Sal glanced over at the prisoners. From the expression of shock on Merry's face, he hadn't recognised him. It was hardly surprising, since almost sixteen years had passed since their last meeting, and Sal had changed a lot from that frightened boy whom Merry had befriended.
"I don't like you either, but sometimes we have to work with those we dislike," Sal replied, keeping his tone cheerful and calm. His hand moved quickly at his side, gesturing at Jaren to continue as planned. To take care of the prisoners. He saw Jaren give a small nod and knew his orders would be carried out.
It was amazing how in those moments Sal's senses seemed more acute than ever before. His eyes picked up a small movement and his ears the sliding of stone over stone. Probably some mountain animal on the scree slope. It felt as though he could hear the breathing of every man around him separately, as he sought with all his Ranger training to find some way of escaping.
He looked across at Jaren, and saw the sadness in his friend's eyes. His hands were already resting on his bow, but Sal shook his head almost imperceptibly. It wouldn't do for them to throw away the mission because of him. Duty came before self, both for the king's guards and his Rangers. For one who was both, duty was too important to risk. He had a duty to Elessar, to Eldarion, and to Merry. He wouldn't risk any of them for the hopeless sake of his own life.
Sal looked back into Fadell's eyes. It was better to die here at the hand of his enemy than to die in Minas Tirith at the hand of his friend. Fortune hung by his side, and he could go down fighting even if there was no chance of success. He would die a warrior's death.
In one swift movement, he was on his feet, fortune in his hand. He charged towards Fadell in one desperate assault, just as an arrow was fired, its target perfect.
***
Author's note: So, Jaren's a Ranger, Athruw wants to betray Fadell, Sal has betrayed Fadell, and now he's just been shot. I love cliffhangers. Review, and I'll consider being nice to my poor characters and letting them have a happy ending. If not, I'll kill them all. Mwa ha ha ha.
If you don't believe that I'd do it, go and read the author's note in Fortune's Blade chapter three.