Author's note: Yet again, thank you to everyone who reviewed. Well done,
Phoenix Flight for spotting the loophole. Don't worry, everyone's loyalties
will be sorted out soon.
***
Salafir? Merry stared open-mouthed at the man on his knees in front of Fadell. How could he be Sal? The man was Ganth, the person who had been so cruel to them since their capture. The man who had killed Pippin. Ganth and Sal couldn't be the same person.
Then he remembered it had been Ganth who had insisted they be kept alive. And there had been no witnesses to his murder of Pip. Merry suddenly began to hope that his friend at least had made it out of this alive.
"I don't like you either," Gan. . . Sal said. His voice had lost that cruel edge, and it did sound similar to the voice of that boy who had come to their rescue in Mordor. Merry noticed Sal's hand was moving at his side, the way it had done when he and Pippin had first been captured. Jaren nodded, and Merry guessed the movements were some sort of signal.
So Sal had a plan. Merry was glad. Much as he'd wanted Ganth dead only a few hours before, he wanted him alive now. Sal had been his friend, and it seemed now that he had been working to help them even when they had been his prisoners.
Merry pulled against the ropes, desperately trying to free himself to help Sal. But it was useless. The ropes were as tight as they had always been. Merry looked across at Eldarion, but the boy just looked confused. He clearly didn't know who Sal was, didn't understand that their greatest hope of rescue was about to be killed.
What happened next was a blur of motion Merry couldn't follow. Sal leapt to his feet, drawing his sword. Merry could see the symbols on the hilt and knew for sure that this was Sal. Merry yelled a warning as Fadell prepared to fire, but Sal had no defence against an arrow.
Suddenly an arrow flew from the rocks above the camp, embedding itself in Fadell's back. Merry tried to see where the arrow had come from, but whoever had fired was well hidden. More arrows flew into the camp, though these were aimed to injure the men rather than kill them. Sal was fighting, and men seemed to come from nowhere and join him.
Jaren ran to Eldarion and quickly cut the ropes on his wrists and ankles. Then Merry felt someone behind him gripping his wrists. He began to call for Jaren.
"It's alright, Merry," the man said. Merry tried to twist round to look at him. It was Sal. Sal cut the ropes and in a few moments both Merry and Eldarion were free.
"Let's leave the Rangers to their business," Sal said. He didn't wait for Merry to get up, but just lifted him off the ground and carried him over to his horse. Jaren was doing the same with Eldarion. Merry looked back at the camp as they rode away, and was pleased to see that the Rangers appeared to be winning the fight.
They rode down the slope away from the camp, Merry in front of Sal, Eldarion in front of Jaren. Merry hoped the Rangers would deal harshly with that gang of kidnappers.
"What happened to Pippin?" Merry asked after they had been riding a few minutes.
"He's safe in Minas Tirith," Sal replied.
"Who are you?" Eldarion asked.
"My name is Salafir. I was one of your father's personal guards for several years, but now I am an exile."
"It's complicated." Merry took the hint that he didn't want to talk about it. Unfortunately, Eldarion didn't.
"Why?"
"It just is." Eldarion was plainly unsatisfied by that answer.
"Are we going home now?" Eldarion asked after a while.
"Yes," Sal replied, "you're going home."
***
Eldarion had fallen asleep by the time they reached the gates of Minas Tirith. Sal halted, and Merry wondered what was going on. Why didn't they just go in? His puzzlement increased as Sal dismounted, and Jaren shook Eldarion awake.
"This is where I leave you," Sal said, handing his reins to Jaren.
"Why?" Eldarion asked.
"Because I am an exile. I'm charged with death if I enter Minas Tirith."
"But you saved me," Eldarion protested, "Father will forgive you. I'll tell him what happened and I'm sure he'll let you come back." Merry silently thought he was right. Sal had been given the silver tree after all. But Sal shook his head.
"It's better that you go in without me," he said. Merry frowned, watching the expression on Sal's face. There seemed to be a glint of laughter in his eyes, and Merry had the feeling he was planning something.
"Goodbye, Sal," Merry said.
"Goodbye, Merry. Farewell, young prince." Sal gripped Jaren's hand.
"Try and stay out of trouble until we next meet," Jaren said.
"And you." With that Jaren urged his horse into a walk, leading the one Merry rode, since the horse was too large for Merry to ride safely. As they went through the gates the guards were delighted to see Eldarion. There was uproar as people recognised the boy, and soon there was a cheering throng around the gates. Merry glanced back, but Sal was nowhere to be seen.
***
Elessar could hear shouts in the city and went to the gates of the citadel and looked out. Two horses rode up the street, bearing three people. The shadow that had rested over his heart vanished as he recognised his son.
"Eldarion!" he cried, lifting the boy from the horse almost before it stopped, holding him tightly as though he was afraid to let him go. "I love you, I love you, I love you," he murmured into the boy's ear. Eldarion in turn had his arms around his father and was crying with relief into his shoulder.
Elessar finally released his son from the embrace, but kept his hand on his shoulder. The contact reminded him that it was real. His son was safe! The nightmare was over! Smiling through tears, he hugged Merry as well, but this hug didn't last nearly as long as the first.
"Thank you," he said to Jaren.
"A pleasure," the Ranger replied.
"Merry!" Pippin suddenly ran out of the citadel and flung his arms round Merry. The two hobbits laughed and cried and hugged, while Elessar stood by, his arm around his son. It was as though the sun had burst through the clouds and the world was full of light after days of shadow.
Elessar led them back into the citadel, into a small room where they could talk. Merry and Eldarion took turns telling the story, with Jaren adding details as appropriate. When they reached the end of their tale, Eldarion turned his pleading eyes on his father.
"Please will you let Salafir come back into the city. He saved my life. Please, Father. Please."
"I don't think he'd do anything to hurt you," Merry added.
Eldarion managed to keep up the begging and pleading for about five minutes without break. Eventually, he ran out of steam and protested, "You're not even listening to me."
"I am listening," Elessar said, "you're just not giving me a chance to respond."
"Will you?" Eldarion asked.
"I will have to consider it. Now, I'm sure you and Merry are tired and hungry. Jaren, will you see to it they get to their rooms and have something warm sent up."
"Yes, Your Majesty," Jaren replied. He herded them out.
"You're hiding something," Pippin said. Elessar was rather surprised. "And how do you plan on getting out of telling me? I don't need to be carried off to bed."
"You will leave," Elessar replied, "because otherwise I will tell my guards to drag you to your room and lock you in." He was smiling as he said it, so Pippin would know he wasn't too serious. But Pippin took the hint and left.
"Not exactly subtle," a voice stated once he was gone.
"There is a time and a place for subtlety," Elessar said, turning towards Sal who was leaning casually on the doorframe. Without waiting for an invitation, Sal walked over and sat down.
"You realise you lied to my son," Elessar said.
"Technically, I didn't lie," Sal mimicked Elessar's tone, "I told him I was an exile and that it was better if they went in without me."
"And you complained when I was rather economical with the truth," Elessar laughed.
"I crept in during the commotion of the prince's arrival. He was very brave while he was a prisoner," Sal said, "you should be proud of him."
"I am. But right now we have other things to discuss. Your exile for one. Eldarion wants me to let you back into the city."
"And what do you want?"
"I think what you want is more important in this case. Do you want to come home?"
***
Author's note: A fairly stupid question, you might think, but read on. There are still some more surprises to come.
***
Salafir? Merry stared open-mouthed at the man on his knees in front of Fadell. How could he be Sal? The man was Ganth, the person who had been so cruel to them since their capture. The man who had killed Pippin. Ganth and Sal couldn't be the same person.
Then he remembered it had been Ganth who had insisted they be kept alive. And there had been no witnesses to his murder of Pip. Merry suddenly began to hope that his friend at least had made it out of this alive.
"I don't like you either," Gan. . . Sal said. His voice had lost that cruel edge, and it did sound similar to the voice of that boy who had come to their rescue in Mordor. Merry noticed Sal's hand was moving at his side, the way it had done when he and Pippin had first been captured. Jaren nodded, and Merry guessed the movements were some sort of signal.
So Sal had a plan. Merry was glad. Much as he'd wanted Ganth dead only a few hours before, he wanted him alive now. Sal had been his friend, and it seemed now that he had been working to help them even when they had been his prisoners.
Merry pulled against the ropes, desperately trying to free himself to help Sal. But it was useless. The ropes were as tight as they had always been. Merry looked across at Eldarion, but the boy just looked confused. He clearly didn't know who Sal was, didn't understand that their greatest hope of rescue was about to be killed.
What happened next was a blur of motion Merry couldn't follow. Sal leapt to his feet, drawing his sword. Merry could see the symbols on the hilt and knew for sure that this was Sal. Merry yelled a warning as Fadell prepared to fire, but Sal had no defence against an arrow.
Suddenly an arrow flew from the rocks above the camp, embedding itself in Fadell's back. Merry tried to see where the arrow had come from, but whoever had fired was well hidden. More arrows flew into the camp, though these were aimed to injure the men rather than kill them. Sal was fighting, and men seemed to come from nowhere and join him.
Jaren ran to Eldarion and quickly cut the ropes on his wrists and ankles. Then Merry felt someone behind him gripping his wrists. He began to call for Jaren.
"It's alright, Merry," the man said. Merry tried to twist round to look at him. It was Sal. Sal cut the ropes and in a few moments both Merry and Eldarion were free.
"Let's leave the Rangers to their business," Sal said. He didn't wait for Merry to get up, but just lifted him off the ground and carried him over to his horse. Jaren was doing the same with Eldarion. Merry looked back at the camp as they rode away, and was pleased to see that the Rangers appeared to be winning the fight.
They rode down the slope away from the camp, Merry in front of Sal, Eldarion in front of Jaren. Merry hoped the Rangers would deal harshly with that gang of kidnappers.
"What happened to Pippin?" Merry asked after they had been riding a few minutes.
"He's safe in Minas Tirith," Sal replied.
"Who are you?" Eldarion asked.
"My name is Salafir. I was one of your father's personal guards for several years, but now I am an exile."
"It's complicated." Merry took the hint that he didn't want to talk about it. Unfortunately, Eldarion didn't.
"Why?"
"It just is." Eldarion was plainly unsatisfied by that answer.
"Are we going home now?" Eldarion asked after a while.
"Yes," Sal replied, "you're going home."
***
Eldarion had fallen asleep by the time they reached the gates of Minas Tirith. Sal halted, and Merry wondered what was going on. Why didn't they just go in? His puzzlement increased as Sal dismounted, and Jaren shook Eldarion awake.
"This is where I leave you," Sal said, handing his reins to Jaren.
"Why?" Eldarion asked.
"Because I am an exile. I'm charged with death if I enter Minas Tirith."
"But you saved me," Eldarion protested, "Father will forgive you. I'll tell him what happened and I'm sure he'll let you come back." Merry silently thought he was right. Sal had been given the silver tree after all. But Sal shook his head.
"It's better that you go in without me," he said. Merry frowned, watching the expression on Sal's face. There seemed to be a glint of laughter in his eyes, and Merry had the feeling he was planning something.
"Goodbye, Sal," Merry said.
"Goodbye, Merry. Farewell, young prince." Sal gripped Jaren's hand.
"Try and stay out of trouble until we next meet," Jaren said.
"And you." With that Jaren urged his horse into a walk, leading the one Merry rode, since the horse was too large for Merry to ride safely. As they went through the gates the guards were delighted to see Eldarion. There was uproar as people recognised the boy, and soon there was a cheering throng around the gates. Merry glanced back, but Sal was nowhere to be seen.
***
Elessar could hear shouts in the city and went to the gates of the citadel and looked out. Two horses rode up the street, bearing three people. The shadow that had rested over his heart vanished as he recognised his son.
"Eldarion!" he cried, lifting the boy from the horse almost before it stopped, holding him tightly as though he was afraid to let him go. "I love you, I love you, I love you," he murmured into the boy's ear. Eldarion in turn had his arms around his father and was crying with relief into his shoulder.
Elessar finally released his son from the embrace, but kept his hand on his shoulder. The contact reminded him that it was real. His son was safe! The nightmare was over! Smiling through tears, he hugged Merry as well, but this hug didn't last nearly as long as the first.
"Thank you," he said to Jaren.
"A pleasure," the Ranger replied.
"Merry!" Pippin suddenly ran out of the citadel and flung his arms round Merry. The two hobbits laughed and cried and hugged, while Elessar stood by, his arm around his son. It was as though the sun had burst through the clouds and the world was full of light after days of shadow.
Elessar led them back into the citadel, into a small room where they could talk. Merry and Eldarion took turns telling the story, with Jaren adding details as appropriate. When they reached the end of their tale, Eldarion turned his pleading eyes on his father.
"Please will you let Salafir come back into the city. He saved my life. Please, Father. Please."
"I don't think he'd do anything to hurt you," Merry added.
Eldarion managed to keep up the begging and pleading for about five minutes without break. Eventually, he ran out of steam and protested, "You're not even listening to me."
"I am listening," Elessar said, "you're just not giving me a chance to respond."
"Will you?" Eldarion asked.
"I will have to consider it. Now, I'm sure you and Merry are tired and hungry. Jaren, will you see to it they get to their rooms and have something warm sent up."
"Yes, Your Majesty," Jaren replied. He herded them out.
"You're hiding something," Pippin said. Elessar was rather surprised. "And how do you plan on getting out of telling me? I don't need to be carried off to bed."
"You will leave," Elessar replied, "because otherwise I will tell my guards to drag you to your room and lock you in." He was smiling as he said it, so Pippin would know he wasn't too serious. But Pippin took the hint and left.
"Not exactly subtle," a voice stated once he was gone.
"There is a time and a place for subtlety," Elessar said, turning towards Sal who was leaning casually on the doorframe. Without waiting for an invitation, Sal walked over and sat down.
"You realise you lied to my son," Elessar said.
"Technically, I didn't lie," Sal mimicked Elessar's tone, "I told him I was an exile and that it was better if they went in without me."
"And you complained when I was rather economical with the truth," Elessar laughed.
"I crept in during the commotion of the prince's arrival. He was very brave while he was a prisoner," Sal said, "you should be proud of him."
"I am. But right now we have other things to discuss. Your exile for one. Eldarion wants me to let you back into the city."
"And what do you want?"
"I think what you want is more important in this case. Do you want to come home?"
***
Author's note: A fairly stupid question, you might think, but read on. There are still some more surprises to come.