Author's note: Thank you to Xena for reviewing. I have one fan out there at
least.
***
Pippin's legs were aching. They had been walking northwards since dawn and his short legs couldn't cope with the pace. It was past midday and they'd had no break. His arms were sore as well, as the men had tied them again when they'd set off, this time in front of him. He was glad they hadn't felt they needed a blindfold, but it didn't help him. He had never been in this part of Ethrin before. They had left the woodlands where the palace was built and most of the people made their homes, and were now in a landscape of plains and rolling hills. It reminded Pippin somewhat of Rohan.
They were taking care to ensure Pippin didn't try to run away again. He wasn't anxious to try, since he had fallen in the river last time. He might be able to swim, but he certainly had no fondness for it. If they men hadn't pulled him out he'd be dead. He would rather be a prisoner than drowned.
Faramir led the way. Caylith came next, marching Pippin in front of him. If Pippin did try to get away, Caylith would catch him before he could go two steps. The third man followed. His name seemed to be Mayomer. He didn't talk as much as the others did, and didn't share in their teasing of one another. While Pippin supposed Faramir and Caylith to be old friends, it seemed Mayomer hadn't know them as long.
Pippin stumbled, and Caylith caught him before he fell. Pippin wanted nothing more than to collapse, and let his sore legs have a break. He didn't think he would be able to walk much further, yet it looked like the men were prepared to continue all day. It felt almost like being back among the orcs. Only this time, Merry wasn't with him.
"He's not going to be able to last much longer," Caylith said as Pippin stumbled again.
"It's a five day journey," Faramir said, "we can't afford to rest now. We'll carry him." Caylith bent down and lifted Pippin's bound arms, putting his head between them. Then he took hold of Pippin's legs and lifted him off the ground. Pippin clung to his back the way he had clung to his parent's back as a child. The small group moved on again, and Pippin remembered running races like this in the Shire. He still hadn't forgiven Frodo for tripping and sending him head first into Bywater Pond, despite him claiming it was an accident.
***
Merry was bored. Bored and afraid. He kept wondering what was happening to Pippin, if he was a prisoner somewhere, and most of all what had possessed him to leave the way he had. It must have been something very important for him to leave without telling Merry.
He didn't have anything to take his mind off his fears, as the only games he had were meant for two players. Acs had too many other duties to attend to and so couldn't spend time playing with Merry. He did talk for a short while when he brought in Merry's luncheon.
"I haven't done anything wrong," Merry said.
"I know," Acs replied, "and I don't think King Elmas believes you have done either."
"But he had me locked up."
"In your room. If he thought you were really giving away his secrets to his enemies you'd be locked in a cell and guarded day and night."
"I'm sure Pippin didn't do anything wrong either," Merry said.
"The king doesn't know him like you do."
"Do you think he's alright?"
"I'm sure that Pippin will come back to you no matter what danger he's in." Merry smiled, and Acs left. The comfort he had brought lasted a few minutes, but then the depression returned even stronger than before.
***
Krech was being questioned again, but this time he was refusing to answer any of the questions.
"I have said all I will say," he said, "let me go."
"What does your king intend towards our land?" the questioner asked, but Krech remained resolutely silent. Eventually the questioner gave up and left, the guards returning Krech to his cell. He didn't like the expression on the questioner's face. He didn't know what these northerners intended to do to him, but he was sure it wouldn't be anything good. Maybe they would kill him now that he was no longer any use for him.
He lay down on the bed and thought of Anek. He closed his eyes and imagined he was stroking her silky hair, whispering in her ear how much he loved her. Her image was fixed to his eyelids as much as the band was fixed to his wrist.
He wanted to be home with her. He had promised her he would go home as soon as this scouting mission was over. He had never guessed these northern men would be so cruel as to keep him prisoner here when he had done nothing wrong. King Elmas would never be so unjust.
***
Acs entered Merry's room with his dinner only to find it empty. A cold wind was blowing through the open window and, a little worried, Acs went and looked through it. He saw a pair of bare feet hanging down from the branches above and relaxed. For a moment he had been afraid Merry had run away.
"Merry, come inside," he called. Merry did as he was told, and climbed down the tree and in through the window.
"Stay inside, Merry," Acs advised, "if the king learns you've been doing this you may wake to find bars on you window." Merry nodded, and sat down at the table to eat his dinner.
"The king's sent out search parties to look for Pippin," Acs said, "If he's anywhere within the woodland he'll be found."
"Where else could he be?" The woodlands were extensive, and covered most of Ethrin. Even the northern areas of the country, which were mainly grassland, had plenty of trees on them.
Merry ate his meal in silence, but he gained some comfort from Acs' presence there. He wasn't completely alone, no matter how much he missed Pippin. At last the meal was over, and Acs took the tray back down to the kitchens.
Having nothing else to do, Merry changed into his nightshirt and went to bed. His window was open a crack and he could hear the rustle of leaves in the wind. He drifted off to sleep, thinking of Pippin, the sound of leaves brushing against each other soothing his troubled mind.
It was the sound in the tree that woke him up. He thought it was just a stronger wind, moving the branches more, but then he realised there was someone in the tree. Someone light, so that the branches didn't creak under their weight. It had to be someone light for the branches were slender. The rustle came again, followed by a slight scratching as something was pushed into the crack between the window and the frame.
Merry sat up in bed, afraid, reaching for a heavy candlestick. It was dark outside, but Merry could make out a vague outline of a figure, levering the window open with a knife until the crack was wide enough for it to be pulled completely open. Merry's first thought was that it was Pippin, but Pippin wouldn't be carrying a knife and the figure was too large. It had to be a man.
Merry waited, alert and ready, until the man pulled the window fully open. He put his hands on either side of the frame and leapt gracefully in. Merry chose that moment, when he landed on the floor, to attack. He jumped at the man, bringing the candlestick round on his head.
The man fell onto the floor, Merry on top of him. Merry hadn't been ready for the fall, and lost his hold on the candlestick which rolled somewhere into the shadows. The man brought his arms up, trying to dislodge Merry, just as the moon came out from behind a cloud, lighting up the two who fought beneath the window. Both froze, staring in amazement at the other.
***
Author's note: So, strange men are climbing in through Merry's bedroom window at night. Not like that! Go and wash your mind out!
***
Pippin's legs were aching. They had been walking northwards since dawn and his short legs couldn't cope with the pace. It was past midday and they'd had no break. His arms were sore as well, as the men had tied them again when they'd set off, this time in front of him. He was glad they hadn't felt they needed a blindfold, but it didn't help him. He had never been in this part of Ethrin before. They had left the woodlands where the palace was built and most of the people made their homes, and were now in a landscape of plains and rolling hills. It reminded Pippin somewhat of Rohan.
They were taking care to ensure Pippin didn't try to run away again. He wasn't anxious to try, since he had fallen in the river last time. He might be able to swim, but he certainly had no fondness for it. If they men hadn't pulled him out he'd be dead. He would rather be a prisoner than drowned.
Faramir led the way. Caylith came next, marching Pippin in front of him. If Pippin did try to get away, Caylith would catch him before he could go two steps. The third man followed. His name seemed to be Mayomer. He didn't talk as much as the others did, and didn't share in their teasing of one another. While Pippin supposed Faramir and Caylith to be old friends, it seemed Mayomer hadn't know them as long.
Pippin stumbled, and Caylith caught him before he fell. Pippin wanted nothing more than to collapse, and let his sore legs have a break. He didn't think he would be able to walk much further, yet it looked like the men were prepared to continue all day. It felt almost like being back among the orcs. Only this time, Merry wasn't with him.
"He's not going to be able to last much longer," Caylith said as Pippin stumbled again.
"It's a five day journey," Faramir said, "we can't afford to rest now. We'll carry him." Caylith bent down and lifted Pippin's bound arms, putting his head between them. Then he took hold of Pippin's legs and lifted him off the ground. Pippin clung to his back the way he had clung to his parent's back as a child. The small group moved on again, and Pippin remembered running races like this in the Shire. He still hadn't forgiven Frodo for tripping and sending him head first into Bywater Pond, despite him claiming it was an accident.
***
Merry was bored. Bored and afraid. He kept wondering what was happening to Pippin, if he was a prisoner somewhere, and most of all what had possessed him to leave the way he had. It must have been something very important for him to leave without telling Merry.
He didn't have anything to take his mind off his fears, as the only games he had were meant for two players. Acs had too many other duties to attend to and so couldn't spend time playing with Merry. He did talk for a short while when he brought in Merry's luncheon.
"I haven't done anything wrong," Merry said.
"I know," Acs replied, "and I don't think King Elmas believes you have done either."
"But he had me locked up."
"In your room. If he thought you were really giving away his secrets to his enemies you'd be locked in a cell and guarded day and night."
"I'm sure Pippin didn't do anything wrong either," Merry said.
"The king doesn't know him like you do."
"Do you think he's alright?"
"I'm sure that Pippin will come back to you no matter what danger he's in." Merry smiled, and Acs left. The comfort he had brought lasted a few minutes, but then the depression returned even stronger than before.
***
Krech was being questioned again, but this time he was refusing to answer any of the questions.
"I have said all I will say," he said, "let me go."
"What does your king intend towards our land?" the questioner asked, but Krech remained resolutely silent. Eventually the questioner gave up and left, the guards returning Krech to his cell. He didn't like the expression on the questioner's face. He didn't know what these northerners intended to do to him, but he was sure it wouldn't be anything good. Maybe they would kill him now that he was no longer any use for him.
He lay down on the bed and thought of Anek. He closed his eyes and imagined he was stroking her silky hair, whispering in her ear how much he loved her. Her image was fixed to his eyelids as much as the band was fixed to his wrist.
He wanted to be home with her. He had promised her he would go home as soon as this scouting mission was over. He had never guessed these northern men would be so cruel as to keep him prisoner here when he had done nothing wrong. King Elmas would never be so unjust.
***
Acs entered Merry's room with his dinner only to find it empty. A cold wind was blowing through the open window and, a little worried, Acs went and looked through it. He saw a pair of bare feet hanging down from the branches above and relaxed. For a moment he had been afraid Merry had run away.
"Merry, come inside," he called. Merry did as he was told, and climbed down the tree and in through the window.
"Stay inside, Merry," Acs advised, "if the king learns you've been doing this you may wake to find bars on you window." Merry nodded, and sat down at the table to eat his dinner.
"The king's sent out search parties to look for Pippin," Acs said, "If he's anywhere within the woodland he'll be found."
"Where else could he be?" The woodlands were extensive, and covered most of Ethrin. Even the northern areas of the country, which were mainly grassland, had plenty of trees on them.
Merry ate his meal in silence, but he gained some comfort from Acs' presence there. He wasn't completely alone, no matter how much he missed Pippin. At last the meal was over, and Acs took the tray back down to the kitchens.
Having nothing else to do, Merry changed into his nightshirt and went to bed. His window was open a crack and he could hear the rustle of leaves in the wind. He drifted off to sleep, thinking of Pippin, the sound of leaves brushing against each other soothing his troubled mind.
It was the sound in the tree that woke him up. He thought it was just a stronger wind, moving the branches more, but then he realised there was someone in the tree. Someone light, so that the branches didn't creak under their weight. It had to be someone light for the branches were slender. The rustle came again, followed by a slight scratching as something was pushed into the crack between the window and the frame.
Merry sat up in bed, afraid, reaching for a heavy candlestick. It was dark outside, but Merry could make out a vague outline of a figure, levering the window open with a knife until the crack was wide enough for it to be pulled completely open. Merry's first thought was that it was Pippin, but Pippin wouldn't be carrying a knife and the figure was too large. It had to be a man.
Merry waited, alert and ready, until the man pulled the window fully open. He put his hands on either side of the frame and leapt gracefully in. Merry chose that moment, when he landed on the floor, to attack. He jumped at the man, bringing the candlestick round on his head.
The man fell onto the floor, Merry on top of him. Merry hadn't been ready for the fall, and lost his hold on the candlestick which rolled somewhere into the shadows. The man brought his arms up, trying to dislodge Merry, just as the moon came out from behind a cloud, lighting up the two who fought beneath the window. Both froze, staring in amazement at the other.
***
Author's note: So, strange men are climbing in through Merry's bedroom window at night. Not like that! Go and wash your mind out!