Author's note: Happy New Year, everyone. As your New Year's resolution I
hope you've all decided to review.
***
Aragorn listened to the reports brought by his men with a heavy heart. The woods of Ethrin were apparently filled with armed men. They were clearing their homeland of any possible threats so that they could move the army safely. It was the only explanation.
He wished the southerner would simply deny the accusations of war. It was the fact that he refused to answer which made Aragorn so certain. If the threat of war didn't exist the spy would have no reason not to deny it. His silence was as good as affirmation.
Aragorn was also worried about Faramir. Faramir and his party of Rangers had left Minas Tirith two weeks ago, they should have had some news of them by now. Aragorn was afraid something had happened to them. If the king of Ethrin really were plotting war, it would be very bad indeed for Faramir to be found. Aragorn had great faith in Faramir's abilities, but still it wasn't enough to be set aside his fears.
He was afraid as well for his people. Ethrin must believe they had some tactical advantage if they planned a war with no obvious purpose. They must feel so certain in their victory, and that made Aragorn afraid least his people should suffer greatly. They had barely managed to rebuild all that had been destroyed in the last war. He couldn't ask them to go through that again.
Hoping to allay his fears, he went to see the prisoner. This time he didn't bother with having him brought to the interrogating room. Instead he went to the cell where the man was being kept. The man was sitting on his bed. He tensed as Aragorn entered, his eyes darting around fearfully. The guards stood behind Aragorn, but he waved them out of the room and shut the door.
"Let me go home," the prisoner said.
"First you answer my question. Is your king planning war on Gondor?"
"I have said all I will say."
"You have not yet answered that one. Answer, and I will consider letting you go free."
Aragorn saw indecision flicker across his face. His right hand brushed the band of metal on his wrist. Then resolve set on the man's face and he pressed his lips firmly together. Perhaps his offer hadn't much incentive for one who would be returning home to slavery. Aragorn left him, his thoughts still resting on the war he wished he could prevent.
***
Merry wondered how much time had passed. It felt like days, but it might have been as little as hours. There was no light in the cell, so he couldn't even tell if it was night or day. He had slept for a time, but now he was awake again. He was sitting in the corner of the cell, leaning against the wall with his hands tied behind him. They had hurt for a while, but now they had gone numb. His mouth ached from the gag that held it open and his throat felt dry.
Worst of all was the loneliness. The last time he had been in a cell like this one Pippin had been with him. They had spent the hours talking, remembering the Shire, wondering about the fate of their friends. Now Merry was alone, and he had no idea where Pippin was. The metal band on his wrist was a constant reminder of what he was lacking.
Time passed and Merry dozed off again, dreaming that he was by Brandywine with Pippin, Frodo and Sam. For some reason Strider was there, only he kept turning into a cat. Pippin was saying something about there being snakes in the water.
He was woken by the cell door opening and Acs came in. Merry's stomach greeted him loudly when he saw what Acs was carrying. A guard followed Acs, placing a torch in a holder by the door.
"I'm to remove your gag so that you may eat," Acs said, "but if you say even a single word the gag will be replaced and it won't be removed again. Do you understand?" Merry nodded.
Acs reached round the back of Merry's head and undid the knot. As the cloth slipped free, Merry opened and closed his mouth a few times, delighting in this freedom. Acs held up a cup of water first, and Merry took a few sips. It was wonderful to feel the cool water running down his parched throat. Acs then picked up the bread and held it up to Merry's mouth. Merry opened to his mouth to speak but stopped himself just in time. Instead he twisted round to show his bound hands, hoping Acs would understand.
"I'm sorry, Merry," Acs said, "but you're to remain bound at all times." Merry nodded, and then opened his mouth to receive the bread Acs was holding. The meal was scant, just bread and water. It seemed there was to be more to his punishment than enforced silence.
"I swore an oath to the king," Acs said, holding up the gag again, "and I must obey him even where it concerns my friends." Merry smiled to show he understood, and then allowed Acs to gag him. Then they were gone, taking the light with them, and Merry was left in his silent darkness. He did understand what Acs was going through. He too had to obey an oath even when he wished he could behave differently. Merry's oath had been necessary, as otherwise he would spent the rest of his life in a cell like this one.
***
They had been travelling for three days now. Pippin walked most of the way, but when he began to tire one or other of the men would carry him. They had treated him kindly, though they still kept his wrists bound, except when they made camp when they bound his legs instead. Since that first night they hadn't bothered with the blindfold. They talked freely, never suspecting that Pippin understood every word. They came from Gondor, he learned, and were taking him to the king. Pippin wondered what sort of man the king was. Faramir and the others spoke of him with respect.
On the evening of the third day they set up camp next to a river. Caylith set Pippin down beside a rock and the removed his pack. The other two were doing much the same. Pippin was very thirsty, having not had a drink since that morning, and the sound of the river was driving him frantic.
"Water," he said in the Ethrin tongue. Caylith looked at him, puzzled. Pippin raised his arms to point at the river and repeated his word.
"You thirsty, little one?" Caylith asked. Pippin nodded, and only then realised the mistake he'd made.
"I think he's been deceiving us," Caylith said, and both Faramir and Mayomer gathered round him. "You understand me, don't you?"
"Yes," Pippin said, seeing no point in denying it.
"Why did you let us think you did not?" Faramir demanded.
"So I could learn who you were. You were more likely to talk about yourselves and your business if you didn't know I was listening." Faramir looked angry, then suddenly, to Pippin's surprise, he laughed.
"You're a clever little thing," he said, "just don't try any more tricks like that. Do you understand?" Pippin nodded. "I don't like it when people lie to me."
"I didn't lie," Pippin said, "I just didn't tell you that you were wrong."
"And did you learn anything of importance?"
"Not really, though I am rather curious to learn what happened at Osgiliath." Faramir laughed again.
"I think I like you, little one. What's your name?"
"I've not decided whether I trust you or not," Pippin said.
"If you do not answer to us you will have to answer to the king."
"Then I will answer when I have to and not before." Faramir tossed him a water bottle and the three men proceeded to make camp. They didn't punish Pippin for deceiving them, but they left his arms bound that night.
***
Aragorn listened to the reports brought by his men with a heavy heart. The woods of Ethrin were apparently filled with armed men. They were clearing their homeland of any possible threats so that they could move the army safely. It was the only explanation.
He wished the southerner would simply deny the accusations of war. It was the fact that he refused to answer which made Aragorn so certain. If the threat of war didn't exist the spy would have no reason not to deny it. His silence was as good as affirmation.
Aragorn was also worried about Faramir. Faramir and his party of Rangers had left Minas Tirith two weeks ago, they should have had some news of them by now. Aragorn was afraid something had happened to them. If the king of Ethrin really were plotting war, it would be very bad indeed for Faramir to be found. Aragorn had great faith in Faramir's abilities, but still it wasn't enough to be set aside his fears.
He was afraid as well for his people. Ethrin must believe they had some tactical advantage if they planned a war with no obvious purpose. They must feel so certain in their victory, and that made Aragorn afraid least his people should suffer greatly. They had barely managed to rebuild all that had been destroyed in the last war. He couldn't ask them to go through that again.
Hoping to allay his fears, he went to see the prisoner. This time he didn't bother with having him brought to the interrogating room. Instead he went to the cell where the man was being kept. The man was sitting on his bed. He tensed as Aragorn entered, his eyes darting around fearfully. The guards stood behind Aragorn, but he waved them out of the room and shut the door.
"Let me go home," the prisoner said.
"First you answer my question. Is your king planning war on Gondor?"
"I have said all I will say."
"You have not yet answered that one. Answer, and I will consider letting you go free."
Aragorn saw indecision flicker across his face. His right hand brushed the band of metal on his wrist. Then resolve set on the man's face and he pressed his lips firmly together. Perhaps his offer hadn't much incentive for one who would be returning home to slavery. Aragorn left him, his thoughts still resting on the war he wished he could prevent.
***
Merry wondered how much time had passed. It felt like days, but it might have been as little as hours. There was no light in the cell, so he couldn't even tell if it was night or day. He had slept for a time, but now he was awake again. He was sitting in the corner of the cell, leaning against the wall with his hands tied behind him. They had hurt for a while, but now they had gone numb. His mouth ached from the gag that held it open and his throat felt dry.
Worst of all was the loneliness. The last time he had been in a cell like this one Pippin had been with him. They had spent the hours talking, remembering the Shire, wondering about the fate of their friends. Now Merry was alone, and he had no idea where Pippin was. The metal band on his wrist was a constant reminder of what he was lacking.
Time passed and Merry dozed off again, dreaming that he was by Brandywine with Pippin, Frodo and Sam. For some reason Strider was there, only he kept turning into a cat. Pippin was saying something about there being snakes in the water.
He was woken by the cell door opening and Acs came in. Merry's stomach greeted him loudly when he saw what Acs was carrying. A guard followed Acs, placing a torch in a holder by the door.
"I'm to remove your gag so that you may eat," Acs said, "but if you say even a single word the gag will be replaced and it won't be removed again. Do you understand?" Merry nodded.
Acs reached round the back of Merry's head and undid the knot. As the cloth slipped free, Merry opened and closed his mouth a few times, delighting in this freedom. Acs held up a cup of water first, and Merry took a few sips. It was wonderful to feel the cool water running down his parched throat. Acs then picked up the bread and held it up to Merry's mouth. Merry opened to his mouth to speak but stopped himself just in time. Instead he twisted round to show his bound hands, hoping Acs would understand.
"I'm sorry, Merry," Acs said, "but you're to remain bound at all times." Merry nodded, and then opened his mouth to receive the bread Acs was holding. The meal was scant, just bread and water. It seemed there was to be more to his punishment than enforced silence.
"I swore an oath to the king," Acs said, holding up the gag again, "and I must obey him even where it concerns my friends." Merry smiled to show he understood, and then allowed Acs to gag him. Then they were gone, taking the light with them, and Merry was left in his silent darkness. He did understand what Acs was going through. He too had to obey an oath even when he wished he could behave differently. Merry's oath had been necessary, as otherwise he would spent the rest of his life in a cell like this one.
***
They had been travelling for three days now. Pippin walked most of the way, but when he began to tire one or other of the men would carry him. They had treated him kindly, though they still kept his wrists bound, except when they made camp when they bound his legs instead. Since that first night they hadn't bothered with the blindfold. They talked freely, never suspecting that Pippin understood every word. They came from Gondor, he learned, and were taking him to the king. Pippin wondered what sort of man the king was. Faramir and the others spoke of him with respect.
On the evening of the third day they set up camp next to a river. Caylith set Pippin down beside a rock and the removed his pack. The other two were doing much the same. Pippin was very thirsty, having not had a drink since that morning, and the sound of the river was driving him frantic.
"Water," he said in the Ethrin tongue. Caylith looked at him, puzzled. Pippin raised his arms to point at the river and repeated his word.
"You thirsty, little one?" Caylith asked. Pippin nodded, and only then realised the mistake he'd made.
"I think he's been deceiving us," Caylith said, and both Faramir and Mayomer gathered round him. "You understand me, don't you?"
"Yes," Pippin said, seeing no point in denying it.
"Why did you let us think you did not?" Faramir demanded.
"So I could learn who you were. You were more likely to talk about yourselves and your business if you didn't know I was listening." Faramir looked angry, then suddenly, to Pippin's surprise, he laughed.
"You're a clever little thing," he said, "just don't try any more tricks like that. Do you understand?" Pippin nodded. "I don't like it when people lie to me."
"I didn't lie," Pippin said, "I just didn't tell you that you were wrong."
"And did you learn anything of importance?"
"Not really, though I am rather curious to learn what happened at Osgiliath." Faramir laughed again.
"I think I like you, little one. What's your name?"
"I've not decided whether I trust you or not," Pippin said.
"If you do not answer to us you will have to answer to the king."
"Then I will answer when I have to and not before." Faramir tossed him a water bottle and the three men proceeded to make camp. They didn't punish Pippin for deceiving them, but they left his arms bound that night.