Author's Note: Thanks to those who reviewed Chapter 10. Sorry it's taken me so long to update -- what with finals and then the problems fanfiction.net has been experiencing lately, I've held off putting anything else up. Anyway, hopefully this next chapter will have been worth the wait. :)
Mandatory Disclaimer: JRR Tolkien created Middle Earth. Peter Jackson has succeeded (in my mind at least) in bringing Middle Earth to life. This story is written for amusement purposes only, so please don't sue. I only have *looks in pockets* a stick of gum (gone soft from the heat), 3 dimes and some lint to my name at the moment. And a little brother -- you could have him if you want, although he's probably more trouble than he's worth...
Chapter 11: Official Introductions.
Sarah's POV (still).
I tried futilely to loosen the bonds around my wrists and ankles, but finally had to admit defeat when the rope burned into my skin.
Almost as soon as I'd given up hope, I was lifted roughly from behind. The ropes that bound my ankles were removed, and I stamped my feet a few times trying to force feeling back into them. (It doesn't take long for your legs to fall asleep when you're laying on them the wrong way.)
Evidently, the two hobbits had noticed that the Orcs had taken another prisoner, because I overheard them whispering to each other about me.
"Who's that, Merry?"
"I dunno Pip."
"Do you think she's friendly?"
"I should think so... She's a prisoner, just like us..."
"Oh..."
I must have been paying so much attention to the hobbit's conversation (and listening for any other noises nearby) that I stumbled and fell.
"Get up..." I heard a voice gurgle in my ear as I felt my hair being pulled, bringing my head up with it.
"I'll only fall again," I muttered. "I can't see where I'm supposed to be going."
The blindfold was removed, and as I opened my eyes, I suddenly found myself vehemently wishing that I'd kept the blindfold on. The sun hurt my eyes, but it didn't take long for them to adjust. When they did adjust, I found myself staring a big, ugly Orc in the face. "Don't... you... EVER... speak... to... me... like... that... again... Do you understand?" He grabbed a fistful of my hair and bashed my head into a nearby tree for good measure. "I AM YOUR SUPERIOR!!!"
I winced at his words. I could feel a sticky, warm substance that I knew was my blood dripping down the side of my forehead. I felt sick inside, and wished for what seemed like the millionth time that Alex was here -- he always seemed to know what to say to make even the most dire of situations seem like a pleasant walk in the park.
It was then that I heard the two hobbits beside me -- I had been so lost in my own thoughts that I'd forgotten all about them.
"Are you alright?" one of them asked.
"Yeah, I think so," I lied, smiling weakly.
"I'm Peregrin, and he's Meriadoc... Well, Pippin and Merry really -- no-one uses our real names unless we're in trouble," the other hobbit spoke up, a mischievous twinkle playing in the corners of his eyes.
"Yeah, I know..." I said.
Merry looked at me inquisitively. "You know us? How? I don't believe we've ever met before?"
'Oh fiddlesticks!' I thought. (Well, actually I thought something else, but I'll try and keep it clean for now...) 'Now I've gone and done it! What am I going to say -- I know you because you're both fictional characters from one of my favorite fantasy stories? Somehow I don't think that would go down very well... Think, Sarah, THINK!'
"Uhm... I arrived in Lothlorien just after you left. Haldir mentioned that you'd been there, and gave quite a good description of you both." I hoped Haldir wouldn't mind me using him in my little lie, and hoped even more desperately that I wouldn't be caught out in the lie later. "We'd entered Lorien the same way you had, and Haldir said he'd found it interesting... When my brother, Alex, and I pressed him on what was so interesting, that's when he told us how strange it was that, despite them not getting travelers passing through very often, we'd arrived so soon after you left."
"You have a brother? Where is he now?" Pippin asked.
"I don't know... I guess he's still with Haldir somewhere..."
"I guess they won't be looking for you in a hurry then, at least Haldir wouldn't if he knew that you were with us..." Merry sighed.
"Keep moving!" one of the Orcs ordered, prodding me in the back with a sword. "We must hurry if we are to get to Mordor!"
"Mordor?" one of the other Orcs spoke up. "We are not headed to Mordor. We go to Isengaard!!!"
There was a roar of fury, and the Orcs started battling among themselves. 'I guess this must be the part where the Mordor Orcs die...' I thought to myself.
"Good -- while they're distracted, I'm going to try and leave a clue to anyone that may follow us that we're still alive," Pippin whispered.
Merry nodded solemnly. "Be careful, Pip!"
With a nod, Pippin scampered off.
I turned to Merry. "What did you mean when you said Haldir wouldn't look for you?" I whispered.
The mischievous twinkle appeared in Merry's eyes again as he seemed to be remembering something. "Pip and I played a little practical joke on him the night before we left..."
Alex POV.
Haldir is a slave driver... He had us up well before dawn, so I was nearly falling asleep on top of my horse (if it weren't for the jolting gait keeping me awake, I probably would have). My stomach grumbled loudly, but Haldir didn't want to stop, saying that the Orcs would still be on the move, and the longer we stopped, the more likely that we would never catch them.
Luckily, after three or four hours, he finally decided that we could afford to stop for a short break beside the river. There was plenty of grass for the horses to snack on, and with the footprints heading up into the cliffs, it'll probably be the last place for the horses to have water to drink for a while. I felt sorry for the horses, but it definitely beats walking, and I really want to find Sarah and make sure she's safe, especially considering some of the stories that Haldir has told me about what Orcs are like. I swear, if they hurt her, I'll....
Eating more lembas may give me the strength to go on, and help to mediate the hunger pains I've been feeling, but I really miss Mom's home-cooking. She may not have been the greatest cook, but at least one of her meals wasn't as bland as this special bread. I would give my right arm for some peanut butter to put on the lembas right about now...
Before long, it's time to get going again. My butt is starting to get really sore from sitting on a horse for so long, but I try not to think about it. 'If Haldir can do it, you can do it,' I keep telling myself.
As the sun is setting, Haldir finally breaks the silence that has taken over during the last few hours. "Halt. I see some movement a few leagues off... Wait here..."
Haldir's horse bursts ahead. 'Great,' I think to myself, 'he's going off to fight the Orcs and leaving me in the sidelines. I don't care if he is a fully trained warrior -- no-one's going to leave me out of the fight to get even with the Orcs that kidnapped Sarah...' I kick my horse like I saw Haldir doing and hold on for dear life as she gallops after Ardon.
Before long, I see Haldir and Ardon in the distance -- he's stopped and is busy talking to three strangers. 'Shouldn't you be tracking rather than talking,' I mentally ask Haldir as I tug on Vardalossiel's reins, trying to convince her to stop.
"I thought I told you to stay back there..." Haldir asked me. I shrugged. "This is Legolas Greenleaf, Prince of Mirkwood, Gimli the Dwarf, son of Gloin, and Aragorn, son of Arathorn, heir to Gondor," Haldir said, nodding to each of them as he introduced them. "This is Alex -- his sister was kidnapped by the same group of Orcs that I believe, judging from what Aragorn was saying, took Merry and Pippin..."
Legolas gave a bow in my direction, and, not entirely sure what to do, I bowed stiffly back from my perch on the horse. "Perhaps it would be wise to join forces and look for the captives together..." he said.
I nodded. "Sounds good to me... Let's get going -- the sooner we find Sarah, the sooner I can get off this horse for more than a few hours at a time..."
Author's Note: Your reviews keep me posting more chapters, so click on the "submit your review" button below to let me know what you think. Good? Bad? Mediocre?
Mandatory Disclaimer: JRR Tolkien created Middle Earth. Peter Jackson has succeeded (in my mind at least) in bringing Middle Earth to life. This story is written for amusement purposes only, so please don't sue. I only have *looks in pockets* a stick of gum (gone soft from the heat), 3 dimes and some lint to my name at the moment. And a little brother -- you could have him if you want, although he's probably more trouble than he's worth...
Chapter 11: Official Introductions.
Sarah's POV (still).
I tried futilely to loosen the bonds around my wrists and ankles, but finally had to admit defeat when the rope burned into my skin.
Almost as soon as I'd given up hope, I was lifted roughly from behind. The ropes that bound my ankles were removed, and I stamped my feet a few times trying to force feeling back into them. (It doesn't take long for your legs to fall asleep when you're laying on them the wrong way.)
Evidently, the two hobbits had noticed that the Orcs had taken another prisoner, because I overheard them whispering to each other about me.
"Who's that, Merry?"
"I dunno Pip."
"Do you think she's friendly?"
"I should think so... She's a prisoner, just like us..."
"Oh..."
I must have been paying so much attention to the hobbit's conversation (and listening for any other noises nearby) that I stumbled and fell.
"Get up..." I heard a voice gurgle in my ear as I felt my hair being pulled, bringing my head up with it.
"I'll only fall again," I muttered. "I can't see where I'm supposed to be going."
The blindfold was removed, and as I opened my eyes, I suddenly found myself vehemently wishing that I'd kept the blindfold on. The sun hurt my eyes, but it didn't take long for them to adjust. When they did adjust, I found myself staring a big, ugly Orc in the face. "Don't... you... EVER... speak... to... me... like... that... again... Do you understand?" He grabbed a fistful of my hair and bashed my head into a nearby tree for good measure. "I AM YOUR SUPERIOR!!!"
I winced at his words. I could feel a sticky, warm substance that I knew was my blood dripping down the side of my forehead. I felt sick inside, and wished for what seemed like the millionth time that Alex was here -- he always seemed to know what to say to make even the most dire of situations seem like a pleasant walk in the park.
It was then that I heard the two hobbits beside me -- I had been so lost in my own thoughts that I'd forgotten all about them.
"Are you alright?" one of them asked.
"Yeah, I think so," I lied, smiling weakly.
"I'm Peregrin, and he's Meriadoc... Well, Pippin and Merry really -- no-one uses our real names unless we're in trouble," the other hobbit spoke up, a mischievous twinkle playing in the corners of his eyes.
"Yeah, I know..." I said.
Merry looked at me inquisitively. "You know us? How? I don't believe we've ever met before?"
'Oh fiddlesticks!' I thought. (Well, actually I thought something else, but I'll try and keep it clean for now...) 'Now I've gone and done it! What am I going to say -- I know you because you're both fictional characters from one of my favorite fantasy stories? Somehow I don't think that would go down very well... Think, Sarah, THINK!'
"Uhm... I arrived in Lothlorien just after you left. Haldir mentioned that you'd been there, and gave quite a good description of you both." I hoped Haldir wouldn't mind me using him in my little lie, and hoped even more desperately that I wouldn't be caught out in the lie later. "We'd entered Lorien the same way you had, and Haldir said he'd found it interesting... When my brother, Alex, and I pressed him on what was so interesting, that's when he told us how strange it was that, despite them not getting travelers passing through very often, we'd arrived so soon after you left."
"You have a brother? Where is he now?" Pippin asked.
"I don't know... I guess he's still with Haldir somewhere..."
"I guess they won't be looking for you in a hurry then, at least Haldir wouldn't if he knew that you were with us..." Merry sighed.
"Keep moving!" one of the Orcs ordered, prodding me in the back with a sword. "We must hurry if we are to get to Mordor!"
"Mordor?" one of the other Orcs spoke up. "We are not headed to Mordor. We go to Isengaard!!!"
There was a roar of fury, and the Orcs started battling among themselves. 'I guess this must be the part where the Mordor Orcs die...' I thought to myself.
"Good -- while they're distracted, I'm going to try and leave a clue to anyone that may follow us that we're still alive," Pippin whispered.
Merry nodded solemnly. "Be careful, Pip!"
With a nod, Pippin scampered off.
I turned to Merry. "What did you mean when you said Haldir wouldn't look for you?" I whispered.
The mischievous twinkle appeared in Merry's eyes again as he seemed to be remembering something. "Pip and I played a little practical joke on him the night before we left..."
Alex POV.
Haldir is a slave driver... He had us up well before dawn, so I was nearly falling asleep on top of my horse (if it weren't for the jolting gait keeping me awake, I probably would have). My stomach grumbled loudly, but Haldir didn't want to stop, saying that the Orcs would still be on the move, and the longer we stopped, the more likely that we would never catch them.
Luckily, after three or four hours, he finally decided that we could afford to stop for a short break beside the river. There was plenty of grass for the horses to snack on, and with the footprints heading up into the cliffs, it'll probably be the last place for the horses to have water to drink for a while. I felt sorry for the horses, but it definitely beats walking, and I really want to find Sarah and make sure she's safe, especially considering some of the stories that Haldir has told me about what Orcs are like. I swear, if they hurt her, I'll....
Eating more lembas may give me the strength to go on, and help to mediate the hunger pains I've been feeling, but I really miss Mom's home-cooking. She may not have been the greatest cook, but at least one of her meals wasn't as bland as this special bread. I would give my right arm for some peanut butter to put on the lembas right about now...
Before long, it's time to get going again. My butt is starting to get really sore from sitting on a horse for so long, but I try not to think about it. 'If Haldir can do it, you can do it,' I keep telling myself.
As the sun is setting, Haldir finally breaks the silence that has taken over during the last few hours. "Halt. I see some movement a few leagues off... Wait here..."
Haldir's horse bursts ahead. 'Great,' I think to myself, 'he's going off to fight the Orcs and leaving me in the sidelines. I don't care if he is a fully trained warrior -- no-one's going to leave me out of the fight to get even with the Orcs that kidnapped Sarah...' I kick my horse like I saw Haldir doing and hold on for dear life as she gallops after Ardon.
Before long, I see Haldir and Ardon in the distance -- he's stopped and is busy talking to three strangers. 'Shouldn't you be tracking rather than talking,' I mentally ask Haldir as I tug on Vardalossiel's reins, trying to convince her to stop.
"I thought I told you to stay back there..." Haldir asked me. I shrugged. "This is Legolas Greenleaf, Prince of Mirkwood, Gimli the Dwarf, son of Gloin, and Aragorn, son of Arathorn, heir to Gondor," Haldir said, nodding to each of them as he introduced them. "This is Alex -- his sister was kidnapped by the same group of Orcs that I believe, judging from what Aragorn was saying, took Merry and Pippin..."
Legolas gave a bow in my direction, and, not entirely sure what to do, I bowed stiffly back from my perch on the horse. "Perhaps it would be wise to join forces and look for the captives together..." he said.
I nodded. "Sounds good to me... Let's get going -- the sooner we find Sarah, the sooner I can get off this horse for more than a few hours at a time..."
Author's Note: Your reviews keep me posting more chapters, so click on the "submit your review" button below to let me know what you think. Good? Bad? Mediocre?