Chapter 18: Departure for Isengard
Diamond's eyes fluttered open, and she looked around the damp room where she lay. There was some old, tattered furniture scattered about, and a few windows by the door, but other than that the room was quite empty. At first Diamond wondered where she was, but then a flood of awful memories returned to her. She had foolishly followed the mysterious man at the inn, and look where it had gotten her.
Diamond looked down and found that her hands and feet had been bound, as well as a gag in her mouth. She tried to loosen the knots on her wrists, but they held strong. She pushed herself against the wall, and into a sitting position. Just then someone entered the room. He looked more than half-goblin, but he spoke in the common tongue.
"Ferny, she is awake," he called into the back room.
"At last, we shall have the chance to gain her knowledge," thought Ferny to himself. "Of course she will not talk willingly, so I shall have to deceive her once again. That should not be too hard."
"Untie her, but make certain she does not run," came the voice of Ferny from the back room.
The half-goblin then cut the bindings on Diamond's wrists and feet, and removed the gag. He moved her into a chair, and then got right up in her face. "If you even attempt to escape, your punishment shall be severe. When you have to face the wrath of our master I shall remember how you cooperated. It is in your best interests to be obedient." He snarled evilly at her, and then backed away as Ferny entered the room.
Diamond was filled with a sudden rage, and disregarding the words of the half-goblin Diamond shouted angrily, "What have you done with my friends? If you have harmed them in any way Gandalf shall roast you when he arrives!"
"Ah, yes. The others were not as fortunate as you. They were left to the mercy of the Nazgul, whom are much less understanding than I," said Ferny, casting an eye at the Southerner, urging him to go along with his ruse.
The Southerner understood, and added, "Yes, but it should comfort you that their ends were quick, and virtually painless. You shall be forced to endure much pain." He laughed evilly, and looked at Ferny, who nodded in approval.
Diamond cried aloud at these words. "The dark lord has won at last, and taken back what was lost! Alas for my friends! The quest has failed, and all shall come to darkness! My friends are.they are." She could not finish her sentence, for she broke into an uncontrollable fit of sobs. Ferny rebound her feet and wrists, but he did not replace the gag. Even he had some sense of compassion, though it was very small. He would allow the Hobbit lass to weep for friends who were truly not lost, and then he would send her to Saruman. His master would be pleased, very pleased.
"Where is she?" asked Horro angrily. "I know there is someone home, and if you do not open the door I shall break it down myself!"
There were footsteps inside the door, and finally it swung open. "Horro, please believe me. I do not know where my sister is. I am not her keeper. She is probably with her friends, or visiting our parents back in Long Cleeve."
"Her friends!" said Horro aloud. "How have I not seen it before? I have been foolish not to suspect this until now." Without another word to Daisy, Diamond's eldest sister, Horro ran down the pathway, and off toward Crickhollow.
After ten minutes of running, Horro came to the gate of the house in Crickhollow. He tore down the path, and knocked loudly on the door. There was no reply. He knocked again. Still nothing. Horro heard no signs of movement inside the house. He ran around the side of the house, and found an open window. Horro climbed through the window, and into the house. It was a mess.
The door was cracked on the inside, and the furniture was strewn everywhere. There was no sign of life, and Horro began to grow worried. He thought back to the early morning hours of the day. The horns had sounded, but he had paid no heed to the warnings. The warning must not have been a drill after all. He began to grow worried for Diamond's safety. If Merry and Pippin had escaped the attacks, then hopefully Diamond was safely with them.
"But there is another riddle here," said Horro to himself, "Merry and Pippin did not want her to go, and I do not think they would have changed their minds. It is too late now, and I have been foolish to not have come here before now. I will not let them win her over so easily, I am not so easily defeated."
The following day came and went, but still Diamond's captors did not show any signs that they meant to leave Bree. They would feed her sometimes, if you could even call it food. Scraps of bread and water were all she was given. They had left the gag off, after Diamond promised not to cry out. She saw no point in trying to escape. All would succumb to darkness, so what use was there to fight it?
Then, remembering the note she had brought from Estella, Diamond reached into her pocket for her book where she had kept the note. She gasped out loud when her hand felt nothing more than the material from which her dress was made of. "I must have dropped my book when they first apprehended me!" she thought miserably. "Now I do not even have my writing to comfort me."
"Can you walk?" came the voice of the Southerner, from across the room. Diamond did not answer. "Can you walk?" He repeated angrily.
"I think so," came the weak reply.
"You had better be able to. We depart for Isengard today. I can delay no longer and my master greatly desires to talk with you," snarled the Southerner.
"Isengard? Sauron dwells in Isengard?" Diamond asked, confused.
"I am a servant of Saruman the Great. It is his wrath you must face."
Relief clearly showed in Diamond's face, causing the Southerner to add maliciously, "I would not get your spirits up too soon, for Saruman shall become more powerful than any other! Come Halfling. You shall carry our supplies, and if you cannot manage your punishment when we reach Isengard shall be more severe."
Diamond swallowed hard, and bent to pick up the load. It was not as heavy as she had imagined, but its burden grew with each step. She walked on absently, ignoring the jeering stares and comments from the Southerner. It would be a long journey to Isengard, for the Southerner did not dare risk passing near Rivendell, and they would therefore have to travel down the Anduin and around the Fanghorn Forest. The journey would take a fortnight and a half at least.
Finally day came, and the Southerner did not wish to travel in light for risk of being discovered. They hid in small cave near the road, and Diamond sat down the heavy pack. Her back ached terribly, and her body cried for rest. She lay down and quickly gave in to a most welcome sleep.
Diamond awoke that evening much strengthened. The Southerner was preparing some food. "Hurry up, eat!" snarled the Southerner as he handed Diamond her food. "We depart at the setting sun."
She quickly devoured the food, and then made to pick up the pack once again. She almost crumpled under the weight of the pack, but she remembered the Southerner's threat and straightened up. With a last wave of effort Diamond commanded her feet to move forward. They were off again.
The next three weeks went on in much the same fashion, with Diamond growing ever weaker. They would travel until dawn, then rest until sunset. One meal a day was not enough to sustain a Hobbit, and Diamond was constantly hungry. The pack grew lighter as more of the food was eaten, but with Diamond's constant weakening the weight of it seemed to increase.
They were following the mighty Anduin now, traveling ever southwards. Diamond looked to the sky and thought of her friends. A rush of sadness came over her, and she collapsed, the heavy pack falling on top of her.
"Get up! Now! Saruman the great has need for haste and so we must as well. Get up weakling!"
Diamond struggled to her feet, and picked up the pack again. She wondered, "If Frodo had not been found, where would they be now? Most likely safely in Rivendell, but now there shall be no safe places in Middle Earth."
Pippin awoke happily in the large bed he and Merry were given in Rivendell. He was happy that he would soon be returning to his home, to his Diamond. He knew that the sooner he returned the better his chances were.
Merry was already awake and getting dressed. "Come on Pip, let us go check on Frodo before we go to breakfast."
Pippin nodded in agreement and proceeded to get dressed. They walked down to the bedchamber that was given to Frodo. Sam was already there, and so was Gandalf.
"How is he" asked Merry.
"He is mending no doubt, but it will take time. Only time shall tell if he will fully recover, but it certainly looks promising. Do not let yourselves be troubled by this just yet," replied Gandalf.
"We were just on our way to breakfast," said Pippin.
"Sam why don't you come with us?" asked Merry.
"I will come down later, I would rather stay here with Mister Frodo a little longer," replied Sam.
Merry and Pippin proceeded back down the stairs to the food hall. Upon entering they saw that a feast of foods had been set before them. They were just sitting down to eat when an elf approached them.
"This came for you last night. A messenger from Bree has brought it, but he quickly departed. He did not say who the sender was." Merry took the letter and opened it. It read:
Mr. Meriadoc and Mr. Peregrin,
Diamond may at last have found out the truth behind my scheme, but I assure you that this is not the end. What reason you had to bring her along into the unnecessary dangers of the outside world I do not know, but I do know that if anything happens to her I shall report you to the Sherrif. I shall keep secret your leaving for now, but only for the sake of Diamond who is with you. Please send response to this note confirming that Diamond is with you. I fear something has happened to the lot of you for the house in which you were staying was broken into and in ruin.
Horro Boffin
P.s. - You are most likely wondering how I knew where you were going. Diamond had told me of your journey to Rivendell in an attempt to convince me to allow her to follow. Do not fear, however. I shall keep your secret for the safety of Diamond.
Pippin watched Merry closely as he read the letter. Merry's expression changed from surprise to confusion, anger, and fear in a matter of seconds. When he finished the letter, his jaw and dropped and his eyes were deep in thought.
Pippin could not stand it any longer. He grabbed the note from Merry's hand and began to read it. As he read on his jaw dropped as well, and by the time he reached the end, he was gripping the letter so tightly that Merry thought he was going to rip it in two. "What is he talking about?" Pippin asked aloud. "Diamond is not with us, why would he think that? Unless. . .she followed us, Merry! That must be what has happened. Diamond followed us, and did not tell anyone. That is why Horro thinks we simply brought her with us!"
Without another word to Merry, Pippin dropped the letter and walked away. He was overcome by so many different emotions that he did not know how to react. Should he be angry, because he failed to protect Diamond? Should he be worried, because she may be in great danger? Should he be happy, because Diamond left Horro?
All at once he stopped walking. Merry, who had been following closely behind, stopped also. Pippin turned around, and said, "I am going to go search for her, Merry."
"What? You have no idea where to look, Pippin."
"Do you not care that she is out there alone?" shouted Pippin angrily. "I will find her, and nothing will change my mind about this. Not you, not anyone!"
"Pippin..." Merry trailed off, as Pippin turned and walked away.
Over the next two days Pippin was rarely seen. He was packing his things, and getting ready to go in search of Diamond. "Frodo is awake," said Merry. "Gandalf said that he should be able to get up later today."
"That is wonderful! I hope we shall be able to see him today. I had hoped to say good-bye," said Pippin.
"Oh Pippin. Do you seriously believe that you will find her? You have not the slightest idea where to search. Knowing you, you will stop at a pub for a drink, and never leave!"
"I will find her, Merry. I do not care what you say. Come let us go and eat. I can smell the food being prepared from here!"
"No matter where we are, you always think of your stomach, dear cousin," said Merry with a chuckle. Then they left for the feast that had been called in Frodo's honor, and although Pippin's troubles were forgotten for a time, he did not forget his promise to himself. "I will find her!"