A/N: When something bad has gone away, something worse is about to
happen...............
Chapter 13
The Borders of the Shire
Dark hands held tightly to their mouths to prevent them from screaming out.
Estella and Fredegar felt themselves being dragged a good distance from where they sat on the large rock. Their heels of their feet dug painfully into the dirt, until their captures sat them down and wedged a cloth into their mouths and tied it tightly behind their heads. Their hands and legs were bounded as they were propped up next to each other. Estella heard one of the Ruffian's asking, "Night eyes do you see more hobbits in the darkness?"
"Yes, they be laying just a head of you, a few yards away." Night eyes said as he pointed in the direction they should head.
Estella wanted to scream seeing the face of the one they called Night eyes, but the gag was tied too tightly around her mouth. She could not make out his eyes as his brow was thick and his eyes set in deep in his skull. The thick bushy eyebrows that ran across his face in a single line and the shallowness of the cheeks with raised red blisters gave him a grotesque appearance in the darkness of the night. Her heart beat rapidly in her chest and she closed her eyes to keep herself from fainting from fear.
Minutes passed as Estella was propped up against her brother, she could not hear a single sound. Not even the sound of a struggle that she expected from Wilcome or Tom. She strained her eyes trying to peer into the total blackness of the night for even the smallest glimpse of what Wilcome or Tom might be going through at the hands of those ruffians. As the time passed, the only sound that she could hear were the horses as they snorted or neighed and the shuffling of their feet. It almost sounded as if they were passing along side of them. The night gave way to total silence.
Estella remembered the knife that was still tucked in her belt. Trying to get free of the ropes that bound her. She thought of away to get Fredegar's help. She fell to her side and crawled next to Fredigar's fingers, trying to place her belt she worn within his reach. She had hoped once he felt the handle of the knife that he would take this and cut himself free. She labored long in trying to get the right angle for him to touch the knife's handle. Finally Fredegar felt the handle and grasped it. Holding the knife he began sawing the ropes around his wrist until he was free. He began to untie his feet. Taking off the gag that was bound around his mouth and then he removed Estella's ropes. She rubbed her sore wrists were the ropes cut into them. Looking up at the horizon she could see the sun as it was just beginning to break from the eastern sky. Estella looked around for any signs of Wilcome or Tom but could not see them. Only the blankets were left on the ground.
Fredegar spied a lone rider walking and his horse followed from behind. It was Merry. They both ran to him to see if he had seen the ruffians or horses.
Merry saw neither as he wandered off the path in the darkness, but he was glad to have found Estella and Fredegar. Merry scouted the prints left in the dirt from the horses and could see in which direction they roamed. Merry was about to tell Fredegar to walk Estella to Buckland, but suddenly saw a group of hobbits fast approaching in their direction. They seemed to be coming from the Hobbiton road.
Merry recognized Robin Smallburrow leading the group of hobbits when they reached them. Merry explained to Robin what all happened and how Erling was killed just after sundown, last night. Also, that the ruffians now had all of his horses. Merry was in a hurry to get back to the Bywater camp, in the case that the ruffians had returned and captured their friends who now guarded it.
Estella joined Merry on his horse as he lead the way for Robin and his hobbits to follow.
~*~
When the sun began to rise Night Eyes took out two pieces of cloth and began to wrap them around his face and tied a cloth around his eyes to block out the sunlight as he road blindly throughout the morning light. One of his men led his horse by holding the reins, while Night Eyes held on to the horn of the saddle.
One of the ruffians that was sent out ahead of the small group to met Erling at the Bywater camp, returned after he was narrowly killed by a barrage of flying arrows aimed at him. He told Night eyes that he thought Erling was lying dead in the camp and the hobbits had overtaken it.
"We'll take the horses out of the Shire and head toward Moria." Night eyes told them.
"Night eyes, have yee lost all your senses as well as your eyes!" Hubert Farrburrow screamed at him, "There are Gondor's men at those borders. We'll not be getting pass them, for sure. Besides since Erling is now dead, how are we goin' to be getting our money fer these here horses? He still has the map."
"I know the one who was goin to be buying these horses and I know the way. I'm the one who told Erling about it all and without me, not even Erling could get near the money." Night eyes told him. "I was the one who made him the map."
"Then, what's the plan in getting pass all these Gondor men?" Hubert asked him.
"We kill them." Night eyes simply told them.
Wilcome and Tom looked in fear at each other as they rode side by side on their horses that were being led by the ruffians. Their hands were tied, and their mouths gagged.
~*~
Nibs opened his pack to start making the morning breakfast. His stomach ached from being empty and his eyes heavy with the need of more sleep. He only rested a couple of hours after Merry left the camp as Berilac took the first watch. When the sun finally began to raised in the sky and Berilac awoken him to stand guard over the camp. Nibs heard the sound of an approaching horse close within the sight of the Bywater camp. Nibs climbing in a nearby tree with Berilac's bow and began shooting at the stranger when he came too close to the camp. Sending this stranger running for his life.
Ester woke when she heard the bacon frying in the pan when Nibs began cooking the morning breakfast. Her stomach ached from hunger as well her back from sleeping on the hard ground. Berilac snored loudly in the blanket next to her. He was beyond exhausted from last night experience.
Nibs kept a close eye on the four ruffian hobbits that they captured last night. Their hands and feet were tied tightly and sat in a line by the campfire. He found some extra plates in the camp that the ruffians were using to serve the captives their breakfast. He untied one of the captive's wrists and watched him as he ate. When he finished he retied him and continuing until his prisoners were all fed.
After breakfast, Nibs began searching Erling's body and was amazed to find a map. He tucked this in his belt and began stacking the weapons he found around the camp. He laid Erling's sword on the top pile and his knife as well.
Nibs ran to the edge of camp when he heard the clatter of many horses fast approaching the camp. His heart races as he woke Berilac and they both grabbed their bows and arrows. Climbing in the trees and taking a good position, they awaited for the group to come closer to the camp.
Nibs instantly relaxed when he saw Merry and Estella leading the way, with Robin Smallburrow following behind them. Merry turned his horse and raced towards the Bywater camp. Merry road into camp and let Estella down from his horse and he kicked his horse racing back to where Robin awaited him. Nibs and Berilac could only wait until they returned.
~*~
Merry soon caught up with Robin and his men. They continued following the horse's tracks through the rocky paths and green pastures heading towards the border of the Shire. A smile broke their faces in thinking that they would never make it pass the guards at the border and perhaps they were already caught. Upon first glance, they saw no about. There were no Ruffians, horses or guards for that matter Merry kicked his horse onward to see what could have happened to them
. Robin Smallburrow and Merry, with the other hobbits slowly dismounted their horses, when they reached the boarder of the Shire. Robin and Merry were horrified at the sight that met their eyes. The men of Gondor were lying dead on the ground, after a bloody attack of arrows from the hands of the Ruffians. The horse's tracks lead towards the south, away from the borders of the Shire. There was nothing more that Robin could do. One of the hobbits called out that they saw a group of men from Gondor heading their way. These were the replacement guards that were going to relieve the night guards.
Robin explained to them what had happen and Merry told them that he was going after them. The guards sent one of their men as a messenger to Gondor to tell King Elessar what had occurred on these boarders. It would take weeks to reach him.
There was nothing more that Merry could do at this point. He was exhausted from tracking these ruffians all night long. He needed to sleep and eat something before he would head out. He turned around and headed back to Bywater.
Nibs and Berilac instantly relaxed when he saw Merry and Robin Smallburrow when they entered back into camp. Nibs looked up to see Bowman following behind them. Nibs and Berilac joined them. Nibs greeted Bowman, his brother, as he dismounted his horse. Bowman voice cracked as he told Nibs about their brothers being captured by the ruffians. Bowman still wore a bandage from his injury that he took when his head hit the tree when the ruffian's jumped him. They both looked at each other as they began to worry about them.
Berilac saw that Merry looked beyond exhausted and led him to the campfire. He found him something to eat. Merry sat before the fire with the group of his hobbits.
When Merry took his plate he said to them, "Those Ruffian's have gotten pass the borders of the Shire. Where they are heading, I do not know, but I will need volunteers to join me."
Nibs pulled out the map he found on Erlings body and he handed it to Merry. He sat quietly looking over the map, while Nibs spoke to Estella and Fredegar. He told them that Robin would see that Ester and Estella would travel home with them, while the others would follow with Merry.
Estella walked away from the group and stopped by the stack of weapons that Nibs placed there. She did not want to leave Merry and only to sit at home worrying sick about him. She took a sword and a knife and placed them under her blanket to be packed away when they were ready to leave.
Comments: Natta and Aemilia Rose yawns as they are waiting for the real bad thing to show it's self, but Loveofthering tells her to hold on, and look towards Moria to discover what horrors awaits Merry by those mines.....Part II coming in the next chapters.............}}}========
Chapter 13
The Borders of the Shire
Dark hands held tightly to their mouths to prevent them from screaming out.
Estella and Fredegar felt themselves being dragged a good distance from where they sat on the large rock. Their heels of their feet dug painfully into the dirt, until their captures sat them down and wedged a cloth into their mouths and tied it tightly behind their heads. Their hands and legs were bounded as they were propped up next to each other. Estella heard one of the Ruffian's asking, "Night eyes do you see more hobbits in the darkness?"
"Yes, they be laying just a head of you, a few yards away." Night eyes said as he pointed in the direction they should head.
Estella wanted to scream seeing the face of the one they called Night eyes, but the gag was tied too tightly around her mouth. She could not make out his eyes as his brow was thick and his eyes set in deep in his skull. The thick bushy eyebrows that ran across his face in a single line and the shallowness of the cheeks with raised red blisters gave him a grotesque appearance in the darkness of the night. Her heart beat rapidly in her chest and she closed her eyes to keep herself from fainting from fear.
Minutes passed as Estella was propped up against her brother, she could not hear a single sound. Not even the sound of a struggle that she expected from Wilcome or Tom. She strained her eyes trying to peer into the total blackness of the night for even the smallest glimpse of what Wilcome or Tom might be going through at the hands of those ruffians. As the time passed, the only sound that she could hear were the horses as they snorted or neighed and the shuffling of their feet. It almost sounded as if they were passing along side of them. The night gave way to total silence.
Estella remembered the knife that was still tucked in her belt. Trying to get free of the ropes that bound her. She thought of away to get Fredegar's help. She fell to her side and crawled next to Fredigar's fingers, trying to place her belt she worn within his reach. She had hoped once he felt the handle of the knife that he would take this and cut himself free. She labored long in trying to get the right angle for him to touch the knife's handle. Finally Fredegar felt the handle and grasped it. Holding the knife he began sawing the ropes around his wrist until he was free. He began to untie his feet. Taking off the gag that was bound around his mouth and then he removed Estella's ropes. She rubbed her sore wrists were the ropes cut into them. Looking up at the horizon she could see the sun as it was just beginning to break from the eastern sky. Estella looked around for any signs of Wilcome or Tom but could not see them. Only the blankets were left on the ground.
Fredegar spied a lone rider walking and his horse followed from behind. It was Merry. They both ran to him to see if he had seen the ruffians or horses.
Merry saw neither as he wandered off the path in the darkness, but he was glad to have found Estella and Fredegar. Merry scouted the prints left in the dirt from the horses and could see in which direction they roamed. Merry was about to tell Fredegar to walk Estella to Buckland, but suddenly saw a group of hobbits fast approaching in their direction. They seemed to be coming from the Hobbiton road.
Merry recognized Robin Smallburrow leading the group of hobbits when they reached them. Merry explained to Robin what all happened and how Erling was killed just after sundown, last night. Also, that the ruffians now had all of his horses. Merry was in a hurry to get back to the Bywater camp, in the case that the ruffians had returned and captured their friends who now guarded it.
Estella joined Merry on his horse as he lead the way for Robin and his hobbits to follow.
~*~
When the sun began to rise Night Eyes took out two pieces of cloth and began to wrap them around his face and tied a cloth around his eyes to block out the sunlight as he road blindly throughout the morning light. One of his men led his horse by holding the reins, while Night Eyes held on to the horn of the saddle.
One of the ruffians that was sent out ahead of the small group to met Erling at the Bywater camp, returned after he was narrowly killed by a barrage of flying arrows aimed at him. He told Night eyes that he thought Erling was lying dead in the camp and the hobbits had overtaken it.
"We'll take the horses out of the Shire and head toward Moria." Night eyes told them.
"Night eyes, have yee lost all your senses as well as your eyes!" Hubert Farrburrow screamed at him, "There are Gondor's men at those borders. We'll not be getting pass them, for sure. Besides since Erling is now dead, how are we goin' to be getting our money fer these here horses? He still has the map."
"I know the one who was goin to be buying these horses and I know the way. I'm the one who told Erling about it all and without me, not even Erling could get near the money." Night eyes told him. "I was the one who made him the map."
"Then, what's the plan in getting pass all these Gondor men?" Hubert asked him.
"We kill them." Night eyes simply told them.
Wilcome and Tom looked in fear at each other as they rode side by side on their horses that were being led by the ruffians. Their hands were tied, and their mouths gagged.
~*~
Nibs opened his pack to start making the morning breakfast. His stomach ached from being empty and his eyes heavy with the need of more sleep. He only rested a couple of hours after Merry left the camp as Berilac took the first watch. When the sun finally began to raised in the sky and Berilac awoken him to stand guard over the camp. Nibs heard the sound of an approaching horse close within the sight of the Bywater camp. Nibs climbing in a nearby tree with Berilac's bow and began shooting at the stranger when he came too close to the camp. Sending this stranger running for his life.
Ester woke when she heard the bacon frying in the pan when Nibs began cooking the morning breakfast. Her stomach ached from hunger as well her back from sleeping on the hard ground. Berilac snored loudly in the blanket next to her. He was beyond exhausted from last night experience.
Nibs kept a close eye on the four ruffian hobbits that they captured last night. Their hands and feet were tied tightly and sat in a line by the campfire. He found some extra plates in the camp that the ruffians were using to serve the captives their breakfast. He untied one of the captive's wrists and watched him as he ate. When he finished he retied him and continuing until his prisoners were all fed.
After breakfast, Nibs began searching Erling's body and was amazed to find a map. He tucked this in his belt and began stacking the weapons he found around the camp. He laid Erling's sword on the top pile and his knife as well.
Nibs ran to the edge of camp when he heard the clatter of many horses fast approaching the camp. His heart races as he woke Berilac and they both grabbed their bows and arrows. Climbing in the trees and taking a good position, they awaited for the group to come closer to the camp.
Nibs instantly relaxed when he saw Merry and Estella leading the way, with Robin Smallburrow following behind them. Merry turned his horse and raced towards the Bywater camp. Merry road into camp and let Estella down from his horse and he kicked his horse racing back to where Robin awaited him. Nibs and Berilac could only wait until they returned.
~*~
Merry soon caught up with Robin and his men. They continued following the horse's tracks through the rocky paths and green pastures heading towards the border of the Shire. A smile broke their faces in thinking that they would never make it pass the guards at the border and perhaps they were already caught. Upon first glance, they saw no about. There were no Ruffians, horses or guards for that matter Merry kicked his horse onward to see what could have happened to them
. Robin Smallburrow and Merry, with the other hobbits slowly dismounted their horses, when they reached the boarder of the Shire. Robin and Merry were horrified at the sight that met their eyes. The men of Gondor were lying dead on the ground, after a bloody attack of arrows from the hands of the Ruffians. The horse's tracks lead towards the south, away from the borders of the Shire. There was nothing more that Robin could do. One of the hobbits called out that they saw a group of men from Gondor heading their way. These were the replacement guards that were going to relieve the night guards.
Robin explained to them what had happen and Merry told them that he was going after them. The guards sent one of their men as a messenger to Gondor to tell King Elessar what had occurred on these boarders. It would take weeks to reach him.
There was nothing more that Merry could do at this point. He was exhausted from tracking these ruffians all night long. He needed to sleep and eat something before he would head out. He turned around and headed back to Bywater.
Nibs and Berilac instantly relaxed when he saw Merry and Robin Smallburrow when they entered back into camp. Nibs looked up to see Bowman following behind them. Nibs and Berilac joined them. Nibs greeted Bowman, his brother, as he dismounted his horse. Bowman voice cracked as he told Nibs about their brothers being captured by the ruffians. Bowman still wore a bandage from his injury that he took when his head hit the tree when the ruffian's jumped him. They both looked at each other as they began to worry about them.
Berilac saw that Merry looked beyond exhausted and led him to the campfire. He found him something to eat. Merry sat before the fire with the group of his hobbits.
When Merry took his plate he said to them, "Those Ruffian's have gotten pass the borders of the Shire. Where they are heading, I do not know, but I will need volunteers to join me."
Nibs pulled out the map he found on Erlings body and he handed it to Merry. He sat quietly looking over the map, while Nibs spoke to Estella and Fredegar. He told them that Robin would see that Ester and Estella would travel home with them, while the others would follow with Merry.
Estella walked away from the group and stopped by the stack of weapons that Nibs placed there. She did not want to leave Merry and only to sit at home worrying sick about him. She took a sword and a knife and placed them under her blanket to be packed away when they were ready to leave.
Comments: Natta and Aemilia Rose yawns as they are waiting for the real bad thing to show it's self, but Loveofthering tells her to hold on, and look towards Moria to discover what horrors awaits Merry by those mines.....Part II coming in the next chapters.............}}}========
