CHAPTER SIX - SEEING
Chrissie and Fred sat huddled against the wall in their cell. At least the guards hadn't bothered to tie them up again, they seemed confidant they couldn't escape. They'd heard the guards drop Kelly's body in the cell next to theirs after finding her tattoo, thinking she was some kind of Sauron worshipper and might infect them if they got too close. They'd heard people saying they were waiting for the Steward to decide what to do with the carcass, although a thorough burning seemed to be the most popular idea.
Fred had found a hole only about three or four centimetres across that went all the way into Kelly's cell. The guards had put her in a crude body sac so they wouldn't have to touch her and Chrissie and Fred had watched that bag for any kind of movement for hours at a time, hoping that Kelly would just jump up and shout surprise.
Fred had said it was impossible to see anything clearly in these dark cells when Chrissie had mentioned that she didn't think Kelly was even breathing.
Faramir had been to see them numerous times over the past three days, which was what they thought it had been, since there was a small window near the ceiling. Every time he had asked about his brother, about Minas Tirith and his father and every time neither girl had told him anything. They were not going to make the same mistake as Kelly.
***
"Do you think she's really dead, Chrissie?" Fred asked quietly.
Chrissie looked again through the small hole and still see no movement.
"I suppose so. I don't see how anyone could survive having a dagger stuck through their stomach and then being unconscious for three days. But then again, she is Kelly and you were unconscious for nearly eight days and you're still here."
Chrissie was trying to be optimistic. She still hoped somewhere deep down inside that Kelly would find some ultimately suicidal and dangerous plan to get them home. With her dead, they would be on their own.
Her thoughts drifted back to Mark. She knew she shouldn't be worrying about him really, he was probably tucked up in some cosy inn with a nice meal in his belly. But her thoughts could never stay away from who she really spent most of her time thinking on; Duin-Shiel.
Her mind kept screaming at her, telling her if he was here, everything would be much better. They never would have gotten themselves captured, Duin-Shiel would have come up with some witty plan to capture Faramir's attention. Duin-Shiel would have also conceived some way to get Faramir to help them without telling him too much. And Kelly wouldn't be dead.
***
Mark twisted and turned in his sleep, not seeming to be able to sleep. He was sleeping in the stables with the horses, which he didn't mind that much, but he couldn't help wondering why he hadn't heard from Chrissie or Fred. Even bumping into Kelly would be better than this ignorance than gnawed at his insides.
He'd tried to ask around quietly about anything unusual, but he was always met with strange glances. Nothing but orcs in soldier's minds, he was always told.
He turned over, telling himself he couldn't do anything at this time of night anyway.
***
Duin-Shiel stood on one of the balconies in Rivendell and tried to think about nothing but the simple awe of the valley's beauty. He was concentrating so hard on not thinking, he never heard the figure step quietly up behind him. He nearly fell from the balcony when he felt a light hand on his shoulder.
"I thought messengers were always supposed to be on their guard, even more so than rangers?" Duin-Shiel smiled as he recognised Arwen's musical voice.
"Well, they are, but only when they're on duty."
Arwen raised an eyebrow, obviously not thinking this the reason for him being so distracted.
"What troubles you so?" She asked softly, joining him at the balcony's edge.
Duin-Shiel paused, wondering what to say.
Arwen studied his expression and smiled. "It's a girl, isn't it? I can always tell with you men who think you're so mysterious and unreadable." She said laughing.
Duin-Shiel faced her. "You grow more like your father every day, Arwen." He turned back to the scenery, getting slightly worried that she might fully work out what was bothering him. He concentrated on a circle of trees near the Brunien.
Arwen smiled again. If it were an Elven girl, no doubt it would be public knowledge. If it were a human girl.well, that might explain why he seemed so depressed. The fact that Aragorn was mortal depressed her sometimes.
Thinking to change the subject, she thought of her conversation with Legolas some weeks ago now. "Have you any news of Chrissie and Fred?"
Duin-Shiel blushed and Arwen laughed. "So that is it. Knowing you, it is probably Chrissie. So why exactly are you here and not with her?"
Duin-Shiel took a deep breath. He had not told anyone of that morning yet. Arwen sensed his hesitation and laid a hand on his shoulder.
"She told me to go to the Grey Havens, then go on to the Undying Lands. She told me to be happy and wished me luck in my new life." Duin-Shiel said dejectedly.
"Aragorn had told me many times to go to the Undying Lands and be happy. Start a new life, he says, go be with your people. Do I listen to him? Not at all. He can be stubborn sometimes, but he has to remember that I have had thousands of years to practise being stubborn." Arwen paused, noticing the smile creeping onto Duin-Shiel's face.
"Do you love her?" She asked.
Duin-Shiel paused for no more than a moment. "Yes."
"Well what are you waiting for? Go find her, if I know her she'd probably in trouble by now anyway."
He paused. "She told me to leave because she has to go back to her home soon and we both know I can't follow her. She said I'd only be alone if I stayed."
"Who says you can't go with her? Go, now. Go on, get out of here!" She said giving him a gentle shove.
Duin-Shiel didn't need much convincing and was soon running towards his horse. It looked up in annoyance, expecting a few days after all this running about Middle Earth in the past few weeks. Duin-Shiel silently apologized and mounted quickly.
He was going to Minas Tirith.
***
Chrissie grabbed Fred as she heard footsteps approaching down the corridor.
Faramir burst into the cell, followed by several guards.
"Chain them to the walls, I don't want them trying to escape or anything." He growled out, obviously in a bad mood.
The guards threaded chains through the wall holds and pinned the girls on opposite sides of the room. Chrissie gave them numerous dirty looks, but it didn't seem to affect the guards.
"I have been thinking." Faramir began, pacing up and down the room. The guards stood to the left of each captive, awaiting instructions.
"Since you refuse to tell me anything and as you probably know my patience is very short, I have asked around and found out some interesting ways to make people talk."
Chrissie's mouth dropped open, but Fred intended to try and reason with him.
"But Gondor is a place of light and truth; where has the dignity of men gone if a Steward's son must resort to torturing two innocent girls." Fred hoped flattery might improve the situation.
"You are not innocent. You were found with evidence of stealing on you and Chrissie, that is your name isn't it; tried to distract one of the guards so you could get in. It didn't surprise me when Kelly turned up, although I do regret killing her quite so soon, I would have liked to have heard a few of the stories she hinted at.
But unfortunately she is unavailable now, so I'm going to have to settle with you two. I want to know where Boromir is and what danger he is in; right now."
He focused all his attention on Fred, but when she didn't flinch, he nodded towards the nearest guard. He grabbed one of Fred's fingers and snapped it out of joint. Fred yelped only moments before Chrissie did, obviously upset at the treatment of her friend.
Faramir leaned in close to Fred's face. "Tell me, Fred and this will all go away. Tell me what Kelly was planning."
Fred shook her head defiantly and spat in his face.
Faramir took a step back and wiped his face. He nodded to the guard who backhanded Fred across the face and dislocated the other fingers on that same hand. Fred still held firm to her resolve.
Faramir moved over towards Chrissie and swiftly pulled the gem dagger out from his belt. He held it close to Chrissie's eye.
"If you won't relent from pain on yourself, how about pain on your best friend?"
Fred struggled against her chains. "You wouldn't do it, no I don't believe that Faramir son of Denethor would blind a young girl out of spite."
Faramir edged the dagger closer to Chrissie's eye and noticed a bead of sweat running down her forehead. He ran the dagger lightly across her jaw and down her neck, leaving a small stream of blood behind.
Chrissie winced under his touch and tried to shy away. However the chains had no give at all.
Faramir looked up with a wicked smile. "Wouldn't I?"
Fred took a deep breath, her eyes wild with fright as the dagger brushed Chrissie's eyelid.
"Alright." She whispered. "I'll talk." She gave in, not listening to Chrissie's protestations.
Faramir stepped back and nodded once more to the guards. They undid the holds and let the chains slide out. Both girls collapsed to the floor.
"Keep to your word Fred and I will keep to mine. I tire of this now, but tomorrow at sundown I will return for your end of the bargain."
Chrissie and Fred sat huddled against the wall in their cell. At least the guards hadn't bothered to tie them up again, they seemed confidant they couldn't escape. They'd heard the guards drop Kelly's body in the cell next to theirs after finding her tattoo, thinking she was some kind of Sauron worshipper and might infect them if they got too close. They'd heard people saying they were waiting for the Steward to decide what to do with the carcass, although a thorough burning seemed to be the most popular idea.
Fred had found a hole only about three or four centimetres across that went all the way into Kelly's cell. The guards had put her in a crude body sac so they wouldn't have to touch her and Chrissie and Fred had watched that bag for any kind of movement for hours at a time, hoping that Kelly would just jump up and shout surprise.
Fred had said it was impossible to see anything clearly in these dark cells when Chrissie had mentioned that she didn't think Kelly was even breathing.
Faramir had been to see them numerous times over the past three days, which was what they thought it had been, since there was a small window near the ceiling. Every time he had asked about his brother, about Minas Tirith and his father and every time neither girl had told him anything. They were not going to make the same mistake as Kelly.
***
"Do you think she's really dead, Chrissie?" Fred asked quietly.
Chrissie looked again through the small hole and still see no movement.
"I suppose so. I don't see how anyone could survive having a dagger stuck through their stomach and then being unconscious for three days. But then again, she is Kelly and you were unconscious for nearly eight days and you're still here."
Chrissie was trying to be optimistic. She still hoped somewhere deep down inside that Kelly would find some ultimately suicidal and dangerous plan to get them home. With her dead, they would be on their own.
Her thoughts drifted back to Mark. She knew she shouldn't be worrying about him really, he was probably tucked up in some cosy inn with a nice meal in his belly. But her thoughts could never stay away from who she really spent most of her time thinking on; Duin-Shiel.
Her mind kept screaming at her, telling her if he was here, everything would be much better. They never would have gotten themselves captured, Duin-Shiel would have come up with some witty plan to capture Faramir's attention. Duin-Shiel would have also conceived some way to get Faramir to help them without telling him too much. And Kelly wouldn't be dead.
***
Mark twisted and turned in his sleep, not seeming to be able to sleep. He was sleeping in the stables with the horses, which he didn't mind that much, but he couldn't help wondering why he hadn't heard from Chrissie or Fred. Even bumping into Kelly would be better than this ignorance than gnawed at his insides.
He'd tried to ask around quietly about anything unusual, but he was always met with strange glances. Nothing but orcs in soldier's minds, he was always told.
He turned over, telling himself he couldn't do anything at this time of night anyway.
***
Duin-Shiel stood on one of the balconies in Rivendell and tried to think about nothing but the simple awe of the valley's beauty. He was concentrating so hard on not thinking, he never heard the figure step quietly up behind him. He nearly fell from the balcony when he felt a light hand on his shoulder.
"I thought messengers were always supposed to be on their guard, even more so than rangers?" Duin-Shiel smiled as he recognised Arwen's musical voice.
"Well, they are, but only when they're on duty."
Arwen raised an eyebrow, obviously not thinking this the reason for him being so distracted.
"What troubles you so?" She asked softly, joining him at the balcony's edge.
Duin-Shiel paused, wondering what to say.
Arwen studied his expression and smiled. "It's a girl, isn't it? I can always tell with you men who think you're so mysterious and unreadable." She said laughing.
Duin-Shiel faced her. "You grow more like your father every day, Arwen." He turned back to the scenery, getting slightly worried that she might fully work out what was bothering him. He concentrated on a circle of trees near the Brunien.
Arwen smiled again. If it were an Elven girl, no doubt it would be public knowledge. If it were a human girl.well, that might explain why he seemed so depressed. The fact that Aragorn was mortal depressed her sometimes.
Thinking to change the subject, she thought of her conversation with Legolas some weeks ago now. "Have you any news of Chrissie and Fred?"
Duin-Shiel blushed and Arwen laughed. "So that is it. Knowing you, it is probably Chrissie. So why exactly are you here and not with her?"
Duin-Shiel took a deep breath. He had not told anyone of that morning yet. Arwen sensed his hesitation and laid a hand on his shoulder.
"She told me to go to the Grey Havens, then go on to the Undying Lands. She told me to be happy and wished me luck in my new life." Duin-Shiel said dejectedly.
"Aragorn had told me many times to go to the Undying Lands and be happy. Start a new life, he says, go be with your people. Do I listen to him? Not at all. He can be stubborn sometimes, but he has to remember that I have had thousands of years to practise being stubborn." Arwen paused, noticing the smile creeping onto Duin-Shiel's face.
"Do you love her?" She asked.
Duin-Shiel paused for no more than a moment. "Yes."
"Well what are you waiting for? Go find her, if I know her she'd probably in trouble by now anyway."
He paused. "She told me to leave because she has to go back to her home soon and we both know I can't follow her. She said I'd only be alone if I stayed."
"Who says you can't go with her? Go, now. Go on, get out of here!" She said giving him a gentle shove.
Duin-Shiel didn't need much convincing and was soon running towards his horse. It looked up in annoyance, expecting a few days after all this running about Middle Earth in the past few weeks. Duin-Shiel silently apologized and mounted quickly.
He was going to Minas Tirith.
***
Chrissie grabbed Fred as she heard footsteps approaching down the corridor.
Faramir burst into the cell, followed by several guards.
"Chain them to the walls, I don't want them trying to escape or anything." He growled out, obviously in a bad mood.
The guards threaded chains through the wall holds and pinned the girls on opposite sides of the room. Chrissie gave them numerous dirty looks, but it didn't seem to affect the guards.
"I have been thinking." Faramir began, pacing up and down the room. The guards stood to the left of each captive, awaiting instructions.
"Since you refuse to tell me anything and as you probably know my patience is very short, I have asked around and found out some interesting ways to make people talk."
Chrissie's mouth dropped open, but Fred intended to try and reason with him.
"But Gondor is a place of light and truth; where has the dignity of men gone if a Steward's son must resort to torturing two innocent girls." Fred hoped flattery might improve the situation.
"You are not innocent. You were found with evidence of stealing on you and Chrissie, that is your name isn't it; tried to distract one of the guards so you could get in. It didn't surprise me when Kelly turned up, although I do regret killing her quite so soon, I would have liked to have heard a few of the stories she hinted at.
But unfortunately she is unavailable now, so I'm going to have to settle with you two. I want to know where Boromir is and what danger he is in; right now."
He focused all his attention on Fred, but when she didn't flinch, he nodded towards the nearest guard. He grabbed one of Fred's fingers and snapped it out of joint. Fred yelped only moments before Chrissie did, obviously upset at the treatment of her friend.
Faramir leaned in close to Fred's face. "Tell me, Fred and this will all go away. Tell me what Kelly was planning."
Fred shook her head defiantly and spat in his face.
Faramir took a step back and wiped his face. He nodded to the guard who backhanded Fred across the face and dislocated the other fingers on that same hand. Fred still held firm to her resolve.
Faramir moved over towards Chrissie and swiftly pulled the gem dagger out from his belt. He held it close to Chrissie's eye.
"If you won't relent from pain on yourself, how about pain on your best friend?"
Fred struggled against her chains. "You wouldn't do it, no I don't believe that Faramir son of Denethor would blind a young girl out of spite."
Faramir edged the dagger closer to Chrissie's eye and noticed a bead of sweat running down her forehead. He ran the dagger lightly across her jaw and down her neck, leaving a small stream of blood behind.
Chrissie winced under his touch and tried to shy away. However the chains had no give at all.
Faramir looked up with a wicked smile. "Wouldn't I?"
Fred took a deep breath, her eyes wild with fright as the dagger brushed Chrissie's eyelid.
"Alright." She whispered. "I'll talk." She gave in, not listening to Chrissie's protestations.
Faramir stepped back and nodded once more to the guards. They undid the holds and let the chains slide out. Both girls collapsed to the floor.
"Keep to your word Fred and I will keep to mine. I tire of this now, but tomorrow at sundown I will return for your end of the bargain."