Sorry for taking so long to update, but I've been buried under a huge pile of homework and projects. In fact, this week, I had two tests and two projects to do. And that was on top of the pile of homework that was threatening to topple over should I put one more piece of paper on the top.

Here is the story:

Chapter Five

Aragorn was rudely woken up by brutal pulling at his hair. Whatever had grasped hold of it was enjoying itself by pulling his head around wildly. As his side crashed into the floor, Aragorn, still hugging his knees blearily opened his eyes and took in the laughing orc. His scalp was still tingling with pain and he unsteadily pulled himself onto his feet, before demanding what exactly the orc wanted with him.

"The man's a rather rude one isn't he?" the orc laughed again, jeering at the man in front of him.

"What do you want." Aragorn was loosing his patience and his temples were throbbing.

"The captain told me to bring you to his chambers." With that the orc grabbed Aragorn's chains in the same fashion as his chief had done earlier. They strode back up the dimly lit passageway and back into the main halls. The orcs were all assembled there and were all laughing and jeering at the human that was in captivity. Some of the poked at his arm as he passed, taunting him. The orc leading the way waved them off, saying that they could play with him later, and that the chief wouldn't be very happy with them if they made the man late. The orcs all backed off at this and hurried back to their station and began to work.

Aragorn was led across the hall and into another passage. This one was brightly lit with torches, and seemed to be cleaner than the rest of the whole mines. They reached a sharp turn and they passed through it, finding themselves in the chief's room.

The furnishing in the room surprised Aragorn. He had never thought about orcs sleeping on anything but the ground. Or for that matter, sleeping at all. But there was an uncomfortable looking bed and a ledge in the wall where the chief sat. Standing all around the room were orcs who were obviously of high rank, for they all stood proudly holding their noses in their air, each looking with disdain down at the others. Aragorn saw nothing but the whips and blades they were holding and began to grow frantic. He kicked the small orc that had led him to the chamber and wrenched himself away from its tight grasp. He began to half walk, half run out of the door and began down the passage, running as fast as his feet would carry him.

A sharp blow to the head knocked him off his feet and he was dragged back into the chamber by one of the chief's many captains. Aragorn writhed on the ground as the captain set a heavy boot upon his chest, pushing all the air out of his lungs. He gasped for breath, but the captain only pushed his boot even further.

"What are we going to do to him, eh chief?" one orc asked.

"We're cutting him up and putting him in the mixer of course." Another answered before the chief could say anything. "We'll make a meal out of him, yet. I love ground human bits." It continued, smacking its lips. Aragorn was horrified to hear answering voices of agreement.

"No, don't do that." Another orc argued. Aragorn was relieved to find that he would not become these orcs next dinner. "It's been a while since we last had a man in our midst. Use him as a toy." Aragorn's high hopes disappeared instantly.

"Why should we do that? We could always do it to you instead, snaga." This immediately caused uproar. Aragorn, with his head on the floor, saw a smaller captain fly across the room, jumping straight over him and flying at the one who had called him snaga. Aragorn shuddered as the screams bounced off the wall. The unsheathing of a blade sounded and the next thing he knew, there was a dull thud as a head bounced off the floor and landed on Aragorn's chest.

"ENOUGH!" the chief yelled, jumping up from the ledge. The noise ceased and each and every captain hurried back to their positions around the room, carefully avoiding the chief's eye. "Do you all not know the reason for my bringing him back here?" No one dared answer that question, and kept their silence. "How many of you came with me into the mountains last night?" soft murmurs came from all around the room. "Good, now did you not see the skill this man has in battle?"

"Yes, but what are you going to do with him?" ventured one of the more brave.

"What am I going to do with him?" the chief seemed to be offended by this question. "Make him one of us." All around the room, gasps escaped out of the mouths of the captains, but the biggest one of all was from the floor, where Aragorn was still lying, with a captain standing on him.

"But... how?" the same orc asked.

"The same way our ancestors were converted by Lord Morgoth." At this name, the orcs all bowed their heads for a few seconds, before snapping their heads up, grinning wildly and cackling.

The chief dismissed the captain standing on Aragorn's chest, and pulled him up by the hair. "What is your name, human?"

"Telcontar" he said, blurting out the first name that came to mind. It was not wholly untrue, for the men of Bree frequently called him Strider.

"I'm renaming you Snaga, after my good friend." The chief said. Snickers. "Tell me, Snaga, do you know how the orcs came to be?" Aragorn nodded. "Good. For your first lesson, who are our greatest enemies?"

"The elves." This was common knowledge.

"Who do you hate the most?"

"You." He spat out.

"Gríshak!" One of the captains hurried forward and whipped him around the legs.

"The elves." Aragorn gasped, unwilling to experience more pain. He prayed that all the elves would forgive him for what he had just said.

"Why?" the captain asked.

"I do not know." The orc whipped him again. He could feel the blood oozing from his back and legs. "I don't know!" He genuinely did not know, for this matter was rarely discussed in Rivendell. He was beginning to feel dizzy as each stroke landed on his back. He had not recovered from his broken bones, and his whole torso was crying out in pain. He closed his eyes and fell onto the ground.

TBC...

Only one more chapter to go till the end. I really do hope you guys enjoyed it. If you did, I'd really appreciate it if you showed it through a review ;)

till next update then. :)

Anmras: thank you soooooo much! You're the nicest reviewer I've ever had review my fiction. (:. I've never actually watched an episode of American idol, as I don't have cable here. Blargh. But I have watched a commercial!

bumper: hey, thanks for your review. Of course he's in a lot of mess! where would the fun be if he weren't? ;)

dimathiel: yes, very very long review ;). I will fix the eprops! I hope! lol!