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N2r: Here at last is Chappie two..R&R plz
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Feeling rather guilty Wormtongue slinked away from the girls who by now were laughing. Moments later all was quiet in the camp as sleep descended on the road weary travelers. As the glories of sleep over took them into its welcoming arms he laid awake watching to stars above between the thin line of clouds. 'Saruman will use them to keep me in line but this damn war would see them killed like lambs for a winter's feast. There are many hells I'd gladfully walk through before I allowed that to the one person who showed me kindness and even love.' His mind voice spoke at long last, waiting for him finally think about her in order to voice an opinion.'But what if that kiss was just kindness of a maiden and nothing more?" reasoned a second voice. True it had some merritt in those simple words after all a kiss is only a kiss.'what of the first kiss? No maiden would give two away so freely' countered the first. At long last the voices lay as silent as he did under the grand night sky.
Rolling on to his right side the two women came into view but against the dark it was truly hard to see who was really who. The shapely body of Sadira contrasted the older more run down body of her elder sister La'nar so it wasn't to long before his eyes grew accustomed to the lack of proper light. The last image in the former councilor's's mind was that of Sadira sleeping as if all was right in the world.
During the night winds had picked up their once sluggish speed and started to howl between the rocks. The sudden feel of coldness woke up La'nar almost instantly, the morning's bright rays had start started to poke through the fluffy clouds. Keeping the noise down she started a small unnoticeable fire that served only to give off enough heat to keep the limbs able. Silently the older woman sat there watching the smoke rise like tiny serpents twisting around and around as the rose upward into the skies.
"Thinking again?" inquired Wormtongue.
"Life is a funny thing...I see it now I suppose. Next year would be Sadira's eighteenth birthday and had a seer not marked her then she'd be married long time passed. There are no notions of marriage in my mind..I will only ever serve my dear little sister" she answered.
"A seer marked her....how?"
"A old woman who wandered into the city handing out free when our mum was still alive. She gave me one but was fofilled, I was to be her guardian until the great war happened again as it has. Sadira had the gift of nature after all it had responded to her so well all through our childhood. Fire and smoke took a liking to me soon after she discovered her ability with horses." La'nar explained.
"I understand the connection now between you two...your mother was a Wizard's get and that's for sure. I've heard Lord Saruman speak of this type of thing happening before but with so few Wizards left the information is sparse. Bloody hell.." Grima slapped his forehead.
"What?"
"I must admit I have some feelings for your dear sister but I only hope it is not milord's doing. Few women take any liking to me. I am not the strong muscled man that maidens dream of."
"Well then we will have to see then...Gods..you wake her and I shall go and take a piss" muttered La'nar as she stood up.
La'nar was only gone a few seconds before he edged close enough to their side of the camp to gaze on the still passed out woman. Her great mass of dark hair nestled around her head like a lion's mane. Slow and steady breathes went in her small nose and followed through to her lungs causing her chest to steadily rise and fall. Knowing this moment would not last he took one last glance at her before gently rocking her awake. Blue eyes met green and for what seemed like a life time she locked eyes with him before smiling.
"Morning has come at long last it appears..come on I will share some dried fruit with you." said Grima as he kissed her forehead.
"Food..yes that sounds great to me...aaah!" a small cut on her arm cut her sentence off. It had a sting to it that would make many of grown men weep.
Grim ripped a small bit of cloth dipped it in a basin of drinking water then applied it carefully to the wound. A secondary cloth was wrapped skillfully around the damp fabric firmly keeping it in place. Tying the best knot he could possibly do Grima finished his work best a man could do under the circumstances. The cut was made during their recent travels through the woods but so tired and warned down the feeling of pain didn't arrive till after a long rest. Absently rubbing the bandages Sadira stared off into the distance thinking heavily on what she was doing. The king was a fool and wasn't fit to rule a barn yard in the middle of winter. This pale skinned, raven haired man who had kissed her a few times now, had grasped the cold ambers of her heart and awoken them from their deep slumber. Love is for the weak of mind she reminded the mind that lay inside of her skull.
"Thank again my Lord, I owe you much. I hope to repay you greatly. What is there to do for me or sister at the black tower of Isengard? We are not accustomed to being served with silver platters or silk. Though truly I have never been a real lady of Rohan, I grew used to earning my keep"
"Do not worry my master will surely find something for you to do. There is a stable to be built in the spring, fifty to sixty horses will be housed there."
"Such a large number of beasts.." a sudden sound off in the bushes caught her attention as did it grabbed Wormtongue's own.
"La'nar" they said in unison as they raced to find her.
Like wolves upon a fresh kill they moved to the most likely origin of the disturbance. Their fluent grace astounded even themselves as they jumped or ducked to avoid being hit by a tree limb. Roots clawed upwards like rabid creatures causing the ground to become more traitorous the deeper one would go. More then half of the hour passed by but no scent nor trace of La'nar could be found.
"Noooo....great Gods no...we...must....we have.... to find her." she chocked out in between the gasps and the tears.
"Are you insane? We just ran a huge distance in a extremely short time Sadira. Let us make for the tower and perhaps Lord Saruman will have answers that we can't get on our own." he relied calmly as one would to a serving wench.
"But..my..sister.." the tears coughed down her words once again.
"She is not dead which is a good thing indeed. If her captors had wanted her life then her thread would have been cut before they fled." Grima said softly as he lifted her from the ground where she had sat down.
"Live well, die free my sister" Sadira cried out loudly into the early morning air.
"A just and untimely fair statement but now we should walk back to the camp for our horses will be antic on their own. We were foolish to leave them but such as we were.."
"Aye...enough talking let's head back." she whispered.
Had it not been for the strong arm wrapped around her thin waist then it would have been likely that her knees would collasp along with her entire body weight. Long years had passed since darkness had fallen on to the sisters but they had lived through separation twice now and this last time was just another test, given to them by the Gods of old.
The long walk back was transversed in utter silence, even the forest beasts had kept to themselves. Three times Grima had attempted at some form of conversation, some attempts were weaker then others but the result was equally the same. A grunt or whispered word would escape her lips but never loud enough for a human's ear to pick up. They had wastes half an hour chasing after La'nar then a full hour walking back. A bright yellow sun rose like a blessing upwards into the former star lit skies around it. It was a fine omen to see after recent events it acted as a herald of sorts for it ment no blood had been split. After breaking into tears a few to many times, Sadira reluctantly rode double with the pale skinned man she had begun to trust but with those who constantly deal with pain and suffering, trust is a very hard thing to give.
"We'll have to house the horses at a villager's stables. Your former mount should be in the fields with the mares. We have many wild herds here Sadira, I hope one day that you will be the Horse Mistress. Of course it will have to wait until everything is settled but .." he let his words trail off as Isengard came into sight.
"The black tower burns..." muttered Sadira.
"That it does." commented Saruman as he stepped away from the shadows.
"Milord!" yelled a shocked Grima.
"Good day my Lord Saruman the White, the Lord Grima Wormtongue has brought me here to live as a servant." greeted Sadira causisly.
"Lord? He is no lord but should this war turn to our favour then he will get his title of Lord" chuckled Saruman.
"Do you always talk as if the person is not within hearing range?...milord" she added hasently.
"Sadira!" scolded Wormtongue.
"Let your woman speak for her self...after all I must always listen to a woman's council. They have the most amazing ability to cut clear through the pleasantries and right to the main issue."
"My lord...me and her are not..." he chocked on the words as they stumbled outward.
"Men" said Sadira under her breath.
They made Eastward to the main road that one end ran through the fords of Isen and the gap of Rohan the end they would travel would lead to the land of the Halflings. This consent traveling was biting hard on the trio, no stops were made to eat or sleep or even to go release their blatters for a moment. The wizard used spells to keep the horses fresh with life and potions to keep the humans from passing out during the long two day ride to the river Greyflood. By the raise of the next sun they would reach the great river and camp before taking a second trek toward the second river Brandywine where they would head North-West to Hobbiton.
Grima wondered just how long till the sun would rise and at last make camp for a day or ever two. The woman riding double with him was growing tired all to fast for her own good. The potions had started to ware out nearly a candlemark ago (one hour) and the soft feel of sleep had wormed its wicked ways into her heart. A blazing yellow sun rose brilliantly above the clouds creating a golden edge to them. The time to camp had come just as things felt their worst. Sadira thanked the Gods of old for this gift of theirs that she had wanted so badly to arrive.
Saruman grinned with such a unnerving grace that for the entire night Sadira refused to even do so much as look at him. Feeling the need of safety in familiarity Grima sought out the lady's attention in hopes of bringing her away from this inner struggle she had been fighting since her sister's abduction just a few days before hand. Her roll was not more then a foot from his own so that he could keep a open eye on his little horse-woman.
"Sadira.." he said her name softly, as light as the wind.
"Lord Grima.." she answered automatically.
"I am sorry for the loss of your sister and your home. Darkness is often both an ally and a foe but it is you who decide what to make of it." he gently kissed her forehead.
"Thank you Grima. You fear I think it is you who are to blame don't you? Put that fear to rest for it is the Horse King I place this evil deed on. Had he not gone with your...our Lord Saruman then my sister would be safe and I as well." she cupped his hand as she spoke.
"It amazes me...you are a creature worthy of her colours. I think we are two of a kind in our own ways. My father beat me like a man would beat a beast and treated me like a slave rather then his son. Being close to someone who does not want to shy away from my ugliness or want to beat me until my skull is in pieces...it is a hard thing to do but I am interested in trying." he moved closer, now sitting not more then a inch from her warm figure.
"I accept what I see and it's only I who makes my life what it is and you do as well so I guess we are much in the same. As to growing closer I would like that a lot Lord Grima... long have I wished to lay in the night with a man I cared for. Until just recently I had thought it was just my mind making me believe in false hopes." Sadira spoke quietly.
N2r: Here at last is Chappie two..R&R plz
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Feeling rather guilty Wormtongue slinked away from the girls who by now were laughing. Moments later all was quiet in the camp as sleep descended on the road weary travelers. As the glories of sleep over took them into its welcoming arms he laid awake watching to stars above between the thin line of clouds. 'Saruman will use them to keep me in line but this damn war would see them killed like lambs for a winter's feast. There are many hells I'd gladfully walk through before I allowed that to the one person who showed me kindness and even love.' His mind voice spoke at long last, waiting for him finally think about her in order to voice an opinion.'But what if that kiss was just kindness of a maiden and nothing more?" reasoned a second voice. True it had some merritt in those simple words after all a kiss is only a kiss.'what of the first kiss? No maiden would give two away so freely' countered the first. At long last the voices lay as silent as he did under the grand night sky.
Rolling on to his right side the two women came into view but against the dark it was truly hard to see who was really who. The shapely body of Sadira contrasted the older more run down body of her elder sister La'nar so it wasn't to long before his eyes grew accustomed to the lack of proper light. The last image in the former councilor's's mind was that of Sadira sleeping as if all was right in the world.
During the night winds had picked up their once sluggish speed and started to howl between the rocks. The sudden feel of coldness woke up La'nar almost instantly, the morning's bright rays had start started to poke through the fluffy clouds. Keeping the noise down she started a small unnoticeable fire that served only to give off enough heat to keep the limbs able. Silently the older woman sat there watching the smoke rise like tiny serpents twisting around and around as the rose upward into the skies.
"Thinking again?" inquired Wormtongue.
"Life is a funny thing...I see it now I suppose. Next year would be Sadira's eighteenth birthday and had a seer not marked her then she'd be married long time passed. There are no notions of marriage in my mind..I will only ever serve my dear little sister" she answered.
"A seer marked her....how?"
"A old woman who wandered into the city handing out free when our mum was still alive. She gave me one but was fofilled, I was to be her guardian until the great war happened again as it has. Sadira had the gift of nature after all it had responded to her so well all through our childhood. Fire and smoke took a liking to me soon after she discovered her ability with horses." La'nar explained.
"I understand the connection now between you two...your mother was a Wizard's get and that's for sure. I've heard Lord Saruman speak of this type of thing happening before but with so few Wizards left the information is sparse. Bloody hell.." Grima slapped his forehead.
"What?"
"I must admit I have some feelings for your dear sister but I only hope it is not milord's doing. Few women take any liking to me. I am not the strong muscled man that maidens dream of."
"Well then we will have to see then...Gods..you wake her and I shall go and take a piss" muttered La'nar as she stood up.
La'nar was only gone a few seconds before he edged close enough to their side of the camp to gaze on the still passed out woman. Her great mass of dark hair nestled around her head like a lion's mane. Slow and steady breathes went in her small nose and followed through to her lungs causing her chest to steadily rise and fall. Knowing this moment would not last he took one last glance at her before gently rocking her awake. Blue eyes met green and for what seemed like a life time she locked eyes with him before smiling.
"Morning has come at long last it appears..come on I will share some dried fruit with you." said Grima as he kissed her forehead.
"Food..yes that sounds great to me...aaah!" a small cut on her arm cut her sentence off. It had a sting to it that would make many of grown men weep.
Grim ripped a small bit of cloth dipped it in a basin of drinking water then applied it carefully to the wound. A secondary cloth was wrapped skillfully around the damp fabric firmly keeping it in place. Tying the best knot he could possibly do Grima finished his work best a man could do under the circumstances. The cut was made during their recent travels through the woods but so tired and warned down the feeling of pain didn't arrive till after a long rest. Absently rubbing the bandages Sadira stared off into the distance thinking heavily on what she was doing. The king was a fool and wasn't fit to rule a barn yard in the middle of winter. This pale skinned, raven haired man who had kissed her a few times now, had grasped the cold ambers of her heart and awoken them from their deep slumber. Love is for the weak of mind she reminded the mind that lay inside of her skull.
"Thank again my Lord, I owe you much. I hope to repay you greatly. What is there to do for me or sister at the black tower of Isengard? We are not accustomed to being served with silver platters or silk. Though truly I have never been a real lady of Rohan, I grew used to earning my keep"
"Do not worry my master will surely find something for you to do. There is a stable to be built in the spring, fifty to sixty horses will be housed there."
"Such a large number of beasts.." a sudden sound off in the bushes caught her attention as did it grabbed Wormtongue's own.
"La'nar" they said in unison as they raced to find her.
Like wolves upon a fresh kill they moved to the most likely origin of the disturbance. Their fluent grace astounded even themselves as they jumped or ducked to avoid being hit by a tree limb. Roots clawed upwards like rabid creatures causing the ground to become more traitorous the deeper one would go. More then half of the hour passed by but no scent nor trace of La'nar could be found.
"Noooo....great Gods no...we...must....we have.... to find her." she chocked out in between the gasps and the tears.
"Are you insane? We just ran a huge distance in a extremely short time Sadira. Let us make for the tower and perhaps Lord Saruman will have answers that we can't get on our own." he relied calmly as one would to a serving wench.
"But..my..sister.." the tears coughed down her words once again.
"She is not dead which is a good thing indeed. If her captors had wanted her life then her thread would have been cut before they fled." Grima said softly as he lifted her from the ground where she had sat down.
"Live well, die free my sister" Sadira cried out loudly into the early morning air.
"A just and untimely fair statement but now we should walk back to the camp for our horses will be antic on their own. We were foolish to leave them but such as we were.."
"Aye...enough talking let's head back." she whispered.
Had it not been for the strong arm wrapped around her thin waist then it would have been likely that her knees would collasp along with her entire body weight. Long years had passed since darkness had fallen on to the sisters but they had lived through separation twice now and this last time was just another test, given to them by the Gods of old.
The long walk back was transversed in utter silence, even the forest beasts had kept to themselves. Three times Grima had attempted at some form of conversation, some attempts were weaker then others but the result was equally the same. A grunt or whispered word would escape her lips but never loud enough for a human's ear to pick up. They had wastes half an hour chasing after La'nar then a full hour walking back. A bright yellow sun rose like a blessing upwards into the former star lit skies around it. It was a fine omen to see after recent events it acted as a herald of sorts for it ment no blood had been split. After breaking into tears a few to many times, Sadira reluctantly rode double with the pale skinned man she had begun to trust but with those who constantly deal with pain and suffering, trust is a very hard thing to give.
"We'll have to house the horses at a villager's stables. Your former mount should be in the fields with the mares. We have many wild herds here Sadira, I hope one day that you will be the Horse Mistress. Of course it will have to wait until everything is settled but .." he let his words trail off as Isengard came into sight.
"The black tower burns..." muttered Sadira.
"That it does." commented Saruman as he stepped away from the shadows.
"Milord!" yelled a shocked Grima.
"Good day my Lord Saruman the White, the Lord Grima Wormtongue has brought me here to live as a servant." greeted Sadira causisly.
"Lord? He is no lord but should this war turn to our favour then he will get his title of Lord" chuckled Saruman.
"Do you always talk as if the person is not within hearing range?...milord" she added hasently.
"Sadira!" scolded Wormtongue.
"Let your woman speak for her self...after all I must always listen to a woman's council. They have the most amazing ability to cut clear through the pleasantries and right to the main issue."
"My lord...me and her are not..." he chocked on the words as they stumbled outward.
"Men" said Sadira under her breath.
They made Eastward to the main road that one end ran through the fords of Isen and the gap of Rohan the end they would travel would lead to the land of the Halflings. This consent traveling was biting hard on the trio, no stops were made to eat or sleep or even to go release their blatters for a moment. The wizard used spells to keep the horses fresh with life and potions to keep the humans from passing out during the long two day ride to the river Greyflood. By the raise of the next sun they would reach the great river and camp before taking a second trek toward the second river Brandywine where they would head North-West to Hobbiton.
Grima wondered just how long till the sun would rise and at last make camp for a day or ever two. The woman riding double with him was growing tired all to fast for her own good. The potions had started to ware out nearly a candlemark ago (one hour) and the soft feel of sleep had wormed its wicked ways into her heart. A blazing yellow sun rose brilliantly above the clouds creating a golden edge to them. The time to camp had come just as things felt their worst. Sadira thanked the Gods of old for this gift of theirs that she had wanted so badly to arrive.
Saruman grinned with such a unnerving grace that for the entire night Sadira refused to even do so much as look at him. Feeling the need of safety in familiarity Grima sought out the lady's attention in hopes of bringing her away from this inner struggle she had been fighting since her sister's abduction just a few days before hand. Her roll was not more then a foot from his own so that he could keep a open eye on his little horse-woman.
"Sadira.." he said her name softly, as light as the wind.
"Lord Grima.." she answered automatically.
"I am sorry for the loss of your sister and your home. Darkness is often both an ally and a foe but it is you who decide what to make of it." he gently kissed her forehead.
"Thank you Grima. You fear I think it is you who are to blame don't you? Put that fear to rest for it is the Horse King I place this evil deed on. Had he not gone with your...our Lord Saruman then my sister would be safe and I as well." she cupped his hand as she spoke.
"It amazes me...you are a creature worthy of her colours. I think we are two of a kind in our own ways. My father beat me like a man would beat a beast and treated me like a slave rather then his son. Being close to someone who does not want to shy away from my ugliness or want to beat me until my skull is in pieces...it is a hard thing to do but I am interested in trying." he moved closer, now sitting not more then a inch from her warm figure.
"I accept what I see and it's only I who makes my life what it is and you do as well so I guess we are much in the same. As to growing closer I would like that a lot Lord Grima... long have I wished to lay in the night with a man I cared for. Until just recently I had thought it was just my mind making me believe in false hopes." Sadira spoke quietly.