Wow! Ten reviews!! You people are what makes life worth living! Thanks VERY much! Alianai I luv ya and can't wait fer your fic to come out (I'll make a toast for you in Barlis, girl! See ya there! meep meep) Thanks to loyal return readers: Starbrat, Herodias, and MelodySongSinger (how could I refuse such a subtle request? And yes, pills are nice… lol). Hmmm… reviews are like the coal for my creative engine… me still hungry. My collaborator in all things evil, Shag Dowg, figured that I'd get even more reviews if I started with some Fan Service in my chapters, you know, reel in the young male audience and such… Let's see what happens…
Eye on the Prize
Act III Pathos
ARWEN APPLIED IRISH SPRING SOAP TO HERSEEEEEELLLLFFFFFFFFF!!!!!
Meanwhilst…
Sauron looked from the ranger to the elf and clenched his teeth. There would be no easy escape for him this time. All was still save for the rustle of greenery and the soft solitary cry of a morning dove coming from somewhere up above. Shadows cast from tall trees made dark patchy patterns that swayed from side to side upon the ground.
'Look Fro-boy, ol' buddy, ol' pal.' Legolas began, voice cutting the silence, 'This really isn't anything personal, it's just that we think you're completely unfit and totally unworthy to be the Ring Bearer anymore.'
'You've been showing some rather sadistic tendencies,' Aragorn continued, 'I don't think the Ring is very healthy for you to hang onto anymore. Believe me when I say I honestly don't want to be the one to carry it, but I'd rather I take it than trust it to an unreliable Ring Bearer when we're so close to Mordor's bordors.'
Legolas nodded in agreement. Sauron was starting to panic a little bit, the call of the Ring filled his head.
Master! Lord and Master, let not our separation once again commence at the hand of these knaves!
'I won't.' His response was as much towards the Ring as it was to the dynamic duo accosting him. Hobbit senses tingled and mingled into Dark Lord reflexes and Sauron slid easily into a stance of power. Aragorn and Legolas tensed, unsure of what to expect. Sauron started to shake slightly and a fiery aura encircled his small frame. Aragorn took up a fighting stance and Legolas fidgeted with his bowstring. Cruel eyes snapped open making the smile Sauron bore all the more lethal. He balled his hands into fists, dug his feet into the ground, and…………………………………. ran like hell!
Aragorn and Legolas stood alone in the clearing still staring at the little puffs of smoke the Dark Lord left in his wake.
***
Sauron jogged a bit to get the stitch out of his side, breathing ragged and hoarse. His tongue stuck to the back of his throat, and he was generally having the worst day of his unnatural life... well one of the worst anyway.
Much gratitude must I extend onto thee my Lord and Master, said the Ring, Woe would have overflown my cup had you…
'Shut it!'
Can do.
Sauron finally saw what he had been looking for, a small pool, and he ran over to it. The water was sweet and clean – not that evil overlords generally enjoy those types of things – and in a moment he was breathing normal again. Then he noticed the sun. Its reflection had only been a nuisance at first, but then something had clicked in his mind and he threw his gaze upwards with a curse. The sun was directly over head - meaning it was noon and time for a good lunch - but it was directly overhead! There was no way he could tell which was north, south, east, or west if the stupid, stupid sun was directly over head! It was all he had to guide by, as the trees were so tall that all earth bound landmarks were hidden from view. He rubbed at his eyes to get rid of all the spotches that come to those dumb enough to stare at the sun for more than a few seconds, and stumbled around growling.
The ranger and the elf would have come upon him totally unaware if not for the heightened senses Frodo's ears had gained from months of holding onto the Ring. They were stealthy, but Sauron picked up the tell tale signs a few second before they slid across the clearing with cat-like strength and grace, it was enough time for him to dive into a bush, using the hobbit ability to seemingly disappear into the natural environment. Legolas' hearing was even better though, and he pointed toward the general direction that Sauron lay hidden, Aragorn following the tracks as easily as… well… a Ranger following tracks.
The last thought Sauron had before the strong, callused hand grabbed him was, 'Of course I just had to have been chased down by an elf and a Ranger. Go me.'
***
Boromir still hung suspended upside-down above the forest floor. He was, he realized, in a bit of a predicament. On the one hand he was getting extremely light-headed (more so than usual) and on the other, if he cut the rope with the sword that hung at his side he would land head first on the ground. That wasn't even mentioning the 800-pound Grizzly bear that sat at the base of the tree looking quizzically up at him. But his head was aching something fierce, and he couldn't stand it much longer…
'Good thing daddy isn't here to see this… I'd be sooooo embarrassed!'
***
'Come now, hand over the Ring. I mean to take it anyway but I'd rather you just give it up peacefully.' The Ranger still had a strong one handed grip on Sauron's shoulder.
'Um, how about no, no, and um, no!' snapped Sauron.
'That's it! Fork it over!' Aragorn reached for the cord that held the Ring when Legolas suddenly jumped to his feet.
At that exact moment a patrol of heavily armed super-sized orcs crashed into the clearing. Their small beady eyes focused on the three travellers and they snarled and grinned in triumph.
'Yeah, whatever.' Legolas lobbed a volley of arrows at them.
'Hold them off for a second!' Aragorn called to the elf as he hauled the hobbit off his feet and made a dash in the other direction. They too, however, were intercepted by an orc troop before they fled the clearing. Aragorn cursed and grabbed up his blade with one hand, the bright metal slicing the air with a hiss. Sauron looked from his captor to the orc troop and back. He kicked the Ranger hard in the ribs and rolled under a leafy bush as soon as he was dropped. Aragorn made a vain attempt to go after, but had to shift his focus to fighting off his aggressors instead.
***
Sauron came out the other side and down a hill with clothes torn and skin scratched, but he didn't care. His minions had come for him! They must have finally been sent by the Witch King, which had been planned at the beginning of this whole crazy scheme. This battalion would surely take him back to the Dark Tower. He ran down, leaping over roots and stones, stirring up leaves off the ground. Just ahead another orcish squad marched and he called out to it ecstatically. It wasn't until the group turned and started charging up to him that he realized something was wrong. Instead of the Red Eye, Sauron's symbol, which should have adorned their armor, these wore the White Hand.
'These aren't my troops.' He realized with a start. 'They aren't mine!'
Time seemed to drag by slowly as he spun on his heel and reached down to grab the Ring where it hung around his neck. In his haste he ripped it free from its cord and jabbed his nearest finger toward it. Before he could put it on, the hilt of an orc's blade smashed into the side of his skull and sparks flashed behind his eyes. The last thing he saw before the world went silent, was a glimmer of gold as the Ring fell away from him and into the darkness.
To be continued…
KT SHY: Oh, ouch! Cliffhanger endings, don't you just hate those? Mua ha ha. Well, I finished my law ISU and so have a little more free time on my hands. Ta dah! I'll dish out the next chapter sooner or later. You know, taking long walks with yer dog through the woods is a great way to get inspired. After Act one I was totally at a loss for what was to follow. I took one walk with Dusty, and voila. The entire plot of Eye on the Prize pops into my brain (as simple sketches, mind you.) Thanks for reading! Hope you've enjoyed it thus far – reviews are a great way to show it (wink wink, nudge nudge).
Say no more.
Luv KT SHY