And Drink To Me Yet
Chapter 12 - Blood Money
They planned it all in secret, of course. There was only a week in which to gain the knowledge they would need and then arrange it, and it wasn't until the eve of the last day that everything was complete. Well, nearly complete. It was time for the last stage of their plot.
Pippin moved nervously in his seat, fidgeting with his napkin and trying not to glance at Merry. Waen shot him a look, and he placed the napkin once again on the table. He could feel cold sweat forming on his brow, and his hands were shaking slightly as he glanced down the table a ways toward Aragorn.
It had been Pippin's idea to use Aragorn in the sacrifice, but now he was having second thoughts. What if the plan failed, and they were caught? He didn't so much fear for himself as for Waen. Her audience with the Queen had not gone pleasantly, and he now saw Arwen glaring along the table at Waen. Perhaps, Pippin mused, this had something to do with the unflattering manner in which Waen had accidentally referred to Aglareb, Arwen's favored son. But then, perhaps Waen hadn't said it accidentally. It didn't matter; either way, Waen had lost some of her esteem in the eyes of the High Queen. If they were caught, it wouldn't be simply imprisonment or death for Waen. It would be worse.
After the dinner Pippin had hardly touched had been taken away, Gimli rose and proposed that they all take a walk in the gardens. It was such a lovely night, he added, and they ought to take advantage of the full moon's brightness.
Aragorn nodded his approval, signaling the royal family and the guests to rise. Pippin walked before the others, beside Legolas and Gimli. He noted that Waen had tried to draw even with them, but had been held back and made walk with the High Prince. Pippin took a deep breath, glancing at the friends he had on either side of him. Elf and Dwarf were gazing resolutely ahead, faces blank. Pippin tried to make his own face devoid of emotion, but it was a struggle. Only then he thought of the way Merry had looked when he saw Pippin's charm, and the young Hobbit's face became set with determination.
They strolled slowly for a while, Legolas keeping his eye on the rising moon. When it had cleared a certain tall oak, the Elf turned almost sharply to the left, the small party swinging after him. Pippin glanced up and saw him nod. With premeditated movement Pippin stumbled and fell back, suddenly finding himself behind Aragorn. A glance forward showed him an orb of crystal rolling from the folds of Legolas' robes out onto an unusually brown patch of grass perhaps six feet long.
Because he was closer now to Waen, he heard her muttering. Yet even he took a step back as the ground surrounding the palantìr burst into fire. In the shocked second that the entire party stood frozen, the moonlight hit the writhing flames. They shot higher for a moment, then turned blue and resumed their previous height.
Waen's voice was a little louder as she muttered again, and Pippin saw Gimli draw his axe. With a grunt the Dwarf through the axe forward, where it disappeared a moment in the flames. Suddenly it emerged from them, glowing blue and floating just above where the fire could lick at it. Now it was time for Pippin to act.
Pippin threw himself forward, slamming all his weight against Aragorn's back and knees. At first Aragorn simply tottered forward, mouth forming silent words of protest. Then he fell, vanishing as the blue flames once again shot up higher than before. Gimli's now enchanted axe swung down hard, and they heard a gurgling scream.
The next thing anyone knew, the flames had shrunk again, still glowing blue. Gimli's axe glowed and floated as before, now dripping with blood. And below the axes, in the ebbing flames...
Aragorn was slowly standing up from where he had fallen. The back of his neck was crusted with blood, but his head was still on his shoulders. He turned slowly, his fiery eyes resting on the guests. "What is the meaning of this?"
Waen's slim hand grabbed Pippin's shoulder, perhaps a bit more roughly than she had intended. Her whisper was Aragorn's only answer, "It didn't work..."
((oo. You heard her. It didn't work. Which means... you guessed it! They're gunna try again! Who will it be? This is your last chance to vote! O, but don't cast your lot for Aragorn. Dude, he didn't work. The votes stand at: 4 for Pippin, 3 votes for Merry, 2 votes for all the royal kiddies, 3 votes for Aragorn. Not to be sacrificed: 2 votes Gimli, 3 votes for all the royal kiddies, 1 vote Aragorn, 1 vote for Merry, 1 vote for Pippin. So do something about it!! The exciting conclusion, next time, on.... And Drink To Me Yet!! *insert theme music here*))
Chapter 12 - Blood Money
They planned it all in secret, of course. There was only a week in which to gain the knowledge they would need and then arrange it, and it wasn't until the eve of the last day that everything was complete. Well, nearly complete. It was time for the last stage of their plot.
Pippin moved nervously in his seat, fidgeting with his napkin and trying not to glance at Merry. Waen shot him a look, and he placed the napkin once again on the table. He could feel cold sweat forming on his brow, and his hands were shaking slightly as he glanced down the table a ways toward Aragorn.
It had been Pippin's idea to use Aragorn in the sacrifice, but now he was having second thoughts. What if the plan failed, and they were caught? He didn't so much fear for himself as for Waen. Her audience with the Queen had not gone pleasantly, and he now saw Arwen glaring along the table at Waen. Perhaps, Pippin mused, this had something to do with the unflattering manner in which Waen had accidentally referred to Aglareb, Arwen's favored son. But then, perhaps Waen hadn't said it accidentally. It didn't matter; either way, Waen had lost some of her esteem in the eyes of the High Queen. If they were caught, it wouldn't be simply imprisonment or death for Waen. It would be worse.
After the dinner Pippin had hardly touched had been taken away, Gimli rose and proposed that they all take a walk in the gardens. It was such a lovely night, he added, and they ought to take advantage of the full moon's brightness.
Aragorn nodded his approval, signaling the royal family and the guests to rise. Pippin walked before the others, beside Legolas and Gimli. He noted that Waen had tried to draw even with them, but had been held back and made walk with the High Prince. Pippin took a deep breath, glancing at the friends he had on either side of him. Elf and Dwarf were gazing resolutely ahead, faces blank. Pippin tried to make his own face devoid of emotion, but it was a struggle. Only then he thought of the way Merry had looked when he saw Pippin's charm, and the young Hobbit's face became set with determination.
They strolled slowly for a while, Legolas keeping his eye on the rising moon. When it had cleared a certain tall oak, the Elf turned almost sharply to the left, the small party swinging after him. Pippin glanced up and saw him nod. With premeditated movement Pippin stumbled and fell back, suddenly finding himself behind Aragorn. A glance forward showed him an orb of crystal rolling from the folds of Legolas' robes out onto an unusually brown patch of grass perhaps six feet long.
Because he was closer now to Waen, he heard her muttering. Yet even he took a step back as the ground surrounding the palantìr burst into fire. In the shocked second that the entire party stood frozen, the moonlight hit the writhing flames. They shot higher for a moment, then turned blue and resumed their previous height.
Waen's voice was a little louder as she muttered again, and Pippin saw Gimli draw his axe. With a grunt the Dwarf through the axe forward, where it disappeared a moment in the flames. Suddenly it emerged from them, glowing blue and floating just above where the fire could lick at it. Now it was time for Pippin to act.
Pippin threw himself forward, slamming all his weight against Aragorn's back and knees. At first Aragorn simply tottered forward, mouth forming silent words of protest. Then he fell, vanishing as the blue flames once again shot up higher than before. Gimli's now enchanted axe swung down hard, and they heard a gurgling scream.
The next thing anyone knew, the flames had shrunk again, still glowing blue. Gimli's axe glowed and floated as before, now dripping with blood. And below the axes, in the ebbing flames...
Aragorn was slowly standing up from where he had fallen. The back of his neck was crusted with blood, but his head was still on his shoulders. He turned slowly, his fiery eyes resting on the guests. "What is the meaning of this?"
Waen's slim hand grabbed Pippin's shoulder, perhaps a bit more roughly than she had intended. Her whisper was Aragorn's only answer, "It didn't work..."
((oo. You heard her. It didn't work. Which means... you guessed it! They're gunna try again! Who will it be? This is your last chance to vote! O, but don't cast your lot for Aragorn. Dude, he didn't work. The votes stand at: 4 for Pippin, 3 votes for Merry, 2 votes for all the royal kiddies, 3 votes for Aragorn. Not to be sacrificed: 2 votes Gimli, 3 votes for all the royal kiddies, 1 vote Aragorn, 1 vote for Merry, 1 vote for Pippin. So do something about it!! The exciting conclusion, next time, on.... And Drink To Me Yet!! *insert theme music here*))