Buffy belongs to Whedon and everything else is Tolkien's

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Helpless

Buffy ran out of athelas after the fourth day. The tea had been the only thing holding her fever at bay and once the supply ran out Buffy's condition grew steadily worse. She burned with a fever that increased with every hour while her vision began to blur making her dizzy. Eomer finally had to put the sick girl on his horse with him because he feared she would fall off her mount and injure herself. After settling in the saddle in front of Eomer Buffy heard the Marshal say something to her but her stuffy ears made it impossible for her to hear him.

"What?!" Buffy yelled loudly causing Eomer flinch in surprise and several of the Riders to look over.

"I said you should try to rest," he repeated and then spurred his horse into a fast canter.

From her spot tucked underneath Eomer's chin Buffy rolled her eyes in disbelief. How she was supposed to sleep while being bounced around on the back of a horse?

But sleep she did, though not very well. Buffy fought with everything she had to remain as coherent and alert as possible but as time passed she grew sicker. She rode with Eomer and though she hardly knew the Marshal at all she felt safe with him in her weakened condition. As the morning of the seventh day dawned bright and cool Eomer roused Buffy from a fitful sleep and pointed off into the distance.

"There sits Edoras," he said with pride in his voice.

Buffy squinted but could see little through her hazy fever filled vision. Eomer carefully helped the weak Slayer dismount and carried her up a small hill nearby so that she might be able to see the city. Buffy protested being carried around so Eomer cautiously set her on her feet and was relieved when she managed to remain on them. She walked a little distance away from him while staring at the city of Rohan which sat high and proud on hill some leagues away.

"It's great," Buffy said.

Then she promptly fainted and collapsed in a heap on the ground.

* * *

How odd to be both warm and cold at the same time. Buffy stepped through the door of the Bronze and found the usually busy establishment completely empty. Half the lights were out casting deep shadows in the corners and making it difficult to see. She scanned the room for her friends but saw no one which caused her slayer sense to go wild and her muscles to tense. Where was everyone? Her footsteps echoed loudly on the floor.

"Buffy," a disembodied voice called softly.

She turned and searched for the source of the voice but saw nothing. Something wasn't right. She wasn't supposed to be here. There was something else she had to do. Buffy racked her brain trying to remember what that was. Strange, she felt as if she didn't belong here. Standing perfectly still in the middle of the floor she closed her eyes. She opened them.

The Bronze was packed. Bodies danced to the music of an unidentified band. They parted and made way for Buffy as she slowly moved to the table where she knew her friends waited. She found Xander and Willow feeding peanuts to a small unassuming pony. It was Bill.

"What is he doing here?" Buffy asked.

"He wanted to come," answered Willow.

"It's his birthday," added Xander.

"He isn't supposed to be here," Buffy said. She looked around confused.

"I'm not supposed to be here," she realized.

She closed her eyes.

* * *

The stone floor was hard and cold under Buffy's cheek. Her head throbbed and she breathed noisily from her mouth. It was so hot but she was shivering. Why was she so hot? The last thing she remembered was standing on a hill with Eomer while Edoras sat strong and silent off in the distance. Was she in Edoras now? She slowly opened her eyes and found herself lying on the floor in a small dirty room. This couldn't be good. With great effort she raised herself up onto her forearms and looked around. The only entrance or exit to the room was a heavy wooden door that had a small window in it. She had to get out. She had to think of a way to escape. She fell back asleep.

* * *

The Eye was looking at her.

Buffy shivered from fear as she felt its evil crawling up her spine. It was the most terrible thing she had ever experienced. She felt the heat of its fire burn her skin and she cried out in pain and fear. She couldn't fight this. Buffy shook her head. She felt it trying to pry into her mind but she wouldn't let it in. It just wanted to talk with her, to show her what power she could have if she just listened. Buffy refused. Even in her weakened state the Slayer's will was too powerful for the Dark Lord to crack. She closed her eyes to shut out the horrible lidless eye.

When she opened them again a short oily haired man stood before her. Then he was gone. Next she found herself back in the black forest that Saruman had brought her to. Its evil seemed to cling to her skin and she scrubbed at her face in an effort to get it off. The palantir hung silent nearby and Buffy scanned the trees anxiously waiting for the wizard to appear. But he did not come and the black forest evaporated leaving Buffy standing in a very familiar graveyard. Before her sat a tombstone. It looked new and the grass under her feet was short and young. Buffy Anne Summers, it read, She saved the world a lot. Buffy gasped in horror. It was her grave. She was dead. Dead. Dead. Dead.

"Shhh," a calm, serene voice said.

Buffy felt coolness on her forehead and reached up to find it slightly wet. It felt so nice. She closed her eyes.

* * *

Eowyn carefully bathed the young woman's head with a wet cloth. The fever was very high and if the girl did not receive help she was not going to make it. Eowyn had risked much by sneaking down into the dungeon to bring medicine and food to the sick girl. Buffy, she reminded herself, Eomer said her name was Buffy. An odd name that.

She carefully poured some water down Buffy's throat which was no easy task since Buffy was thrashing and moaning the entire time. For one so small she was incredibly strong. Eowyn could feel a bruise forming on her arm where Buffy had hit her. After enough water had been drank for Eowyn to be satisfied she opened a small bottle and poured its contents down Buffy's throat. It was strong medicine. The strongest the healers had for this type of sickness and with any luck its effects would be felt within a few hours.

All there was to do now was wait.

* * *

Sweat poured off Buffy's brow as the Slayer slowly opened her eyes. She was still in the small room she had been in before but she felt much more alert now. Her fever had broken. It was dark in the room and a musty smell assaulted her nose. She was so weak she could barely lift her head but even in her poor condition she still felt a familiar tingle in her senses. She wasn't alone.

"Well," said dry voice, "you have finally decided to awaken."

Buffy slowly turned her head in the direction of the voice and found a thin, pasty man standing in front of the door. His hair was an oily black color and the look in his beady eyes caused Buffy to shudder a little.

"I have some questions to ask you on behalf of my master," he said walking up to where Buffy was lying on the floor.

Buffy tried to speak but her throat was so dry that all she could get out was a choked wheeze.

The man looked down at her with disgust on his face. She had not obliged him by dying of her illness which would have appeased his master and now it appeared she was not able to answer his questions. He made a sound of vexation and gave Buffy a vicious kick in her stomach on his way back out the door.

Buffy groaned and curled into ball to relieve the pain in her mid-section. Who was that creepy little man? After the pain abated she sank back into an exhausted and, for once, dreamless sleep.

* * *

When next Buffy awoke she found a woman sitting next to her. Her visitor had long pale hair that spilled over her shoulders and puddled on the floor. She was pulling things out of a small bag and hadn't noticed that Buffy's eyes were now open. She pulled a loaf of bread out and Buffy's stomach growled in response causing the woman to look at her in surprise.

She said something Buffy didn't understand and the Slayer shook her head in confusion.

"I apologize," the woman said in the language familiar to Buffy, "I was not thinking. I was just surprised to see you awake so soon. Usually it takes weeks for someone to recover from Orc poison."

Buffy said a silent thanks for her healing abilities and tried to say hello to the woman but her throat was still too dry. Her visitor handed her some water and helped Buffy sit up so she could drink.

"Thank you," she said hoarsely.

"My name is Eowyn."

"I'm Buffy."

"I know."

"Where am I?" Buffy asked while chewing on a piece of bread.

"Edoras."

"Eomer?"

"Eomer is my brother and he has also been thrown into the dungeon. He fares better than you though."

"Why? What did we do?"

"It was all Wormtounge's doing. He poisons the mind of the King against anything having to do with Gandalf or any who call the wizard friend."

"How did I get down here?"

"Eomer rode into Edoras some days ago with you unconscious from your illness. Immediately you were taken to the Healers but before much could be done Wormtounge learned of your involvement with Gandalf and convinced the King that you were a spy sent from the wizard and the Elf-Witch of Lothlorien. In attempting to keep you from being treated so unkindly Eomer was also thrown into the dungeon."

"I am sorry."

"You needn't be. None of this occurred through any fault of yours. It is Wormtounge who is evil."

Buffy reached down for another piece of bread and noticed that she was wearing a white dress instead of her Lothlorien clothes.

"Where are my things?" she asked a little panicked.

"Do not fear," said Eowyn soothingly. "I managed to secret them away before Wormtounge could get his hands on them."

"Thank you," Buffy said intensely grateful.

"I must go before I am missed." Eowyn handed Buffy a bottle of brown liquid. "Drink this quickly. The medicine will make you sleep but it will be a healing rest."

Buffy downed the bottle's contents in one big gulp. It tasted terrible.

"I will return as soon as I may," she said and then quietly slipped out the door.

Eowyn was right. A rush of sleepiness passed through Buffy and she lay back down on the hard stone floor.

* * *

The creepy man was back. Buffy didn't have to open her eyes to know that. She could feel his presence invading her peaceful rest and as she came fully awake she found herself sitting in a hard wooden chair. He was slapping her face and yelling at her to wake up.

"I'm awake," Buffy said irritated. She felt much improved and sitting up didn't make her as dizzy as it had before. She was still terribly weak though.

"The Slayer," he said holding Buffy's chin between two bony fingers.

Buffy jerked her chin away and regarded the man warily.

"You must be Wormtounge," she smirked.

"How do you know that?"

"Only a man with a face like yours could have name like that," Buffy retorted.

Wormtounge's normally pale faced became red with anger. Buffy could even see spittle beginning to form at the corners of his mouth.

"Ewwww," she said.

"You will answer my questions," Wormtounge said in a tight voice.

"Umm. . . no." said Buffy.

"When I am through with you, you will tell me whatever I wish."

"I am not afraid of you."

"You will be," Wormtounge said. And with that he backhanded Buffy so hard she was knocked onto the floor.

Buffy groaned and laughed at the same time.

"That's gonna leave a bruise," she said and tried to pull herself onto her knees. But she was too weak and could manage to do nothing more than roll over onto her side.

"My master demands answers to these questions and I will have them!" Wormtounge kicked Buffy in her stomach.

"Big macho man," taunted Buffy. "Really brave of you to beat up on someone who can't fight back."

Yet, she added silently to herself.

Wormtounge was working himself into frenzy of anger. If he didn't get the information from the girl then Saruman would be most disappointed in him and that meant . . . He gave Buffy another kick.

"Which of the Halflings carries the Ring?!"

Buffy looked up at the thin man trembling with anger. Realization flooded her eyes and her disgust with Wormtounge reached a new height.

"You're working for Saruman."

"How did you - ? Oh! Just answer the question!"

"I would not answer for him and I will not answer for you. Ever."

"I will make you tell me!"

Wormtounge proceeded to try inflicting as many painful things as he could think of to get the Slayer to talk. After all if he failed Saruman. . . It took awhile to actually get the girl to scream and she finally passed out in a heap on the floor. He left frustrated but determined. He would try again.