Title: "In the Arms of a Nightmare"
Author: Lind-Say (obviously)
Rating: PG/PG-13
Fandom: Lord of the Rings
Summary: How did Merry receive that cut on his forehead from the Uruk-Hai?
Warnings: Mild violence, Hobbit angst
Notes: The names of the Uruk-Hai are purposely left out, since the story is told from a Hobbit point of view. Pippin's narrative is deliberately more vague, as well; you'll understand why after reading.
Time: 1 hour, 25 minutes


When they were captured, it took Pippin some time to realize what was happening. Of course, he knew that he had been taken, along with his cousin Merry, just after Boromir had been so cruelly slain, but in all of the confusion, Pippin's mind couldn't grasp what was going on, & so he simply disconnected. And though he could see everything around him clear as day, could hear the awful sounds of the Uruk-Hai as they trampled through the wood, but it was as though he was experiencing a dream. It wasn't until the two Hobbits were unceremoniously flung to the ground & an Uruk began to bind his hands that the full weight of the situation took hold of him.

"No!" Pippin screamed, lashing out, attempting to get up, to escape from his captors. He heard Merry cry out as he kicked out at the nearest Uruk, inflicting very little damage to the beast. Suddenly, a snap was heard, & Pippin cried out again, this time in pain as he felt a harsh burning cut across his left leg. A large Uruk stood before him, whip clutched in one hand. With the other, he reached out & grabbed Pippin by the collar before throwing him to the ground next to Merry. He snapped the whip again, dangerously close to Pippin's face, & the Hobbit recoiled, shutting his eyes tightly & praying that it would all be over soon.

"You want another one, rat?" the Uruk snarled, & Pippin shook his head, eyes still closed. "Look at me when I'm speaking to you, you rat!" Despite this command, Pippin was too afraid to open his eyes, to face the horrifying creature who had taken him ransom. He heard a low growl, & then Merry cried, "Leave him alone!" Suddenly, he felt his cousin's full weight on top of him, & then he did force his eyes open.

Merry was lying on top of him, unconscious, with a large & rather ugly gash on the right side of his forehead. Pippin froze at the sight of all the blood spilling from his cousin's torn flesh, unsure of what to do as Merry's terrifyingly still body was pulled off him roughly. Quickly, each Hobbit was bound at the wrists & ankles & slung onto the back of an Uruk. As they ran, Pippin tried to keep an eye on Merry, but they were moving so swiftly that he would lose sight of his cousin as often as he could gain it. Finally, Pippin admitted defeat & fell back into his dreamlike state, preferring to forget where he was.
~~~
"Pip," Merry whispered, trying desperately to get his cousin's attention. From somewhere in the group, he heard a snarling voice tell him to keep his trap shut, & Merry felt compelled to obey. Still, he kept a sharp eye on Pippin, whose face had been devoid of expression almost since their capture.

Merry didn't know how long the Uruks ran, but it seemed like an eternity before he & Pippin were cast to ground like mere stones. As an Uruk approached him with a length of rope, Pippin seemed suddenly to come to life. Merry watched in shock as Pippin cried out, lashed out, did anything he could to avoid these cruel soldiers.

"Pippin! Stop!" Merry shouted as one of the larger Uruks brandished a whip, but the warning went either unheard or unheeded, & Merry stared in horror as the throng connected solidly with Pippin's leg. He shuddered at his cousin's cry of pain & forced back the tears that were threatening to spill. Ruthlessly, the Uruk picked Pippin up & flung him onto the ground next to Merry. He risked a glance at his cousin's leg, which was bleeding from the lash he received & winced, wishing once again that this was all some horrible dream. The whip cracked again.

"You want another one, rat?"

Pippin looked absolutely terrified as he shook his head, & Merry wanted nothing more than to reach out to the younger Hobbit, to take him in his arms & soothe away his hurts, as he had done when they were younger. He feared, however, that these wounds would run too deep for either of them to heal, & the scars they would bear forever.

"Look at me when I'm speaking to you, you rat!"

When Pippin still didn't open his eyes, the Uruk raised his whip again, this time to strike the Hobbit with the butt of the whip handle. Merry felt his blood boil.

"Leave him alone!" he shouted, lunging forward with all of his strength & putting himself between Pippin & the Uruk. The whip caught him squarely on the forehead & he fell forward on top of Pippin. He felt an explosion of pain & his vision darkened before going out, leaving him in black.