Disclaimer: My brain doesn't process things fast enough to write such a
masterpiece as LotR. Bummer.
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Peregrin Took woke with a start. He went to look around, but could not. Something was holding him to the spot. His eyes darted about the pitch black surrounding him. As far as he could tell, there was no one else around. Alone. . .he hated being alone. He had never liked being alone, not since he was just a tiny Hobbit. It was too quiet when he was alone. Quiet reminded him of fear, and that was not something he wanted to think about.
Fear. Just thinking about it made his heart pound faster and faster. No good could come out of being afraid, no good at all. He could not allow himself to be afraid. If he was afraid, then anyone could control him. He would have no strength to stand up for himself. He knew it was true; it had happened before. But how could he not be afraid now? It was pitch black, he was being held to the spot, and as far as he knew he was completely alone.
Peregrin moved his mouth to try to call out. He tasted cloth. . .there was a gag in his mouth. Now he began to panic. Why was he bound and gagged? His eyes caught a faint light in front of him a few feet, like someone had lit a small match and was shielding it with their hand. He relaxed a bit; at least someone was nearby. Although, he had no way of knowing who.
Around two hours passed of Peregrin sitting in silence and darkness, trying to think of how he could free himself. He wasn't even sure if it was a smart idea to free himself, but would a kind person bound and gag a Hobbit for no reason? Finally deciding that perhaps it was best to wait until morning, he relaxed in his bonds, only to find that his hands could slide around behind his back. Seeing this as an advantage, he rolled over onto his other side and felt along the ground with his right hand.
A sharp pain passed through one of his fingers as it found a sharp rock.
'Perfect,' he thought. Scooting closer to it, he began to quietly drag whatever held his wrists together over the edge of the rock. Another match was lit, except brighter, and behind him. Peregrin froze, hoping that it was not enough light for anyone to see him in.
A rough hand reached down and lifted him up off of the ground about a foot by his hair. He cringed, wanting to cry out, but couldn't because of the gag.
"Tryin' to escape, are we?" a gruff voice hissed in his ear. Peregrin tried to wrench his head around to see who was speaking, but whoever it was shook him violently for a second. He froze again, hoping that it was all a dream. It couldn't really be happening. How could it if he didn't even remember how he had gotten there?
The person dropped him back onto the ground. "Lousy Hobbits." Peregrin wanted to run away, but he obviously couldn't. He could feel tears forming in his eyes in desperation, but blinked them away. Although he was trembling with fear on the inside, perhaps if he looked brave on the outside, whoever was there would leave him alone to wait for morning.
* * *
The sun rose slowly over the horizon, filtering through the branches of the trees, and soon lit up the small alcove, where Peregrin lay waiting for light. His eyes flickered open, and he gasped softly when he saw his cousin, Meriadoc Brandybuck, lying a few feet from him. There was a large gash in his right cheek. Peregrin, forgetting about the gag, tried to shout to him.
A large, cruel-looking man looked over. Peregrin's eyes locked with his, the young Hobbit now realizing his mistake. The man walked over and swiftly kicked him in the gut. Peregrin once again tried to swallow a cry, not that he could cry out anyway.
"Keep it down, ya filthy urchin," he growled. Another person appeared, a girl, dropping a bunch of firewood on the ground. She went over and pulled the man away from Peregrin. The girl looked a bit calmer and gentler than the other.
"Leave him alone, Byrn," she said. The rough man sulked away, and the girl leaned down closer to Peregrin. The Hobbit cringed away, afraid of what the she might do. "I'm not going to hurt you."
Hesitating, Peregrin sat up a little. She untied the gag. Fresh air filled the Hobbit's mouth and lungs. It felt good to have the gag out. He somehow managed out a thank you in between deep breaths. The girl smiled and went over to Meriadoc. Peregrin watched her closely, making sure she wouldn't hurt his cousin, although it seemed clear that she had no intention of hurting anyone.
Leaning over the unconscious Hobbit, the girl took out a flask of water and a cloth. Pouring some water on the cloth, she began dabbing Meriadoc's wound with it. Peregrin flinched, thinking about how much it might hurt if his friend were conscious.
"Careful," Peregrin said softly, his voice hoarse. The girl looked up at him. "Ehm. . .well, you don't want to hurt him." She laughed quietly.
"Don't worry, Hobbit," she replied. "I know what I'm doing." She looked back to Meriadoc.
"Pippin."
"What?" Her attention returned to the conscious Hobbit.
He stopped, almost not answering. It had been a reflex to blurt out his name. "P-Pippin. . .they call me Pippin."
"And they call me Iris, but you don't see me announcing it to perfect strangers." She gave him a sly grin. "Now, if you please, I need to heal your friend's wounds so that they don't get infected." With that, Iris' attention returned to Meriadoc's wound.
After about fifteen minutes, she stood and, wiping her hands on her worn brown trousers, began to go over to where the man was cooking something over the fire. "Wait," Pippin said quickly. "I was wondering. . .perhaps you could help me with something?"
"What is it?" Iris asked, going to him.
"Well. . .it's just, I don't remember how I got here or where I am," Pippin explained.
She sighed, sitting beside him. "I am not sure if it is my place to tell you. If you do not remember, perhaps it is for the best." Pippin of course wondered what she meant, but did not question her on it. She clearly did not think he should know. . .whatever it was. Merry stirred. The two looked to him, as he groaned and opened his eyes, looking around. His eyes rested on Pippin and Iris.
"Pip?" he said softly. Iris said nothing to him, just glanced at Pippin, then stood and went to her companion. Pippin scooted quickly over next to his cousin, smiling happily.
"Merry! Bless you, you're awake!" he cried.
"Pip, what's going on?"
"I've been wondering that myself for quite some time," said Pippin. "I don't know where we are. . .or how we got here. It's strange, Merry, and I want to go home."
"Well, without knowing where we are, that seems rather impossible," Merry told him. He was silent a moment, looking away from his younger cousin, deep in thought. After a moment, he gaze returned to meet Pippin's. "You sure you don't remember anything?"
Pippin thought a moment. His memory was blurred; no clear thoughts came to him. He almost remembered the cold of water, as if from a stream, on his feet, and pain, as if a blade was thrust through his shoulder. However, he shook his head. "No. . .no, I don't remember anything."
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A/N: Yes, rather short, I know. I'm not very good at first chapters. I hope you'll review with CONSTRUCTIVE criticism, if you please. Plot will build later on, so keep reading!
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Peregrin Took woke with a start. He went to look around, but could not. Something was holding him to the spot. His eyes darted about the pitch black surrounding him. As far as he could tell, there was no one else around. Alone. . .he hated being alone. He had never liked being alone, not since he was just a tiny Hobbit. It was too quiet when he was alone. Quiet reminded him of fear, and that was not something he wanted to think about.
Fear. Just thinking about it made his heart pound faster and faster. No good could come out of being afraid, no good at all. He could not allow himself to be afraid. If he was afraid, then anyone could control him. He would have no strength to stand up for himself. He knew it was true; it had happened before. But how could he not be afraid now? It was pitch black, he was being held to the spot, and as far as he knew he was completely alone.
Peregrin moved his mouth to try to call out. He tasted cloth. . .there was a gag in his mouth. Now he began to panic. Why was he bound and gagged? His eyes caught a faint light in front of him a few feet, like someone had lit a small match and was shielding it with their hand. He relaxed a bit; at least someone was nearby. Although, he had no way of knowing who.
Around two hours passed of Peregrin sitting in silence and darkness, trying to think of how he could free himself. He wasn't even sure if it was a smart idea to free himself, but would a kind person bound and gag a Hobbit for no reason? Finally deciding that perhaps it was best to wait until morning, he relaxed in his bonds, only to find that his hands could slide around behind his back. Seeing this as an advantage, he rolled over onto his other side and felt along the ground with his right hand.
A sharp pain passed through one of his fingers as it found a sharp rock.
'Perfect,' he thought. Scooting closer to it, he began to quietly drag whatever held his wrists together over the edge of the rock. Another match was lit, except brighter, and behind him. Peregrin froze, hoping that it was not enough light for anyone to see him in.
A rough hand reached down and lifted him up off of the ground about a foot by his hair. He cringed, wanting to cry out, but couldn't because of the gag.
"Tryin' to escape, are we?" a gruff voice hissed in his ear. Peregrin tried to wrench his head around to see who was speaking, but whoever it was shook him violently for a second. He froze again, hoping that it was all a dream. It couldn't really be happening. How could it if he didn't even remember how he had gotten there?
The person dropped him back onto the ground. "Lousy Hobbits." Peregrin wanted to run away, but he obviously couldn't. He could feel tears forming in his eyes in desperation, but blinked them away. Although he was trembling with fear on the inside, perhaps if he looked brave on the outside, whoever was there would leave him alone to wait for morning.
* * *
The sun rose slowly over the horizon, filtering through the branches of the trees, and soon lit up the small alcove, where Peregrin lay waiting for light. His eyes flickered open, and he gasped softly when he saw his cousin, Meriadoc Brandybuck, lying a few feet from him. There was a large gash in his right cheek. Peregrin, forgetting about the gag, tried to shout to him.
A large, cruel-looking man looked over. Peregrin's eyes locked with his, the young Hobbit now realizing his mistake. The man walked over and swiftly kicked him in the gut. Peregrin once again tried to swallow a cry, not that he could cry out anyway.
"Keep it down, ya filthy urchin," he growled. Another person appeared, a girl, dropping a bunch of firewood on the ground. She went over and pulled the man away from Peregrin. The girl looked a bit calmer and gentler than the other.
"Leave him alone, Byrn," she said. The rough man sulked away, and the girl leaned down closer to Peregrin. The Hobbit cringed away, afraid of what the she might do. "I'm not going to hurt you."
Hesitating, Peregrin sat up a little. She untied the gag. Fresh air filled the Hobbit's mouth and lungs. It felt good to have the gag out. He somehow managed out a thank you in between deep breaths. The girl smiled and went over to Meriadoc. Peregrin watched her closely, making sure she wouldn't hurt his cousin, although it seemed clear that she had no intention of hurting anyone.
Leaning over the unconscious Hobbit, the girl took out a flask of water and a cloth. Pouring some water on the cloth, she began dabbing Meriadoc's wound with it. Peregrin flinched, thinking about how much it might hurt if his friend were conscious.
"Careful," Peregrin said softly, his voice hoarse. The girl looked up at him. "Ehm. . .well, you don't want to hurt him." She laughed quietly.
"Don't worry, Hobbit," she replied. "I know what I'm doing." She looked back to Meriadoc.
"Pippin."
"What?" Her attention returned to the conscious Hobbit.
He stopped, almost not answering. It had been a reflex to blurt out his name. "P-Pippin. . .they call me Pippin."
"And they call me Iris, but you don't see me announcing it to perfect strangers." She gave him a sly grin. "Now, if you please, I need to heal your friend's wounds so that they don't get infected." With that, Iris' attention returned to Meriadoc's wound.
After about fifteen minutes, she stood and, wiping her hands on her worn brown trousers, began to go over to where the man was cooking something over the fire. "Wait," Pippin said quickly. "I was wondering. . .perhaps you could help me with something?"
"What is it?" Iris asked, going to him.
"Well. . .it's just, I don't remember how I got here or where I am," Pippin explained.
She sighed, sitting beside him. "I am not sure if it is my place to tell you. If you do not remember, perhaps it is for the best." Pippin of course wondered what she meant, but did not question her on it. She clearly did not think he should know. . .whatever it was. Merry stirred. The two looked to him, as he groaned and opened his eyes, looking around. His eyes rested on Pippin and Iris.
"Pip?" he said softly. Iris said nothing to him, just glanced at Pippin, then stood and went to her companion. Pippin scooted quickly over next to his cousin, smiling happily.
"Merry! Bless you, you're awake!" he cried.
"Pip, what's going on?"
"I've been wondering that myself for quite some time," said Pippin. "I don't know where we are. . .or how we got here. It's strange, Merry, and I want to go home."
"Well, without knowing where we are, that seems rather impossible," Merry told him. He was silent a moment, looking away from his younger cousin, deep in thought. After a moment, he gaze returned to meet Pippin's. "You sure you don't remember anything?"
Pippin thought a moment. His memory was blurred; no clear thoughts came to him. He almost remembered the cold of water, as if from a stream, on his feet, and pain, as if a blade was thrust through his shoulder. However, he shook his head. "No. . .no, I don't remember anything."
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A/N: Yes, rather short, I know. I'm not very good at first chapters. I hope you'll review with CONSTRUCTIVE criticism, if you please. Plot will build later on, so keep reading!
