Sorry this has taken so long to get out to you guys, but I hope it's been
worth the wait.
Chapter 8:
"It all started when Diamond asked me where my scarf was, my blue and green check one remember? She wanted me to have it for a party last night, and she went to look for it, and it wasn't there; that was when we realized that I'd left it at Brandy Hall last time I came to visit , so she packed my bag and sent me off to come and get it. I've been riding since late last night, and I arrived at yours at around five this evening. Estella told me what had happened, and what you were doing, so I followed you! Like I said, I wasn't about to let you two have all the fun, now was I!"
Satisfied that he had had the centre of attention for at least five minutes, Pippin sat back contendedly and puffed at his pipe, gently blowing smoke rings up into the night air. Frodo watched contendedly, as a particularly large smoke ring hovered over their heads, before drifting away on the soft night breeze. As Merry and Pippin discussed their journey in low voices, Frodo curled up and went to sleep, dreaming of Eowyn, and hoping that she was alright.
***
Eowyn sat up. Everything was dark. Her head throbbed, and she ached all over as if she'd been thrown. Her hands were tied, and the ropes cut into her wrists. Her ankles had been treated to this as well. She'd been blindfolded, and it was tied so tight it hurt. She tried to remember anything that could help her work out who had kidnapped her, but they hadn't given her a chance to see. Her thoughts raced back to Frodo. He must be feeling so upset. He wouldn't understand why she'd gone. What if he hated her when she got back? If she got back....... With these final thoughts, her eyes filled with tears. Fighting to keep calm, she quieted and listened for a sound. Any sound, anything to help her figure out where she might be. Nothing. She was utterly alone. Lying down arkwardly, she cried herself to sleep.
***
The morning dawned bright and early. Frodo was first to wake shortly after dawn, and immeadiatly started on breakfast. Ten minutes later, the enticing smells wafting from the small fire, would been enough to wake anyone, but especially Pippin! He swiftly crawled out of his bedroll, and over to where Frodo was finishing off. Merry soon followed, many years experience had taught him that if he left it a few more minutes, Pippin would have consumed his own food and at least half of Merry's. They ate quickly, before packing up their camp and erasing all signs of their stay. Setting a swift pace, they set off along the road, checking regularly for the footmarks that showed they were on the right track. The ride was completely different to the previous day's. Within an hour Pippin was singing songs all hobbits are taught when they're barely able to walk. They stopped for a brief lunch, still remaining cheerful, before continuing on along the road. By nightfall they could see the lights of Bree shining out into the gloom. All trace of merriment vanished as the purpose of the journey returned. Wanting to wait until morning to follow the tracks, they settled down in a hollow a little way from the road. Unease spread among them like a fire, and to be safe they set a watch during the night. Merry went first, followed by Pippin with Frodo taking last watch a few hours before dawn. It was quiet. Eerily quiet, and Frodo huddled deeper into his cloak to try and shake the cold fear gnawing at his heart. Long tendrils of fog snaked around the campers, chilling to the bone and so thick that Frodo couldn't see his hand in front of his face. It closed in around them, hiding them from view and dulling the senses. Frodo struggled to stay awake, listening for the birds to sing out the morning. They never came. The light grew stronger, and the fog thinned slightly, but still, there was no song to break the silence. Quickly Frodo roused his Uncles, and they ate a small breakfast before setting out again. They led the ponies along the road, so that they were able to see the trail easily, and came to the gates of Bree. The footmarks stopped, and seeing no other choice they knocked and entered.
***
Eowyn no longer knew how long she'd been here. At first she tried to keep track of the hours that passed, but the everlasting darkness soon consumed her, and she knew no more... She was alone and afraid, and her arms and legs screamed from the pain of the ropes binding her. Her hope had died and she was left alone with nothing.... Alone and afraid...
***
First stop was "the Prancing Pony", where Pippin rediscovered pints... Merry and Frodo dumped the luggage, and set off to question Barleyman Butterbur about the doings in Bree, and if he had seen or heard of anyone suspicious that had been about in the past few days. Butterbur was thrilled to see them, immeadiatly launching into telling them all that had happened in the past three years. Althoug hPippin and Merry now stayed in the Shire for the most part, occasionally theu went off for sometimes up to two weeks with no warning. On most of these excursions, they came to stay at "the Prancing Pony", but having been busy for sometime, they hadn't had a chance to come for the past three years. When the subject of Bree was almost exhausted over an hour later, it being a quiet afternoon Butterbur had been ablt to stay and talk, Merry asked tentativley about any strangeness in the past few days.
" Well now you come to mention it, there were a couple of strange men three nights back. Now let me think...Ah yes, two arrived four nights past, then the nastier of the two took up with Old Bill Ferny's nephew. You remember Ferny? Well a few years back his nephew came to look after him, more like to spend his money! Anyway this young Ferny, Stephen his name is, they were huddled in a corner talking together, and later the trwo of them dissapeared. We didn't see them for a few days, and I only noticed young Ferny was gone, because he's normally in here every night till closing time, drinking Bill's money away! Anyway, they got back last nigth, sometime before tea. Didn't say where they'd been though..."
Butterbur gazed thoughtfully at them for a few minutes before struggling to his feet with a sigh and turning to leave the room. At the door he turned back and nodding to Mery, said
" I hope what you've heard as been of use to you."
And then he left the room, shutting the door quietly behind him. Frodo and Merry sat in silence for a while , contemplating what they'd been told, before Frodo asked quietly,
"Do you think it's them?"
"I don't know. I wouldn't be at all surprised if it was. The times work, they got back yesterday which makes sense, when they left also seems to fit... We're just going to have to find out."
Resolve showed on Merry's tired face, and they got up to get a few hours sleep before planning how they could find out where Eowyn was.
Chapter 8:
"It all started when Diamond asked me where my scarf was, my blue and green check one remember? She wanted me to have it for a party last night, and she went to look for it, and it wasn't there; that was when we realized that I'd left it at Brandy Hall last time I came to visit , so she packed my bag and sent me off to come and get it. I've been riding since late last night, and I arrived at yours at around five this evening. Estella told me what had happened, and what you were doing, so I followed you! Like I said, I wasn't about to let you two have all the fun, now was I!"
Satisfied that he had had the centre of attention for at least five minutes, Pippin sat back contendedly and puffed at his pipe, gently blowing smoke rings up into the night air. Frodo watched contendedly, as a particularly large smoke ring hovered over their heads, before drifting away on the soft night breeze. As Merry and Pippin discussed their journey in low voices, Frodo curled up and went to sleep, dreaming of Eowyn, and hoping that she was alright.
***
Eowyn sat up. Everything was dark. Her head throbbed, and she ached all over as if she'd been thrown. Her hands were tied, and the ropes cut into her wrists. Her ankles had been treated to this as well. She'd been blindfolded, and it was tied so tight it hurt. She tried to remember anything that could help her work out who had kidnapped her, but they hadn't given her a chance to see. Her thoughts raced back to Frodo. He must be feeling so upset. He wouldn't understand why she'd gone. What if he hated her when she got back? If she got back....... With these final thoughts, her eyes filled with tears. Fighting to keep calm, she quieted and listened for a sound. Any sound, anything to help her figure out where she might be. Nothing. She was utterly alone. Lying down arkwardly, she cried herself to sleep.
***
The morning dawned bright and early. Frodo was first to wake shortly after dawn, and immeadiatly started on breakfast. Ten minutes later, the enticing smells wafting from the small fire, would been enough to wake anyone, but especially Pippin! He swiftly crawled out of his bedroll, and over to where Frodo was finishing off. Merry soon followed, many years experience had taught him that if he left it a few more minutes, Pippin would have consumed his own food and at least half of Merry's. They ate quickly, before packing up their camp and erasing all signs of their stay. Setting a swift pace, they set off along the road, checking regularly for the footmarks that showed they were on the right track. The ride was completely different to the previous day's. Within an hour Pippin was singing songs all hobbits are taught when they're barely able to walk. They stopped for a brief lunch, still remaining cheerful, before continuing on along the road. By nightfall they could see the lights of Bree shining out into the gloom. All trace of merriment vanished as the purpose of the journey returned. Wanting to wait until morning to follow the tracks, they settled down in a hollow a little way from the road. Unease spread among them like a fire, and to be safe they set a watch during the night. Merry went first, followed by Pippin with Frodo taking last watch a few hours before dawn. It was quiet. Eerily quiet, and Frodo huddled deeper into his cloak to try and shake the cold fear gnawing at his heart. Long tendrils of fog snaked around the campers, chilling to the bone and so thick that Frodo couldn't see his hand in front of his face. It closed in around them, hiding them from view and dulling the senses. Frodo struggled to stay awake, listening for the birds to sing out the morning. They never came. The light grew stronger, and the fog thinned slightly, but still, there was no song to break the silence. Quickly Frodo roused his Uncles, and they ate a small breakfast before setting out again. They led the ponies along the road, so that they were able to see the trail easily, and came to the gates of Bree. The footmarks stopped, and seeing no other choice they knocked and entered.
***
Eowyn no longer knew how long she'd been here. At first she tried to keep track of the hours that passed, but the everlasting darkness soon consumed her, and she knew no more... She was alone and afraid, and her arms and legs screamed from the pain of the ropes binding her. Her hope had died and she was left alone with nothing.... Alone and afraid...
***
First stop was "the Prancing Pony", where Pippin rediscovered pints... Merry and Frodo dumped the luggage, and set off to question Barleyman Butterbur about the doings in Bree, and if he had seen or heard of anyone suspicious that had been about in the past few days. Butterbur was thrilled to see them, immeadiatly launching into telling them all that had happened in the past three years. Althoug hPippin and Merry now stayed in the Shire for the most part, occasionally theu went off for sometimes up to two weeks with no warning. On most of these excursions, they came to stay at "the Prancing Pony", but having been busy for sometime, they hadn't had a chance to come for the past three years. When the subject of Bree was almost exhausted over an hour later, it being a quiet afternoon Butterbur had been ablt to stay and talk, Merry asked tentativley about any strangeness in the past few days.
" Well now you come to mention it, there were a couple of strange men three nights back. Now let me think...Ah yes, two arrived four nights past, then the nastier of the two took up with Old Bill Ferny's nephew. You remember Ferny? Well a few years back his nephew came to look after him, more like to spend his money! Anyway this young Ferny, Stephen his name is, they were huddled in a corner talking together, and later the trwo of them dissapeared. We didn't see them for a few days, and I only noticed young Ferny was gone, because he's normally in here every night till closing time, drinking Bill's money away! Anyway, they got back last nigth, sometime before tea. Didn't say where they'd been though..."
Butterbur gazed thoughtfully at them for a few minutes before struggling to his feet with a sigh and turning to leave the room. At the door he turned back and nodding to Mery, said
" I hope what you've heard as been of use to you."
And then he left the room, shutting the door quietly behind him. Frodo and Merry sat in silence for a while , contemplating what they'd been told, before Frodo asked quietly,
"Do you think it's them?"
"I don't know. I wouldn't be at all surprised if it was. The times work, they got back yesterday which makes sense, when they left also seems to fit... We're just going to have to find out."
Resolve showed on Merry's tired face, and they got up to get a few hours sleep before planning how they could find out where Eowyn was.
