Chapter 5

Not as Planned

Merry opened his eyes and immediately wished he hadn't. His head ached so badly he felt sure he would pass out again. He was sure the last blow to his head had reopened the gash he carried from his encounters at Parth Galen. Dried blood clung to his face and was tangible on his tongue.

The small band of Uruk-hai sat just under the eaves of the trees with their backs to him; near enough to watch him closely but far enough away to be out of his reach. Merry wondered at this, until he saw that every one of them had varying degrees of injuries. A grim smile creased the corners of his parched lips as he noticed Uglúk's left arm was gone and only a bloody stump remained. So his little outburst with the knife hadn't been completely useless after all. He knew his actions wouldn't go unrewarded, but at least punishment was postponed; if only for a short while.

He guessed that Uglúk was exercising a lot of self control to obey his orders and resist tearing him limb from limb right now. Maybe that wouldn't be such a bad thing, in the long run. No-one was coming to rescue him, of that Merry was now almost certain. The only reason he hadn't completely given up before was Pippin, but now that he was gone... Was there any real point continuing?

He could see the whole of Orthanc to the south and the thought of what awaited him there made his empty stomach twist into knots. Once in there, he would never return. It would only be a matter of time before the arts of Saruman of many colours forced every secret in his mind to come pouring out of his mouth.

He couldn't allow that to happen. It would destroy any chance Frodo ever had of destroying the ring. The plot would be out and the Ringbearer would be dead by the next sunrise, soon to be followed by all goodness in the world as Sauron returned to power.

He couldn't let it happen. He could never let himself be responsible for all that. Frodo was as dear to Merry as Pippin had been. They had been like the younger and older brothers he had never had. Frodo had taught him to pilfer vegetables and cakes, to avoid well deserved punishments, to climb, swim and all the other things he in turn had taught Pippin. He couldn't let Frodo suffer any more than he was presently with the ring.

Frodo deserved none of this and Merry had sworn an oath to him long ago back in the Crickhollow kitchen. His own words came drifting back to him. "It all depends on what you want. You can trust us to stick to you through thick and thin - to the bitter end. And you can trust us to keep any secret of yours - closer than you keep it yourself. But you cannot trust us to let you face trouble alone, and go off without a word. We are your friends, Frodo." He didn't know if Frodo had taken it as an oath but that was how he had meant it. That promise had got him here and he'd keep it if it killed him.

He had to escape; escape now or die trying. He could not let this pathetic group of puppet Orcs take him any closer to betraying his cousin.

Merry's mind was storming its way though a turmoil of escape plans when, without warning, a hand was clamped firmly over his mouth, preventing a cry of shock. He was too surprised to move and was not entirely sure if he should. The hand was definitely not that of an Orc. The sound of low breathing was distantly familiar from all those times he had been on guard duty; he could distinguish any member of the fellowship just by their breathing.

The quiet voice, however, made his heart leap for joy as he realised what he had deemed impossible was actually happening. "Merry, stay still and quiet. Let me help you and you will soon be free of this...unfavourable company." Legolas' tone of voice was calm and confident.

Merry thought he would explode with happiness. He could not believe it. He hadn't even dared to dream that anyone would follow him rather than Frodo. Yet, he could even now feel the elf, he had thought so far away, lifting him as if he weighed nothing and was liable to break at a moments notice. The hobbit didn't move a muscle, but relaxed into Legolas' arms; feeling safe for the first time in as many months as he cared to count.

ooo

Legolas clutched his friend to his chest and disappeared almost at once into the trees as silently as a moth. Merry seemed awake but barely there. He was covered in many wounds, few of them petty. A gash on his forehead was bleeding quite freely; and everything from his sunken eyes and drawn face, to how light he was, spoke of starvation and dehydration. He was in a similar state to how Pippin had been when Legolas had found him. These hobbits had never done anything to deserve such harsh treatment as he had seen them suffer in the past few weeks.

Suddenly, a cry went up from behind them. Merry's disappearance had been noticed and the Orcs would even now be heading for them. Legolas started running, yet the Uruk-hai were already everywhere. Every direction he turned he could hear Orcs. He was trapped.

Without pausing to think he crouched by a tree, placing Merry carefully by its feet. He grabbed his white knife, swiftly cutting through the ropes that clung to the hobbits wrists and ankles. He put a steadying hand on his shoulder and forced his dazed and confused friend to look at him. "Listen to me, Merry. You must not be found! As soon as you get a chance head due north for a mile or two and you'll find a friend waiting for you. No matter what happens, no matter what you see or hear, look back!" Understanding flashed for a moment between the two pairs of bright green eyes.

ooo

Before Merry had a chance to open his mouth in protest Legolas had turned and run headlong into the trees. Sounds came from all around of Uruk-hai tearing apart the landscape in search of their lost prisoner. "No, Legolas! Legolas, come back!" Merry whispered desperately. This wasn't right. This reminded him too much of himself and Pippin distracting the Orcs at Parth Galen so Frodo could escape.

He had to run, Merry knew it. Legolas was armed and he was not. He would be of no help and would only get in the way. (That was all he had seemed to do since Rivendale: slow everyone up, like a piece of unwanted baggage.) It had to be now. There would be no other chance to escape after this. He seized his opportunity with both hands. As soon as the coast was clear and began to run as fast as he could force his aching legs to carry him.

ooo

Legolas placed an arrow to the string of his bow, pushing his back to a tree. He could see Merry disappearing through the forest, heading straight for where he had left Pippin with the horse. He had done everything he could and now all he had to do was create a suitable distraction. He knew that even the most highly trained Uruk wouldn't be able to resist the chance to slaughter an elf.

Taking a deep steadying breath, he leapt round the wide trunk and sent his arrows flying in every direction. They imbedded themselves into the first of his shocked quarry killing them instantly, but not before one of them could let out a howl of agonised rage. Excellent. The attention of every Orc in the vicinity should now be successfully grasped. Almost at once, nine Orcs came charging through the trees, armed to the teeth. Again, arrows flew deftly from the Lorien bow, killing their targets with lethal accuracy.

Adrenalin was flooding Legolas. He was winning, the advantage swiftly becoming his. Abruptly, something hit him in the back and moments later his face contorted as a sudden explosion of white hot pain erupted in his chest.

The bow fell from his hand and he looked down. An arrow head stuck defiantly into his view, out of his skin near to the. Bright red blood mixed with black poison dripped from the point, hissing as it landed on the leaf strung ground.

The breath caught in his throat and suddenly breathing became a lot harder. He was shocked beyond thought, but something screamed at him that he couldn't give up. His hand flew unconsciously to his knife and, whirling around, he hurled himself on the smirking Uruk that had shot him from behind.

He would kill every Orc in his reach before he despaired of the life that was now doing its best to flee his body. If he gave in now then the Uruks would find Merry before he could escape and the quest of the ring would fall into jeopardy. However, even as these thoughts brushed against the strange calm that had settled over him, more Orcs burst into the clearing.

He was on fire now, knife a blur of motion and instant death for any creature that found itself in its reach. His hand was going numb and he could feel darkness creeping into the corners of his mind, but resolve drove him on. He fell to his knees unable to stand anymore, but still slammed his blade into his enemies. "Strange," he thought, "Boromir and I will die so similarly. I hope I earn even as half as much honour as he did."

ooo

Merry pushed on, stumbling over large tree roots. He could hear terrible noises behind him. Screams of pain, terror and ferocity echoed after him and his muddled brain was unable to tell whether any of them belonged to the elf.

Shoving such thoughts out of his head, he limped on; defying the pain in every part of his body. Legolas' last wish had been for him to survive and he would not purposefully deny him that. The sound of running feet pounding after him suddenly caught his ears and he fled, heedless of the branches that slashed his face.

The footsteps continued to come.

Glancing behind, Merry was just in time to see Uglúk hurling himself forward before he went down with a thud, the Orc pinning him to the ground.

Merry could hardly breathe from the stench and the weight that now smothered him. Its eyes were glowing with unsuppressed wrath and his voice was riddled with hate. "You and your disgusting friend have been nothing but trouble since the moment we took you! You have destined yourself to suffer the slowest and most painful methods of "questioning" that Isengard can offer. You have only made your situation worse and have killed yet another of your worthless, so-called friends."

Merry froze. It couldn't be true. It was inconceivable Legolas had lost to the Orcs. Uglúk was just trying to scare him and make him despair. He struggled again, but Uglúk wouldn't let go of him. He was surprisingly strong despite the loss of his arm. Merry fought with all his might but his strength was failing and he could already feel think cords being bound about him.

"Help! Legolas, help!" He was desperate. He twisted his face round and spat vehemently up at his attacker getting him straight in the eye. "Let go of me you filthy..." He was prevented from continuing by the hard punch full in the face. His head swam and through the haze he tasted blood.

ooo

Uglúk grabbed his prisoner and shoved a dirty rag into its mouth and blocked any further protests that would have been likely to flow from it if not prevented. "You will pay for this, you vermin!" he growled the now incapacitated hobbit, wishing he could finish with the thing now.

He picked the tiny creature up and tossed him over his shoulder like a sack. He started out in the direction of the cries of torment that still reverberated from the clearing where he had left the others to deal with that elf. He smiled evilly as a cry met his ears that definitely didn't belong to one of his men. By the sound of things, there might not be that much left of the creature for him to deal with.