Moria's Revenge, Chapter 18: Refused
Authors: Kookaburra & Llinos
A/N: Somewhat OOC. Elf lovers beware.
Disclaimer: Well, duh.
As dawn broke Aragorn had risen again and examined Pippin carefully. His temperature was higher and the ranger feared the venereal disease was taking hold, making him feverish and ill. He needed urgent treatment for this, it was a sore trial for someone in otherwise good health, but Pippin had no resistance or resources left.
Sam was already awake and busy, preparing breakfast over a tiny fire he had lit. Aragorn went over to him. "I need the fungus of which we spoke, Sam. Pippin is feverish and he needs its healing properties quite soon."
"I know where they grow," Sam said always pleased when Aragorn called on him for help. "I found some two days ago. It's the snake butter mushroom, as we calls it."
"Aye Sam that's the one." Aragorn smiled at the knowledgeable little gardener, "could you fetch me some now? I'm sure Gimli will go with you for protection." The whole camp was now stirring and the dwarf collected his axe ready to escort Sam on his mission.
"We'll finish making breakfast." Frodo saw the torn look on Sam's face, wanting to rush off to find medicine for Pippin, but reluctant to leave his cooking duties.
"But Mr Frodo, mind we've only got a little of the flour left, those drop scones need." Sam started to protest.
"Off you go Sam." Frodo took up the pan and started to shake the contents less than expertly. Sam bit his lip before he said anything derogatory about Frodo's cooking and quickly left with Gimli.
Legolas meanwhile had turned Pippin carefully on his side, nestling him into the warg so that she could nurse him. Aragorn came and stood beside them waiting for the elf to finish arranging the halfling. "It is good that the warg can still make milk for him." Aragorn bent to stroke Icicle's head. "It will have to be all the sustenance he has for now."
Legolas looked at Aragorn in surprise. "But surely you would want the little one weaned soon to speed his recovery both in body and mind?"
"The disease is taking hold, I fear." Aragorn shook his head a little in dismay. "He will need to fast to prevent it from worsening. I have sent Sam for a healing fungus, that alone he must eat, then his system should be purged to cure the syphilis, although I hope the milk will not harm him, it is little enough."
Aragorn had not actually tried to feed Pippin anything so far. He was very nervous at how the halfling would react to being given the mushroom. Anything that had to be put in his mouth would be bound to make him react. He remembered the way Pippin had been so afraid when he made him suck medicine from his finger and later how he had acquiesced to the procedure, even seeking it in a resigned and tortured way, perhaps believing he would be beaten if he did not. "Which had probably been the case."
"What was the case?" Aragorn was startled to see Sam standing there, looking quizzically at him with his head on one side.
"Nothing. I'm sorry," The ranger realised his thoughts had become spoken. "Ah you have it. Well done Sam!" Aragorn took one of the two large mushrooms and knelt down to Pippin. Icicle growled a little warning and placed a large paw on Pippin's head.
"It's all right little mother," Aragorn glanced back up to Sam and Gimli who had now joined him. "Could you two persuade Icicle that it's time for breakfast, that's if Frodo hasn't incinerated it all."
"Come on Icicle, food." Gimli coaxed the warg to leave her cub for a moment. She looked at Aragorn, her head on one side and decided he could baby-sit for a while. Gimli slipped a leash on her and led her over to the small fire. Sam went as well, anxious to rescue what smelled suspiciously like a somewhat overcooked breakfast.
Pippin had dozed back off snuggled up to Ice Fang, but as she left he woke again, fearful without the warmth of the warg next to him. Aragorn gently enfolded him and sat him up, lifting him onto his lap.
Pippin looked up fearfully. It was Master. The dreams had left him. It had seemed for a while that he was safe, that kind voices and gentle arms had surrounded him. Now he was thrust back into reality, his waking nightmare had returned. Master, the brutal orc, that in the hobbit's weird perception looked like dear Strider, was holding him, touching him.
"It's all right Pippin." The voice was Strider's, perhaps it was true, Pippin scarcely dared believe it, nightmares, dreams and reality, they were all becoming so blurred.
"I need you to eat this nice mushroom for me." Strider/Master tore off a piece of mushroom and put it to his lips his large fingers pushing it into his mouth.
**** Flashback ****
"C'mon little rat! We've get ter feed ya somthin' if'n yer gonna stay alive fer the chief. 'Ere, lads! give us one 'o those nice big 'shrooms." Crugsyl took him over to a bench and sat Pippin in his lap. He held up a large, brown mushroom. Pippin's mouth was watering, he desperately wanted to eat, but he was justifiably wary of anything the orcs wanted to put into his mouth. He tried to avoid the mushroom as it was forced at him, but huge hands gripped his face and made him open his mouth.
Crugsyl broke off a piece of the mushroom and stuffed it down Pippin's throat. Pippin gagged on the huge finger, but managed to swallow the piece of fungus. Crugsyl repeated the gesture until the mushroom was all gone. His vision swam, and he felt like lead weights had been tied to his limbs.
****
Pippin clamped him mouth shut as tightly as he could. He had forgotten what hunger was, but he remembered very well what happened when he had eaten the mushroom.
"Please, Master, please," Pippin squeaked trying not to open his mouth too much for fear of the mushroom being pushed inside. "Master, don't make me, please, I'll be good, I'll suck and do what you want. I'll be a good dog. Please don't make me."
"Pippin, it's only a mushroom. It's to make you bett." Aragorn remembered that word was misunderstood. "It's to stop you being ill. Pippin, dear heart, please trust me."
The others now, alerted by Pippin's crying came over to see what had distressed him so much. Merry stood well back, remembering Aragorn's warnings but Legolas and Boromir came closer to see if they could help in some way.
Aragorn did not force the mushroom into the hobbits mouth but he did not release him either. Pippin squirmed in the ranger's arms; frantic with fear for what would happen when he was made to eat the fungus.
**** Flashback ****
Pippin looked up at Boromir. The rest of the Fellowship stood around him in a circle, laughing and pointing at him. //Boromir! Help me please, I'm so scared, I just want to go home, I'll never annoy you again, just help me please// Then he saw the cruel whip in Boromir's hand. //no, please Boromir, why are you mad with me, I'm sorry, s-s-sorry, please...// The lash descended and Pippin screamed. The fire licked his back many times, and just before he blacked out, he could see Boromir passing the whip to Strider and Legolas.
****
"Will he not take it?" Boromir stood in front of the ranger, looking with concern at Pippin's huddled form in Aragorn's lap. The hobbit's eyes were filled with fear and his mouth was clamped tightly shut.
"No, I suspect he fears to have things put in his mouth." Aragorn withdrew the piece of fungus. "Although I would have thought a mushroom would tempt him more than most things, Merry says all hobbits love mushrooms, Pippin included."
"Does it matter?" Boromir queried. "Surely he has enough sustenance from the warg's milk."
"It is for medicinal purposes, not nutrition, that he needs to eat it." Aragorn knew he had to get Pippin to take the mushroom somehow. "I would get Sam to cook it, but that will rob it of its potency."
"Break it smaller," suggested Frodo. "Try just a tiny piece."
Aragorn tore the merest shred off the piece of mushroom and finally managed to put that in Pippin's mouth but this caused Pippin to hyperventilate so badly that he could not be made to have any more.
"Perhaps it's because you're putting it in his mouth," Legolas offered. "Can you not take the bandages from his arms and let him feed himself?"
"That is worth trying." Aragorn agreed and carefully undid the restricting bindings, while Sam took the mushroom to chop it up and put it in a dish.
Aragorn sat a bemused Pippin down on the ground and offered the dish to him. "Come on Pippin, eat the mushroom, it's your favourite." Pippin cringed away, so Aragorn placed the dish on the ground just in front of him and stepped back a pace.
Pippin was utterly confused and muddled now. He looked up at the others standing around him, gazing down at him, suddenly all he could see were orc faces. Then Master was there, he was urging him to eat from a dish. This was familiar, but terrible. He knew what would happen - if he did not eat he would be beaten, if he did he would be burnt with a hot poker. But then would come the painful gag. He had to try and do something.
As Pippin sat on the ground large tears rolled down his cheeks and he sobbed bitterly in his agony of indecision, knowing that whatever he did it would be wrong.
"Please Pippin, try and eat it," Frodo coaxed him. "It's quite safe, it won't hurt you."
The gentle voice was different, softer, more familiar, less frightening. Pippin tentatively reached out to the plate. Then in a panic pulled his hand away as if remembering a hurt, a shock. He crouched down on all fours and pushed his head towards the plate. Frodo started to say something, but Aragorn caught his eye and shook his head. It was important for Pippin to eat this mushroom no matter how he did it.
He caught a small piece in his teeth and backed away, but almost immediately he dropped it with a heart-rending scream. He curled up into a foetal ball and refused to move, until they finally brought Ice fang back and he buried his face in her coat, too distraught to even look up.
"We can't upset him any more." Aragorn decided. "We need to move on today and start soon if we are to reach Lothlórien by nightfall. Sam take a few more of the mushrooms with us and we will have to try again later."
Pippin's bandages were changed again, although Aragorn decided to leave his arms unbound now, as he did not move too much. Frodo and Sam dressed Pippin carefully in a spare shirt and then the hobbit was wrapped in several blankets and carried in turn by Legolas and the two men, whilst Gimli took charge of Icicle.
The party was soon packed and ready to go, each of the hobbits carrying more than usual, as the baggage was spread around to allow one less pack for whoever was carrying Pippin. Although Boromir could not help but comment how frighteningly light the little one had become.
The terrain gradually changed as they journeyed, becoming less rocky as they descended to a lush green valley with more and more trees. Legolas started to look very comfortable and relaxed, his growing composure in stark contrast to Gimli's increasing discomfort and anxiety.
"Are you sure this is a good idea, Aragorn?" He asked yet again. "Surely there will be some caves where we could rest the little one more safely."
Suddenly the company found themselves surrounded by a ring of fair elves clad cunningly to blend in with the woods. A masterly seeming elf stepped forward.
"You breathed so loud we could have shot you in the dark." He said with a distinct sneer in his voice. Turning to Legolas he said something in elvish. Frodo could only understand bits and pieces of it, as he only knew the language of the elves of Mirkwood. It was something about bringing a taint into...someplace. Some sort of shiny plant. Legolas answered the elf. They went on like this for a few minutes, and soon Aragorn got involved. Frodo caught some more words. "hadhod" kept popping into the conversation, so Frodo figured the elves were simply being stubborn about letting Gimli in. Finally the "animated discussion" died down, and Aragorn and Legolas turned to the group.
"I am afraid that my kinsmen are being rather inhospitable," said Legolas. "They will allow Master Gimli in on one condition. He must enter Lothlórien blindfolded." Gimli naturally did not take this very well. Frodo decided that he did not really like the blonde elf smiling smugly at him from several yards away.
At that moment Icicle decided to make her appearance. The Fellowship had let her off the leash as she was certainly not going to abandon Pippin, and it gave her a chance to stretch her legs, although it was slightly disconcerting when she started to bring back small animals and present them to whoever was carrying Pippin.
When the warg suddenly stuck her head out from a bush behind Merry, there was a collective gasp of horror from the elves, and all the bows immediately oriented on her.
"Wait!" cried Aragorn, "Do not shoot, she is harmless!" The elf in charge looked at Aragorn as if he had suddenly grown another head.
"A warg? Harmless? Surely you jest! Now stand aside so that I can send the beast to the netherworld where its ilk belongs!"
At this, Merry knelt down and took Icicle's head in his arms. He was soon joined by Frodo and Sam. "P-please, Mr. Elf, Icicle is keeping poor Mr. Pippin alive. He needs her!" The elf's eyebrows, while not touching his hairline, were making a valiant attempt.
"Icicle?" he asked incredulously. "It has a name?
"Not 'it', she." Corrected Merry. "And she's quite tame. And Pippin needs her!"
"Pippin?"
Boromir stepped forwards with the tiny blanket wrapped form in his arms. "One of our number who fell into the clutches of the orcs of Moria. His hurts are grievous, and he requires Icicle's milk and care." Haldir reached out and drew back the fold of cloth that covered Pippin's face. As the light hit Pippin's eyes they blinked slowly open. Haldir did not miss the parasites scurrying for cover in the perian's curls. His lip raised slightly in disgust.
By this time Pippin's eyes had finished focusing, and he realised that he was being examined by a stranger. Now his eyes widened in fear. Boromir could feel his breaths coming faster and shorter. He moved away so as to spare Pippin the terror, and replaced the blanket over the frightened hobbit's face.
The elf cocked a haughtily arched eyebrow. "The sight of my face does not usually send children into a panic. Perhaps we should discuss the situation over a meal." At his orders food was brought forth and the travellers at least ate well as it was a fine repast.
The elf was more horrified than Merry had been when Boromir set Pippin against Icicle's side to suckle. The hobbits learned that the name of the elf was Haldir. Aragorn explained what was necessary for Haldir to know about what had happened to Pippin and he sat in stony silence for a minute after Aragorn finished.
"You ask much, Legolas." He finally said. "I do not know if it may all be granted on account of kinship. The dwarf we were hard put to allow, but a warg and one who has orc-taint..." Haldir did not get a chance to finish. Merry jumped up with a cry of rage.
"You make it sound as if it were Pippin's fault!" He shouted. "Pippin was kidnapped! He was forced against his will! Who knows what horrors were visited on him in the caves, and you suggest that it was somehow his fault!" Aragorn tried to calm him down to no avail. He had to restrain Merry from jumping on the superior elf and striking him with his fist. Merry raged on. "Do you think Pippin WANTED to be taken, to be... to be..." Merry's voice broke, and already tears were leaking down his face. His anger burned out and he allowed Strider to ease him back down to a sitting position. Merry was still breathing hard from his outburst for some time. Haldir did not answer the hobbit.
Pippin lay huddled up against Icicle while this argument continued. He was very confused about where he was and what the talk was about. His fever had increased and Umummmum seemed upset, she was giving low growls every so often. He could hear the new one speaking, the one who looked like Legolas, but sounded quite different, so Pippin reasoned he must be an elf too. He knew they were all talking about him and the new strange elf said he was an orc. 'Was that true?' Pippin wondered. 'That must be why the others were beating him and trying to make him better, he had been turned into an orc, he wasn't a hobbit any more.' Pippin heard the others arguing with the elf, Merry was shouting. 'Why had they brought him here? Pippin wondered. 'Perhaps they wanted the elves to turn him back into a hobbit. But this elf obviously didn't think he was worth the trouble.'
"Surely elves do not pass judgement on the innocent victims of their enemies." Aragorn was as outraged as Merry, but controlled his anger.
"I will leave that decision to the Lady," Haldir conceded at last. "But if the dwarf is to enter he must be blindfolded, as must this orc-tainted creature."
"If you blindfold one of our Fellowship," Legolas stood up, barely concealing his annoyance, "you will blindfold us all."
His show of solidarity did not impress Haldir. The elf merely nodded. "So be it."
****
When the company was ready to be blindfolded, the elves brought forth many strips of cloth, but as one approached Pippin, Boromir spoke up.
"Surely we can spare this little one having his eyes bound against the light. The blanket will be kept over his face the entire time."
"Our law is our law," replied Haldir. "this one in particular must be blindfolded." He moved towards Pippin with a strip of cloth in his hands. Boromir acquiesced and once again uncovered Pippin's face. Pippin was awake this time, but still blinked owlishly at the light.
The elf that did not like him, the one who knew he was now an orc and not a hobbit was coming towards him with piece of fabric. Pippin shrank down in Boromir's arms, trying not to remember. The orc hands roughly tying the blindfold over his eyes, then vicious shoves sending him reeling...
Haldir placed the blindfold over Pippin's streaming eyes and tied it gently, trying not to touch the infested scalp too much. At this, Pippin started to whimper and shake, his cries gaining intensity with each passing moment. Boromir tried to soothe him.
"Shh... there now Pippin," the big Gondorian murmured softly, "nothing's going to hurt you, I've got you..." But Pippin was inconsolable. Finally Haldir had had enough. He reached out to Pippin to try and restrain the hobbit.
"For Valar's sake be quiet!"
A white blur exploded from the ground behind Boromir with a roar to match. Haldir yelled in pain and shock as Icefang sank her teeth into his hand.
An arrow flew from an elven bow. Legolas had not seen any creature move as fast as Icicle did. The warg released Haldir's hand and leapt sideways, the arrow passing through the long hair on her stomach. She landed with her paws splayed out, hair standing on end, lips curled back to reveal fangs as long as a man's thumb.
"That was hardly necessary," snapped Legolas at the elf who had fired. "The animal was just protecting him from what she thought was an attack."
Haldir clasped his injured hand to his torso. "My hand is badly bitten, he complained. "It is obviously a dangerous creature! Now stand aside so that we can do what we should have done in the first place. He looked over to the hobbits, who had dashed in front of Icicle and were shielding her with their bodies. "I order you to stand aside! If you do not comply then you will share her fate!" The three hobbits suddenly found themselves looking at the points of far too many arrows to count, each with a stern, pitiless elf behind it.
Aragorn held his breath. He feared that any action on his part would goad the elves to action. The hobbits would have to get out of this themselves.
***
Ok, Ok, you can flame me if you want. I do not like Haldir, can you tell?
Authors: Kookaburra & Llinos
A/N: Somewhat OOC. Elf lovers beware.
Disclaimer: Well, duh.
As dawn broke Aragorn had risen again and examined Pippin carefully. His temperature was higher and the ranger feared the venereal disease was taking hold, making him feverish and ill. He needed urgent treatment for this, it was a sore trial for someone in otherwise good health, but Pippin had no resistance or resources left.
Sam was already awake and busy, preparing breakfast over a tiny fire he had lit. Aragorn went over to him. "I need the fungus of which we spoke, Sam. Pippin is feverish and he needs its healing properties quite soon."
"I know where they grow," Sam said always pleased when Aragorn called on him for help. "I found some two days ago. It's the snake butter mushroom, as we calls it."
"Aye Sam that's the one." Aragorn smiled at the knowledgeable little gardener, "could you fetch me some now? I'm sure Gimli will go with you for protection." The whole camp was now stirring and the dwarf collected his axe ready to escort Sam on his mission.
"We'll finish making breakfast." Frodo saw the torn look on Sam's face, wanting to rush off to find medicine for Pippin, but reluctant to leave his cooking duties.
"But Mr Frodo, mind we've only got a little of the flour left, those drop scones need." Sam started to protest.
"Off you go Sam." Frodo took up the pan and started to shake the contents less than expertly. Sam bit his lip before he said anything derogatory about Frodo's cooking and quickly left with Gimli.
Legolas meanwhile had turned Pippin carefully on his side, nestling him into the warg so that she could nurse him. Aragorn came and stood beside them waiting for the elf to finish arranging the halfling. "It is good that the warg can still make milk for him." Aragorn bent to stroke Icicle's head. "It will have to be all the sustenance he has for now."
Legolas looked at Aragorn in surprise. "But surely you would want the little one weaned soon to speed his recovery both in body and mind?"
"The disease is taking hold, I fear." Aragorn shook his head a little in dismay. "He will need to fast to prevent it from worsening. I have sent Sam for a healing fungus, that alone he must eat, then his system should be purged to cure the syphilis, although I hope the milk will not harm him, it is little enough."
Aragorn had not actually tried to feed Pippin anything so far. He was very nervous at how the halfling would react to being given the mushroom. Anything that had to be put in his mouth would be bound to make him react. He remembered the way Pippin had been so afraid when he made him suck medicine from his finger and later how he had acquiesced to the procedure, even seeking it in a resigned and tortured way, perhaps believing he would be beaten if he did not. "Which had probably been the case."
"What was the case?" Aragorn was startled to see Sam standing there, looking quizzically at him with his head on one side.
"Nothing. I'm sorry," The ranger realised his thoughts had become spoken. "Ah you have it. Well done Sam!" Aragorn took one of the two large mushrooms and knelt down to Pippin. Icicle growled a little warning and placed a large paw on Pippin's head.
"It's all right little mother," Aragorn glanced back up to Sam and Gimli who had now joined him. "Could you two persuade Icicle that it's time for breakfast, that's if Frodo hasn't incinerated it all."
"Come on Icicle, food." Gimli coaxed the warg to leave her cub for a moment. She looked at Aragorn, her head on one side and decided he could baby-sit for a while. Gimli slipped a leash on her and led her over to the small fire. Sam went as well, anxious to rescue what smelled suspiciously like a somewhat overcooked breakfast.
Pippin had dozed back off snuggled up to Ice Fang, but as she left he woke again, fearful without the warmth of the warg next to him. Aragorn gently enfolded him and sat him up, lifting him onto his lap.
Pippin looked up fearfully. It was Master. The dreams had left him. It had seemed for a while that he was safe, that kind voices and gentle arms had surrounded him. Now he was thrust back into reality, his waking nightmare had returned. Master, the brutal orc, that in the hobbit's weird perception looked like dear Strider, was holding him, touching him.
"It's all right Pippin." The voice was Strider's, perhaps it was true, Pippin scarcely dared believe it, nightmares, dreams and reality, they were all becoming so blurred.
"I need you to eat this nice mushroom for me." Strider/Master tore off a piece of mushroom and put it to his lips his large fingers pushing it into his mouth.
**** Flashback ****
"C'mon little rat! We've get ter feed ya somthin' if'n yer gonna stay alive fer the chief. 'Ere, lads! give us one 'o those nice big 'shrooms." Crugsyl took him over to a bench and sat Pippin in his lap. He held up a large, brown mushroom. Pippin's mouth was watering, he desperately wanted to eat, but he was justifiably wary of anything the orcs wanted to put into his mouth. He tried to avoid the mushroom as it was forced at him, but huge hands gripped his face and made him open his mouth.
Crugsyl broke off a piece of the mushroom and stuffed it down Pippin's throat. Pippin gagged on the huge finger, but managed to swallow the piece of fungus. Crugsyl repeated the gesture until the mushroom was all gone. His vision swam, and he felt like lead weights had been tied to his limbs.
****
Pippin clamped him mouth shut as tightly as he could. He had forgotten what hunger was, but he remembered very well what happened when he had eaten the mushroom.
"Please, Master, please," Pippin squeaked trying not to open his mouth too much for fear of the mushroom being pushed inside. "Master, don't make me, please, I'll be good, I'll suck and do what you want. I'll be a good dog. Please don't make me."
"Pippin, it's only a mushroom. It's to make you bett." Aragorn remembered that word was misunderstood. "It's to stop you being ill. Pippin, dear heart, please trust me."
The others now, alerted by Pippin's crying came over to see what had distressed him so much. Merry stood well back, remembering Aragorn's warnings but Legolas and Boromir came closer to see if they could help in some way.
Aragorn did not force the mushroom into the hobbits mouth but he did not release him either. Pippin squirmed in the ranger's arms; frantic with fear for what would happen when he was made to eat the fungus.
**** Flashback ****
Pippin looked up at Boromir. The rest of the Fellowship stood around him in a circle, laughing and pointing at him. //Boromir! Help me please, I'm so scared, I just want to go home, I'll never annoy you again, just help me please// Then he saw the cruel whip in Boromir's hand. //no, please Boromir, why are you mad with me, I'm sorry, s-s-sorry, please...// The lash descended and Pippin screamed. The fire licked his back many times, and just before he blacked out, he could see Boromir passing the whip to Strider and Legolas.
****
"Will he not take it?" Boromir stood in front of the ranger, looking with concern at Pippin's huddled form in Aragorn's lap. The hobbit's eyes were filled with fear and his mouth was clamped tightly shut.
"No, I suspect he fears to have things put in his mouth." Aragorn withdrew the piece of fungus. "Although I would have thought a mushroom would tempt him more than most things, Merry says all hobbits love mushrooms, Pippin included."
"Does it matter?" Boromir queried. "Surely he has enough sustenance from the warg's milk."
"It is for medicinal purposes, not nutrition, that he needs to eat it." Aragorn knew he had to get Pippin to take the mushroom somehow. "I would get Sam to cook it, but that will rob it of its potency."
"Break it smaller," suggested Frodo. "Try just a tiny piece."
Aragorn tore the merest shred off the piece of mushroom and finally managed to put that in Pippin's mouth but this caused Pippin to hyperventilate so badly that he could not be made to have any more.
"Perhaps it's because you're putting it in his mouth," Legolas offered. "Can you not take the bandages from his arms and let him feed himself?"
"That is worth trying." Aragorn agreed and carefully undid the restricting bindings, while Sam took the mushroom to chop it up and put it in a dish.
Aragorn sat a bemused Pippin down on the ground and offered the dish to him. "Come on Pippin, eat the mushroom, it's your favourite." Pippin cringed away, so Aragorn placed the dish on the ground just in front of him and stepped back a pace.
Pippin was utterly confused and muddled now. He looked up at the others standing around him, gazing down at him, suddenly all he could see were orc faces. Then Master was there, he was urging him to eat from a dish. This was familiar, but terrible. He knew what would happen - if he did not eat he would be beaten, if he did he would be burnt with a hot poker. But then would come the painful gag. He had to try and do something.
As Pippin sat on the ground large tears rolled down his cheeks and he sobbed bitterly in his agony of indecision, knowing that whatever he did it would be wrong.
"Please Pippin, try and eat it," Frodo coaxed him. "It's quite safe, it won't hurt you."
The gentle voice was different, softer, more familiar, less frightening. Pippin tentatively reached out to the plate. Then in a panic pulled his hand away as if remembering a hurt, a shock. He crouched down on all fours and pushed his head towards the plate. Frodo started to say something, but Aragorn caught his eye and shook his head. It was important for Pippin to eat this mushroom no matter how he did it.
He caught a small piece in his teeth and backed away, but almost immediately he dropped it with a heart-rending scream. He curled up into a foetal ball and refused to move, until they finally brought Ice fang back and he buried his face in her coat, too distraught to even look up.
"We can't upset him any more." Aragorn decided. "We need to move on today and start soon if we are to reach Lothlórien by nightfall. Sam take a few more of the mushrooms with us and we will have to try again later."
Pippin's bandages were changed again, although Aragorn decided to leave his arms unbound now, as he did not move too much. Frodo and Sam dressed Pippin carefully in a spare shirt and then the hobbit was wrapped in several blankets and carried in turn by Legolas and the two men, whilst Gimli took charge of Icicle.
The party was soon packed and ready to go, each of the hobbits carrying more than usual, as the baggage was spread around to allow one less pack for whoever was carrying Pippin. Although Boromir could not help but comment how frighteningly light the little one had become.
The terrain gradually changed as they journeyed, becoming less rocky as they descended to a lush green valley with more and more trees. Legolas started to look very comfortable and relaxed, his growing composure in stark contrast to Gimli's increasing discomfort and anxiety.
"Are you sure this is a good idea, Aragorn?" He asked yet again. "Surely there will be some caves where we could rest the little one more safely."
Suddenly the company found themselves surrounded by a ring of fair elves clad cunningly to blend in with the woods. A masterly seeming elf stepped forward.
"You breathed so loud we could have shot you in the dark." He said with a distinct sneer in his voice. Turning to Legolas he said something in elvish. Frodo could only understand bits and pieces of it, as he only knew the language of the elves of Mirkwood. It was something about bringing a taint into...someplace. Some sort of shiny plant. Legolas answered the elf. They went on like this for a few minutes, and soon Aragorn got involved. Frodo caught some more words. "hadhod" kept popping into the conversation, so Frodo figured the elves were simply being stubborn about letting Gimli in. Finally the "animated discussion" died down, and Aragorn and Legolas turned to the group.
"I am afraid that my kinsmen are being rather inhospitable," said Legolas. "They will allow Master Gimli in on one condition. He must enter Lothlórien blindfolded." Gimli naturally did not take this very well. Frodo decided that he did not really like the blonde elf smiling smugly at him from several yards away.
At that moment Icicle decided to make her appearance. The Fellowship had let her off the leash as she was certainly not going to abandon Pippin, and it gave her a chance to stretch her legs, although it was slightly disconcerting when she started to bring back small animals and present them to whoever was carrying Pippin.
When the warg suddenly stuck her head out from a bush behind Merry, there was a collective gasp of horror from the elves, and all the bows immediately oriented on her.
"Wait!" cried Aragorn, "Do not shoot, she is harmless!" The elf in charge looked at Aragorn as if he had suddenly grown another head.
"A warg? Harmless? Surely you jest! Now stand aside so that I can send the beast to the netherworld where its ilk belongs!"
At this, Merry knelt down and took Icicle's head in his arms. He was soon joined by Frodo and Sam. "P-please, Mr. Elf, Icicle is keeping poor Mr. Pippin alive. He needs her!" The elf's eyebrows, while not touching his hairline, were making a valiant attempt.
"Icicle?" he asked incredulously. "It has a name?
"Not 'it', she." Corrected Merry. "And she's quite tame. And Pippin needs her!"
"Pippin?"
Boromir stepped forwards with the tiny blanket wrapped form in his arms. "One of our number who fell into the clutches of the orcs of Moria. His hurts are grievous, and he requires Icicle's milk and care." Haldir reached out and drew back the fold of cloth that covered Pippin's face. As the light hit Pippin's eyes they blinked slowly open. Haldir did not miss the parasites scurrying for cover in the perian's curls. His lip raised slightly in disgust.
By this time Pippin's eyes had finished focusing, and he realised that he was being examined by a stranger. Now his eyes widened in fear. Boromir could feel his breaths coming faster and shorter. He moved away so as to spare Pippin the terror, and replaced the blanket over the frightened hobbit's face.
The elf cocked a haughtily arched eyebrow. "The sight of my face does not usually send children into a panic. Perhaps we should discuss the situation over a meal." At his orders food was brought forth and the travellers at least ate well as it was a fine repast.
The elf was more horrified than Merry had been when Boromir set Pippin against Icicle's side to suckle. The hobbits learned that the name of the elf was Haldir. Aragorn explained what was necessary for Haldir to know about what had happened to Pippin and he sat in stony silence for a minute after Aragorn finished.
"You ask much, Legolas." He finally said. "I do not know if it may all be granted on account of kinship. The dwarf we were hard put to allow, but a warg and one who has orc-taint..." Haldir did not get a chance to finish. Merry jumped up with a cry of rage.
"You make it sound as if it were Pippin's fault!" He shouted. "Pippin was kidnapped! He was forced against his will! Who knows what horrors were visited on him in the caves, and you suggest that it was somehow his fault!" Aragorn tried to calm him down to no avail. He had to restrain Merry from jumping on the superior elf and striking him with his fist. Merry raged on. "Do you think Pippin WANTED to be taken, to be... to be..." Merry's voice broke, and already tears were leaking down his face. His anger burned out and he allowed Strider to ease him back down to a sitting position. Merry was still breathing hard from his outburst for some time. Haldir did not answer the hobbit.
Pippin lay huddled up against Icicle while this argument continued. He was very confused about where he was and what the talk was about. His fever had increased and Umummmum seemed upset, she was giving low growls every so often. He could hear the new one speaking, the one who looked like Legolas, but sounded quite different, so Pippin reasoned he must be an elf too. He knew they were all talking about him and the new strange elf said he was an orc. 'Was that true?' Pippin wondered. 'That must be why the others were beating him and trying to make him better, he had been turned into an orc, he wasn't a hobbit any more.' Pippin heard the others arguing with the elf, Merry was shouting. 'Why had they brought him here? Pippin wondered. 'Perhaps they wanted the elves to turn him back into a hobbit. But this elf obviously didn't think he was worth the trouble.'
"Surely elves do not pass judgement on the innocent victims of their enemies." Aragorn was as outraged as Merry, but controlled his anger.
"I will leave that decision to the Lady," Haldir conceded at last. "But if the dwarf is to enter he must be blindfolded, as must this orc-tainted creature."
"If you blindfold one of our Fellowship," Legolas stood up, barely concealing his annoyance, "you will blindfold us all."
His show of solidarity did not impress Haldir. The elf merely nodded. "So be it."
****
When the company was ready to be blindfolded, the elves brought forth many strips of cloth, but as one approached Pippin, Boromir spoke up.
"Surely we can spare this little one having his eyes bound against the light. The blanket will be kept over his face the entire time."
"Our law is our law," replied Haldir. "this one in particular must be blindfolded." He moved towards Pippin with a strip of cloth in his hands. Boromir acquiesced and once again uncovered Pippin's face. Pippin was awake this time, but still blinked owlishly at the light.
The elf that did not like him, the one who knew he was now an orc and not a hobbit was coming towards him with piece of fabric. Pippin shrank down in Boromir's arms, trying not to remember. The orc hands roughly tying the blindfold over his eyes, then vicious shoves sending him reeling...
Haldir placed the blindfold over Pippin's streaming eyes and tied it gently, trying not to touch the infested scalp too much. At this, Pippin started to whimper and shake, his cries gaining intensity with each passing moment. Boromir tried to soothe him.
"Shh... there now Pippin," the big Gondorian murmured softly, "nothing's going to hurt you, I've got you..." But Pippin was inconsolable. Finally Haldir had had enough. He reached out to Pippin to try and restrain the hobbit.
"For Valar's sake be quiet!"
A white blur exploded from the ground behind Boromir with a roar to match. Haldir yelled in pain and shock as Icefang sank her teeth into his hand.
An arrow flew from an elven bow. Legolas had not seen any creature move as fast as Icicle did. The warg released Haldir's hand and leapt sideways, the arrow passing through the long hair on her stomach. She landed with her paws splayed out, hair standing on end, lips curled back to reveal fangs as long as a man's thumb.
"That was hardly necessary," snapped Legolas at the elf who had fired. "The animal was just protecting him from what she thought was an attack."
Haldir clasped his injured hand to his torso. "My hand is badly bitten, he complained. "It is obviously a dangerous creature! Now stand aside so that we can do what we should have done in the first place. He looked over to the hobbits, who had dashed in front of Icicle and were shielding her with their bodies. "I order you to stand aside! If you do not comply then you will share her fate!" The three hobbits suddenly found themselves looking at the points of far too many arrows to count, each with a stern, pitiless elf behind it.
Aragorn held his breath. He feared that any action on his part would goad the elves to action. The hobbits would have to get out of this themselves.
***
Ok, Ok, you can flame me if you want. I do not like Haldir, can you tell?