Moria's Revenge, chapter 19: Followed
Author: Llinos
Disclaimer: I do not own anything.
***
It was several days before Lugsta had succeeded in his plan to nick a cask of ale and also manage to drink himself into something resembling a stupor. However the rest of his plan had not gone according to the original design. He had not stayed in his quarters as he did not have the sense to fall over when he was really drunk and he had not forgotten about his abortive mission to kill the little Dogwhore.
Instead he had stumbled back into the mess hall and started singing bawdy songs with the lads. Which seemed like an excellent idea at the time since they had several bottles of whiskey and he still had a bit of room left.
"'Ere Lugsy!" Frugly the big uruk had come into the mess hall. "You little road apple, did you finish off that there Dogwhore? We could 'a done wiv a bit more of that sweet little arse."
"Cheef'ses ordrersshh" Lugsta slurred. "Yousshh knowssh thass!"
"Yeah, but yer didn't 'ave to tell no-ones, it was small enough. Could 'a stuck it in yer bleedin' pocket 'n brung it back." Frugly laughed bawdily "Would've made a fortune sellin' bits o' that round the mess, while it lasted."
"D'yersshh finkshh?" Lugsta put his drunken face into Frugly's holding his arm in a conspiratorial fashion. "Well I tell shou - youssh. It ain't dead, cause that pratt Crugsie, 'e dint get it done proper. Thems lot comes back an tooksh it off 'n all. I dint get a chance a' it! Naw you 'n' me, Frugsie, we could go get it an' make a bit o' loot shellin' it roun' in 'ere."
"You fuggin' eejit!" Frugly pulled his arm away letting the sotted Lugsta fall to the floor. "I knew the Chief'd be sorry leavin' a bleedin' goblin to do a job like that'n. Yer gonna be real sorry yer can't hold yer ale."
The big uruk stormed off to report this piece of news to the Chief. He gave one perfunctory knock on the florin spiked door and strode in. The Chief was busy with a small orc, although he did not seem to be taking much pleasure in the act. Frugly waited in silence until his boss had finished and was adjusting his dress. The little orc fled past him and out of the door.
"Wassa matter, Frugly? Can't I get any fugging peace!" He snarled.
"It's that little Dogwhore, I come about." Frugly began.
"Yeah well, you screwed up and it's dead now anyways."
"No Chief, it ain't." Frugly watched his boss's face change, his eyes narrowed and his lips curled back in anger. "It's Lugsta what screwed up. He and Crugsyl never got it done. The others took it back 'n all. Just thought yer should know. Shame 'cause it was a good little lay."
"What!" The Chief looked as if he might explode with apoplexy. "Get that Lugsta in 'ere now!"
"'E's pissed out of 'is mind, Chief." Frugly was going to enjoy this. He had been extremely pissed off himself when the boss had given the assignment to the poxy goblins, he and the lads had been planning on having the Dogwhore again on the way to where they would take out his innards. They had also been running a book on how long it would last. All that fun had been ruined when they lost the job, just for getting drunk. Well now Lugsta was drunk and had given himself away and serves him right.
"Get 'im anyway - NOW!"
Frugly practically ran down the corridor, collecting his two mates on the way, they hauled the drunken Lugsta back to the Chief's den and chucked him on the floor.
"So! Yer didn't kill the Dogwhore, you lying piece of dung!" The Chief kicked at the rolling orc. "And where's my fugging warg? She ain't come back yet. You useless bastard. Get up!" He kicked at Lugsta again, but the orc was too drunk to react very much.
"Want us to bring 'im round a bit boss?" Frugly suggested. He picked up a water jug and emptied the contents over the orc, then hauled him to his feet again and shook him until his bones rattled. Finally he set him on his knees in front of the Chief, the shock of the rough treatment making him realise his predicament.
"Now you piece of dung!" The Chief spat. "Get out there and get my warg back an' get that Dogwhore back and get it done right this time. 'N you lot, you go with 'im an' make sure the dogwhore's either back 'ere or dead. Do I make myself clear?"
"Yes Chief!" The Uruks suddenly realised that grassing Lugsta had perhaps not been the best idea they had ever had, but there was nothing to be done now except go find the little rat.
"It could be worse," Frugly pointed out, as the two Uruks dragged the sodden Lugsta along the passageway. "At least we get to have the little whore again, that or rip its innards out."
****
Lugsta sobered up a little once the four were outside and on the move. The Uruks collected a patrol of a dozen smaller orcs all armed with bows and swords and set off after their quarry.
They quickly found the camp that the Fellowship had made. "Reckon they're not that long gone," Gruska sniffed at the remains of some meat he had found. "We'll catch up to 'em by nightfall."
They tracked along the route the Fellowship had taken without too much difficulty, although Frugly and the other Uruk, Mugshup were becoming increasingly nervous about the terrain. "Don't feel too happy down in this 'ere valley," Mugshup complained. "We're gettin' a bit fuggin' close to dem elveses, they's can be preety tricksy when deys wants."
"Ahh stop yer belly-achin'!" Gruska snapped. "Yer heard what the boss says, 'n if'n we don't find it, we knows oo's gonna pay wiv 'is 'ead!" Gruska booted the unlucky Lugsta in the backside.
"Yeah, keeps 'im in front." Frugly pushed the smaller orc on with his boot as well. "It's all 'is bleedin' fault this, 'im 'n 'is big gob!"
"Look oo's talkin'!" Gruska pulled his bow into readiness and signalled to the rest of the patrol to arm themselves. "You was the one went 'n told the Chief 'n all."
"Yeah well shuddup the lot of yer!" Mugshup snarled. "Keep it down, there's somefink up ahead o' us. Reckon it's them."
The orcs all crept closer staying hidden behind the trees. They could see a large group of elves, which was not surprising as they were on the borders to the cursed wood of the Witch-Queen. Normally the orcs would have been seen by now but there were the others too and they seemed to be having trouble.
"Dey's argufyin' wiv each other." Mugshup whispered. "It's dem 'n all. Dat biggun dere," he pointed at Boromir. "'Ee's got the little Dogwhore, got 'im in dat blanket."
"Yeah 'n' there's the Chief's warg. Fuggin' cheek, they pinched 'er 'n all." Gruska nocked an arrow to his bow. "if'n they goes into that there wood, we ain't gonna get no chance at 'em agin." Frugly climbed up into a tree to get a better view. He called softly down, "There's only a dozen. Reckons we can take 'em out if'n we're quick, we got the drop on 'em right now. Shoot half afore they even spot us." He crawled out along the branch until he was practically over the party and got ready to signal the others.
"Tell yer what else," Mugshup added. "Dey's got three more o' dem little half sized beauties dere, reckon dey's all be a good lay like the Dogwhore one."
Gruska turned to the armed patrol who all were readied. "Right, yer all heard. On Frugly's signal, take out the elves an' the bigguns, try 'n' miss the littluns 'n yer can 'ave one 'on 'em fer yerselves."
****
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.
Pippin stirred in Boromir's arms and opened his eyes again. Boromir had taken off the blindfold. Waking and sleeping had become very blurred in Pippin's fevered state, but suddenly his eyes focussed on something he knew, beyond all shadow of a doubt was real. It was Frugly - the terrible Uruk that had. . . that had. . .
Pippin eyes widened in terror and he screamed a loud terrifying shriek that echoed through the quiet, serene woods of Lothlórien.
The elves' eyes were automatically drawn up to see what the halfling had been so frightened by to draw such a response. They all saw the orc at the same moment and twenty bows suddenly swept away from the hobbits and fired at the Uruk simultaneously.
He fell from the tree, narrowly missing Boromir, twenty arrows embedded in his body, never to draw breath again.
A barrage of arrows flew from the trees, but most of the orcs had been watching Frugly for the signal to fire and were somewhat thrown when he fell from the tree instead, stuck like a porcupine.
Aragorn quickly shepherded the hobbits out of the line of fire behind a wide tree and Boromir swiftly joined them with Pippin, holding the little one close and telling him he was safe, that no one would touch him.
Icicle followed the hobbits and crouched down beside them growling at the orcs, she was wise enough to know what many arrows could do but would still defend the hobbits at need.
There was soon such a need. Mugshup went straight for the halflings, thinking that if he could at least get one of them or Icefang, the chief might let him live. But he had not counted on the wargs' change of allegiance. Icefang sprang for him, and before he had a chance to even raise his shield, tore his throat out.
The elves had sighted the enemy now and although two had been hit, none was fatally wounded and they all returned fire scoring many kills and scattering the rest.
Suddenly a goblin burst out of the bushes next to Haldir. With his injured hand, he parried it's scimitar clumsily. None of the elves could fire an arrow for fear of hitting their leader. Haldir managed to duck and roll, expecting to feel the blade between his shoulders. Then a loud war cry was bawled practically in his ear, and there was a sound like a ripe melon being crushed, then a weight pinned his legs to the ground. The dwarf stood over him, with orc blood on his axe and his face twisted in rage. The orc was lying across Haldir's feet, its head smashed in.
Gruska was wounded but not to death and he retreated, the depleted troops following as best they could. Lugsta lay still with an arrow in his neck, the price for getting drunk dearly paid.
Once the orcs were routed Aragorn solicitously looked at all the hobbits to make sure they were unharmed enquired after Gimli and Legolas and even checked the blood spattered Icicle to make sure she had sustained no injury.
"Is the little one all right?" The ranger asked Boromir. "What happened exactly?"
"He saved everyone." Boromir stated baldly. "He saw the orc in the tree because I took the blindfold off his eyes to calm him. That was what alerted the elves to the presence of the orcs."
Aragorn turned to Haldir with a slight shrug, "It seems the little one saved us all then, and even the warg killed an orc. Would you still require a blindfold, and deny Icicle entry?"
Haldir let out a held breath and shook his head. "Very well, I concede, no blindfolds, but I would point out that it was he that probably led the orcs here in the first place."
Aragorn bowed his head in acceptance, choosing to ignore the final point made by the haughty elf. But he whispered to Boromir. "There's no pleasing some elves is there!"
**** A/N: Thank you sooo much to Llinos, for writing that chapter while I (Kookaburra) was out with a migraine. Let's give her a big round of applause!
Author: Llinos
Disclaimer: I do not own anything.
***
It was several days before Lugsta had succeeded in his plan to nick a cask of ale and also manage to drink himself into something resembling a stupor. However the rest of his plan had not gone according to the original design. He had not stayed in his quarters as he did not have the sense to fall over when he was really drunk and he had not forgotten about his abortive mission to kill the little Dogwhore.
Instead he had stumbled back into the mess hall and started singing bawdy songs with the lads. Which seemed like an excellent idea at the time since they had several bottles of whiskey and he still had a bit of room left.
"'Ere Lugsy!" Frugly the big uruk had come into the mess hall. "You little road apple, did you finish off that there Dogwhore? We could 'a done wiv a bit more of that sweet little arse."
"Cheef'ses ordrersshh" Lugsta slurred. "Yousshh knowssh thass!"
"Yeah, but yer didn't 'ave to tell no-ones, it was small enough. Could 'a stuck it in yer bleedin' pocket 'n brung it back." Frugly laughed bawdily "Would've made a fortune sellin' bits o' that round the mess, while it lasted."
"D'yersshh finkshh?" Lugsta put his drunken face into Frugly's holding his arm in a conspiratorial fashion. "Well I tell shou - youssh. It ain't dead, cause that pratt Crugsie, 'e dint get it done proper. Thems lot comes back an tooksh it off 'n all. I dint get a chance a' it! Naw you 'n' me, Frugsie, we could go get it an' make a bit o' loot shellin' it roun' in 'ere."
"You fuggin' eejit!" Frugly pulled his arm away letting the sotted Lugsta fall to the floor. "I knew the Chief'd be sorry leavin' a bleedin' goblin to do a job like that'n. Yer gonna be real sorry yer can't hold yer ale."
The big uruk stormed off to report this piece of news to the Chief. He gave one perfunctory knock on the florin spiked door and strode in. The Chief was busy with a small orc, although he did not seem to be taking much pleasure in the act. Frugly waited in silence until his boss had finished and was adjusting his dress. The little orc fled past him and out of the door.
"Wassa matter, Frugly? Can't I get any fugging peace!" He snarled.
"It's that little Dogwhore, I come about." Frugly began.
"Yeah well, you screwed up and it's dead now anyways."
"No Chief, it ain't." Frugly watched his boss's face change, his eyes narrowed and his lips curled back in anger. "It's Lugsta what screwed up. He and Crugsyl never got it done. The others took it back 'n all. Just thought yer should know. Shame 'cause it was a good little lay."
"What!" The Chief looked as if he might explode with apoplexy. "Get that Lugsta in 'ere now!"
"'E's pissed out of 'is mind, Chief." Frugly was going to enjoy this. He had been extremely pissed off himself when the boss had given the assignment to the poxy goblins, he and the lads had been planning on having the Dogwhore again on the way to where they would take out his innards. They had also been running a book on how long it would last. All that fun had been ruined when they lost the job, just for getting drunk. Well now Lugsta was drunk and had given himself away and serves him right.
"Get 'im anyway - NOW!"
Frugly practically ran down the corridor, collecting his two mates on the way, they hauled the drunken Lugsta back to the Chief's den and chucked him on the floor.
"So! Yer didn't kill the Dogwhore, you lying piece of dung!" The Chief kicked at the rolling orc. "And where's my fugging warg? She ain't come back yet. You useless bastard. Get up!" He kicked at Lugsta again, but the orc was too drunk to react very much.
"Want us to bring 'im round a bit boss?" Frugly suggested. He picked up a water jug and emptied the contents over the orc, then hauled him to his feet again and shook him until his bones rattled. Finally he set him on his knees in front of the Chief, the shock of the rough treatment making him realise his predicament.
"Now you piece of dung!" The Chief spat. "Get out there and get my warg back an' get that Dogwhore back and get it done right this time. 'N you lot, you go with 'im an' make sure the dogwhore's either back 'ere or dead. Do I make myself clear?"
"Yes Chief!" The Uruks suddenly realised that grassing Lugsta had perhaps not been the best idea they had ever had, but there was nothing to be done now except go find the little rat.
"It could be worse," Frugly pointed out, as the two Uruks dragged the sodden Lugsta along the passageway. "At least we get to have the little whore again, that or rip its innards out."
****
Lugsta sobered up a little once the four were outside and on the move. The Uruks collected a patrol of a dozen smaller orcs all armed with bows and swords and set off after their quarry.
They quickly found the camp that the Fellowship had made. "Reckon they're not that long gone," Gruska sniffed at the remains of some meat he had found. "We'll catch up to 'em by nightfall."
They tracked along the route the Fellowship had taken without too much difficulty, although Frugly and the other Uruk, Mugshup were becoming increasingly nervous about the terrain. "Don't feel too happy down in this 'ere valley," Mugshup complained. "We're gettin' a bit fuggin' close to dem elveses, they's can be preety tricksy when deys wants."
"Ahh stop yer belly-achin'!" Gruska snapped. "Yer heard what the boss says, 'n if'n we don't find it, we knows oo's gonna pay wiv 'is 'ead!" Gruska booted the unlucky Lugsta in the backside.
"Yeah, keeps 'im in front." Frugly pushed the smaller orc on with his boot as well. "It's all 'is bleedin' fault this, 'im 'n 'is big gob!"
"Look oo's talkin'!" Gruska pulled his bow into readiness and signalled to the rest of the patrol to arm themselves. "You was the one went 'n told the Chief 'n all."
"Yeah well shuddup the lot of yer!" Mugshup snarled. "Keep it down, there's somefink up ahead o' us. Reckon it's them."
The orcs all crept closer staying hidden behind the trees. They could see a large group of elves, which was not surprising as they were on the borders to the cursed wood of the Witch-Queen. Normally the orcs would have been seen by now but there were the others too and they seemed to be having trouble.
"Dey's argufyin' wiv each other." Mugshup whispered. "It's dem 'n all. Dat biggun dere," he pointed at Boromir. "'Ee's got the little Dogwhore, got 'im in dat blanket."
"Yeah 'n' there's the Chief's warg. Fuggin' cheek, they pinched 'er 'n all." Gruska nocked an arrow to his bow. "if'n they goes into that there wood, we ain't gonna get no chance at 'em agin." Frugly climbed up into a tree to get a better view. He called softly down, "There's only a dozen. Reckons we can take 'em out if'n we're quick, we got the drop on 'em right now. Shoot half afore they even spot us." He crawled out along the branch until he was practically over the party and got ready to signal the others.
"Tell yer what else," Mugshup added. "Dey's got three more o' dem little half sized beauties dere, reckon dey's all be a good lay like the Dogwhore one."
Gruska turned to the armed patrol who all were readied. "Right, yer all heard. On Frugly's signal, take out the elves an' the bigguns, try 'n' miss the littluns 'n yer can 'ave one 'on 'em fer yerselves."
****
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.
Pippin stirred in Boromir's arms and opened his eyes again. Boromir had taken off the blindfold. Waking and sleeping had become very blurred in Pippin's fevered state, but suddenly his eyes focussed on something he knew, beyond all shadow of a doubt was real. It was Frugly - the terrible Uruk that had. . . that had. . .
Pippin eyes widened in terror and he screamed a loud terrifying shriek that echoed through the quiet, serene woods of Lothlórien.
The elves' eyes were automatically drawn up to see what the halfling had been so frightened by to draw such a response. They all saw the orc at the same moment and twenty bows suddenly swept away from the hobbits and fired at the Uruk simultaneously.
He fell from the tree, narrowly missing Boromir, twenty arrows embedded in his body, never to draw breath again.
A barrage of arrows flew from the trees, but most of the orcs had been watching Frugly for the signal to fire and were somewhat thrown when he fell from the tree instead, stuck like a porcupine.
Aragorn quickly shepherded the hobbits out of the line of fire behind a wide tree and Boromir swiftly joined them with Pippin, holding the little one close and telling him he was safe, that no one would touch him.
Icicle followed the hobbits and crouched down beside them growling at the orcs, she was wise enough to know what many arrows could do but would still defend the hobbits at need.
There was soon such a need. Mugshup went straight for the halflings, thinking that if he could at least get one of them or Icefang, the chief might let him live. But he had not counted on the wargs' change of allegiance. Icefang sprang for him, and before he had a chance to even raise his shield, tore his throat out.
The elves had sighted the enemy now and although two had been hit, none was fatally wounded and they all returned fire scoring many kills and scattering the rest.
Suddenly a goblin burst out of the bushes next to Haldir. With his injured hand, he parried it's scimitar clumsily. None of the elves could fire an arrow for fear of hitting their leader. Haldir managed to duck and roll, expecting to feel the blade between his shoulders. Then a loud war cry was bawled practically in his ear, and there was a sound like a ripe melon being crushed, then a weight pinned his legs to the ground. The dwarf stood over him, with orc blood on his axe and his face twisted in rage. The orc was lying across Haldir's feet, its head smashed in.
Gruska was wounded but not to death and he retreated, the depleted troops following as best they could. Lugsta lay still with an arrow in his neck, the price for getting drunk dearly paid.
Once the orcs were routed Aragorn solicitously looked at all the hobbits to make sure they were unharmed enquired after Gimli and Legolas and even checked the blood spattered Icicle to make sure she had sustained no injury.
"Is the little one all right?" The ranger asked Boromir. "What happened exactly?"
"He saved everyone." Boromir stated baldly. "He saw the orc in the tree because I took the blindfold off his eyes to calm him. That was what alerted the elves to the presence of the orcs."
Aragorn turned to Haldir with a slight shrug, "It seems the little one saved us all then, and even the warg killed an orc. Would you still require a blindfold, and deny Icicle entry?"
Haldir let out a held breath and shook his head. "Very well, I concede, no blindfolds, but I would point out that it was he that probably led the orcs here in the first place."
Aragorn bowed his head in acceptance, choosing to ignore the final point made by the haughty elf. But he whispered to Boromir. "There's no pleasing some elves is there!"
**** A/N: Thank you sooo much to Llinos, for writing that chapter while I (Kookaburra) was out with a migraine. Let's give her a big round of applause!