Disclaimer: I own zip, except for the ugly critter we get to meet in this chapter. The rest is Mr. Tolkien's. I wish I owned someone better, Gimli maybe, he rules! Oh well, our new friend will have to suffice, unfortunately…
The wind howled around the rocky slopes of the mountain at times hiding the fleeing group in sheets of white. Unseen behind them a hulking form peered down through the snow. His dark eyes marking their progress.
Virag growled at the cluster of uruk-hai crouched behind him in the shadows of the cleft in the mountain walls. A few were still licking wounds from the battle. Most eyed him uncertainly, a few with hostility showing in their looks. Virag ignored them. He kept his eyes on the small party bellow them. A smile curled his lips, displaying the yellowed teeth, each carefully sharpened. A scar ripped through his features, twisting the smile into a grimace.
The blackened and twisted scar cut through the white hand that had marked his face. Those crouched behind their leader bore similar markings. Their former masters demise hadn't brought all his creations down with him. Virag's fist tightened on his sphere as he thought of that glob sharkû.*
His ambitions had nearly destroyed the most gloriaous creation Middle Earth had ever seen. Virag's eyes shadowed remembering his "birth." The fires had roared as he and his comrades had ripped their way from the muddied earth. Lurtz had led them to their first battle only to be taken down by a mere man.
Virag had vowed not to make Lurtz's mistake. He had been created as Lurtz's second, but that had ended. He had been born, created, to lead. He could bring the Uruk-Hai to what they were owed. Following the downfall of Isengard he had striven to understand those that would destroy them.
The days had been long, constantly running before the swords of men and elves. But he had survived, his eyes glinted with pleasure, he had escaped them, and would be their downfall!
"Master?" His second in command's voice hissed beside him. Poshnak's small form cringed before the larger Uruk-Hai. "Why did we not take them? It has been long since I have tasted a dwarf…" He licked his lips hungrily.
"Because," Virag's voice was deceptively quiet, "We need the child. Think! You can eat now or you can wait and live in comfort with men to eat and serve. Do you want to keep fleeing like vermin before them?" His hand shot out, catching his second in command by the throat.
"Remember, I am the one who needs to think, you need to obey orders. Never question me again!" He roared, slamming his second into the rock face behind them. Poshnak gibbered in fear, scurrying back to the others.
Virag turned away from them, staring down at the tiny forms disappearing into the blizzard before them.
"We need the child. With it we will have what is ours." He clenched his fist. He could taste the man flesh on the wind. It would not be wrong.
"Uh…master? When you have it can we eat the rest of 'em?" Poshnak called from the safety of his brethren.
"Of course. When I have the child we will feast!" Virag laughed, throwing back his head. The others joined in nervously at first, but then fully as their minds painted the imagined feast before them.
The wind drowned their laughter in the blanketing white that choked all senses, cutting off the world and all within it. The tiny party fleeing the burning remnants of what had once been a home remained oblivious of their watchers.
Gimli reached out to stead Inara, who despite her desperate grip on the horse's main had nearly slid to one side. Nodin, exhausted with the cold had ceased crying within the first few moments. Gimli glanced at the child's pale face in concern.
The driving snow was successfully pushing his confusion and fear away. All that was before him now was the road down. For a moment he almost laughed.
To think a mere few days ago he had imagined that he had found a safe haven. Some how as he walked beside the forlorn horse, who to all intents and purposes appeared to share his opinion, he suspected that he had fallen into something that would not be resolved quickly.
Even as he fled again, he couldn't banish the doubt that formed in his heart that Rhohan would provide no safe haven for them. Whatever plot was forming around this strange girl and her babe seemed to have brought him and the elf into it as well.
Gimli kept his hand on Legolas' shoulder, keeping the elf from falling, he worried what this new journey would do to his already injured friend, but there was once again nothing that could be done. He squared his shoulders, and continued his march away from the mountain.
Behind them the company of Uruk-Hai scrambled out of their somewhat limited shelter. Their leader took his place at their head, growling at the stragglers. His huge booted feet obliterated the nearly snow filled tracks of the dwarf and over laden horse.
Virag smiled, "Soon you will see, Master Dwarf, soon."
*Translation:
In the 'Black Tongue' glob sharkû means fool old man. Translation courtesy of:
Also names courtesy of 's name generator.
Despite how AU I get, I do try!
Author's Note:
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I know, I know, it's short; you have my apologies again. However I would like to point out that it is up. And more will be coming in the near future! Be patient please! I'm short four teeth (no more wisdom teeth!) and I am trying! The next chapter should be up in a week! (Just have to get my mind back on LOTR now!)
Narouki: Thank you! In a couple chapters we'll really get to see Inara fight, and that will truly be fun!
abomination: I've definitely been thinking about that. I mean, Legolas always gets the attention. Gimli deserves a turn doesn't he? Do you think it would work though?
Queen-of-Gondor: See! I'm getting better at updating quickly! Really I am!
Roseblade22: Hello! Sorry, not much Legolas in this chapter, but next one should be better. What do you think of plotting Uruk-Hai? And I still think Legolas being crazy would be fun. I might write a fic about that… I mean the guy does certainly seem to have a lot of issues in the fan fics.
Coolio02: Thank you very much! I hope this meets with approval.
Charles: Ouch that one stung, but you are right and I am sorry. I have a rough time with LOTR, this is the only fic I've ever been flamed on (not you, someone else) and it was a bit depressing, I have been updating, just not this fic, but you've gotten my promise now, every one to two weeks.
