Orcish Revenge
Chapter 1 - Dreams

It was raining heavily when Sam awoke. He lay still, pondering his dream. He had dreamt that there was a great host of Orcs marching to the Shire. They had come from the mountains, Moria perhaps. Giving way to the night once again, he slowly slipped back into his dream. The storm continued throughout the night, lashing at the small round windows of Bag End. He woke once more, sweat dripping from his brow. He jumped out of bed and ran to the door. He grabbed his cloak and ran from the hobbit hole. He made his way to the gates as quickly as his short hobbit legs could carry him.

'You're up quite early this dreary morning, Mr. Gamgee. What can I do for you?' the guard called from the top of the gate. He stood oddly tall for a hobbit, and held a spear loosely in his gloved hand.

'What can you do for me? You can let me through!' Sam shouted up to the guard.

'Well, I never! Is that any way to address a friend? I think not! Where are you going anyway? Not off on another adventure I hope' The guard chuckled.

'I wish to go to…' Sam stopped 'Did you say friend?'

'Indeed I did! Now, where are you going?' the guard chuckled once more.

Sam stood quietly for a moment, pondering over the voice emanating from above. 'Well hello, Master Pippin! I thought you looked tall for a Hobbit!' Sam smiled 'How'd you get stuck on guard then?'

'Stuck? Oh no, I volunteered. I've been feeling restless lately, maybe it's just these storms, but I have this feeling that I just can't shake. Now will you tell me where you're headed?'

'Bree. I need to get to Bree and send a message. I've had a dream, Master Pippin. A bad dream at that, which is something that I haven't had for a long while. Orcs, Master Pippin, Orcs. Coming this way. Well maybe they're not coming this way, but they are leaving the mountains'

Pippin thought on this for a moment. 'Perhaps they have been driven out by Aragorn, or the Elves. Or even the Dwarves' He said at last.

'Maybe… But I do wish to go to Bree, just to be sure.' Sam said loudly over another crack of thunder.

'Then I shall come too! Besides, you're not walking the whole way are you? And why leave now? Tell Rosie where you're going and sleep for awhile first.' Pippin said climbing down.

'Rosie would be worried. And the kids…' He agreed.

So Pippin got Sam into bed then sent a message to Rosie telling her where Sam was and that he was in good hands. He then settled himself once more upon his guard post and thought carefully about what Sam had said.

The next morning they set out early, passing under the gate with the sound of goodbyes and good wishes from the guards above. Soon they turned out onto the main road and slowed their ponies down a little. Pippin and Sam rode along in silence listening to the birds and bugs around them. By midday they were almost there, having ridden at a much quicker pace than they had intended. At last they could see Bree Hill and, at the foot of it, Bree. Pippin dismounted and went up to knock on the gate. For some reason it was closed, though it had not been for some time.

After a moment the gate opened and a tall man with broad shoulders looked out. 'Hobbits! Quick get in! Now!' The man shouted. He pulled the ponies in and the two hobbits with them.

'Why all the pulling and rushing?' Sam asked dismounting.

'Orcs are abroad, not safe out for hobbits. Now get to the Pony if that's where your headed!' The man slammed the gate and locked it securely, returning quickly to his hut nearby.

The two hobbits walked along the empty street looking cautiously from side to side. All the windows had curtains drawn. They continued slowly until they came to the friendly sight of the Prancing Pony Inn. As they approached the door they could tell that the news of Orcs held no sway within; heat, shouts and talk poured through the door as they opened it.

'My goodness! Mr Gamgee! Master Pippin! You shouldn't be out and about when the Orcs are! Oh well, I'll give you a room any day of course! I'll get back to you soon enough, make merry!' Barliman shouted as he waltzed off across the bar to serve some cackling men.

'Make merry? What do you say Sam, shall we socialise?' Pippin asked hopefully.

'You can Mr. Pippin, but I'm ready for bed. Goodnight.' Sam yawned and walked out of the room.

Pippin walked over to the bar and ordered a small beer, as he wasn't very thirsty. He then took his drink and sat down at an empty table. Soon two hobbits had joined him and were talking merrily about all manner of affairs. Pippin ended up having three more beers, as the other two insisted on buying them. They were chatting along nicely when a tall, dark, hooded man walked over to their table and ordered the hobbits to leave. Pippin got up and began to walk away, muttering something about rudeness under his breath, when the man grabbed his shoulder. He felt the hand close tightly on his shoulder. Pippin winced, then drew his sword and turned around. The man let go and stepped back.

'You'd do better not to draw swords with strangers young Pippin' the man spoke quietly 'You may be brave and famous but your skills with a sword are easily outmatched'

Pippin looked long and hard at the man's shadowed face. 'Faramir?' Pippin squeaked happily 'Faramir!' Pippin sheathed his sword and sat down at the man's side. Faramir removed his cloak. He looked worn and weary.

'So you do remember me. I was worried you'd forgotten me' Faramir smiled wearily.

'Forgotten you? How could I? It's great to see you! What brings you to Bree? Where is Eowyn? How is King Aragorn? And Gondor? And Rohan?' Pippin asked rapidly.

'You have grown far greater then any Hobbit, and yet you are just as curious as any other', He laughed. 'Aragorn is fine and Gondor too. Rohan is as green and beautiful as it has ever been, even more so now that my dear Èowyn graces their fields once more. I came here to ask if my little friends would care to return to the East, Aragorn would dearly love to see all of you again, in fact were he not governing Gondor he would have come himself. Éomer would also very much like to see Merry' Faramir paused for a moment looking around. 'Where is Meriadoc? I did not think you two were ever apart.'

'Merry is in the Shire as far as I know. Sam is upstairs sleeping, or at least trying to. He has had dreams of Orcs returning and the guard at the gate of Bree said that Orcs were abroad, and something about Hobbits not being safe. Do you know anything about all this?'

Faramir did not answer at first, instead he thought long and hard. 'Moria… Éomer was finalising his attempts at organising an army from Rohan, Gondor and the Lonely Mountain to drive the Goblins from Moria or at least trap them within. Perhaps they succeeded… or failed' Faramir said, more so to himself than to Pippin. 'Very well, I will return to the Shire and fetch Meriadoc, then we can head east' He said at last, 'You can stay here till I return. I'll be no more then two days'

Faramir rose swiftly from his chair and threw on his cloak. With a curt nod to Pippin, he walked swiftly from the Pony and soon Pippin could here hooves pounding from the stable. Pippin got up and went to bed, apologizing to the two hobbits for Faramir's rudeness along the way. Tomorrow would be an interesting day.

Revised version - Some slight additions and modifications, fixed spelling and grammar etc. No changes to the story, just an improvement on the writing.