WoOt!
Here we are again! I meant to update a little later, but I got so many nice reviews, I couldn't wait!
And I saw Star Wars again yesterday, so I'm still all hyper. I'm thinking of writing a parody for that. I mean, it's like BEGGING to be made fun of.
Anyway, in this chapter we actually do get quite a bit of fighting, on both fronts, meaning with Aragorn and Co., but also with Gandalf&Friends.
On with the story!
The soldier continued his steady climb up the side of the Houses. He could almost reach the window…but he needed to draw his sword before just jumping in. Harnad had warned him that the hobbits also were trained in military arts. But he didn't think they would be much of the threat to his orders. His orders were to kill the Halflings. Finally, he reached the balcony. He soundlessly stood up on it, opened the window, and entered the room, sword held high.
Gandalf took in a large draw of his pipe, thinking hard. Even Aragorn and Legolas wouldn't take this long. What if they had been captured again? And it had surely been more than two hours ago that Aragorn had received the cure. What if he had a relapse? But his thoughts were interrupted as a fully armored man charged through the window.
Gandalf drew his sword in one shining silver sweep.
'The hobbits, Gandalf, where are the hobbits?' He looked around. The man was currently engaged in a duel with Pippin, who had drawn his sword the second the man entered the room. Far from being terrified at being besieged in his own room, Pippin looked like he was fiercely enjoying fighting at last to help Aragorn. Merry had also drawn his sword in his left hand (as his right was still healing) and was dancing around the man, skillfully avoiding the man's blade, but stepping in now and again for a clumsy stab.
Gandalf realized that this must be one of the Faithful, and that he would know where the headquarters were. More importantly, he would know if the others had been recaptured. And after watching Pippin barely avoid a heavy blow to the left, he decided that it had gone on long enough. Since the soldier was distracted, it was easy for Gandalf to sidle behind the man and slip Glamdring under his throat.
"Now," he said sternly. "Let us talk."
Legolas gently set Aragorn down against the wall. Standing protectively over him, Legolas drew his knives and prepared to fight. The soldiers laughed.
"You really think you have a chance, elf?" said the leader gleefully. "There are twenty-four of us, and four of you. And the one you are carrying cannot fight, while another one of you is a woman!" Eowyn scowled and drew her sword. "You cannot win. Put down your weapons before you get yourself and your friends hurt." Legolas's eyes narrowed.
"You will not touch him again, or any of us. Perhaps it is you who should surrender." Eowyn couldn't help but take pride in his faith, but she also couldn't feel the same way. But this was how she wanted to die. Fighting for Aragorn's life was good enough for her. But then she remembered something. She pulled Gimli's axe from her belt and handed it to him.
"Aragorn meant to return this…" she said softly. Gimli took it and nodded, a fierce light in his eyes.
"Have it your way then." The soldier decided. But he whispered in an undertone to his men, "Take them alive. The Master will want them. Charge!"
The soldiers surged forward. Nine took on Legolas, eight on Gimli, and seven to Eowyn. She was not overwhelmed, but she wasn't sure how to defeat them without killing them. As Gimli knocked down several soldier by hitting them in the knees with his axe, Eowyn skittered around them, quickly knocking them unconscious. Their eyes met in an unspoken agreement to work together.
But Legolas was not faring so well. He was a skilled warrior, one of Mirkwood's finest, but taking on nine trained men while trying to defend a fallen comrade was taxing his strength. When he swung his knives one way, a sword would meet it, while three more swords would approach him. Even as he parried, blocked, and turned, he knew he was fighting a losing battle. And even though he stubbornly fought on, he did not detect the sword hilt coming from behind.
Eowyn couldn't believe their luck. Her and Gimli's combined efforts had felled ten of their guards: only five remained. As she knocked another one down, she could not slow the rush of pride at protecting herself. But it was quickly diminished.
"STOP!" The voice of the captain echoed in the hallway. Eowyn and Gimli momentarily paused, their weapons still on hand. But they could do nothing.
Legolas was on the floor, a large lump on his head visible and his eyes closed. His knives had clattered away on the floor, and the only notion that he was alive was the steady rise and fall of his chest. The captain was crouched next to him, his blade positioned underneath Legolas's throat.
"Put down your weapons, or I will not hesitate to cut his throat." The captain ordered. Eowyn and Gimli slowly obeyed. A dart of fear shot through Eowyn as she remembered Aragorn. He appeared to be unconscious, still slumped on the edge of the wall. But he was not forgotten. "You, dwarf, open that cell to your right." Gimli did so, glowering. "Now go in. You too, girl. Lanad, get that one on the wall in too. He is the traitor our master is after! But he looks as if he's dead already."
He snickered, along with the rest of the men. Lanad roughly grabbed Aragorn by the foot and dragged him into the cell. "Wait fool! Disarm him first!" the captain shouted. From in the cell, Eowyn cursed under her breath. She had been hoping that they would forget about Aragorn's sword. But Lanad tugged Anduril and its sheath off of Aragorn's belt, and tossed it to the side. Without further distractions, he shoved Aragorn into the cell.
"Very good." Said the captain. And with that, he got up and dropped Legolas into the cell beside the door. Before Gimli or Eowyn could protest, he slammed the door shut and locked it. He barked orders to the men. "Put the weapons in the storage. And the rest of you, return to your posts. We don't want to arouse any suspicion, do we?"
The soldiers left. Eowyn leaned her head sadly against the door. They had been recaptured, Legolas was hurt again, and Aragorn has scarcely ten minutes to live.
Time was running out.
TBC…
Don't hurt me! But I will take death threats in REVIEWS! WOOOOOOT!
Answers to reviews:
Ainu Laire: OMG! (blushes) You are SO NICE! Thank you so much! Here's your update, and THANK you!
Aragorn75: Yes, everything does seem to happen to him. And that's the way we like it! When I get around to other stories, he will be the (main) one being in pain/tortured. YAY! Thanks for reviewing!
Catwraith: I know that chapter was too short. I'm SO SORRY! But my grandparents were hogging the computer. I had no idea they got so much email…YAY! School's out! Have fun doing nothing! YAY! Here's your update, and thanks!
FlamesofthemoOn: Sorry, but I don't remember seeing any recent reviews beside this one. Unless you reviewed after I posted the next chapter. YAY! School's out! wOoT!
And yes, usually Legolas/Gimli would cream the soldiers, but there are kind of a lot, and Legolas is protecting Aragorn. And he is also under severe emotional stress… (yay). Thanks for reviewing!
lindahoyland: I totally LOVE your other stories! Especially Shadow and Thought. I love Aragorn being all sacrificial like he is during HDOH, but he is TORTURED in Shadow and Thought! What could beat that? And I agree, emotional angst is just as bad, if not worse, than physical. I tend to enjoy having Aragorn feeling physical pain, and maybe someone nearby feeling guilty or 'feeling his pain'. Thanks for reviewing!
Wolf Maid: Aww, thanks! And don't worry, there won't be any…lasting effects. And since this is mostly movie-verse, he has to live! Or does he…
Thanks!
Lady Eruvandiel: (blushes again) You are so nice! Thank you! But it isn't over yet! I couldn't leave you with that awful cliffy, now could I? (evil grin) And OMG! He would look SO SEXY with no shirt and tons of bandages! Squeeee! And I will post Star Wars as soon as I type it!
Sigh…August 18 pic…
Thanks for reviewing! Post your story already!
Thank you SO MUCH everyone! You are so supportive and SO NICE! I look forward to hearing from you again!
-QueenofFlarmphgal