DISCLAIMER: Three Girls wished very very hard for the rights to Lord of the Rings for Christmas. They woke up on Christmas morning and ran down the stairs. They were so excited that they couldn't hold it in... But after opening all of their presents, they had not received the item of their deepest desires... Sorry... We would have shared them with you (maybe).

ABBY'S NOTE: I know that ages have passed on since the last time that our story has met your eyes, and I apologize for the rudeness of my slothful acts. I ask for your forgiveness in this cruel world of stories and criticisms. I have no excuse to speak of, and I am deeply sorry.

Now that that's over. Let me just say thanks for sticking with us for so long. I love all of you guys and I hope that you'll remember to review... I may be able to post again in a week or two. Enjoy this nice long chappie! Es muy bueno!

----Start of: Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers----

Chapter 17

Lindi groggily opened her eyes. Her head was pounding, and she was being carried away by an orc. She could see the three hobbits being carried by other orcs. Lindi closed her eyes and tried to remember what had happened to her.

Her memory came to her slowly, sort of fading in and out. She remembered the scream of orcs intermingled with the whooshing sound of arrows flying past. There was a fleeting vision of Boromir! He was blowing the Horn of Gondor. Her memory failed her here, but she didn't really need to know any more. She had seen what had happened to the hobbits in the movie, and she could only assume that the same had happened to her. All she could do was groan:

"But I wanted to go to Mordor! Or at least be with Legolas!"

"Shut up you filthy little..."

Now, Lindi did not take kindly to orcs calling her names. This one apparently didn't know that. She whacked him upside his disgusting, knobby head. He let go of her.

She used this short opportunity to hop away, her legs being tied together. However, she did not get very far. Another orc came and grabbed her up and kept trotting.

"AAAAARGH!" Lindi screamed in frustration. "AAAAAAAAAAARGH!"

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Legolas had found Aragorn and Gimli. They were sending Boromir's body down the river in one of the elven boats, the Horn of Gondor broken on his breast. It was a solemn ceremony, and Legolas did not wish to interrupt. Once Aragorn and Gimli turned away from the river, he moved forward out of the trees.

"Legolas! We thought the worst had happened to you!" Aragorn ran towards the elf but slowed as he saw the elf's face; it was gray.

"What has happened?" asked Gimli in his gruff voice, somewhat out of breath from the short jog.

"Ali and Abby are on their way to Mordor, as safe as may be, but..." Legolas faltered here.

"But what, Mellon?"

"The hobbits and Lindi have been captured by the orcs. I believe that they are being brought to Saruman."

"We will track them," answered Aragorn. "I know how you'd feel if anything happened to... to them."

Gimli looked from Aragorn to Legolas, not comprehending the silent exchange between man and elf.

"Well, let's go!" he interrupted. "Dwarves are sturdy creatures; I can run!"

Even in this moment of seriousness, Aragorn and Legolas could not help but laugh at this outrageous claim.

"What's so funny?"

They only laugh a little louder and turned to find the trail.

"It's going to be a long journey. Be prepared," said Aragorn as they began to track the orcs.

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Rocks were now underneath the two elves' feet. They had traveled a long way in a short time, so they were extremely tired. There were now what Ali would call intimidating hills and what Abby would call mountains rising in front of them. This was Emyn Muil.

"We're going to Mount Doom!

The Ring will go BOOM!"

The hobbits song had grown on Abby, but not on Ali.

"Will you please stop singing that song?! It is so annoying!" Ali was just a bit exasperated.

"Okay... Oh! I know the perfect song: If I were invisible, I could just watch you in your roo--"

"NOT the stalker song!"

"Well, what would you like me to sing, then?"

"Just don't!"

"Ali, are you feeling alright?"

"YES! For Heaven's sake, YES!"

They walked in silence for a while. Abby contemplated Ali's mood. The only thing that she could blame besides Ali was the Ring. She didn't like it when Ali acted like this, so on the rare occasion that she did, it was doubly bad.

"Ali... maybe you should take a rest..."

"WHAT? Are you implying that I cannot take the pace? We need to go fast now! Keep moving!"

"I wasn't even thinking that, Ali! I know that you can take care of yourself. I just think that you might need to calm down and collect your thoughts. Don't glare at me! I just think you're irritated right now and need to take a breather! You're never like this!"

Ali stopped and looked at Abby. She thought about it for a moment. She did feel a bit irritated. That didn't mean that she should snap at Abby.

"I'm sorry, Abby. I'm just worried. I don't know what has happened to Lindi, and I can't help her. There's also the sheer responsibility of The Ring. It's hard knowing that I have to keep it from Sauron until it can be destroyed."

"I know. I also know that you have me here to help you. I can do things you can't. If I have to carry you up Mount Doom like Sam did for Frodo, I will. I'll do anything you need, Ali!"

"I appreciate that."

"So can I sing again?"

"No."

"Hum?"

"NO!"

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The Uruk-hai kept their steady pace, and Lindi kept an eye on the hobbits the best that she could, but it was growing quite difficult as she had been thrown over the shoulder of a rather unpleasant Uruk-hai. After her little escape attempt the orcs had dealt her some rather nasty blows and had promised her that if they ever stopped she would be promised a sleepless night of pain and misery.

Lindi knew that stopping was inevitable. She'd read about the stuff and had cringed at the thought of it, but now she might end up living it. She closed her eyes, trying to forget the throbbing pain in her head. She had lost all feeling from her waist down about three hours before, which was probably a good thing. She would give anything right now to be able to be back at home, or at least with Abby and Ali.

At least in Mordor she would not be carried everywhere by a smelly orc.

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5 Days Later

They hadn't stopped running for days. They would pause for a few moments for food (which Lindi refused to eat), or to get their bearings. She drifted in and out of consciousness. All the blood rushed to her head, and she would have to force her head up so that she wouldn't black out. The hobbits didn't seem to be doing well at all-- Merry had a large gash over his left eye, and Pippin was as pale as snowy ground. She had noticed that Pippin had dropped his Lorien pendant on the ground, and she knew that Aragorn, Legolas, Gimli, and Sam would come along soon. This also meant that they would be stopping soon to rest, which meant pain for Lindi. She prayed that the Rohirim would show up before anything too awful occurred.

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"Come along! Sam and Gimli, keep up."

"I don't know Mr. Gimli; I don't think I'm gonna make it."

"Come on lad, I know you can." Inside Gimli knew it wasn't true-- Hobbits weren't meant to go on long treks such as these.

Aragorn placed his ear on the ground, closed his eyes, and listened intently to the sound of Uruk-hai feet beating the ground. It had increased in pace since the last time he checked.

"They must have caught our scent. Hurry! They are nearly a day ahead of us."

Gimli came rolling down the hill, followed closely by Sam.

"Come on Gimli! Come on Sam! We're gaining on them!" yelled Legolas over his shoulder.

"We dwarves are natural sprinters. Very dangerous over short distances."

"I'll never make it! I'm too tired."

"Come now, Laddie. Think of the hobbits and Lindi. We cannot just leave them to die!"

"You're right! I'll do this for them. I will not let them die. Not like Mr. Frodo."

Tears filled his eyes as he thought about his friend dying in an attempt to protect The Ring. This was not allowed to happen to anyone else!

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The head orc stopped and sniffed. The air held the scent of men. They were being tracked. He had to reach Isengard before they were caught.

"What do you smell?" came the gruff voice of another orc.

He sniffed again to make sure. "Man flesh. They've picked up our trail! Move out!"

"Pippin!" called Lindi. She spotted him and Merry. Their arms were tied around the necks of Uruk-hai.

"Pippin! Oh, please answer me!"

"Lady Lindi? How do you fare?"

"I'm doin' just dandy. How about you? Is Merry okay?"

"Merry doesn't stay awake for very long anymore. I hope we stop soon. My arms hurt."

"I know, I want to stop, too..." in reality, Lindi was still scared to stop. "But we must wait. I know Aragorn and company will be here anytime now. Everything will be fine." She smiled. Her face was blood red from hanging upside down for so long.

"I miss my home. I miss the dancing, and the singing, and the ale. I wish I could be at the Green Dragon right now."

"Well, Pippin," said Lindi, now thinking that she might be able to come up with a way to calm him, "I can't dance, and I have no ale, but I can sing... sort of."

"Really? Could you sing for me?"

"I'll try." The only song that came to mind (that was not depressing, that is), was the song that was now stuck in her head:

"Lay down your sweet and weary head

Night is falling, you have come to journey's end.

Sleep now. Dream of the ones who came before.

They are calling from across the distant shore.

Why do you weep? What are these tears upon your face?

Soon you will see all of your fears will pass away.

Safe in my arms you're only sleeping.

What can you see? On the horizon.

Why do the white gulls call?

Across the sea a pale moon rises

The ships have come to carry you home.

And all will turn to silver glass.

A light on the water all souls pass... Hope fades

Into the world of night

Through shadows calling out of memory and time.

Don't say we have come now to the end.

White shores are calling. You and I will meet again.

And you'll be here in my arms just sleeping.

What can you see? On the horizon.

Why do the white gulls call?

Across the sea a pale moon rises

The ships have come to carry you home.

And all will turn to silver glass.

Alight on the water Grey Ships pass

Into the West.

Her voice soared over the plains. When she had finished, she looked at Pippin. He was sound asleep, smiling. She knew he was tired and ill. His skin was covered in dirt and looked very pale, but gladly she had put him into a nice dream.

The orcs began to run again. Lindi let her body relax, she would soon be in blackness. Then, she smiled. She had forgotten that elves had the ability to sing, which she definitely didn't have as a mortal. She wondered when they would stop and what would happen with the Riders of Rohan. Would she escape with the hobbits, or would she be captured? Either one sounded a heck of a lot better than being tortured by orcs. Slowly she gave up and slipped out of oblivion.

ABBY'S OTHER NOTE: In case you were wondering, yes, Lindi did write this section for the most part. I DO think that she can sing in real life, but I'm pretty sure her voice doesn't "soar over the plains." Whatever... And, another thing, Lindi definitely has no feelings whatsoever for poor little hobbit Pippin. He's actually a lot like her little brother, Brock... So, if any of you idolize Pippin and want to marry him (that's not going to happen), you should come date Lindi's little brother... hehe. J/K, Lindi!