And everything went south from there. Literally. The whole camp plunged into chaos. Legolas and Aragorn rushed to find Frodo and Boromir. Gimli hesitated before he followed them. Merry and Pippin bolted into the woods. Sam made his way in the same direction before I called to him.
"Sam! Stop!"
He turned to stare at me.
"I have to help find Mr. Frodo! He could be hurt."
I smiled at the hobbit.
"He's going to try to leave, Sam."
Tear-filled eyes looked back to me.
"I had hoped—" He suddenly panicked. "I can't stay here if he leaves! I have to find him!" He turned to run into the woods.
"Samwise Gamgee! Get your butt back here!"
The halfling stared at me. I must have been a frightening sight because he slowly came to stand in front of me (being Elrond's daughter gives you extra brownie points when you are trying to be stern). I bent down and took his hand in mine.
"He's not leaving by land. I can already hear his footsteps coming this way."
A twinkle entered his brown eyes and he leaned up and gave me a hasty kiss, which he probably regretted. He blushed deeply as I grinned and ruffled his hair.
"Now, go steal his paddles so he can't leave without you."
What do I do? Which path do I take? Eeny, meeny, miny, moe...
I gathered my weapons and walked into the woods.
Catch the Steward by the toe. If Boromir hollers, do not make him pay; he will probably die today.
"Gah! Bad Riley!"
I shook that awful rendition of a nursery rhyme from my head.
Troom. Troom. Troom.
I was so distracted when I heard the horn that I accidentally walked right into Uruk-hai's path. An arrow like the one Aragorn had taken out of my shoulder flew by my face and buried itself in an oak behind me. I narrowed my eyes.
Decision made.
I had not even realized how far I had walked until I heard Merry and Pippin crashing through thickets.
"Over here! That's right, maggot face! Come and get us!"
"This concludes the scientific study of the fact that all species from the male population are absolute idiots.', I muttered as I drew my bow. My mother was right— my last words would be sarcastic.
Three elven arrows found themselves lodged into the bodies of several dark-skinned figures. As the Uruk-hai grew too close for anything but hand-to-hand combat, I whipped out my twin knives and spun them.
Boromir's horn sounded again, and I fought my way towards the racket. My necklace swung out of my tunic and caught the sunlight that sparkled through the trees.
"That's her."
I turned to see two of the Enemy's servants leering at me, the expression twisting their already twisted faces.
"Sharky will be pleased. Tell Lurtz that we found the girl.', one said. The other never got the chance to obey.
I looked at the two knives in my hand, then back at the two orcs. Without a second thought, I flicked them in that direction. It seemed like a good idea at the moment, as it killed both of the foul creatures, but I realized that I was now left with a few odd arrows and my sword.
Drawing Glandúr, I hacked until I finally reached Boromir. My shoulder began to burn from the exertion, and as I spun around to face another one of the monsters I heard my stitches snap.
Ouch. Oh crap.
I looked up in time to see Merry and Pippin being hauled off by the Uruk-hai. Boromir, who had wandered out of my line of vision at some point, laid on the ground and my heart caught in my throat. I had failed: the steward's son was covered in blood.
No. He's not supposed to be dead yet! Where are the three hunters?
A branch snapped behind me and I swung my blade around to connect it with the body of an extremely brawny orc. Blood spurted from his stomach and my tunic was drenched with it.
"Yuck."
Hands trapped my own and I winced as the Uruk squeezed my knuckles hard enough to make my sword fall from my grasp. I pulled a dagger from my boot and stabbed his thigh before he threw me against a tree. He yanked the small knife out of his muscle and licked his own blood from it. Not sure what the purpose in that was, but I believe it was to increase his blood lust.
In the few seconds it took for him to clean the blade, I had rolled over and grabbed my sword once more.
My head was throbbing as he raised his own jagged weapon and began to advance. We fought for several minutes before I gained enough leverage to chop his sword-wielding arm off. In mere seconds Glandúr was once more found sticking out of his gut. But the monster did not seem to feel any pain. Instead, he pushed forward and impaled himself on my blade.
"Do you not know when to die?" I wailed.
His face was inches from my own. I yanked out Glandúr and swung. But before my blade could connect, he gave a cruel smile.
"Take her to Saruman."
Without missing a beat I cut his head from his shoulders, but I did not have time to gloat. A pair of black arms wrenched my blade from my hands and threw it to the ground, all while holding me captive.
"Filth.', my captor hissed gratingly into my ears.
Oh yeah? Well I could say the same about you buddy!
I was beginning to get a raging headache and the blood rushing towards my head did nothing to help as I was swung over his shoulder. I squirmed violently in his grasp, but a sudden blow to the head sent my world spinning into darkness.
xXx
Third Person Point of View...
xXx
Aragorn tumbled out of the bushes and stared in horror at the sight that met his eyes. Blood covered the ground and Boromir laid among it.
"No!"
He knelt by the steward's son, who was pale and lay as still as death.
"Be at peace, Son of Gondor. They will look for your coming at the White Tower, but it will be in vain. May you find rest in the Halls of Mandos."
One eye suddenly popped open and glared at Aragorn, who looked down at the other man in surprise.
"I'm not sure whether I should be offended or touched by your words.', Boromir said dryly as he sat up. He cringed as he gently rubbed the back of his head. A blow to the head had rendered him unconscious, and he put his face in his hands as he remembered what had occurred.
"Aragorn, they took the little ones. Frodo? Where is Frodo? I tried to take the ring from him." The man could not meet the ranger's eyes.
"I let Frodo go."
"You did what I could not.', Boromir sighed guiltily.
"Even I was tempted by the Ring, Boromir. If the Uruk-hai had not—" Strider shook his head. "But come. There is more pressing matters at hand."
Legolas and Gimli arrived at the same moment. The elf had tears running down his face and the dwarf looked suspiciously close to crying himself. Aragorn met the woodland elf's stricken gaze before glancing down at what was held in his hands. A sharp intake of breath reached Boromir's ears and he too looked at what lay in Legolas' palms.
Twin knives. No elf would abandon their weapons unless they had died or been forced away from them.
"Tinwë.', Legolas choked as he also found her bloodied sword.
"Elrond is going to kill me. But why did the orcs not slay her? Why carry her off? Saruman knows that a hobbit carries the ring, but why would he care about a mere girl?', Aragorn thought. He closed his eyes and swallowed past the lump in his throat as he put the pieces together.
"The fellowship has failed. It has all been in vain!"
Aragorn turned to Gimli.
"No. Not while we still have strength left." He helped Boromir to his feet and quickly returned to the camp.
"We travel light. Leave all that can be spared behind. We can no longer help Frodo: his fate is not in our hands. But I will not abandon our friends to torment and death. Let us hunt some orc."
"Yes!', Gimli roared. He ran to Aragorn's side before he froze and slowly turned to Boromir.
"Yer horn, laddie." The dwarf pointed to the Horn of Gondor that lay at the man's hip and held out his hand. Boromir raised an eyebrow.
"The lass bid me to promise her something, and I honor my word."
Aragorn also raised an eyebrow. Riley had obviously known something they did not. He nodded towards the son of Denethor.
"If Rielásse convinced Gimli swear an oath, it must have been important enough for him to give his word."
Boromir hesitated before he finally gave in and handed over the heirloom of Gondor. The dwarf sighed deeply as he walked to the edge of the Anduin.
"I do not relish this.', he growled as he threw it in. The men's eyes widened as they watched the instrument sail through the air in a perfect arc before hitting the water with a splash.
"Are you possessed?', Boromir spluttered. "That was a family heirloom!"
Gimli shook his head. The steward's son looked like he was about to murder the dwarf.
"I wish I were, laddie. But the lass asked it of me, and who was I to refuse the granddaughter of the Golden Lady?"
Boromir shook his head and looked mournfully towards the part of the river that his horn had disappeared.
"Come. We have wasted precious time.', Aragorn sternly reprimanded.
If they had hope of catching up to the Uruk-hai, they had to leave as soon as possible.
"They're taking the hobbits to Isengard!', Legolas reported to Aragorn.
"Along with the little one.', he added as he stared mournfully over the grassy plains of Rohan.
"She may yet be alive, Legolas."
"Aye. But why should she be? Saruman has no use for her. She will be used for sport among those foul beasts."
"Aragorn? Why did Saruman's abhorrent creations not slay her when they could? It makes no sense!', Boromir scowled in frustration as his mind tried to come up with an explanation for the wizard's actions.
"She is invaluable to him." The ranger glanced at his friends. "She knows the outcome of this war."
Gimli, who had fallen behind, rolled the rest of the way down the hill to land at their feet. Noticing the gaping faces of Boromir and Legolas, he looked to Strider for an explanation.
"What did I miss?"
xXx
Riley's Point of View...
xXx
"Riley? Are you alright? Look, Merry! She's alive!"
I almost wish I had not begun to gain consciousness; my shoulder throbbed and I had a raging headache from being bashed around so many times.
"So the little she-elf's awake, is she?" A foul voice grew closer and I heard the hobbits' breath hitch. I was being carried, my hands bound around the neck of the orc who was hauling me around. I closed my eyes and winced as someone from the demon rabble poked my sore shoulder.
"Is the elf-filth in pain?', the apparent leader of the group mocked. "Poor elf."
He stroked the dirty hair from my face in a cruel mockery of tenderness.
"Stop!', Pippin yelled frantically. "She's sick!"
"Can't have that can we?" His voice became hard as he gave me a sick grin. "Give her some medicine, boys!"
A filthy waterskin was passed around and uncorked before it was held to my lips. I shrank away from it and the orcs began to howl with laughter.
"Not good enough for you 'delicate' senses?', the captain of the troupe sneered in my face.
My nose was clamped shut as the dark brown liquid was forced down my throat. I coughed and gagged as it burned its way down my esophagus; it streamed down my face and dried there, making it impossible to get the awful taste out of my mouth.
I believe that is a prime example of what old Pops would have called rotgut. That stuff is just plain nasty.
I shuddered as we slammed to a halt again.
"What is it? What do you smell?', one monster asked.
I smell some very rank unwashed bodies— I hate these heightened senses.
"Man-flesh! They have caught our trail! Let's move!"
"Why?', I griped to myself. "Why do the Valar feel the need to keep my life interesting?"
The next three days were a living nightmare. My body ached everywhere and I believed that my shoulder had become infected. What did I expect, though? I was among the most unsanitary creatures in Middle Earth with an open wound, for crying out loud!
"I'm sorry, Riley. You should not have to bear the brunt of our actions. I think I made a mistake in leaving the Shire.', the barely audible voice reaches my ears and I turned to smile at Merry.
"It's okay,mellon nin.But do not be so certain that you have made a mistake just yet."
Though I deeply resent that I missed Legolas say 'they're taking the hobbits to Isengard.' I wonder if he had to add a line...
xXx
"We ain't going nowhere 'till we've had a breather!"
The orcs were basically going on strike for the night and a fire was lit. Cue the complaints.
"I'm starving! We ain't had nothing but maggoty bread for three stinking days!', growled an orc that stood guard next to me.
"Yeah! Why can't we have some meats?', hissed his pale-skinned companion. "What about them? They're fresh." He tilted his head in the hobbit's direction.
"They are not for eating!', bellowed the leader. There seemed to be an ongoing feud between the Uruk-hai and the spawn of Mordor that had joined us along the way, and they constantly fought over the smallest things.
"Then what are they for?"
"They carry an elvish weapon. The master wants them unspoiled."
Several grimy faces swiveled to look at me.
"What about her?"
"Sharky says she is the elf that knows much of the future."
Yeah. Like how you're gonna end up with your head on a spear.
"How do you know it's her?"
I've honestly given up on trying to tell who is speaking.
"Her necklace proves it! See!"
My necklace was yanked out of my tunic and held up for the whole contingent to see.
"A nice, shiny trinket might replace a fresh meal.', someone snarled beside me. A black hand reached towards my necklace. As its finger barely came in contact with the pendant, an ungodly noise rent the air as the creature who owned the hand screeched in pain. A red burn appeared on the monster's hand.
"I'm gonna kill you for that, you no good elf-scum! I'll teach you to burn me!" He struck out towards my face with his scimitar. I was so busy trying not to get carved into lunch meat that I forgot why the corrupted being wanted to kill me in the first place.
The sound of a blade being drawn barely registered in my mind before the head of the orc landed at the horrified halflings' feet.
"Looks like meat's back on the menu, boys!"
What do ya know? They're cannibals, too!
I glanced at the hobbits, who were motioning me to follow them as they crawled away.
'Go' I mouthed back. They were so small that they had a chance to escape— I, on the other hand, was sure to be noticed.
The pounding of earth made me scan the fields where we were camped. Hooves kicked up dust and trampled orcs as the Rohirrim decided to make an appearance and crash the party.
Merry and Pippin were already in Fangorn, so all I had to worry about was not getting mistaken for an enemy. Not a very easy task, mind you.
One of the horse-lords thundered by me and raised a spear. I ducked and it hit a Uruk behind me. Without thinking of how stupid it was to do so, I leapt into the saddle in front of the warrior.
Sweet. This elvish body has turned me into some type of ninja.
"Nice to meet you, man-who-needs-a-razor. Before you try to kill me— I am an elf, not an orc. And I absolutely hate Saruman. If you don't mind saving my butt, I would really appreciate it if we saved introductions for later?"
The blonde soldier blinks twice before he remembers what is happening around us and goes back into full battle mode.
xXx
When the last of the foul creatures have been slain, the horse-lords dismounted and piled the carcasses to be burned.
I also slid down from the horse I had hitchhiked on.
"Um, yeah. Sorry about that... thing back there." I apologized with a cringe.
"What is an elf doing in Rohan? And a woman, no less?"
"Before you start to interrogate me, let me just say that next time you go to make a shish kabob out of someone, you should really make sure they aren't your enemy first. I'm Riley."
I stuck out my hand for him to shake but he just stared at it. I sighed and let my outstretched arm drop back to my side.
"I was captured by the orcs a few days ago as I traveled with a company of nine. As far as I know, one of them is dead."
"And how do I know you are speaking the truth?"
"You'll just have to chance it, I guess. And don't you know that it's rude not introduce yourself?"
"At least you are honest. I am the third marshall of Riddermark— my name is of no importance."
A slow smile curved my lips and I almost laughed.
"Well met, Éomer, son of Éomund."
His eyebrow arched in surprise and I grinned up at him.
"What? Elves are all knowing!', I joked.
"I've also been told that they are wise and serious. How is it that you are not so?"
"I try to be normal, but that quickly gets boring. Besides, life is too long to sit around all day and be a grump."
He frowns for a moment.
"I am still not certain that I believe your story, but you have given no reason for me to believe that you tell an untruth.', he said as he rubbed his beard thoughtfully. "You will ride with us until you can prove your story."
Éomer glanced back at his black mount before glancing back to me with a twinkle in his eyes.
So the famed future king of Rohan does have a sense of humor.
"And find your own horse."
He turned to walk off.
"Yo, Spanky?', I hollered after him. He gave me a funny look, but at least he turned around.
"Do you have any water with you? That orc draught tasted worse than... actually I don't think anything else could have tasted that bad."
He smirked and I glared at him until he tossed me a waterskin.
"Keep it."
That's so nice of him to give you—
"I doubt anyone will put it to their mouth after it touches the foul substance on your lips."
I glared at him again and he chuckled as he went to find me a horse to ride.