Hey! I can get into my account! (I haven't been able to for AGES!:( ) Well, on with the story…

Disclaimer: *groans* I don't own Lord of the Rings

Unlike the last lot, these Ruffians were more than a group of lazy, carefree drunks. They were intelligent, well disciplined, and to Pippin's dismay, as fast as cheetahs. It took them only a day and a half to reach Hobbiton, an impressive feat, even without taking into account the size of the group.

Pippin's mind was racing, dread welling up inside him. Merry, Frodo and Sam would be distressed when they saw him, but not surprised. They would be shocked to see Pervinca, however. Merry at least would recognize Negrinard and Everard, and probably Sam and Frodo too. Pippin was fairly sure he knew why they were being taken to Hobbiton, but the Ruffians were wrong if they thought his friends would cave in when they saw him. There would be a fight, and Pippin hoped that in a matter of hours, he would be free, and, inconveniently, back to square one. The alternative was too terrible to contemplate.

Sam sighed, straightening his armour. He had spent the last hour scrubbing it to perfection, before he went to go and see his old Gaffer. He knew his Gaffer was going to disapprove of the way he was dressed, but Sam saw no other reason to change his attire. It marked everything that he had been through, everywhere he had been and everything he had accomplished. Besides, with Ruffians roaming the Shire at their own will, it was best to stay armed. Nevertheless, Sam thought it wise that his armour should at least be clean.

The door creaked open behind him, and in came Frodo. "Hullo Sam," said Frodo. His demeanor was cheerful enough, but the heaviness in his tone showed Samwise that something was amiss.

"Mister Frodo?" he asked. "Has something unexpected happened?"

"Come and see for yourself," replied Frodo, anxiety etched across his face. Hurriedly, they left the room, and Frodo led Sam to a verandah, that overlooked a large field. Sam gasped, for directly below them was a party of nearly fifty Ruffians, more than he had thought possible. But the most awful sight of all was Pippin, bound and gagged in the centre of the party, along with, to Sam's surprise and distress, his sister, Pervinca.

Pervinca, who was not gagged, uttered a comment that Sam could not quite make out. His gaze hardened, as one of the Ruffians struck her across the face, sending her sprawling. Pippin started towards her, but the Ruffians held him back. Pervinca quickly recovered, rising to her feet, the beginnings of a black eye forming upon her face.

"How dare they handle a lass in that way?" Samwise exclaimed, enraged. "And the Thain's daughter, to boot! Is there no limit to what they will do?"

"Maybe not, Sam," replied Frodo, sadly, "More's the pity. I feel almost sorry for them. Think of the guilt they must be feeling. Or for someone to be able to do that with no guilt…"

"Maybe so, Mister Frodo, maybe so," replied Sam, "but I can't really pity them, with how they're treating Pippin and Pervinca and all."

Merry appeared in the doorway, his face bedraggled. Farmer Cotton appeared behind him. "What are we going to do now?" sighed Merry, desperately glancing around the room, as if the answer might lie within a book or a paperweight within it.

The farmer nodded. "They sent a messenger to our door," He told them. "They want to negotiate with us. Apparently, if we come, no harm will come to us or their captives. I don't believe a word of it."

"Can't we fight them?" asked Merry recklessly. "I mean, we have them outnumbered."

"Aye," replied Sam, "but they have advantage of the higher ground. And we cannot deny that they are stronger than us. Plus, they have Pippin in their custody, providing them with leverage. To win, we'd need a very complex and well devised strategy, which we don't have time for."

"There's nothing for it then," said Frodo. "We'll go down and see what they want, exactly."

Merry fidgeted with his sword, loosening it repeatedly in its sheath. Now, as they approached the Ruffians, it occurred to him that it would have been wiser if at least one of them had stayed back, in case something bad happened, which, more likely than not, it would. But by then it was too late. The Ruffians seized them as soon as they drew near, and in seconds they had joined the other captives.

Pippin glanced at them, his eyes filled with anguish. He caught Merry's eye, and Merry noticed that his cousin had managed to shake off his gag. Merry held his gaze for a few moments, until Pippin turned to the lead Ruffian. "The Shire will rise, you know," Pippin told him. "My people will not put up with this oppression for long. If need be, there are Rangers nearby, and the King will send soldiers to our aid. The war in the west has been won. In the long run, you can't win."

The lead Ruffian uttered a humorless laugh. "Maybe so, little hobbit," he spat. "But it has often been said that 'when a leader goes, his cause goes with him'." He seized Pippin by the scruff of the neck. "Well, we certainly don't need this one anymore," he smirked, forcing him into a kneeling position.

Merry cried out, as did Pervinca. All the hobbits, save Pippin, began to struggle against their bonds, but to no avail. The lead Ruffian drew his sword. Pippin, knowing he had only seconds to live, closed his eyes tight shut. The Ruffian raised his sword higher and higher. Any moment, he would bring it down upon Pippin's neck, and Pippin would be no more.

Hiss! An arrow shot through the air, embedding itself into the Ruffian's flesh. He fell over dead. Shocked, Pippin raised his head in the direction of where the arrow had come from.

Diamond of Long Cleave sat high upon her pony, another arrow already drawn on her crossbow. Over a hundred Shire folk stood behind her, all armed with a weapon of some sort.

Ironically, the late lead Ruffian's earlier statement concerning the loss of one's leader proved true of the Ruffians, and so the Hobbits won the battle fairly quickly. When it was over and done, Pervinca, Everard and Negrinard rushed towards Diamond, enveloping her in long embraces and heartfelt thanks, not noticing the anxiety in her eyes. Pippin followed after them, keen to meet the lass who had saved his life.

Diamond greeted him politely, as well as Frodo, Sam, Merry, Farmer Cotton, Rollin and Drinlo, until finally she could contain herself no longer. She looked straight at Pervinca. "They've taken Tookland," she whispered hoarsely. "It's not holding out any longer."

Oh no, another cliffy! Bwa ha ha…
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