oh how I do love this.. :D I know Ive been terribly mean and all making you guys wait but the suspense was absolutely killing me when I was counting up the votes :D
option 1 - NINE VOTES
option 2 - TWO VOTES *obv. not that popular*
option 3 - NINE VOTES
BUT THEN!!!! crazywing18 reviewed and voted for...OPTION ONE!!!!! so option one was the winner. Im soz to the people who didnt get what they wanted but hopefully youll like what is to come :D
ENJOY!!..
Chapter 20 - Knowing
Joel bowed low to his master, waiting for the impending punishment he knew was about to come. He had failed the task assigned to him, probably the most important task - second only to collecting the boy.
"I am sorry Lord Morgarath, I failed you. There is no excuse for my failure."
The Lord of Rain and Night towered over him. "Inform me what happened."
Joel recounted the events, not lifting his head or raising his eyes once. After he finished Morgarath was silent for quite some time, again, Joel barely moved an inch. Finally he broke the silence, "It seems you have not completely failed at your task."
For the first time since assuming his position Joel looked up. "My Lord?"
"These are Rangers, you fool. Did you think it was your wit and skill to thank for escaping? No. They probably let you escape. And even if they didn't as soon as they knew you'd gone they would track you down. You are their only hope of finding that apprentice they hold so dearly to their hearts, you think they would let you get away just like that?"
Once informed of this Joel's mind ran quick. "Shall I send out a patrol to search for them, my lord?"
"No. Let them be, with their numbers at the moment they cannot do anything but wait and it will take time to send word back to Duncan and organise reinforcements. No, for now, just let Halt worry."
"What if he's not there?" Gilan was pacing back and forth at Halt's feet as he was slumped back against a rock. They had made camp a few hundred metres back from Morgarath's camp, close enough to go get a look when needed, but they were back enough so they couldn't be seen or heard. "What if Morgarath's taken him somewhere else? What if he didn't take him at all? What if everything Joel said was a lie? What if we..."
"Gilan!" Halt cut him off and he stopped to look at his former mentor. "First off, I know it was Morgarath. I know Will is in there, not exactly where but he is there. Not anywhere else. There are always 'what if...' possibilities in any situation and yes, we should try and prevent unwelcome events occuring but there is no use fretting over things that we have no control over. It achieves nothing but getting yourself and your men uptight and worried, and I know you know the more on edge you are, the more chance you have of making a drastic mistake when it counts. So just sit down and try to take your mind off things for a moment."
Gilan sighed. Halt was right, he knew, like he always was, but there was still a question eating away at him. "Halt?"
"Gilan?!"
"...Do you think he is still alive?"
Halt turned his head to look at his friend. "Oh yes, I'm sure he is. But it is Morgarath we're talking about, I dread to think what he is going through."
"Why can't we just go in there and get him?"
"You know why."
And he did. They had know idea where exactly Will was, how heavily guarded he was, if they could get him out easily, and they could very well be seen, after all Rangers were not the most common sight in a war camp of Morgarath. There were just too many things against them to risk it.
As it turned out Will was currently not heavily guarded, in fact not being guarded at all. He was on the other side of the river. And he was exhausted. After half hopping, half dragging himself to the river he found himself using mainly his arms to swim across the river. It was not helpful that the actual shackles were still bound around his wrists, but there were two things he were grateful for: he could move his arms freely and the current in the river was virtually non-existent.
So his leg proved to be a major complication in his plan to escape.
Sodding wet and exhausted Will scrambled as quickly as he possibly could into the forest. He didn't know how long it would be until Lukas got back and once he did he would look for him. And he didn't have much chance once this happened. Once he started he had no idea how long he had been 'on the run' but he knew he was running out of time. He just kept moving and moving until all he knew was that he was on the other side of the river, in the forest, wet, cold, with no food, a broken leg and, frankly, little hope.
Lukas had a certain bounce in his step as he made his way back to his tent. He was whistling a low eerie tune that sent chills down the spines of people who heard it. There was something about the man that seemed...sickening. Even to the cruelest of men.
He walked happily on his way, thinking of the joy that lay ahead. What fun it would be to break the new to his lovely that his master and friend were currently 'being tortured' at the hands of Lord Mrgarath. Bringing pain to people, making...watching them suffer and break always gave him such a thrill. Especially when he had such a spirited soul and so much to work with.
Then Lukas stopped in his tracks and snarled. Where the hell was he?!
He knew his lovely wouldn't be able to get far so he turned on his heel and went to collect some men to help search for him.
I know it is only short and I am soz for that but I made a promise to update tomorrow and that was almost a week ago. Ima write all tonight and get something decent down and tomorrow I really do PROMISE you will have more!!!!!
voting is closed for what should happen but feel free to still tell me your thoughts. :D
luv u all..
passion.