Dagaz gripped tightly on the captive girl's chains. She stumbled often, but tried to keep up. Her efforts, of course, were in vain, for she was short even by human standards and had great difficulty keeping up with long Uruk strides. The tribe of Uruk-hai that Dagaz commanded burned, tore, and devoured everything in its path, but their human companion grew weary. Dagaz did not and refused to pity the girl, for he knew they drew near. He could smell the goblin-stink that hung in the air. Cresting the hill, he wondered how much trouble he'd be in when he made his return to Isengard. After all, he did kind of fuck off in whatever direction he pleased and wasnt too sure if Saruman was even finished with his cohort during this great war. But who was Dagaz kidding? Saruman was never finished with anything.
Wizards... what princesses.
As they finally came over the hill he almost thought he'd heard the girl sigh in relief as the rock and golden prairie grass gave way to lay Edoras out before them, its walls standing firm. Atop the hill, Dagaz raised a fist and his cohort stopped as fast as they ran.
As the company at Dagaz's command heaved and gasped, Lugurt was sent to announce their arrival. "Tell the king of Edoras that his new best friend has arrived!" Dagaz shouted after him.
The young woman rested her hands on her knees and panted. Dagaz looked back at her and, digging in his pockets, pulled out a dirty rag and a used comb. He threw them at her and she inspected the rag, picking it up between her thumb and forefinger like it was some dead thing.
"And just what the hell is this?" she grimaced at the filthy cloth in her fingers.
"A rag and a comb. Make yourself presentable, I can't be having you go before the King looking like you do." Dagaz grunted, his eyes following Lugurt's dark form, stark against the dry grass backdrop.
The girl narrowed her eyes at Dagaz. "I'm not touching any part of my face with this."
Dagaz rolled his eyes. "At least comb your hair, you look like shit. And that's coming from me."
~O~O~O~O~O~O~O~O~O~O~
Grima had to admit how fucking great it felt sitting on the throne of Edoras. Granted, he was lording over a bunch of half-wit goblins but still, what once was Theoden's realm was now his. And that felt good. What didn't feel good was the concern that grew every day since Kaali's voice had come to his dreams. He worried more and more. Who was coming? She should be here by now...
He was suprised, certainly, when an Orc of Saruman arrived at his realm, but his suprise quickly gave way to panic as he saw the cohort of Uruk-hai he brought with him, standing atop the hill not a quarter mile away. Grima sat atop a throne that was now his, fiddling with a pewter goblet he'd taken from the kitchen. He made a mental note to send out word he was hiring. No one came near him with his Goblin army, but Orcs and Goblins weren't great homemakers and Grima hadn't had a proper meal in months.
The Orc they had sent tentatively walked through the door, the soft pit-pat of his feet the only sound in the grand hall, full of silent armsmen glaring at him. The hall that was once golden seemed so much darker now.
"What?" Grima demanded. "I thought Saruman would have waited at least a few more weeks before trying to kill me."
"This order comes not from Saruman your... your..." the Orc seemed to struggle and shift uncomfortably. He heard the metal clink of Grima's door guards as they geared up to skewer the unfortunate creature. "lordship," was the word he finally settled on. "It comes from my commander, Dagaz, he has a gift and, a proposition for you."
Grima was silent for quite a while, for what seemed like an eternity. He appeared to be far more focused on his little cup than anything that was happening before him. After a while, he sighed, "Very well, I will have this Dagaz and no more than three others come before me. Now, begone and tell your master this." Grima shooed the Orc away, taking a sip of mead from the goblet. Ruling suited him, he thought.
Not much time passed before a great Uruk-hai, who Grima assumed was Dagaz, waltzed in with two Orcs in tow, one from before and a new Orc he'd not seen, Dagaz led by a chain a young woman who was dark and had unkempt looking hair, but Grima did not hold this against her, he was almost certain this was from running around with these Orcs and Uruk-hai.
"Oh, king of Edoras, we are ever grateful for your hospitality. You're so gracious." Dagaz laid it on thick, and Grima, from his throne, narrowed his eyes as the Uruk flashed an offensively toothy grin.
"Flattery hardly suits your species," Grima rasped from the other side of the hall. Eyeing this Uruk-hai with great suspicion, and rightfully so. "What is it you have come to bring me? What propostition have you to make?" He rose from his place, leaving the goblet behind to walk toward the group.
Dagaz was taken aback. He thought humans were ones to mince words, to beat around the bush. Evidently he was wrong. Strike one. "I bring you this." Dagaz yanked the young woman's chain forward, and she stumbled to right her self before being shoved to the ground. "Bow before the king!" Dagaz commanded.
Grima raised an unamused eyebrow. "Shoving innocent women around actually doesn't impress me, contrary to popular belief of those who have passed not long ago." Grima reflected curtly. "What is her name?"
"Uh-" Dagaz never thought to ask for the girl's name before now. He didn't think Grima would care.
Grima chuckled. "Dagaz, is it? I appreciate the effort but I've no interest in being in league with an insubordinate soldier of Saruman and his merry band of fools. Thanks, but my dealings with Saruman are over."
Dagaz was dumbfounded. Was this not the way humans worked? He offered an army and a live body to warm the King's bed at night and still, Grima had no interest? How ungrateful could one man be? He'd even kept the woman intact and unsullied for him. Dagaz, still reeling, tugged on the chains for the young woman to stand. They were leaving.
"Oh, but I'm taking the woman." Grima stated matter-of-factlly.
"What?!" Dagaz bellowed and the Goblins that lined the walls of the hall visibly tensed, ready to fight."We are leaving! She is mine to do with what I wish."
"What is your name, my dear?" Grima addressed the captive young lady.
She looked up at the man, unsure what to make of them. She moved to Edoras from the East with her father, to run from whatever trouble he'd most recently found himself in. She'd whispers of Grima Wormtongue, but had never seen him. And now he stood before her, and she knew how unpleasant he could be, according to the townsfolk. But if he was going to take her ffrom Dagaz, anything was better than that. She replied, "Arya."
"I'll repeat myself once. I am taking Arya, you brought her for me, did you not? I've no interest in you or your army. I've no interest in you dragging this girl around the countryside wantonly whoreing her out to any lord with an army that crosses your path, I need another human in this castle or I'm going to go mad. Now, give me the woman and get the hell off my land, thank you for your stay." Grima ripped the chains from Dagaz's hand and flashed an arrogant grin.
"You will regret this." Dagaz growled. It seems Saruman was right, he was a worm.
"I can't wait for you to make me regret it." Grima growled right back.
Dagaz snarled and turned on his heels, storming out. He would not strike today, no, he needed more men. Enough to eviscerate this accursed land. He already began making plans to return to Saruman and talk him into burning this place to the ground. How dare Grima refuse him, in all his generosity, and take his property to boot. Never in his life had he been so insulted. (Granted he'd only been alive for a few weeks.)
Grima removed the cuffs from the girl, and she rubbed her wrists, hissing at the pain. She'd been in cuffs for aan immesurable amount of time. Grima walked away, tossing the metal to the floor where it clattered loudly. "Show her somewhere she can rest and bathe." He said to no one in particular. And then about-faced. "Tell, me, woman, can you cook?"
Arya knew now it was she whom he'd addressed. "Well, a bit." she
"Then please, for the love of god make something for dinner, even if it's burnt mashed carrots, I do not care." Grima flopped back into his throne as one of his men ushered her out of the hall. He was glad to have another human now, but that exchange was exhausting. He knew that Dagaz would come back. Grima's army was sizable but it was no where near large enough to fight off Saruman's. He had seenthem first hand. Shed a tear, even, at its size. He had no idea how he was going to face them. But perhaps that was a problem for another time.
Grima rubbed his pale temple. No wonder Theoden aged so poorly, no matter how heavy of a hand Grima had in that...
~O~O~O~O~O~O~O~O~O~O~
Okay I think that is all for now folks. I dont like itas much as i want to, but I've worked on this chapter all weekend and I need to be done messing with it or I'll go bananas. Read, Review, Fave, let me know how your grandma's dog is doing, whatever floats your boat. As always, thanks for reading!