abnormal tragedy

Chapter 24: orcs

The Uruk-hai and orcs stops at nightfall.

"We ain't goin' no further 'till we've had a breather!" One orc shouted causing other orc to shout in an agreement. "Get a fire going!" Uglúk demanded. As the orcs started to create a fire to cook their food, no eyes where on Merry and Pippin. So Pippin crawled towards Merry. "Merry! Merry!" Pippin whispered as he got closer. Merry stayed silent for a bit before he whispered, "I think we might have made a mistake, leaving the Shire, Pippin" before he felt a single tear escape his left eye.

As the orcs chop at the trees, low groans and rumbles come from the forest instantly scaring Merry and Pippin. "What's making that noise?" Pippin trembled to which his friend replied, "It's the trees." Pippin stared at Merry like the hobbit was talking nonsense, "What!?" He almost laughed. "You remember the Old Forest? On the borders of Buckland? Folks used to say that there was something in the water that made the trees grow tall, and come alive." Merry turned to face Pippin with a stern glare as he questioned, "Alive?" Before Merry could answer one Uruk shouted in annoyance,  "I'm starving. We ain't had nothing but maggoty bread for three stinking days!"

"Yeah! Why can't we have some meat?" Snaga replied licking his lips with creepily aroma of serenity. The orc suddenly rests his eyes on the hobbits. "What about them? They're fresh!" He finished as he walked closer to the hobbits, but was stopped by Uglúk. "They are not for eating!" He shouted drawing his sword. There was silence for a second before another older looking Orc stepped forwards and looked closer at Merry and Pippin. "What about their legs? They don't need those. Ooh! They look tasty!" Grishnák sneered him too licking his lips, making the hairs of Pippin's neck stand on edge. He didn't fancy being eaten by an orc nor did Merry.

 "Get back, scum! The prisoners go to Saruman. Alive and unspoiled." Uglúk shouted. "Alive? Why alive? Do they give good sport?" Grishnák shouted back. "They have something. An Elvish weapon. The master wants it for the war." Pippin quietly turned to Merry, "They think we have the Ring." "Shhh! As soon as they find out we don't, we're dead." Merry whispered annoyed, he just wanted to survive. If Pippin kept talking that loud they wouldn't make it through the night. Snaga edged his way over, "Just a mouthful. A bit off the flank-" But before he could finish Uglúk sliced his head clean of his body. "Looks like meat's back on the menu, boys!"

Chaos. Absolute chaos. Orcs were killing each other left right and centre. Heads were flying around everywhere along with parts of arms and legs. "Pippin, let's go!" Merry hissed through his teeth, in an attempt to not distract the Orcs. The hobbits tried to crawl away, but Pippin got caught by Grishnák. "Go on, call for help. Squeal! No one's gonna save you now!" Pippin squealed in terror but stopped when a spear pierces the orc's back. Unsure of what killed it, Merry and Pippin headed towards the forest. Suddenly Pippin turns and looks up at a pair of thrashing hooves bearing down on him. "Argh!" 

...

"A red sun rises. Blood has been spilt this night." Legolas said to mainly himself as he rushed ahead. Rowan quickly joined him. "Poor hobbits.." Rowan murmured as they headr the sound of horses coming closer towards them. Legolas grabs Rowan and shoves her behind a rock, to hide. Gimli shortly follows. A large group of cavalry appear.

Slowly Rowan comes out of hiding as they pass, Legolas and Gimli behind her. "Riders of Rohan! What news from the Mark?" She questions as they turn round on their horses to face the trio. At a quick signal from Èomer, the riders make a quick turn and head towards the three companions, encircling them. As they stop, they point their spears at them. Rowan puts her hands up as if they've been defeated and mean no harm as her eyes were glued to the man in front of her. "What business does an elf, a woman and a dwarf have in the Riddermark?" The Captain demanded. No one answered.  "Speak quickly!" He shouted which caused Gimli to grow extremely annoyed and frustrated. 

"Give me your name, horsemaster, and I shall give you mine." He spat as the riders stuck their arrows deeper into their skin. They went so deep into Rowan's skin that they drew blood that she felt trickle down her neck. Èomer gets off his horse. Rowan puts a hand on Gimli's shoulder, in an attempt to make him stop speaking. "I would cut off your head — dwarf — if it stood but a little higher from the ground." Rowan let out a small quick laugh before Legolas quickly aimed an arrow at Èomer. Rowan pushes down Legolas' arm so he couldn't shoot.

"I'm Rowan, daughter of Arathorn. Sister to Aragorn heir of Gondor." Rowan put her hand to her chest. "This is Gimli, son of Glóin, and Legolas, from the Woodland realm." She finishes before she steps closer to Èomer, in doing so his men point their arrows at her again. "Ow." She mutters before continuing, "We are friends of Rohan and of Théoden, your king." 

"Théoden no longer recognizes friend from foe." Èomer replies as he takes off his helmet. "Not even his own kin." Èomer signals for the spears to be withdrawn. Rowan rubs her neck, looking at the blood now on her hands. "Saruman has poisoned the mind of the king and claimed lordship over this land. My company are those loyal to Rohan. And for that, we are banished." He continues, "The White Wizard is cunning. He walks here and there they say, as an old man, hooded and cloaked."

"The white wizard..?" Rowan asks confused. He gives Legolas a meaningful look. "And everywhere his spies slip past our nets." Rowan steps closer to him but Legolas blocks her. "We are no spies. We track a band of Uruk-hai westward across the plains. They have taken two of our friends captive." Èomer listens before laughing,  "The Uruks are destroyed. We slaughtered them during the night." Rowan froze. The hobbits, Merry and Pippin dead?

She couldn't speak. "But there were two hobbits, did you see two hobbits with them?" Gimli demanded sensing Rowan's worry. "They would be small, only children to your eyes." He said trying to describe them without waisting time. "We left none alive." Èomer replied, "We piled the carcasses and burned them." he finishes as he points to smoke in the distance. Rowan immediately turns to look. "Dead?" Èomer nods, "I am sorry." Rowan looked up at him as Legolas put a hand on her shoulder, so she turned to look at him and noticed he was worried too. 

Èomer whistles and shouts "Hasufel! Arod!" and two horses appear. "May these horses bear you to better fortune than the former masters." He nods. "Farewell." Èomer then mounts his horse. "Look for your friends, but do not trust the hope. It has forsaken these lands. We ride north!" He finished before locking eyes with Rowan. She smiled as the three of them watched the riders depart.