With Hope and Without Hope

Chapter 21: Tower of Doom

Merry tripped over his feet as Uglúk shoved him out of the hall and into the dark stairwell. He looked back to see his cousin escorted away with Strider to who knew where. Would he see either of them again? A knot of dread settled into his stomach. Who could say what was to become of any of them now?

Uglúk barked at him. "Move! Forget about the others! You're going down to the Pits now."

This wasn't the way it was supposed to happen. They were to escort Fr— his cousin to ... that place, to rid everyone of ...that thing. That thing was the whole reason for this! And now they were trapped in a tower of stone by a mad wizard who just had Pippin and Strider dragged off somewhere, while sending him and Legolas and Gimli into a pit of orcs.

He peered ahead of him to see how Legolas was managing to walk with his bad leg as they descended into the darkness. Norgry had hold of Legolas's arm, as much dragging him as leading him. Though he knew Elves healed quickly, Merry was still amazed that Legolas was able to totter along with a broken foot and an arrow wound, when not much more than a day had passed. It looked painful, nevertheless, and Merry didn't think he would be able to walk much longer.

He quickened his pace down the stairs till he reached the elf. "Lean on me, Legolas. I'm not as tall as Gimli, but I should do."

"What are you talking for? No talking!"

"He can't walk!" Merry shocked himself with his defiance before the massive orc, but a greater surprise came when Legolas shifted over and put his hand on Merry's shoulder without protest.

Norgry looked at Uglúk but shrugged his shoulders. "I ain't carrying him!"

Uglúk grunted. "Saruman did me no favors, giving me this one. What I need a servant for? I just gotta pound a rat out there and he does what I need doing. I can't pound on this one." With those words, Merry felt even smaller than he usually did among such big creatures. Once again he found himself reluctantly grateful for Saruman's orders.

"Well," Norgry said, "if you don't want him, I'll take him. It'll be all right having someone to do my bidding."

Uglúk looked at Merry, thinking for a moment. "Yeh, all right. He's your lackey now. But no complaints later when he needs more looking after than he's worth. Remember, Saruman said these two are to stay alive. The dwarf, too. Tell that rabble down there to be careful or it's your head!"

And on they walked, shuffling slowly down each step they had already climbed. The stairs were steep for Merry, and it was awkward to time his step with Legolas. There was more light than when they had arrived, though, now that dawn had come, making their passage that small bit easier.

Eventually, they reached the ground level where they had entered the tower. Merry looked at the entrance with longing, but Uglúk pushed him on. "Forget about the outside. It's down to the Pits now!" He and Norgry laughed maniacally.

As they continued down the stairs, it grew darker and hotter, and strange noises grew louder. Was this his home now? Was this where he would die? Is this what Frodo and Sam would encounter in Mordor? It certainly was close enough to a Tower of Doom for him.