The Girl and the Orc - (A Middle Earth Story)

They Just Can't Get My Nose Right!

    "Well... It's definitely broken."
     Rain was laid up on an old man's long lounging chair. He was studying her foot carefully. The Ent had brought them to the edge of the forest, but refused to go further into the village. Bogwater had carried the girl bridal style into the village, his hood was up over his face of course.
     "Will she be alright?" Bogwater asked, although Rain couldn't see his face, she could hear the concern etched in his voice.
     "She should, in a week or two," the old man scratched his beard. He had long, curly white hair, which matched his long, curly white beard. His skin was a deep chocolate brown. Brown eyes looked down kindly at the girl, Rain noticed that whenever the light hit them just right they sparkled and glowed.
     "A week or two?" cried Rain, "How will we get to Rivendell now?"  She felt awful, she was tired of always messing up.
    "We will still get there," Bogwater held her hand tenderly, "It just will take a little longer, but we will still get there."
     "I'm sorry I'm always messing things up," sighed Rain.
     Bogwater shook his hooded head, "It is not your fault." He knew she felt bad, but he really didn't think it wasn't her fault.
    The old man, who they had learned was named Havish, went to a cupboard, pulling out a large handmade cake. "I have a small spare room, but one of you will have to stay in the barn."
    "I want to stay with Bogwater."
    Bogwater was a little shocked at Rain's words. His heart did a flip-flop in his chest. He felt so confused at her words. He couldn't help but blush deeply. The Orc was glad he had his face covered with his hood.
"Well, I suppose I could put up another cot in the spare room," the old man replied, as he cut the cake with a knife into equal pieces. He grinned to himself slightly, was he witnessing a case of young love? The old man was considered a romantic among the rest of the villagers, but he just believed in the power of love.
Rain smiled, "Thank you, mister."
The man handed a huge slice of cake to the girl, "Here you go, girlie. You need to eat if you want to heal faster."
Rain gave a little laugh as she used a spoon to scoop out a chunk out of the piece of cake. It was sweet and moist, "Yes sir!"
The old man looked over at Bogwater, "Would you like a piece?"
Bogwater nodded, "I would, thank you."
Havish handed a piece to the Orc. The old man figured that Bogwater was an Uruk captain. Havish had been in many a battle with Orcs. He knew one when he saw one. He began to question Bogwater.
"By the way, why do you have that hood up over your face? Don't you get hot?"
Bogwater gulped nervously, what would he say? "I-uh... It's just..."
"Are you two on the run from someone?" Havish couldn't help but ask, nosiness was his only true fault.
Rain looked at Bogwater with nervous eyes.
"In a way... yes," Bogwater finally admitted. It was no use lying to the man who helped his friend, Rain.
"Is it Saraon?" questioned the old man.
Rain looked at the floor awkwardly, "Uh..."
"It's okay to tell me. It's not like I'm in cahoots with him or anything. If anything I'm on the run from him too," Havish spoke the truth. He had been in one of the first battles with Saron and the Orc. He had killed one of his best Uruk fighters. Saraon was pissed, and was still hunting him now.
Bogwater sighed, if they wanted the old man to trust him, they had to tell him the truth, "Rain is being hunted because she turned one of Saraon's Uruk against him... we were going to Rivendell for refuge and to find the magic door that will turn the Uruk human."
"Oh?" Havish looked up at Bogwater, "Wow, she's one tough little lady then. How did she manage to turn an orc captain against Saraon?"
Bogwater shrugged and gave a sharp chuckle, "She's very persuasive."
"And where's your orc friend now?"
Bogwater glanced over at Rain. Could they really trust the old man? This would end up terribly if he were to turn them in.
All Rain could do is nod. If they wanted help and refuge for the next week, Rain knew that they needed to be honest with the old man. All they could do is hope that Havish wouldn't turn them in.
Bogwater sighed to himself, it was if he knew what Rain was thinking, and she was right. He pushed back his hood with his hand, his eyes meeting with the old man's.
The old man stood up, "I knew it!" he exclaimed, laughing. He gave a little victory dance around the kitchen table, "I'm getting so good at figuring this stuff out!"
"You knew?" Bogwater asked, his reddish colored eyes wide.
"Of course I did! That's the only way to explain the hood, and how strong you are," the old man gave a hearty laugh while he clapped his hands together in excitement, "I've had my fair share of orcs, I know an Uruk when I see one!"
"You aren't gonna turn us in?" Rain asked.
"Of course not," laughed Havish, "How could I? Hell! If anything, I want to help you even more now! What a great little romance!"
Rain choked on her cake, "Wha-what?"
Havish suddenly ran out of the room, "I've got to write about this!"
Rain looked over at her Uruk friend, "Did- he- what?"
Bogwater blushed deeply a second time, looking down at the sand floor.
The old man came rushing back in, a thick notebook in hand, "You have to let me come with you!"
Rain coughed awkwardly, "I-uh- What?"
"Please?" begged Havish, "After this war... this could be a bestseller! Every town and village would have a copy or two, it would become the greatest love story of all time!"
Bogwater gave a shrug, "The more the merrier." He couldn't really argue with the man who's providing them refuge for a week. It would be a fair exchange at least, though awkward.
The old man cheered, "Alright! I can't wait to see how this story ends!"
      Rain looked over at Bogwater with a raised eyebrow, she couldn't help the slight blush that formed on her face. She wondered if Bogwater was just as embarrassed about it as she was.
      Bogwater wiped his nose on his sleeve in an attempt to hid his blush. He never thought of Rain in a romantic way before, well maybe he did, but the old man just made him that much more confused.
       "We should get to bed," Havish stated, "The girl needs her rest. Tomorrow we will get supplies for our trip to Rivendell!"  He was excited. He hadn't been involved in a long trip like this since he was in Gondor's army.
      The old man led Bogwater to were the spare room was, a small bed was the only piece of furniture. Next to it was a little cot, "Will this be good for her?"
     "It's perfect, thank you for all of your help." Bogwater gave a little smile.
       "No need to thank me, just doing what's right," said the old man.
       Bogwater then went to get Rain. Since her ankle was broken, they couldn't let her walk on it for at least a week. Otherwise it wouldn't heal properly. He picked the girl up bridal style, being careful not to accidentally bump her foot on anything. The Uruk laid the girl down gently onto the bed.
     "I can sleep on the cot," Rain protested. The small cot was sure to be uncomfortable for the large Orc. It felt wrong that a little skinny thing like her would sleep in a bed and a large Orc would sleep in a tiny cot.
      "I'll be fine," Bogwater argued, he knew that she was worried about his comfort. It was strange to him that she would be more worried about if he would be comfortable rather than if she would be comfortable.
      Rain sighed, resting her head on the feather pillow, "Alright. If you insist."
      "I do insist," laughed Bogwater, "And you're gonna be okay with it."
      Rain smiled up at her friend wearily. It was a long long time since she had ever slept in a bed. She almost felt at home.
       Bogwater sat on the cot. Studying the girl's slow blinking eyes. Rain was obviously tired, "Get some sleep, Rain."
       All the girl did was nod. Soon she was asleep, dreaming about what Rivendell would be like once they got there.
      Bogwater didn't sleep, however. He sat, watching the girl. He couldn't figure out his feelings for her. He knew that they were wrong, but he couldn't help but feel as if fate had brought them together for a reason. The Uruk doubted the girl felt the same though. Why would she? He was a monster, a murderer. There was no way she would ever love him in return.

  ----
      The next morning Rain awoke to the smell of warm pancakes. The old man was standing above her, a plate held out to her. "Here, you should eat."
     Rain gladly took the plate of warm, syrupy, pancakes. The last time she had such a yummy treat was on her birthday a few months ago, when she had turned 18.
    Bogwater was still sitting upright on the cot. He hadn't moved hardly a muscle since last night. Rain could tell he hadn't slept, he had dark circles under his eyes. It made him look sad and hopeless. She wondered if he was okay.
     Havish suddenly held up a piece of paper... with Bogwater's face drawn on it, "By the way, I found this on the Tavern wall this morning."
     Rain spat out her pancake onto the bedsheet in front of her. It was a wanted sign. "What?!"
     "You sure do spit out and choke on your food a lot," Bogwater noted.
      "What does it say?" Rain ignored the Uruk's remark.
      "That he's wanted dead or alive, and to report to any local Uruk troops and they will spare your entire village for any sort of information on him."
      Rain threw her hands up in the air, slinging the pancakes off of the bed, "This is ridiculous."
      "What's ridiculous is what you just did to my pancakes I slaved over for you!" exclaimed the old man, bending over to pick the plate and pancakes up.
     "It's not like they will ever find me," Bogwater stated as he studied over the wanted sign.
      "What do you mean?" demanded Rain.
       He turned the picture of him to the girl, pointing at one particular mistake in the drawing, "They got my nose all wrong!"
       Indeed, the nose was lop-sided, but how exactly did that help anything? "Yes, but how exactly does that help anything?" Rain argued.
      "They always get my nose wrong. They'll never recognize me."
       Point taken.