Veiled Stars » LotR [1] ✔️

Chapter Seventeen: Captive

They were forced to their knees, sharpened blades pressed inches from their backs.

Elle didn't recognize the greasy haired man, but it was clear that Aragorn and Legolas did. They were both rigid and tense, eyes narrowed in anger as their weapons were removed and their hands bound.

She faintly remembered Aragorn mentioning a man from the Prancing Pony, who had gone after Frodo when the hobbit had first arrived.

From the way the man spoke, Elle wondered if it was possibly him, and why he had continued to track them down.

Frodo was no longer on their side, which means the man was now being ordered to protect the very hobbit he had fought earlier to capture. Clearly, he didn't care what his job was, it was all under the orders of the White Wizard.

And Elle didn't want to think about what that meant for the Fellowship.

She searched down the line, her heart thumping desperately against her chest. There were too many men, the Fellowship was outnumbered three to one.

Seven... eight... she froze her count.

They were missing a member.

Where was Sam?

Both Merry and Pippin kneeled by each other, but Samwise was nowhere in sight. Elle searched the darkness, her eyes going over the barren mountainside.

He was nowhere in sight.

Gimli was forced to his knees at her side, letting loose an angered grunt.

He started to push himself up again, only to abruptly stop as one of the men dug his sword into the dwarf's back. His face flaming, Gimli sunk back to the ground, muttering a number of dwarvish curses under his breath that would make even the dead cringe.

Elle jabbed her foot out, catching him hard enough in his heel to get his attention. Blazing eyes snapped to hers and she shook her head, quickly mouthing the one word on her mind.

Sam.

Gimli's blinked in confusion and he searched down the line. His eyes snapped back to hers and she pursed her lips tightly shut, slowly shaking her head.

Elle prayed the hobbit had enough sense to stay out of sight. How he had managed to get away before their captors noticed was beyond her, but Elle knew well enough that Sam could not be caught.

She had promised Sam that he would be the one to find Frodo and while she had never expected the ambush of their captors, Sam was the Fellowship's only hope now.

But not for a rescue.

Her heart sunk with realization, and Gandalf's words rung in her ears.

"Destroy the ring. No matter what, no matter who is left."

Sam had to go after Frodo himself.

Elle prayed with all her heart that he already had. That he didn't risk himself for them.

Elle was jolted out of her thoughts as Legolas was shoved to his knees by her side, stripped of his bow, knives, and sword. His hands were bound behind his back, his face tight and set.

He met her gaze briefly, his blue eyes shining with concern and she forced a half-smile.

A bit of the concern faded.

Elle swallowed hard, turning her attention to the dark haired man as he gazed over each one of them, looking more than pleased with himself.

He didn't notice the missing hobbit.