The Darker Side of Hope (a Lord of the Rings fanfiction)

Chapter 1- Captured

Chapter 1-

-Rayel-

My body was jostled back and forth against a hard, armored body and my hands were bound around the neck of an Uruk. My head was pounding and my body ached. As my eyes adjusted to my surroundings, I was astounded to see that we were no longer on the Emyn Nuil border; we were somewhere else completely. The towering, mountain walls enclosed the Uruk herd and blocked out the environment and turning it into a foreign environment.

The scent of the Uruk warriors was revolting and made my stomach churn. My arm throbbed where the arrow had pierced me when the Urks had attacked us, seeking the Hobbits. Oh, no! The Hobbits! I scanned the Uruk-Hai warriors, trying to catch sight of my friends; hoping and praying that they were still alive.

"Rayel!" the sharp whisper came from off in the mass of sprinting Urk scum.

"Pippin!" I sighed in relief. "Are you okay?"

"Yes, but Merry isn't!" He nodded off to my left. I turned to see the second Hobbit dangling off the back of another Urk-Hai's back. His eyes were closed, his breathing shallow and a nasty gash was embedded across his forehead.

"Merry!" I cried urgently.

If I couldn't protect them earlier, I was most certainly going to protect them now!

"Merry!" Pippin joined in, but the Urk Merry was tied onto sped up and out of our sight.

Suddenly the leading Urk stopped and signaled the rest to do the same. Behind the boulders along the trail, another force of orcs revealed themselves. "You're late!" one of them hissed. "Our master grows impatient! He wants the Shire-rats now!"

My jaw tensed. Over my dead body! I wanted to scream, but I held my tongue. But for my sake, the lead Urk spoke for me. "I don't take orders from orc maggots."

The smaller orc hissed and the Urk growled back, "Sauruman will have his prize and then some!"

I drew in a shaky breath, exchanging a look with Pippin: I was the some.

"We will deliver them!" the Urk snapped, turning back into our line, ignoring the rude remarks from the Orc.

"Merry!" whispered Pippin again frantically. "Merry! Wake up!"

The Urk carrying the unconscious Hobbit had switched sides, placing Pippin in the middle with Merry to his right and me to his left.

Beside us, one of the armored Urks was guzzling away a wineskin, ignoring us. I saw the look in Pippin's eyes as he watched the Urk.

"No," I whispered. "Pippin don't-."

-But it was too late.

"My friend is sick," Pippin stated to the angry, hissing Urk. "He needs water... Please!" he pleaded.

"Sick is he?" the commanding Urk-Hai laughed. "Give him some medicine, boys!"

There was a cheer that ran through the monsters as the former Urk brought up his wineskin and shoved the bottle into Merry's open mouth. The black lquid pooled inside his mouth and I could hear him gagging and choking on the 'medicine'.

"Leave him alone!" I yelled, kicking the Urk I was daggling on.

"Stop it!" Pippin joined in.

The bottle was abruptly pulled away from the Hobbit's mouth and the Urks laughed menacingly. "Can't take his grog!" the commanding officer bellowed.

"Leave him alone!" Pippin cried.

"Why?" demanded the Urk, glowering down at him. "You want some?"