|
Falco
Falco and his pony climbed a ridge that came down to the water's edge. Just before he reached the top, he saw a settlement on the shore between two arms of a hill. In the moonlight it appeared to be surrounded by high stockaded walls on every side. Falco reined his mount, turned around, dismounted, and tied the pony to a nearby shrub, and checking his weapons, stole over the ridge and into the valley, keeping to the shadows of trees and scrub. His hobbit feet were very quiet, and he was small compared to what these people probably expected. Before long he had snuck up to the foot of one wall of the stockade.
He moved slowly and carefully, as quietly as he could, to the nearest corner. A locked gate was not far away. He crept to it. He heard voices.
"Wonder what's keeping them? There were only ten enemy. Eighty strong should have wiped 'em out in minutes. They ought to be back by now."
"Cleaning up the evidence, probably. Can't leave any signs thereabouts."
"I don't like that it's just us five to guard the whole lot of 'em!"
"Easy now. It's just a couple of hours. Come morning there'll be enough to watch the laborers."
"I still don't like it."
Falco stole away with his new information. He hoped the others would still be there when he got back.
Falowik
Falowik and Finėwen rode down the hill and partway of the next, and from their hooted and hollered. It was not long before ten horsemen started down the hill, coming in their direction. Falowik hoped Lumiel would be able to take some out. In any case, he and Finėwen would give whoever survived a rabbit chase to remember. It was a good thing they had a head start.
Uien
Death everywhere. Screams and howls surrounded her. They were attacked by orcs borne by wargs. Death and blood was in the air. The others fought desperately, making a ruin of the enemy. There were no stones to speak for the dead here, just the hills and the trees. The bodies of the dead piled up around her and she could not escape them. An orc face scowled within inches of her own and threatened her. No, that was another time, another place. It was all blended together in a nightmare of blood and death. The hills ran red and the trees moaned with it.
A voice broke in. "Uien! Let the horses go! Leave them!" The voice of her beloved. She dropped the reins as a familiar horse thundered near. "Hop on!" A hand reached down and grabbed hers. She jumped up behind Falowik and wrapped her arms around him, keeping her head low. She was safe now.
Thundering hooves. Cries in the night. It was all a blur of noise and darkness. Blood and death were before her eyes and she could not escape. She was in a prison of nightmares. Her lover went away and left her alone. Someone pulled her off the horse, and put her on another one. They made her rest against the horse's neck. Warmth. They were closer to the blood and the death now. She could feel it and smell it. She could taste the evil of death and slavery.
|