Author's note: Just a quick note on Point of View changes. Originally I used those little squiggly symbols to mark where a change in point of view takes place mid-chapter. However, I have just noticed that is playing me around something chronic and has taken every single one of them out. This makes the story very hard to read. So now three o's like this: ooo will now mark these changes. I'm sorry if this is confusing but don't blame me. Go snarl at on of the team. Anyway please review me as this is my first fic and I would like to get as much help with my writing as I can.

Lots of love

Ëarelwen xx

For my truly amazing beta-reader, Ruinwen. Thanks for putting up with me and my atrocious grammar!

No Escape

By Ëarelwen

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Chapter 1

No Escape this Time

At last, Merry stirred and whispered softly: "So far so good: but how are we to avoid being spitted?"

The answer came almost immediately. The cries of Grishnakh had roused the Orcs. From the yells and screeches that came from the knoll the hobbits guessed that their disappearance had been discovered. Uglúk was probably knocking off a few more heads.

Then suddenly the answering cries of Orc-voices came from the right, outside the circle of watch fires, from the direction of the forest and the mountains. Mauhur had apparently arrived and was attacking the besiegers. There was the sound of galloping horses. The riders were drawing in their ring close round the knoll, risking the Orc-arrows, so as to prevent any sortie, while a company rode off to deal with the newcomers. Suddenly Merry and Pippin realized that without moving they were now outside the circle: there was nothing between them and escape.

"Now," said Merry, "if only we had our legs and hands free, we might get away. But I can't touch the knots, and I can't bite them."

"No need to try," said Pippin, "I was going to tell you: I've managed to free my hands. These loops are only left for show."

000

He was suddenly cut short as a claw-like hand was clamped over his mouth and the sharp point of a dagger was pressed against his neck.

"Don't make a sound!" hissed a hated voice, horribly close to Merry's ear. "You give us away and this rat dies faster than you can blink." To emphasis this, Uglúk increased the pressure of the knife against Pippin's neck. A few drops of blood fell to the ground and the small hobbit whimpered in fear. "Now move! Make for the trees; and remember, any tricks and..."

Merry didn't need any more encouragement. He started crawling silently towards the menacing forest, terrified of attracting any attention. There was no mercy in the Orc and he knew that one false move could put a swift end to Pippin's short life.

Once under the under the shelter of the dense trees Uglúk retied Pippin's hands tightly and cut the bonds around Merry's legs. All hope of getting away died in him then; this could only mean one thing.

"Run!" Growled their captor, grabbing the younger hobbit like a sack of potatoes, "Run or you'll wish you were dead."

It was heartbreaking; running from the only chance of escape they had had or were likely to have again. The forest was silent apart from the noise of the Orc's foot falls and a strange far off moaning that seem to come from the centre of each tree. They ran for hours heading south through the twisted undergrowth of Fangorn forest. Despair gripped at Merry as he tried to keep the pace set by Uglúk. No matter how hard he tried, he could not make his legs work properly after their long time bound with cruel Orc-rope. The Orc-draft was long cold in him and it had left him feeling weak and drained. So he ran at a halting stumble during which he fell too often. Each time he fell, he received a heavy kick in the stomach from one of the Orc's iron-shod feet. They were completely alone and Uglúk refused to let them rest for even a second. Only the sight of Pippin's scared face and pain-filled eyes kept him from simply giving up and curling up on the ground in defeat.

They didn't stop until they reached the southern eaves of the dark woodland and the Sun had begun its journey through the sky. It was a red sun; a reminder of the blood that had been spilt that night. Uglúk called a halt, tossing down his passenger. Merry collapsed immediately and fell into a deep sleep of evil dreams, not even bothering to make himself more comfortable.

Pippin curled up next to his cousin exhausted by hours of fear; yet whole-heartedly relieved that the cold metal was away from his skin and that he and Merry were still alive. As sleep captured him and clouded his brain, his final thought was, "I wonder why we're still alive. Not on account of Uglúk's good nature; that was certain.