Chapter 9 - Retribution

Aragorn led the way back along the light-less tunnel. An hour of walking and still they had not seen any sign of a side passage. Aragorn wished he had paid more attention to their progress last time for he could not remember how far back it was. This was what he had feared, that it would take them so long to reach another path that they would be too late to save their friends. Even now, he thought, they could have been seriously injured or even killed.

Sam had asked him only once whether they would find Merry and Pippin. Aragorn could not make himself lie to the Hobbit and he had replied that there was hope, however thin.

Gandalf had gone; disappeared or taken. It had been up to Aragorn to lead the company and he had failed. First Legolas and the hobbits, then not even being able to save Gimli. From the shouts and sounds of battle they had heard, chances were slim they were even alive. Yes, it was he who had failed.

Frodo was walking, but only barely. He stumbled along in the dark, like one who had never slept. Gandalf's disappearance had impacted deeply on the young Hobbit as it had on Aragorn himself, but the latest disaster had really drawn Frodo's last strength. Sam was doing his best to give Frodo hope with constant talk of their home in the west. Faramir seemed also to be walking in a dream. Faramir listened to Sam's stories with apparent interest and yet his brow remained creased with worry. Aragorn regretted putting him in the position of having to choose between his two friends, but in the end he realised Faramir's choice was probably wisest. With Frodo as he was and all of them fatigued with worry and long nights under the earth, they could not have made the jump. Aragorn knew now that he had been too concerned with his other friends' safety to consider the position properly.

"At last!" he sighed as they reached the split in the path, "we are here!"

The passage plunged further down taking the four travelers down to ground level although they were still trapped within the caves. The passage had grown uncomfortably narrow during the decent and the air was hot and sticky. Aragorn wondered what could have caused the temperature change but did not have time to ponder as the tunnel suddenly widened into a small chamber. Three passages branched from the chamber; the one they had come from, one to their left and one straight ahead. At once Aragorn smelt the foul stench of goblins and knew the left passage must lead to their caves.

Faramir was exploring the other passage and called out to them, "Aragorn! Fresh air! Can you not smell it? We have come to the end of the darkness."

Aragorn could not feel the joy the others did at the end of the tunnels. He knew now was the time of choice.

"Faramir," he said gravely, and Faramir's relief soon faded at the sight of Aragorn's face. "You will take Frodo and Sam out of the caves and as far from here as you can by nightfall. I leave the choice to you whether you take the Gap of Rohan or the Mines."

Faramir's eyes narrowed in suspicion, "Aragorn, what do you mean? What are you going to do?" his voice wavered slightly as he spoke.

"Faramir, take the Hobbits and leave! The ring cannot be taken into danger, I entrust the safety of the Ringbearer to you. Wait no longer than an hour at the mouth of the tunnel for us, if we do not come . . . you must go alone."

Faramir shook his head in disbelief, "we cannot leave you to fight the goblins alone!"

"You need our help!" Sam insisted.

"I do what I must." Aragorn's voice was thick.

"No," Faramir raised his voice so it echoed around the chamber. "What good will it do if you find our friends only to die with them?"

"They were my responsibility," Aragorn's voice rose above his usual calm exterior and the fear and guilt for his friends was clearly visible in his grey eyes.

Faramir approached him slowly, "None of this was your fault, Aragorn," he said quietly. "You cannot blame yourself for something you could not control." He placed his hand on the man's shoulder and Aragorn let the tenseness in his muscles relax slightly. "The quest must come first, this you know in your heart."

Aragorn did not understand what he meant until Faramir turned towards the left passage.

"We will meet again Aragorn, son of Arathorn. Wait but a little while for our return. Sam? Will you join me?"

"Faramir! No . . " Aragorn was torn between what he knew was right and his feeling that he should be the one to find the others. Sam was also struggling to decide which way to go. Should he follow his Master or help rescue his friends? Tears welled up in his eyes at the thought he would have to leave someone behind. A sob escaped his lips as he tore himself from Frodo's side, "Look after Mr Frodo for me, won't you Bill?" he sobbed, giving Bill an affectionate rub behind the ears.

Aragorn placed his hand on Faramir's arm, "You do not have to do this," he said, looking hard into Faramir's eyes for any sign of resentment, but he found none.

"If I do not return . . . And when you come to Minis Tirith..." Faramir began.

"When?" Aragorn smiled sadly.

"When you come to the White City - Will you tell my father..."

"Do not fear," Aragorn assured him, "you shall return to your city."

Aragorn pressed his hand over his mouth as Sam and Faramir disappeared into the tunnel. Silent tears flowed down Frodo's calm face as they turned and headed for the fresh air.

Faramir's eyes, now well adjusted to the dark, spotted a looming shape ahead of them in the passage. He grabbed Sam and pulled the Hobbit to the floor, stifling his cry with a gentle hand over his mouth. Sam nodded and they both crept forward silently. Carefully drawing a knife from his belt, Faramir closed the distance between him and the Goblin in less than a second. One of his hands covered the creature's mouth and shoved it back into the rocky wall, Faramir grimaced as he stabbed his knife into its chest and felt the Goblin grow limp under his hold. He let the body slip to the ground. He was jerked out of his thoughts when Sam grabbed his hand and tried to lead him onward.

Faramir resisted effortlessly and bent down to whisper his new idea to a horrified Sam.

Pippin breathed in the thick air with disgust. As the entrance to the small room was blocked, no fresh air could reach those inside and with the smell of goblins infecting everything every breath he took made the Hobbit feel sick.

He had squirmed, pulled and twisted his hands until they were red and sore, but nothing could loosen the cords.

At first Gimli had tried to make conversation, but finding the other three deep in their own thoughts he had quickly given up. An uncomfortable silence filled the cave and Pippin was almost glad when he heard a noise outside. A sound of rock scraping against rock reached his ears and Pippin hoped the goblins were bringing food and drink. The boulder moved slowly, almost carefully and a thin beam of light shone into the black room.

The Goblin's bent form squeezed through the gap and his squinted eyes looked about the room. It was the leader of the goblins who had threatened the Elf earlier. Merry and Legolas' bodies were caught in the light while he and Gimli remained hidden. Pippin was relieved he could not be seen for he could see that while the Goblin had not brought food, something else was in its hand, something that flickered in the light from the open door, metallic and shiny. The light caught the edge of the blade and the Goblin advanced further into the cave.

"He's got a knife!" Pippin shrill voice echoed as he tried to warn the others.

"Shut your mouth, little rat," the Goblin growled, "or you'll be next."

Pippin fell quiet and watched as the Goblin move towards Legolas who was the closest to the door.

"No one makes a fool of me," he said, hatred and the need for revenge burning in his eyes.

"You can't kill him!" Merry shouted, stalling the Goblin's hand, "the Orc said you can't hurt us."

The Goblin hissed at the mention of the Orc.

He knelt down by Legolas' side and slowly raised the knife, "Scream an' I'll kill your friends too," he growled. Legolas tried to pull away but the Goblin's heavy hand on his injured shoulder stopped him from moving.

"No! Stop, you great ugly beast! Untie me and I'll cut every limb from your body!" Gimli's distractions were useless and the knife plunged downwards . . .

Over Gimli and Merry's desperate shouting Pippin heard a whooshing sound. The knife fell from the Gobblin's hand and the bloody arrowhead could be seen protruding from the front of its neck. The great body toppled forwards onto the Legolas and behind it Pippin could now see the Goblin who had fired the arrow. At first he thought it must have been an orc for its limbs were straight but it wore goblin armor. It's bow did not seem like a goblin's and the sword at its belt was silver, narrow and strong.

The Goblin rushed into the room, and behind it was Sam! Pippin was overjoyed to see him and called him over at once. The new Goblin began dragging the dead body away from the Elf and immediately dropped to its knees at Legolas' side. The Goblin drew a small knife and reached towards the Elf. Legolas tried to pull away and the Goblin faltered for a moment before reaching up and throwing off his helmet.

"Faramir!" Legolas breathed. Faramir's gentle green eyes shone from out of the muddy disguise that hid his identity.

"Foolish man!" Gimli's voice shouted, "get over here this minute and get me out of this undignified position!"

"A moment if you please, master Dwarf," Faramir smiled to himself as he cut through the ropes that held Legolas' arms.

"How do we get out of here?" Merry asked when they were all on their feet once more.

"If we go quickly and quietly there is a chance we will be able to slip out without being noticed," Faramir said, "but there must be two or three guards still in the area for they showed us to your prison when I pretended to have captured Sam."

"Be on your guard everyone," Gimli growled, "we will not be caught unaware a second time."

"We would not have been caught once if you had not foolishly thrown yourself down the shaft," Legolas smiled. Merry had offered a shoulder for him to lean on and to make the Hobbit feel useful, not to mention the support he needed, he had accepted.

Gimli scowled in frustration at the annoying Elf and set his eyes to the passage ahead. Before they realised what was happening, goblin arrows were striking the rock walls around them and the battle had begun!