A PICNIC IN SPRING

April 26, 3019
Gondor, near Minas Tirith

Angmar: *Angmar is really the Witch-King but he goes by the name of his old country. He and Lady Maltriel ride past the ruins of Minas Tirith and up the Great West Road*
Angmar: *Behind Maltriel rides a small figure known as Bughrakh. He looks like a child but he is actually another wraith, formerally the hobbit knownn as Sam Gamgee. Ashgaz follows behind on a small black pony*
Angmar: *Angmar and Maltriel ride up and halt their horses on a grassy knoll. He gets off his horse and then assists Maltriel off hers*
Lady Maltriel: *after getting off her horse, eowyn, who thinks her name is maltriel and she is angmar's betrothed, turns to him and smiles adoringly... her mind totally enchanted* thank you my lord
Lady Maltriel: *she assists bughnrakh in getting off the horse*
Lady Maltriel: *somehow the scenery around her seems vaguely familiar to her but the memory quickly passes into oblivion*
Angmar: Maltriel, I have a surprise for you
Bughnrakh: *Still sitting on his pony, Ashgaz spots a dim shape approaching in the distance*
Angmar: *He takes a cloth tied at four corners from his saddle bags*
Bughnrakh: *He cannot see very well with his wraith vision*
Lady Maltriel: *she eagerly awaits the surprise... wondering wihat it may be*
Angmar: *He walks over to a spot and puts the cloth object on the ground. Then he unties it and spreads it out*
Bughnrakh: *The figure seems small, though bigger than a hobbit*
Bughnrakh: *It is a human, a girl, wearing a dress but Ashgaz cannot make out her face*
Angmar: *In it inside is a wine bottle with two glasses, some meat, and dried fruit*
Angmar: *He gets up and with a grand flourish says to Maltriel* Sit beside me, my lady, and we shall dine
Lady Maltriel: *she follows him to where he has laid out the cloth upon the ground and sits beside him... she smiles* thank you my lord, a wonderful way to celebrate going back to my old city, which is being rebuilt by the galliant forces of mordor.
Lady Maltriel: *she calls to bugrakh and invites him to come dine with them*
Bughnrakh: *Sam has to stop himself from shaking his head at Maltriel's inexplicable loyalty to Mordor*
Angmar: *Angmar glares at her*
Bughnrakh: *Sam smiles at Maltriel and starts to go to them*
Mela: *the little girl says* Hello, who are you? Can I join?
Angmar: Maltriel, serve yourself the food and pour me some wine
Lady Maltriel: gladly my lord *she smiles ever so adorlingly at him and pours him some wine*
Bughnrakh: *Sam stops and looks toward the voice*
Lady Maltriel: *she notices a little girl nearby* i am the lady maltriel... would you like to come and eat with us?
Mela: Have you seen my father?
Angmar: *Angmar glares more*
Bughnrakh: *Sam and Ashgaz share a look of concern for the girl, then they look back to her*
Lady Maltriel: *she say to the little girl* no, i am afraid i would not know if i had or not, for i have lost my memory
Mela: I have lost him
Bughnrakh: *Sam says* Who is your father, small maiden?
Mela: *bursts into tears*
Angmar: *Angmar gets back up and goes to his horse... disgusted with Maltriel*
Bughnrakh: *He is a mysterious figure shrouded in black but his voice is kind*
Lady Maltriel: *she wonders why he has left but assumes he went to get something from the saddle bags. she still loves him blindly*
Mela: His name is *sobs* I do not know
Bughnrakh: *Ashgaz rides his pony closer*
Lady Maltriel: *say to the little girl* i am sorry to hear that
Bughnrakh: *Ashgaz asks* Where was your father going?
Lady Maltriel: my uncle was killed by the forces of the west, but i do not remember him.... a person named merry tried to posion me and i became very ill..
Mela: He left to fight but he never came back
Bughnrakh: *Sam cries out* What??
Angmar: *Angmar is angry at the interruption and the fact his plans have been upset for the time... He gets on his horse and says* I will be back later *and leaves them*
Bughnrakh: Mer--*he stops himself, remembering he is forbidden to say that name*
Bughnrakh: He would never do that!
Lady Maltriel: *she calls out* no my lord, come back *she feels sad*
Bughnrakh: There must be some mistake! *Sam is very angry at whoever started this lie about Merry*
Bughnrakh: *Ashgaz dismounts from the pony and comes to place a steadying hand on Sam's shoulder*
Angmar: *As he rides, he thinks..... I should leave her now, but it is not yet time... There is still more to be done*
Bughnrakh: *Two small wraiths covered in black robes*
Bughnrakh: *Even Ashgaz' hand bears a black glove*
Lady Maltriel: *she wonders where angmar is going, but assumes he has gone off to plan war strategy.... she hopes they will fight together on the battlefield... to glory and triumph and if not that glorious death*
Bughnrakh: *Their whole bodies are covered to hide the fact that they are invisible*
Mela: *takes a step closer* May i eat? I have not for days
Bughnrakh: *without thinking Sam says* Oh of course! I could prepare you a nice stew!
Bughnrakh: *rummages through the supplies*
Lady Maltriel: *she say to the girl* yes, come and sit beside me.... my lord has gone off on business, so there will be plenty of food
Mela: *sits down*
Bughnrakh: *Sam and Ashgaz start preparing the meal for Maltriel and the girl*
Angmar: *He gallops his horse north on the Great West Road, muttering and cursing to himself*
Bughnrakh: *Ashgaz looks after Angmar, wondering at his sudden departure*
Lady Maltriel: *turns to the girl* what is your name?
Bughnrakh: *Sam gets a fire going and before long he is stirring a pot of broth and vegetables*
Mela: *sobs* Mela.
Bughnrakh: *Being invisible, Ashgaz easily catches a couple of rabbits and brings them over to Sam*
Lady Maltriel: *hands Mela a napkin so that she may wipe her tears*
Bughnrakh: *After skinning them and cutting them up, Sam adds the rabbits to the stew *
Mela: *wipes tears* thank you
Bughnrakh: *Ashgaz shudders a little--he did not like strangling those rabbits, not at all*
Lady Maltriel: my uncle fell at the battle of pelennor fields....
Bughnrakh: *He leaves the stew in the expert hands of Sam and watches the conversation*
Mela: i was sent to look for my father because Minas Tirith has been taken and we need warriors
Mela: Though most say it is hopeless.
Lady Maltriel: minas tirith has been recaptured by mordor..... already they rebuild the city
Bughnrakh: *Ashgaz figures out that this girl is on the side of the West*
Lady Maltriel: *watches the two little wraithlings in action*
Bughnrakh: *He shivers to think what Angmar would do to her if he knew*
Bughnrakh: *Ashgaz smiles at Mela, but then remembers he is invisible and she can't see his smile*
Mela: My mother and I live in a hut miles away from here
Lady Maltriel: the war does not look well for mordor but it is my hope that we will prevail in the end
Bughnrakh: *He tries to lessen the ominous aura that automatically emanates from all wraiths*
Angmar: *Angmar keeps riding and thinking about what Sauron plans to build where the White Tower of Ecthelion once stood*
Bughnrakh: *Ashgaz says* How are you and your mother living without your father? *the voice is that of a young man*
Mela: I catch small animals to eat
Lady Maltriel: yes, i hope that your family is doing well?
Angmar: *Angmar thinks of the mighty structure whose foundations will be built by the power of the Ring*
Mela: Mother then makes a stew of them
Angmar: *He thinks to himself, pride rising in his chest.... A Temple to Sauron, like the one that used to be in Numenor*
Bughnrakh: Oh, I hope you're not tired of stew then
Bughnrakh: Because that's what we're having right now
Mela: Any food is good
Bughnrakh: But Sam--er, Bughnrakh is an expert cook
Lady Maltriel: yes... my lords servant bugrakh is making a nice rabbit stew
Bughnrakh: *Sam smiles at them from over the pot of cooking stew*
Bughnrakh: *The stew begins to smell good*
Angmar: *Pleased with his thoughts to himself, he turns his horse and starts riding back south*
Mela: Rabbit is my favourite
Bughnrakh: *Time passes and the stew is almost done*
Lady Maltriel: *she thinks adoring thoughts of angmar.... her own will completely subdued by the many potions that she has been given.... they control her mind and erase her memory... and leave her confused*
Bughnrakh: *Sam calls* Mr. Bracegirdle--er, Mr. Peter--er, Ashgaz, would you come help me serve this?
Angmar: *The wind had been blowing from the South and now it changes and blows from the West*
Bughnrakh: *Ashgaz goes to Sam with a grin that Sam can see, being also a wraith*
Angmar: *He reins his horse in and stops and looks at the clouds that are slowly forming to the west*
Bughnrakh: *They pull bowls, spoons and a ladle out of the supplies and serve the soup to Lady Maltriel and Mela*
Lady Maltriel: *says to Mela* perhaps after we eat, we can go for a walk?
Bughnrakh: *They look longingly at the soup with hobbit-like appreciation for good food*
Lady Maltriel: *she smiles and nods at ashgaz and bugnrakh as they serve the soup* thank you
Bughnrakh: *but as wraiths they do not need food, so they wordlessly decide to send the leftovers home with Mela*
Angmar: *He thinks to himself.... A storm will hit within a few hours..... A foul storm, he says, and from the West*
Bughnrakh: *They reply* You are most welcome, my ladies
Mela: It would be a delight to walk with a Lady such as you *she says looking with admiration at Lady Maltriel*
Lady Maltriel: *she asks them not perceiving they are wraiths* would you not sit down and have some soup with us?
Lady Maltriel: *she smiles at Mela*
Bughnrakh: *Ashgaz/Peter and Sam shift uneasily*
Bughnrakh: Oh, thank you, but we're not hungry, really. *they say, but sit down with them, though*
Mela: *shivers as they sit down*
Lady Maltriel: *vaguely as though through an icy mist of snow and chill it seems to her that she sees an old familiar face when she looks at the two hobbit wraithlings... but the vision passes and she has no memory*
Bughnrakh: *They notice Mela shiver and move a little further away*
Bughnrakh: *sighing as they remember that they are wraiths, not hobbits, and a piercing cold issues from them*
Angmar: *Angmar takes another look at the clouds and spurs his horse forward. He thinks.... There have been other storms recently, from the West.... This is sure to turn the field around Pelenor into a mire. He is not pleased*
Bughnrakh: *Ashgaz says* Little maid, where were you going to look for your father?
Mela: I do not know. I was told to look in the south
Lady Maltriel: i do not know much about the battle, i am sorry to say, for i have lost the memory of my past
Bughnrakh: Perhaps you could look wherever the soldiers of the West are...*catches himself*
Angmar: *By the time he gets back, Angmar's horse is quite lathered and blood drips from the spur marks on its side*
Bughnrakh: *If Mela divulges the army's position, it will hasten Mordor's victory and the destruction of the Shire. He and Sam share a worried look*
Angmar: *He gets off the horse and orders Ashgaz to walk the horse to cool it off*
Mela: I do not know where they are *sighs*
Bughnrakh: *Ashgaz excuses himself and goes to walk the horse*
Lady Maltriel: *says to Mela* i hope you find your father, Mela
Lady Maltriel: *a feeling of joy hits her when she sees her lord return... her eyes watch his every movement*
Bughnrakh: *Ashgaz walks along the ruins with the horse marvelling at the magnitude of the destruction*
Angmar: *He takes a seat by Maltriel and orders Bughrakh to pour him some wine*
Mela: I hope to find him soon for Mother will be worried
Lady Maltriel: *say to angmar* i am glad to see you again my lord
Bughnrakh: *he can see the ruins of Gondor in the distance*
Angmar: *He nods to her*
Bughnrakh: *Sam quickly pours the glowing red wine for Angmar, shaking and afraid of punishment*
Mela: *bows to the stranger*I am Mela
Lady Maltriel: *says to angmar* this is Mela, a refugee. her father was a brave soldier of our side
Angmar: *nods to the child*
Angmar: *Thinks to himself.... I hate dealing with mortals. I hate it. I hate it. I hate it!*
Angmar: *He drinks his wine and a bit of red smoke issues forth from the corners of his mouth*
Bughnrakh: *Sam's eyes widen*
Bughnrakh: *He is still not used to this*
Mela: *notices nothing of the red smoke*
Bughnrakh: *He cannot forget that this is the demon who stabbed Mr. Frodo and once again Frodo's scream echoes in his mind*
Lady Maltriel: *she watch him drink... his long black hair blowing slightly in the western wind... his cool gray eyes looking onward... or so it seems to her*
Bughnrakh: *He lowers his head to hide the fury in his eyes from Angmar*
Angmar: *he pulls his hood down over his eyes, because he knows they are starting to glow red, and he makes his voice as pleasing as he can* Ah, dear Maltriel, are you enjoying your holiday?
Bughnrakh: *Sam becomes lost in his thoughts about Mr. Frodo*
Bughnrakh: *He was a hobbit when Sam last saw him, but what is happening to him now?*
Lady Maltriel: yes, my lord. it was a long ride
Bughnrakh: *Did they turn him into a wraith? Have they fed him?*
Mela: *she says goodbye to everyone and leaves to continue the search for her father*
Bughnrakh: *Sam notices Mela leaving and sends some stew home with her*
Bughnrakh: *Sam sits next to the now empty pot and remembers his vision of Frodo in the dungeon. He misses Frodo badly, and his heart speeds up worrying about him*
Lady Maltriel: *she waved at Mela as she left....hoping the child would find her father... no doubt a good soldier of mordor*
Angmar: *He continues sitting on the ground* Bughrakh, pour me more wine
Bughnrakh: *Can he sleep at all? Does he ever get to leave his cell? Have they hurt him? Has the Dark Lord kept tormenting him with the Ring?*
Bughnrakh: *Sam snaps out of his thoughts*
Angmar: And Ashgaz, when you finish with the horse, tie him up over yonder *points to a tree*
Bughnrakh: *Sam pours a glass of the hot red wine*
Lady Maltriel: *how strong and commanding a presence is he, very noble and kingly, she thinks*
Bughnrakh: *Ashgaz calls back* Aye my lord
Angmar: *He thinks to himself.... How long must I be subjected to this woman? I would rather kill her now, but no..... the work is not finished yet*
Bughnrakh: *Ashgaz ties up the horse and returns*
Lady Maltriel: *she breaks the silence and say* my lord, shall we ride into battle together against the armies of the west?
Bughnrakh: *Ashgaz sits next to Sam and they converse in hushed voices*
Bughnrakh: *Ashgaz says* What's the matter, Sam?
Angmar: *His voice is very low* Soon, my lady, soon *A smile comes on his unseen face*
Bughnrakh: *Sam starts a little, then turns to Ashgaz* Oh--I was just worrying about Mr. Frodo, is all, Mr. Peter.
Lady Maltriel: *it seems to her that vaguely she sees him smile.... but it is the face of aragorn her first love....her heart flutters* oh how i wait for the day *she miles*
Angmar: Yes, my lady, we will be victorious, though we are horribly outnumbered
Bughnrakh: *Sam* Begging your pardon, I can't stop wondering what is happening to him, and I can't be there
Angmar: *He thinks to himself, soon I will free her, give her a sword and armor, and let her "go to war"... he laughs low and menacingly*
Bughnrakh: I'm sure he'll want me. I swore I would never leave him!
Bughnrakh: It's cruel hard.
Lady Maltriel: *she does not hear the low and menacing laugh*
Bughnrakh: *Ashgaz sighs and nods*
Angmar: *Perhaps I will let Bughrakh go with her and watch her and report to my spies that shall follow them both, he thinks, but he guards his thoughts from both Ashgaz and Bughrakh*
Bughnrakh: *He has heard this many times on the journey and is not sure what to do for Sam anymore*
Angmar: *Let the girl make a fool of herself before her own people, and they shall surely kill her... he laughs very low*
Lady Maltriel: *she looks on at him with admiration as does a young soldier to a great warrior.... and also with love in her heart*
Bughnrakh: *Ashgaz whispers in Sam's ear* Do you still have those bottles of ale?
Angmar: *He thinks.... How much longer shall I give the silly lovestruck fool? I hate her. I hate everything about her, her smell, her touch*
Bughnrakh: *Sam brightens* Aye, that I do, Mr. Peter sir.
Bughnrakh: They're at the bottom of the food bag and no one looks in there but me.
Lady Maltriel: *she says* i hope we are victorious, though we be horribly outnumbered. i gladly fight for mordor... as gondor is a vasssal state of lord annatar
Bughnrakh: *Ashgaz smiles. He thought that would cheer Sam up*
Angmar: *He is not finished with her yet... He rises to his feet and reaches down and offers his hands to her*
Lady Maltriel: *she smiles and takes his hands*
Angmar: *He helps her up*
Bughnrakh: *Ashgaz whispers even lower* Maybe tonight while the lady is asleep and the master is planning his battles, we can have another of those bottles.
Angmar: *Looks at her in her eyes* Ah, how much better you look today, Maltriel
Bughnrakh: *Sam nods excitedly, but then they shush themselves to avoid being suspected of anything*
Lady Maltriel: thank you my lord. indeed i do feel much better today.... and i trust that i shall be fit to ride to battle
Angmar: *He holds her hands* You have permission to kiss me, my dear
Bughnrakh: *Sam and Ashgaz look at each other with raised eyebrows*
Lady Maltriel: *she rises upon her feet and kisses him*
Bughnrakh: *My that potion is powerful, they think*
Lady Maltriel: *putting her hands upon his shoulders*
Angmar: *he takes his arms and holds her about the waist*
Angmar: *And thinks to himself... Everything about them is repulsive... The smell of their blood, their warm touch... They reek of mortals*
Bughnrakh: *Each wraithling silently thinks of his hobbit lass back in the Shire*
Lady Maltriel: *she gazes deep and longingly into what she perceives as his gray eyes*
Angmar: *He pulls back from her* That is enough, my lady... Your health might still be frail
Angmar: *He turns his back to her and takes his hand and wipes off his mouth... gah!*
Bughnrakh: *Now that they have actual green grass beneath their toes, they find it easier to pretend they are back in the Shire*
Bughnrakh: *They lean back and close their eyes*
Lady Maltriel: true, my lord.... ever you look out for me and my health *she smiles*
Angmar: *He turns back to her* Yes, I always do
Bughnrakh: *pretending it is a picnic they once attended as hobbits...it seems long ago but it was only last year*
Lady Maltriel: thank you for allowing me to fight and ride into battle.... i was afeared that you would not let me, for being a woman and also having frail health
Angmar: *He thinks to himself... It won't be much longer now until I am rid of her forever*
Angmar: *Still he walks up to her again and takes her hands to his. He brings them to his lips*
Bughnrakh: *Sam and Ashgaz stifle a powerful urge to burst into a hobbit drinking song*
Lady Maltriel: *she smiles at him.... with love shining from her face*
Angmar: My lady, have you finished your meal? A storm is on the horizon
Bughnrakh: *They rise and begin cleaning up the meal*
Lady Maltriel: *looks to the horizon* yes... it comes from the west. *shrinks closer to him*
Angmar: *inwardly shudders as she does, but stands firm*
Angmar: Yes, my lady, I do not want you to get wet
Bughnrakh: *The hobbit wraithlings cannot see well enough to perceive the storm clouds, but they can feel a change in the wind and smell rain approaching*
Lady Maltriel: is it true, as you say, that evil gods create the rain?
Bughnrakh: *They look at each other excitedly--how long it is since they have seen and felt rain!*
Angmar: Yes, the wicked gods.... Manwe and Ulmo are their names
Angmar: Curse them forever!
Bughnrakh: *They had thought never to leave the barren gloom of Mordor*
Angmar: *He calls to Ashgaz* Bring us our horses!
Bughnrakh: *startled back into reality, Ashgaz stifles a sigh* Aye, master.
Lady Maltriel: *she feels slightly frightened.... the wicked gods were on the side of the west.... truly they were outnumbered but she would die fighting for her alligance was to mordor*
Bughnrakh: *Sam pats him sympathetically on the shoulder*
Angmar: *He helps the lady on her horse, and then he gets on his*
Angmar: Bughrakh, clean this up. Quickly! So that you may ride behind the lady as we go back
Bughnrakh: *Sam nods and does so quickly, panting. Ashgaz helps him*
Angmar: And you, Ashgaz, assist him in getting up
Bughnrakh: All right, my lord *says Ashgaz*
Bughnrakh: *They finish cleaning up and stand by the horse*
Lady Maltriel: *fingers the leather reins in her hands... waiting for ashgaz and bughnrakh*
Bughnrakh: *Sam tries to climb up onto Ashgaz' shoulders but Ashgaz cannot hold him up as Sam is standing on his wound, so they get on the pony, liking this arrangement better anyway*
Lady Maltriel: *she takes her foot out of the left sturrup so that bugrahkh can get up. reaches her hand out to help him.... but instead the two decide to ride the pony*
Angmar: *He beckons with his hand to Maltriel and then kicks his horse*
Bughnrakh: *Sam whispers* I almost feel like I'm travelling with Mr. Frodo again. *Ashgaz smiles at him over his shoulder*
Lady Maltriel: *she commands her horse to follow his*
Bughnrakh: *The pony follows her horse*
Lady Maltriel: *she thinks that this is how it will be..... she will follow him into battle and glory.... in victory or defeat*
Bughnrakh: *The hobbit wraithlings deliberately fall behind so they can talk unheard*
Angmar: *As they ride South, a beginning drop of rain hits him on the shoulder.... He curses Ulmo, then kicks the horse into a gallop*
Bughnrakh: *Raindrops begin to fall on Sam and Ashgaz too...but instead of the excitement they expected they feel fear*
Bughnrakh: *Sam turns a frightened and questioning look on Ashgaz*
Lady Maltriel: *she does so as well and follows him.... the wind blowing her golden hair around her face*
Bughnrakh: *Ashgaz explains* I forgot--we fear water now, and fire, though you seemed to do well with the cooking fire, but any other fire would frighten you
Angmar: *He thinks..... hated woman. May her own people cut off her head and put it upon a pole*
Bughnrakh: and we cannot help but be afraid of water now...*He dreads saying this* Nazgul are afraid of water.
Bughnrakh: *Sam's shoulders slump and his lower lip trembles*
Lady Maltriel: *suddenly for half of a second she finds herself elsewhere riding upon darkend roads to fate unknown..... but the memory passes as quickly as it came*
Angmar: *He thinks to himself... wretched woman. She dared try to kill me*
Bughnrakh: *Ashgaz quickly says* But we're still hobbits underneath, right?
Angmar: *Thinks.... but her account will someday be marked "Paid in full"... he laughs*
Bughnrakh: *Sam replies* Right we are, Mr. Peter.
Lady Maltriel: *she desires glory and honor in battle.... to avenge the death of her uncle killed by the forces of the west.... and to be closer to the kingly figure she perceives that she loves*
Bughnrakh: *Ashgaz sighs to himself as he again begins his endless worrying about losing his memory and becoming a mindless thrall but then Ashgaz hears Sam humming the Elvish song*
Angmar: *He calls back to her* Come my dearest lady. Hurry your horse. We must get back before the storm strikes in its full fury
Lady Maltriel: *she kicks her heels into the horses side and it speeds its pace*
Angmar: *The rain intensifies and drops sheet off on the road*
Bughnrakh: *"I will not say the day is done, nor bid the stars farewell*
Bughnrakh: *Ashgaz remembers the encouraging talk in the wine cellar and actually stops worrying and enjoys a period of peace*
Lady Maltriel: *she catches up with him... vaguely a memory of a battle and a rainstorm come toher mind.... but hte memory escapes her again and she knows not what she was thinking of last*
Angmar: *Soon through the rain they can see the tents down on the fields*
Angmar: *When they finally arrive, he gets off his horse and helps the lady down*
Bughnrakh: *Sam lifts Ashgaz off the pony*
Angmar: *He stands and holds her horse and bids her go in the tent*
Lady Maltriel: thank you for your assistance my lord *sweet smile* *she turns and goes into the tent*
Bughnrakh: *They start to run for the tent to escape the rain, but then they remember to wait for orders*
Angmar: Bughnrakh! Put these horses up. Ashgaz, you help him
Bughnrakh: Aye master
Angmar: Then Bughrakh, come pour some wine for me, and for the lady of course *He goes in the tent*
Bughnrakh: *cold and shaking, they tie the horses up*
Lady Maltriel: *she was sitting at a table, but stands when she sees him come in and smiles*
Bughnrakh: How's your shoulder, Mr. Peter? *asks Sam feeling like he is talking to Frodo*
Lady Maltriel: *she takes a seat* thank you my lord
Bughnrakh: *Ashgaz shakes his head in response, in a bad mood from the rain*
Angmar: *He sits down himself*
Bughnrakh: *Sam finds this strangely comforting having had the exact same exchange with Frodo countless times*
Angmar: *Summons Ashgaz and Bugnrakh*
Angmar: I need wine! Much wine! But give the lady something else, not the red *he reaches his hand over and puts it over hers on the table*
Bughnrakh: *They enter the tent gladly and pour more of that awful red wine, and some normal wine for the lady*
Bughnrakh: *Ashgaz brings another bottle of red wine and another bottle of normal wine and sets them on the table*
Bughnrakh: *He give Sam a "This is how you do it" look and Sam nods*
Angmar: My lady, please forgive me, but I was angry
Angmar: I realize that child was just a wretched urchin with no home, but she is of the enemy's brood
Lady Maltriel: *concerned look* my lord, no need to appologize. i did not realize that she was of the enemy at first. but she was just a child.... certainly she is not old enough to fight or be of much harm
Angmar: Yes, my lady, but she is of the brood of serpents
Angmar: She will grow up and possibly do great harm. They should all be killed now, men, women and children
Bughnrakh: *Ashgaz stands in attendance some distance behind the table*
Bughnrakh: *Sam goes to stand next to him, glad for this tutorial*
Lady Maltriel: *looks to him.... knowing his judgement is always best* as you say my lord
Bughnrakh: *he thinks* If I remember what Mr. Peter does, maybe I can avoid being punished later and do things right! *feels hopeful*
Angmar: *As usual, he drinks his wine in one swallow and wants more. He taps his glass on the table*
Bughnrakh: *Ashgaz fills the wine glass as soon as Angmar drains it before he can ask for more. He bows and resumes his post*
Angmar: *He glares at Ashgaz*
Bughnrakh: *Ashgaz is baffled...what did he do wrong?*
Lady Maltriel: *she takes a sip of her wine... enjoying being in the presence of her love*
Bughnrakh: *Sam looks at him worriedly*
Angmar: *He tells them* Careful, don't spill any wine!
Angmar: *he idly toys with the lady's hand*
Bughnrakh: Oh, we won't, master! *says Ashgaz*
Bughnrakh: That's right we won't! *says Sam*
Lady Maltriel: *she smiles at him, enjoying the touch of his hand..... it does not feel cold to her now, under deep enchantment that she is*
Bughnrakh: *Ashgaz lets out his breath*
Angmar: Bughnrakh, would you like the great honor of being this lady's page?
Bughnrakh: *Sam's jaw drops*
Angmar: Follow her into battle, take care of her, follow her orders?
Lady Maltriel: *looks to bughrakh*
Bughnrakh: *He thinks fast* Well...it would be better than serving Angmar...
Bughnrakh: *Sam kneels and bows his head* I would be honored, my lord.
Angmar: *He sends a thought to Bughrakh... You are to watch her and my spies will keep in contact with you as you do so*
Bughnrakh: Very good very good *whispers Ashgaz almost inaudibly*
Lady Maltriel: *she smiles at bughrakh* i will most gladly carry you with me into battle
Bughnrakh: *Sam replies silently to Angmar* Oh...um...ah...I will try my best
Angmar: Rohan is a many day's ride from here, my lady
Bughnrakh: *Sam bows to the lady*
Angmar: *Bughrakh, you will do as I say or your master Frodo will suffer.... he tells him in thought*
Bughnrakh: *Sam winces*
Bughnrakh: *Ashgaz places a hand on his shoulder, able to guess what is going on*
Angmar: *If you make one mistake, it will be one lash upon your master's back. If you make two, it will make another, and so on*
Bughnrakh: *Sam begins to shake*
Lady Maltriel: *rohan rohan... the name should be familiar to her but it is completely alien* is that where we are going? to this place called rohan?
Bughnrakh: *Oh master, I will do perfectly, I will make no mistakes, I promise!!! Don't hurt him, please, please don't hurt him!*
Bughnrakh: *Sam begins to cry*
Bughnrakh: *Ashgaz closes his eyes and sighs*
Angmar: *He sends him a thought message.... Remember what happens to your Master Frodo if you do make mistakes... Perhaps he might be joining you sooner than planned.... He throws his head back and laughs*
Bughnrakh: *he squeezes Sam's shoulder*
Lady Maltriel: *she wonders why he is laughing.... assumes he has had too much wine.... stiffles a giggle, and takes a sip of her own*
Angmar: More wine!
Bughnrakh: *Sam bursts out aloud* Oh no, master, I will do well, I promise!
Bughnrakh: *Ashgaz hurries to get the wine*
Angmar: *He sends another message to Bugrakh... if you do not, your master Frodo will know much pain and suffering!*
Bughnrakh: *Sam stands there sniffling and wiping his eyes*
Bughnrakh: *Ashgaz returns after pouring the wine and puts an arm around Sam*
Angmar: Yes, my lady, we go to Rohan. They are very cruel people. They burn their captured enemies alive!
Bughnrakh: *Sam replies silently* No, no, please! I will do well! I promise!
Lady Maltriel: *says to bughnrakh not knowing why he said what he did* yes, i know you shall do well as my page
Bughnrakh: *Sam bows unsteadily*
Lady Maltriel: *to angmar she says* they burn their captives alive? then indeed they are most wicked people
Bughnrakh: *As he straightens Ashgaz whispers* What is it?
Angmar: My lady, it grieves me to tell you this, but they torture them first and then burn them alive
Lady Maltriel: *goes more pale than usual*
Bughnrakh: *Sam replies tearfully* Oh Mr. Peter...they are going to hurt Mr. Frodo
Lady Maltriel: i shall fight them galliantly and do my best not to get captured
Angmar: *He stops toying with her hand*
Bughnrakh: I'm sure I'll make a mistake, I always do
Lady Maltriel: *she contemplates impaling herself with her sword if surrounded....as to avoid horrible torture by the hands of the enemy*
Bughnrakh: I've never been very smart, and each mistake will be a last on Frodo's back!
Angmar: *He begins to tap his hand on the table.... at first lightly, then harder*
Bughnrakh: *Ashgaz hugs Sam but keeps a watchful eye on Angmar*
Angmar: *He sends a thought message to both Bughrakh and Ashgaz.... Then I will send my brother Khamul's servant Ashgaz in your place!*
Bughnrakh: *Ashgaz pulls away from Sam with a frightened look*
Bughnrakh: *He can figure out much better than Sam how the lady's mission will end*
Lady Maltriel: *does not know there is a conversation in thought going on between the three wraiths........ she does not even know the are wraiths*
Bughnrakh: *And now he must be an accomplice? But Frodo...*
Angmar: *The message goes back.... Yes, Frodo, yes... Frodo.... he will pay for each mistake dearly*
Bughnrakh: *Ashgaz runs his hands over his face*
Lady Maltriel: *she can sometimes vaguely see their faces, and always the face of angmar which seems to her as aragorn*
Angmar: *he stops drumming his fist on the table*
Angmar: *The rain outside beats fiercely upon the tent and howls as though in some torment*
Bughnrakh: *Ashgaz turns to Angmar, trying to mask his hatred, and replies silently* Very well then, I will do it
Angmar: *Angmar says* If this keeps up, there might be floods
Lady Maltriel: *pulled from her thoughts of killing herself before being captured, she notices the rain*
Bughnrakh: *Sam whispers to him* It will be better this way...I'm sure you will do much better than I would and Mr. Frodo will be safe
Angmar: *He tells both Ashgaz and Bughrakh in thought... She is not to come back from this journey. Do you understand me!*
Bughnrakh: *Sam gasps and his hand flies to his mouth*
Bughnrakh: *But Ashgaz had already figured this out*
Lady Maltriel: tell me more about this land called rohan, my lord.... who will i be with? are you going to ride along beside me?
Bughnrakh: *Ashgaz nods, drawing a shuddering breath*
Angmar: I will ride beside you for a way, my lady, but you will be part of the advance guard.... A scout
Angmar: Can you do this?
Lady Maltriel: yes my lord.... of course... anything to be of service to mordor
Angmar: My lady, not for some time yet.. It is a long journey to Rohan. Mordor is not ready to go there yet. There is much yet to do here
Bughnrakh: *The wraithlings retreat into the shadowy corner to hide their emotion. Sam hugs Ashgaz*
Lady Maltriel: it is my hope that you will ride with me my lord and we will win honor and glory together
Bughnrakh: *They catch their breath and return to their places*
Angmar: The work goes well on the great Temple. Already, the rubble has been cleared from the tower at Ecthelion
Angmar: Sauron wants a Temple built to Melkor on that spot, a great Temple. A mighty one with a silver dome
Bughnrakh: *Now Ashgaz cannot take his eyes off the lady*
Lady Maltriel: *she thinks of all that she has been told* and melkor will bring delivrance to the world from the evil valar...
Bughnrakh: *Thoughts drum in his head... I'm sending her to her death! I'm killing her! And she has done nothing! Mary would hate me if she saw me now! How could I have agreed to this?*
Angmar: Yes, Melkor is great, and we will sing His praises daily with offerings in the Temple. It will be built with the aid of the Ring
Lady Maltriel: *she smiles at him* i would like to see it..... i do hope that the city is not retaken by the enemy
Bughnrakh: *But then Ashgaz remembers why. He remembers the dark dungeons he saw back in Lugburz*
Angmar: The White City will never fall again. It is safe in the hands of Mordor
Bughnrakh: *He pictures Frodo chained in a filthy cell. He remembers how terrible it was to see Niethan whipped, and he didn't even know Niethan* *He covers his ears, breathing hard*
Angmar: *Angmar cares nothing about Eowyn except seeing her disgraced and her death*
Lady Maltriel: it is my hope my lord that your words shall come to pass
Angmar: Mordor needs to regroup. We lost heavily in the last battle. We will stay here until reinforcements arrive and more supplies come
Angmar: A month, perhaps
Bughnrakh: *Sam understands...he has gone through the same thing during the entire journey*
Lady Maltriel: *she nods..... admiring his abilities at planning war and strategy*
Angmar: And Sauron will have his temple built by the end of summer!
Bughnrakh: *Sam lowers Peter's hands and whispers* It'll be all right, Mr. Peter. Really it will. The sun still shines above, and the stars *Peter nods and steadies himself*
Angmar: It is the power of the Ring that builds it so fast
Angmar: *He pours himself a glass of wine* To victory! To the temple! To Sauron and to Melkor!
Lady Maltriel: *she takes her glass and participates in the toast* to victory and glory, the temple and sauron, and the everlasting peace of mordor.......and to us *she smiles*
Angmar: Thank you my dear lady. I should kiss you for all I have put you through today. I appologize once more for my anger
Lady Maltriel: *she smiles at him, feeling mischievous* i shall take you up upon your offer...
Angmar: Then I will see about helping the cold winter of your illness turn into a blooming spring of warmth and rapture
Lady Maltriel: *smiles very, very, very sweetly*
Angmar: *Gently slides his arms around her waist*
Lady Maltriel: *looks to him with love in her eyes*
Angmar: My lady, your eyes kiss my face... your laughter warms my heart
Lady Maltriel: *melts in his arms, her body tightly pressed against him*
Angmar: *his arms still holding her waist, he bends his head down, first kissing her gently then more passionately and then deeply*
Lady Maltriel: *her eyes widen and she kisses him back, hesitantly at first then with equal passion.... his kiss thawing the cold winter*
Angmar: *he kisses her again and then steps back* The first kiss was for love and passion, the second a goodnight kiss, my lady
Lady Maltriel: *smiles and giggles, blushing heavily* thank you my lord... your kisses could melt any winter, ice or snow, and bring a sudden spring thaw
Angmar: Remember, Bughrakh, give her another draught from the silver vial before she goes to sleep
Bughnrakh: *wails some more, but decides to put the vial by her bed and let her decide to drink it*
Angmar: The draught will help you sleep and forget. But I must kiss you again, so that the memory will linger *he bends down and kisses her on the forehead* Goodnight, beloved Maltriel
Lady Maltriel: *she looks up to him and smiles sweetly* goodnight, my lord... i shall love you forever!

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