THE WILD RIDE

The Witch-King was in a foul mood this day, the 19th of March, 3019. This day would mark the third fultile day for the search for Khamul, and this was just another thing which made Angmar displeased. Now he would have to lead the search and take with him both the woman whose stubborn pride and lack of fear he hated, and the miserable wraithling Ashgaz. His feelings were that they had somehow gained the upper hand and tricked him, and that thought caused his already growing anger to lash forth in new fury.

The night before, Angmar had savored his recent triumph of Pelennor Fields, and while that had proved most enjoyable, he had been hoping that the next night would bring even far greater pleasures. However, the tryst with the shieldmaiden had been interrupted by Khamul's pleas for Angmar to free the incompetent servant Ashgaz from a pit of snakes. Both Khamul and Ashgaz paid dearly for their folly through much torment of ice and fire.

Then, to make matters worse, on the 17th, Khamul had became lost on a simple scouting mission over Pelennor, but that had been Angmar's usual experience with Khamul. It was not that Khamul's zeal for the search for the Ring was in any way lacking, no, he was ever the most zealous for the search, but of all the Nine, Khamul's vision was the one most blistered by the rays of Arien (the Sun).

On the 17th and 18th, searches had been made on the east side of the river Anduin, over and through Ithilien, the Noman Lands, Dead Marshes and Nindalf, to the edges of the Emyn Muil, and no trace of Khamul or his beast had been found. The west side of the river was yet to be searched.

Now today, on the 19th, the Witch-King would have to make a search himself, now with the additions of Khamul's charges, the woman known as Madurz and Khamul's servant Ashgaz. A messenger had arrived that day and informed him that the day before a fight between two groups of orcs had broken out near the Isenmouthe. The orcs involved had been reported to Lugburz and there were suspicious rumors about two of these orcs, who were short in starture, more resembling mountain hobgoblins. He awaited further information upon this matter.

Now he thought back to the present mission and wondered if the woman Madurz would panic at the heights to which his beast could fly and start shrieking in fear, making them too easy targets against the sky. Perhaps for the sake of the mission, it would be wiser if the woman wore armor. He would send some orcs with armor to her room and they could assist her in putting it on, but he suddenly realized that she would never agree to being touched by orcs. "By Melkor himself!" Angmar refused to degrade himself by assisting the woman with her armor. He cursed himself for ever having been so stupid as to allow both of them to go.

Ashgaz: *Ashgaz stands in attendance before the Witch King and awaits his command*
Angmar: *The Witch-King is wearing a black hose and shirt of some unknown material. Over that he wears a padded vest for the chainmail halberk, and the halberk over that*
Angmar: *For some reason, he decided to wear chainmail leggings and has them on*
Angmar: *He summons to Ashgaz to put his shin protectors on his legs, and arm protectors on his arms*
Angmar: *he sits for ashgaz*
Angmar: Snaga, you may commense
Ashgaz: *Ashgaz struggles to lift a shin protector*
Ashgaz: *he finally succeeds and lugs it over to the Witch King*
Ashgaz: *he positions it on the Witch King's leg and fastens the buckles*
Angmar: *the Witch-King is amused at this performance*
Ashgaz: *Puffing, he drags the other one over*
Angmar: Knave, make haste!
Ashgaz: *and positions it and fastens it*
Ashgaz: *He brings an arm protector and fastens it on the Witch King's extended arm*
Ashgaz: *and does so with the other arm protector*
Angmar: Knave, you forgot the gloves and spurs for my boots
Ashgaz: Aye, master
Ashgaz: *Ashgaz is glad that these things will not be so heavy*
Ashgaz: *He brings the gloves and spurs*
Angmar: *he extends his right hand to Ashgaz*
Ashgaz: *He pulls the glove onto the Witch King's hand*
Angmar: *he extends the left hand*
Ashgaz: *Pulls the glove onto the Witch King's left hand*
Ashgaz: *He kneels and fastens the spurs onto the boots*
Ashgaz: *He gets up with a pleased expression*
Angmar: Knave, you are finally learning something
Ashgaz: *actually feeling a little competent*
Ashgaz: *grins*
Angmar: And it is a pity that you did not learn this when you were at Minas Morgul!
Ashgaz: Thank you, my lord.
Angmar: *he nods to Ashgaz*
Ashgaz: Is there anything else?
Angmar: *he gets up and gets his own cape and puts it on* Nay
Angmar: *he turns to the lady who has been waiting in the room* Now, my lady, are you prepared?
Madurz: *shaken from her thoughts she looks to him* yes my Lord
Angmar: Then we shall go to the beast mews
Ashgaz: *Ashgaz is both nervous and excited about seeing a fell beast*
Ashgaz: *Though part of him feels guilty for enjoying it*
Madurz: Yes my Lord..let us go
Angmar: *Before leaving, the Witch-King puts his own belt and sword on for Ashgaz would never be able to reach his waist*
Angmar: *he bids them follow him*
Madurz: *she follows closely behind*
Ashgaz: *follows behind the Witch King and the Lady*
Angmar: *they go through the wild darkned corridors of Lugburz, often lit only by dimly burning torches*
Ashgaz: *still not used to so much darkness*
Ashgaz: *shudders*
Madurz: *her heart pounds wildly...not out of fear...but in nervous anticipation for finding Khamul*
Angmar: *Through many darkened corrdiors and stairwells, they finally reach the main gate to the Dark Tower and go out into the open. Barad-dur is built on a spur of the Ash Mountains, and they climb up a nearby hill to the beast mews*
Angmar: *Dark shadows surround the tower to the west, but there is a piercing ray of orange that sometimes shows through, like an eternal flame*
Angmar: *the beast, saddled and ready is held by two orcs*
Angmar: *The Witch-King approaches the beast*
Angmar: *and quickly mounts*
Ashgaz: *jaw drops in fascination and horror at the impressive beast*
Angmar: *he offers the lady his hand*
Madurz: *she looks in amazement to the enormous creature...she smiles lightly..but it fades when she thinks of Khamul on it and the thought of it falling*
Madurz: *she takes his hand*
Angmar: *he pulls her up upon the beast*
Angmar: You in front, my lady
Ashgaz: *The beast looks even larger than normal to a hobbit-sized wraithling*
Angmar: You, Ashgaz, behind me
Ashgaz: Aye, my lord...*wonders how he will get on it*
Angmar: Hold on Ashgaz! Do not fall!
Madurz: *she sits in front of him and looks to Ash*
Angmar: *commands the two orcs to lay hands on Ashgaz and toss him up*
Ashgaz: *lands behind the Witch King*
Ashgaz: *settles on the beast's back*
Angmar: If you are settled, both of you, I will command it to spread its wings and take off
Ashgaz: *This mount feels very precarious*
Madurz: *she adjusts herself and readies her mind for their quest*
Angmar: *he grips the reins in his hand*
Madurz: *nods* i am ready my Lord
Ashgaz: *stiffens to stay on and closes his eyes*
Angmar: *kicks the beast and says* Skoi!
Angmar: *wonders if Ashgaz will have sense enough to hold on*
Angmar: *the beast flaps its powerful wings and lifts off the ground*
Ashgaz: *remembers to hold on at the last second*
Angmar: *the beast mounts higher and settles on a course west*
Ashgaz: *looks around in both fascination and terror...hobbits do not like heights*
Madurz: *she holds on it and her heartbeat pounds as that of the beast's wings*
Angmar: *turns his head back at Ashgaz and laughs*
Ashgaz: *Anger rises in him at the Witch King's laugh and he sits up straight*
Angmar: *they pass the Dark Tower, Mt. Doom, the plains of Gorgoroth, through the hazy red air, and the black smoke that belches constantly from Orodurin*
Angmar: *going ever westward*
Madurz: *her eyes and ind are sharp...and thinks only of her task...knows no fear at this point*
Angmar: There below you, is the plains of Gorgoroth
Angmar: *his voice takes a playful note* Shall I throw you both off now?
Ashgaz: *He can never tell if the Witch King is joking or not...*
Angmar: *waits, laughing for their reply*
Madurz: *she is unstirred by his comment as her eyes peer down*
Ashgaz: I think we are better off up here, my lord
Ashgaz: and more useful, begging your pardon
Angmar: *he laughs more*
Ashgaz: *notices the lady looking down and joins her in searching for a heap of black robes*
Madurz: *his chest thuds against her back as he laughs heartily*
Ashgaz: *or a fallen beast*
Angmar: *As they pass Mt. Doom, he veers his beast sideways, going dangerously close to the volcano and its opening*
Madurz: *her hair whips with their speed and she rides the beast without fright*
Angmar: *he suddenly pulls up on the reins and the beast flies upwards at a dizzying degree*
Ashgaz: *This is too much...he crouches down, holding onto the beast*
Angmar: *then the beast gradually levels out*
Madurz: *her back presses against his chest as they pull up*
Angmar: You are lucky I did not push both of you into the mountain's opening!
Angmar: *he laughs*
Madurz: *turns her head slightly to him then looks back to the ground*
Ashgaz: *quietly*...Thank you, my lord.
Ashgaz: *grits his teeth*
Ashgaz: *dares to look down again*
Angmar: *he says* Anything to be of service, Snaga.
Ashgaz: *Smiles with the same fakeness*
Angmar: *the beast still flies over Mordor*
Angmar: *dimly through the reek of black and red, roads can be seen below... Sauron's road to Mt. Doom*
Ashgaz: *stares in amazement at the endless rocky plains*
Angmar: *to the west the mountains of shadow can be seen, in all their dark glory*
Ashgaz: *with firey Mount Doom near and the mountains of shadow ahead*
Angmar: *He says* My travelling companions, how do you like the trip so far?
Ashgaz: *background
Madurz: *the sights she took in were beautiful*
Ashgaz: My lord, I am still trying to take it all in
Ashgaz: It is all so strange
Madurz: everything is amazing
Angmar: *with that, he pulls on the right rein and the beast twists to the side*
Madurz: i only wish i could enjoy it with a clear mind
Angmar: *causing all to tilt earthwards*
Madurz: *thrust forward with little to brace her but she holds on*
Ashgaz: *clings desperately to the beast*
Angmar: *Then he pulls quickly on the left rein
Angmar: How do you like the ride so far? *he laughs*
Angmar: *then he pulls back and they level out again*
Ashgaz: Very...interesting, my lord.
Angmar: Not enjoying it, are you?
Ashgaz: *panting, he hopes it will be over soon*
Angmar: My lady, are you enjoying this ride?
Madurz: *she wants her mind to be focused and does not give in to his attempts to frighten her*
Angmar: *he laughs in her ear*
Madurz: i enjoy the beasts flights...but this is not a joyride this day
Madurz: we have a task
Angmar: My lady, I am but letting the beast loosen its wings a bit. It has been cooped up a while
Madurz: that is understandable
Ashgaz: *dares another look at the ground, forcing himself to join in the search*
Angmar: *as they approach the Mountains of Shadow, he decides to make the beast go into a zigzag pattern, pulling first on the left and then on the right rein*
Angmar: *he hopes they become dizzy*
Ashgaz: *feels sick*
Angmar: *they hear a snickering sound*
Madurz: *shuts her eyes and makes herself just concentrate on the wind on her face*
Angmar: *he straightens his course out and the beast continues flying west*
Ashgaz: *Tries hard not to show his discomfort because he knows the Witch King enjoys it and will decide to increase it*
Angmar: *he spurs the beast on viciously and it flies faster*
Ashgaz: *stiffens to sit up straight despite the speed*
Angmar: *they reach the Morgai Mountains, and fly over them, over the small river valley between that range and the Ephel Duath, the Mountains of Shadow*
Angmar: *ever faster the beast flies, over Cirith Ungol, and then Minas Morgul*
Madurz: *the speed of the wind hitting her being she is in front pushes her back a bit*
Angmar: *he whispers in the woman's ears* Sing
Ashgaz: *marvels at these sights no hobbit has seen before*
Angmar: *he laughs madly*
Madurz: *perplexed a bit by his request...but does not have a problem with it at all*
Madurz: *confused by his laugh*
Madurz: do you want me to or do you joke?
Ashgaz: *searching the ground*
Angmar: *they move faster and faster, past the glowing light of Minas Morgul, and the crossroads... opver the trees of Ilithien and to the river Anduin*
Angmar: My lady, I but jest with you
Angmar: *his laughter stops*
Ashgaz: *He feels a weight lifted as they pass out of Minas Morgul*
Madurz: *she figured as much and lowers herself a bit to focus*
Angmar: *he pulls back on the reins and the beast slows its flight*
Angmar: Madurz, tell me what you see below
Madurz: The River Anduin *she speaks as her eyes search*
Angmar: *it is morning but the cloud of smoke that has belched constantly from Mt. Doom since the beginning of the War filters out much of the light of Arien, the Sun*
Ashgaz: *concentrates intensely on the search*
Angmar: *they are directly above the River Anduin*
Angmar: *she can feel a mighty intake of air*
Angmar: *AND THEN HE LETS OUT A MIGHTY PIERCING SHRIEK....*
Ashgaz: *SHRIEKS WITH HIM*
Madurz: *taken off guard her eyes shut tightly and her hands grip harder*
Angmar: *there are words in that call... they appear to be * MALKULLATKHAMUL (Where are you Khamul?)
Angmar: *but there is no answering call*
Madurz: *her eyes open and she lowers herself more on the beast...waiting for a response*
Angmar: *he tells them* There is no one here
Madurz: if he is paralyzed...he will be able to anser?
Madurz: answer
Angmar: *they are between os galiath and minas tirith* There is no one here
Ashgaz: *feels a pang at the thought of his master paralyzed with fear*
Angmar: Nay, my lady, I doubt it
Ashgaz: !MALKULLATKHAMUL
Madurz: hopes he is sure...has no choice but to take his word for it
Madurz: *
Angmar: My lady, if he still lives, he should be able to hear our calls
Angmar: If he is here
Madurz: *her mind screams to Khamul as it did the day she was being attacked by orcs*
Ashgaz: *tries to find the telepathic connection with Khamul*
Angmar: *he spurs the beast over the Gray Wood, near Amon Din, searching between these areas and the river*
Ashgaz: *shrieks loudly to him from his end of the connection*
Angmar: We see no sign of the beast, nothing, nothing here
Madurz: *fights back tears successfully replaced by anger*
Angmar: We will follow all along the west side of the river
Angmar: And search the lands on that side
Angmar: For we have already searched the east side before
Angmar: To no avail
Ashgaz: *nods*
Angmar: *he spurs the beast back towards the direction of the river and they near Cair Andros and the Druadan Forest*
Angmar: Tell me what you see, if you see anything
Ashgaz: *attempts to send a message to Khamul*
Ashgaz: *Master, if you find us I will bring you as many bottles of wine as you want*
Ashgaz: *and I will sing a song about anything*
Angmar: *they can see the watchtowers of Gondor as dim specks below them*
Angmar: *The Witch-King lets out another mind-gripping shriek and then another*
Ashgaz: *Shrieks with him*
Angmar: *they are flying over ANorian, the Sun-Land, but there is nothing there*
Madurz: *deals with their piercing calls for she knows they are necessary*
Angmar: *the Mouths of the Entwash are before them and he hopes that Khamul did not land there*
Angmar: *he kicks the beast and flies faster*
Angmar: *shrieking and looking at the ground below him*
Ashgaz: *shrieks and searches, concentrating so hard he forgets to be afraid*
Angmar: *they pass the Mouths of the Entwash and go into the southeastern borders of Rohan*
Angmar: *now he guides the beast ever closer to the ground, and then rises up*
Ashgaz: *Ashgaz is filled with amazement at the gorgeous kingdom of Rohan*
Madurz: *does not give up hope...she keeps calling to him*
Angmar: *he shrieks with a terrible cry that is unrecognizable to most and would cause any people in these lands to cast themselves to the ground in fear, but there are words in that cry* Malbugudishisauronobkullatkhamul!!! (Where in the name of Sauron are you Khamul?)
Ashgaz: *Even Ashgaz shrinks at that cry*
Angmar: *This is the East Emnet of Rohan, grassy plains*
Angmar: *He tells them* The wind is from the North.....
Madurz: *holds tightly but its does hurt her...but it is for the best...her ears ring and for a moment she is deaf*
Angmar: I smell a stench in the air
Angmar: Do you smell it?
Ashgaz: Yes
Madurz: *her hearing gradually comes back*
Angmar: It smells like beast
Madurz: *nods and holds breath*
Angmar: Rotting beast flesh
Ashgaz: !KHAMUL
Angmar: *he steers his beast closer to the ground, in circles*
Ashgaz: !MALKULLATKHAMUL
Madurz: yes....yes he's here...i feel it *winces a bit*
Angmar: *they can see a huge carcas of a fell beast lying on the ground in the grassy plains*
Angmar: *buzzards perching on it*
Ashgaz: *grimaces at the decaying carcass*
Madurz: *her heart seems to stop at the sight of the beast*
Angmar: *The Witch-King has his beast fly closer to the ground, ever searching and circling*
Angmar: *he says* Aye, the smell is foul
Angmar: And reaks of rotting meat
Ashgaz: *tries to catch his master's scent despite the stench of the rotting beast*
Angmar: *he commands his beast to land upon the ground near the carcass*
Ashgaz: *bounces up and down*
Ashgaz: *looks at the long way down off the beast*
Angmar: Jump, Ashgaz
Ashgaz: My lord, it is four times my height!
Angmar: My lady, swing your leg over the saddle and get down
Angmar: Ashgaz, it does not matter anymore
Madurz: *she jumps down and immediately begins to search*
Angmar: You will be unharmed
Ashgaz: *understands with a sigh*
Ashgaz: *jumps down*
Angmar: *The Witch-King then gets down and commands the beast to stay*
Angmar: *it begins to eat the rotting flesh of the other beast*
Angmar: We know he must be here somewhere
Ashgaz: *this is all surreal...here he is between two fell beasts in some distant land he had never heard of*
Angmar: See how the grass is uprooted and there is a trough where the beast hit and skid?
Angmar: Khamul has either been thrown off or fallen
Madurz: *she looks around and calls his name both in her mind and from her lips*
Angmar: Let us search for him
Ashgaz: *scurries to the Witch King and Lady*
Angmar: *calls to Khamul*
Ashgaz: *shrieks even louder than before*
Angmar: *As only Nazgul can shriek and call*
Ashgaz: *meticulously searches the ground around him*
Angmar: *they hear a weak echoing response*
Ashgaz: !Master!!!
Madurz: *her eyes widen and she stops in her tracks*
Ashgaz: *runs toward the response shrieking*
Angmar: *the sound comes from farther west*
Madurz: *closes her eyes and listens and follows with her ears and heart*
Angmar: Let us assume something.
Ashgaz: *stops shrieking to listen*
Angmar: That he fell from the beast before it landed and crawled away in a dazed stupor
Angmar: Spread out in a circle and search for him
Ashgaz: *spreads out calling MALKULLATKHAMUL*
Angmar: *it is morning but a wind from the east causes the black clouds of Orodurin to reach this far into Rohan*
Ashgaz: *and alternately stopping to listen*
Angmar: *thus allowing the Witch-King to see better, and Ashgaz to see at all*
Angmar: *they hear another weak call which is answered*
Madurz: *clutches her heart* Khamul?
Angmar: *the call is* fhokizishfhokfhok... (Help me, help, help)
Ashgaz: *runs toward the call*
Angmar: *the witch-king speeds past them both*
Angmar: *and finds Khamul at a distance off, behind a boulder*
Madurz: *runs after the Witch-King*
Ashgaz: *speeds after them*
Angmar: *The Witch-King finds Khamul lying behind the boulder...*
Angmar: *he still wears his cloak and light armor*
Angmar: *But Khamul can barely respond*
Angmar: *Angmar goes over to him*
Angmar: *And says* You fool
Angmar: Why did you get into this?
Angmar: *Khamul struggles to get into a sitting position, propping his back against the boulder*
Angmar: *wheezing for air, he moves a shaky hand to his left upper thigh, above the knee*
Angmar: *And then he faints*
Angmar: *The Witch-King bends down and looks where Khamul pointed and shakes his head*
Angmar: *there is a tear in the thick black hose... made by a knife apparently....*
Angmar: *and the Witch-King says* You accursed fool! You have gotten yourself into something now!
Ashgaz: *falls to his knees beside his master*
Madurz: *she moves as if in slow motion....she stares down at them...her breathing shallow*
Angmar: *The Witch-King inspects the wound on Khamul's thigh... through the spirit world, both he and Ashgaz are able to see that it is only but a little cut...*
Ashgaz: *gently touches his master's shoulder to try to rouse him*
Angmar: *Khamul does not respond to anything now for his mind is somewhere far away*
Ashgaz: *cannot help bursting into tears*
Madurz: ...my love?
Ashgaz: *leans his forehead against Khamul's shoulder, still kneeling next to him*
Angmar: *they only hear an echo of their voices when they speak to him*
Madurz: *a lord of Nazgul..her first love..the second in command..her present love..and a wraithling..then then there is her...it is a sight*
Angmar: *the eastern wind blowing through the grass....*
Ashgaz: *marvels that he should feels such grief for the Nazgul who stabbed him*
Ashgaz: *but he does*
Angmar: *The wind ripples the blades of the grass and sighs*
Madurz: *she now crouches beside him and moves to touch his face*
Angmar: *The Witch-King shouts to them* Whatever has happened, we must take him back and now
Ashgaz: *looks up and nods gravely*
Angmar: Move out of my way, and I will pick him up
Madurz: yes...let us make haste
Angmar: *he picks Khamul up*
Ashgaz: *starts back to their mount*
Madurz: *she hurries to the beast with them*
Angmar: *he walks back to the fell beast that waists, still eating upon the flesh of the dead*
Angmar: *his pace is swift*
Angmar: Follow me
Ashgaz: *runs after the Witch King*
Angmar: *he says to them* Now I Come to a dilemma
Angmar: For we must get him to Lugburz as quickly as possible
Angmar: And we must lighten the load to be able to fly that fast
Angmar: Someone must of needs stay behind
Angmar: I will have to hold both him and guide this beast. I cannot do everything
Ashgaz: No, my lady
Ashgaz: I will stay behind
Madurz: you waste time
Angmar: Ashgaz, you weigh nothing... She must stay
Angmar: Ashgaz, stay with the lady, and protect her
Angmar: For you are deep in enemy territory
Ashgaz: My thoughts exactly
Ashgaz: Mordor calls me, and I will be able to find the way back
Madurz: *looks to them*
Ashgaz: But she is mortal and would be lost
Angmar: *he gets on the beast with great difficulty, carrying Khamul*
Angmar: *drapes Khamul's body over the saddle in front of him*
Ashgaz: *watches, fighting back tears*
Angmar: *he spurs the beast*
Angmar: *and it takes off, leaving two of its former passengers behind*
Madurz: *she has found him...but would she ever see him again*
Ashgaz: *senses the lady's thought*
Ashgaz: Do not worry, my lady
Angmar: *He calls back... Wait here, hide if you can*
Madurz: *for their is no Morgul blade to sustain her*
Ashgaz: We will return
Angmar: I must be fast
Angmar: I must be away
Ashgaz: *calls up to him* Do not worry, lord
Angmar: If you see an army of our own soldiers, you will be safe, for you wear the armor and insignia of Mordor
Ashgaz: I will protect her
Ashgaz: Aye
Madurz: *she burries her head in her hands*
Madurz: *but he was found*
Angmar: But if you see Men wearing Green and White with emblems of horses, then you must flee and hide for your lives will be forfieted if they find you
Angmar: *he has a small dagger with him and throws it to Ashgaz*
Ashgaz: *catches the dagger*
Angmar: Farewell!
Ashgaz: Farewell!
Ashgaz: *puts the dagger in his belt*
Angmar: *and then he is away, flying fast towards the East*
Angmar: *shrieking as he goes, and spreading darkness before him*
Ashgaz: *goes to the lady*
Ashgaz: *places a gentle hand on her shoulder*
Angmar: *in the shrieks those on the ground can catch a trace of sadness*
Ashgaz: Do not fear, my lady
Ashgaz: You could not have a better bodyguard...
Ashgaz: for nothing here can harm me
Madurz: *she wonders if having Ashgaz with her will endanger her..for if her clothes were different, they would probably take her as a woman from Rohan*
Ashgaz: We will hide at any sign of danger, but I will be unseen all the time anyway
Angmar: matummatumaghkraibagkhamulkhamul, azgothobaanudgothobgondoraghrohan (Death, death and sadness, Khamul, Khamul, kill the Lords of the West, the Lords of Gondor and Rohan)
Angmar: *he shrieks this in a horrible voice*
Ashgaz: *throws off his robes, becoming invisible*
Angmar: *the call fades into the distance and they see the beast no more*
Madurz: *she sends them a message of fast and safe return*
Madurz: *touches Ash's shoulder*
Ashgaz: *He places an unseen hand on her mortal one to comfort her*
Madurz: *she throws off her armor and takes his robes from the ground*
Madurz: *drapes the small robes over her.making a small cover*
Madurz: *shakes off her gloves*
Ashgaz: *smiles through his tears at the disguise*
Angmar: *the darkness is now grown deeper, for the feeble rays of Arien have gone far into the west*
Angmar: *it is drawing close to twilight by this time*
Ashgaz: *Ashgaz strides around the area, able to see fairly well, to ascertain their surroundings*
Madurz: *wonders if now orcs will try to harm her*
Ashgaz: *He does not stray far from the lady*
Ashgaz: *and calls her to follow him*
Angmar: *they had started out at dawn, and now it was evening, nearly a 14 hour journey by beast. They are many miles from Mordor*
Ashgaz: *He stops, shuts his eyes, and places a hand on his heart, waiting for them to call him*
Madurz: *one arrow causing so much pain*
Ashgaz: *He opens his eyes suddenly with a pained gasp, but turns back to the lady and smiles*
Madurz: *with recent events...it suddenly burdens her heart and mind and she falls and sobs*
Ashgaz: I know our route now
Ashgaz: *It pains him to see her distress*
Ashgaz: *sits next to her*
Ashgaz: My lady, you are weary
Ashgaz: It was a long journey
Madurz: is ther any hope left?
Ashgaz: but a successful one
Ashgaz: *places his hands on her shoulders and looks steadily into her eyes*
Madurz: i am doomed in every life
Ashgaz: There is much hope
Ashgaz: You must believe me
Ashgaz: I will bring you back there
Ashgaz: I know the way back to Mordor and I will protect you
Angmar: *The lady Madurz and the hobbit wraithling Ashgaz are left to fend for themselves in the East Emnet of Rohan, enemy territory, with no promise of anyone ever coming back for them*
Ashgaz: *Ashgaz still kneels in front of Madurz speaking words of encouragement*
Ashgaz: My lady, let us find you a place to sleep
Madurz: what if this is the end Ashgaz?
Madurz: my last life?
Ashgaz: This is not the end
Ashgaz: It is not even the end of this life for you
Madurz: for you
Ashgaz: No, for you
Ashgaz: There is no end at all for me, ever
Madurz: the walls grow higher around me..dark and hopeless
Ashgaz: My lady, we must have courage
Ashgaz: It is the only thing that will sustain us now
Ashgaz: Come, let me help you up
Ashgaz: *helps the lady up*
Ashgaz: *and leads her to a clearing of trees*
Madurz: *she stands..but her body feels weak*
Ashgaz: *points out a clump of trees close together with piles of leaves underneath*
Madurz: *she must find her strength and remember her place*
Ashgaz: My lady, I know you are weary and need to sleep
Ashgaz: You will not be able to make this journey without rest
Ashgaz: There is a hidden spot over there
Madurz: *carries the load*
Ashgaz: And I will guard you for I rarely sleep
Ashgaz: and I will go without sleep until I bring you back
Madurz: i know Ash....you have grown loyal
Ashgaz: *looks away*
Ashgaz: *feels remorse for being so bound to Mordor*
Angmar: *as the darkness deepens and grows all around them, they hear, far away in the distance, the cry of wolves...*
Ashgaz: *but looks back at the lady and knows he must protect her no matter what*
Ashgaz: Hide, quickly!
Ashgaz: *helps her hide in the clump of trees*
Ashgaz: *covers her with leaves*
Ashgaz: *stands guard outside with his dagger*
Ashgaz: *and ready to give the Black Breath*
Madurz: *is thankful she has no fresh wounds*

On The Lands of Rohan
By FreeFall
She lay hidden under the leaves, listening to the wolves in the distance. For the first moments, she tried to determine what breed of creature this was and what kind, if any, obstacle they would pose. But in the following moments, when no danger had yet arrived, her situation and true predicament began to sink in. She figured it was best to not go around in dress of Mordor...to seem a lady of the lands, however if servants of Lord Sauron would to find her..their torture would be greater than the mortal men. The men might not even cause her harm..just keep her captive. Her hopes were that if she was spotted and scrutinized by men she might gain some information about the ring and it possessor. Once she and Ashgaz reached darker lands, his presence can be known again and this would aid her survival hoping that Sauron's servants would not see her as a threat if she traveled with a wraithling. She was glad to see Ashgaz's loyalty to his master, yet she knew his Hobbit life was still too dear too him. If faced with a challenge or decision, would he hold up his commitment? This was to be seen. Till then, she must carry the loads and go as best she can unseen. She hadn't yet thought of technical aspects such as food rations.
But perhaps the Nazgul would come for her yet. There were no guarantees of anything at this point. She had to regain her strength and keep focus on the fact that Khamul was found and on his way to a recovery. She hoped. She tried not to think of the negatives but this was difficult in such a challenging time. Would she ever see the beautiful glow of Minas Morgul again. Would she have him at her side if she did? Her running thoughts were interrupted by a now closer cry of wolves.

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