Chapter 15. Taut as a Bowstring

Will froze, Farry still in his arms, but Jack had the presence of mind to shout, ‘Don’t shoot! We’ve no weapons!’

 ‘Put the lad down!’ the voice demanded, and Diamond gave a start.

 ‘Merry!’ she cried. ‘Don’t let them shoot!’

 ‘Will,’ Jack said quietly, infusing calm into his voice. ‘Put Farry down, slow and easy-like.’

The youth complied as one under a spell. Farry stood uncertain as Merry called, ‘Move away and sit yourself down!’

Little Rob flung himself upon his brother. ‘Don’t shoot!’ he sobbed. ‘Don’t shoot my Will! He’s all I have!’

In the shadows, Ferdi eased the tension on the bowstring and took a deep breath. Startled by the sudden movement, he’d nearly shot the small boy.

Merry put his good hand on Ferdi’s shoulder. ‘Steady, cousin,’ he whispered. Ferdi nodded without speaking.

Jack sat down, his hands in the air, calmly telling the lads to do the same. There was no hope for himself, nor for Will, but he hoped to save little Rob if he could.

Holding Rob, Will settled to the ground, and then put his hands in the air, showing that they were empty. Rob continued to cling and sob, and Will spoke soft words of reassurance, empty promises though they might be.

 ‘Come, Farry,’ Diamond coaxed. If there were a troop of Tooks in the shadows, she didn’t want Faramir in the thick of things, should arrows start to fly. They had to keep the situation under control if there was any hope of saving Jack and the lads. Farry walked slowly to her and she caught him up, turned towards the shadows, and called, ‘Pippin?’

She heard Merry call, Hold your fire! and then, instead of her husband, Ferdibrand emerged from the shadows, bow in hand. ‘Are you well, Diamond?’ he said.

 ‘Very well, thanks, and you?’ she answered automatically, and shook herself a moment later for a silly goose.

Ferdi scooped up the coiled rope on the ruffian’s pack and moved with caution behind Jack. ‘Put your hands behind you,’ he snapped, ‘and don’t move, unless you wish to boast more holes than a pincushion.’

Silently Jack complied, and Ferdi quickly bound his hands behind him. He had a little trouble, it seemed, in pulling the knots tight enough to satisfy him.

 ‘Don’t!’ Jack said suddenly, in spite of the situation, craning to look over his shoulder.

Ferdi looked up in surprise, knife in hand. ‘Don’t what?’ he said irritably.

 ‘Don’t cut the rope,’ Jack entreated. ‘ ‘Tis a special rope; please don’t cut it. There’s more rope in my pack if you want it.’

 ‘You want to leave it long? Well then, it’ll be convenient for the Rangers. I’m sure they’ll put it to good use,’ Ferdi muttered.

He rose and fished a length of line out of his pocket, of the sort a hunter would use to snare a rabbit, and bound Will’s hands behind him. He frowned down at Rob, who refused to leave his brother.

 ‘He’s just a boy!’ Will protested.

 ‘He should keep better company,’ Ferdi said tonelessly, and to Rob he added, ‘Put your hands behind you.’ With another length of line he bound the little lad, muttering an apology when he’d finished, and raised his voice to call sharply, ‘Done!’

Merry emerged from the shadows, sword in hand. He surveyed the clearing as he moved to Diamond and Farry and then ordered Ferdi to lay a fire.

 ‘Merry!’ Diamond said as he reached her, and she threw her arms about him, shaking in relief.

He hugged her awkwardly, for the sword was still in his hand. ‘You’re safe now,’ he said. ‘It’s all over. Pippin will be here soon.’

 ‘Please,’ Diamond said, ‘please let them go.’

Merry frowned. ‘Steady, Diamond,’ he said, and repeated, ‘It’s all over. You’ve naught to worry over any more.’ He put her aside long enough to sheathe the sword and then gave her a more genuine hug, as Farry clung to his other side, adding his pleas.

 ‘No,’ Diamond said, and then, ‘They’ve done nothing to deserve death! They didn’t harm us. As a matter of fact, they saved Hilly from the bog, and...’

 ‘Hilly!’ Ferdi said, bending to uncover the recumbent hobbit. ‘We saw signs of three hobbits, but we thought perhaps the ruffians had taken a forester or farmer! We thought Hilly dead!’ He took hold of an unresponsive shoulder, and Hilly lolled upon his bed of ferns.

Ferdi looked to Jack, spitting angrily, ‘What have you done to him?’

 ‘It was just a sleeping draught,’ Jack said quietly, ‘that he might not follow us, or raise an alarm.’

 ‘So you could spirit the Mistress and her son out of the Shire without hindrance,’ Ferdi gritted, but Diamond broke in.

 ‘No! They were going to leave us here, safe...’

Merry said in amaze, ‘They’ve turned your head!’ To Ferdi, he said, ‘I’ve heard of this, in the Outlands, where prisoners somehow are turned to their captors’ side and take their part, but I never thought I’d see...’

 ‘No!’ Diamond protested, pulling away. ‘That’s not the way of it at all! They...’

But Merry was stronger, even with one good arm. He held her, saying, ‘But you’re cold as ice, cousin, and shivering! Ferdi, leave Hilly and lay a fire! I daresay it will do him some good, as well as Diamond and yourself.’

 ‘I’m well,’ Ferdi said out of reflex, but he scraped the soil bare in the middle of the clearing and began to gather sticks.

 ‘Please let them go! They’re my friends!’ Farry said, pulling on Merry’s coat.

The Master of Buckland looked down at him in astonishment. Tightening his hold on Diamond, now sagging against him in grief and exhaustion, he said, ‘We won’t harm them, Farry. Ferdi’s going to build a fire to warm your mother, and when your father comes, he’ll know what to do.’ He attempted a smile and said, ‘You go and help him, pick up sticks, there’s a good lad.’

 ‘Go on, Farry,’ Diamond whispered with a nod and a false smile. ‘Your da will know what’s right.’ She would plead for Jack and Will when Pippin arrived. Surely the fact that the Men had saved them all would sway Pippin in their favour, if she could only impress that fact on Pippin, reaching past the inevitable fear and fury her husband must be labouring under.

In silence, Farry began to gather sticks, while Diamond leaned against Merry and began to sob. Even as she chided herself for her weakness, she didn't seem able to take herself in hand. Merry patted her back gently and murmured soft reassurances.

As Farry passed Will and Rob, his arms full of small sticks, he whispered, ‘I’m sorry.’

 ‘Stay away from them!’ Merry said sharply, and Farry veered away, his little face screwed up in distress.

He brought his sticks and twigs to Ferdi, who soon had a brisk fire going. Merry steered Diamond over to the fire and let her down gently. ‘Warm yourself, cousin,’ he said. ‘You too, Ferdi! You’re chilled to the bone.’

 ‘I’m well,’ Ferdi protested automatically, but Merry persuaded him to sit down beside Diamond, facing the bound ruffians.

 ‘What of the archers?’ Diamond said numbly. ‘Won’t you call them in?’

Merry and Ferdi exchanged glances, and Merry said hastily, ‘I think we’ll leave them in place, in case there are other ruffians lurking about.’

 ‘Pippin will be here soon,’ Ferdi said. He’d laid his bow close at hand, and now dug a long-cold sausage roll from a deep pocket. ‘He’ll dispose of the archers as he sees fit.’

 ‘Escort Diamond back, for one thing,’ Merry said, ‘and perhaps sweep the woods for ruffians, just to make sure we got them all.’

 ‘He might miss the markers where we left the stream,’ Ferdi said through a mouthful, taking up his bow and rising to his feet.

 ‘You stay by the fire,’ Merry said. ‘I’ll go back along the stream, meet up with him and direct him to this place.’

It didn’t take much persuasion. Ferdi was shivering cold, and Merry with a few more words was able to convince him to “take charge of the archers” (there were none arrived as of yet, but the ruffians didn’t need to know that) while Merry made sure Pippin and the archers with him would find this place.

Diamond held Farry close and whispered reassurance to him, fighting down her own doubts. Surely Pippin would do the right thing when he heard the whole story. Surely, if she could just calm him enough to listen...