They had been expecting them. The orcs had been waiting for them, and specifically for them. Jacob wasn't sure how, but he knew they had been. Now they had been dragged and bound then forced to walk. Jacob opened his eyes, and he found that one of them simply couldn't, for it was swollen shut. He felt his muscles burning from the endless march, and the bruises and blisters that were now scattered across his body felt like pins being pressed slowly though his skin. Then one of the orcs called for their march to continue. He must have noticed that he was awake. He stood to walk again and looked to his right at Drinian and Ryan.

"Guys we're moving again," he called. Drinian had taken quite the beating, but Ryan was in really good shape. He had been taken with only a few scrapes and small injuries. Then he turned to his left and looked at Cat. She had taken the worst hit of them all, taking an orc's knife to her right leg. She had put up with it until now. He knelt in front of her and smiled.

"It's time to go, Cat," He said with a concerned tone to his voice, "Do you think you can walk?" He helped her to her feet, and she began to stagger along, with Jacob doing his best to help. With their hands bound in front of them there wasn't much he could do for her.

Cat laughed as she began to walk and said, "You aren't looking the greatest yourself, you know." They continued as far as they could, but soon Cat stumbled. "I can't keep this up. I can't walk anymore," She gasped, between ragged breaths. One of the orcs grabbed her bound hands and began to drag her. Enraged, Jacob let out a yell and kicked the orc in the chest.

"Do not touch her!" He roared. Lashing out at any orcs that came within range. "Cut these bonds and let me carry her, but not one of you will lay a hand on her!" He swore. One of the orcs drew his knife and approached slowly.

"You have a deal, young warrior," he said. Reaching forward he cut Jacob's bonds, and Jacob reached down and scooped up Cat in his arms.

"Don't worry, I won't let them hurt a friend. My bones can ache and my body scream, but I won't let them harm any one of us," He said, and then continued, speaking to the orc, "Now we can carry on. Thank you." The orc looked at him and turned and began to walk along with the others. He seemed wiser than the others. He was different.

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Jacob had taken all the work on himself. He had lashed out and had been willing to attack a group of almost 30 orcs, just so they wouldn't harm her. She hadn't seen him do something so selfless as that before. It seemed odd that he had been so angry, but maybe it was just because he understood the orcs. She had to admit, it was impressive that he could keep up while carrying her.

"You didn't have to do that," she said, "but thank you, Jacob." He just smiled and looked ahead, the sweat dripping down his brow. She reached over to her shoulder and tore a piece of the cloth from the sleeves. She wiped his brow and said, "I'll do what I can for you."

"Thanks, but you don't need to. I know you'd save my life if you could." He said. He trudged on, and soon she fell asleep in his arms. She woke, to find herself in the ruins of a tower, with the noises of a battle all around her. "Hey, I'm glad to see you awake. I'm going to set you down now, okay?" Jacob was saying as her vision came into focus.

"What? Why?" Cat asked, confused. Why was he going to set her down?

"We're here, and so is Vince," He responded in a quiet voice. She looked around and saw him. He was standing in the corner with a smug look on his face.

"Well hello, friend... or is that only what he calls you?" Vince remarked, mocking them. Jacob looked like he wanted to strangle Vince at the moment, but he held back because she was still leaning on him.

"Vince, we're friends. Why are you trying to kill us?" Jacob asked, deciding to get to the point.

"Kill you? When did I say I was going to kill you? You see, when I arrived here I gained the skills of the one of the greatest..." He started

"You're Lord Xander! You're an insignificant little thorn in the side of Gondor!" interrupted Drinian. Cat looked around and noticed that there was one person missing.

"Where's Ryan?" She asked, concerned. Jacob and Drinian gave her a concerned look, and Vince started to laugh. She gave Jacob a stern stare, trying to get him to say what she wanted to know.

"He... He was... I still barely believe it." Jacob muttered. Vince looked down at her and seemed to try to compose himself.

Vince started to say, between little scoffs, "I guess I should thank you. If it hadn't been for you kicking his butt back in Gondor, he never would have agreed to spy on you guys for me. Funny, by proving yourself, you simply caused your own defeat." He almost fell over in his fit of maniacal laughter. Then suddenly, he snapped into a completely serious composure. "Now, down to business. You can either die or join your friend Ryan." He offered turning to the captain first.

"You think I would be a snake like you? You are a fool if you think that you can corrupt me," The captain spat back. Vince simply reached for a single one of his knives, slowly he drew it from its sheath, but as soon as the blade was completely free, it flashed forward and pierced straight through the captain's armor and into his chest. When Vince pulled the dagger back, the captain slumped forward. He was dead before his head hit the floor.

"Now for you, Jacob..." Vince began. Cat began to stand to move out of the way, but Jacob placed both of his hands on her shoulder. She knew what he meant by putting both of them on her shoulder. Vince might not know that his hands were untied, which was their ticket for escape. "My offer is slightly different. Join me, or I kill Cat. You don't want your friends to die, do you?" Vince finished. Jacob simply met his intense gaze with one of his own. They both were capable of freeing themselves, for Jacob had loosened her bonds in the few moments that Vince was distracted with laughing.

"Cat isn't going to die." Jacob said plainly. Cat readied herself for what she saw coming.

"So, you'll be joining me then?" Vince asked. Jacob just smirked that confident smirk he only used when they were playing... Gaga ball? She recalled memories of playing that game, but why a game where you try to hit the opponents... legs? She thought she knew what message he was trying to send. "Well say something, friend!" Vince yelled in frustration, throwing his hands in the air.

"Now!" Jacob yelled while Vince's hands were as far from his daggers as possible. Cat rolled forward off Jacob, sweeping her good leg at Vince's legs. Jacob leapt from his place on the ground, tackling Vince as he fell. He grabbed Vince's daggers from the sheath and tossed one to Cat, who had freed her hands while he was struggling with Vince. He drew the other one up, and said "I will not hurt you, Vince, but I can't let you do this."

"Ha! You cannot run from here." He taunted. Jacob slammed the hilt of the dagger into the side of Vince's head, knocking him unconscious. Then the door burst open, revealing a face that Jacob and Cat were glad to see. Mal.

_________________

She had been just in time. Although they seemed to have dealt with Vince, Drinian was dead and they didn't look as though they had an exit strategy.

"Come on, we need to go!" she yelled to them. Mal and Jacob helped Cat out of the ruined building, one on either side of her. They found cover behind a piece of fallen rubble. Mal helped Cat bandage her leg, while Jacob held off any orcs that happened to come upon them using a sword Mal had brought along with her. Turning, she looked at Jacob and asked, "Isn't your skill with the bow?"

"My middle-earth skill is, yeah. But not all of our skills have to be from coming here. I've been teaching myself to use a sword since I was six." He responded, explaining his proficiency. He looked back and smiled, catching sight of Cat, who already seemed to be doing a little better. Mal was finished wrapping Cat's leg, and helped her up.

"Let's get out of here, guys," Cat said as she stood up. So, the trio retreated from the battle. Getting on Mal's horse, they rode away from Osgiliath. As they rode, Mal explained that she had come with a group of reinforcements from Gondor. She had gone to one of the city officials, asking for help rescuing them, but they simply said to mourn the loss. When she mentioned that a captain and trainee had been taken as well, they considered the request for help for a moment, but they still denied her. She had stormed out of the hall, where she had met a young soldier who was a student of Drinian and friend of Ryan's. He had offered all the trainees' help in a rescue mission, so Mal had ridden out, leading a squad of soldiers with incomplete training. Upon following their tracks all the way to Osgiliath, Mal had led a push to find them and take the area that was the orcs' headquarters. Finally, she had found them, and none too soon, it sounded like from Jacob and Cat's description of their time with their 'friend'.

As night was nearing, they finally reached Minas Tirith. For the first time ever since they set out to find one another, they were in a place where they could truly rest.

________________

He had retreated. He had been forced to, and this was the second time they had done that to him. His 'friends' had really been getting in the way of his plans, and apparently trying to remove them wasn't going to work. At least he knew where they were going, for the vision had reached him too. Now he called out to a nearby orc.

"Ready a hunting party, I have a job for my lieutenant." He ordered. Now he could not stop them himself, but if a warg rider party could chase them down, then he might have a chance of catching one of them. He would have to take out Cat first, as she seemed to hold the rest of them together. She was Mal's friend, and Jacob's... he wasn't quite sure what they were. As he walked he looked for his new lieutenant, the one who had betrayed Gondor, the others, and his own captain. He would have to be careful with his new ally, for if he was willing to betray his city, then he would happily betray Vince as well. He had to not humiliate him too much, but he couldn't praise him so much that he became overconfident. The politics of Mordor and the principles of ruling a world are quite heavy on one's mind. He recognized that fact and figured he could relieve some tension later. Then he spotted his lieutenant and approached him.

"I have a mission for you, Ryan," He called as he walked up. Ryan turned and knelt in front of him. "I need you to continue working with my... friends. I have had a warg party readied, and you and I will be riding out in two hours," he continued, "Now, rise. Look me in the eye and tell me you are loyal to me." Ryan did so, and Vince believed him. He strode away, confident in his plan, and this time it wouldn't fail. He would reach the shire first.