"Ai! There you rats are! We didn't leave you here! See, Machlhug! They were thinking of walking off! Norgry would've had our heads!"

"Well, now we get to teach them a lesson about wandering, I'm thinking!"

"Forget about lessons and remember your orders!"

"Eh, we're right where you left us!" Pippin said. He likely wanted to avoid their lessons as much as Merry did. "We've been here the whole time. You've just been distracted by whatever spectacle is happening over there."

"That spectacle is the call of the Master looking for his prisoners. And now it's your turn. You've been summoned." The orc smiled with a frightening glee.

Pippin looked at Merry. He tried to offer a reassuring smile, but he was quite sure he failed. Being summoned didn't sound much like fun.

"Get moving! This way!" The orcs pointed in the same direction in which Gimli, Legolas, and Strider had been taken. It seemed they would see their friends soon enough, but the notion did not raise Merry's hopes.

With a shove from an orc, Merry and Pippin began trudging through clusters of frenzied creatures. Merry squirmed under the sharply clawed paw that gripped his neck. If they hadn't tarried, they might have had their escape moments ago. Instead, they were to be brought before the treacherous wizard Saruman. But what he was doing here, under the eaves of Fangorn Forest, leagues from his Tower? And what did he want with Pippin and him?

What if Saruman asked for the Ring? Merry's heart froze. Of course he was after the Ring. Could he force them to reveal what they would hold secret? He was a wizard, after all.

The orc shoved Merry to his knees before Saruman and a crowd of curious orcs. This was the wizard whom their captors called Master, who held Isengard under his command, and the one who had betrayed them all. He wore long white robes, and his staff glowed dimly in the torchlight. His white beard, long and thin, ruffled in the evening breeze.

Merry thought of Gandalf and his heart ached, but he felt at once that this wizard was nothing like Gandalf. Saruman's eyes glinted in a way Gandalf's never had, and Merry began to understand the meaning of corruption.

Despite all he observed, there was something insubstantial about Saruman Merry could not explain. He had a suspicion that if he reached out to touch the being in front of him, he would feel nothing.

"Here are the halflings you asked for, Master. They have not been damaged, as you commanded. Took longer 'cause they were wandering."

"I see they are undamaged. That is good. These two are more important than you imagine. I will therefore stress that losing them would prove rather unhealthy."

Saruman then gazed upon the hobbits intently. Merry tried to hide his worry for Pippin's sake. He strove not to fidget, but as the silence stretched on, he became more uncomfortable. Then Saruman's eyes narrowed, and slowly he said, "I see."

He was silent for a moment more until he appeared to come to a decision. "You halflings presume much for your small stature. You should not meddle in affairs much greater than you. The world is much larger than the Shire." The condescension with which Saruman mentioned their homeland irked Merry. "You have only brought misery upon yourselves and your kin." Merry could see now a strange mixture of desire and disgust in his eyes.

The wizard looked to the large orc called Uglúk. "And these others you have found?"

"Here, Master." Merry's stomach flipped as Uglúk motioned for an orc to bring the other captives before Saruman. The orc grabbed Gimli by the neck and shoved him onto his knees, holding him in forced obeisance before Saruman. Legolas was shoved down with some struggle to his left, and Aragorn on his right, who hissed as he fell to the ground. "See how they look upon the others, Master? My guess is these three were hunting for the halflings."

Merry tore his eyes from his friends to watch as Saruman examined his newest prisoners. He shivered at the cold smile the wizard now wore.

Turning back to his friends, Merry sucked in a breath as he gained a far closer look than he had through the legs of orcs. He was sure now that Boromir never rose from the wood where he was shot with arrows. That was all that would prevent him from being by their side now. Even as the thought threaded through his mind, he shut out thoughts of his cousin and Sam, loathe to consider that they too had been lost along the journey.

Instead he focused on those friends he could see. Their injuries were more numerous and their weariness more evident than he'd expected, especially in Strider. Yet a shade of life returned to the Ranger as he laid eyes on Merry and his cousin.

Gimli went so far as to offer a small smile that did not quite reach his eyes. Legolas wore an expression Merry could not decipher. It was almost as if he felt guilty. But for what could Legolas feel guilty when they were the reason for their friends' predicament? Merry felt his own shame spring up anew, knowing that they had suffered so much for them. And their suffering was likely not over.

"Saruman." Gimli named him as if he only now discovered to whom the orcs answered.

Saruman looked upon the dwarf with disdain, then to the elf, and his eyes turned hard and cold. "And what have we here?" He drew nearer though he kept a distance between them. "Mm. A young elf, I see. How... amusing. You are of the forest of Mirkwood, are you not?"

Legolas glared back silently. Merry wondered if he knew Legolas or if he was reading his mind. The thought terrified him. If he could read the mind of an elf, what chance did a hobbit have?

"One of the Woodland Elves," Saruman chuckled, his voice thick with derision. "You are of no consequence, then."

Legolas finally bristled. "Better to be of no consequence than to be responsible for betraying all of Middle-earth."

Merry's heart leapt into his throat, not knowing how Saruman would take Legolas's impertinence. To his surprise, Saruman laughed deeply and slowly. "Yes, quite amusing. Your King Thranduil has dug himself into the ground in his stubbornness. I see that stubbornness runs in you as well." As Legolas stiffened, the wizard peered closer, as if to look deeper inside him. Saruman gasped then and let out a loud laugh. "My words hit the mark, I see, Thranduilion. Oh, but that the proud Thranduil would witness this moment, with his son in chains before me. This would be a moment to cherish."

With a laugh, Saruman turned to Gimli. "And so an elf travels with a dwarf. How you shame both your peoples. Neither Thranduil nor Dáin would relish this partnership.

"I imagine none that travels with you trusts you overmuch. Without doubt your greed will overcome you, and you would try to claim that which you propose to protect." Gimli managed to hold his tongue, but Merry began to feel indignant for him as he had for Legolas.

"An elf of Mirkwood, a dwarf of the Lonely Mountain, and a man." Merry strangled a small gasp as he realized the danger. What might Saruman do if he knew who Strider was? Strider was strong, but was he strong enough for a wizard? "Strange company kept," Saruman continued, "most of all if you indeed came in search of the two halflings. You can only be some of the company that set out from Rivendell. A fool's mission, now ended." Saruman looked narrowly at Aragorn. "Mm, and a Ranger as well."

Merry stiffened. Did he so easily discern his mind? His hope that Strider would be able to forestall the wizard wavered. "Rangers are always concerning themselves with that which is not their concern." Saruman stared at Strider then. "What is your name?" he asked as if the question were of no consequence.

The man hesitated not a moment. "Strider." Merry was relieved that he used so many names.

"Strider? No Man would name his son such." Merry saw the curiosity in Saruman's eyes grow, as did a twisted smile on his lips, and a shiver traveled down Merry's spine. He spoke in a pleasant tone that was almost... like a song. Merry was struck with an urge to offer whatever names he knew for the man, but he managed to keep his silence. "What did your father name you?"

Aragorn, son of Arathorn, stared back at Saruman with cold eyes. All was silent for a time. Soon Merry could sense the struggle between the two and grew afraid. As he willed the Ranger to have the strength to resist, he thought he saw Legolas's lips moving. Perhaps the elf prayed to the Valar for strength for Strider.

As if the words were ripped from his throat, Aragorn finally said, "My father named me Estel."

Merry breathed in relief, his own urge to offer information easing. He'd heard others refer to Strider by this name, but only at Rivendell. Perhaps he had a new name in every place he went. Merry hoped this was enough to deceive Saruman.

Saruman straightened, silently examining Aragorn. Merry hardly dared to breathe as the wizard narrowed his eyes. "The Dúnedain yet prefer to name their offspring in Elvish fashion. Hanging on to the past, I would say." His eyes continued to bore into Aragorn, as if still uncertain about his response. Merry thought desperately but in vain for a distraction. "Estel? Undoubtedly your father placed much hope in you. I suggest you abandon your hope, Dúnadan, for you fate now lies with me."

Saruman turned from the man. "Uglúk, you did well to keep these alive, despite your doubtless thirst for a kill. And for that, I will not withhold from you more of the sport you've already taken with these. But I command you now to arrive at Isengard with all prisoners alive."

Saruman raised his voice to be heard by all the orcs. "Do well to remember that mortals die easily. And these mortals shall be brought alive to Isengard or you shall have much to regret. Dwarves are sturdier than Men, but mortal all the same. Elves are difficult to kill, as I see you have not forgotten."

Saruman paused to smile, and Merry began to despise the twisted expression. "Arrive as soon as you may, but do not go at a pace that would kill the mortal prisoners." With that, Saruman turned and walked toward the forest, blending into the darkness and fading from sight.

All about them looked disconcerted at the eerie departure. Then Uglúk announced, "You heard Saruman's orders! All captives are to arrive at Isengard alive. Spread the word. There will be no mishaps!"

It was odd to find himself grateful to Saruman, and Merry wondered if he'd soon regret it. Saruman's orders and Uglúk's announcement made it sound like they hadn't planned to keep them all alive.

Merry couldn't stand to think any more on that possibility, so he returned to the three would-be rescuers. They had been abused already, but perhaps now they would be treated better. As it was, every injury on each of them was due to Pippin and him. They were the cause of every hurt they felt.

Large hands tore Merry from his contemplation and drove him back to their place in camp. On the way, the orc leading him found those who had guarded them earlier and reminded them of their duty. "And don't lose them this time!" Merry thought wistfully of their lost chance of escape and wondered if there would ever be another.