Princess of China

My eyes felt like they were swollen shut and there was a deep throbbing in the back of my head, almost like a heartbeat. My arms were tied around someone's neck and I was being jostled back and forth, which was making me feel sick.

I peeled my eyes open and immediately wished I hadn't. The creatures that had attacked us had kidnapped me. Memories started coming back and I peeked over the creatures shoulder and saw two blonde, curly heads farther ahead of me. Merry and Pippin.

The creatures stopped suddenly and I could hear voices ahead of me. I closed my eyes when a wave of nausea came over me. I felt everything in my stomach, which wasn't much, start to rise.

"Oh no." I squeaked before leaning over my arm and vomiting.

The creatures around me backed away. A rough hand grabbed my jaw and pushed my head back. Something was pushed between my lips and a vile liquid was poured down my throat. I had no choice but to swallow it. It made me want to vomit again, but it also made me feel better.

The creatures started running and they didn't stop for days, until they reached the edge of a forest. The creature carrying me dropped me on my butt.

"Ow." I hissed.

"We're not going no further till we've had a breather." One of the orcs said.

"Get a fire going." Some of the orcs went to the forest and started hacking at the trees.

There was a deep groaning from the forest, almost as if the trees themselves were groaning. I spotted Merry and Pippin and started to crawl the best I could towards them. A rough hand grabbed a fistful of my hair and yanked me up. I couldn't help the squeal that escaped my lips.

"Where do you think you're going?" He growled.

"Just trying to get somewhere more comfortable."

"I think you were trying to get away."

More creatures gathered around. I looked at the one holding me and did the unthinkable: I spit at his face. He dropped me and wiped my spit off his face.

"I think we need to teach this one a lesson, boys." There was a commotion off to my right but I was too distracted to really notice what was happening.

The creature grabbed for me, but I struggled and screamed "no!" and fought with all my might. He finally got a hold of me while I was on my stomach. His large, dirty hands fumbled around my waistline and I was suddenly exposed to cold air. Rough hands spread my legs apart and warm breath floated around my most private area.

"This one's fresh boys!" The creatures all around me roared.

There was excruciating pain and I screamed. The creature wrapped his hand around my throat, immediately cutting off the sound. Tears slipped down my face from the pain. I wiggled my wrists trying to get one through the rope. Surprisingly, one slipped through. The creature flipped me over on my back and my heart started pounding.

"I will make you squeal-" He was cut off by a spear coming through his chest.

Horses galloped into the area, killing the creatures. I pushed the one off me, slipped my other hand through the rope, then got up, pulled up my pants, and, ignoring the pain in between my legs, ran into the forest.

I burst through the bushes into the dark forest. I ran until I found a tree large enough to hide behind. It was damp and cold in the forest so I drew my cloak around me.

There was a rustling sound from my left and I recognized Merry and Pippin's voices. I was about to call out to them when there was more rustling and an orc came through the bushes.

"I'm going to rip out your filthy little inards!" He yelled.

I felt for my knife but found it missing.

They ran closer to me and began to climb a tree. I curled up closer to the trunk of the tree. It was silent for a moment until there was a thud and Pippin yelled: "Run, Merry!" I looked and saw the tree moving. It stooped down and picked up Merry. The tree began walking away.

I stayed put, not knowing if what I had just seen was real or not. Once the tree was out of sight, I began to move again, hissing at the pain in between my legs. At least I knew Merry and Pippin were somewhat safe, or maybe not. I decided to follow the tree.

I stumbled along the forest floor, in the direction I thought the tree went, but I wasn't sure. The world was spinning and I wasn't even sure which direction was which. My legs finally gave out on me and I fell to the forest floor. White light surrounded me and I was sure I was dying. I looked up and saw a face I was not expecting.

"Gandalf." I whispered before everything went black.

Voices and warm, comforting hands brought me back from where I was before.

"She is ill." I heard Gandalf's voice and it reassured me I wasn't dreaming before. "She has endured much." A warm hand brushed over my face.

"Her strength is failing." I heard Aragorn's voice and immediately hope filled me.

"Yes, I fear the enemy is getting a hold on her sooner than I thought. I fear she will fade into darkness."

I was lifted into someone's arms, my head falling against his neck.

"You must keep an eye on her." Gandalf sounded closer now. "You are in charge of her fate now."