A/N: So the segue officially happens after Chapter 21 in Mortal Elf and right before Deirdre's POV in Chapter 22. It is the night of the battle of Helm's Deep and Deirdre is still in Isenguard. Just a note, if you haven't read Mortal Elf this really won't make any sense. Also, this story will be getting very dark, don't expect a happy ending for everyone.
Disclaimer: I don't own anything.
***Chapter 1***
**Deirdre's POV**
There was a pounding on my door that brought me back to the world of consciousness. My face hardened into a frown at being disturbed in the middle of the night, but nevertheless I rose from the black sheets and threw on a robe over my nightgown. Swinging the door open to reveal the slumped down shape of Wormtongue, who was standing before me and staring intently at the floor.
"What do you want?" I hissed, my anger flowing through my voice at being woken from my dreams. At least they were still peaceful.
"Master Saruman has requested that you meet with him immediately." Wormtongue informed me, glancing up only slightly.
"Very well," I huffed. "I will be there shortly."
And with that I shut the door in Wormtongue's face and turned back around to dress in my black gown. Deciding that I might need my swords, I strapped them to my sides just in case. Then I strode out of the room and into the silent halls of Orthanc. Deciding that if my rest could be disrupted in the middle of the night, then I didn't need to knock on the door before entering, I threw open the door to Saruman's study to reveal the wizard sitting behind his desk.
"What was so important that it couldn't wait until the morning?" I snarled, irritated that not only had I been woken in the middle of the night but also that I was being called the night before the Ent attack and I really wanted to watch the Ents come from the trees the next morning.
"Lord Sauron wants to speak with you through the palantir, now." He returned motioning with his arm to the doorway that led to the room housing the palantir.
With a huff of annoyance, I walked away from the Istari and through the doorway, slamming it shut behind me. The palantir was on its pedestal in the center of the room, covered with the same cloth as before. With a deep breath to clear my mind, I pulled the cloth away from the palantir and laid my hand over it gently.
My eyes opened to see that I was back on top of the tower of Barad-dur with Sauron standing in front of me. He paced in front of me as I held still.
"I want you to come to Mordor tonight." Sauron told me as he paced back and forth. "I already sent one of my Nazgul to retrieve you."
"Very well, my lord." I responded, inwardly disliking having to use that term for him. "Did you wish for me to dispose of Saruman before I go? Or can I let another finish that task for me?"
Sauron paused for a moment, staring straight into my eyes with his burning red ones. Before he lifted my chin and examined my face.
"Who do you propose to get to complete the task if not you?" he questioned, tilting my face back and forth.
"Wormtongue perhaps would be a good option. He is a weak-willed man and could easily be turned against Saruman." I responded, meeting his gaze steadily.
"Get it done fast. My Nazgul should be there within the hour to bring you here." Sauron declared, releasing my face and moving away.
"Is there anything else you need, my lord? Or shall I go and prepare for my departure?" I asked him.
"Gather your things and confront Wormtongue. Be prepared to leave before my Nazgul gets there." Sauron dismissed.
Snapping my eyes open, my hand was pulled away from the palantir and I breathed out a sigh of relief that Sauron did not suspect that I had been lying to either him or Saruman. However, the fact that I was going to be going to Mordor tonight was not something that I felt entirely comfortable with. Considering that my friends would be arriving at Isenguard within the next few days. And now I wasn't going to be there to see them.
Taking another deep breath to settle my emotions, I reset my emotionless face and yanked open the door. Saruman was still behind the desk and I spotted Wormtongue cowered in the corner.
"I will be leaving Isenguard for Mordor tonight by Nazgul." I announced to the quiet room.
"This is the will of Lord Sauron then?" Saruman clarified, staring at me slightly shocked.
"Of course, my ride will be here within the hour." I informed him before turning my gaze to the quiet Wormtongue. "You will help me pack my things for the journey."
With a nod to Saruman, I strode out of the study, leaving the door open for Wormtongue to follow behind me. I was grateful when he did as I had ordered and entered my chambers after me.
"Fetch a bag; I will need to take clothing with me." I told Wormtongue, glancing over as he rushed out of the room to retrieve the bag for me.
While Wormtongue was out of the room, I began gathering the things that I would be taking with me. There was soon a small pile of things on the bed and I couldn't help but smile that at least I was taking things from Saruman. There was a tentative knock on the open door, and I whirled around to see that Wormtongue had brought a black satchel for me to place my things in.
"Come in, Wormtongue. And shut the door." I ordered as he slowly walked into the room offering the satchel to me.
He did as was told once I had taken the satchel from his hand and began shoving the clothing into the bag, squishing it down so it would fit.
"Was there something else that you wanted?" He asked, finally speaking since he had delivered the message for me to meet with Saruman.
"Out of curiosity, why exactly did you decide to betray Rohan and turn to working for Saruman?" I questioned him without even looking over my shoulder to look at him.
"Power, position, and of course a woman of my own." Wormtongue finally stuttered out.
"And Saruman was the only way that you could achieve those goals?" I asked turning around and raising an eyebrow.
"The likelihood of achieving any of them would have been unlikely had I not reported to Saruman." He replied he seemed to be more confident as he wasn't stammering or looking at the floor.
"And not once did you think that by working with Saruman you would lose any chance you had at achieving any of those things." I commented with a harsh laugh at the end.
The look on Wormtongue's face was answer enough. I shook my head and a cruel smile twisted my lips as I continued packing my satchel.
"You are dumber than you look, it seems." I muttered, amused by my statement.
"Tell me, if you are so mighty, why did you betray your friends and companions to aid not only Saruman but also Sauron?" Wormtongue sneered, actually having the courage to confront me.
"Because it was necessary. You don't see anything do you?" I returned, turning around and observing Wormtongue with a contemptuous look. "Of course not. Some people only think of the material things that they can achieve."
"So you are telling me that power means nothing to you." Wormtongue returned, inching closer.
I fixed a cold glare upon him, stopping him in his tracks. Disgust filled my eyes merging with hatred as I looked at him. To think that he could understand me. But I pushed that thought away, submerging my feeling of superiority because my plan wasn't going the way that I planned.
"I am what I am. The reasons that I do this are my own." I stated, blocking from my mind the thought of my friends. "Did it never cross your mind, Wormtongue, that I am truly just evil?"
His face showed the shock and disgust that he felt. I rolled my eyes at him, turning back to my packing. I wasn't even sure why I was having this conversation with Wormtongue, as he was going to stab Saruman in the back anyway. But somehow I felt that this was necessary.
"You do know that Saruman will only throw you away when your use to him is spent, don't you?" I mused, just loud enough to ensure that Wormtongue would take my words to heart. "Just as he had planned to do to Gandalf, and he's a wizard."
Silence fell in the room; Wormtongue didn't utter a single word. I could hear him shifting around behind me the only sound being the shuffling of his clothing. Within a few minutes everything that I needed was packed away into the satchel and I was strapping my dual blades onto my waist, each sword hanging off a hip.
"Won't he throw you away as well then?" Wormtongue questioned as I turned back towards him and the door.
I gave him a wicked smirk before responding. "Who said I was going to be around long enough to let him?"
***End Chapter 1***
So, not too long but it's really just meant to get the story started.