Under the gaze of the Dark Lord, I feel like a mere insect. A bass rumble sweeps across the field as he laughs at me. My first impulse is to take offense, I know I should be no match for him, but I wouldn't consider myself an object of humor, until I look down.
At the sight of myself, wearing a simple peasant's dress and carrying no weapon, I have to fight to refrain from cursing. Once again, I'd forgotten that the key to a battle is in the weaponry...
I turn to leave, but the field is surrounded by Orcs. It seems that he has decided to "fight" me. I shrug, thinking It's a good day to die.
"Resistance is futile, Little Girl," says Sauron. "Bow to me and you shall live."
"I doubt me very much that my life would extend much longer than the end of this execution, as I am somewhat too proud to live long as a fool, regardless the master," I reply. At this he laughs again.
"You think you can survive this with no weapon?"
"I just thought I'd borrow yours." I grin mischievously before cringing as I sense his glare.
He brings his mace to an attack level and I have to duck under the attack. The surrounding orcs cheer raucously. He swings again, this time putting magic into the blow. The force of it sends me flying across the field. I roll into the landing, but I feel my shoulder crack. He laughs.
"Give up, Little Girl. You cannot win."
Grinding my teeth against the pain of my shoulder, I do the exact thing I have done to countless adults over the years. I stand, look innocent, and ask, "Why?"
He responds a little more enthusiastically than most adults and I am shortly airborne again. I land on my injured shoulder and cry out in pain. For some reason, he hesitates when he hears me.
"Give up, Little Girl." His voice has a note of pleading in it. "Just give up." I hear him whisper.
"I will not."
"So be it, then." He raises his weapon for the kill, I do not try to move.
An infuriated voice flows over the cheers of the Orcs. "Daddy, what are you doing to Cali?"
"Z'Kana, I..." Sauron stutters. She rolls her eyes. He keeps stuttering and trying to explain that I attacked him, she keeps glaring at him, and I am thankful that the lack of color in my skin prevents any blush from being too noticeable.
After a few minutes, Z'kana brushes past her father and picks me up.
"You're never gonna learn, are you, girl?" she whispers in my ear as she carries me to the fortress, her father trailing behind, subdued. I smile and roll my eyes.
"Probably not, that's why I have you..."
"One day you won't."
"And that will be a good day to die."
