A Flame in the Darkness

Disclaimer: I don't own any characters besides Kestryn, so don't sue.

Notes: Everything that's italicized is in 1st person POV and everything else is objective. I hope I didn't overdo the 1st person stuff…

Part I: Pain and Memories

The pain tears at my soul and ravages my heart. I have withstood it for months now, but know not if I can withstand much more before I descend into darkness.

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Legolas whimpered as the whip tore into his flesh, as red trails of blood streamed from countless wounds and strips of flesh fell away. The whip tore in again and again, as his captor laughed and mocked him for his weakness. "You can only resist for so long, foolish Elf, before you submit to me and your whimpers of pain become screams for mercy," he hissed into his ear.

As he stood up to admire his handiwork, Legolas stared up at his captor through swollen eyelids. He was undeniably handsome, with a fine figure, ebony-black hair, delicately pointed ears, and deep black eyes. He had stared at this figure every day for several months now, as he was whipped and abused, brought to the brink of death and brought back again.

Legolas knew that he wanted him to join him, but he wouldn't give him the satisfaction of corrupting another soul. Despite his resolve, he was once again tempted to give in and end this suffering as the whip tore into him again. This would go on every day, he knew; every day bringing a different torture, a different type of pain.

He whimpered again as the whip tore in. His back was now criss-crossed with bright red wounds, seeping ruby blood all over the table. This was nothing compared to what was to come, though. He heard the hiss of the fire as the rods warmed up….

He let out an ear-piercing scream as the red-hot rod touched the raw wounds on his back. He felt the blood bubble and boil, and felt – and heard – the crackle of his mutilated flesh burn and sizzle as the flow of blood slowed to a trickle, then stopped. All through this, his captor laughed at him and mocked him, whispering seductive promises of power beyond his greatest imagining, if he would only join him. Eventually, when Legolas had no more voice to scream with, he tired of torturing the now almost unconscious Elf and left Legolas, chaining him to the wall by his wrists first.

The steel bonds cut deeply into his wrists, but he hardly noticed the pain as he descended into unconsciousness.

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She runs through the forest, always keeping ahead of me, her laughter twinkling like a cascading brook. "Catch me if you can," she says as she turns around to smile mischeviously, and her beautiful hair, as black as polished onyx glints in the sun. I finally catch up to her, tackle her, and pull her down to the soft grass. As I stare into her mysterious turquoise eyes, so seemingly endless and deep, I realize how much I love her.

Legolas winced as the memories came unbidden to mind. He had loved her, he still did, but he couldn't; she had betrayed him; she had destroyed his life, and now his soul was being destroyed too.

A tear rolled down Kestryn's cheek as she heard the prisoner scream, but she brushed it away angrily; she couldn't afford to be weak, not when she and her brother were this close to ruling all of Middle Earth…

Despite herself, she still found herself remembering the joy she had experienced briefly with him, before she had betrayed him.

I look into his sea-blue eyes, and he looks into my turquoise orbs. He looks so fragile and innocent, yet also weary of the world. He moves with a gracefulness that is wonderful to behold as we spar. Our swords meet many times, the parries becoming a whirlwind of slashing blades. For the first time in my long life, I have met my equal, one who can match my fighting prowess. He eventually stumbles on a rock, and as his arms fly wide I whip my blades in to rest barely an inch from his neck.

"You did that on purpose!" I accuse, knowing that a warrior of his skill wouldn't simply stumble like that.

"I did?" he asks, feigning innocence, before bursting into laughter at the sight of my enraged glare.

The laughter is contagious, and soon I drop my swords on the ground, collapse on him and start laughing too. It feels good; it has been a long time since I have let down the wall I built around myself and just let loose and laughed. I stop myself though, as I remember what I must ultimately do; I cannot get too close to him for both his sake and mine. I push myself off him as he looks up with a puzzled and hurt look.

"I have to go," I tell him as I run off into the woods. I keep running for miles, cursing myself for letting my guard down and for getting too close to him…

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I kiss him passionately on the lips as he gently caresses me. I run my fingers through his long, golden hair as he moans in pleasure at the feeling of my leg between his. He runs his tongue down my body as I swoon in ecstasy. I gaze deeply into his blue eyes, so beautiful and full of life, as I realize that I love him more than I've ever loved anyone. He is the other half of my soul.

"I love you," he moans as he playfully runs his tongue over me.

"I love you too," I reply, and I gently caress him.

I run my mouth over his body, gently nipping here and there, loving the feel of his soft, warm flesh beneath my tongue and between my teeth, savoring his sweet, earthly taste. He enters me then, and I scream as our love is fully consummated, and I am torn between ecstasy and pain.

She sighed as she remembered that night of passion, the night of bittersweet emotional and physical ecstacy. That had made her question her deepest loyalties, and made her realize that she had fallen in love with someone she couldn't fall in love with; she had fallen in love with the very person she would have to betray.