Disclaimer: See Chapter One

Disclaimer: See Chapter One. Summary: me no own, don't sue.


A soft drum beat… thud-um, thud-um, thud-um… A cocoon of warmth, holding her, encasing her. Soft and safe. Cushioned against the outside world, nothing mattered in her dark embrace. Occasionally, a soft murmur would reach her ears, a jumbled sound of comfort and longing. Sweet and serene, it soothed her unknown panic and radiated calmness. Restlessness soon set into her as she remembered fragments of life. Of a girl, of darkness, and of monsters. Of a brunette whining to her, and of a grey-haired man polishing some sort of eye-glass. She would kick out against these intruders of her nest, flailing arms and legs in an attempt to fight them away from her mind. These were always followed by a soothing song, a murmuring noise which calmed her fears and panic. She had never heard any pattern so beautiful as the song, and so she always stopped fighting, enraptured by the melodious voice.

Time seemed to have no meaning in her cocoon. Save the regular thud-um, thud-um, she drifted in a daze, content to be in this warm haven. She had periods of rest, and periods of sleep. Sometimes she would ponder where she was, but that was overridden by an overwhelming sense of it just… feeling right. She laugh with delight as her nest would sometimes spin round and round, like on a fair ride, moving in time to an unnoticeable beat.

As free as she was, she began to grow. It was hardly obvious at first, but soon her walls of comfort began to shrink, and her room become all the more uncomfortable. Her body became constricted, unable to move as much as before, and she found herself gradually rotating. Her head now cramped towards the bottom of her nest, feet still able to kick out at the interruption to her floating.

Then it happened. Cold, pain and change interrupted her own little world. Her soft walls contracted around her, pushing her of the softness. She did not want to go! To be in the cold and hard unknown, it was torture for her. She longed to be back in safety, to where she could float and be cushioned. Why was she being subjected to such a harsh and hostile world? She just could not understand it. She opened her mouth to cry out in objection and was suddenly hit with a lungful of air. Her lungs started expanding, filling her with rich oxygen, and rough, warm hands held her, before wrapping her up into another cocoon. This new nest was rough, and dry, it enveloped her body whilst still allowing her mouth and nose to breathe this strange new air.

Sounds ravaged upon her tiny ears. Sharp clangs and bangs which made her head clatter and feel like exploding. Rough voices shouting out in excitement. It was all too much for her to take in. So, she started to cry out, to join in with the cacophony that was assaulting her. It felt good to expand her lungs, to let the air vibrate over the vocal chords.

Her eyelids started to open. Bright! So much light! Ai! How much it hurt! She quickly snapped her eyes shut, blocking out the torrent of light. A stirring in the air above her, waves of movement travelling down and reaching her skin, caused her to open her eyes again, only cautiously this time. She looked up to see huge shapes descending down to her, growing bigger as they reached her. A figure was behind those terrible shapes, with golden hair flowing from the top. The looming shapes reached around her new nest and picked her up. She cried out again for such rough treatment, such jerking actions taking her by surprise and alarm.

She was moved over to a warm body, a lovely face smiling down to her. Cradled against the comfort of the body, she began to fall asleep, the trauma of being removed from her lovely and safe environment too much for her to take in. She never heard the softly whispered "Artanis, daughter of Finarfin" as she settled into a deep sleep.