The elves are slow. And if it's not the elves, it must be the unconscious Duilin they carried with them. Or perhaps the now captive dwarves. Whoever or whatever it was, I had charmed three elves and drug them all the way to the entrance of Thranduil's kingdom, just out of sight of the guards, placing them all nice and pretty, straight out on their backs with their hands on their chest, clasped around their weapons. Just as I was tidying them up, the train of prisoners and captors showed up, Prince Legolas in the lead.

He sighed with frustration. "Why?" Was all he said.

I walked around the three unfortunate elves, arranging a lock of hair or a piece of armor if I found it out of place. "Well, you took my first catch." I pointed to Duilin. "And the events of the day were quite straining on me, so I thought I might….vent my feelings. Besides, I can't let you elves have all the fun. You successfully captured thirteen dwarves still reeling from spider poison. Congratulations."

I looked up at the dwarves. One of them (the dark haired one, Kili) shied out of my sight behind the blond one. I gave him a smile. "It's not like I'm going to kill you, it's just not in me."

"You might as well have." Tauriel hissed.

I shrugged. "Whatever. Anyway, what's your name?" I addressed the blond dwarf.

The blond looked torn between answering and his own self-conscience. And then another dark haired dwarf (this one with quite a bit of silver mixed in, looking remarkable like Kili in a way) stepped in front of blond. "Don't answer. She will bewitch you."

Legolas rolled his eyes. "She would, if we were by her river. But we aren't, dwarf, so keep moving."

I heard the sound of metal scraping on metal. I looked in the direction I heard it, but instead of staring into the eyes of an elf, I was looking at the blond dwarf. I realized something – he was hiding a weapon. A sense of pride washed over me. Someone was smart enough to hide a weapon. My hands drifted to a dagger at my waist. Kili followed my movements.

"Hey, where'd you –"

I silenced him with a glare. My weapon now, not blond dwarf's. Discontent was spreading throughout the elves. Some were reaching for their bows and swords. I had to get moving quick. I backed up and turned to see Tauriel pointing two knife blades directly at my throat.

"Don't even think about it."

I had to get out of here. Something was nagging me, just in the farther reaches of my mind. The river. The river was calling me back. It needed me.

No elf was going to stop me from accomplishing that. I pulled out a dagger and slowly pushed Tauriel's blades away from my neck. "Look, killing me isn't going to do you any good. Not to mention, chances of me taking you down are high, especially if we get back to my home. Would you risk thirteen prisoners on a nymph you can't kill without fear of having one worse than me take its place? Just let me go back to my river and I promise I'll go a week without you hearing a word from me. Deal?"

Without waiting for another word, I barged through the crowd, nearly knocking Kili over. He stumbled back as I ran on.

A smirk formed on my face. One of the sheaths on my belt was empty. I'd given a dagger to Kili, whether he knew it or not. Just a way to thank the blond dwarf for his smarts and to get back at the elves. So long as Kili was able to get out and break everyone else out with him, we'd be all set. See, I would've given the dagger to blond dwarf, but if he had one on him, they'd find it, most likely because he'd have others with him.

I dove straight into the black water of the river. A shiver crawled up my back. Something was wrong. It was there, just in the corner of my mind. Someone was watching that exchange – the same feeling I had the day the spiders caught the dwarves. That something invisible was just there.

I forced away my thoughts, falling onto the rocky bottom of the river. I sighed. I wanted to stay here, for the longest time and just ignore the problems dwelling in my mind. To ignore whatev –

Someone was on the bank. Quite a few people, actually. Waiting for me to show up. I swam to the surface and saw I had made a big mistake. I should've stayed under the water.

A host of orcs stood waiting for me. At their head was a grotesque orc, paler than the rest. I could feel their gazes on me, some wondering, the rest thirsting for my flesh.

This wasn't a game. I had to fight.

"Bolg." I smiled pleasantly. "What brings you to Mirkwood, hmm?"

The orc grinned. I winced as I saw the metal strips screwed into his head. "Have you heard of dwarves, Lorelei?"

Someone save me.


I don't know how he did it. He somehow got me onto land, the one thing I should never have done. My pale skin bleed onto the ground, the whip hitting me mercilessly, just as it should. I choked out a sob. I had to hang with it. Don't speak. Defend the dwarves best you can for as long as you can. Pray that Thranduil killed them or took them into his dungeon, whatever, so long as they weren't wandering.

"I…I don't know…." I hissed as pain licked my body like dragon fire.

"We should take her back to Azog." One orc suggested in that foul speech I'm cursed to know. Black Speech. That and the Common tongue, with what was the best thing to a nymphs language. "He can –"

Bolg snarled. "Silence. She will reveal the information soon. She needs her river." He looked down at the water, so temptingly close, but so far away –

The whip cracked again. I have to tell him. I swear I'll kill him later, just tell him now, if you die you cannot be reincarnated into another nymph who will be tortured. Tell Bolg, and promise to get back at him later.

"Stop." I ordered with the last of my strength. "Stop. I'll tell you where the dwarves are."

Bolg smiled. "Yes?"

"T-they….They…." What was I doing, I will not subject any creature to be hunted by an orc pack. Because the elves called me an orc, and a troll and a balrog, and Watcher of the Water, and they were wrong.

When the whip reached at me again, I didn't feel anything. I am not evil. I will not give in.

"Tell me." Bolg hissed, pulling my chin up with one finger. "And you will be free."

I shut my eyes. No, I wouldn't. Not from my own guilt.

"Tell me."

"The elves." I forced out. "The elves took them into their kingdom." If I lived, then I could kill them later. I swore to.

Bolg smiled evilly. He dropped the whip on the ground – it was my whip – and called his pack away. They had more pressing matters than a nymph lying on the ground, bleeding and exhausted.

I watched the pack go away. Something burned fierce in my eyes.

Those orcs were already dead to me, decapitated and broken.