Chapter 3: The Rise of Sauron

The Elves awoke at Cuivienen and Melkor's heart blackened with hatred for them. With Mairon's aid, he captured many of them, and corrupted them into a mockery of Ilúvatar's creation. Mairon became Sauron Gorthaur, the Abhorred Dread, for the children of Ilúvatar learned of his treachery and allegiance to the Enemy and hated him. And while the Dark Lord still stood, Sauron did not seek his own supremacy, but worked and schemed for another, desiring the triumph of Melkor, whom in the beginning he had adored. He thus was often able to achieve things, first conceived by Melkor, which his master did not or could not complete in the furious haste of his malice.[i]

Sauron was summoned to Melkor's chambers. The Maia entered and bowed as usual, and then kissed His Lord's armored hand.

"I am greatly pleased with thee," the Dark Lord murmured quietly as he walked behind his lieutenant. "For thou hast shown that thou canst be cruel and terrible as even I, for thy hatred for the Enemy is as my own." He stroked, almost gently, the back of Sauron's neck, and the whisper of his voice sent a chill through his servant's heart: "And when I am pleased with thee, it makes me desire thee all the more, My Lord Mairon."

Sauron allowed himself to smile with pride. "Thou art too good to me, My Lord."

Melkor laughed darkly. "Indeed."

"What dost thou wish?"

Melkor murmured, "To see thy fair body."

He slipped Sauron's dark robes from his form and beheld the Maia's back and his shoulders. No scars marred his skin even for His Lord's savage caresses, for Melkor was careful not to ruin Sauron's fairness. He brushed Sauron's dark hair from the back of his neck. With his other cold gauntleted hand he seized the Maia and pulled him back against him. Sauron's head fell back against the breastplate as offered his neck to His Lord in deference.

"Take what is thine, My Lord," he murmured.

Melkor sneered as he brushed his hand over Sauron's chest. "Aye, for thou art mine." Then he struck Sauron's neck with a poisonous kiss.

For Sauron's foresight, through the chaos of Melkor's malice, the fortress of Angband was constructed north of the mountainous region of Dorthonion. It was given to Sauron to command, yet when he could he stayed ever at His Lord's side in the darkness of the underground stronghold. They continued their capture and perversion of Elves, and other creatures grew great and terrible in the depths of the earth. And as the foundations of Utumno shook in the wrath of the Valar, Sauron begged Melkor to flee.

"My Lord, do not let our Enemy capture thee!" he pleaded. "For they shall destroy even the foundations in their anger." He longed to put his hand upon Melkor's arm, but could not.

"Nay," Melkor spoke, "I have a plan for their undoing. Trouble not, for my power will triumph in the end, loyal servant." He rose from his dark throne and smiled then at Sauron. "This shall be a test of thy fealty: go now to Angband and breed me an army. Wait by my throne for my return, for return I shall in victory unmatched, and thou shallt know then why thou followest Thy Lord." He knew not the full extent of Sauron's devotion.

He cast his crown upon the floor and went out to meet the wrath of the other gods. Loth he was to let them take him away in chains, but he endured it, with a secret plan in his heart. And the Valar searched the dark halls and caverns of Utumno where Sauron and Melkor had conspired, but found Sauron not.

[i] This entire quote is from the Silmarillion: "While Morgoth still stood, Sauron did not seek his own supremacy, but worked and schemed for another, desiring the triumph of Melkor, whom in the beginning he had adored. He thus was often able to achieve things, first conceived by Melkor, which his master did not or could not complete in the furious haste of his malice."

I am sorry in advance for next chapter. Uh...because there is Ungoliant/Morgoth. I tried not to but it happened.