Chapter 4

The knights rode hard through the trees and paths along the hills until the sun began to set. Lothiriel had begun to wonder if they were to travel through the night when the knights came to a small, concealed area surrounded circularly with trees. A hole dug into the ground surrounded by large stones for a pit fire could be seen off to the side telling Lothiriel that this must have been a regular campsite for travelers. The speeding horses finally came to a stop and Lothiriel didn't seem to realize how happy her stiff and aching body was until the knight Lancelot had lifted Lothiriel off his horse and set her on the ground where she practically collapsed.

"Tie her to that tree over there." Arthur ordered pointing to a tree not far from where he was unloading his belongings from his saddle. Lothiriel was immediately led over to the pointed tree where she was forced to sit down while another set of ropes entangled her arms still tied tightly behind her back to the great oak tree. Lothiriel winced as she wiggled her fingers trying to get the blood flowing, she wouldn't be surprised if she'd never get to use her hands after this. A campfire was quickly built as well as an evening meal consisting of stew and dried bread. Lothiriel could smell their brewing from where she sat still tied to the tree; Lothiriel felt her stomach start to growl immediately, reminding Lothiriel that it had been nearly a week since her last meal. Well she would just have to suck it up, fat chance these men would feed their prisoner.

"Excellent Dagonet, as usual," Bors mumbled as he slurped loudly at the stew from his wooden bowl making a few of the knights sitting closest to the man grimace.

"We have consommé left Arthur, should we give it to the girl?" Gawain asked shifting the meal's leftovers in the pot with the large spoon. Arthur sighed as he looked over to the girl tied tightly to the tree. The girl would have to be untied to eat and he didn't know if he should risk it or not. Finally deciding on a plan of action, Arthur took up his bowl and refilled it before walking over to their latest prisoner to sit on the log in front of the creature.

"Are you hungry? Dagonet made some stew; it came out quite good this time." Arthur admitted as he mixed the warm substance around in his bowl. The girl didn't move from where she had her head lowered submissively, and Arthur was starting to wonder if she was even awake. Reaching out a hand to touch her shoulder, he stopped immediately when the girl flinched away from his offending hand. Nodding his head with a sigh, Arthur gripped the girl's chin and forced her face up to look at him. The girl's crystal blue eyes were watered down in fear and suddenly Arthur felt like one of the disgusting rapists he was always trying to eliminate.

"I know we started our introductions off wrong, my name is Artorious Castus, Commander of Hadrian's Wall, but you may call me Arthur if you'd like. Now, what's your name my Lady?"

"Lothiriel…" well, at least he had gotten a name from this being; it was a start to say the least.

"Lothiriel, are you hungry at all?" Arthur didn't need an answer from the girl, her stomach was growling so violently Arthur could heart it from where he sat inches from her on the log. Arthur chuckled as the girl blushed slightly and lowered her head in embarrassment.

"Here, open your mouth if you please…" Lothiriel raised an eyebrow as the spoon holding the stew hovered in front of her mouth.

Arthur watched as the girl's eyes narrowed and she shook her head furiously at him moving her head closer into the bark of the tree as possible in hopes of eluting the spoon.

"You eat this or you don't eat at all." Arthur warned her, but all he got in return was a blank stare making him throw the spoon down in the bowl with frustration before he left leaving the bowl on the log as he did so.

"Fine…starve then." Arthur muttered before he got ready to sleep for the night.

"You don't have much finesse with the ladies back at the wall do you?" Lancelot asked with a sly smirk as he sat cutting up an apple for his horse while Arthur unrolled his bedroll. Arthur merely answered his friend and brother in arm's question with a glare as he lay down on his back to stare up at the cloudy sky where a star could be seen shining through every now and then. His thoughts were askew in everyway possible. All leading to one thing…how? How could the creature tied to a tree merrily a few feet from him exist? In all his years he had never heard of a being with pointed ears with skin that glowed like a dimming star. Only one being could cross his mind and that was an angel. Perhaps that was what the girl was. But wouldn't the bible have any descriptions of angels, especially the pointed ears? Maybe she's a demon…though even Arthur had to admit, he felt nothing evil about the girl but how else would the girl explain her existence? She made him question everything he based his life on, his god.

"Lothiriel! Lothiriel, where are you?" Lothiriel smiled from where she hid behind one of the many large stone columns in the palace. She could hear Haldir's panicked calls from where she was hiding and had to suppress a giggle. When she and her father had come to visit Lord Elrond of Imladris, she never would've thought she'd be running into Haldir. Haldir was one of head the marchwarden of Lothlórien, and when she would reach her majority upon turning a thousand years, she would be his wife, for he was her betrothed since birth. At first she had hated the idea of marrying Haldir when she had been told on her 500th birthday (12-13 in human years). For needless to say, she had her heart set on another elf, Rúmil, Haldir's youngest brother to top it off. She felt guilty every time the march warden would shower her in his affections, for she wished it had come from another. Lothiriel jumped as arms encircled her from behind to spin her around it furious swirls making the young elf maiden squeal and giggle before she was finally sat down upon swaying feet.

"You weren't trying to hide from me now were you?" Lothiriel bit her lip before shaking her head, a smile still playing on her lips as she did so. Haldir smirked as he rubbed his fiancé's cheek affectionately before he swooped down to kiss Lothiriel's brow. Allowing herself to be pulled into Haldir's embrace, Lothiriel relaxed her body and rested her head upon his warm chest. The beating of his steady heart nearly lulled Lothiriel to sleep as Haldir had taken to stroking his fingers through Lothiriel's hair.

"You have no idea how much I missed you melethron…" Lothiriel nearly gasped as the superior elf called her his lover. Her guilty heart clenched and for a moment, she broke away from Haldir's embrace to stare into her future husband's eyes. Endearment and sincerity shined through the beautiful blue eyes, and it was then Lothiriel held hope for their future together. Raising herself upon her toes, Lothiriel gently kissed her betrothed's cheek before she whispered affectionately in his ear in return.

"And I have missed you Meleth-e-guilen." Lothiriel couldn't help but smile at the shocked look Haldir gave her before the beaming smile spread upon his beautiful ethereal face and he lowered his lips to hers in a beautiful kiss that remained light for her age.

"Haldir! Yrch, there are dozens of them spotted near the border, we must go quickly!" Lothiriel's eyes widened as she stared up at Haldir who had quickly got stoically still. Finally he seemed to straighten, and giving her a longing smile that showed his apologies, he kissed her once more on the cheek and engulfed her in a loving embrace.

"Gûren ninnatha nanarad as achên len…Delio meleth!" And with that Haldir disappeared down the corridor to meet up with the guard that met him there. Having been told to hide, Lothiriel quickly pushed herself off the column where she had slumped moments after she had left Haldir's embrace and quickly pondered a good place to hide.

"The wine cellar…" But Lothiriel never got there—a dark glow had seized her and she knew no more.

Lothiriel gasped as she sprung awake coughing for air as she looked panicky around her surroundings. Upon seeing the campfire dimming and the knights passed out about the dieing fire, Lothiriel let out a breath and slumped wearily against the trunk of the tree. Biting her bottom lip, Lothiriel held in the tears that were fighting to be released. Every time she closed her eyes she dreamt of her past, of Halidir…and of the home she'll never see again. A sob emitted from Lothiriel's throat, whilst tears fell freely form crystal eyes and Lothiriel couldn't hold back the cries that shook her body. She hated her life, hated that she had no control, hated that she had traveled these lands thoroughly and had yet to find the person that could help her. Was she doomed to live out the rest of her days here? After being raped, it was the hope and determination of returning to her home that kept her alive…but how long would this hope really last?

"Did you know you talk in your sleep?" Lothiriel let out a small shriek as one of the knights she hadn't seen stepped out from the shadows near the tree that held her bound helplessly. Lothiriel gazed over the knight, taking in the darkish rogue appearance, if she hadn't know any better, Lothiriel would've easily confused him as a ranger. The memory of Aragon didn't stop her cries, in fact, it only made it worse, and Lothiriel found herself crying pitifully in front of the knight knowing she would obtain no comfort from a man as cold as he.

"You're homesick." The knight stated as he sat upon the log their leader and inhabited earlier. Lothiriel nodded mournfully to the question as she starred wearily at the knight.

"How long has it been since you've seen your home?" The man asked gruffly, Lothiriel slowed her soft cries to look up into the brown eyes hidden behind the fringe of his hair. These eyes were far older than the knight appeared to be, he had the eyes of her kinsmen.

"Thirty-nine years, nearly forty…I doubt I'll ever see my home again." Lothiriel whispered gently, the knowledge in her words was like a stab to the heart, and for a moment Lothiriel pondered if death would be such a bad option. Looking to the stiffened knight at her side, she saw looks of doubt and disbelief soaring through those eyes of his. She didn't blame him though, for she looked no older than that of a sixteen year old maiden, if only he knew…she was 728 years old.

"How is that possible? I'm just over thirty…and you look like a child!" Tristan contradicted earning a tired sigh from Lothiriel. Her ways of life were far more complicated then this knight would ever know.

"That' something you'll just have to believe Sir Knight, I am not of your kind…or this—world for that matter. There are things of this universe you will never understand, and I think its better that way." Lothiriel answered wearily in a gentle whisper, her head resting on the bark as her puffy eyes grew weary. The silent knight continued to study Lothiriel before he finally gave a curt nod and drew something from his pouch that was held around his waist. A shiny red, juicy apple came into Lothiriel's view, and instantly the stomach cramps she had gotten to settle started roaring like a raging storm in the depths of the sea. The scout's mouth twitched amusingly at the sound before he removed his dagger from his boot and sliced a piece from the fruit. With the apple piece seized at the end of the dagger, Tristan offered the apple slice to Lothiriel lazily. Lothiriel's eyes darted from Tristan and back to the apple incased by the dagger. Finally Lothiriel's stomach could handle no more and Lothiriel gave a small nod and opened her mouth. Once the apple was close enough to her mouth, Lothiriel bit down and the knife was carefully plucked away from the fruit. This method continued until Lothiriel had devoured three apples on her own accord and finally considered her stomach satisfied and her hunger quenched. The scout seemed to think of her submissiveness as amusing, for many times Lothiriel would catching his lips twitching up into a smirk every now and then, but was quickly suppressed when he thought Lothiriel was looking. Licking a bit of the fruit's juice from her lips, Lothiriel leaned back and rested her head onto the trunk of the tree.

"Get some sleep; we have a long ride ahead of us tomorrow. I wouldn't trust Lancelot if I were unconscious if I were you…his hands tend to wonder blindly like a snake without a tongue." Was it the exhaustion from lack of rest or did this knight actually make a joke? Lothiriel would've smiled if it weren't for the fact that her body was going into healing mode. Lothiriel's eyes widened when she realized her mistake, she had just satisfied her hunger…her body would have the energy and resources to replenish her body. She couldn't be at the mercy of these knights, she couldn't! Scrunching up her face, Lothiriel fought the sleep that was trying to win over her body. And when calloused hands stroked her face gently before slowly moving up to trace the ear, Lothiriel could no longer fight the purr that rang down her throat as her face moved into the gentle touch. The last she saw before the darkness overcame her was the smile the scout was giving her.

A/N

Thank you for the reviews, as I've said before I truly enjoy reading them.

Homeric- Yes I know that Arthur is far different than other Roman Catholics, but I think we're missing something. Pelagius preached that all men are equal. As for Lothiriel, well…she's not human at all, this would be something Arthur had never seen or heard of. This would question is beliefs about the entire world, not just religion. I made Arthur seem irrational in the last chapter on purpose simply because this is how I would see he would deal with the pain of loosing one of his knights. Lol actually I had no clue Lothiriel was the daughter of Imrahil of Dol Amroth in Lord Of the Rings until after I started writing this story. I stole the name off of a category of Lord of the Ring names from (I cheated) and then later when I found out whom exactly Lothiriel was….I was just being lazy and didn't want to go back and change the name for every page. So readers in this story Lothiriel is not the daughter betrothed to Eomer…you just learned partly who she was…no relations whatsoever!

Perrault – thanks for the review, yea I love the hostility too. I hate it when they automatically make the girl or mary sue adored by all…sure Lothiriel is going to be attracted physically to anyone who see her…but that's just because she's an elf. The Sarmatian knights didn't seen trust worthy to anybody but Arthur and one of their own. So I kind of want to bring that out in this story.

shariena- lol don't we all

Saxongirl345- thanks

luckykenobi- lol yea I contemplated killing the man and having the knights take the baby with them, but then I remembered the lecture I got from my reviewers from my other story about killing characters off too quickly…I'm learning—very slowly.

Don't know when I'll be updating again, but I promise to do it as soon as possible. Until then, please let me know what you think…perhaps what you think should come next. To be honest, I'm relying on your guys opinions, simply because I only have two—maybe three chapters left to post. Kind of got a writers block if you know what I mean.

Until then,

Angelique