The Tale of Hera: The Warrior Elf Maiden

Chapter 4: Sacrifices

The sun was just starting to rise over the horizon when the scouting party was saddling up.

"Hey Fealnar." Legolas waved his hand to Fealnar signaling for him to come over.

"Yes Prince?"

"How do you feel about being under control of a woman?" His voice was laced with venom at the last word. It was still a shock that a woman was the General of the Army.

"Meaning no disrespect Prince, but Hera is the best General you could ever had. Woman or not she puts her soldiers before herself. She treats everyone with fairness. Believe me, give her a chance and you will think differently."

"You ready to go Prince?" Hera was sitting on her horse along with the other two.

"Whenever you are General."

Without another word spoken between the two they galloped through the gate and into the woods.

After galloping for a day they had reached the edge of Mirkwood's territory.

"Alright Zaor and Tasar set up camp and start a fire. I'll go hunting."

"And what am I supposed to do? Just sit here?"

"Whatever your royal highness would deem fit." Hera grabbed her bow and starting walking into the woods.

"I'll join you hunting. After all I want to see the legendary General Hera's skills at work." Legolas followed her into the woods while Zaor and Tasar were snickering. They knew that this was going to be interesting trip.

"Fine but stay out of my way." Hera hated hunting with someone; she was better by herself. As they got deeper and deeper into the woods Hera started to feel uneasy. Just as she was about to say something there was an Easterlings scream followed by the war cry of an elf.

"Back to the camp now!" Hera turned on her heels and sprinted towards her men. She prayed to the Valar that she wouldn't be too late. Legolas was hot on her heels when the burst into the clearing. Easterlings were quickly over taking the camp, and now the elves were fighting for their lives.

"Zaor, Tasar get back to the palace." The elves were outnumbered four to twenty.

"We will not leave you." Zaor and Tasar were barely hanging on. Hera knew that they would be killed if they didn't get out of there.

"It wasn't a request. It was an order. You too Legolas. Go and I'll hold them off." Zaor and Tasar were already gone but Legolas was still fighting beside Hera.

"What did I say? It was an order." Before she could protest anymore the men had overrun her and had their swords at her throat.

"I would drop your weapons if I were you elf." They had a sword at Hera's throat and her arms behind her back.

"Run now. Go back home." Hera was desperately trying to get Legolas out of here. Before he could make a decision the men jumped on him. Having both elves bound with their hands behind their back they dragged them back to their campsite.

"Oi boss we got two elves. One's a girl." Hera's skin crawled from the way he emphasized girl.

"And a pretty one at that." The leader of the Easterlings approached Hera and grabbed her chin to see her face. Hera struggled to get away, but couldn't.

"Don't touch her!" Legolas was boiling with anger. He didn't know why though; he didn't like Hera in particular, but he didn't like the way the men looked at her.

"Oh look here, the elf doesn't like us touching his girl. And who are you to demand me elf."

"I am-"

"Nothing but a Captain." Hera had interrupted Legolas hopefully to save his identity. It would only make the situation worse. Their eyes met and Legolas knew better than to argue with Hera at the moment.

"Well then if he is just a Captain what are you?"

"I am General Hera of Mirkwoods' Royal Army."

"Well, well that's quite a title. This is cause for celebration." The leader came to kneel by Hera and lean to her ear.

"And how many men did you have to sleep with to get that job." Hera gritted her teeth and turned her head away.

"Well, that doesn't matter because I'm going to enjoy you, in the way a man enjoys a woman. When my men and I are through with you no one will want you." Hera's spine stiffened; she had not felt this vulnerable since the passing of her father. The leader had grabbed her arm and yanked her up, pulling her into the woods away from everyone. Hera started to struggle.

"If you don't stop struggling I'm going to kill that elf, slowly, and I'll make you watch." Hearing this stilled Hera's movements, she was not going to have the Prince die because of her.

"Wait I have a better idea." The man dragged her back to the camp towards Legolas.

"Hey elf, come here." Legolas cautiously got up struggling without the freedom of his hands.

"I want you to undress her for me." Both of the elves froze. The man could see the hesitation, and decided to move it along. He punched Hera across the face, hard. Hera fell to the ground causing Legolas move to help her. He helped her up, and he could see a bruise already start to form. He gritted his teeth and turned to the leader.

"I will do no such thing."

"If you don't I will beat her inches from death and make you watch." This seemed to motivate Legolas a bit. He did not want to dishonor the elf, but he didn't really have a choice. Still having a hand on Hera's shoulder he turned back to her. There was an understanding in her eyes as he moved to undress her.

"I am sorry Hera." Legolas whispered only loud enough for the elf to hear it. Hera swallowed hard, for she was still a maiden and this was going to be her first experience. Legolas undid the shirts ties and pulled it over her head to reveal her stomach and her binding, keeping her breasts from moving around.

"Undo that thing holding her breasts." The other men were cat calling and cheering on Legolas. Hera's face turned bright red from embarrassment as she turned away to look into the empty woods. The binding was now gone revealing her breasts; Legolas gave a tiny gasp while the men starting eyeing her with desire. Legolas' eyes lingered a bit, he had almost forgotten that Hera was a woman. She shifted from foot to foot, becoming nervous with all the eyes on her, and lump form in her throat, as she tried to ignore everything. She wanted to run and hide, she wanted to show weakness, but she couldn't; she wouldn't give them the satisfaction. Hera kept her head held high which only seemed to encourage the men more, wanting to break her. Next came her leggings. Legolas gently brushed his fingers down her stomach as he reached for the ties. At feeling his gentle hands on her, Hera shivered. As he untied her leggings Legolas looked into Hera's eyes. Hera could see his regret, guilt, and apology. He hated doing this, he hated undressing her for these men. The leggings were pooled at her legs when laughter came from the men. They were enjoying every moment of her embarrassment.

"Thank you kind sir. Now I will enjoy the company of a woman." The men started to look displeased that they couldn't have her.

"Don't worry lads you'll all get a chance. I'm sure she won't mind she must do it all the time for her commanding officers." As the leader pulled the rope attached to her neck she lost her balanced and fell. A wave of laughter came from the men. Some whistled at her while others made 'pet' like remarks. The leader yanked the rope again choking Hera while she stood up, and he continued into the woods. During all of this Legolas was trashing against the rope that tied him to a tree. He was enraged about when the men were doing.

"Now remember, if you disobey me the elf suffers." Hera looked back towards Legolas. Their eyes meet, Legolas was begging her to fight despite what they said, but Hera couldn't do that to the Prince. Turning back around, she hung her head and followed the man, giving in to his demands. The men starting laughing knowing they had won.

The man pulled Hera into the woods and trough her on to the ground. She turned to look over her shoulder to the man's pants on the ground and him advancing on her. Before she could put up a fight he turned her onto her back, and grabbed her hands pining them above her head. He then forced open her legs placing his hips against her. He didn't enter her right away, but let his fingers trial over her body. Hera's body shivered with delight, but her mind was disgusted with the whole thing. While she was resisting his action it dawned on him.

"What do we have here? You have never been with a man before. I guess I was wrong before. Well this is special." His hands move to her maidenhood. Slowly rubbing small circles around the opening. An involuntary gasp escaped her mouth, causing the man to grin. He stuck a finger into her maidenhood causing Hera to try and squirm away from him. He then pushed another one in and starting moving them in and out. Hera fought the urge to arch her back, but couldn't. Every reaction that Hera had caused the man's own desire to grow. Not long after he started she became wet. She hated herself more for this. She was new to this and hated not knowing how to control herself.

"I guess you like this." Before Hera could become anger he entered her in one swift movement. She cried out in pain. The feeling was so foreign and painful. He kept going in and out only pleasing himself. The entire time she was gritting her teeth and crying. The man didn't seem to respond to her pleas to stop, he just kept going. To Hera it seemed too gone on forever, each time he thrust it caused a painful pleasure to rip through her. Once he reached his release he stopped and looked down at her. For the second time in her life Hera was crying. He pulled out of Hera and yanked her up by the rope.

"You better get used to it, because I promised all my men a turn with you." Hearing those words Hera became horrified, going through that once was painful enough. They came into the clearing with Hera cowering away from the men; she was in such a vulnerable state.

"Guess you just broke the maiden." Hearing the word maiden caused Legolas to snap his head up. She was a maiden? That was her first time? Coming to this realization Legolas thrashed against his restraints.

"You will pay for that Easterling."

"Awe. Did I take away her first time for you. You want a turn?" The man tossed Hera into the Legolas. He could see the pain in her eyes.

"Well come on. We don't have all day."

"I will not dishonor her like that."

"Fine. Men who's next?" A man by the campfire stood up and dragged Hera in to the woods again. Legolas could hear everything that was going on. Her screams, cries, his grunts. It made him feel sick that she was going through this and he could do nothing.

They had been captured about a week ago; Hera lost count after five days. She did not receive a moments rest from the beatings, and rapes. They rarely fed her and when she got food it was a tiny portion. Hera was being dragged through hell and there was no end in sight. Legolas had remained pretty much untouched. He only had a bruise here and there to remind Hera what would happen if she didn't obey. But then it came to him, he could plan an escape, because no one was paying attention to him. Around the seventh day she had given up in screaming and crying; she just lied there and let them do it. She was disgusted with herself. The leader was right no one would want her after this; she would lose her position as General, and the townspeople would shun her. She would become an outcast.

Legolas was desperately trying to find an escape. He found a sharp rock, next to, slowly start to rub the rope against it he freed himself. He now scanned the campsite for Hera, but couldn't find her. Then he realized that she was still in the woods, alone and tied to a tree. He quietly slipped into the trees behind him and made his way around the boarder. Once he came across Hera he was shocked. He hadn't known her for long, but he had never seen her this broken.

"Hera it's me Legolas. Can you walk?" He nudged her shoulder, but she was slipping in and out of consciousness. As Legolas picked her up, and he felt warm liquid on her back, it was blood. Seeing this Legolas became beyond pissed. Moving towards where they kept the horses Hera started to struggle.

"Hera, Hera shhh. It's me, Legolas." That seemed to calm her down. To insure that the men couldn't follow he cut all the horses ropes. Once he was on one with Hera in front of him he kicked the horse's side sending him flying forward. There was chaos; horses were running everywhere and the men were trying to grab them and the elves slipped by unnoticed.

Legolas didn't stop until the gates were in his sight.

"Open the gates. The General is injured. Open the gates." Without stopping Legolas galloped up to the infirmary. A crowd had gathered by the two. Soldiers were all there wondering what had happened to their General. Legolas entered the infirmary and the doctors brought Hera to a bed. Their eye went wide once they saw that Hera had no clothes on. Shooing Legolas out of the room the nurses attended to her to try and preserve what dignity Hera had left.

"Let me through. Men move aside." Fealnar came pushing through the crowd. Once the Prince was in his range he punch Legolas in the face, then slamming him against the wall.

"What did you do? How could you let this happen?" Fealnar was livid when he heard that Hera and Legolas were captured. Now seeing Hera's state he was beyond pissed; the princeling had failed to protect her.

"I couldn't do anything." Wiping the blood from his mouth he glared at Fealnar.

"Couldn't do anything! You self-absorbed bastard! You better hope she makes a full recovery or you will be sorry Prince." Cluym had to pry Fealnar from Legolas. Without a word Cluym gave Legolas a death glare and both of them turned around heading for Hera's room. Legolas had manage to make an enemy out of everyone in the army within seconds. He had failed to protect their leader. Legolas realized one thing Fealnar had been right his opinion of Hera had change he now had nothing but respect for her.