The Rohan Pride Trilogy

Part One: Alone

Book Two

By:WhiteLadyOfTroy

Summary:

When Gúthwyn, the youngest child of Théodwyn and Éomund, becomes a slave of Sauron, she makes a deadly bargain with the Dark Lord. If she fails at the task he sets before her, then the lives of those she loves will be compromised.

About the Trilogy:
I have decided to do what Tolkien did with his books. The Fellowship of the Ring had two books within the text, as did The Two Towers and The Return of the King. The only change I have made is the first part in my trilogy: Alone. This will be divided into three books, the first book explaining how Gúthwyn got to where The Fellowship of the Ring started.

About Chapter Twenty-Five:
As always, names come from The Lord of the Rings UK name translator (such as the tiny character Gyllyn, which I got by typing in '1234'), with the exception of a small few that I have formed with the help of The Fourteen Languages of Tolkien's Middle-earth. In the case of Hammel, I just made it up—I know it's not a proper name, but I can't think of him as anyone else. Borogor and Beregil are modifications of Beregond and Bergil, two citizens of Gondor Pippin meets in The Return of the King. Once again, please correct me on anything that seems amiss, out-of-character, or non-canon. Important: Here the story begins to become a little less accurate, canon-wise. I have tried my best to keep it realistic, but sometimes it's just not possible.

Chapter Twenty-Five

Over the next couple of weeks, Gúthwyn was finding it increasingly hard to believe that she was in Mordor, the Black Land that was spoken of in hushed voices in dark corners. Though there was never a moment of peace, and the air was always unbearably hot and dry, she could honestly say she was no worse than at Isengard.

For one thing, Haldor was finding nearly every possible opportunity to be with her. If he was overseeing the archery, he always took the time to help her, as she had immense difficulties managing the bow. However, under his tutelage, she was soon able to hit the target nearly every time. She had yet to strike the center, but she was confident that it would happen in the near future.

In addition, taking care of two children was more enjoyable than she ever would have thought. Just the mere sight of Haiweth prancing around the training grounds, a solemn Hammel trailing along after her, was enough to bring a broad smile to her face. Occasionally she worried, for she knew that some men (namely, the Easterlings) were cruel, but none of them seemed to want to disobey Borogor's orders.

There was, however, one thing that she could not get used to about Mordor. It was the food. Every day they were given the same meat, over and over again: disgusting-looking, completely unidentifiable, and absolutely rancid in taste. Hammel and Haiweth were able to adapt to it easily enough, but it was rare that Gúthwyn was able to keep it down for more than half an hour. She tried, but the longer she held it in the more her stomach hurt. After nearly a week of this, she had been able to keep small amounts down, but anything larger than a tiny meal was enough to send her retching.

She had kept her vomiting a secret, difficult though it was, for she did not want to appear as weak—especially to Borogor or Haldor. It would surprise her if Borogor had not noticed something off about her, but he never chose to press the issue. If truth was to be told, he had become increasingly withdrawn from her as the month went on. She could not explain it, and he would not; therefore, she began spending more and more time with the children and Haldor.

And so her life was passing, until one day she realized that a little over a month had passed. Training had just ended for the night, and she was attempting to find the children. She had called for them once already, but they had not come. She was growing increasingly nervous as the minutes went on.

"Hammel! Haiweth!" she finally called again, staring through the darkness anxiously. Please let nothing have happened to them, she begged silently, feeling the beginnings of panic come over her. "Hammel! Haiweth!"

"Gúthwyn?" She jumped a little, then turned towards the sound of the voice. It was Haldor.

"Haldor, I cannot find the children!" she cried, slightly hysterical. "What if they are hurt? What if someone took them? What if—"

"Gúthwyn, do not worry," Haldor said, placing his hands on her shoulders to steady her. "I saw them not two minutes ago. No harm has come to them."

"What if it has?" she asked, her breathing becoming shallow. "I will never forgive myself if—"

"Gúthwyn!" Borogor's shout echoed across the grounds. She thought she could see his shadowy silhouette far away. Her heart leaped as she saw two small shapes beside him. Was it possible? "Gúthwyn, I found them!"

She collapsed against Haldor, nearly beginning to cry in relief. He held her tightly, not letting her fall even though her knees were almost giving out. "See? They are fine. Nothing happened to them," he whispered in her ear.

"Gúthwyn, is that—" Borogor's voice, now from only a yard or two away, was cut off. She turned around to see him standing still. "Excuse me, I did not mean to interrupt the two of you," he said. She could see him shifting uncomfortably, holding Haiweth in one arm and Hammel's hand in the other.

"No, no, thank you so much," she breathed, running over to the children. "Where did you find them? Are they hurt?"

Borogor said nothing.

"Borogor?" she asked, glancing up at him. He was staring over her shoulder at Haldor. She had to call his name once again before he looked back at her.

"I am sorry," he apologized. She noticed that his face seemed ashen. "I found them sleeping on the ground. We should go back to the tent now, it is getting late."

Gúthwyn frowned. "Are you feeling alright?" she asked curiously. "You look sick."

"I feel fine," Borogor replied. "I can carry the children back if your arms are too tired."

"As a matter of fact," Haldor interjected quietly, "I was hoping to speak with Gúthwyn in private."

She opened her mouth to say 'yes,' but Borogor beat her. "It is late for that, do you not think?"

Slightly annoyed, Gúthwyn turned to him. "Borogor, it cannot be anywhere close to midnight," she said.

"You have a whole day's worth of training tomorrow," he argued.

"Actually," Haldor responded smoothly, but glancing at Borogor strangely, "tomorrow is our one afternoon off."

Borogor fell silent.

"What is it?" Gúthwyn asked him, unable to keep the anger out of her voice. Haiweth pressed her hands over her ears.

"I am going back," Borogor said finally, his face shadowy. "Do you want me to take the children?"

"Borogor…" Gúthwyn began. His behavior was both frustrating and perplexing. "What is wrong?"

"Nothing," he answered roughly. "Take care." He turned away and started walking towards the tent, his shoulders bowed.

"Wait!" Gúthwyn exclaimed. Borogor stopped and turned back to face her. She ran over to him and said, "I want to say goodnight to Hammel and Haiweth. They will be asleep by the time I get back."

Borogor's face was expressionless as he handed her Haiweth. The child's eyes were blurred with sleep. "Goodnight," Gúthwyn whispered, kissing her on the forehead and hugging her tightly. "When you wake up tomorrow, I will be there."

Haiweth looked at her and yawned. Gúthwyn gave her back to Borogor, then reached out and ruffled Hammel's hair. "Sleep well," she bade him.

"My hand hurts," he said.

"Have Borogor look at it when you get back, alright?"

He nodded. Gúthwyn stood up. "I guess… I will see you soon, then," she told Borogor stiffly.

"Right," Borogor replied. For the life of her, she could not understand the look in his eyes.

She stood watching him walk away until Haldor came up behind her and gently took her hand. "Are you ready?" he asked.

"Yes," she said, nearly melting from his touch before adding, "Do you know what ails him?"

"I cannot say I do," Haldor responded. "Do not worry for him; he is a grown man."

The Elf's advice was easy to follow. Turning to him, she asked, "What was it you wished to speak to me about?"

"Will you come with me to my tent?" he questioned, his blue eyes directly on hers.

Gúthwyn hesitated. His request seemed rather forward, and she was not sure if she wanted to say yes.

"It is the only place we will be able to talk without interruption," Haldor said apologetically. "But if you do not desire to go—"

"No, it is fine," Gúthwyn told him.

With Haldor leading the way, the two of them made their way towards his tent. Even in the dark, Gúthwyn could instantly tell that it was bigger than the others. The structure was against a steep shelf of rock, one of the many that bordered Udûn.

"After you," Haldor said, holding the flap open for her. Gúthwyn thanked him and stepped inside.

"This is enormous," she marveled, looking around in awe. In reality, it was not much bigger than her own room back at Meduseld, but after years of cramped living quarters Haldor's seemed gargantuan to her. The only pieces of furniture were a large bed in the corner and a wooden stand that held all of his armor. The rest of the tent was a wide, open space.

"Please, sit," Haldor invited her, gesturing to the bed. "I am sorry I have no chairs, but they are scarce. I was lucky enough to get to sleep on something other than the ground."

Smiling, Gúthwyn crossed the room and took a seat. "It must be a relief to have this space all to yourself," she commented, her eyes on the rock wall. "What are those?" she asked, squinting.

"Ah," Haldor said, grimacing. "Those chains were here when I first arrived. I have not been able to get them off yet."

He came towards her and sat on the bed as well, keeping a respectful distance away. "So, how have you been?" he inquired seriously. "I am not able to see you as much as I would like."

Touched, Gúthwyn replied, "I am well, thank you. I worry for Hammel and Haiweth, yet anyone who raises children will, no matter what the circumstances are."

"You are doing an excellent job of caring for them," Haldor said.

She blushed, as she always did when he complimented her. "Borogor has been helping me," she confessed, then sighed. "I wish I knew what was wrong with him. He does not seem to like it when I spend time with you."

Haldor looked concerned. "I would not want to ruin your friendship," he told her. "If it helps, I will see you less."

"No," she shook her head. "Each day I look forward to a conversation with you." She suddenly stopped, nervously aware of how bold she had just been.

But Haldor did not seem to mind. He smiled at her, taking her hand once more. "As do I," he replied.

She was not sure when he had moved closer to her, or if she had moved closer to him, but she soon realized they were sitting side by side. "Haldor," she began, blushing, thinking that he might believe her overconfident.

"Say nothing," he whispered, placing a finger over her mouth. Leaning forward, he slid his hands down to her throat, gently pressing his lips to hers.

Gúthwyn responded instantly, reaching her hands up to his face, closing her eyes in utter bliss as she tasted him for the first time. His tongue slid into her mouth, softly brushing up against hers. She heard herself moan quietly as he slid his hands through her hair, all the while putting more weight on her. She arched backwards, allowing him to push her on her back.

Every nerve in her body was exploding as he slid on top of her, his tongue all the while wrestling with hers. Their kisses were growing more intense with each passing second. Gúthwyn felt strange desires taking over her, ones that even she could not begin to understand. She wanted this moment to last forever.

It was then that Haldor pulled away, stroking her hair one last time before separating their lips. Breathing heavily, feeling exhilarated and winded at the same time, Gúthwyn looked up at him and smiled tentatively. "I love you," she whispered, butterflies wheeling about her stomach.

He did not answer, but bent down and kissed her fiercely, causing her to nearly burst with desire. One of his hands left her head and began sliding down her side. The feeling was incredible. Every fiber of her being was screaming for Haldor, for the touch of his body against hers.

Suddenly his hand moved between her legs. Gúthwyn tensed as he began gripping and releasing, sending waves of pleasure throughout her. Even as she arched and writhed under his ministrations, she knew they were moving too fast.

"Haldor," she murmured, extricating her tongue from his and waiting for him to stop. But he never did. His body was pressing too hard on her, forcing the air out of her lungs; his hand was grabbing too tightly and he was not slowing down. "Haldor," she repeated, trying to twist away from him.

He ignored her, recapturing her mouth and jamming his tongue inside, his free hand pushing down on her shoulder. She began to feel as though she were suffocating. Her heart was racing, and it no longer was from excitement.

Finally she raised her hands to his chest and thrust him away from her, drawing her legs together as he looked down at her. "Stop," she said, breathing now difficult. "I am not ready."

The slap seemed to come from thin air, yet she felt the stinging on her cheek and realized that Haldor had hit her. She gasped in shock and recoiled from him, staring up in horror at his eyes. They were blazing with a fire she had never seen before.

"You are ready now," he hissed, and pressed himself on top of her. His hot breath was on her face, making her panic and squirm beneath him. Before she knew what was happening he grabbed at her waist, moving his fingers onto the top of her pants.

Gúthwyn gave a shriek that was muffled by his lips. With a sudden surge of terror, she began kicking and hitting any inch of him she could find. "Stop!" she choked out. "Haldor, no!"

Moving swifter than anyone she had seen, he grabbed her throat and squeezed tightly. She choked, scrabbling vainly at his hands. Undeterred by her thrashing, he leaned close and growled, "Struggle, scream, or cry and I will kill the children myself, do you understand?"

Shocked, unable to believe that this was the Haldor she had known, who had held her hand so gently, she gaped at him uncomprehendingly. "W-what?" she stammered, thinking that it was a nightmare, that she would wake up soon and find herself next to Hammel and Haiweth in her tent.

"Unless you want me to torture them in ways you cannot even imagine, be quiet!" Haldor said, clutching her throat so hard that she felt like she would faint.

This cannot be happening, she thought in bewilderment, as his hands moved back to her pants. She felt them sliding down her thighs and whimpered, pressing her legs close together and shutting her eyes.

"Keep your eyes open!" Haldor snarled, and the next instant he had grabbed her shoulders and was shaking them. Her eyes flew open and she was looking right into his face, into a glare so terrible and malignant that she did not know how she had missed it before. She felt sicker than she had ever been in her life.

"No wonder your uncle abandoned you to Saruman," he told her, his hands moving down her body and to her legs. Effortlessly he prized them apart, and Gúthwyn felt her stomach turn cold. "You are pathetic and weak. Look at yourself."

Gúthwyn knew she was trembling, knew that her eyes were drenched in horror. She moaned, turning her head away so she would not have to see anything.

Not a second later, Haldor grabbed her chin and yanked it towards him. "You are going to watch," he said, his ice cold, unfeeling voice making her want to sob. "You are going to watch me as I take you, do you understand?"

Overpowered, helpless, Gúthwyn was forced to obey as he lowered himself on top of her. She thought she would pass out. And when the pain came, when she nearly gagged in revulsion, her vision blackened. The last thing she saw before departing the world was Haldor's unflinching glare, never once leaving her face as he thrust into her. Then there was a great shuddering, and she knew no more.