I just want to say, about this chapter, I am so sorry. Also, its Angband. These things happen. I think that I will actually extend the end of this chapter and reupdate it later, but for now this is it. anonymouse- I shouldn't say anything, but I can't kill your hope or encourage it so what you really want is 1/2. Thank y'all so, so much for reading and reviewing. It encourages me to keep writing. I love you all and I can't say enough how much it means y'all enjoy reading this! Guests, regular readers, and everyone! :D Feel free to jump into the discord server if you want :D /adyeSJay6Y

A grimace of distaste pulled across my mouth at the urgent manner of the Teacher. I needed time to process everything and bathing is supposed to be a good chance for that. But now she just panicked me and won't say another word.

"hey" I said feeling slightly affronted as she snatched the comb out of my hand. Her fingers gripped my shoulder and she spun me so that my back was to her before she began anxiously fixing my hair. She was so nervous.

"Airawende lived with him for a while. He can't be that mean" I said not believing a word out of my mouth. She tugged at a knot aggressively at my words.

"Be careful what you say no matter where you are" She said her mouth right at my ear. I jumped in shock with a squeak, but had no words to respond. She slipped the comb back into my hand and I stared at it for a minute not really looking.

"aren't you going to pin it up?" I asked after a moment more of staring at the comb. She looked at me and shook her head before beckoning me over anyway. She shifted my robe around before pulling it down to expose my back to the air. I tried to shoot her a confused look over my shoulder so she would tell me what she was doing. I either missed her completely or she was ignoring me.

"Oh, its so cold!" I shivered as opened a bottle and poured some onto my shoulder and down my back. She started spreading it rapidly around my back and I could feel myself trying to arch away from her hands. The smell hit me a second later and I grimaced. It smelled like pure alcohol. Sharp and burning. She briskly dried her hands off on her own clothes and tugged mine back up.

I looked up at her with my hair hanging straight, and still slightly wet, around my face. She gave me a once over before biting her lip and nodding. She hooked an arm through mine and pulled me after her.

"Where are we going?" I muttered in faint surprise as we passed the entrance to Gothmog's rooms or cave. Maybe even lair. I have no idea what he calls it but it certainly did not look like Tar-Mairon's rooms.

She looked down at me and I could see lines of exhaustion on her face. That was so odd. I did not think that her people could look tired like that. They always seem to stay the same like Tar-Mairon. It was really hard to notice. I had to be really looking at her face to see the minute differences. She halted suddenly and glanced around.

"Try to avoid eye contact with them" She whispered leaning down near my ear again. I stared at her and nodded quickly at her urgent shake on my shoulders. I did that naturally anyway, but I might as well agree if she's going to be so adamant about it. She's been acting so frightened and bizarre today. She was making me even more frightened then normal. I shook my head in consternation as she continued to tug me along. Her much greater height gave her legs that easily outpaced me. It was a pain to walk anywhere with anyone here. Only Airawende is near my height.

It was so hot in this hallway. Really atrociously hot. I could feel sweat begin to gather and I had just bathed. Tar-Mairon enjoyed heat quite a bit, but his rooms were not this hot and mine were cooler than the rest of his rooms. Still warm, but comfortable and easy. This heat was stifling. I almost expected my hair to be letting of steam, but it did not. I blinked at the bright light as we turned a corner. It was stretching across much of the hallway from another turn.

I was shaken out of my daze at the bright light and discomfort due to the heat by the Teacher elbowing me softly in the ribs. When I turned to look at her, she turned and stared hard at the floor before looking at me again. I sucked in a deep breath and looked at the floor reflecting the light. Nearly looked like flames.

"Another little mouse" I almost pulled my head up to look, but the Teacher pinched me and I jerked sideways before staring down at the floor even more. It was a new voice, but one that clearly knew Airawende. I think. He did say "another". The Teacher was trembling. I could feel her body shaking with terror and tension where our arms were connected. I tried to surreptitiously glance at her, but she wasn't looking anywhere except the floor. How did she know where to go? Whoever it was laughed after we passed him. It was a dark laugh and rumbly too. It was a struggle not to try and look, but the utter fear from the Teacher was pretty dissuasive.

"You took your time" Gothmog's voice reached my ears the same second as even more heat hit my skin. I suppressed the urge to look up and then the following urge to wipe sweat off the back of my neck. The Teacher sank into a bow on the floor and pulled me with her since her arm was still through mine. I mimicked her as she unhooked her arm and bowed with her head on the floor. The brief thought crossed my mind that she had hooked her arm through just to pull me into this. Tar-Mairon required absolute obedience, but he only made me bow like this when others were present.

We stayed like this for several moments before Gothmog ordered us both up. The Teacher bowed briefly once more and started backing away.

"come here Haldamire" Gothmog ordered and I finally looked up in his direction trying to avoid eye contact. I wasn't like the Teacher and could not navigate myself without looking. I walked quickly afraid of his temper and shivered despite the heat as I saw other figures standing in the room.

"She is too weak" A voice spoke next to Gothmog. My eyes drifted over to the source before I cursed myself as fear slid into me even more and looked down. He looked like another Gothmog, but different! Why are there more of him?

I shifted uncomfortably in the nearly unbearable heat as I came to stand in front of Gothmog. He lifted my chin and caught my eyes. All thought momentarily fled my mind as absolute terror caught me in its desperate grip.

His eyes looking past me finally broke my trance of terror. I don't know who or what he's looking at nor can I pay attention to his words. I could feel myself heaving deep breaths trying to master the fear. Slowly I came back to myself in the moment but regretted it.

"If she has been with Tar-Mairon for more than a year, which she has, then she will be able to bear this". Gothmog's voice sounded abhorrent to me with the words coming out. What was he going to do to me? Could it be worse than Tar-Mairon making me believe he sewed my mouth shut?

"Mairon loves unmarred beauty does he not Haldamire?" Gothmog leaned towards me with a vicious smile in his mouth. I tried to back away, but he caught me and shouted something in another language. More hands wrapped around my arms and I couldn't suppress a scream of terror. My vision darkened into black for a moment as his hand struck me. It was reminiscent of how I first came here.

"I do not tolerate resistance Haldamire" I could hear Gothmog's voice through the ringing in my head it was so acute "consider the gentleness of that hit a warning". I gasped as I was dragged away and struggled for a moment before sagging weakly in the different hands around my arms. I can't do this. I can't do this. I will not be able to survive with him. Where is Tar-Mairon? Where is Ungo? I don't want to know what would happen if he hit me with any real strength if that's him being very gentle.

I screamed as my robes were suddenly yanked down to waist exposing my back to the hot air. I could hear laughter and jeers behind me as I felt myself pressed down on something flat. I hated them, but I also didn't care about them. I just wanted Tar-Mairon back. I stopped struggling realizing the futility of it. I couldn't match anyone in here strength wise. Tar-Mairon could. Why won't he come save me? I could feel the sting of tears in my eyes at the surprising amount of grief I felt being separated from Tar-Mairon. He was my master not Gothmog!

My hair was moved over my shoulder and I looked up in time to catch a brief second of cherry red metal. I screamed in terror and the realization of what Gothmog intended and struggled despite the futility. He was going to brand my skin with his mark to mock Tar-Mairon. I shouted and tried to buck the various hands holding me, but I couldn't move an inch. I think more hands were holding me down than had dragged me here.

I could feel my skin burning and blistering before the metal even touched and when the metal touched I fell into darkness and agony. A dreamless pain and deep longing