The dream she was having was fevered. Flashes and moments that did not blend together. Different moments in time trying to find their connections. She was looking in on things from long ago and then more recent things. There were even people and places she had never seen before. Doing things she did not understand and speaking in tongues the west had never heard.

Then slowly, things became a bit more understandable. "Think of things that make me happy," she told herself. The only thing she could think of was home, sitting in her garden and feeling the sun against her skin, children running around her and laughing, Thranduil coming to join her. They sat together in the sun and a child, she did not know, approached her and called her nana. His eyes were purple.

She gasped and struggled to wake up. She was thrust back into her body and she felt heavy and there was pain, but not as much as she was expecting. She remembered the beating, every punch, and then she was looking into his golden eyes. "You are healed and the life within you is still there," he whispered to her and helped her to sit up on the edge of a bed, her hands going to her belly first then slowly she began to breath with deep breaths.

"Where is Minogos?" She asked nearing a growl. "Now, is that any type of tone you should be taking with your rescuer?" Drannor asked with a frown.

"Where is Minogos?" Now she growled and Rowena was pushing her way out no matter how hard Juniper struggled to keep her back.

Drannor looked down on her with wide eyes and then he smiled and with a sweep of his hand he pulled back a thin curtain of clean linen and there lay Minogos, sleeping rather restfully on a cot and for someone, that took perhaps an even more harsh beating then her own, he looked rather well.

"He heals pretty quickly. More than you, my dear. You were expecting him to be hanging from chains and bleeding?" He asked amused. "Of course that's what she expected." The moment, she heard this voice, a chill crawled up her spine. Her eyes looked directly into Drannor's and he shook his head ever so slightly at her in warning.

Her eyes cut towards the voice. The curtain was rustling a bit from a breeze that seemed to come from nowhere. Then slowly it parted. Her first glimpse of him was his hand and it was rather large. The flesh held that light grey tone like Minogos' and then there he was. He was beautiful. For a moment she stared a bit slack jawed in awe and fear. His long dark hair hung loosely down over his shoulders and grey piercing eyes bored into her´s. There was a red ring around the pupils like Jeven's.

Rowena took her moment, her rage boiling over. There he was just feet away, so she pushed her way to the forefront. She already had the dagger, that hung from Drannor's belt, in her hand, she moved with such great speed, that he had little time to react. She tried to go small but couldn't, so she just out right attacked him, leaping upon the bed, then flinging herself towards him with the blade in hand. One swipe, then another back handed. She spun around and lunged for him again and again and he simply dodged and stepped out of the path of the blade a second quicker.

Then, when he became tired of this game, he reached out as she drew the dragger back for another attack and held her by her throat and suddenly she could not move. It was as if her limbs suddenly weight hundreds of pounds. Her arms dropped and the dagger fell clanking on the stone floor.

"So this is Rowena," he held her so he could look deeply into her eyes, "Oh, you are angry, aren't you?" He asked with a smile. There was nothing, but hate in her gaze. "There once was this great Elvish craftsman. His name was Feanor and he had a talent for making powerful gems. Then one day all of his pretty gems were taken from him by the most powerful of all the Gods."

He told her this story with a smirk on his lips. "Feanor was obsessed with the power of light. He liked to capture that light in stones. He came upon a light he could not and did not understand. So he trapped it in a stone." He lifted his free hand and between his large long fingers was a clear gem that held at its core a living light.

"It was I that discovered what this light was. So I started to seek out this light and I took it and placed it inside this stone. Now I will add your´s to it, Rowena, she doesn't need you anymore anyway."

The pain was very real and very intense. She screamed in agony, her scream piercing the air and filling the halls. Those in the hall unprepared for this fell to the floor. Some even died where they lay. Her hands wrapped around a wrist, her nails dugging into his flesh. She kicked out towards the one holding her like this, but her feet met only air.

Her back was forced down onto the bed. Her eyes opened wide to see her attacker and she was left breathless. She felt fear like she had never felt it, she became frozen under him as he held her wrists down beside her head so tightly it hurt. "Ahh, there she is now. Without your tag along you seemed to have lost a bit of that bravery, or foolishness, depending on how you look at it." He slowly licked at his bottom lip and relished the look of terror in her purple eyes.

"Now, that I have your attention, let me lay down the law for you. Minol's son's survival will depend on how well you behave. If you are a naughty little Pixie, I will not hesitate to cut parts of him off. Parts he might actually miss, my dear, so do not test me. That's the only rule. I will give you freedom to roam my home. After all it is now your home. You can't and you won't try to escape. After all you don't want to loose him, too. You have already lost so much."

Tears began to well up in her eyes as those words began to sink in and he just stared at her as if he was seeing her soul through her eyes. "Your life with me does not have to be miserable. Just think on that." He pushed himself away from her and she immediately sat up and pushed herself back from him, ending up with her back to the wall and her body curled up as tight as she cold get.

"Keep her with you at night, clean her up, and keep her comfortable. That thing over there is your´s, too, to do with as you pleased. Just keep him alive and whole for now." He smiled at her before turning away and leaving.

Her gaze shifted to Drannor then, who finally took a deep breath. He looked on her and saw none of the confidence he had seen earlier. He stepped over to where his dagger lay and he picked it up and sighed, before sliding it back into its sheath. "Don't look at me like that. I was just as frightened," he stepped closer to her and she cringed and pulled herself back. "Stop, Juniper! I'm not going to hurt you. I need to tell you what happened." He sat beside her, but she did not relax.

"He took Rowena out of you. The fear you feel right now is her absence. I imagine she influenced you somewhat all the time. You were used to that. Thing is, you don't need her, Juniper. Your greatness is your own. Now let me help you. You are in shock."

Finally she relented and allowed him to touch her and as the tension began to turn into shakes and she finally allowed herself to feel something besides fear, she found herself wrapped in his arms as she sobbed against his chest.

"Cut pieces off me? Wow this is going to be some vacation," Minogos spoke in a whisper. Drannor looked up to him as he held the sobbing Fae, "indeed, and lucky me, he gave you to me."

"I caught the jest of what happened. How is she?" Minogos asked weakly. "In shock. How would you feel, having something ripped from your soul?" Drannor leveled his golden gaze on him. "I am right here, you know?" Her voice was small and she was still crying, but her spirit was beginning to shine through. This made Drannor smile.

The breeze blew in from behind him, it was a cool breeze and felt refreshing against the back of his neck. To be honest he was glad to be up wind from the Orc camp. The smells, that came from it were not appealing. He looked out from where he stood at the turret, over the rocky plain towards the hills, where the hoard camped. Then the air around him began to change and the scent upon it made his lips curl in a small grin.

"Do Elves drink coffee?"

It was not the question or even words he was expecting to hear and slowly he turned around to see Hilda standing in the small door way. In her hands were two steaming mugs. "Some do, mostly we have our teas, but since it had been brought into the forest, some enjoy it. I can not say I have liked what I have tried."

"Hmm, well, in that case I implore you to try mine," she spoke as her steps carried her closer to him and then she offered him a mug. He carefully took the mug from her hands and looked down into it. It was a different color than what he had tried, and it smelled different.

"It's cream, sugar and just a drop or two of vanilla. I know, it´s expensive, but I love how it makes it all taste," dhe explained and took another sip of her own. It was hot and even creamy with a mild sweet taste and indeed he tasted the vanilla. His eyes lifted and looked into hers as he lowered the mug. "Ok this is quite good." She smiled at him and looked out to where he had just been staring.

"I saw the first arrows making their way to the city." Her body leaned against his and his arm slid quite naturally over her shoulders.

"Yes, the Dwarves are quite crafty, I do have to give them that," he paused, things went quiet for a few moments and finally he sighed, "Hilda, I have a feeling I am about to be speaking to the wind, but when the battle begins I would rather you be in Erebor."

She smiled to him and lifted up to kiss his cheek. Her smile never faded as she began to speak, "I love, how you are concerned for me. I love, how you want me to be away safe and sound. That is so you can fight without worry of me. I think your concerns are a bit misplaced though. I can and will take care of myself. I will worry less if I am running messages for you. I will worry less if I can see you. I will worry less if I am there. You need to only worry about you."

Haldir watched this firieth and the brightness of her spirit strengthen with each word. It wasn't her just saying no, it was her declaring her own care and love for him and she was not going to be told to go hide in a mountain. He began to laugh, softly at first, then more bubbled out. He had never been that happy before. He put the coffee mug down, wrapped his arms around her and gently pulled her closer against him. She on the other hand was a bit perplexed by his reaction.

"Ein-firieth nin (My beautiful woman), I concede to you. You will be my squire on that day. You wish to be near me then so be it. I have seen what you can do and I do know you can take care of yourself. I just hope the time for me to take of you comes very soon. I only have ten years to convince you to stay with me."

This was the moment. The moment he gushed a bit over her and told her how he felt. A beautiful moment then she replied. "Are all of you Elves so sappy?" His heart sank a moment. He leaned back, looked at her and saw her warm smile. She started to grin then, and tickled her fingers along his ribs, "I love you, Haldir. You do not need to become mushy." she said with a coy smile, then reached out and wrapped her small hand into his tunic and tugged.

"Come on."

"Where are you taking me?"

"Someplace a bit naughty." she said.

"Naughty! Oh my, I have to say I am curious as to what you consider naughty."

They walked casually through the halls until they came to some roped off stairs, that lead up to a dark hallway. She just ducked under the rope, began to move up the stairs and beckoned Haldir to follow, which against his better judgement, he did. Now he could see fairly well in the dark, but she knew every step so he followed her. Then at the end of the dark hallway they came to two heavy wooden doors. One of which she pushed open with ease and they stepped into what had one time been a lavish room, but now it was in ruins.

"They just repaired the roof not long ago, this was once the King´s Chambers. Then that whole war in the north happened several years ago and this part of the palace took a bit of damage. Brand is just now repairing it." She crept towards a large door and smiled at him, "there is a secret in this room. One I am not sure, Bain knew about and I am pretty sure, Brand has no idea. It's one of Bard's secrets."

She giggled and opened the door, which lead into an empty closet. She stepped in as did he and she had him close the door. It was at this time he was wondering why in all the Arda was he standing in an old closet, then he felt the pressure change in the room and the back wall of the closet opened up and he felt fresh air hit his flesh.

It was even more dark here. Closer to true darkness and he could not see. Then the bright light of a match pierced the darkness and then the flame of a candle illuminated her. She lifted the candle and started to walk around the room. Stopping to light another candle.

"Bard, who never remarried, is said to have had a long line of various lovers in his lifetime. Yet none could ever really confirm, who many of these lovers were and that's because of this room." Each candle she lit cast a warm glow over a rather elaborately decorated room. Red velvet trimmed in gold. A little dusty, but still in very good shape. This was the King´s Secret Sanctuary. A place he brought his lovers and now he knew why she said it was naughty.

"There is a rumor, that one of those lovers was a certain King from a near by Kingdom," she looked at him and raised her brows.

Haldir just stood there a moment with an off look to his eyes, "No, I... uh... I do not wish to think about that." She began to chuckle and finally finished lighting the candles and Haldir began to notice how the room did not smell at all musty and that the air inside was fresh.

"No one knows about this place. No one can hear us in here. No one will be waiting outside, when we leave." He locked eyes with her when she said that. "I want you to take me without restraint. You do not have to be concerned if I cry out or that perhaps we are being too loud. Just do what it is you need to."

Now, that was an invitation. One that he mulled over quickly. She had no idea what kind of beast she could unleash upon herself. Elves could be a bit rough, especially right before battle and she was basically begging him to do his worst. He stepped closer to her, then and reached out and took one of her small wrist into his grasp. "Do you even know what you are giving me freedom to do?"

"Show me." His restraint was lost now. He released her arm, but pulled her in closer. A hand moved up along her back and up through the back of her golden hair to grip it harshly, his lips crushing down on hers with a viciousness she had not been expecting. He was far stronger than she and quicker in reaction and movement and she was effectively captured. Her heart was beating so hard it thundered in her ears. He swiftly had her upon the bed, his tongue invaded her mouth, deepening the kiss and making her flesh begin to tingle with the passing of his hands. His fingers seeking at way into her tunic, soon found purchase on her firm breasts.

The heat within her began to rise and she moved her fingers to the lacings of her leggings, working them free just in time for his hand so slide from her breast down into the heated confines of them. She managed to kick her boots off and they hit the floor with a thud. Then smoothly his hand slid from her hip to the waistline of her leggings and slowly he pulled them over her backside and down her thighs. His lips leaving hers and she trembled and gasped for her breath.

Her leggings were dropped unceremoniously to the floor along with his tunic. His boots soon made the same thudding sound on the floor and his warm hands caressed along her inner thighs. He began to feel the need to devour her. To absolutely consume her body and soul and he gave into this. He was not gentle with his tongue and lips as they parted the soft slit and found pink moist petals within. Coated in her own sweet flavor and licked greedily away. Her hips thrust up and she squealed loudly. His hands dugging into the flesh of her hips held her so firmly in place she could not wiggle away.

The flat of her belly trembled and her hands pressed to his head and eventually slender fingers curled into his hair. Her spine was arched, thrusting her perky breasts into the air. Her moans and cries filled the room and he showed her no mercy. His tongue slithered deep within her and his nose teased over a very sensitive pink nub. He knew what he was doing to her. Her body tattled on her. The softness of her thighs quivered against him. Her taste grew sweeter and he wanted more.

He had had many lovers over the years. Many before battle and none had he wanted like he wanted her. Then he slowly pulled away from her. Mercifully giving her a small break. She collapsed against the bed and panted to breathe and moaned softly. "Oh no no no, firieth nin, we are only beginning," he moaned between her breasta and pinched her pink nipples, making her gasp and her body jerk.

She felt his silken hot flesh against her soft thighs, the girth of his body forcing her thighs wider. Her eyes opened and there he was, rest with his hands pressing into the bed by her head. His silvery eyes seemed a bit brighter and all she wanted to do was to look deeply into them.

He loved how the emotions played out in her gaze. When the thick hard flesh of his manhood began to press against her, parted her folds and she felt his flesh against her sex fully. It wasn't their first time, but for a moment she felt like she had never been touched by him before. This was a different Haldir.

His hips drew back, then pressed forward and the hard thick flesh began to slowly slide inside of her and he felt huge, stretching her tender flesh and sinking deeper, until she was clinging to him and crying out against his chest. Oh, this was going to be delightful, he though as he pulled away from her and left her a trembling mess on the bed sheets. Their bodies firmly connected as she rested on his knees and slowly pulled her back to him and sinking deep inside again. His hands caressed the backs of her thighs and his fingers hooked at the backs of her knees. His line of sight was all of her and he rather liked how her sweet center locked stretched around the thick girth of his cock.

His hips rocking back and forth, the pace rose quickly, her lips parted with lusty screams and moaned for more. He was quick to give her what she needed. His hands found her hips, pulling her harder and faster against him, until he was watching her belly bulge with his spear. Her small hands found his wrists and she held on to him, his eyes lifting to travel up the flushed flesh of her body to her eyes, barely open slits glassed over with pleasure. Yet, the more he looked into them, the more he was drawn to the light of her spirit, until he was on the cusp of a dangerous situation.

He wanted to so badly just take her as his in that moment. The bonding of souls would seal that fate and she had not consented to that. He growled and pulled back from her and closed his eyes. He stopped and flipped her over so he would not be tempted to look into her eyes. He pulled her hips up and just sank back in making her writhe before him and her hands claw at the blankets.

The sound of his hips meeting the round flesh of her ass was sharp and fast. He pulled her back to him, harder and harder and he felt the walls around him beginning to tremble and her cries began to get deeper. She was so close to release and he wanted it, too. His desires perhaps a bit deeper than her own. His hand pressed to the back of her head, holding her down as he forced himself deeper inside her. The need to fill her with seed so overwhelming. When the orgasm finally hit him he was deeper, than he had been and the amount of his release was large. It took several moments for him to gain control of himself and to slide his hand from her head. She was whimpering and moaning, then tenderly he caressed her cheek.

He lifted his torso, then carefully withdrew from her body and she slid down to lay on her belly. He did not think he would ever see a more beautiful vision than she was then, trembling and shimmering with a slight sheen of perspiration. He lay beside her and pulled the sheets up over them. She wiggled herself closer to him and soon enough she was wrapped in the protective arms of Haldir. He smirked and whispered into her ear, "well, that was the first one we still have many more to go." She opened her eyes wide then and felt him grin against her.

They were taken to Drannor's chambers, which were roomy and lavish and thankfully not as warm as the rest of the palace. He having a large open window, that was screened off, so she could not escape. The breeze was welcomed. They were alone, she and Minogos. He, settling into to being chained to the wall, now lay on plush cushions and treated like a pet. She sat on the edge of the bed and looked at a gold circle around her ankle, the enchanted item keeping her from changing.

"I think, I will go explore," she said suddenly and Minogos just stared at her. "You can't be serious." "I am serious. You heard him, he said I had free run of the place. I might as well go see what it's all about." "Juniper don't do this, please. I can not go with you."

"I know and that's a pity, but I am going." She slid off the bed and moved just so she was out of reach of Minogos, who was up and straining against the length of his chain. "I am safe as a kitten, Minogos, you will see." Then out of the chambers she went and she found only one guard at the door, who said nothing to her and did not follow her. Now she was free in the halls. When she passed something, they didn't even seem to see her, neither Orc nor Human. She looked into open doors and saw all manner of everyday thing happening. Within one place they were making clothing and selling it. In another they were selling food.

This was society and not what she thought she would see. There were children there, that laughed and played just like her own children. It was the children that finally saw her. Apparently giving them orders to ignore the shiny little person wandering around did not work.

She found herself drawn into the games of the Orc children. Games that were not so different than the ones from her own home. Hopscotch being one of their favorites and another one with a ball and tiny shells. The adults ignored her though, but did not stop her from playing with their children.

When she left, she continued on her way and soon enough the sounds of civilization turned to soft whispers and distant creaks and bumps. The passages she walked along were darker and a bit warmer than the others. She should feel fear, yet there was none in her. Something was down here. Something was in pain and it was crying in it, though not with sound, no, this was felt inside.

She took a deep breath and continued on her way with not idea she was wandering deeper and deeper into the bowels of this mountain. The hall way began to narrow and the lights were even farther spaced. Then a chasm of darkness opened up before her. Though she could not see she knew it was massive. She stood there in the maw of the cave her small hand against the cool rough stone. She felt it there in the darkness. The sadness that abounds.

"Hello?" It was one word, she stood there and listened to her soft voice echoing from the walls. "I am sorry, if I am intruding. I know, you are in pain and I just wish to help you."

"Help me?" The voice rumbled off the walls, deep bass grumbled off the expanse of walls, "how can you help me? You are, but a small thing."

"I don't know, to be honest. I just could not leave without at least speaking with you. I am not even sure what manner of being you are," her voice was such a contrast to the dark gravely voice that followed. "I am not sure you would be able to truly comprehend what I am, if you saw me. Let's just say, I am ancient and I am created from malice."

She sighed and lowered her gaze a moment, "if am I to believe you were created in malice then what I feel from you would make no sense. Perhaps you have evolved beyond your original purpose. Then again I say these things and I do not even know what manner of being you are."

There it was again. A gentle request for him to introduce himself to her. He was finding it hard to be angry with this small glowing light in his darkness. "Please, just sit and talk with me. Nothing more." She looked at the dimly lit floor and shrugged a bit, before lowering down to sit. "I can do that," she mumbled a bit to herself, about how a nice tea would be lovely right then, but figured there would be no such offer.

"If you return tomorrow, I will have tea for you," the voice came rumbling up along the walls to her. "Well, I might do that. It depends on our conversation."

"Tell me about you.. what should I call you anyway," the voice asked. "My name is Juniper and I am...," she paused then, as she thought about her situation, "the captive of the Lord of this Fortress."

"Captive? Yet he allows you to roam freely?"

"It is only because there is no escape for me, I am truly captive. I expected to find dark evil places and people being tortured for the delight of the Lord and his followers. Instead I found a town with families and children playing."

"You just have not looked into all the depths of this place. You would be at it for years and then are you sure you want to see the atrocities that take place in your new Lord´s Kingdom?" The voice took on a strange, almost comforting tone to it as it asked that question. "I already have a good idea of what those things are. It's just the contrast of things," she whispered to herself.

"Now, you are seeing things in a new way, the pure evil you thought was here is here, just not as deep as you believed. You are seeing good here."

"I am. Which makes all of this a bit tragic. You say you were made with malice and that is not what I feel. I feel that you do not wish to do the things you are expected to do. So, yes, indeed I am seeing good here."

The voice went silent then. She did not even hear a breath taken and for a moment she stared out into that vast wide chasm and it felt empty and cold. "You know not what you speak of, little one. Though I find your outlook a bit refreshing."

It was the growling of her belly and the feeling of needing food that made her decide to leave. Though they talked about many things she still had no idea who he was. She promised to return the next day for that tea he had promised her. On her way back down the dark hall, the lanterns cast many dark and wriggling shadows on the walls. Her hunger grew and she realized finally just how far she had gone. It was taking a while to get back.

In fact, she was beginning to feel a little weak, but still she moved along. The air changed and she began to hear more sounds of life. She was walking in a half daze, when she was pulled rudely down a corridor that was in shadows. Her body pressed to the wall by another warm body and this one was familiar. "I was about to call out a search for you. I have been looking for hours after Minogos told me you decided to take the Lord´s offer and go exploring. You can get lost here, my dear." She looked up to Drannor then, who stepped back and no longer pinned her to the wall.

"I knew, where I was and I know the way from here to your door. The problem is I did not take food with me. I can not remember when I ate last either." He scowled and took her small hand into his and he walked from the corridor back to the brighter passage and tugged her along. She frowned and struggled against being lead along like a child, but his grip did not loosen.

"I am not a child! Let me go!" She demanded. "You act as if you are a child, so I will treat you like one. I assure you, my master would take great pleasure in watching me, taking you over me knee," he threatened her and for some reason the sound of that act made a knot in her belly.

She was taken right into Drannor's chambers and placed before a table, filled with food. Many different things and choices and all of which looked good and fresh and not tainted at all. She, having her hand finally released, scowled up at Drannor. Minogos, who was dining over in his corner, chuckled.

"So the wayward child is brought home." She shot him a look that made him cringe a bit. He had no idea of the exchange that had just occurred. "Tonight is the first night of the moon, Juniper. How do you plan to deal with it?" Drannor asked as he descended into a chair and watched her dine. "She plans to go it without being touched," Minogos tattled on her and she growled and glared at him.

Drannor laughed at this, "let her have ten minutes of that pain and she will come to you, Minogos."

"I wouldn't be so sure," he muttered and sat with his back to the wall. "Well, I have other matters to attend, before the night is over. I will be back, don't worry my brother, she will be in your arms before too long," he rose with a grin and sauntered to the door. They heared a key turn in the lock before she dropped her spoon, realizing she was indeed locked in with Minogos.

Thranduil stood on a hill, overlooking this massive army, that he lead. He had tried to give command to Thingol, who refused it, saying he was here to help not take over. Never in Thranduil's life and even in the many wars he had fought in, he had not seen an army this vast and this diverse. The only one's missing where the Dwarves and they would be fighting another war in the north. All the free peoples had united again.

He was keenly aware of the moon and he felt his jaw set in stone. Whatever happened it would not be with Elthian and this worried him. She was alone with Minol and Minogos for all he knew and that thought was the worse one. Still he felt nothing from her and that was her gift to him.

"What are you thinking, Thranduil?" He turned to see Elrond walking up to stand beside him.

"I am thinking about how much I want to lead more than a third of this army home. I want to be victorious and able to celebrate that without so much grief mixed with it and the weeks upon weeks of mourning for those we loose. Yet, even praying for that is fruitless, because I have already lost a great deal and may loose even more."

Elrond looked on Thranduil with a deep concern and sadness in his gaze. He was not only speaking of Elthian, but of Juniper. A pregnant Juniper no less. "Do you feel anything from her?"

Thranduil shook his head, "she hides from me. Something else has happened, something dreadful. I do not know what it was, because there was that overwhelming feeling then nothing. She knew I would feel it and she cut it off, before it would take the better of me."

Elrond lay his hand on Thranduil's shoulder and looked at the King of the Woodland Realm with understanding. "When Celebrian was taken on the mountain pass I felt her fear and despair, until it just stopped. She hid herself from me to save me that experience. I can relate to how you feel right now, Thranduil. Only, I think, instead of tragedy you will have joy in the end," he sighed, withdrew his hand and smiled, "you should rest as much as you can. That is, if you can remove my son from your tent."

Thranduil choked and coughed then. His hand covering his mouth as he realized, that Elrond knew of his tryst.

Elrond laughed, "peace, Thranduil, I am not angered. He is old enough to know what he wants and does what he wished. At least neither of you are alone in these moments."