AN UNEXPECTED JOURNEY
By : mirkwood-elf-2931 & Thala


CHAPTER 4


Over a month away, northwest of Minas Tirith, it was still early morning in the hidden refuge of Rivendell, the brightly shining sun a half circle, peaking over the mountain tops in its attempt to make itself whole. Another day was beginning and the great Lord Elrond stood like a statue, looking out over the magnificent city, with its glistening rooftops and huge waterfalls.

"My lord! My lord!"

He turned swiftly as a servant hurried in behind him. "Calm down, Melna. What is it?"

Being the one sent to tell the news, she began to ramble quickly about the unexpected arrival. "My lord, Lady Arwen's horse...it is here!"

Elladan and Elrohir, who were just walking in from the adjoining room, stopped dead in their tracks, praying the next words not to be.

"I am sorry, my lords," She had noticed the two from the corner of her eye and now looked over at them. "Her horse has returned riderless."

"What do you mean riderless?!" Exploded Elladan. Elrohir and Elrond were too stunned for words. "She wasn't with him at all?! Thalawen either?!"

"I-I'm sorry, my lord, they were not." She repeated, a little startled by his outburst. "Perhaps you should come have a look."

Melna lead them down into the courtyard, where two gates towered at the entrance into the city. And there in the middle, like she had said, was Asfaloth stepping uneasily on the stone walk as two other servants tried to hold him. They would have been able to calm him easily, but it was as if he were trying to tell them something and would not give up on it until they understood.

Elrond dismissed them and the twins took over his reins, speaking softly to calm him down. He quieted, even as Elrond came closer, but soon recognized these as the people he needed to see, to tell them of the danger his master might be in.

He gave a loud whinny, throwing his head back and forth.

"What is it, boy?" Elrohir asked in a gentle tone, standing in front of him and trying hold his head still. "Where's Arwen and Thala, huh?"

They inspected him over a few times, finding him not hurt, but something other than that that troubled all three of them much more. Everything was intact; the supplies the two had taken along and more importantly, both of their swords and Thalawen's bow and quiver. And if they knew them, neither would have gone without their weapons anywhere if they had had the choice of it.

These days one needed to carry some sort of weapon on hand, because you never knew if your very life could depend on it.

"Father," Began Elladan.

"What does this mean?" Elrohir finished for his twin, dread lacing his usual cheery voice. 

Elrond didn't answer his sons right away. With this evidence right in front of him, he knew and could even feel that this journey the she-Elves had gone on had taken an ill turn. Asfaloth would never have come back unless either Arwen had sent him away, his master was taken from him, or was unable to come back to him. Any way that it might have been, it was obvious his daughters were in danger.

He wished not to alarm the twins by coming out and saying this, but he knew they would think the same possibilities even if he didn't. And with the help of his oldest, he didn't have to.   

"They're in trouble again." Elladan could read their father's face plainly, confirming his fears.

Elrohir grew achingly worried at these words. "Father, we must find them!"

Elrond nodded, remembering the last time one of his children had set out to find another only five months before. "Yes, you may go." Giving in much faster than he had to Arwen.

"Then we set out as soon as we can get ready, so that no time is wasted." Stated Elladan.

They took Asfaloth with them, their sisters would be needing their things if they were found. When they were found. If it took the twins all way to Gondor or further, they would find them somehow.

Their father sent another letter to their brother, telling him of the latest troubles. Most likely, he too along with Legolas would set out to find the she-Elves himself and Elrond prayed once again that his children and their friend would be safe.


*~ *~ * ~ * ~* ~*


Day after day, the constant swaying and rocking of the ship was beginning to annoy the three Elves aboard, who only wished to be on land again; to breath in the fresh air and to walk among the greenery and in the bright sun, moon and starlight.

"Do you think this cell could get any darker?" complained Thalawen, an absolute lover of light.

Arwen mentally laughed as she thought of Thalawen's home in Rivendell. If it were not a handed down house from her grandmother, Thalawen would have built her house out of glass, or quite possibly pitched a tent in the forest and simply called that her home.

A stray hair had come loose from Landailyn's braid and she absently tried to blow it away. Since blood had dried in the corner of her mouth, this made it all the more difficult to do. Harder and harder the air rushed from her mouth to no avail. Finally, frustration overcame the otherwise docile Elf. "UGH! This blasted hair will not leave me alone!" She breathed a sigh and looked to her friends, who were staring rather oddly at her little one-Elf-show. "What?"

Thalawen and Arwen were in the middle of suppressing giggles, when a pair of guards appeared in the cell for the first time that day and immediately advanced on Landailyn's vulnerable form. She however, immediately tensed and flinched at their touch as they unshackled her irritated wrists, only to bind them again without her even fighting. She knew now it was useless after so many times.

"Where are you taking her again?!" Demanded the taller of the women across the room. They were both growing worried, this had been going on too long and if asked Landailyn would tell little of what went on when she was taken.

"The captain requires her presence once more. And you would do good to hold your tongue, unless you would like to join her."

She and Arwen watched after the group open mouthed. Landailyn gave them a last look, one that read of knowing what was surely to come, but it also told them not to worry. Then she was shoved out into the hall and the door slammed shut.

"No!"

She could hear Thalawen's fading objections, as she was led further and further away from her friends.


*~ *~ * ~ * ~* ~*


The king readied his pack with only the items he absolutely needed for this trip. He had received another letter late in the day before. Again it was from his father, now telling him of ill news that something might have happened to Arwen and Thalawen and his two brothers had set on the she-Elves' path to find out exactly what.

But Aragorn was perhaps the best when it came to tracking anything and if he knew where they had last been with Asfaloth, he would surely find the way they had gone from there.

Soon his concentration was broken, when the voice of Legolas filled the room. "Shall we go, my friend?" He asked softly.

The Ranger looked up to see him in the doorway, then nodded and took up the packed bag across his shoulder, his weapons already on him.

Aragorn gave a few last minute orders to Faramir, while the other six members of the Fellowship that were remaining at the palace, came to see them off. From that day on they made as much haste as possible on Arod and Brego directly northward, following the Anduin, as the message told that was what the two sisters had planned to do.


*~ *~ * ~ * ~* ~*


The captain's cabin creaked with the motion of the boat; every swell and wave rocked the ship harder. Outside lightning flashed, thunder cracked and the wind howled. Soon a thin sheet of cold rain fell to sting the crew's skin like tiny pellets of ice.

Landailyn had been locked into the single room with Faeroth. A ruthless and unforgiving man, he hated the Firstborn.

He'd already demonstrated his dislike in her, by slapping her repeatedly for various things she'd either done or did not do, or perhaps for nothing at all. Leaving bruises on her perfect skin, the black and blue circles marring the white porcelain color.

A new mark from the day before surrounded her eye, when she'd spit in his face at a further refusal to become his slave. This had been going on since the third day. Everyday he would ask her the same and everyday she gave him the same answer. She wondered to herself why this man wouldn't give up, because she was never going to give in.

"You are already my slave, woman. The minute you were brought into my keeping you became my property." His hard calloused hand reached up to touch her smooth face, tracing her eyebrow down to her chin. Too rough to be called a caress. "It would be easier for you and less tedious for me if you just submitted to me now and acknowledged me as your master." Raising her face with his forefinger, he looked her straight in the eye. "Agreed? This is the last time I will ask. What be your answer, pray tell?" He said, a slight grin across his face.

Her answer was spat into his eye, much like before. "How is that for an answer?" She asked in defiance.

Faeroth wiped his eye and stared at her. He didn't know too much about Elves, but very stubborn they all obviously were. "Did you find that amusing?"

She said nothing, so his hand crossed her face.

He sighed in exasperation and opening his door, called for the two guards that had brought her in. They came without a word. One moved her hair out of the way, while the other brought out a devilish looking black whip, the very one that had caught her in her escape the day they were captured, and he put it into Faeroth's hand. The two held her firmly in place and they began.

The beating seemed to go on for an eternity, but she had yet to make much of a sound, she would not let her captors have what they enjoyed and wanted most. Pain began to fog her entire mind, quickly reminding her that she had only brought it upon herself, although still refusing to let them know the greatness of it that she felt. Though she was sure they could read clearly the involuntary expressions and flinches more frequently given, as her strength to do so was rapidly running out.

They could torture her all they liked from now until the end of the age and the next, but she would never give in and serve them in any way. Never.

It grew nearly unbearable, until they ceased the lashings and the guards shoved her onto her side onto the hard wooden floor, cutting loose her bonds. One of the men gave a final kick to the rib cage's lowest spot, thankfully she heard no cracks to indicate that anything there had broken, though it certainly felt like it. The two walked off laughing, leaving she and their captain alone once more.

Landailyn rolled the rest of the way onto her stomach and lay in stillness, eyes unfocused, not daring to move further for all the pain they had caused would only increase.

Faeroth threw aside the whip and walked toward her menacingly. He reached down and grabbed her by the hand, wrenching it backward violently. Such a swift strong action dislocated her shoulder and broke her slender wrist. This time she heard the cracks to prove it.

That had done it and she couldn't help but let him know it.

She felt his other arm rest heavily across her shoulder blades, pinning her down and upsetting her already painful welts. Then she heard his voice so close to her ear, its sound hurt. "And if that doesn't teach ya, I don't know what will. Guess I'll have to leave that to my master."


TBC ...