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Aragorn briefly introduced the others, and Sycha glanced over at Legolas, who looked at her
sadly, visibly distressed that she need to retell a tale that would cause her so much pain. She
forced a small smile to him, to console him. That she was well known to elves, they had always
taken such great care of her in any way. She brought that smile to Boromir, who regarded her
darkly, almost warily. The others simply waited. "I will start with my mother. You need not know
any more of Nienna than grief and mourning are her province, and that she also teaches great
pity and endurance. For this, I owe her much. She was also one of the queens of the Valar. My
mother was originally Mir and came to middle earth around the time that Olorin, whom you know
as Gandalf, also came to middle earth. My mother became Mirrana Neroal. My mother was naive
in her travels, and believed that the world was far purer than it was. I do not know of what she did,
but I digress. She told me once, not long before I fled, that she had met Sauron while she was
riding through these forests. But by then, my mother's mind had long since gone, and she spoke
much that did not quite make sense. Sauron seduced my mother well, and melded her into
exactly what he wanted. My mother was lonely and wanted only for affection and companionship,
like a pet does to its master. Sauron recognized this and baited her with this. He fawned over her,
using her for anything she was worth to him. But, she was blind to this, and she loved him
desperately in her own demented way, and did anything to make him happy. He hurt her as much
as he could without making her realize that he was; he twisted her mind." She stopped for a
moment, staring at the ground, a shadow passing across her features. Sam leaned forward and
asked quietly, "Is it possible that he loved her at all?"
She looked up sharply, and considered it for
a moment. "Maybe in some twisted form, he was fond of her, but no, I don't think he loved her in
the way that we would think of it…….there was a small time where I think my mother had some
clarity, and that was that few years after I was born. I will not talk of my time in Barad-dur, for I still
sleep darkly upon the memories of that place; I fled finally. I feared him, and I knew my mother
offered no protection. He showed little interest in me other than to taunt me or to frighten me until
I began to show some potential for having power. He approached me one day, while I was in the
tower and spoke to me. I do not remember anything of which he said, for I could only concentrate
upon the coldness I felt as he stared down at me. I fled immediately after he left me. I was sixteen
at the time. I took his horse, of which I was afraid of, but my extended time in the forests had
given me much knowledge with animals, so that I was able to befriend even his great steed. But,
this was both a curse and a blessing. I knew nothing of the outside, nor what was to await me. I
had never seen elves, or dwarves, or anything beyond the forests around Mordor. I simply
rode….as fast and as far as I could. I do not know for how long I rode before I was stopped...."
She glanced over to where Haldir sat near her. "I was stopped by Haldir and others that were
guarding these forests. I did not heed when they called to me for I did not understand what they
spoke. I was shot from the steed's back by an arrow through my shoulder. They knew Sauron's
steed, but not me. I was brought before Celeborn and Galadriel then, and told them my story. I
told them who I was and who my mother was. It had been many years since they had seen my
mother. Apparently, when they had known her, before she had gone with Sauron, she had been a
teacher, a learned one who taught of the world, of nature and it's blessings. I knew they spoke
the truth and I briefly wished I would have known her then. For several days, I was watched
closely, and Sauron's horse fled back, to Mordor and his master. It was decided that I could not
stay in Lorien, for I would bring only the threat of danger and attack. Galadriel talked at length to
me on this, to make me understand that they would not abandon me, and why they would take
me from here. It was awkward at first. I was intimidated by her, and by all of the elves. There was
such a kindness….and a compassion I had never experienced. Lorien was beyond any beauty I
could have even concocted in my own mind, having only ever lived in the darkness of Mordor and
the half-dead forests around the tower….it still is. Haldir and several others bore me away the
next morning, telling me naught of where we were going. In those days that we traveled, I learned
much of the elves from Haldir, and much of the world that existed outside of Mordor. I also
learned that I need not fear everything that I faced. I was taken to Lindon, where Haldir told my
story in the kingdom of Gil-Galad, the last of the High Kings of Noldor. Gil-Gilad took pity upon me
and took me in under his realm's protection. I was frightened, and again, intimidated. I knew little
of immortality or death, or life for that matter, for I had had so few real conversations with my
mother, and even fewer with my father."
She stopped then, and wiped at her eyes. She cried
silently for a few moments before continuing. "Gil-Gilad spent much time with me over the
following months, telling me of life and answering my questions. He was more of a father to me
than I had had in the past. I learned of what my lineage meant and what power I had. I told him of
Mordor and of my father and mother. I told him everything that I knew. It was then that he told me
of the alliance between himself and Elendil and what they were to do. He had said it to me in
hesitation, as though he half-expected me to run then, maybe back to Mordor and betray him. I
then said I would help if I could. I knew little of my own power, but was slowly coming to grasp it
and feel it. He accepted that and left the next day to Gondor, to speak of me to Elendil. The eve
before he left, he brought me to a glade out of the way, to talk to me. There were two elven riders
there, on white horses. 'There are those who are not fond of you, dear Sycha,' he said, 'and there
are those would wish you much ill, even as good as the elves of Lindon are. You are the daughter
of the dark lord Sauron and the unnamed one, and that burns hatred in some for the pain and
sorrow he has caused. In time, they will grow to love you, but that will take much time. I must go
to Gondor and I would fear to take you for men would have much less compassion for you. You
cannot stay in my houses while I am gone. You will be safe, though, for I give you ample
protection.' He presented me to Elrond Peredhil and did not immediately name the other. 'He will
care for you in my absence, and you need not fear him. He will cause you no ill.'
Aragorn briefly introduced the others, and Sycha glanced over at Legolas, who looked at her
sadly, visibly distressed that she need to retell a tale that would cause her so much pain. She
forced a small smile to him, to console him. That she was well known to elves, they had always
taken such great care of her in any way. She brought that smile to Boromir, who regarded her
darkly, almost warily. The others simply waited. "I will start with my mother. You need not know
any more of Nienna than grief and mourning are her province, and that she also teaches great
pity and endurance. For this, I owe her much. She was also one of the queens of the Valar. My
mother was originally Mir and came to middle earth around the time that Olorin, whom you know
as Gandalf, also came to middle earth. My mother became Mirrana Neroal. My mother was naive
in her travels, and believed that the world was far purer than it was. I do not know of what she did,
but I digress. She told me once, not long before I fled, that she had met Sauron while she was
riding through these forests. But by then, my mother's mind had long since gone, and she spoke
much that did not quite make sense. Sauron seduced my mother well, and melded her into
exactly what he wanted. My mother was lonely and wanted only for affection and companionship,
like a pet does to its master. Sauron recognized this and baited her with this. He fawned over her,
using her for anything she was worth to him. But, she was blind to this, and she loved him
desperately in her own demented way, and did anything to make him happy. He hurt her as much
as he could without making her realize that he was; he twisted her mind." She stopped for a
moment, staring at the ground, a shadow passing across her features. Sam leaned forward and
asked quietly, "Is it possible that he loved her at all?"
She looked up sharply, and considered it for
a moment. "Maybe in some twisted form, he was fond of her, but no, I don't think he loved her in
the way that we would think of it…….there was a small time where I think my mother had some
clarity, and that was that few years after I was born. I will not talk of my time in Barad-dur, for I still
sleep darkly upon the memories of that place; I fled finally. I feared him, and I knew my mother
offered no protection. He showed little interest in me other than to taunt me or to frighten me until
I began to show some potential for having power. He approached me one day, while I was in the
tower and spoke to me. I do not remember anything of which he said, for I could only concentrate
upon the coldness I felt as he stared down at me. I fled immediately after he left me. I was sixteen
at the time. I took his horse, of which I was afraid of, but my extended time in the forests had
given me much knowledge with animals, so that I was able to befriend even his great steed. But,
this was both a curse and a blessing. I knew nothing of the outside, nor what was to await me. I
had never seen elves, or dwarves, or anything beyond the forests around Mordor. I simply
rode….as fast and as far as I could. I do not know for how long I rode before I was stopped...."
She glanced over to where Haldir sat near her. "I was stopped by Haldir and others that were
guarding these forests. I did not heed when they called to me for I did not understand what they
spoke. I was shot from the steed's back by an arrow through my shoulder. They knew Sauron's
steed, but not me. I was brought before Celeborn and Galadriel then, and told them my story. I
told them who I was and who my mother was. It had been many years since they had seen my
mother. Apparently, when they had known her, before she had gone with Sauron, she had been a
teacher, a learned one who taught of the world, of nature and it's blessings. I knew they spoke
the truth and I briefly wished I would have known her then. For several days, I was watched
closely, and Sauron's horse fled back, to Mordor and his master. It was decided that I could not
stay in Lorien, for I would bring only the threat of danger and attack. Galadriel talked at length to
me on this, to make me understand that they would not abandon me, and why they would take
me from here. It was awkward at first. I was intimidated by her, and by all of the elves. There was
such a kindness….and a compassion I had never experienced. Lorien was beyond any beauty I
could have even concocted in my own mind, having only ever lived in the darkness of Mordor and
the half-dead forests around the tower….it still is. Haldir and several others bore me away the
next morning, telling me naught of where we were going. In those days that we traveled, I learned
much of the elves from Haldir, and much of the world that existed outside of Mordor. I also
learned that I need not fear everything that I faced. I was taken to Lindon, where Haldir told my
story in the kingdom of Gil-Galad, the last of the High Kings of Noldor. Gil-Gilad took pity upon me
and took me in under his realm's protection. I was frightened, and again, intimidated. I knew little
of immortality or death, or life for that matter, for I had had so few real conversations with my
mother, and even fewer with my father."
She stopped then, and wiped at her eyes. She cried
silently for a few moments before continuing. "Gil-Gilad spent much time with me over the
following months, telling me of life and answering my questions. He was more of a father to me
than I had had in the past. I learned of what my lineage meant and what power I had. I told him of
Mordor and of my father and mother. I told him everything that I knew. It was then that he told me
of the alliance between himself and Elendil and what they were to do. He had said it to me in
hesitation, as though he half-expected me to run then, maybe back to Mordor and betray him. I
then said I would help if I could. I knew little of my own power, but was slowly coming to grasp it
and feel it. He accepted that and left the next day to Gondor, to speak of me to Elendil. The eve
before he left, he brought me to a glade out of the way, to talk to me. There were two elven riders
there, on white horses. 'There are those who are not fond of you, dear Sycha,' he said, 'and there
are those would wish you much ill, even as good as the elves of Lindon are. You are the daughter
of the dark lord Sauron and the unnamed one, and that burns hatred in some for the pain and
sorrow he has caused. In time, they will grow to love you, but that will take much time. I must go
to Gondor and I would fear to take you for men would have much less compassion for you. You
cannot stay in my houses while I am gone. You will be safe, though, for I give you ample
protection.' He presented me to Elrond Peredhil and did not immediately name the other. 'He will
care for you in my absence, and you need not fear him. He will cause you no ill.'