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Anemosi started awake. A nameless terror had gripped her, filling
her stomach with ice and her mind with whirling images of pain. Frodo,
striking his head on the wall...the Ring, lifted by a pale hand...Kerra,
laughing as she stroked the Ring as it lay upon her chest...
"No!" She exploded out of bed, throwing Sam away from her as he awoke
abruptly.
"Anemosi, what is it?" He had not seen her so terrified since he had found her in the forest those five years ago.
"The Ring has taken Kerra!" Anemosi wailed. Her voice, strident and despairing, awoke the entire house, with those who could hear her affected by the frenzied feelings of desperation and fear that spiraled outward from Anemosi's chambers. She sprinted out of the room, shoving confused fey out of her way as she ran wildly through the halls with Sam hot on her heels.
They reached Frodo's room just as Kerra was leaving them. Anemosi barely stifled a scream as she saw the changes that greed had wrought over her closest friend, but as she met Kerra's eyes, pity turned to horror as she saw the lust reflected there.
"My precious Anemosi," Kerra said, her voice rough and sibilant. She slid forward, moving with pressure over the floor, to smooth her hand over Anemosi's cheek. She stiffened at the contact, the Ring biting at her like a wolf. Kerra's breathing was hard and fast, and before Sam could react Kerra had slammed her mouth against Anemosi's lips, forcing her tongue past the barrier of lip and teeth to delve into Anemosi's mouth. Anemosi screamed in pain, Kerra's kiss searing her face with agony, but she was powerless to resist as Kerra forced herself even farther into Anemosi's mouth.
Sam swung his arm into Kerra's exposed back, but the power of the Ring was heavy upon her, and almost indifferently smashed him backwards into the wall. He was struggling to get up and Kerra began kicking him over and over in the stomach, her kicks hitting lower and lower until he dropped into unconsciousness. Her rival gone, Kerra turned back to Anemosi, her gaze heated to the boiling point. Anemosi was coughing and retching blood, clutching her belly, but Kerra shoved her back up against the wall and effortlessly ripped her light robe away, revealing the smooth breasts and delicate collarbone she had long desired and was now to receive. She growled as she saw the scar between the breasts, dark and heavy, and eyed a terrified Anemosi in anger.
"You received this from protecting the halfing...but he is no longer your concern!" Kerra fastened her mouth around Anemosi's nipple, biting hard enough to draw blood, and Anemosi's anguished screams were enough to draw forth Aragorn and Legolas from their rooms. The nightmarish scene was enough to haunt them for the rest of their lives; Sam spilled across the floor, Kerra in the process of raping Anemosi, and the still, still form of Frodo just barely glimpsed through the doorway.
"Ai-ya!" screamed Aragorn, drawing his sword and driving at Kerra. Before he could reach her, Kerra had slipped on the Ring and vanished. Legolas watched in horror as Anemosi was dragged up into the air by unseen hands and as long gouges were scraped by nails down her bruised breasts. She screamed weakly and fell to the ground, weeping softly as she tried to gather the shreds of her gown about her. Aragorn could hear fevered breathing as something moved past him, and he swung out a muscular arm and caught a small form as it tried to escape him. He wrestled with the creature furiously...he could no longer even think of Kerra as a living creature after witnessing the devastation the Ring had visited upon her. He bellowed in pain as a set of sharp teeth sunk into his wrist, but he was able to hold on long enough to slam Kerra to the floor. Dazed, she was powerless to resist as he placed his booted foot over her neck and applied the slightest pressure to her windpipe.
"Take off the Ring!" he yelled, pressing down ever more slightly. He could hear Kerra gurgling under his foot, and out of the corner of his eye he could see Legolas easing Anemosi to her feet and covering her ravaged, naked body with his cloak. When Kerra failed to respond, he stamped down hard, and in a flash she appeared underneath him, the Ring clutched in a white hand. The look of hatred in her possessed eyes was enough to shrink his heart, but not his bravery, and he ripped the chain off her neck and withdrew. He made one mistake; he turned his back on Kerra. With a roar of fury, she rose and slammed into him, tearing and biting with all her strength.
"Do you think I'd let a halfling have her, over me?! FOOL!" She clamped her teeth into his neck, trying to rip out his jugular, and Anemosi watched in dazed horror as Aragorn fell to his knees, a stream of blood trailing down his neck. A choked scream escaped her bloody lips as, without warning, she saw Tasla rearing up behind Kerra, appearing out of nowhere as usual, and stabbing Kerra with one of the enchanted fey daggers.
Kerra froze, her face draining of any blood, and slid down to the floor in a crumpled pile of flesh and bones. Anemosi burst into tears and shrank into Legolas' hold, her eyes fearful and mistrustful. Tasla had gone deathly white, staring at the bloody dagger in her hand and shaking. For a moment, all that could be heard was Anemosi's low weeping and the groans of Aragorn as he tried to staunch his bleeding neck.
Kerra's eyes fluttered open. They were clear, but pained, and her face had relaxed in its usual expression. She moaned, and tried to sit up, blood leaking slowly out of the stab wound on her back. A single tear fell from her eye as she surveyed the damage she had caused.
"Oh, Lady, forgive me...the Ring took me..." Anemosi looked away, shaking, and Kerra broke into hoarse, ripping sobs that left her retching and weak on the floor.
The enchanted dagger had done its work; it had broken the hold the Ring had held upon Kerra, and it would only weaken her, not kill her. The most grievous injury she had sustained was the loss of Anemosi's trust. Kerra rose unsteadily from the floor, and stumbled to where Anemosi was standing. Falling on her knees, she touched her head to the ground, her tears pooling on the ground.
"Forgive me, Lady...I did not know what I was doing...oh, Sam, Frodo, forgive me..." As her voice decayed into sobs, Tasla gripped her around the arms and began to lead her away, when a sudden scream, hissing and shrill, broke the air. Legolas could feel every muscle in Anemosi's body stiffen, and a familiar light leapt into Kerra's eyes.
"The Nazgul!" growled Aragorn, his hand falling from his neck. "They felt the Ring!"
"And they're coming back..." Kerra's voice trailed away as her gaze sought out Anemosi's, and as their eyes met, she could see that all was forgiven. She suddenly heard Anemosi's voice in her head.
*Dearest friend, I cannot throw your devotion away so lightly...but you have work to do. Go.* Kerra nodded, and ran away with a barely concealed sob of relief leaving her lips. Tasls stared at Anemosi in shock, but a single look from the Lady Radika was enough to answer any question she may have had. There was work to do. The final battle was about to begin, and as Anemosi was kneeling at a just-waking Sam's side as Legolas was seeing to Frodo, a chill wind blew down the hall and a scent of decay seemed to fill the air.
In a breath, the Lord Radik was standing before. He smiled as
he stared upon the shivering form of his daughter, and his lips seemed
to drip blood.
"Hello, my darling...I have returned for you, and I will not
be turned aside."
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To be continued...