DISCLAIMER: I don't own any characters except Aliya, Kendre and Pelanar…
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LEGOLAS
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"Aliya?" I called softly through the door, "May I come in?"

I waited a moment, hearing nothing, and then I heard the doorknob turn and the door open. Aliya stood in front of me, her eyes gazing up at me in what seemed to be permanent fear. I had never before realized how small she was. She had to at least be my age, if not older, but she seemed so fragile, so vulnerable. She was still wearing the gown from breakfast, but her hair was now down, not up, and hung in loose curls around her eyes and face.

"Legolas?" she said, a curious air to her voice, "What do you want?"

I stepped inside the door and closed it behind me. Once again, Aliya drew back, her eyes flashed panic.

"I just want to talk," I said, stopping and holding up my hands in a simple gesture of surrender, "Everything I do! I just want one response… Just something to show that you can accept my aid. My conviction is sincere, I am not lying!"

Aliya sat down on her bed, shaking her head slowly, in what seemed to be defeat, but her next statement proved me wrong.

"Legolas, no…" she said, her voice full of worry, "No…"

I stared at her blankly. I didn't know what else to say. I couldn't force her to talk to me. I couldn't force her to trust me.

"Aliya…" I said, moving forward only a step, "I have only heard the barest of your story from my sister… Will you tell it again? Will you tell me why you are so afraid?"

She stared at me for a long time. Her eyes showed pain, probably pain at having to relive that tale again. But finally she spoke.

"If you come closer…"she said, her voice quivering just a little, "I will tell you what you want to know…"

Her eyes dropped as I moved slowly to the bed, and sat down at the far corner, away from Aliya.

It was then she began her tale.

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ALIYA
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I moved closer to Legolas and I saw surprise flash in his eyes for a brief moment before I began.

"My whole life, I had been forgotten." I started, and watched as Legolas listened intently, "My mother was the only one who loved me, but, alas, my father ruled over her and he did not care about me. He was content with Valaë, my older brother. It was always a joy to mother and I to see Father and Valaë leave on a hunting trip. It was only then we could relax and feel free. My mother used to tell me wonderful stories about far away places. My mother was from Lothlorien and told me of her home, a wonderful place where the elves lived with the trees, and a Lady both kind and wise ruled over all. I loved our times together, but they were short. Father and Valaë never were gone long, but this last time was different.

They had been gone 4 days, which was a long time for hunting, and they were due back at any moment, but alas it seems they were too late.

Our defenses were small, and it had always worked before. But it seemed that that night, the orcs slipped through our sentries and came right to the village. I don't remember much of it. I just remember being told to hide by my mother, but I didn't want to do that. I wanted to help. In a sort of trance, I went to look for my father and brother. They were do back at any moment! They couldn't be far! But I got only 2 steps out my doorway before I was grabbed by an orc. He began to drag me, but then stopped. I fought, but he caught hold of me and looked at me. He then took some rope and tied my hands and feet in heavy knots, and threw my by a tree. I screamed for help, but nobody was left that was concerned about anything other than themselves.

I blacked out and awoke next the find my whole village was ablaze. I cried to see my home being burnt and I gasped at what I saw next.

All the people left alive were being thrown into the only unburnt house. My mother was the last to be thrown in. I saw her scream at the sight of me, and then she disappeared. The door was then barred, and… and then, the building was burnt. With all the people inside…"

I stopped, and looked up at Legolas. My eyes had dropped and now I was glad to be looking at something other than my shaking body. Legolas took my hands in his and in all honesty, I welcomed the gesture. I went on.

"The orcs picked me up and left. I counted 3 or 4 days before we stopped again.

At first I welcomed the stop, but then I hated it. I realized why I was being kept alive. I was young. I was pretty. I was entertainment for the Orcs. That night I got my first taste of 3 years of torture. I was beaten, and then whipped repeatedly. The orcs loved to see me in pain, and they got a great deal of enjoyment from it.

After they were done, they threw me aside, and it was then, that came my first and only chance at escape. Behind one of the trees appeared my brother, Valaë! He motioned beside him to show my father was there as well. They were still on their hunting trip, but I saw the worry in Valaë's eyes at seeing me tied up by Orcs. I saw my brother speak to Father for a moment, and turn back to me, pity in his eyes. I tried desperately to signal them to help me, but I did not want to draw attention from the Orcs.

I watched again as Valaë talked rapidly to Father, but Father only shook his head. I saw for the briefest moment my brother's face, and then, they turned their backs and walked away. At first I only thought they had gone to get more help, but then, as the night drew on, they did not come back. The next night the Orcs picked up and left again, dragging me behind.
I was in despair. Even if my Father and Brother had come back, they would not be able to find me. In my heart though, I knew they had left me. They had abandoned me to the orcs and saved themselves instead. I cried the whole time I was being carried. The only family I had left had abandoned me to torture. It got worse and worse as the days went on. I was not only beaten and whipped and dragged about, but I was raped."

My voice broke on this last word, and Legolas held my hands even tighter.

"Do you know how that feels, Legolas?" I said, desperately trying to get him to understand, "To have the only people you ever knew leave you to be raped, to be beaten, to die?"

"I've wanted to die, Aliya…" He said, "I know how it feels to be alone. You just have to find something to live for….. or someone………"

I didn't know what to say, I understood how he felt but I didn't think he could ever know what I had gone through, although I never really wanted him to have to.

"After a few months had passed, the orcs began to fight amongst each other. Fight about me. The fights seemed to be an ownership issue. Orcs are greedy and rarely share. Then came the matter of branding. If I could be owned by one orc then I could be branded by their "stamp." But if they couldn't agree… In the end I had 9 stamps on my back, one for each of the orcs in their small band. I cannot explain the pain to you. The burning never stopped and if I cried out, I was whipped.

Branding seemed to be the most popular form of torture after that. I do not know how many brands I have covering my body, I couldn't ever begin to guess. I tried to forget the pain, but that just made it hurt even more…"

My whole body shook at the thought of what came next. Legolas moved closer, and now put his arm around my shoulders, earning a shudder from me, but then I calmed, ready to tell the final part of my story.

"I remember almost nothing of the next years. I put myself into a daze, trying desperately to leave this world. I finally awoke from it when I formed a plan of escape in my head. For an entire month, I worked on getting free of my bonds, and after a while, my work paid off. I was free entirely of my foot bonds and almost free of my hand bonds. That night, though, was the worst night I can ever remember. It was a night of rape… rape by 9 orcs, I cried not because of the pain but because of the suffering. I cried because I thought they would kill me that night. Kill me on the one night I finally had a plan, but they didn't. They beat me and whipped me once more, adding to the bruises on my already battered body and then they threw me aside, almost dead.

I forced myself to move, though, and I stood up as quietly as I could and moved quickly behind a nearby tree. From there, as hard as I could with bleeding arms, I hurled rocks in the opposite direction from where I was standing. My theory was correct and the orcs moved in the direction of the rocks.

I ran. I ran as fast as I could, but stumbled along the way. Finally, I fell into a river, and blacked out. I awoke in the water, being dragged along by the current until finally I was able to pull myself onto shore.

I remember thinking and praying that I would die. I prayed I would die before I awoke. I prayed I would die before the orcs found me again, for I knew I would not survive another meeting with them. I knew I would die one way or another, but it was better to die free, then die a prisoner.

I blacked out after that, and I don't remember anything until I woke up here."

We both remained silent for a long time, only my sobs punctuated the stillness. Finally, Legolas spoke.

"Aliya…" he crooned in a soft voice, "Don't cry, its over…"

"But its not!" I cried, "Its not… I will relive those days, every night, in my dreams, until I die…"

"Dreams are not reality…" he said to me, "You will always wake up to see the people who love you, , my Father, Kendre, me… We will always be there for you, and we will never leave you alone…"

And this time… Finally, I believed him. I collapsed into his arms and cried, but they weren't tears of pain or suffering or sorrow, they were tears of joy. For once in my life, I felt that someone was concerned… that someone cared. For once in my life I knew the true meaning of love.

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