She screamed, wondering if she had been struck blind, and started slashing about with her sword. It clanged against something hard, then was wrenched from her grasp. Strong hands grabbed her arms and held them behind her back. She kicked backward and struggled fiercely.

            "Duria!" a clear Elven voice rang out in the darkness.

            Savina stopped fighting, breathing hard, her blood pounding in her ears. Had she heard correctly? Duria was the word for stop in MoonElf. Hesitantly, she said, "man-yee?" which meant hello.

            The hands holding her arms disappeared and a light flared, illuminating the faces of two elves, one male, and one female. They were standing in a narrow hallway made of stone and from this side, Savina could see the outline of a door carved into the side of the mountain with a handle and a stout wooden plank across it.

            Savina stared at them in awe, they were MoonElves. Their faces were fair and delicate and beautiful, their eyes dark and piercing. The female had long, thick black hair and the male had short, silver hair.

            The female studied her carefully, her face concerned and angry, then spoke in MoonElf, "what is your name? You have broken a law by leaving the city alone and if my brother and I hadn't found you, you'd be dead. You will be punished!"

            Shocked and confused, Savina simply stared at her.

            The male scrutinized her, "are you hurt?"

            Recovering her voice, and remembering her companions still fighting on the other side of the door, Savina threw herself toward the door, tearing at the plank that barred the door and crying in MoonElf, "please, my friends are out there, I must get back to them."

            The male dragged her away from the door and pinned her against the wall while the female pushed the plank back into place.

            The female looked at her carefully, "I saw no living MoonElves out there except you."

            Savina tried to jerk away from the male, "they aren't MoonElves, there is a human, a dwarf, and a Mirkwood elf."

            "There aren't any humans, dwarves, or Mirkwood elves living in Temucth," she paused and studied Savina suspiciously, "your accent is odd. What is your name? Who is your family head?"

            "I don't live here!" Savina wailed in desperation, "let me go!"

            The two elves looked at each other in alarm, then the female turned back to the door and opened a small door that served as a tiny peephole. She stared out for a moment, then opened the door and looked around, "they're gone," she announced.

            "What?" Savina tore away from the male and dashed past the female through the door. There was no one. Not even any bodies. Squinting, Savina could just make out a black blur in the distance, moving with great speed toward The Dark Tower. Tears poured unheeded down her face and she sank to the ground, sobbing, "they've been taken!"

            The elves looked at each other uncertainly, then the female crouched down next to her and patted her back comfortingly, "I am sorry, I didn't realize you weren't from Temucth."

            Savina wiped the tears from her face and stood up, "I have to go."

            The female shook her head, "if your friends are prisoners of the Dark Master there is no way you can save them."

            With a sigh, Savina sat down on a rock and stared gloomily at the tower.

            The female spoke again, "my name is Rayvin Lohrileen and this is my brother, Nor. What is your name?"

            "Savina."

            Nor glanced around nervously, "it isn't safe out here, sister."

            Rayvin nodded, "please, Savina, come with us to our city for food and rest."

            Savina rose, her face a mask of sadness, and followed Rayvin back into the tunnel, what else was she to do?

            Nor shut the door and barred it, then handed her Raliayatau, "here is your sword," he paused and gazed down at it, "it's beautifully made."

            "My father made it," Savina said in a hollow voice, and looked down at it for a moment, then sighed and slid it into its scabbard. She thought of asking Rayvin and Nor if they knew her father, but decided it could wait.

            Nor led them through a labyrinth of tunnels through the mountain.

            Savina hated the dark, cold feeling of the tunnels and was appalled that the MoonElves lived underground. Her father had always told her that Moonzaar was a beautiful valley, an oasis of good amongst the evil. But this wasn't Moonzaar, Savina remembered, Rayvin had called it Temucth. She'd never heard of it before and wondered gloomily what had driven the surface dwelling elves, which loved fresh air and light and sky, to live under a mountain like dwarves. "Is Temucth underground?"

            Rayvin looked sad, "yes." She glanced at Savina, "you are wondering why we are living underground."

            Savina nodded.

            "A few years ago, a MoonElf turned to Darkness and became the Master of the Dark Tower. We believe that the spirit of the Dark Lord Sauron possessed him, because, though it is little-known, MoonElves alone can withstand being possessed by evil spirits, perhaps because we have lived near them for so long." Rayvin beautiful face contorted with sadness, "he tried to destroy us, his own kind, and we were forced to burrow underground." She glanced up at the ceiling, which was roughly cut out of rock, "it isn't that bad, we have begun to adjust. The underground city that you are in right now is called Temucth, we declined to name it Moonzaar because this could never be our home and we hope to one-day return to our beloved valley. And there is such a hope, The Dark Master has not yet risen to his complete power, his body is weakening and he needs a new host before he will have the strength to rule supremely."

            Savina's brow furrowed, "surely it would not be hard for him to find such a host?"

            Rayvin smiled thinly, "our scholars have done research and concluded that Sauron is looking for the MoonElf that his current host most loved, because their souls are connected and he will maintain almost all of his power through the switch." She paused and pointed, "welcome to the palace."

            Savina stopped and stared at the wall of stone.

            Rayvin laughed, "we have passed almost a hundred houses already. You didn't see them because they are cleverly disguised in case the minions of Darkness ever find the way into the mountain, at least finding the homes will be difficult." She approached the wall and twisted a bit of rock that jutted out about an inch from the wall. It was a nondescript little bit of rock, there were many others just like it and some that came out further.

            A large oval door swung open and Rayvin stepped through the doorway, motioning Savina to follow.

            Savina hung back, nervously, "am I going to meet your king?"

            Rayvin laughed again, a pleasant sound that brought some light to the dark tunnels, "you already have, in fact, you kicked him in his shin and elbowed him in his stomach."

            Savina stared at her, then spun around to face Nor, who was smiling at her. She flushed and sank to her knees, "my lord."

            Nor shook his head, "don't kneel before me, I am not worthy of it."

            Feeling her face burn, Savina rose to her feet, "I'm sorry about your shin, I didn't know," she mumbled, embarrassed.

            He shrugged, "it's understandable, you were frightened." He followed Savina through the door and shut it behind them, "I wasn't always king. Our rightful king left us disguised as a commoner many years ago to find a new homeland for us." Nor's face darkened, "he returned many years later to exterminate us," seeing Savina's face, he nodded, "it is our former king who now sits on the throne of The Dark Tower." Nor sighed and ran his hand through his silver hair, "after my uncle left, my father became king, but he was kidnapped from Moonzaar and we assume he is dead. The throne was left to me, so I evacuated our people from Moonzaar and brought them here, where we are safe, for the time being. As I am not married, my sister acts as queen, according to our laws."

            Savina turned to look at Rayvin, who shrugged, "I will not be queen forever, my brother will marry and I will again become a commoner, as I was when our original king ruled." She motioned around the room, "please, make yourself comfortable."

            The room was bare and dimly lit by torches on the walls, but it was comfortable with a large desk and a few chairs and a small table. Savina took a seat on a wooden chair with frayed blue cushions, thankful to sit down.

            Nor sat down across from her and leaned back, closing his eyes.

            Rayvin went to another room, then returned carrying a large, stone bowl, "this is tealiye, you won't have ever hear of it before." She handed the bowl to Savina, "but it is what we eat, containing all the vegetables and meat and water we need to survive."

            It looked like either a thin stew or a thick soup, but it was very good.

Rayvin watched her for a moment, then spoke again, "you are tired and weary, I will sing for you while you eat."

As Savina ate gratefully, feeling her body energize, Rayvin sang, her beautiful voice sad and harmonious. After a moment, Nor joined her, his deep voice blending with her high one. Savina barely finished her tealiye and set the bowl down when she felt herself drifting and soon she was asleep.