Savina followed the girl down the stairs, trying to keep up with her quick gait. Her mind spun unpleasantly, her thoughts blending and mingling and making her head pound horribly.

            Fragments of a plan were formulating in her mind. She could pretend she was cooperating with her father and that she had turned to darkness, but really she would be waiting for an opportunity to free her friends. It sounded like a good plan.

            Olivia stopped at the bottom of the stairs and yanked the door open, then stood back to let Savina pass through the door before her.

            Savina stepped out into the courtyard and looked around at the mass of creatures.

            A MoonElf paused in his work and looked her up and down, his eyes narrowed, "we have a new servant, do we?"

            Olivia slammed the door shut and shook her head, "not exactly," she glanced at Savina in dismay, "she's the daughter."

            The MoonElf dropped the bag he was carrying and stared at her in openmouthed astonishment, "the daughter," he sputtered, "but that means…" he stopped and regained control of himself, "I must spread the word." With that he dashed off, completely forgetting about the bag he'd dropped.

            Savina stared after him, shocked, what did they mean the daughter? She suspected it had something to do with Sauron's desire to take over he body because her and her father's souls had been connected and the switch would be easy for him. She shuddered and jumped as she felt a tug at her arm.

            Olivia stared at her coldly, "would it please you to be shown to your room?"

            "Oh, yes," Savina stammered and followed her quickly through the hustle and bustle to the foot of another, smaller tower.

            Olivia yanked the door open and stared at her until she passed. She slammed the door behind them, leaving them in complete darkness. Then a torch flared and Olivia motioned to the stairs, "follow me."

            Savina followed her up another twisting fireplace much shorter than the other one. Another door opened and Savina followed Olivia into a large room, only slightly less empty than the Dark Lord's room. The only difference was that the room was furnished with a bed and that it was much brighter.

            "If you need anything," Olivia said in a frigid voice as she used the torch to light other torches along the walls, "all you have to do is open the door and call."

            Savina sat down on the edge of the bed, feeling filthy and wondering if she was going to leave a filth mark on the gray bed blanket, "thank you, but where…" she glanced around, "is there somewhere I can wash?"

            Olivia sighed and motioned to the corner, where Savina had neglected to notice a bathtub and washbasin. She turned to leave, then glanced over her shoulder, "oh, there are some clothes that should fit you in that cabinet," she pointed to a large oak cabinet against the wall, "we've been expecting you for quite a while." She opened the door and was about to leave when Savina called out to her.

"Thank you!"

            She paused in the doorway, studying Savina carefully, her black eyes hard and cold, then she snapped, "you'll thank me soon enough," and left, slamming the door behind her.

            Savina swallowed hard, confused at Olivia's hostility. She wondered if Olivia was a reluctant servant to her father who was still good and perhaps she thought Savina had purposely come to help evil reach it's fullest extent. It would definitely explain the attitude. With a sigh, Savina filled the tub with hot water and stripped off her clothes, glad to be free of the stiff, mud and blood caked garments. She lowered herself into the tub and sighed in contentment.

            It took three times of emptying and refilling the tub until her body and hair were fully clean. She dried her hair on a black cloth hanging near the tub and wondered what to do about clothes, she couldn't exactly put on the ones she'd just taken off and she had no others. She remembered what Olivia had said about there being clothes in the cabinet and pulled it open to have a look.

            There were three dresses, all of them black, floor-length, and long-sleeved. She sighed and pulled one of them over her head, marveling at the pleasant feeling of clean clothes against her clean skin.

            She realized she had thrown her clothes on the floor and bent to pick them up. As she did, something fell out of the pocket of her vest and clattered to the floor. She dropped her clothes in a heap and bent to retrieve it…it was the comb Gimli had given her. She smiled and ran her finger of the chip caused by the arrow and remembered how it had saved her life. Her heart ached as she wondered if Gimli and the others were still alive. She tucked the comb into the pocket of her dress and decided that if they weren't, maybe she could finish their quest and save the hobbits.

            Then she heard a noise behind her and saw Olivia opening the door and entering, her right hand hidden behind her back. She'd changed her clothes into black pants and a black tunic and she had an odd expression on her face.

Savina opened her mouth to speak to the maid, but she never got a chance.

            Olivia lunged at her, grabbing her by the hair and raising her right hand to reveal a wicked looking dagger. She knocked Savina to the ground and pinned her, raising the dagger high above Savina's face, "you will die!" she declared through clenched teeth.

            Savina hit Olivia's right arm as hard as she could, sending the dagger clattering away across the floor to under the bed.

            The two girls wrestled fiercely, Savina trying to throw Olivia off of her and Olivia apparently trying to choke her.

            Olivia seized Savina by her throat and slammed her head against the floor, "Sauron will not rise to power!"

            Savina clawed frantically at Olivia's hands, "I'm…not…" she choked out.

            "What?" Olivia loosened her grip slightly, "what does evil's servant have to say? Make them good words, they will be your last."

            Gagging, Savina struggled to breathe, "I'm not evil! I came here with a human, an elf, and a dwarf, the remaining members of the Fellowship of the Ring to rescue two other members," Savina coughed, "hobbits…Merry and Pippin."

            Olivia stared at her with narrowed eyes, "and it is just coincidence that you are the daughter of the man currently hosting Sauron's spirit? It's just coincidence that you are reported to have died days ago, stabbed to death, and yet you show up, walking through the gates? The exact person Sauron needs to rise to full power?" She gave a harsh laugh, "that is a lovely coincidence," she tightened her grip around Savina's neck, "I will not let evil win!"

            Savina started to see white dots before her eyes, "I tell the truth!"

            The hands around her throat loosened, but Olivia remained sitting on top of her, staring down at her, considering. Then, all at once, she rose to her feet and offered her hand, "I misjudged you, I am sorry."

            Savina rolled onto her stomach, rubbing her throat and struggling to breath. She pushed herself to her feet, ignoring Olivia's hand that had recently tried to kill her. She staggered back against the wall and glared at Olivia indignantly.

            Olivia bit her lip, her cheeks flushing, "I'm truly sorry, I…"

            "Forget it," Savina grimaced and rubbed her throbbing throat, thinking her windpipes may have been smashed. She sighed and ran her hand through her hair, which was pleasantly clean, "since we both seem to be on the side of good," Olivia blushed again, "do you know anything about a group consisting of a human, an elf, and a dwarf?"

            "Yes, they were brought in yesterday…"

            "Where are they?" Savina interrupted.

            Olivia shrugged, "I don't know, the dungeons, I suppose."

            "Did my father…" Savina paused, "did the Dark Lord show any special interest in them?"

            "I don't think so," Olivia shook her head.

            "Perfect," Savina smiled, then she stopped, a disturbing thought coming to her mind, "are they…are they being tortured?"

            "Of course not," Olivia brushed her black hair out of her eyes, "why would the Dark Lord torture them if they could be put to work making swords or doing other work?"

            Savina sighed in relief, then slumped down onto the, her body feeling like it was made of stone.

            Olivia seemed to notice, she opened the door, "you should rest, I'll go alert the others that you are not evil after all."

            "Ok," Savina yawned, then she had a second thought, "Olivia?" The maid poked her head back into the room, "let's keep this a secret."

            Olivia's forehead wrinkled in confusion, but she nodded, "as you wish, but there may be other attempts on your life…"

            "I can handle it," Savina snapped and pulled the covers back.

            Olivia studied her for a moment, then smiled and nodded, "as you wish."

            Savina was asleep before the door closed.