Savina walked along the wall, Olivia following at her heels, and glanced around, wishing she'd paid more attention to the rest of the tour and not been so preoccupied with thinking about Aragorn, Gimli, and Legolas…especially Legolas. She sighed and paused to watch a goblin forging a sword with a hooked tip.
Olivia glanced around, noticing that all eyes were on Savina, their future ruler. She smiled to herself, thinking of what a laugh it would be when Savina didn't turn out to be the cooperative participant that everyone thought she would be.
Savina turned at the sound of the gate opening and shouting. The shouting was in a different language and Savina didn't understand it at all.
The gate opened and a human man, dressed in dark armor entered, leading two small figured who were tied to him by ropes around their necks.
Savina's heart sank horribly as she realized what was going on.
The human dismounted and jerked the rope, sending the two hobbits sprawling onto their faces, "the ring has been found! Alert the Master!"
Savina stumbled foreword, clutching Olivia's hand and dragging her forward also, "No!"
Everyone stopped and fell silent, staring at her.
Realizing how clumsy she was, she straightened and held her head high, "my father is resting, you will imprison the hobbits in the last cell in the first floor of the dungeon with a human, an elf, and a dwarf. I will alert the Dark Lord myself."
She hadn't really expected it to work, but it did.
The human pulled the hobbits to their feet and started toward the dungeon with them and a crowd parted to form a path for her that led to the door of the highest tower.
Savina let go of Olivia's hand and walked quickly to the tower, through the door, her mind spinning and her stomach feeling like fire. She ordered Olivia to stay at the bottom of the tower and ascended the stairs alone.
She knocked at the door and took a deep breath.
"Come in," came the weak answer.
Pushing the door open, she strode into the room, trying her best to look excited.
Caburnat was sitting in his chair behind his desk, a handkerchief covered in specks of blood on the desk near his hand. He looked up at her, looking exhausted and impatient, "what is it?"
"The one ring has been found!"
"What?" he rose quickly to his feet, "is it here?"
"Yes," Savina moved closer, feeling truly excited despite herself, "I ordered the ring bearer and his companion to be put in the dungeon until you are ready…"
"I am ready," the Dark Lord stepped forward and collapsed, his legs giving out.
Acting on instinct, Savina caught him and helped him to his chair. It broke her heart to see her father dying, but he wasn't her father, she had to keep reminding herself. She stepped back and looked down at him, "you are too weak."
The Dark Lord closed his eyes, his chest heaving, "I must rest…tonight we will celebrate." He beckoned her closer and touched her cheek gently, "tonight you will rule the world. You will make the arrangements for tonight…won't you?"
Savina wanted to shrink away from his touch, but part of her longed for it. Longed for her long-lost father to take her in his arms, however wasted and frail, and hug her. Uncomfortable with the conflict in her heart, she pulled away and straightened up, "yes, father."
He smiled, then leaned his head back and was silent.
Savina watched him for a moment, her heart swelling with love, but her stomach twisting with repulsion. She backed away, then threw open the door and bolted down the stairs. She ran down the stairs so quickly her feet barely seemed to touch them, her mind swirling with one thought, "that man is not my father, that man is evil, I will be his downfall."
She reached the bottom of the tower and burst out the door, ignoring Olivia's startled look.
A group of Goblins scattered as she charged through them and headed straight for the dungeon. She flew past the Dungeon Master and came to a halt in front of the last cell.
Legolas was standing in the corner, his back to her. Gimli had his hand on the shoulder of a plump hobbit with dark blonde hair. Aragorn stood next to another hobbit, one with curly brown hair and brilliant blue eyes.
The Dungeon Master hurried up to her, "Lady, if I could be of some service…"
Savina glanced at the keys on his belt, "give me your keys."
He glanced down at where they hung on his belt, "I cannot…without permission…" he stuttered.
"In less than ten hours I will be all the permission you need," she said coldly, "give them to me now."
Flushing, he pulled them off of his belt and handed them to her.
Savina pointed to his desk, "now go back to your work."
"Yes, Lady," the Dungeon Master hurried back to his desk and sat down.
Savina ignored him and stared into the cell. Then she unlocked it and threw the door open. She pointed to the blue-eyed hobbit, "come here."
He didn't hesitate, but stepped forward boldly.
Surprised that no one tried to rush past her and escape, Savina glared down at the hobbit, "do you have the ring?"
He didn't answer for a moment, then he said in a timid but furious voice, "I won't give it to you."
"Did I ask for it?" she snapped, then she ran her hand through her tangled hair and stared at him, "your name is Frodo, isn't it?"
The hobbit didn't answer.
Aragorn stepped forward and spoke quietly, "Savina…we were worried about you."
Savina regarded him coldly, "you obviously don't need to be worried anymore."
His mouth hanging open slightly and his eyes darkening with sadness and pain, Aragorn turned away from her and put his hand on Frodo's shoulder, convinced that Savina had turned from them. Why should she be loyal to them? She had them on one hand, a rag-tag group she barely knew, and on the other she had the father she loved more than anything and the chance to rule the world.
Savina glanced at his back, feeling regretful that he thought she had turned to evil, but she couldn't help it, she couldn't betray anything to anyone. It was a mistake that Olivia knew what she did. She didn't trust anyone.
Her eyes fell on Legolas, who was half-turned away from her, and her heart gave a lurch. Then she tore her eyes from him and grabbed Frodo by the collar of his shirt, hissing quietly into his pointed little ear, "give me the ring." She thought perhaps she could hide it somewhere and give herself time to think.
He remained motionless, his face turned away from her and his small chin set in a look of determination.
Cursing and, at the same time, commending his determination and honor, she shoved him back in the cell and slammed the door shut, locking it. She tucked the keys into her pocket, shooting a challenging glance at the Dungeon Master, but he kept his eyes on his work.
She emerged into the sunlight and glanced around, not surprised to see a great crowd before the entrance of the dungeon. Savina put her hands on her hips and glanced around, then called out in a loud voice, "listen to me, tonight we will celebrate!"