My Past: His Name

I awoke to the sting of my wounds being redressed.

A gasp of pain escaped me as I sat up. At first there was a moment of panic as my mind tried to place what had happened. Why I had been in Mordor and was now on a bed in a strange room? Then my memory kicked in and I recalled the battle with the orcs and how I had gotten the injury. As well as that figure

"The manwho?" were my first words back to consciousness.

A strong hand gently pushed me back into the pillows. "Settle down elfling. I need to finish binding your wound so you won't take infection. Orc arrows are nasty things to be hit with, love. You're very lucky it was not poisoned." The voice was a tad gruff but the words were gentle. As my eyes adjusted to the gloom of the chamber they came to rest on its only other occupant. A woman who appeared human. Her eyes and hair were a dark brown and her skin was tanned. She had the look of one who spent most her life outside on the land. Yet her skill with my wound proved that wasn't all she did.

She smiled brightly at me. And I nearly ran from my skin. Her teeth were pointed! I studied her closer and noticed that her ears and nose looked off as well. Almost melted. The only thing that kept me still was that she had shown no malice towards me.

"Are you human?" I asked rather uncertain.

She seemed amused and laughed at that question. "Your eyes are sharp in the dark, my dear elfling. No I am not human though I am trying desperately to master this form. The subtleties give me problems. I much prefer roaming the land as a serpent."

That's when I understood. I was a little confused as to who would be out around Mordor and willing to help a stranger against a band of orcs. These were skin-changers. I had heard rumors of a clan living around these mountains. But I had never expected to meet one, let alone a group of them, here.

I look at the woman with a new sense of wonder. "You're a skin-changer? I've never met one before"

She smiled warmly. "Yes I am and few have. We do prefer to keep to ourselves."

"Thank you. For rescuing me. If your friends had not come when they did I would surely be digested by now. I owe you my life and gratitude for that."

She chuckled. "It was not I who chose to save you elfling. That was all our leader's decision. He's been keeping an eye on you for a few days. He is curious as to why you are this close to Mordor, alone?"

"I was following a group of orcs. Their scouting parties have increased in number of late and I was wondering if I could gain any insight as to their intents."

"Alone to their master's front step?"

"I am a ranger. We usually travel alone. Though I admit to being a bit foolish in this case. I should have been more wary."

"Indeed you should have. A lone elf in these parts is not safe. You've attracted a fare deal of attention."

I looked at her in surprise. "I have? But I've been careful to cover my tracks and I surely have not disturbed much in my passing."

She reached out and gave my hand an affectionate pat. "You did well for an elf I guess. But you've gotten our leader's attention as well as the orcs and several other creatures. If the orcs had not gotten to you, something far larger, and hungrier would have."

I stared up at her in surprise.

"Now, I expect you to stay in bed at least a couple more days and not move around much. Even though your elven healing abilities are strong you did lose a lot of blood and need time to recover. I'll be by to check in on you and bring you some food. Alright? Now I have other matters to attend to. If you need anything just give a holler and someone will hear."

I nodded at the instructions. Still a bit dazed that I had been so careless in my tracking. "Wait a moment, may I know your name?"

She smiled warmly at me before opening the door to my room. "It's Shassma, love. Try to get some rest?" With that she shut the door.

I burrowed into the covers but could not rest. My mind was too active with excitement. I was in a skin-changer's clan. This was not something most elves could boast. My curiosity got the better of me and I tossed back the covers. There was a simple dark robe tossed over a chair by my bed that I slid over my head.

The room was simple. It had a bed, and a chair, and the table beside the bed with a jug of water on it. One wall had a door and the opposite a slotted window that let in a moonbeam from the night's full moon.

I remained seated for a bit gauging my strength. Finally I stood and walked to the door. Cautiously I swung it open and peered outside. There was a long dark hallway lit by torches on the walls. Other doors lined it and I presumed they were rooms similar to mine. The hallway came to an abrupt end to the left of my room. While to the right it descended down a staircase.

Naturally, I took the stairs. The stairway curved downward and I admit that the feeling of claustrophobia began to rise in me. I was used to the open elven architecture. This fortress seemed to be hewn out of the cliffs of Mordor. With the sole purpose of keeping the light out. Even the dim torches seemed to evaporate into the cold walls of stone. As the stairway continued to descend in what seemed to be a never-ending serpent's spiral I began to feel weak. The unbreaking monotony of the steps and walls was making me drowsy. While the smoke from the torches seemed to close its grip about my lungs.

It was with great relief that I stepped onto a landing and the stairs ended. I steadied myself against a wall and just took the liberty of breathing for a few minutes. Then I gathered my strength and padded on my bare feet into the next corridor. To my intense delight I found one side of this hallway open to the outside world. Intricate arches with adorning sculptures were hewn from the rock. The other side of the hallway was lined with tapestries and between them open arched doorways.

I walked over to the open side of the hall eager to have the moonlight on my face. I leaned against one of the pillars and looked down at my surroundings. To my surprise I did not see the desolate wasteland that was the disease of Mordor. Instead, my eyes took in a garden with trees, flowers and even a spring of fresh water. The cliffs rose on all sides cradling this oasis. As I had suspected the fortress was carved directly into the rock. I was amazed that this place had been kept such a secret. It must have taken years to cut this from the stone and many a dwarf craftsmen at that. Along with the fact that such beauty was here in Mordor. I was astounded.

So intent was I on the garden below and the organic stone that I missed the footsteps completely. It was not until the voice whispered directly behind my ear that I knew I was not alone.

"I thought Shassma told you to remain still?"

I turned so quickly I feared my body might have been driven into the rock. As I swiveled my eyes came to look directly into the amber of another's. It was him. The one who had kneeled over me before. In the bright moonlight I could see that he had taken the appearance of an elf. I strained to make out the color of his straight hair in the skewered light and it seemed to be white.

"She did, but I was restless and curious, and I felt confined." I managed to get out.

"Ah yes, I forget that elves become distressed when they are cut off from the world. Forgive my thoughtlessness. I shall have your room relocated to somewhere with a view."

"That is not necessary. I am more than happy with what you have kindly offered me. I am also grateful for your assistance. I would have died had you not intervened. Thank you, I am in your dept." It was the royal training in me. "Though if it wouldn't be an inconvenience the view would be greatly appreciated." And that was my honesty.

He was watching my every movement. I could see that he was judging and analyzing me. It was a bit unnerving that his attention was so focused upon me. Did I seem like such a threat?

"And who are you, that has come alone to Mordor, and is now owing to me?"

"I am Elrohir of Rivendell. May I ask your identity?"

A spark of interest seemed to ignite in his eyes. "Elrond's youngest son? I have heard of your father's valor and your sister's beauty through out the elven lands. I was unaware that such beauty was shared by her sibling."

I as officially speechless. My face and ears began to flush in embarrassment. The other seemed amused at this reaction. I finally managed to find my tongue and force it into usefulness. "Thank you, but I'm sure your flattery is but to lift my spirits and not true."

"Then you accuse me of a falsehood, in my own manor, above the ears of my people?"

I was momentarily startled at the prospect of offending him. "I apologize for that's not what I intended."

"Then what did you intend by it?"

"It's justno one has complemented me like that before. I knew not how to accept it."

"Perhaps gracefully, when next time a complement if offered, and refrain from turning defensive."

"I shall try."

We watched each other in silence then. He continued to judge me while I simply couldn't seem to locate my eyes elsewhere. Once again my curiosity surfaced. "What's it like?"

"What is what like?"

"How does it feel to change your form? I mean as you're changing, does it hurt at all?"

He seemed thoughtful for a moment. "At first it does hurt. It's like stretching and pulling all of your muscles at once. There is always a few moments of disorientation as you get used to your center of balance and the momentum of your new body. But after a while and with practice it becomes habit. You learn to morph smoothly like a liquid and it's not as awkward a feeling."

"So it hurts at first but you get accustomed to the feeling?"

He smiled softly. "That is correct."

"What are you most comfortable as?"

He tilted his head and regarded me with a look of mock rebuttal. "My, aren't you the curious one? That is a very personal question elf. Some skin-changers would become offended at such an inquiry. It would be like asking you if I could see your underclothes."

"I did not know"

He laughed a low, dark chuckle. "Just be sure not to ask another of my race such a thing. I shall forgive you for it this once. But they may not be so generous. And I should hate to see you struck down by one of my people."

"I should hate to see that as well." I replied in all truth.

He once again smiled at me in amusement. And I returned the smile this time. I also found myself leaning rather heavily against the pillar as sleep began to slink into my body. But my stubbornness held me still as I was determined to learn more of the man before me. "How long as this place been here? I am amazed that such a haven could be found here and still be unknown to the elves."

"The elves are not omnipotent. They know not every whisper that sweeps across Arda. Though their arrogance to the other races may have it seem otherwise. This manor has been here for a long enough time to make it old even to the eyes of an elf. Though the exact date of its construction I'm uncertain of."

I frowned. "Not all elves believe themselves so superior to others as you suggest. I know we have our faults and are as vulnerable as any other living thing. But we have been around this land and when a place is built on the hills of Mordor it would seem odd that it not come to our attention."

"Perhaps your race was looking elsewhere at the time."

"It is possible." I conceded. "But still peculiar." The pillar at my back was supporting most of my weight. My wound was starting to throb uncomfortably, yet my stubbornness sustained me.

"Is it so inconceivable that the elves would miss one thing in these Mountains?"

"No, 'tis not inconceivable and more than likely that we do. But this is a rather large thing to miss." I mentally cursed the structural integrity of the hall as it began to spin and blur. While the pain in my shoulder exploded into my chest and arm.

"It can only be missed when one knows where to look for it. This home is well hidden and protected by more than just the mountains that cradle it." He paused as his sharp eyes studied my features closely. "Elrohir, are you well?"

"No, not really." I clutched at my wound and sank to the floor gasping. "It burns."

He knelt beside me and reached under my chin titling my face towards him. He studied my pupils for a moment then gently pushed the robe off my shoulder to inspect the bandages. "It burns? How so?"

I couldn't breath. "My chestburning spasms"

The bandages were soaked through with the crimson life of my blood. He frowned and a dagger appeared in his hand, which he used to slice them off. He peeled back the coverings while my world began to close up around me. "SHASSMA!"

I reached out and clutched and the man and my body began to spasm. It was taking all my will just to pull in enough air to fill my lungs. There was a noise of scales moving against stone then another rustle and popping noises.

"Yesssss, draug?"

"Did you flush the wound with the anti-venom as I asked you?" The figure's voice was calm as I desperately fought for my life at his knees.

"No I did not. Therre wass no ssign of a poissson on the arrrrow."

"Not all poisons are easily detected Shassma. You know the orcs have been experimenting with spider's venom and there is now way for even your sense of smell to pick it up. Which you obviously failed to." He gestured to me thrashing helplessly.

A new voce, rougher and deeper joined the conversation and added to my stress a great deal. "It is merely an elf. Slit its throat and toss it back to the orcs. It's worthless for nothing but a meal anyway."

"He is my guest and I would prefer to have him healthy. Your disregard for my interests is rather distressing to my ears Timlal. But I am feeling generous tonight and shall take it as a momentary lapse of your senses. Do not let me catch such a lapse again. Shassma, fetch the anti-venom and bring it to my chambers."

I was lifted and only vaguely aware of what went on around my body. The one who had suggested slitting my throat followed us into a room where I was set upon a bed. My own breathing was harsh and painful in my ears while my eyes rolled about in search of focus.

"Bring me the soft leather ties. I must bind him to end his thrashing so Shassma can re mend the wound." There was a snort and some movement before I felt my legs and arms being secured. The Amber eyed figure stroked my cheek with a startlingly cool hand. "Shush now Elrohir. Save your strength for healing and do not waste it now."

It wasn't really as though I had any control over my body at the moment. Though my struggles did lessen and a rather pleased look crossed the figure's face. Shassma returned quickly and something that was mind devastatingly painful was placed on my wound.

"Dinrogion, your interest is in dire need of a spine I fear."

"I would like to ssee you take thissss venom any better Timlal." Shassma spat back at him. "I'm amazed the elfling yet lives."

"Though if he does not, it shall be you I hold accountable." Dinrogion's smooth voice stated coldly.

I chose this moment to sink back into the bliss that is the numb unconscious world.