Title: First Sight
Chapter: 8: Trust Me
Author: Alkalphiel and The Scribe
Summary: Shocking peril, the promise of a daring resuce, and true love found at last, like any good story.
Feedback: Yes, please! Post reviews or email alkalphiel@yahoo.com
A/N: The Scribe: Usual disclaimers apply. *Text* indicates thought.
Alkalphiel: Thank you for your kind attention thus far. Here, finally, is some daring-do!
~*~
I came to in a windowless room, an oddity in the palace of Mirkwood. It was dimly lit and smelt a bit musty. My first reaction was to sit up and see what more I could determine, but I quickly realized that all I could determine of the situation was that the ropes that held me hampered my ability to sit up.
Perhaps fifteen minutes later, I managed the impressive feat of rocking myself into a kneeling position. The rope around my wrists was tethered to the one around my ankles, making anything other than kneeling near impossible. However, I did at least have full control of my head.
As I looked around the room, something occurred to me. Whoever had tied me up and left me here, presumably Quellepaural, hadn't bothered to gag me. Windowless room, lack of gag . . . apparently screaming for help wasn't an issue. I congratulated myself on my remarkable composure in the face of capture and my perceptive and deductive skills. Then I saw them.
Five other Elven women lay tied on the floor of the room, bound as I was and still unconscious. King Thranduil's words from so long ago - had it really only been last night? - echoed in my mind. "He has discovered five other elves with stories amazingly similar to yours, right down to the detail of their false soul mate's name: Quellepaural." These must be the five.
I watched them breathe for a while, wriggling my wrists occasionally against their bindings. I had some vague idea of working my way loose, but that hope soon gave way to the reality of rope burn and I abandoned it. Observing some more, I noticed that I was farthest from the door. When the Elf nearest to me began to stir, I guessed that we'd been dumped in an order starting with the back of the room - me - and progressing to the door and the most recent abductee.
My musings were interrupted by the awakening of the Elf near me. She was striking, as most Elves are. Long chocolate brown hair and glorious silver eyes which fluttered open and fixed on me in confusion. "Who are you? Where are we? What's happening?"
"Peace, my lady. My name is Alkalphiel. I would guess that we are somewhere in the basement of the palace of Mirkwood, although I do not know for certain. As for what is happening, I have only a small hypothesis. Please tell me, have you encountered a guardsman known as Quellepaural?"
Her eyes widened. "Yes. Prince Legolas said that he was being taken care of, and that I had no need to fear. He was wrong, I take it." A lovely wry sense of humor was surfacing in this Elf, even under pressure, and I found myself hoping that we would live long enough to become friends. She finished looking me over with an appraising glance and added, "I am Lessien."
"I'm pleased to meet you, Lessien. Do you know any of the others shut in here with us, by chance?"
"I might if I could see them. How did you manage to sit up?"
"It involves rocking slightly to the side, rolling quickly on to one's back, and sitting up immediately. Otherwise, your arms will lose blood flow. The sitting up part is quite the abdominal work out . . . ."
Lessien grinned at me. "I would imagine. Hang on, I'll try it."
After a few false starts, Lessien got herself upright. She turned her head to examine her ropes, which were the same as mine. Turning to the other side, Lessien noted that the third Elf was waking. "It's Inwë. We must have been taken in quick succession, to be waking in such short order."
"Indeed. Do you recognize the other three?"
"It's too dark for me to really see the farthest two, but the next of us in line I know. Her name is Lúthien."
We sat in silence for a few moments until something occurred to me. "Lessien, when did Quellepaural . . . ah . . . well, when did you meet him?"
She furrowed her brow at me. "Do you mean the date upon which he deceived me? I'm not sure why that's relevant, but -"
"No," I broke in. "I mean the order. Do you know if he - well, deceived is as good a term as any - you after Inwë?"
"Oh. Yes, he did. And her after Lúthien, who not-so-coincidentally comes next in line. He made a big mistake with the three of us; after he discarded Lúthien, he moved on to Inwë and me with no regard for the closeness of our friendship. Inwë was the one who finally let it slip to Lúthien and me, and we told her what had happened to us. That was why we had the courage to tell Prince Legolas - it couldn't possibly be that all three of us were . . . wrong." Lessien looked away as she nearly whispered the last word, reliving the recent fear that something was inherently flawed about her.
I smiled, recognizing the fear but recognizing something else, too. She and the other two had confided in Prince Legolas not because they trusted him but because they trusted each other. *Take that, O Prince of ego.*
*'Prince of ego,' hmm? I suppose I deserved that.*
My eyes went wide, and if I hadn't been tied up I think I would have jumped. *Who are you, and why are you talking in my head?*
Lessien's gaze was back on me, her eyes searching for what had alarmed me. "Alkalphiel, what is it?"
"Hold on. Something strange is happening."
*It's Legolas, of course. Silly Elf, don't you realize what a life bond means?*
I could feel his teasing and the affection underlying it. *Legolas? I mean - *
*Don't you even think of referring to me as 'Prince.' I spend enough time being 'majestied' and 'highnessed' as it is without having to suffer it inside the head of my soul mate.*
*Soul mate, huh? I guess this is incontrovertible proof. Wait, why couldn't we do this before? Why didn't you just use this to prove to me that our bond was real?*
*I couldn't speak to you until you opened yourself to me. The instant you decided to 'give it a try,' I believe was the phrase, I felt it. Unfortunately, I felt many more disturbing things shortly thereafter. Alkalphiel, where are you?*
*In a windowless room with five other women. We're all tied hand and foot, and two of the others are still unconscious.* I heard Lessien and Inwë whispering together. *Why didn't you talk to me as soon as I woke up?*
*I couldn't. Whatever knocked you out blocked your telepathy. You cleared it when you directed that . . . rather tart thought at me. What happened to you?*
*Quellepaural attacked me. He got into my room and pressed a cloth over my face - something with a cloyingly sweet scent. It knocked me out, and I woke up here, where ever this is. Legolas, is there a way to block this bond, or are we to be constantly in each other's heads from here on?*
*That's my pragmatic Alkalphiel. I promise to teach you all you've ever wanted to know about our bond, AFTER I've rescued you. Who else is with you? You said five others?*
*The Elf nearest me is called Lessien. Next to her is Inwë and then Lúthien. Lessien couldn't tell who the other two were. I'll ask and see if Inwë or Lúthien is awake and able to see them.*
I'd closed my eyes in my efforts to focus internally and I opened them to find Lessien looking at me expectantly. She'd helped Inwë and Lúthien to sit up and beyond them I could see the last two Elves stirring. "It seems that we have an unexpected advantage," I told them. "Prince Legolas and I are able to communicate telepathically."
Inwë leveled a look full of doubt at me and started to say something, but Lessien cut her off. "Well, we take anything we can get. Is he coming to rescue us?"
"Perhaps. He doesn't know where we are or what Quellepaural intends. He would like to know who the other two Elves are, though."
Lúthien looked sideways to the other two. "Excuse me, what are your names?"
They both looked up at her in shock. The one nearest the door began babbling, repeating "Where are we? Who are all of you? What's happening?"
Lessien grinned at me. "Those are sensible questions, when asked once."
Fortunately for us, the Elf next to Lúthien shushed the last Elf. "I'm Maranwë, and that's Nápoldë. You, I take it, are the others Quellepaural . . . ."
"Deceived is the term we're using," Lessien supplied. "I'm Lessien. Between us you see Inwë and Lúthien. To my other side is Alkalphiel. Now that we've all met, we should investigate escaping." This last was announced in far too chipper a voice for our situation.
Lessien continued to cheerfully take control of the situation, directing Maranwë and Nápoldë in sitting up and getting everyone to wriggle their wrists. I turned my attention back inward to Legolas.
*Their names are Maranwë and Nápoldë. They say they are the other two Quellepaural deceived.*
*Then it is as I feared. Alkalphiel, you six are the only real evidence against him. An Elf as desperate as he has shown himself to be may have decided that his only course of action is to forcibly prevent you from testifying against him.*
Cold fear gripped my heart. *You mean he might kill us?*
*Courage, Alkalphiel. I will not allow that to happen. Trust me.*
*How can I not?* I replied teasingly. *You are in my head!*
*Now, I need you to describe the room to me. None of the servants saw you removed from the palace, so you must be in one of the many storage rooms.*
Chapter: 8: Trust Me
Author: Alkalphiel and The Scribe
Summary: Shocking peril, the promise of a daring resuce, and true love found at last, like any good story.
Feedback: Yes, please! Post reviews or email alkalphiel@yahoo.com
A/N: The Scribe: Usual disclaimers apply. *Text* indicates thought.
Alkalphiel: Thank you for your kind attention thus far. Here, finally, is some daring-do!
~*~
I came to in a windowless room, an oddity in the palace of Mirkwood. It was dimly lit and smelt a bit musty. My first reaction was to sit up and see what more I could determine, but I quickly realized that all I could determine of the situation was that the ropes that held me hampered my ability to sit up.
Perhaps fifteen minutes later, I managed the impressive feat of rocking myself into a kneeling position. The rope around my wrists was tethered to the one around my ankles, making anything other than kneeling near impossible. However, I did at least have full control of my head.
As I looked around the room, something occurred to me. Whoever had tied me up and left me here, presumably Quellepaural, hadn't bothered to gag me. Windowless room, lack of gag . . . apparently screaming for help wasn't an issue. I congratulated myself on my remarkable composure in the face of capture and my perceptive and deductive skills. Then I saw them.
Five other Elven women lay tied on the floor of the room, bound as I was and still unconscious. King Thranduil's words from so long ago - had it really only been last night? - echoed in my mind. "He has discovered five other elves with stories amazingly similar to yours, right down to the detail of their false soul mate's name: Quellepaural." These must be the five.
I watched them breathe for a while, wriggling my wrists occasionally against their bindings. I had some vague idea of working my way loose, but that hope soon gave way to the reality of rope burn and I abandoned it. Observing some more, I noticed that I was farthest from the door. When the Elf nearest to me began to stir, I guessed that we'd been dumped in an order starting with the back of the room - me - and progressing to the door and the most recent abductee.
My musings were interrupted by the awakening of the Elf near me. She was striking, as most Elves are. Long chocolate brown hair and glorious silver eyes which fluttered open and fixed on me in confusion. "Who are you? Where are we? What's happening?"
"Peace, my lady. My name is Alkalphiel. I would guess that we are somewhere in the basement of the palace of Mirkwood, although I do not know for certain. As for what is happening, I have only a small hypothesis. Please tell me, have you encountered a guardsman known as Quellepaural?"
Her eyes widened. "Yes. Prince Legolas said that he was being taken care of, and that I had no need to fear. He was wrong, I take it." A lovely wry sense of humor was surfacing in this Elf, even under pressure, and I found myself hoping that we would live long enough to become friends. She finished looking me over with an appraising glance and added, "I am Lessien."
"I'm pleased to meet you, Lessien. Do you know any of the others shut in here with us, by chance?"
"I might if I could see them. How did you manage to sit up?"
"It involves rocking slightly to the side, rolling quickly on to one's back, and sitting up immediately. Otherwise, your arms will lose blood flow. The sitting up part is quite the abdominal work out . . . ."
Lessien grinned at me. "I would imagine. Hang on, I'll try it."
After a few false starts, Lessien got herself upright. She turned her head to examine her ropes, which were the same as mine. Turning to the other side, Lessien noted that the third Elf was waking. "It's Inwë. We must have been taken in quick succession, to be waking in such short order."
"Indeed. Do you recognize the other three?"
"It's too dark for me to really see the farthest two, but the next of us in line I know. Her name is Lúthien."
We sat in silence for a few moments until something occurred to me. "Lessien, when did Quellepaural . . . ah . . . well, when did you meet him?"
She furrowed her brow at me. "Do you mean the date upon which he deceived me? I'm not sure why that's relevant, but -"
"No," I broke in. "I mean the order. Do you know if he - well, deceived is as good a term as any - you after Inwë?"
"Oh. Yes, he did. And her after Lúthien, who not-so-coincidentally comes next in line. He made a big mistake with the three of us; after he discarded Lúthien, he moved on to Inwë and me with no regard for the closeness of our friendship. Inwë was the one who finally let it slip to Lúthien and me, and we told her what had happened to us. That was why we had the courage to tell Prince Legolas - it couldn't possibly be that all three of us were . . . wrong." Lessien looked away as she nearly whispered the last word, reliving the recent fear that something was inherently flawed about her.
I smiled, recognizing the fear but recognizing something else, too. She and the other two had confided in Prince Legolas not because they trusted him but because they trusted each other. *Take that, O Prince of ego.*
*'Prince of ego,' hmm? I suppose I deserved that.*
My eyes went wide, and if I hadn't been tied up I think I would have jumped. *Who are you, and why are you talking in my head?*
Lessien's gaze was back on me, her eyes searching for what had alarmed me. "Alkalphiel, what is it?"
"Hold on. Something strange is happening."
*It's Legolas, of course. Silly Elf, don't you realize what a life bond means?*
I could feel his teasing and the affection underlying it. *Legolas? I mean - *
*Don't you even think of referring to me as 'Prince.' I spend enough time being 'majestied' and 'highnessed' as it is without having to suffer it inside the head of my soul mate.*
*Soul mate, huh? I guess this is incontrovertible proof. Wait, why couldn't we do this before? Why didn't you just use this to prove to me that our bond was real?*
*I couldn't speak to you until you opened yourself to me. The instant you decided to 'give it a try,' I believe was the phrase, I felt it. Unfortunately, I felt many more disturbing things shortly thereafter. Alkalphiel, where are you?*
*In a windowless room with five other women. We're all tied hand and foot, and two of the others are still unconscious.* I heard Lessien and Inwë whispering together. *Why didn't you talk to me as soon as I woke up?*
*I couldn't. Whatever knocked you out blocked your telepathy. You cleared it when you directed that . . . rather tart thought at me. What happened to you?*
*Quellepaural attacked me. He got into my room and pressed a cloth over my face - something with a cloyingly sweet scent. It knocked me out, and I woke up here, where ever this is. Legolas, is there a way to block this bond, or are we to be constantly in each other's heads from here on?*
*That's my pragmatic Alkalphiel. I promise to teach you all you've ever wanted to know about our bond, AFTER I've rescued you. Who else is with you? You said five others?*
*The Elf nearest me is called Lessien. Next to her is Inwë and then Lúthien. Lessien couldn't tell who the other two were. I'll ask and see if Inwë or Lúthien is awake and able to see them.*
I'd closed my eyes in my efforts to focus internally and I opened them to find Lessien looking at me expectantly. She'd helped Inwë and Lúthien to sit up and beyond them I could see the last two Elves stirring. "It seems that we have an unexpected advantage," I told them. "Prince Legolas and I are able to communicate telepathically."
Inwë leveled a look full of doubt at me and started to say something, but Lessien cut her off. "Well, we take anything we can get. Is he coming to rescue us?"
"Perhaps. He doesn't know where we are or what Quellepaural intends. He would like to know who the other two Elves are, though."
Lúthien looked sideways to the other two. "Excuse me, what are your names?"
They both looked up at her in shock. The one nearest the door began babbling, repeating "Where are we? Who are all of you? What's happening?"
Lessien grinned at me. "Those are sensible questions, when asked once."
Fortunately for us, the Elf next to Lúthien shushed the last Elf. "I'm Maranwë, and that's Nápoldë. You, I take it, are the others Quellepaural . . . ."
"Deceived is the term we're using," Lessien supplied. "I'm Lessien. Between us you see Inwë and Lúthien. To my other side is Alkalphiel. Now that we've all met, we should investigate escaping." This last was announced in far too chipper a voice for our situation.
Lessien continued to cheerfully take control of the situation, directing Maranwë and Nápoldë in sitting up and getting everyone to wriggle their wrists. I turned my attention back inward to Legolas.
*Their names are Maranwë and Nápoldë. They say they are the other two Quellepaural deceived.*
*Then it is as I feared. Alkalphiel, you six are the only real evidence against him. An Elf as desperate as he has shown himself to be may have decided that his only course of action is to forcibly prevent you from testifying against him.*
Cold fear gripped my heart. *You mean he might kill us?*
*Courage, Alkalphiel. I will not allow that to happen. Trust me.*
*How can I not?* I replied teasingly. *You are in my head!*
*Now, I need you to describe the room to me. None of the servants saw you removed from the palace, so you must be in one of the many storage rooms.*