Disclaimer: See previous chapters. This story is AU just to remind you.

A/N: I haven't checked my reviews yet, but I will before I finish this chapter out. While riding my bike this morning I had a sudden spurt of inspiration for this story. Because I like to leave you with cliffhangers it was impossible for me to carry out my idea.

Replies to reviews are posted at the bottom of this chapter. Please enjoy.

Chapter Nine

Natheild and I were finally off to the dressmaker with no more accidents along the way. When we finally reached the shop my mind was again telling me not to trust my new master until I knew what his intentions really were. No mortal would be this kind to an elf unless he had motive to do so and increase or get something out of it for himself. No, my heart told me this was not so with my new master, but my silly head would not let me believe otherwise.

'Come, Beth, we will be late if you dottle behind so,' he turned to smile at me, but I was lost in memory. The last person who had called me 'Beth' had been Emit all those long years ago when my children.... No, I could allow myself to think of them.

'Give the babes to the hogs,' Emit shot me a parting smirk. I could barely contain my anger. How dare he kill me poor innocent children.

'You cannot kill my children! They have done nothing to you. What right have you to kill them?' I could not contain myself as I lashed out at Emit.

He turned with an evil grin on his face, 'It takes two to make them, Beth. Your- those things are nothing but pathetic forms of life. How would you take care of them anyway. I do not allow bastards on my property.'

It suddenly struck me, my children were illegitimate. Even though they were I still loved them dearly and would try to protect them against the evils of this world. Then men came and took them away from me and forced me to watch as the wild pigs killed them for sport.

I was brought out of my reverie when I tripped going up the steps, but Natheild caught me before I had the chance to fall. 'Thank you, sir.' Then I scrambled up the steps before I could do anything I would regret later.

'Here we go,' he was suddenly in front of me holding the door open for me. I tried to hold the door for him but he only replied, 'Ladies first.' I could do nothing but comply and enter before him.

'Natheild!' A young girl came running out of the back room and fairly jumped into his arms. He gave her a warm embrace. 'I haven't seen you in forever. How have you been faring lately?' Her smile radiated a love that few could have surpassed. It was obvious to me that this she was his lover.

'Sariah, where is Ammë? I need to talk with her.' He put the girl back on solid ground and gave her a quick kiss on the forehead.

She smiled up at him and looked at him with amazement in her eyes. 'There, in the back room. Shall I fetch her for you?'

'No, that will not be necessary. I shall go retrieve her myself.' He was about to walk back when a voice was heard coming from the room.

'Oh, no you shall not. I am quiet capable of getting out here all on my own.' An elderly woman hobbled out from behind the curtain. 'Nath, how are you, my boy?' He ran to the old woman and helped her to sit down on the chair near the fire.

'It is wonderful to see you again, mother.' Mother! This woman was my master's mother? I could scarily believe what I had just heard. 'I have missed you very much over the past year.'

'Has your father been treating you well?' The woman questioned. 'Tell me, my son, he does not know of Sariah. Tell me that he does not. I lost one child to him, I will not lose another.'

'No, he does not know of her, but he has had a change of heart. No instead of supporting the slave trade he is trying to help them and free as many as he can. You have no need to fear he might take her away.' His mother caressed his face in a motherly way, admiring her son. They were alike in appearance, but not so much as in character.

She finally spotted me, over in a dark corner where I had been observing them. 'Come here, child. Let me get a good look at you.' I stepped from the shadows but kept my eyes to the floor. 'You are an Elf.' She did not say it with hatred, but rather with pity. Could these people not understand that I did not want their pity! 'Where did you come from?'

'Lothlorien,' my answer was barely able to be heard, but she did hear it. A look of wonder passed across her face as she looked at me.

'You are of kin to the Galadrim? I did not know that slavers would take such a risk and go so near the boarders of that land,' she looked at me with compassion in her gaze. The woman was well versed in Elvish lore for she knew the name we called ourselves.

'I would have thought that with your dark hair you would not be of the Silvian race that dwells there. More in appearance of the Elves of Imladris. Do you know of Lord Elrond?'

'Yes, I know him. We do not see eye to eye though.' I tried to hide my feelings, but she could see right through my false front.

'I see,' she laughed, 'the Lord of Rivendell is not one of your favorite people.' She smiled, 'I must confess Elrond and I do not get along well either. If that is any comfort for you.' I looked up at her. I suddenly realize that she was also of Elvish blood.

~*~

Lionel looked at me with contempt. How dare I speak out against him? 'String them both up.' With that the master of the house left. I could not image what that was suppose to mean, but it did not sound good. Suddenly my world went black and I was unconscious again.

When I finally regained consciousness it was because of a strange pain in my arms. My eyes finally focused and I found myself suspended over a large cistern by my arms. There was a large wooden beam that was attached to my feet so that I could stand. Right next to me was Aragorn, he had not yet awakened. This was all my fault and I felt terrible.

He moaned and slowly opened his eyes. 'It looks like they are finally awake, how sweet.' A voice boomed out somewhere behind us. 'The two love birds get to suffer together, its that nice.' It was Lionel taunting us.

'Lionel, let her go. She has done nothing worth this punishment. I will take her share if I must, but let her loose,' he struggled against the bonds. 'Please, listen to me for once! If you set her free you may have your way with my punishment, but do not harm her. If I....'

'Who said we were going to let her go?' Lionel was now standing in front of us. 'There will be no "if" little brother. Aragorn, you have finally crossed the line. I have been waiting to do this for a long, long time.' He struck out and punched Aragorn along the side of the head.

'I will not cry out, no matter how much you torture me. You lack in brain's, but beating me up will not help you at all.' Aragorn laughed in his face. This only made him madder.

'You will regret that, Aragorn. I will not let her go now, but you shall have your wish. Twice as much as you would otherwise receive. Her first,' he was about to grab something, then changed his mind. Lionel fastened Aragorn's perch, for that is what it was like, so that he was forced to watch my persecution.

Lionel now grabbed a whip made out of thin leather straps that had little pieces of glass and other sharp things attached to the end. The first blow landed on my shoulders, but I would not cry out for it was what he wanted me to do. The consistent landing of the whip against my back lacerated my skin. The pain was so intense that I could not hold back the tears anymore.

I could not help but cry out in pain, 'O Elbereth! Gilthoniel!' The fiery torment he had been raining down on my shoulders stopped, but that was not to last for long. He untied me from where I had been hanging and forced me to lie down upon a sheet of cold metal.

'No!' I heard Aragorn cry out, 'You cannot do that to her! If you do she will surely die from such evil. Lionel, I beg of you, do not do it! Her blood will be upon your hands.' He clearly paid no attention what so ever to the pleas of Aragorn.

He brought something down from the ceiling. Then he forced it through what was left of my skin. It was a large hook that was made just for the purpose of piercing the flesh. Lionel grabbed a lever from next to the place I was laying. He pulled back and suddenly million of nails were cutting into the front of me. There was a rope latched to the hooks that were in my back. Lionel took it and started to pull. It pulled the skin from my back and took me a few inches off the table of nails, then he let me drop. This was repeated over and over again till I was screaming and slipped into the realm of dreams. But even my dreams were not pleasant.

I do not know what devices of torment were used on Aragorn, but in the morning he was in a much worse condition than I was. They provided me with some water and a few herbs, but I was not skilled in the art of healing and had always trusted my father or brothers to take care of all my needs. Aragorn finally awoke and he showed me, the best he could, what I needed to do with the plants I had been given.

Reply to the Reviewers:

No new reviewers. *sits down and cries* Okay! All better now. *pulls out a sword* Where are they. I will find them and force them to review. *thinks* No, then I would be out numbered. Better get Legolas to help me then they will all review because they love him. NOT FAIR!!!!! Orli looks like my cousin Heather, I am serious.

A/N: This was an interesting chapter to write. I thought up the torture all by myself! It was so much fun to be able to torment the characters for once. Professor Tolkien is probably rolling in his grave from reading this. The chapters will get longer the further I progress with this story. I have to go take an Algebra test now so I will leave you to read this.