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

A/N: Oooh, 32 reviews. My goodness, I didn't think I would ever have this many for this story. When I first started I thought that ten was a lot, guess I was wrong. Thank you for all the support you have given me while writing this it helps to motivate me. Not only do I write this for your pleasure, but also for my own. Now, on with the chapter!

Chapter Ten

The lady sitting in front of me was one of the strangest I had ever met. She was of elf-kind, yet she appeared old as one revered among men. Many thoughts coursed through my mind while I sat there studying her, and she me. Why did she not return to her people, she clearly had no master.

'Child, you have many questions. I can see it in your eyes. What do you wish to know?' She smiled kindly at me, but it was a sorrowful smile. For many years she had toiled and done much work that much was obvious. 'Perhaps I should begin at the beginning. That seems like the best place to start.' We all settled down around her feet and listened intently as she talked of her long life.

'It all started when I was a young elfling, around the age of eighty-five, not quiet yet of age. One day as my younger brother and I were walking around the forest of Greenwood, but it is called Mirkwood now for Sauron came made it into a dark place. Well, my brother and I were taking a short break from our studies and decided to explore outside the boundaries of the palace walls. Yes, I am my brother were the only two children of Thranduil, King of Mirkwood.

'I was quiet adventurous in those days and my brother trusted his sister's judgment. We walked through the forest hand in hand not needing to talk. Our father had never told us about the outside world so we were eager to explore the world around us. Then as she were heading back for home we came upon a group of men, but we were innocent in the ways of the world and the thought they were there to harm us did not enter our minds. Hand in hand we walked into their camp unafraid. Needless to say the leader of the group was surprised to see two young elflings walking about heedless of the goings and comings of the men who were walking and about and staring at us.

'They invited us to stay and have dinner with them. We politely declined, saying that our father would not want us about after dark and that he, in fact, did not know that we were gone. He said that our father would not likely miss us for just one night and that we had to stay and sup with them. To us these words seemed like wisdom, but it was not to be so.

'After our dinner was finished, we wished to hurry back to our home before our father became worried about us. They said that it was not polite for guest to run off directly after they had eaten, but must hear some tales of far away places. This intrigued us, for our lives were very sheltered and we had no knowledge of the outside world. Finally I knew that we would be in trouble if we were to stay any longer. "No, little missy," said the slaver, "you are ours now." I struggled against, him but to no avail.

'"Legolas, run!" I cried out to my brother, he tried to run, but they over took him in several strides. "Let him go. Take me, but leave him alone. Please, you cannot do this to us! You will have a war on your hands if you don't let us-" it was the first time anyone had ever struck me and I was shocked. "Let the boy go," ordered their leader. I cannot express my relief of them letting my little brother go. "But make sure that he does not squeal on us."

'I was forced to endure watching my younger brother's torture. They made him suffer, and said that if he were to tell about my capture they would make sure the next time would be much worse. It broke my heart to see him suffer for my sake, but at least I knew that he would be free to live his life and that there would be an heir for our kingdom.

'Many years passed as I was passed from master to master. Some were cruel and other's were indifferent. I had come to the point of no return till I was bought by a young man by the name of Rathnocane. He treated me fairly and made sure I was treated right by the other's in his household, it was all so he could gain my favor.

'He told me that he loved me and wanted to marry me, but could not wait any longer. I was innocent in the ways of men and foolishly believed every word he said. That night my boy, Natheild, was conceived, but he did not know till after the boy was partially grown. The raug took my son away and tried to teach him the ways of a slaver, but it was not to be so.' She smiled as she looked upon her son. I could see undying devotion and love in her eyes.

'But,' I said speaking hesitantly, 'you have not explained why- Elves are immortal. Begging your pardon, but you are not young in your appearance.' I could hardly believe that I spoke out and said such a thing, but I think that she had been expecting it all along.

'No, I did not explain. So foolish was I that I believed myself to be in love with Rathnocane and pledged my immortality to him. Now I am fully mortal and will one day grow old and die. It is no wonder that I appear old in your eyes, though we may be around the same age.' This had never occurred that a Elf would fall in love with a mortal.

Beren and Lúthien were the only ones I could remember ever hearing about. Maybe it was not such a strange thing back then, but now it was impossible. 'You are thinking of the lay of Beren and Lúthien, are you not?' She smiled, it was as if she could read my thoughts.

'Ammë, what is that?' Questioned Natheild. He was not highly advanced in Elvish lore, but was more so than most mortals could ever hope to be.

'It is an old song sang by the Elves. It is about the mortal man, Beren, and the lovely Elf maiden, Lúthien and how they fell in love. I will sing it for you if you wish.' We all looked up at her with anticipation in our eyes. She began to chant in a low voice, in the common tongue, so that we could all understand her.

(this belongs to Tolkien)

The leaves were long, the grass was green,
The hemlock-umbels tall and fair,
And in the glade a light was seen
Of stars in shadow shimmering.
Tinúviel was dancing there
To music of a pipe unseen,
And light of the stars was in her hair,
And in her raiment glimmering.

There Beren came from mountains cold,
And lost he wandered under leaves,
And were the Elven-river rolled.
He walked alone and sorrowing.
He peered between the hemlock-leaves
And saw in wonder flowers of gold
Upon her mantle and her sleeves,
And her hair like shadow following.

Enchantment healed his weary feet
That over hills were doomed to roam;
And forth he hastened, strong and fleet,
And grasped at moonbeams glistening.
Through woven woods in Elvenhome
She lightly fled on dancing feet,
And left him lonely still to roam
In the silent forest listening.

He heard there oft the flying sound
Of feet as light as linden-leaves,
Or music welling underground,
In hidden hollows quavering.
Now withered lay the hemlock-sheaves,
And one by one with sighing sound
Whispering fell the beechen leaves
In the wintry woodland wavering.

He sought her ever, wandering far
Where leaves of years were thickly strewn,
By the light of the moon and ray of star
In frosty heavens shivering.
Her mantle glinted in the moon,
As on a hill-top high and far
She danced and at her feet was strewn
A mist of silver quivering.

When winter passed, she came again,
And her song released the sudden spring,
Like rising lark, and falling rain,
And melting water bubbling. He saw the elven-flowers spring
About her feet, and healed again
He longed by her to dance and sing
Upon the grass untroubling.

Again she fled, but swift he came.
Tinúviel! Tinúviel!
He called her by her elvish name;
And there she halted listening.
One moment stood she, and a spell
He voice laid on her: Beren came,
And doom fell on Tinúviel
That in his arms lay glistening.

As Beren looked into her eyes
Within the shadows of her hair,
The trembling starlight of the skies
He saw there mirrored shimmering.
Tinúviel the elven-fair,
Immortal maiden elven-wise,
About him cast her shadowy hair
And arms like silver glimmering.

Long was the way that fate them bore,
O'er stony mountain cold and grey,
Through halls of iron and darkling door,
And woods of nightshade morrowless.
The Sundering Seas between them lay,
And yet at last they met once more,
And long ago they passed away
In the forest singing sorrowless.

(taken from the FotR p. 238)

'"She sighed and paused before she spoke again. 'That is a song,' she said, 'in the mode that is called ann-thennath among the Elves, but is hard to render in our Common Speech, and this is but a rough echo of it. It tell of the meeting of Beren son of Barahir and Lúthien Tinuviel. Beren was a mortal man, but Lúthien was the daughter of Thingol, a King of Elves upon Middle-earth when the world was young; and she was the fairest maiden that has ever been among the children of this world. As the stars above the mists of the Northern lands was her loveliness, and in her face was a shining light. In those days the Great Enemy, of whom Sauron of Mordor was but a servant, dwelt in Angband in the North, and the Elves of the West coming back to Middle-earth made war upon him to regain the Silmarils which he had stolen; and the fathers of Men aided the Elves. But the Enemy was victorious and Barahir was slain, and Beren escaping through great peril came over the Mountains of Terror into the hidden Kingdom of Thingol in the forest of Neldoreth. There he beheld Lúthien singing and dancing in a glad beside the enchanted river Esgalduin; and he named her Tinúviel, that is Nightingale in the language of old. Many sorrows befell them afterwards, and they were parted long. Tinúviel rescued Beren from the dungeons of Sauron, and together they passed through great dangers, and cast down even the Great Enemy from his throne, and took from his iron crown one of the three Silmarils, brightest of all jewels, to be the bride-piece of Lúthien to Thingol her father. Yet at last Beren was slain by the Wolf that came from the gates of Angband, and he died in the arms of Tinúviel. But she chose mortality, and to die from the world, so that she might follow him; and it is sung that they met again beyond the Sundering Seas, and after a brief time walking alive once more in the green words, together they passed, long ago, beyond the confines of this world. So it is that Lúthien Tinúviel alone of the Elf-kindred had died indeed and left the world, and they have lost her whom they most loved. But from her the lineage of the Elf=lords of old descended among Men. There live still those of whom Lúthien was born Dior Thingol's heir; and of him Elwing the White whom Eärendil wedded, he that sailed his ship out of the mists of the world into the seas of heaven with the Silmaril upon his brow. And of Eärendil came the Kings of Númenór, that is the Wsternesses."

'And that, my children is the sorrowful story of the mortal man Beren and his undying love for the Elf-maiden, Lúthien. Never has another Elf gave away mortality to a mortal, none other than I, that I am aware of.'

We all sat in silence for a time. The lines of that old song kept running through my head, I wanted to remember the words in Elvish, but I could not remember any of my native tongue. A sigh escaped my lips, for I was feeling depressed, it was a good story, but it was not good for a person who was depressed.

I supposed that I should be thankful the Eru had blessed me with a good master, this time around and kind people to be with. Natheild said his father had changed, but from hearing his mother's story I could not believe the change was very deep. All through out the story I had caught my new master looking at the girl sitting next to me and a strange feeling would come over me; it was like I did not wish for him to like her of even think of her. It was so odd that it made it hard for me to concentrate on the story. I could not understand all these new feelings I was having while I was around Natheild.

~*~

They only provided a small amount of water, it was barely enough to clean all of Aragorn's wounds and give him a small drink. I did not take any for myself and tried to concentrate on his suffering and not on my own. The cuts on my back were making it hard for me to bend, whenever I did they would tear open and start to bleed again. The ruff material of my shirt kept getting stuck in them and would pull the scabs off whenever I moved.

For the better part of two days we were locked in a dark cellar type place. It was very dreary and no light came in. His brother would come down once per day to make sure that we weren't dead yet. Only once in the two days did he bring us food. It was a very small plate with nothing fit to feed a dog on it, but it had to make do. I picked what I could off of it and tried to feed it to Aragorn, but he would not take it and said that I must keep my strength up.

On the morning of the third day his foster father came down with Lionel. He made us stand up, and bound our arms. We were marched out of the cellar and sent to the fields. A plow was hooked up behind us and they would make us till up the ground. It was very hard work, but we could not stop for fear of getting struck with the whip. The sun would beat down on our backs and blister the already sore scabs. We received a drink of water for every acre we could till. Never in my life had I been worked so hard. Only one break was allowed to us, and it was only five minutes long then we were forced to go back to work. The day seemed extra long with all this punishment.

The next morning the cuts on Aragorn's back were infected, it did not look good. Try as I might I could not get him to regain consciousness. Whenever Lionel came down he forced his brother upright and made him drink something. It obviously worked, for in a very short time Aragorn was awake. Instead of taking us to the fields they lead us around blindfolded to some secret place of theirs that even Aragorn did not know where we were being taken.

I was made to lay down on a cold slab of rock, then they hooked chains to my hands and feet. I heard them do the same to Aragorn, he was laid next to me. Our blindfolds were taken off and we could see what was going to happen. The room was full of metal wheels and other instruments used to torture people. Lionel pulled down a lever and the wheels started to turn. They pulled the chains so that we were stretched. They did it very slowly to prolong the agony we were forced to endure. ' Come on, you know you wanted to scream, but no one will hear you,' taunted Lionel, we stood over us and watched us with a sneer on his face. 'Hurts, don't it? Scream, pretty little Elf, it will do you good.'

Truth be told I really wanted to cry out, it hurt so much. Tears sprung to my eyes, but I would not give him the satisfaction of seeing me cry or hearing me cry out. I looked over to Aragorn, obviously he was thinking the same thing. Lionel bent down the check on us. I took the opportunity to spit in his eye, he roared with anger and struck me across the face. This only gave me the will not to give him any satisfaction.

All of the sudden we were flipped over to our faces. I saw Lionel's father take something out a hot forge by the wall. It was a rod with hooked spikes in it, but they had been made dull so that they would hurt even more when forced through the skin. They used it on Aragorn first, he wriggled and tried to get away from the thing, but it only made it worse. One of his shoulders popped out of place, he screamed in pain as the hot iron touched his skin. They latched it to a chain in the ceiling and undid the stretching machine from him.

Slowly the hoisted him up towards the roof of the building. Then Lionel let go of the chain, Aragorn came pumling towards the hard floor, but just before he hit they pulled him the an abrupt stop. I saw the flesh rip away from where they inserted the iron rod.

Next they took another hot rod from the fire; they were coming for me this time. They just let Aragorn lie on the floor in the crumpled heap were he had landed. 'Don't struggle,' warned Lionel's father, 'it will only make it worse for you.' They took the bar and drove it through my lower leg. I could not hold back my scream as it plunged through one leg then the other. Dethnron, took a pair chains and chained my hands behind me to the rod. I was bent in a very uncomfortable posistion. As I could not sit back on my legs for fear of pushing the bar and I could not lean forwards without pulling the bar.

When they hooked it to a chain from the roof I knew what was to come. Lionel put a blindfold on me, which I was very thankful. I felt myself being pulled up into the air, it was ripping the bar out of my leg. When I thought I could go no higher, they let me dangle a moment before Dethnron let go of the chain and I plummeted down. The pain I felt at being jerked back up cannot be described with words. It felt like my very soul was being ripped out. My arms were wrenched from their sockets, and my legs were brought up to my neck. The lower part of my back snapped and I knew that it was broken.

Finally I slipped into the dark world of uncosciousness. It was a welcome relief not to have to live the horrible nightmare I had been in. My last memory of that day was Aragorn being forced to endure more torture and him crying out in another language I could not understand. Lionel let me down and I knew no more till the next day.

Reply to the Reviewers:

~*elvish princess*~ - Your welcome. Glad to provide. Keep the tears coming. I love your reviews they make me smile! I have to borrow some kleenex because I have a runny nose and I keep sneezing and big gobs of snot and they keep coming out.
steph - Glad to think that it is good. Thank you for saying so. It makes me feel like I should write another chapter.
tbiris- Okay, I guess that I will forgive you. Just make sure and read the next chapter in line. It would be a little confusing if you didn't know what had happened before. I got the glass on the whip from the Bible. You know when the Pharisees had the Roman soldier's whip Jesus with the cat-o-nine tails.
Eliza - Thank you for wishing me good luck, but I didn't have to take it after all. They had already averaged my grades together. I would be the highest average in my class if I were in school. 95% is a pretty good GPA.
Natters - Yes, they will continued to be tortured for a while till someone *cough* blond prince *cough* comes to their rescue. No more Algebra for a while! Yeah!
Silver Elf - Actually my cousin is a girl, pretty sad huh? Yeah, I will try to get a hold of a picture and send it to you. Glad you updated your story. Haven't had time to read it yet though. I will, I promise. Have fun with your test!

A/N: Yeah, I liked writing this chapter, it was nice and fun. Longest one in a long time. Most of the part with Beth was taken directly from Tolkien since he is a much better writer than I am. Hope you like this chapter. Sorry, Professor Tolkien, you characters will not suffer for longer than I need them too.