Shimalya requested men's garb for the journey, and it was granted. She dressed herself in her cell, then under heavy guard, she was escorted to where Legolas and Gimli awaited her with their party of fifty men. Her hands were bound according to the elf's directions, and she was placed on a horse which was tethered by rope to Legolas on one side and a guard on the other.. Her guards were to be mindful to keep any weapons out of her reach. As the sun began to creep over the horizon, they rode out of Minas Tirith.
"Is this really necessary?" she asked Legolas.
"It is," he answered without looking at her.
"Why?"
"I can't trust you."
Those words spoken, Shimalya attempted no more speech with the elf.
The party rode long each day, stopping only for sleep, at which time Shimalya remained bound and guarded. The men to whom her horse was tethered were changed each day, but always, Legolas remained near her, ever mindful of who she spoke to and what was said. Never, though, did he speak to her. Thus, they traveled for to six days, always moving at first light, and sleeping as the sun set, resting their horses in between at intervals of four hours.
"Tell me what you know of this man," he said finally as they began to near Torrech.
"Of him personally, I do not know much. He keeps guards around himself constantly, and rarely leave Theus' fortress. I have only spoken with him once, when he sent me to Gondor."
"Why did he want Aragorn dead?"
"Of that, I do not know."
"And the fortress?"
"The fortress is safe-haven in case of attacks. It is built of stone in five levels, the bottom most being for prisoners and criminals. It lies partially underground and contains no way to enter or exit the building. The next level contains the Banquet Hall, Meeting Hall, and all public areas. There are two main entrances, both of which can be heavily barred for protection. The above floors contain sleeping quarters for Theus and his family and servants."
"They are all that stay there?"
"Yes, but it was built to house the entire town if need be."
"And its fortifications?"
Shimalya smiled.
"Not as strong as they should be, which should be an advantage. A high wall surrounds the fortress and part of the town. It has grown so quickly, many people have moved outside the walls, making them near useless. The gate has never been closed in my lifetime. The wall can be used as a vantage for archers, but there are too few trained to make it worthwhile. Karak, however, brought many men with him, so it is possible it will be a danger, but I believe he only has enough to cover an attack in one area.
"If the gate is closed, or his men are protecting the east wall, the west side of the wall is the best way to gain entrance. It lies on a hill, and it is lowest at that point. Located there is a garden Theus planted for his daughter, Lady Nalaya. From that point, a few men could gain entrance to the Library, so long as they do not draw attention to themselves." She smiled sadly. "My father tried for years to have the fortifications enhanced, but with all the years of peace, it was thought unnecessary. He was, however, able to build a passage to lead the people out of the fortress if it was ever taken. Both entrances are well hidden and only known to Theus' family and their guards."
Legolas was distracted by shouts from ahead. Men on horses were racing toward them, swords drawn. He drew his bow and rode forward to meet them.
The attack was short but powerful. Though they were not so well-trained as the Men of Gondor, they broke through the ranks by sheer numbers, fighting for perhaps three-quarters of an hour before retreating back into the forest. The party gave no chase. Though they had cut their attackers in half, a number of their own men were wounded. Only two had died. Legolas was dismayed to learn that the two fatalities were Shimalya's guards, and that she had disappeared.
"It was a rescue," he said as he found Gimli among the men. "They attacked us to rescue her."
"Perhaps," was all Gimli said. He stared into the thick trees.
"There is something more you wish to say," the elf observed.
"Only that they lost many men to rescue one woman. Especially one who failed to do what she was sent for."
"You don't believe she wished to go with them?"
"I haven't known what to believe since I saw her in Aragorn's room with my own eyes, but one thing I know, that was no rescue. She could have been killed in that attack, by either them or us."
"Your words are sound."
Gimli smiled at the compliment, but Legolas stared off into the forest in the direction of the riders' retreat toward Torrech. Then he turned his gaze to the hill opposite their path. It was thick with trees and could easily hide their party.
"Gimli, take the men up into those trees and make camp. No fires. Do nothing until I return." He leapt onto his horse once more.
"And where are you going?"
"To have a look around." He turned his horse. "Remember, do nothing until I return." Legolas sped into the forest.
Having only a half hour's lead, Legolas caught up with their attackers quickly. He followed them at a distance so as not to draw their attention. They rode hard, though unpursued. With his sharp eyes, he spied Shimalya in their group, still bound and her horse being led by another.
Perhaps Gimli was right.
Suddenly, a great grassland appeared in the forest, dotted by many small houses, and further back, a walled fortress, exactly as Shimalya had described, but with one difference. The gate was closed.
From the cover of the forest, he examined the town. Few people could be seen, though it did not look abandoned. He guessed the people feared the riders and would rather not be seen by them. Riding around to the west side of the area, he saw the land begin to slope into a hill. The top of the wall as still several feet above, but nothing he could not handle. By the time he was directly across from the hill, the sun was beginning to set. Darkness would soon fall, covering the breach.
He left this horse, wrapped his cloak tightly around himself, and made his way up the hill. When he came to the wall, he found that the mortar had fallen from many of the stones, leaving small crevices in which he could fit his fingers and toes. He climbed slowly, always aware of the sounds around him. He could hear the footsteps of one man, but no more. The elf threw one leg over the wall for balance, notched an arrow and released it before the guard even knew he was there. he dropped several feet into the garden, and after retrieving his arrow from the guard's throat, dragged the body to a dark corner near the wall where it would not be discovered.
Legolas checked the Library, and finding it empty, slipped inside. From this point, he was unsure where to go. He removed his cloak and placed his bow and quiver directly on his back, then covered them again with the cloak, giving him the appearance of a hunched back. Then, he pulled his hood to cover his face and mask his features. Finally, he grabbed several pieces of wood from the fireplace, and his disguise complete, went into the hallway.
He walked slowly, affecting the movements of an old man, and when stopped, answered that the night was to be cold and he was placing wood in each fireplace. This excuse seemed to work, as he was allowed to continue his way through the Fortress. At last, he came to a large room with many columns for support. The door was open, and though he could not see all the way in, heard a man announcing that "the woman" had been found. Legolas dropped his wood behind a statue and removed his weapons from under his cloak. Then, he slipped into the room.
He could hear voices, but still could see nothing. Legolas crept closer. Shimalya was led, still bound, to the center of the Meeting Room, facing a high backed plush chair. He guessed the man sitting in it was Karak. Men were lined up on either side of him, each bearing weapons.
"So, our little warrior maiden has returned to us." He rose from the chair and crossed the room to where she stood. "I have not heard news that the King was dead, and yet here you stand before me. Needless to say, you have sealed the fate of your friends. However, there is still a chance for you to save yourself." She flinched as he ran his fingers through her hair. "Not all men are afraid to have a powerful woman by his side." Legolas tightened as Karak slid his finger down her cheek as he spoke. "I would be very happy to come home to a woman like you in my bed. And I could make you very- happy, as well." His finger slid down her jaw bone to her neck, tracing its way to the top of her shirt. "Many times a night."
"I did not come here to surrender myself to you," she said.
"Why did you come back?"
"To demand that you release my people."
Karak's laughter echoed through the large room.
"To demand that I release your people! And why should I do that, exactly?"
"Because if you do not, you will die."
He feigned thoughtfulness for a moment.
"I see. I hadn't thought of that. And yet you are standing here alone, while I have many men here with me. And you are bound, I am told, by those same people who brought you here. You don't seem to be in a position to be making demands of me, my Shimalya. You cannot match me. There is no one left to save you. No one, but me." He stepped closer, pushing his face into her hair.
Legolas notched an arrow, ready to strike should she need his assistance. He heard a single footstep and spun around to find three arrows aimed at his throat.
"Drop your weapon, Elf."
Legolas did as he was bid. Dying here would not save Shimalya. His hands were bound behind his back and he was led to the floor of the meeting room. Karak's eyes shifted up to him as he entered.
"Another guest? And an elf, I see."
Shimalya turned, a look of fear crossing her face for just a moment.
"A friend of yours, Shimalya?" Karak asked.
"No," she answered in a low voice.
"Yet there's a change in you since the elf was brought in. Do you fear for him?"
"I fear for anyone who is a guest of yours."
"I see." He walked around her, stopping in front of Legolas. He nodded toward the guard who stood behind the elf, and he grabbed Legolas, pulling his hair harshly, whipping his head back and baring his throat. Karak pressed the tip of his sword against the soft flesh, drawing a drop of blood.
"No!" Shimalya started to cry, but was silenced by a look from Legolas. Give him nothing to use against you.
But it was too late. Karak knew he meant something to her. He swung his arm, hitting Legolas in the temple with the hilt of his sword. The elf crumpled to the floor, unconscious. Blood trickled down his face.
"Put him in a cell," he told the guards. Legolas' body was dragged from the room, as Shimalya tried to push past Karak to reach him. "No, my dear," he told her, pushing her to the ground. "I have a different cell for you."
Legolas lay on the cold ground of a cell where he had remained for a day and a night and another day. Only the persistent rise and fall of his chest revealed to his captors that he was still alive. None dared go into the cell, for the fighting skills of the elves were legendary.
Presently, sounds reached the keen ears of the elf. First, the voices of his guards right outside the cell. They were hushed and full of fear, fear for their own lives in the actions of their leader.
Then more sounds. Dogs outside. Servants bustling about. And other people near him. Great despair. They, too, were captives. Shimalya? No, her voice was not among them. For several hours, he remained still, too weak to move, listening to the sounds within the fortress.
Sensation came to him next, telling him he was not in fact dead. His head pounded. His face was sticky with is own blood. Slowly, using the wall to steady himself, he pulled himself up to sit. The room spun and he waited for the vertigo to pass. Then, again using the wall as leverage, he rose to his feet.
His cell was small with a pile of straw in the corner for a bed and a ragged blanket which had became a nest for the rats. There was no window for air or escape. No way to send a message to Gimli and the Man of Gondor who were encamped outside the bounds of the village. He wondered bitterly how long he had been there and whether they were even now attempting to enter the fortress.
Legolas' hands touched his hips and back, looking for what he knew he would not find. Though his cloak remained, his weapons were gone. His blade and quiver and bow had all been taken. The weapons given him by Lady Galadriel herself. He would retrieve them. He investigated his cell, looking for anything he could use as a weapon. All he found were rats, the dirt on the ground, the blanket and the straw. He was deep in thought, creating a plan in his mind when he heard the screaming. It was far off in the fortress, above him somewhere. A woman's distress filled heavily with pain.
It was Shimalya.
The guards outside fell silent at the cry. They too had heard it. It was only when the screams became sobs, then quieted, that they spoke again.
"He'll be the death of us," one of the men said.
"Shut up, you fool, or you'll be the death of us," someone answered.
"You didn't see," the first man whispered. His voice was distraught. "The elf came for her. She means something to him. And now Karak's up there-"
"Quiet!"
"Don't you know the stories?" the first man cried. "The Elves have mystical powers. The enchant you with their songs and their beauty. They make you forget who you are. They can read our minds, tell whether we are good or evil and kill you if you're evil. They're dangerous creatures. Karak should have killed this one while he had the chance."
"Idiot! Have you ever even seen an elf before this one? All you know are stories women tell children so they'll do as they're told. They are as human as you or I."
"Human? There's nothing human about this one. How did he get to the Meeting Room without anyone seeing or hearing him? Stealthy, they are. They move like the wind and with as little sound."
"Then how did Durog catch this one, if they're so powerful?"
"Luck. But it won't last long. He took the elf's weapons for his own. No Man can wield Elven weapons. If this elf gets out, neither Karak nor Durog will survive it."
"Well, he won't get out. He will not get through this door alive. Now quit your sniveling before I kill you myself."
The men stopped talking, but Legolas thought long on what he heard. They feared him, that was clear and would work to his advantage. And now he knew who had his weapons. The man called Durog. The red-haired man who had found him. And he knew that Karak was harming Shimalya in some way. The Scared Man was right. Neither man would get out alive when he escaped.
Studying the door, Legolas discerned he would not make his escape through it unless the guards opened it for him. It was quite thick and would not be broken without some aid. There was a small hole at eye level, covered with a board when not in use, which the guards could look through to check on him, making it virtually unnecessary to open the door. He would need to make them open it, but how? He decided he would use the fear of the of the Scared Man against him.
Legolas sat silently in his cell, working out his plan. The Scared Man was gone; his shift ended. Twice more he heard Shimalya's cries as many hours passed. When once again the Scared Man returned, he had heard no more of Shimalya, but from the guards' talk, he knew she was still alive. At last, he heard footsteps and knew the Scared Man was alone outside his door. Legolas wrapped his elven cloak about his body, covering his face, and stepped against the wall near to the door, knowing he would be invisible to any eyes which sought him out. Thus set, he began singing in Elvish loud enough for the guard to hear.
He heard the Scared Man freeze, not even daring to the breathe. The board was removed from the hole in the door and two terrified eyes peered in.
"Elf, what are you singing?"
"I'm singing of your death." He continued his song.
"Stop it! Stop it!" He heard a sword drawn from its scabbard. "Where are you, Elf? Show yourself!"
Legolas did not stop the song. He dropped his voice so it was low and tormenting to the man's fear. Finally, he stopped.
"Do you feel your chest tightening? Your breath slow to come?" He heard the rustle of clothing as the man tore at his shirt as if it bound him. His breathing was labored from the imagined death which was to come.
"Stop it! Stop it, or I will cut your throat!"
Legolas smiled to himself as he began singing again.
Keys clattered and entered the lock, which clicked as it unlatched. The Scared Man pushed the door open, entering with his sword level.
"Where are you?" He whirled in the dark. "Where are you?"
Legolas whipped the blanket out and it tightened around the man's sword. the elf pulled hard, tearing the steel from the man's grip. The man's eyes were wide now as the elf stepped from the shadows and took up the blade. He leveled it at the man.
"My spell is upon you. If you cry out for help, your death will be very slow and very painful. But, give me the information I need, and make no sound after I leave, and you will live a long life."
The Scared Man fell to his knees, sobbing. The bargain struck, he told Legolas where Shimalya was held, where his own weapons were, who the others in the cells were. He told how to escape from the fortress and all manner of information he had. Legolas, thankful for the information, reminded the Scared Man of the spell, and escaped from the cell, locking it up behind him. Taking the keys from the lock, he opened the other cells, finding Theus and his family.
"You are the Elf they brought in?" Theus asked, as Legolas released him. "You came here with Shimalya?"
"I am." Giving Theus the keys, he said, "Do you know how to escape from here without being seen?"
"Of course."
"Then do it. Release the other prisoners, except for the guard in the next room. He will give no alarm. Then go from here. There is a camp of Men of Gondor outside the village. Find the dwarf, Gimli. Tell him who you are and that Legolas sent you to him." He stopped and considered for a moment. "Do you know how to get back inside without being noticed?"
"Yes. The same way we are going out. A passage in the floor of the kitchen."
"Does Karak know of it? Will it be guarded?"
"No. Surely not."
"Good. Tell Gimli of it so he can bring our men in. Now go quickly."
Theus wasted no time in releasing the other prisoners. With his cloak again covering him, Legolas climbed the dark stairs into the belly of the fortress. The Scared Man's directions were clear and he found his way quickly to floor Shimalya was being held. He moved quickly and quietly, pressing against the wall when servants or Karak's men passed by. He needed to free Shimalya before drawing attention to himself.
At last, he found the guarded room that held Shimalya. He killed the man who stood outside her room and, taking his weapons, entered the room.
Legolas froze at the unspeakable horror before him. Shimalya was tied down on the bed by her ankles and wrists. Only a thin dirty blanket covered her nakedness. Her wrists were rubbed raw by the ropes, and blood seeped through the blanket at her ankles and between her legs.
'What have they done?' he thought in anguish.
With the guard's knife, he sliced through her bonds, releasing her arms and legs. He wrapped his cloak tightly around her. She stirred as he examined the dark bruises on her face and shoulders.
"Shimalya?"
She forced her eyes open.
"Legolas? I thought you were dead."
He took her into his arms, holding her gently as she winced in pain.
"I'm sorry. I failed you," he whispered.
"You haven't," she told him. "You're here now." she pulled away and looked into his eyes. "You did not fail me." She touched the gash on his forehead and the blood that had dried on his face and neck. "You could never fail me, so don't ever think it."
Legolas kissed her forehead and held her again.
"We must get out of here," he said when he released her. "Can you stand?"
"I don't know."
He held her arms as she attempted to stand, but her legs would not support her.
"It will take a few minutes," she told him when he helped her back to the bed. "Already, feeling is coming back. Find my clothes."
Legolas searched the room, and finding none, dragged the dead guard into the room and relieved him of his clothing.
Carefully he helped her dress, painfully aware of each intake of breath, each silent wince. All the while, his eyes took in the injuries on her breasts, stomach, and thighs.
"I need weapons," she told him as he helped her off the bed. "A sword, at least. And a short blade if we can find it."
"Shimalya, you can barely stand. How will you hold a sword?"
"I don't care. I'm finding Karak. I'm going to kill him."
"No," he told her, holding her shoulders. "I'm taking you out of here. Do you know of the passage in the kitchens?"
"Yes, but I am not leaving."
"I will return for Karak, but you will stay in the camp."
"Legolas, please." Her desperate eyes searched his. He could not bring himself to speak. His own eyes strayed toward the bed, where her blood still covered the sheets. He could not even bring himself to think on what that man had done to her.
"I only want you safe," he told her, taking her again into his arms. "Do you hear me, Shimalya?" He cupped her face with his hand and looked into her eyes. "I want you safe, and you are not while you are still in this place."
"All right," she said finally. "I will go back to the camp. But his guards are everywhere. I still need a weapon, at least, until we are outside."
Legolas consented and slipped quietly from the room, returning a few minutes later with a sword and a short blade. Thus armed, they both slipped out and began their escape.