Disclaimer: I, sadly, can claim nothing other than the creativity that I put
into this and any original characters that may emerge. The rest of
Middle-earth and its inhabitants belong to J. R. R. Tolkien and associates.
Summary: AU. In a world where elves are hunted by men and taken as slaves,
one man must learn to overcome what he has been taught and see things as they
truly are, with the help of two extraordinary people.
A/N: Elvish words are in - -, and translations will be posted at the end of
the chapter. However, my resources are rather limited, so if I cannot find
the Elvish words for something, I'll just put the entire phrase in * *.
Companions
Chapter Four
A startled look passed over the two men's faces, replaced moments later by
amazement.
"My dear, you look wonderful!" Lord Rekland exclaimed, standing and walking
towards her. Young Aragorn sat still, gazing in awe at the beauty before him.
As her new master moved forward, Arwen took three steps toward him and then
dropped to her knees. "I am sorry for my intrusion, my master, but I was
instructed to come here directly. Forgive me," she murmered, lowering her
head and staring at the floor. "I am yours to command, Master."
Aragorn rose suddenly and strode across the room. He knelt before Arwen and
his hand moved to her face. She flinched as he placed his fingertips under
her chin, slowly raising her face so she was forced to look at him. When her
eyes met his, she felt as if he were trying to see into her soul.
"Such pain has been forced upon you, who are so innocent."
His whisper echoed through her mind, as did the words of her dozens of
previous masters. She heard once again their proclamations of her
unworthiness, of how she deserved the pain she received. Her thoughts drifted
to her father and the encouragement and praise he had given her as a child,
as well as love, and then the thoughts took a startling turn. Flashes of her
defense training whipped through her mind, followed closely by the day of her
capture. She lingered on the thought of the people that had died, especially
those by her hand.
"*I am no more innocent than you are guilty,* -nin herdir-."
Though he did not understand the meaning of the words, he felt the sorrow
that was laced around the peaceful sounding lanuage. He could not begin to
imagine the horrors this magnificent creature had faced in her long life.
Suddenly his mind became that of a healers and his concern of her health once
again surfaced. Skilled grey eyes danced across her face, finally noticing
the light bruises on the sides. Many slave owners tried not to mark their
elves in any visible are right before selling them. It tended to make the
buyers assume that the slave was a troublemaker and often received
punishment. Though, judging by what he had seen of Herresh, it must have been
quite a challenge.
Aragorn softly touched one of the darker bruises. When his fingers met skin
her body tensed as a shock of pain swept through her. He pulled back, but
moments later moved his hands to her arms as he stood, lifting her up with
him.
"Come. We need to see what sort of dammage that abomination of a man caused.
Will you permit my father to examine you? I am afraid that we had not thought
to call a woman healer until after you arrived," he asked as he walked her to
the door, his father following. Arwen bowed her head, eyes once again finding
their way to the floor, and nodded quickly. In truth, she did not want to
agree, she was afraid they would harm her even more during this "examination"
that she felt must have ulterior motives, but knew that she would be punished
if she did not allow them to do as they pleased.
The two men led her through the outer part of their home to the center, where
the haeling room was. A rather large room, it contained all their tools and
medicines, and a bed was set up against the side wall. With his arm, Lord
Rekland gestured for Arwen to go to it as he and his son went to the other
side of the room and talked quietly. Her great hearing ability allowed her to
know only that they were speaking of her, a fact she already knew.
Hesitantly, she sat upon the edge, watching with weary eyes as they
conversed. When they had stopped, Aragorn left the room, closing the wooden
door after him. Arwen quickly focused her attention on her new master,
paying great attention to any instructions he might give her.
To Rekland, her manner reminded him of that of a small child who had just
been scolded by a parent and wished to dissapear, which he was sure was true.
Touching her shoulder lightly he told her, "My dear girl, I am not going to
hurt you. In fact, I intend to help you. I know what sort of man Herresh can
be, and I am sure that he proved himself to be worse to you than my lowest
standards of men. I am truly sorry for the way you have been treated, and
wish that I could change the way things are. Please, let me help you."
She nodded and he patted her arm lightly. "Good girl. Now, lie down and let
me have a look at you back, alright?"
Moving slowly, she did as told. With quick movements, Rekland unbuttoned the
back of the dress, and after taking a breath to prepare himself for what he
was about to see, he parted the equisite fabric.
Strewn across her pale flesh was a maze of long scars, the kind a whip left,
and he did not doubt that was a favorite tool of her old her former master.
Many of the scars were old, but there quite a few that were a fresh pink,
most still covered with the remains of a coating of blood. Shaking his head
at the sight before him, Rekland dipped a small cloth in a bowl of water that
sat on a table beside the bed. He gently wiped the damp material across of
the marks and immediately heard a gasp emmerge from the woman. Repeating the
movement he felt her slender body shudder as waves of pain washed over her.
As he continued cleaning the wounds, many opened and began bleeding,
increasing the intense pain that flooded her senses. After just a few minutes
it was too much for her and she slipped into peaceful oblivion.
A/N: For all of you out there who are wondering just when and how Legolas
will be making his grand entrance, you answer is: SOON. Like in the next few
chapters soon. How does that sound to you?
Nathronoelei
"Weaver of Dreams"
May 4, 2002
into this and any original characters that may emerge. The rest of
Middle-earth and its inhabitants belong to J. R. R. Tolkien and associates.
Summary: AU. In a world where elves are hunted by men and taken as slaves,
one man must learn to overcome what he has been taught and see things as they
truly are, with the help of two extraordinary people.
A/N: Elvish words are in - -, and translations will be posted at the end of
the chapter. However, my resources are rather limited, so if I cannot find
the Elvish words for something, I'll just put the entire phrase in * *.
Companions
Chapter Four
A startled look passed over the two men's faces, replaced moments later by
amazement.
"My dear, you look wonderful!" Lord Rekland exclaimed, standing and walking
towards her. Young Aragorn sat still, gazing in awe at the beauty before him.
As her new master moved forward, Arwen took three steps toward him and then
dropped to her knees. "I am sorry for my intrusion, my master, but I was
instructed to come here directly. Forgive me," she murmered, lowering her
head and staring at the floor. "I am yours to command, Master."
Aragorn rose suddenly and strode across the room. He knelt before Arwen and
his hand moved to her face. She flinched as he placed his fingertips under
her chin, slowly raising her face so she was forced to look at him. When her
eyes met his, she felt as if he were trying to see into her soul.
"Such pain has been forced upon you, who are so innocent."
His whisper echoed through her mind, as did the words of her dozens of
previous masters. She heard once again their proclamations of her
unworthiness, of how she deserved the pain she received. Her thoughts drifted
to her father and the encouragement and praise he had given her as a child,
as well as love, and then the thoughts took a startling turn. Flashes of her
defense training whipped through her mind, followed closely by the day of her
capture. She lingered on the thought of the people that had died, especially
those by her hand.
"*I am no more innocent than you are guilty,* -nin herdir-."
Though he did not understand the meaning of the words, he felt the sorrow
that was laced around the peaceful sounding lanuage. He could not begin to
imagine the horrors this magnificent creature had faced in her long life.
Suddenly his mind became that of a healers and his concern of her health once
again surfaced. Skilled grey eyes danced across her face, finally noticing
the light bruises on the sides. Many slave owners tried not to mark their
elves in any visible are right before selling them. It tended to make the
buyers assume that the slave was a troublemaker and often received
punishment. Though, judging by what he had seen of Herresh, it must have been
quite a challenge.
Aragorn softly touched one of the darker bruises. When his fingers met skin
her body tensed as a shock of pain swept through her. He pulled back, but
moments later moved his hands to her arms as he stood, lifting her up with
him.
"Come. We need to see what sort of dammage that abomination of a man caused.
Will you permit my father to examine you? I am afraid that we had not thought
to call a woman healer until after you arrived," he asked as he walked her to
the door, his father following. Arwen bowed her head, eyes once again finding
their way to the floor, and nodded quickly. In truth, she did not want to
agree, she was afraid they would harm her even more during this "examination"
that she felt must have ulterior motives, but knew that she would be punished
if she did not allow them to do as they pleased.
The two men led her through the outer part of their home to the center, where
the haeling room was. A rather large room, it contained all their tools and
medicines, and a bed was set up against the side wall. With his arm, Lord
Rekland gestured for Arwen to go to it as he and his son went to the other
side of the room and talked quietly. Her great hearing ability allowed her to
know only that they were speaking of her, a fact she already knew.
Hesitantly, she sat upon the edge, watching with weary eyes as they
conversed. When they had stopped, Aragorn left the room, closing the wooden
door after him. Arwen quickly focused her attention on her new master,
paying great attention to any instructions he might give her.
To Rekland, her manner reminded him of that of a small child who had just
been scolded by a parent and wished to dissapear, which he was sure was true.
Touching her shoulder lightly he told her, "My dear girl, I am not going to
hurt you. In fact, I intend to help you. I know what sort of man Herresh can
be, and I am sure that he proved himself to be worse to you than my lowest
standards of men. I am truly sorry for the way you have been treated, and
wish that I could change the way things are. Please, let me help you."
She nodded and he patted her arm lightly. "Good girl. Now, lie down and let
me have a look at you back, alright?"
Moving slowly, she did as told. With quick movements, Rekland unbuttoned the
back of the dress, and after taking a breath to prepare himself for what he
was about to see, he parted the equisite fabric.
Strewn across her pale flesh was a maze of long scars, the kind a whip left,
and he did not doubt that was a favorite tool of her old her former master.
Many of the scars were old, but there quite a few that were a fresh pink,
most still covered with the remains of a coating of blood. Shaking his head
at the sight before him, Rekland dipped a small cloth in a bowl of water that
sat on a table beside the bed. He gently wiped the damp material across of
the marks and immediately heard a gasp emmerge from the woman. Repeating the
movement he felt her slender body shudder as waves of pain washed over her.
As he continued cleaning the wounds, many opened and began bleeding,
increasing the intense pain that flooded her senses. After just a few minutes
it was too much for her and she slipped into peaceful oblivion.
A/N: For all of you out there who are wondering just when and how Legolas
will be making his grand entrance, you answer is: SOON. Like in the next few
chapters soon. How does that sound to you?
Nathronoelei
"Weaver of Dreams"
May 4, 2002