SHADOW IN THE TREES
By : mirkwood-elf-2931 & Thala


CHAPTER 16


"You know what you want and you can have it, once you are finished here." The great Istar advised. "Do not listen to them. They lie. They are not your friends."

Thalawen wasn't sure if this was true or not, but this man was not her friend either. She hadn't the knowledge of how much time had gone by, but it felt an eternity since she had come into the service of he and those who joined with him, but now, she wanted out.

She looked behind to the figures still on the black floor. The two had come all this way for her, deep within she knew their reason.

Saruman studied her closely. Slight agitation was still plain among her features. He began descending the stairs before his throne, staff in hand. "Come here." He simply ordered, once at the bottom.

At first, her change in thoughts made her hesitate to comply, but much to his satisfaction, she obliged. Dilatorily, she came forth, as the Wizard remained patient without worry, the Elf was still in his control. Just before him, she stopped, a mere two feet.

"You still belong to me, she-Elf. You will still do my bidding. You're in luck that I do not kill you now for this great defeat you have suffered, but alas, I will put this behind us. Come to me, we shall escape and regain our forces," said Saruman, eagerly awaiting his servant's compliance. But she was taking too long. "Now!"

"What do you know?" The question was faint and came almost angrily, as she stared just above his head, refusing to meet his cold piercing eyes.

But he had caught every word. "What?" They seemed to grow rounder. "How dare you speak to your master this way!"

"Master?" She seemed to look thoughtful at this and then her gaze meet his. "I have no master." With one foot, Thalawen almost slid forward, reaching with inherited Elven speed toward his black, spike topped staff.

Without the time to respond, the tall object was snatched from his grasp, leaving him not quite defenseless, but so fast she was, that he didn't even know what hit him.

Twirling the wooden shaft to her left, it came into contact with the right side of the Wizard's head. He fell to the ground, unable to awaken for some time after that.


* ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ *


Arwen glanced behind once more to keep up with Thalawen's current condition, what she saw called for a double take. Saruman was in the process of falling to her own level, his staff in the Elf's hands. Had she really gotten through? She hoped with everything she had, that her friend was not just now turning on them all.

Thalawen stared down at Saruman's stilled form, complete hatred now filling her eyes. She threw the staff aside and rotated to find Arwen staring back at her.

There might be a chance for them all yet. "Go!" She yelled. "Run!"

Yes, she thought, she had done it! Thalawen was helping them!

She wasted no more time in worrying about the sudden change in events, only about escaping the dreadful tower with their lives intact. She stood, looking to see how the fighting around them was being handled. The Orcs had thinned out, the warriors tireless, continued to hold them off. But she needed someone to help with moving Landailyn, for the Elf was rendered unconscious.

As her eyes crossed the room, they alighted on two men that were at the moment, free from attack. To them, she ran like the wind.

"You must help your captain, she has been severely injured!" She explained hastily, motioning behind her.

They glanced passed her to see that the captain was indeed down. Hurrying to her side, they checked her condition. Her heartbeat had slowed and her eyes remained closed. As gently, but as quickly as they could, one took her under the arms and the other her legs.

Arwen soon joined their side, after retrieving Carafang where the she-Elf had dropped it after receiving her wound. The three headed for one of the many sets of doors in the round shaped room.

"Are you alright, Lady Arwen?" Asked the one carrying Landailyn's legs.

"I was not hurt. It is she we must worry about." Arwen unnoticeably put Caragfang back in its sheathe at the captain's hip.

Once to the front doorway, the man taking the light weight of Landailyn's upper body, stopped and shouted a command of retreat in Elvish to the rest of their group.

They came to join them, helping the wounded along and making sure the captain and princess were protected in the middle.

Thalawen had heard the words and with a last look at her captor, began to follow the group herself. Though, it seemed like there was something she was forgetting. Then again, it seemed like she was forgetting a lot of things lately, like who her friends really were.

Glancing around her, sunlight glinting off metal caught her eye.

Far to her left, were the Elf captain's two white knives. She dashed over to recover them, it was the least she could do. Sheathing together them in her scabbard, she headed for the doors she'd seen Arwen go through. Only to be stopped by more Orcish soldiers.


* ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ *


Many feet from the entrance doors, the Rivendell princess looked behind among the sea of bodies. There was a certain one she was looking for and she didn't see her anywhere. "Thalawen!" She called loudly. "Thalawen!" No answer. If she was herself again, Arwen had thought she would follow after telling her to run.

"Hurry, take Landailyn to camp, she needs the healers! I must go back!" She told the warriors carrying the young captain.

"My lady, you cannot go back in there!" The one nearest to her said.

"Do not worry about me." She stated firmly, pulling her sword and quickly disappearing in the opposite direction.


* ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ *


Thalawen had never fought with long-knives before, but her skill with the sword proved to aid in the situation. And as she killed the last ons, Arwen reappeared in the room, acquiring the scene in a glance.

A mass of bodies covered the floor, blood splattered and splashed everywhere. In the middle of the chaos was her friend. The one she'd known since birth, who had always been there when she'd needed her. But now was the time that Thalawen needed someone to care for her.

All that had come to fight her, lay motionless, just like she stood now and Arwen saw the misty gaze in Thalawen's eyes as she looked at the wall opposite her, what looked so much like tears. But she wasn't sure, this could still be the wild Elf of Saruman. But she risked that chance and stepped toward her.

"Thalawen?" She asked in a small voice.

She turned her head to look at Arwen and a silent tear splashed over her lashes, down her cheeks and dropped to the floor. It was so quiet in the room the sound reverberated to both their ears. She had never seen Thalawen cry before, but knew this was really her.

She rushed forward and enveloped Thalawen in her arms. "Its okay…its okay," She repeated, as much to comfort herself as Thalawen.

Thalawen did not return her hug, but put her head on Arwen's shoulder and cried softly. "I'm so sorry…" She wept.

Patting Thalawen's back, adding solace to her friend's mind, she led her away through the doors and out of Orthanc to rejoin the others.

Most of the Orcs had retreated back into the caverns, at seeing the one whom they had thought was on their side, fell the master. So the reunited pair had no trouble in their own escape.


* ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ *

"Lay her down,."

A wide gray cloak was fanned out on the grass and the two warriors gently laid their captain on it. Three healers set to work, taking off her weapons and top tunic, then pulling back her bottom one enough to uncover the wound.

"Can you help her?" They asked.

"We will do all we can." One of the medical Elves replied.

They had already lost so many and to lose another captain? They nodded and backed away to give them room. Knowing they could be of no more help to her, they did what she would have wanted them to do. Ordering those who could still fight, to stand guard around the wooded area and protect the camp from any Orcs that might have followed.

Soon, the last two of their party's members burst into camp.

Setting the shocked Thalawen down near their horses, Arwen hurried over to the healers to see how she could be of help. Joining them, she knelt on Landailyn's right side. "She was stabbed by a double-edged sword, the blade went all the way through."

They nodded, proceeding with more individual tasks of boiling water for athelas and cleansing cloths.

Arwen looked back down at her. She was growing more afraid that the Elf would not make it, for now her chest barely rose and fell and at the rate of the bleeding, it looked like it was never going to stop. Arwen desperately wished that her father was there to help.

"Landailyn," She tried soothingly. "Look, we did it, we got Thalawen back. Please, you cannot leave us now!"

The Silvan Elf did not even stir.


TBC ...