Thanks to all of you who have given me wonderful reviews! It is such an
encouragement to receive them! I am sorry that the updates are not sooner,
but I had a very busy month, and next week I have three exams, so I will
post around 2 or 3 chapters this weekend to keep all of you readers
satisfied! This is a longer chapter, so I hope you enjoy it, and keep
reviewing! They keep me writing! Thanks again for the reviews!
Chapter Four
Dinfan and Avara could only stare at Glorfindel with wordless horror. They had been told about Rivendell, how the slaves brought there were forced to work, and starved if they did not meet the standards. They hadn't known whether or not to believe these stories, but they were told so many times that they couldn't help but believe. "Rivendell? We cannot go there," Avara said quietly. Glorfindel looked at her. "Why ever not?" he asked, and Dinfan answered this time. "We were told that Lord Elrond is cruel to the slaves brought to Rivendell," he said softly. Glorfindel looked from Dinfan to Avara, anger written on his fair face at the lies these young ones had been told. Then his features softened into understanding, and sadness. He grew serious, and lifted their chins to look into their eyes. "No young ones, those are lies told to you by men. Lord Elrond is not cruel, nor is he a slave owner. You go there as free elves, I assure you. Lord Elrond does not own you any more than he owns me. You need not worry," he said firmly, seeing the doubt leave their eyes. Dinfan breathed a sigh of relief. He felt a bit ashamed that he had believed the Men, but Glorfindel understood. Suddenly they heard yells- Orc yells. Glorfindel stood up quickly, as did Dinfan and Avara. "Come, you must follow me! There are others who will meet us at the bottom of the falls, but we must hurry!" Dinfan looked over at Avara, who looked scared. "We will make it," he whispered fiercely to her. She looked at him, and Dinfan could see that she was terrified. "I hope so mellon nin. I hope so."
Lord Melkriss was seething. Not only had he lost a number of slaves to the river, two of them happened to be the most defiant. He was even more furious when he realized a soldier had deserted the slave caravan, and the Orcs sensed his worsening mood. He marched over to a group of Orcs, who cringed back from their maddened master. "I want that soldier found. Clean up the bodies of the ones that drowned, and find those two missing ones. I am sure they did not die. If you fail, I shall kill each and every one of you personally. Go!" he growled, and the Orcs took off. Lord Melkriss sat down and to mull things over. He realized that the soldier who had abandoned them was the one who had been overly protective of the two missing slaves. Coming to the realization that the soldier had helped the slaves escape, Lord Melkriss' thinly controlled temper exploded. Snarling curses, he stalked towards his tent. He was going to hunt down those three and make them pay. He grabbed his sword and two other soldiers, making sure they knew that he would deal with the female slave, while they could have to soldier and the other slave. He grinned to no one in particular. He was going to enjoy this hunt.
Avara stumbled along the path Glorfindel led them. She was hurting from her many beatings, and her recent injuries sustained from her near death in the river. Still, she pressed forward, knowing she would hurt much worse should Lord Melkriss catch up with her. Glorfindel looked back, worry etched on his face. "Are you okay?" he asked. "I.am.fine. Keep going!" she gasped, hearing a familiar voice yelling. Fear gripped her, but she willed herself to move. Suddenly she tripped over a root in her exhaustion, and stumbled to the ground. She cried out in pain, and both Dinfan and Glorfindel turned when they heard her cry. She had almost recovered her balance when she heard the whisper of steel behind her, then found hersef in the arms of her master, the cold steel pressed against her neck. "Well well. Another feeble attempt at freedom leads yet again to capture. Will you never learn?" His cold voice sent shivers of fear down her spine. Glorfindel drew his own sword, but Lord Melkriss' grip on Avara tightened, and he drew the sword closer to her skin, and she could feel blood trickle down her throat. "The girl goes with me, or she dies. Your choice soldier," Lord Melkriss hissed. Glorfindel tossed back his blond hair, and the two human guards gasped. "An elf. I should have known. No matter," Lord Melkriss said, turning to the guards. "Kill them both," he said, indicating Dinfan as well. He hauled Avara away, though she fought him with all the strength she had left. Glorfindel tossed Dinfan a dagger. "Go after him! I'll take care of the soldiers," he cried, and Dinfan did as he was told, fear giving his feet new speed.
Chapter Four
Dinfan and Avara could only stare at Glorfindel with wordless horror. They had been told about Rivendell, how the slaves brought there were forced to work, and starved if they did not meet the standards. They hadn't known whether or not to believe these stories, but they were told so many times that they couldn't help but believe. "Rivendell? We cannot go there," Avara said quietly. Glorfindel looked at her. "Why ever not?" he asked, and Dinfan answered this time. "We were told that Lord Elrond is cruel to the slaves brought to Rivendell," he said softly. Glorfindel looked from Dinfan to Avara, anger written on his fair face at the lies these young ones had been told. Then his features softened into understanding, and sadness. He grew serious, and lifted their chins to look into their eyes. "No young ones, those are lies told to you by men. Lord Elrond is not cruel, nor is he a slave owner. You go there as free elves, I assure you. Lord Elrond does not own you any more than he owns me. You need not worry," he said firmly, seeing the doubt leave their eyes. Dinfan breathed a sigh of relief. He felt a bit ashamed that he had believed the Men, but Glorfindel understood. Suddenly they heard yells- Orc yells. Glorfindel stood up quickly, as did Dinfan and Avara. "Come, you must follow me! There are others who will meet us at the bottom of the falls, but we must hurry!" Dinfan looked over at Avara, who looked scared. "We will make it," he whispered fiercely to her. She looked at him, and Dinfan could see that she was terrified. "I hope so mellon nin. I hope so."
Lord Melkriss was seething. Not only had he lost a number of slaves to the river, two of them happened to be the most defiant. He was even more furious when he realized a soldier had deserted the slave caravan, and the Orcs sensed his worsening mood. He marched over to a group of Orcs, who cringed back from their maddened master. "I want that soldier found. Clean up the bodies of the ones that drowned, and find those two missing ones. I am sure they did not die. If you fail, I shall kill each and every one of you personally. Go!" he growled, and the Orcs took off. Lord Melkriss sat down and to mull things over. He realized that the soldier who had abandoned them was the one who had been overly protective of the two missing slaves. Coming to the realization that the soldier had helped the slaves escape, Lord Melkriss' thinly controlled temper exploded. Snarling curses, he stalked towards his tent. He was going to hunt down those three and make them pay. He grabbed his sword and two other soldiers, making sure they knew that he would deal with the female slave, while they could have to soldier and the other slave. He grinned to no one in particular. He was going to enjoy this hunt.
Avara stumbled along the path Glorfindel led them. She was hurting from her many beatings, and her recent injuries sustained from her near death in the river. Still, she pressed forward, knowing she would hurt much worse should Lord Melkriss catch up with her. Glorfindel looked back, worry etched on his face. "Are you okay?" he asked. "I.am.fine. Keep going!" she gasped, hearing a familiar voice yelling. Fear gripped her, but she willed herself to move. Suddenly she tripped over a root in her exhaustion, and stumbled to the ground. She cried out in pain, and both Dinfan and Glorfindel turned when they heard her cry. She had almost recovered her balance when she heard the whisper of steel behind her, then found hersef in the arms of her master, the cold steel pressed against her neck. "Well well. Another feeble attempt at freedom leads yet again to capture. Will you never learn?" His cold voice sent shivers of fear down her spine. Glorfindel drew his own sword, but Lord Melkriss' grip on Avara tightened, and he drew the sword closer to her skin, and she could feel blood trickle down her throat. "The girl goes with me, or she dies. Your choice soldier," Lord Melkriss hissed. Glorfindel tossed back his blond hair, and the two human guards gasped. "An elf. I should have known. No matter," Lord Melkriss said, turning to the guards. "Kill them both," he said, indicating Dinfan as well. He hauled Avara away, though she fought him with all the strength she had left. Glorfindel tossed Dinfan a dagger. "Go after him! I'll take care of the soldiers," he cried, and Dinfan did as he was told, fear giving his feet new speed.