"Mornië. Why are you not resting, sister?" I startled badly at the soft voice that whispered from a hidden corner of the library. The package of notes slipped from my grasp; it hit the floor with a heavy thump and split open, splattering papers across the library floor. I gasped aloud and dropped to my knees, frantically gathering the pages.
"I see illness hasn't improved your coordination. Here, let me help you." Sára knelt in a swift motion. She snatched one of the maps just as I reached for it. As she read it, her face grew steadily more troubled; her dark eyes, when she looked at me again, were worried.
"Sister, what is this?" Her voice was laced with suspicion. She stared at me, waiting.
I turned away from her, terrified she would see the guilt on my face, and reached for another paper. Her hand lashed out, gripping my wrist in her strong fingers, grinding the fine bones of my arm. I struggled against her but, weakened as I was by illness and fatigue, I could not pry loose from her. I lunged backwards, hoping to wrest myself free. She followed the motion, allowing my own momentum to topple me onto the floor; she pinned me to the chilly stone with her full weight. I fought her, desperate to complete my promised task.
"What are you doing? Tell me." She forced my wrists against my chest, preventing me from wiggling free or reaching for Rage. "Who are you giving this information to?"
She raised one hand threateningly; before the blow could land, she was yanked off me. I scrambled away from the center of the room, snatching at maps and notes as I went. Rain hefted Sára off her feet, dragging her out of reach. Legolas stepped between us; my father slammed the library door and barred it.
Rain lowered Sára to her feet but still gripped her shoulders tightly. I curled myself into a tight ball beneath the window, wrapping myself in my robes against a sudden fit of shivering; I shook and sobbed painfully, terrified for no reason I could name or understand. Legolas knelt beside me, gently stroking my shoulder, murmuring soft words to soothe me. He turned to Sára.
"What happened? Why would you strike her?" His voice fell like stones into the silence of the long room; I could hear the tightly controlled anger behind his even words. A muscle twitched in his jaw as he fixed frosty eyes on Sara.
"She's a traitor." Sara's voice was a venomous hiss. Legolas stiffened, gripping my shoulder.
"Sara, I do not know what injury she has done you, but such a charge is surely unwarranted."
Sára jerked away from Rain's restraining hand. She snatched a handful of paper from the floor and thrust it at Legolas.
"She's sending information to someone. Look, it's all here--maps, defense plans, everything anyone would need to destroy us." He slowly reached for the papers in her trembling hand. He rifled through them, dropping them to the floor as he finished each one.
Rain caught one of the papers as it fell. He scanned it quickly, his face granite.
"She's right, Legolas. This is a map of this Keep, with all the defense points marked. I fear my cousin has sold us to our enemies."
Legolas shook his fair head in disbelief. "That cannot be true. Perhaps you are mistaken." He turned to me; his blue eyes were grave, yet trusting.
"Mornië. Tell them. Tell me-what does this mean? Who is this information for?"
"He's not an enemy. Please, I must get this information to him, it's important, please." I tried to push past Legolas, to retrieve the precious pages, but he blocked my path. I lashed out at him, catching his cheekbone with a flailing palm. The flat crack of my hand across his cheek rang in my ears; I seemed to watch myself from a great distance, aghast at my own actions as if they were those of a stranger. He dragged me into his arms, restraining me gently but firmly while I twisted and scratched and railed at him in both our languages, cursing him in phrases so vile even my father winced. I fought him as I had fought Sára, but he easily controlled me. Father stepped forward once, a protest forming itself on his lips; Legolas waved him away and gripped my arms tighter.
Eventually, I sagged against his chest, exhausted by my pointless struggling. He cradled me carefully, still wary of me. Tears welled up, salty and shameful, spilling over my cheeks and soaking into his tunic. He pressed my head against his shoulder, gathering my hair away from my face.
"Beloved. I do not know what has driven you to this point, but I will help you if I can. We all will, but you must tell us why you have done this thing. Has someone threatened you, or hurt you?"
I shook my head. "You cannot help me. I do not want your help, or your sympathy. I want nothing other than to be left alone to complete what I promised."
Rain knelt beside us. "What you promised to whom, cousin? Did someone coerce you into this treachery?" Legolas glared at him, motioning him to be silent.
"You cannot understand how terrible it has been. Now he is returned to me, and I will do whatever he asks of me so long as he does not leave me again." I could not meet their eyes although I knew everyone watched me.
Rain stood and moved beside Sara; when I peeked at them below my lashes, they both wore identical expressions of anger and distrust. My father pressed his fingers to his forehead, refusing to look at me. He shook his head, then motioned toward Sara and Rain. His voice, when he spoke, was terrible and sad.
"Daughter, I do not wish to believe that you have betrayed us, but the evidence against you is damning. As an Elder of this Keep, I cannot allow you the opportunity to continue such treachery. Sara, Rain, take her to her rooms. See that she remains there until the Council can decide her punishment."
Legolas stepped between us, one hand on his knife. His eyes were ablaze with defiance, his body taut and wary. Father gripped his shoulder, shaking him slightly.
"My friend, do not interfere in this. You only endanger yourself. I promise you, she will not be harmed." Reluctantly, Legolas allowed Father to draw him aside so that the other two could approach.
I was hauled to my feet by rough hands grasping my upper arms. Rage was dragged from her scabbard at my side. I struggled fruitlessly; they dragged me out of the library and through the corridors to my quarters. Legolas followed close behind us, watching to ensure my safety. I was lost in the fog that seemed to be my perpetual companion, stumbling over my own feet in a haze of confusion and dizziness. I barely noticed my own door opening, the ungentle shove that thrust me into the room, the heavy metallic ring of the lock snapping into place.
I stood in the center of the room for what seemed an eternity, waiting for I knew not what. Slowly, almost as if wading through mud, I stripped off my heavy outer robes and slipped off my shoes. I wandered over to the chair by the window and sank into its softness, staring out the window to the Forests beyond the Keep.