Boy, my head was banging when I awoke. And I couldn't move my shoulder without a gasp of pain. That rock must have broken it or something. And I hadn't felt it because I was running on pure adrenaline.

Lord Elrond still lay unconscious. I leaned on his chest with my ear. His breathing and everything was even, and when I took his pulse, it was slow and steady as well.

I went out the kitchen door, taking a big, stoppered bottle to fill with water and to attend to a call of a nature. I faintly heard the sounds of horses and almost went around the house. But then I paused. The voices didn't sound elvish.

I quickly went back into the house.

Suddenly, there was banging and it was coming from the front room. I ran down the hall grimacing at my shoulder pain and went to the front door. About to open it, and hoping for rescue, I paused when I heard rough voices beyond the wood. Who could it be? It was definitely not elves.

I carefully looked out the furthest window and saw three scruffy looking men staring at the front of the house, obviously looking for a way in. Well, it wasn't going to take them long to figure out breaking the windows, so I hurried back to Lord Elrond. What could I do? Was there somewhere to hide?

I looked around the kitchen and spied a door near the wooden tubs obviously used for washing. (There were some small towels hanging on hooks nearby).

Pulling at the door, it came open and a breath of cold, damp air enveloped me. A cellar? That might work, especially if the men were not expecting any inhabitants.

I had so wanted to go to the river to look for supplies that might have washed ashore. But I had to go hide us.

Taking the elf lord on to my shoulder again in a fireman's hold made me weep with pain. Taking very careful steps, I went down the stairs, grateful that they were not that long or deep. I couldn't see anything, but I lay Elrond down, away from the faint light of the stairwell. I rushed back up the stairs, grabbed the little towels and the blankets, the bottle of water and the tinder and flint. I looked hurriedly about. I could see nothing further of our presence.

Swiftly going back to the cellar, I was just started down the steps, when I heard the crash of glass. Biting my lip, I carefully closed the cellar door and made my way down in the dark. I found the prone form of the elf lord and once again wrapped him in blankets. Folding the little towels, I lay them under his banged up head. I huddled under my blanket and hugged him to me.

I prayed the bandits were just in a hurry to look for easily hauled off loot and had no intention of staying or anything.

Very faintly I could hear them in the kitchens, laughing. I shivered and buried my face in the blanket. Like that would help. But I had no other ideas.

Yet.

It seemed like a long time went by, but who could tell in the dark? The elf lord remained asleep. He didn't feel hot as if he were fighting an infection. But he didn't wake up. My shoulder was really throbbing, and my head didn't feel too good, and I was hungry, and....oh well, you get the picture.

I must have drifted off a little bit because I was startled into wakefulness by loud thumping on the cellar door. Oh great, they were trying to get down here. Me with an injured elf lord to protect. I had a brief flare of adrenaline, as if there was somewhere I could run to, taking Lord Elrond with me. But we were trapped like rats down here.

Biting my lip at the pain until it bled, I dragged the elf lord as gently as I could to the furthest, darkest corner, settled him and then went back up the steps to the cellar door. Maybe, if they found me first, they wouldn't go down any further into the cellar, especially as it had seemed empty to me.

The door banged and thumped, and then at last, it was yanked opened and the four of us all gasped at the sight of the others.

"Well, what have we here? A little mouse hiding in the cellar?" The tallest of the lot, thin nosed, lank brown hair tied back, sharp black eyes, pulled me out into the kitchen. I blinked at the dim light and almost fainted from the pain. He flung me against the table and I quickly sat on the bench. I stared at his companions. One was red-haired, a bit round with a scraggly beard and beady green eyes, and the other was tall, grey-eyed and cool looking, almost elvish. His face, though shadowed by the hood of his cloak, was all sharp angles like the one who spoke.

They spoke Westron, so I answered haltingly, my Westron a bit rusty.

"I am Marie. Hiding there when I heard you."

"Hiding what mistress?" The leader stepped closer to me, his eyes gleaming in a nearby lantern.

"Hiding from you. I was scared. The rain brought me in here."

He nodded and was silent. He looked about the bare room. "Anything to eat?"

"No. House has been empty very long."

The red haired one said, picking his teeth. "I think she is lying Garn. I bet there's stuff here we could have."

I looked at him and just shook my head. "Look at all the dust. What ever hides here is rotted and dry. The river holds more."

The thin, grey-eyed one looked at Garn. "There is a lot of dust. The river will provide us with fish at least. And remember those horses running off...?"

I sat up slowly. Horses? Might the other two elves have survived?

"So, what do we do with her?" Garn asked, picking at his face.

His companions leered at him as if he were slow. I sighed. Well, at least they hadn't found the elf lord.

I straightened up, wincing. "Well, if you can find something to eat, I can cook it."

It was the only thing I could think of that might distract them from my "other" uses.

They were silent and I looked at Garn. "A hot meal would be good now, yes?" I looked out the dusty window. It was clouding up again. "It will rain soon. A hot meal would be good." I repeated the hot meal, again hoping this would appeal to them.

Garn finally nodded. He lurched to me and then grabbing me, dragged me back to the cellar and flung me down the stairs. I moaned as my shoulder hit the steps and rolled.

Dinner might be a little slow this evening.

Garn slammed the door. I crawled to where the elf lord was and huddled against his still form. His body warmth made me feel a little better.

I was in a half doze when I heard the cellar door open. I quickly left my dark corner and went towards the sound. My left shoulder was almost useless and rigid with pain. I certainly hoped I could make a meal anyway.

I came up the stairs as quickly as I could, wincing with every step. I was hauled by the arm into the kitchen proper and saw some of the supplies we had brought on our herb expedition. I tried to keep my face still when I saw the chest of Elrond's medical supplies. I could hopefully do something for him!

Garn opened one of the chests that had held the dry things we had brought and started laying them on the table: a sack of dry grain for hot cereal in the morning, potatoes, spices, a jar of honey. A couple of jars of preserved fruits. Peaches and strawberries, I think. (They were really good on the cereal).

His companion held up two scraggly rabbits and flung them on the table. I nodded. But would they give me a knife to skin and gut them?

I reached for the carcasses, but Garn stayed my hand and looked at the tall grey-eyed one. "You do them Bellan. Me and Frasc will go do some fishing." He yanked me over to the potatoes. "You cut these up and a couple of onions too. No funny stuff."

I quickly nodded and picked up a small knife. Bellan, watching me carefully, went to the other end of the table and took a knife off his belt. He began to skin one of the rabbits over a wooden bucket.

I stood there, weaving slightly, and then settled before the vegetables. If I could keep these guys eating, perhaps they wouldn't think anything more about me.

I hoped.

As I thought, cutting the vegetables took me quite awhile. My shoulder was tight and stiff with pain. I stole a glance at Bellan who was concentrating on his eviscerating. I looked at my little knife and then at the one Bellan used. Well there was no contest there. And I had no knife skills to trick someone with.

And I had to see to Elrond. But how, with these three here?

My eyes fell on Elrond's chest. And a small smile crossed my face. I could read Sindarin and I was willing to bet my life these three could not. If I could find a soporific in there and add it to the food.......Well, then I could have time to care for Elrond.

I felt better with that decided and focused on getting the vegetables done.

Bellan, finished with the rabbits, looked at his hands and said, "I am going to the well."

"Yes. Can you get some water for the stew?" I asked boldly, indicating the pot I had put the vegetables in.

With a shrug, Bellan picked it up and went out to the well. I quickly opened the elf lord's box and looked through the neatly labeled vials, jars and small silk pouches. None were spilled or broken.

Smelling a few, I was reminded of Lord Elrond and tears pricked at the corner of my eyes. I picked up the one I needed and quickly hid it inside my tunic. Closing the box, I went and stood by the fire, which had died down some. Shivering, I leaned against the warm stones of the hearth. Oh, this had better work. Poor elf lord. All dinged up and with only me to see to his care! Wishing briefly for Erestor or Glorfindel's presence, I brushed my hands across my eyes quickly and straightened as Bellan came back with the full pot. I went to it and looking at the array of spices before us I said, "Which should I throw into the pot for flavor?"

"I care not." He quickly pulled a few from the supplies. "These should do." I nodded and made a big show of smelling and adding them to the water.

Just then, the other two came back in, Frasc carrying a string with three fish on it. He flung it on the table and Bellan, about to gut and clean them, stopped when Garn shook his head. "Naw, let the missy do them."

I finished with the spices and then went to the fish. Bellan took the pot and went and put it on the hob. He then began to stoke the fire.

As I cleaned the fish, I kept shivering. My head felt heavy and I grimaced at the strong smell of fish. Great, I was getting a cold or something. Holding the fish with my bad shoulder made cleaning them very hard, because they were so slippery and I couldn't grasp them hard enough.

Garn came up and shoved me off the bench to the floor when I dropped the fish for the third time. "These fish'll never reach the spit with you dropping them all the time." He cuffed me on my bad shoulder and I screamed.

"I didn't hit ya that hard." He glowered at me, head lowered.

"I think it's broken," I whispered. "A rock in the river." The room began to swirl around me and with a moan I lay my head down on the table.

There was silence for a moment and then I heard Garn next to me, taking away the fish.

Before I passed out completely, I wondered if I would get my chance to drug the stew.

Not tonight.

I woke to find myself on the cold stone floor of the cellar. There was no light and I could not even tell if Lord Elrond was still there. My mouth was like sand. I felt around in the dark with trembling hands and was surprised to encounter a small stoppered bottle of water. Well. They weren't complete monsters.

I drank the bottle dry. I didn't even care that it tasted weird. I think it was like watered down wine or something. I tried to sit up. I was shivering so hard my teeth clicked. This cellar was not very warm. As I straightened my legs to get the kinks out of them, I kicked something soft. I patted it and dragged it to me. It was Lord Elrond's cloak!

I put it up to my face and I could smell the slight spicy odor I associated with him. And all right, and a faint, damp smell of river water.

But where was Lord Elrond? I patted around trying to find his prone body...but I found nothing.

Had the bandits dragged him away?

Now what could I do? They weren't torturing him or something? Or beating him up or something awful? I curled up in the cloak and bit my lip.

Poor Lord Elrond!