Chapter Four
Hidden AgendaThe next ten days went by faster than Fio had imagined, during that time a friendship grew between her and the mysterious Annawen. Finally as the sun rose on the tenth day, Fio was woken by the sting of freezing cold water to her face. She opened her eyes wearily and looked around the dark little room, Annawen was nowhere in site. She slowly sat up and whipped the water from her eyes, then she noticed that before her stood the ominous figure of a guard.
"Get up you filthy little wench, you're going to start earning your stay this day."
The man grabbed her arms and roughly lifted her to her feet. Fio glared at him and was thinking of attacking him, but when he handed her a piece of bread and a slab of cheese, the thought strayed from her mind. Fio took them without question greedily eating the cheese and bread, she ate all but half which, she saved for Annawen. The guard said something to her in a strange language, and Fiothiel figured he was telling her to follow him, so she laid the food on Annawen's bed and followed the man to the door.
Another man was waiting by the outside of the door, in his hand he held a rope. As she neared him the guard behind her grabbed her and held out her hands, then the guard with the rope quickly and skillfully tied them tightly together. The men, from what Fio could see, were tall and dark haired, like all the other men of Gondor. Their skin was fair, like that of Solomir, and the were clad in the garb of the Citadel Guards. The thought of struggle again rose in Fio's mind, but with her hands bound and throbbing, and her hunger still aching, it soon seemed an impossible feat. Fiothiel just looked at her dirt and blood crested feet and followed the man who had tied her hands.
They went the same way that they had gone when Fiothiel was first brought down into the Keep. She remembered the path in which they took, and easily avoided the cracks and loose stones on the floor. She could also see more clearly where she was going, as her eyes were now used to the darkness that engulfed the dank passages. Soon enough they reached the bottom of that long staircase, the guard pushed her forward, and they began to climb.
Fio tried to take her mind off the pain of her feet and the fact that the circulation was cut off to her hands, by counting the stairs. She lost count at 350. Foithiel figured that the Keep must go deep into the mountain, far below the top-most Citadel. They continued up the dark and narrow staircase until the reached the heavy wooden door that was its exit to the outside word. The Citadel guard to her left opened the door and pushed her out into the daylight.
The sun's light stung her eyes and she looked away from the light and cringed. She had not looked upon the lighted world in ten days, nor had she breathed the fresh air, and now she took a long, deep breath filling her lungs with the sweet flowered air. For a moment she forgot the she was captured and she just allowed all the freshness of the crisp autumn to refresh her senses. But she was soon brought back to the world a hard kick from behind and she fell to her knees.
'Up bitch, you have work to do!' One of the guards yelled at her and kicked her in the side.
Fio forced herself to her feet and gave a light moan to the pain of a newly bruised rib. The men pushed her along towards a large house up the way from the main road, every step in the newborn day gave her new strength. Fiothiel began to look around the city in which was kept, and to all surprise it was a beautiful city. The stones were white and clean, the houses were bright and wooden, and there was a fountain not too far off where a white tree stood. Or at least it had been a white tree at one time, it was now dead and gray. Aside from that though, it was a beautiful city of stone, a place Fio may have been glad to visit if under other circumstances.
They reached the house soon enough, and the guards walked in, motioning for her to follow. Fio bowed her head and walked inside. It was unbelievably white, the floors were craved of white marble, the windows had white curtains hanging from them the flew in the breeze. The doors were painted white as well, and even though all around her white and bright, and evil lingered and a great darkness grew in her heart.
The guards led her into a great hall, from the center branched many doors leading to various rooms of the house, but they continued straight. When they reach the far side of the great hall they stopped, in front of them stood two large, black doors. The guards opened them and when they did so it exposed another large white room. The guards untied her hands and pushed her towards the room, Fiothiel look into this bright white room, the back towards the large hall. From the corner of her eye Fio saw someone on their hands and knees scrubbing the floor.
'Annawen!' Fio shouted breaking free from the guards and running over to her and kneeling by her side.
'What are you doing up here?' Annawen smiled and looked at her happy face with surprise.
'I'm not sure, this is where they led me.' Fio said motioning to the guards.
Annawen's smile faded as she looked at the guards standing by the open door, something was not right and she could feel it. She stared at them for a time, but was brought back to the world with Fio's voice.
'Annawen? I saved some food for you Annawen.' She was saying.
'Thank you,' Annawen said turning her gaze back to Fiothiel and putting on a smile for show, 'but I have already eaten.'
'Oh.' Said Fio thinking about the extra food she might have eaten.
'We can share it when we return.' She placed a kind hand on Fio's shoulder, 'We shall have to celebrate to coming back into the world.'
Fio nodded and opened her mouth to say something, but was interrupted by a voice from within the room.
'Barad, you lazy ass. What's taking you so long!' The voice of Solomir snarled.
The guard to the left, the one that had given her the food, walked forward and grabbed Fio by the hair and pulled her to the door. Fio kicking and grabbing at her hair, screamed in pain as he pulled her along. When they reached the door Barad grabbed the collar of her torn dress and lifted her to her feet. Fio coughed and clutched at her throat, but all was happening far too fast for her to do anything. What was this change that came over this guard to make him suddenly so violent? Annawen threw her rag down and stood, ready to attack Barad as soon as her touched her friend again. Barad saw this and nodded at the other guard, who then pushed Fio into the room. Annawen went back to work, but watched intently into the room where Fio was forced in.
Fio flew forward into the room, arms in front of her and feet trying to keep up. She fell to the floor but quickly got her bearings back and stood, looking around. In front of her was plain white bed with more of the hard pillows, and on the bed lay Solomir, hands behind his head and a sinister smile spread across his face. Fio cringed and turn towards the door, but Solomir's fell voice came from behind her, sending a chill though her spine and stopping even her breath.
'No point going that way, you'll get nowhere. My guards will see to that.' Solomir stood and walked over to her.
Fio turned to him and looked into his eyes, and she saw that there was a lustful glint within them. He laid a hand on her cheek and began again to caress it, Fio again pushed it away. Rage grew in Solomir's eyes and the lustful look her gave became greedy and cold. He backhanded her and she was knocked back with the force. He then her grabbed her shoulders, digging his fingers into them and making Fio cringe, he threw he on to the bed. Fio was stunned and laid there confused and dazed.
Solomir walked over to the doors and slammed them shut. At that moment Annawen jumped up and ran towards the doors, but was caught by the guards, and they held her back. Inside Solomir walked to the side of the bed and looked down at this beautiful elf that lay there, in a daze. He took the back of his hand and stroked her arm, Fio quickly moved away. This again angered Solomir, he flung himself forward in a rage and began to beat her. Fio cried out in pain and she could hear Annawen on the other side of the door screaming and fighting with the guards.
Solomir let up and agin stood over her, looking down in a condescending way. Fio lay on the floor, bleeding and drained of any energy, it was a sad thing to look on. Solomir lifted her and again threw her on the bed. He leaned down and kissed her lips in a hard cruel manner. Fio batted her hands at him, and as soon as he pulled away brought her nails across he face. Solomir's hand flew to the side of his face as blood began to flow from his face. Again Fio felt the back of his hand whip across her face. Solomir grew impatient. He began to tear off her cloths, Fio screamed and struggled with all her remaining strength, but now she became weak and posed little threat. He both of her arms above her head with one hand, and greedily kisses her neck and shoulders. His other hand was busy a well, tearing of her sleeves and ripping the front her dress. The from his belt, he pulled a dagger, her dagger. Slowly he slashed the dress and pulled it off her, then he slowly brought the blade across her stomach. As it cut into her flesh, Fio tried to scream, but she found that now sound came out.
'Tua! Annawen, tua amin!' Fio said as loud as she could manage, which was but a hoarse whisper.
{Help! Annawen, help me!}
End Chapter Four
Hidden AgendaThe next ten days went by faster than Fio had imagined, during that time a friendship grew between her and the mysterious Annawen. Finally as the sun rose on the tenth day, Fio was woken by the sting of freezing cold water to her face. She opened her eyes wearily and looked around the dark little room, Annawen was nowhere in site. She slowly sat up and whipped the water from her eyes, then she noticed that before her stood the ominous figure of a guard.
"Get up you filthy little wench, you're going to start earning your stay this day."
The man grabbed her arms and roughly lifted her to her feet. Fio glared at him and was thinking of attacking him, but when he handed her a piece of bread and a slab of cheese, the thought strayed from her mind. Fio took them without question greedily eating the cheese and bread, she ate all but half which, she saved for Annawen. The guard said something to her in a strange language, and Fiothiel figured he was telling her to follow him, so she laid the food on Annawen's bed and followed the man to the door.
Another man was waiting by the outside of the door, in his hand he held a rope. As she neared him the guard behind her grabbed her and held out her hands, then the guard with the rope quickly and skillfully tied them tightly together. The men, from what Fio could see, were tall and dark haired, like all the other men of Gondor. Their skin was fair, like that of Solomir, and the were clad in the garb of the Citadel Guards. The thought of struggle again rose in Fio's mind, but with her hands bound and throbbing, and her hunger still aching, it soon seemed an impossible feat. Fiothiel just looked at her dirt and blood crested feet and followed the man who had tied her hands.
They went the same way that they had gone when Fiothiel was first brought down into the Keep. She remembered the path in which they took, and easily avoided the cracks and loose stones on the floor. She could also see more clearly where she was going, as her eyes were now used to the darkness that engulfed the dank passages. Soon enough they reached the bottom of that long staircase, the guard pushed her forward, and they began to climb.
Fio tried to take her mind off the pain of her feet and the fact that the circulation was cut off to her hands, by counting the stairs. She lost count at 350. Foithiel figured that the Keep must go deep into the mountain, far below the top-most Citadel. They continued up the dark and narrow staircase until the reached the heavy wooden door that was its exit to the outside word. The Citadel guard to her left opened the door and pushed her out into the daylight.
The sun's light stung her eyes and she looked away from the light and cringed. She had not looked upon the lighted world in ten days, nor had she breathed the fresh air, and now she took a long, deep breath filling her lungs with the sweet flowered air. For a moment she forgot the she was captured and she just allowed all the freshness of the crisp autumn to refresh her senses. But she was soon brought back to the world a hard kick from behind and she fell to her knees.
'Up bitch, you have work to do!' One of the guards yelled at her and kicked her in the side.
Fio forced herself to her feet and gave a light moan to the pain of a newly bruised rib. The men pushed her along towards a large house up the way from the main road, every step in the newborn day gave her new strength. Fiothiel began to look around the city in which was kept, and to all surprise it was a beautiful city. The stones were white and clean, the houses were bright and wooden, and there was a fountain not too far off where a white tree stood. Or at least it had been a white tree at one time, it was now dead and gray. Aside from that though, it was a beautiful city of stone, a place Fio may have been glad to visit if under other circumstances.
They reached the house soon enough, and the guards walked in, motioning for her to follow. Fio bowed her head and walked inside. It was unbelievably white, the floors were craved of white marble, the windows had white curtains hanging from them the flew in the breeze. The doors were painted white as well, and even though all around her white and bright, and evil lingered and a great darkness grew in her heart.
The guards led her into a great hall, from the center branched many doors leading to various rooms of the house, but they continued straight. When they reach the far side of the great hall they stopped, in front of them stood two large, black doors. The guards opened them and when they did so it exposed another large white room. The guards untied her hands and pushed her towards the room, Fiothiel look into this bright white room, the back towards the large hall. From the corner of her eye Fio saw someone on their hands and knees scrubbing the floor.
'Annawen!' Fio shouted breaking free from the guards and running over to her and kneeling by her side.
'What are you doing up here?' Annawen smiled and looked at her happy face with surprise.
'I'm not sure, this is where they led me.' Fio said motioning to the guards.
Annawen's smile faded as she looked at the guards standing by the open door, something was not right and she could feel it. She stared at them for a time, but was brought back to the world with Fio's voice.
'Annawen? I saved some food for you Annawen.' She was saying.
'Thank you,' Annawen said turning her gaze back to Fiothiel and putting on a smile for show, 'but I have already eaten.'
'Oh.' Said Fio thinking about the extra food she might have eaten.
'We can share it when we return.' She placed a kind hand on Fio's shoulder, 'We shall have to celebrate to coming back into the world.'
Fio nodded and opened her mouth to say something, but was interrupted by a voice from within the room.
'Barad, you lazy ass. What's taking you so long!' The voice of Solomir snarled.
The guard to the left, the one that had given her the food, walked forward and grabbed Fio by the hair and pulled her to the door. Fio kicking and grabbing at her hair, screamed in pain as he pulled her along. When they reached the door Barad grabbed the collar of her torn dress and lifted her to her feet. Fio coughed and clutched at her throat, but all was happening far too fast for her to do anything. What was this change that came over this guard to make him suddenly so violent? Annawen threw her rag down and stood, ready to attack Barad as soon as her touched her friend again. Barad saw this and nodded at the other guard, who then pushed Fio into the room. Annawen went back to work, but watched intently into the room where Fio was forced in.
Fio flew forward into the room, arms in front of her and feet trying to keep up. She fell to the floor but quickly got her bearings back and stood, looking around. In front of her was plain white bed with more of the hard pillows, and on the bed lay Solomir, hands behind his head and a sinister smile spread across his face. Fio cringed and turn towards the door, but Solomir's fell voice came from behind her, sending a chill though her spine and stopping even her breath.
'No point going that way, you'll get nowhere. My guards will see to that.' Solomir stood and walked over to her.
Fio turned to him and looked into his eyes, and she saw that there was a lustful glint within them. He laid a hand on her cheek and began again to caress it, Fio again pushed it away. Rage grew in Solomir's eyes and the lustful look her gave became greedy and cold. He backhanded her and she was knocked back with the force. He then her grabbed her shoulders, digging his fingers into them and making Fio cringe, he threw he on to the bed. Fio was stunned and laid there confused and dazed.
Solomir walked over to the doors and slammed them shut. At that moment Annawen jumped up and ran towards the doors, but was caught by the guards, and they held her back. Inside Solomir walked to the side of the bed and looked down at this beautiful elf that lay there, in a daze. He took the back of his hand and stroked her arm, Fio quickly moved away. This again angered Solomir, he flung himself forward in a rage and began to beat her. Fio cried out in pain and she could hear Annawen on the other side of the door screaming and fighting with the guards.
Solomir let up and agin stood over her, looking down in a condescending way. Fio lay on the floor, bleeding and drained of any energy, it was a sad thing to look on. Solomir lifted her and again threw her on the bed. He leaned down and kissed her lips in a hard cruel manner. Fio batted her hands at him, and as soon as he pulled away brought her nails across he face. Solomir's hand flew to the side of his face as blood began to flow from his face. Again Fio felt the back of his hand whip across her face. Solomir grew impatient. He began to tear off her cloths, Fio screamed and struggled with all her remaining strength, but now she became weak and posed little threat. He both of her arms above her head with one hand, and greedily kisses her neck and shoulders. His other hand was busy a well, tearing of her sleeves and ripping the front her dress. The from his belt, he pulled a dagger, her dagger. Slowly he slashed the dress and pulled it off her, then he slowly brought the blade across her stomach. As it cut into her flesh, Fio tried to scream, but she found that now sound came out.
'Tua! Annawen, tua amin!' Fio said as loud as she could manage, which was but a hoarse whisper.
{Help! Annawen, help me!}
End Chapter Four