Chapter Three:
"My lord, the trees speak of the return of one of your former lieutenants."
Grand Duke Saercaeron glanced up at the elf wearing the dark red and black livery of his house. "Which one?"
The elf bowed his head and answered slowly, "the lord Raunion, my Lord."
Saercaeron smiled broadly, an evil spark flickered in his eyes.
"Have him brought to me, now."
The elf bowed low and backed out of the Grand Duke's office, managing to bypass all the little tables and sculptures strewn around the large chamber, and closed the doors firmly behind him.
Saercaeron leaned back in his chair and closed his eyes. 'So the little bastard has returned - I wonder if he thinks that I have forgotten the way he left? I will enjoy myself with this one, his brother died far to quickly for my liking. Far too soon.'
Raunion had found all of his old haunts with little incident and was welcomed heartily at each place. He was just leaving his cousin's wine house when five tall elves in that ever-so familiar red and black appeared on either side of him and his cousin, who was taking him to his talan for a late dinner.
"Lord Raunion - your presence is requested by the Grand Duke of Mirkwood. He would like to personally welcome your return to the realm," one of the guards bowed slightly, respectfully, but Raunion noted immediately that the other guards' hands were placed discreetly on their hilts and the lead guards' hand was drifting down to his own blade.
"Ai, my cousin will indeed greet his lordship in all good time, but he is set to dine in my home tonight," Raunion's cousin cooly stepped between his kinsman and the guards. "He has just returned now and is in need of a rest after a skirmish with spiders."
The guards, while not openly challenging them, drew closer and wraped their hands tightly around their blade hilts. Raunion would have none of this - both he and his cousin were unarmed, Raunion havin left his weapons in the healer's office.
"No, cousin. I will accompany these fine elves to visit with the good Duke - you can arrange a nice family supper get-together for me. I shouldn't be long," Raunion lied, putting a conforting hand on his cousin's shoulder and pushing him gently out of the way. "I can hardly wait to see everyone."
His cousin looked deeply into his eyes but Raunion shook his head slightly as the guards came forewards to 'guide' him to the Duke's chambers.
"Le cenithon ned lû thent, gwanur," his cousin bowed his head and backed up as Raunion was escorted off.
'I'm doomed,' was all that Raunion could think of as he was pulled into a shady glade of dark fir trees. He was pushed down the paths towards the large, looming cliff where the cavernous palace of Mirkwook was carved into the living stone.
Most enter the caves through the front ways, where the sun breaks through the canopy and all is beautiful and splendid, but the Duke, now the Grand Duke, Saercaeron had no use for beauty and splendour.
He left that to his cousin Thranduil and his people; Saercaeron prefered the dark and foreboding wall of solid rock to be the enterance to his portion of the caves and his secret prisons.
Passing through the dark iron gates into the evil duke's lair was, to Raunion, so terrible a feeling that he nearly collapsed - especially since he knew he most likely wouldn't ever be exiting through them alive.
'I wish I had seen more of my kin - I suppose I should have returned sooner. I might even would have seen Ionvain once more, but thats all ending soon, I suppose,' Rounion thought depressingly as he was taken through the familiar dark halls and damp passage ways. 'I wonder how he'll have me killed? Slow and painfully, most likely. I can't see him allowing me to die easily - no, it's more likely he'll leave me to fade away... like he had me do to Ionvain.'
Raunion's throat became constricted with emotion and he felt a pull on his eyes thinking of his brother.
He really hadn't wanted to follow the duke's orders - but who knows what would have happened if he had refused? Most likely they would all be dead - and any Noldor warrior would say that one casualty is better than two - but the chivalrious Silvan soldier would give his life for a brother or comrade.
He sighed as they passed through numerous sets of heavy wooden doors, each closing and locking behind them in an ominous manner, but Raunion payed them no heed.
'I should have refused - I should have said I'd rather die than kill my own kin, my own little brother. But I am weak and I said nothing. I feared more for my life and the life of sweet Orien than that of my Ionvain.'
Such thoughts ran through his head even as they halted infront of a dark, blood red desk where the Duke Saercaeron sat looking his most fearfull.
"Well, well - Lieutenant Raunion! How" the elf bared his teeth slightly and hissed, "nice of you to return. I suppose you'd like to reassume your commision?"
Raunion flinched inwardly but appeared cool and rather bored to the guards.
Blinking stupidly at Saercaeron, Raunion shrugged. "No, actually, I'd rather not, my lord."
Saercaeron raised a dark eyebrow set above firey yellow eyes, "No? How now, Raunion?"
"Well, my lord, in my travels I have given up violence and have dedicated myself to the preaching of the Valar's words to the Eldar, and since"
Saercaeron knew sassyness and sarcasim when he heard it, but he thought it enormously funny and cut Raunion off with his laughter, his cold, callous, mocking laughter.
"Preaching the words of the Valar! Ai oi, that is ammusing coming from a kinslayer, Raunion," the Duke's eyes now danced with glee at the sight of Raunion's pale face, "but of course - you must learn of how your dear brother survived your betrayal!"
Raunion grew tense and could sence what was coming before Saercaeron motioned for the guards on either side of him to take him. The guards did just that and Raunion found himself being dragged, his booted feet digging down into the stone floor, fighting the whole way, towards the dreaded door that lead down into the evil elf's dungeons.
The guard on Raunion's left, after recieving a kick in the shins that couldn't have felt great, let go of the arm he had hold of and punched the struggling captive in the gut - efficiantly knocking the wind out of the prisoner - before taking hold of his arm again and continuing a much easier journey down into the depth of Saercaeron's evility.
'Well, thats all folks,' the captive would-be kinslayer resigned himself to death, 'too bad I didn't even get to see if Orien waited for me. She wouldn't have - I told her not to. I hope she didn't, my sweet Orien...'
"My lord, the trees speak of the return of one of your former lieutenants."
Grand Duke Saercaeron glanced up at the elf wearing the dark red and black livery of his house. "Which one?"
The elf bowed his head and answered slowly, "the lord Raunion, my Lord."
Saercaeron smiled broadly, an evil spark flickered in his eyes.
"Have him brought to me, now."
The elf bowed low and backed out of the Grand Duke's office, managing to bypass all the little tables and sculptures strewn around the large chamber, and closed the doors firmly behind him.
Saercaeron leaned back in his chair and closed his eyes. 'So the little bastard has returned - I wonder if he thinks that I have forgotten the way he left? I will enjoy myself with this one, his brother died far to quickly for my liking. Far too soon.'
Raunion had found all of his old haunts with little incident and was welcomed heartily at each place. He was just leaving his cousin's wine house when five tall elves in that ever-so familiar red and black appeared on either side of him and his cousin, who was taking him to his talan for a late dinner.
"Lord Raunion - your presence is requested by the Grand Duke of Mirkwood. He would like to personally welcome your return to the realm," one of the guards bowed slightly, respectfully, but Raunion noted immediately that the other guards' hands were placed discreetly on their hilts and the lead guards' hand was drifting down to his own blade.
"Ai, my cousin will indeed greet his lordship in all good time, but he is set to dine in my home tonight," Raunion's cousin cooly stepped between his kinsman and the guards. "He has just returned now and is in need of a rest after a skirmish with spiders."
The guards, while not openly challenging them, drew closer and wraped their hands tightly around their blade hilts. Raunion would have none of this - both he and his cousin were unarmed, Raunion havin left his weapons in the healer's office.
"No, cousin. I will accompany these fine elves to visit with the good Duke - you can arrange a nice family supper get-together for me. I shouldn't be long," Raunion lied, putting a conforting hand on his cousin's shoulder and pushing him gently out of the way. "I can hardly wait to see everyone."
His cousin looked deeply into his eyes but Raunion shook his head slightly as the guards came forewards to 'guide' him to the Duke's chambers.
"Le cenithon ned lû thent, gwanur," his cousin bowed his head and backed up as Raunion was escorted off.
'I'm doomed,' was all that Raunion could think of as he was pulled into a shady glade of dark fir trees. He was pushed down the paths towards the large, looming cliff where the cavernous palace of Mirkwook was carved into the living stone.
Most enter the caves through the front ways, where the sun breaks through the canopy and all is beautiful and splendid, but the Duke, now the Grand Duke, Saercaeron had no use for beauty and splendour.
He left that to his cousin Thranduil and his people; Saercaeron prefered the dark and foreboding wall of solid rock to be the enterance to his portion of the caves and his secret prisons.
Passing through the dark iron gates into the evil duke's lair was, to Raunion, so terrible a feeling that he nearly collapsed - especially since he knew he most likely wouldn't ever be exiting through them alive.
'I wish I had seen more of my kin - I suppose I should have returned sooner. I might even would have seen Ionvain once more, but thats all ending soon, I suppose,' Rounion thought depressingly as he was taken through the familiar dark halls and damp passage ways. 'I wonder how he'll have me killed? Slow and painfully, most likely. I can't see him allowing me to die easily - no, it's more likely he'll leave me to fade away... like he had me do to Ionvain.'
Raunion's throat became constricted with emotion and he felt a pull on his eyes thinking of his brother.
He really hadn't wanted to follow the duke's orders - but who knows what would have happened if he had refused? Most likely they would all be dead - and any Noldor warrior would say that one casualty is better than two - but the chivalrious Silvan soldier would give his life for a brother or comrade.
He sighed as they passed through numerous sets of heavy wooden doors, each closing and locking behind them in an ominous manner, but Raunion payed them no heed.
'I should have refused - I should have said I'd rather die than kill my own kin, my own little brother. But I am weak and I said nothing. I feared more for my life and the life of sweet Orien than that of my Ionvain.'
Such thoughts ran through his head even as they halted infront of a dark, blood red desk where the Duke Saercaeron sat looking his most fearfull.
"Well, well - Lieutenant Raunion! How" the elf bared his teeth slightly and hissed, "nice of you to return. I suppose you'd like to reassume your commision?"
Raunion flinched inwardly but appeared cool and rather bored to the guards.
Blinking stupidly at Saercaeron, Raunion shrugged. "No, actually, I'd rather not, my lord."
Saercaeron raised a dark eyebrow set above firey yellow eyes, "No? How now, Raunion?"
"Well, my lord, in my travels I have given up violence and have dedicated myself to the preaching of the Valar's words to the Eldar, and since"
Saercaeron knew sassyness and sarcasim when he heard it, but he thought it enormously funny and cut Raunion off with his laughter, his cold, callous, mocking laughter.
"Preaching the words of the Valar! Ai oi, that is ammusing coming from a kinslayer, Raunion," the Duke's eyes now danced with glee at the sight of Raunion's pale face, "but of course - you must learn of how your dear brother survived your betrayal!"
Raunion grew tense and could sence what was coming before Saercaeron motioned for the guards on either side of him to take him. The guards did just that and Raunion found himself being dragged, his booted feet digging down into the stone floor, fighting the whole way, towards the dreaded door that lead down into the evil elf's dungeons.
The guard on Raunion's left, after recieving a kick in the shins that couldn't have felt great, let go of the arm he had hold of and punched the struggling captive in the gut - efficiantly knocking the wind out of the prisoner - before taking hold of his arm again and continuing a much easier journey down into the depth of Saercaeron's evility.
'Well, thats all folks,' the captive would-be kinslayer resigned himself to death, 'too bad I didn't even get to see if Orien waited for me. She wouldn't have - I told her not to. I hope she didn't, my sweet Orien...'