A/N: Hey, Welcome back peoples! Missed me, didn't you? ;) I knew it. Another take-forever-to-put-up chapter, but please don't be disheartened! You love me for it anyway, eh?

Disclaimer: (Insert typical disclaimer, am too depressed to write one as Rúmil scorned my offerings of Sakatas. Sigh...)

Chapter 5 – Asca!

"And so it has been decreed that children between the ages of 5 and 7 are to have basic weapon skills training, both male and female alike." Elrond declared.

Great. When the Orcs attack we will scare them off with our pint-sized terrors!

Rúmil wrote on a piece of paper and poked Ashlieth, grinning across the table at her as she bit her lip in amusement whilst she read it. Encouraged, he took another piece of paper and scribbled more onto it.

When great evil threatens to take over Middle-Earth, our army of midgets will poke them with sticks and call them names like 'ugly-head', thus saving us all!

He grinned cheekily as Ashlieth pressed her hand to her mouth to stop herself from laughing aloud. Then, discretely grabbing a pen she wrote something on the paper in a quick motion and pushed it back towards Rúmil.

Rúmil, quit it! I swear if you make me laugh, you will regret it! It warned.

With this encouragement Rúmil continued.

In fact, that could be our banner! 'They may be small, but watch your ankles: they bite!'

Rúmil grinned as he sent it across.

Ashlieth couldn't help it; she snorted into her hand, trying not to burst out laughing. Elrond heard this and fixed his gaze on her, his eyebrow raised. "Have you anything to add to this discussion, Lady Ashlieth?" He asked pointedly.

Ashlieth gulped. "Actually I have, my lord." She said, rising up and giving Rúmil a 'you-asked-for-this' look.

"My lord, it was just yesterday that myself and Marchwarden Rúmil were discussing this important issue, after you had sent out the news of today's decree. Indeed, Lord Rúmil said that he would very much like to take an active role in this training, he mentioned something about a small army, is that not so, Lord Rúmil?" She asked him, eyebrows raised, ignoring the death looks he was sent her.

Elrond looked pleased, smiling at Rúmil. "Indeed, Marchwarden of Lothlórien! That is a great honor for the children, to have such a great hero teach them in the ways of war. I wish to thank you from the bottom of my heart." Elrond smiled warmly at Rúmil.

Rúmil stood up and bowed, glaring at Ashlieth. "Indeed it is my pleasure, Lord Elrond. Nothing is more important than the training of our young. Yet if girls are to be present, they may also need a female teacher, and I ask Lady Ashlieth to accompany me in this training." He proposed, grinning wickedly. Ashlieth smiled sweetly back.

"I would love to, Marchwarden Rúmil, yet I am not skilled in the ways of war." She pointed out, hoping that Rúmil and Elrond would forget the fact that she was part of the Great War. They did not.

"Come, come Lady Ashlieth. We know that you are an accomplished archer and you come through the Great War with hardly a scratch!" Elrond reprimanded her.

"Hardly a scratch!" Ashlieth replied indignantly as the council burst out laughing. Soon she saw the funny side and grinned, both herself and Rúmil sitting down as the council continued.

:::

"Do you realise what you have gotten us into?" Rúmil inquired.

"What I have gotten us into? I don't think so, Marchwarden Rúmil, you made me laugh, I had to come up with something!" Ashlieth shot back as they walked through the gardens. Rúmil raised an eyebrow.

"Oh I see, it was my fault? Personally I think it was an endeavor on your part to make me stay here!" Rúmil sighed,

"Make you remain here, why Rúmil whatever do you mean?" She asked innocently.

"I got another letter from Haldir, demanding me to return home to Lothlórien, yet now I am training the ankle-biters, I will be able to stay!" He brightened. Ashlieth laughed and ruffled his hair.

"I hope you are not this against your own children!" she laughed, and Rúmil stopped walking, suddenly turning pale. Ashlieth grinned. "Rúmil, surely you have considered that you may one day have children?" She asked him.

Rúmil shook his head slowly. Him, a father? He shuddered, he would make the worst father, he had no idea how to handle children and he repeated these thoughts to Ashlieth.

"Well, now is your chance to find out!" Ashlieth told him, then she smiled. "You'll make a fine father." She encouraged him.

"I love you." He smiled at her.

"I know." Ashlieth replied airily, smirking at Rúmil who merely rolled his eyes.

:::

"I can't stand it! No more, I swear or I will die!" Ashlieth growled in frustration as she dogged arrows that flew at random. "Rúmil!" She yelled, picking up a crying elf child as she looked for him.

"Over here!" A muffled voice called. Ashlieth turned around to see a mountain of small elves move suddenly, and they all giggled as Rúmil sat up, disturbing them all. They fell off him and he grinned at them, standing up and rubbing his bruised back.

"Are we not coping, Lady Ashlieth?" He called out, smiling at her discomfort. Ashlieth frowned back at him whilst trying to comfort the weeping child.

"I would cope fine if it were ten, or twenty children we had to teach- Shush, there there sweetie - But fifty is much too many, we cannot give them undivided attention. We need to do something about this!" She yelled back at him, watching as once more he disappeared under a pile of young Elves, her frown replaced with a smile. Rúmil was fantastic with the children, able to give them each the attention they required and his keen eyes could see any trouble that was about to occur.

Ashlieth sighed, she had never realised what Telella with wooden swords could do. How many countless tears had been shed that day?

"Rúmil, a quick note to myself: Next time I try to get revenge on you, stop me!" Ashlieth asked him. She could almost feel him smirk as he called back out to her.

"Ashlieth, when you are on a mission, nothing or no one can stop you. I tried, but you refused to listen to me!" He pointed out.

"Well then, you are not just a pretty face, are you?" Ashlieth replied cheekily as Rúmil laughed.

Soon dusk had come and many parents had come to collect their children. Soon only a handful were left, and Ashlieth and Rúmil knew they had to take these ones back to the House and their parents.

"I'll take Tamòri and Nàthital back to their mother, if you can return Lord Monthil's children back to him." Ashlieth said. Rúmil nodded.

"Of course, shall I meet you afterwards?" He inquired. Ashlieth shook her head.

"No, Alurani and I are fitting her new dress tonight, but I will see you tomorrow?" She asked him. Rúmil nodded.

"But of course!" He said, coming up to her and kissing her softly. "Goodnight!" He whispered, amongst the groans of the little Elves. He grinned at her, and they took their wards and went their separate ways.

:::

After dropping of the two elves to their parents, Ashlieth began walking back to the room in the Last Homely House in which Alurani lived. The night was cool, and she was pulling her wrap closer around her shoulders when she heard a twig snap in the bushes. Ashlieth paused, her senses on guard. Soon she continued on, walking faster this time, yet she could sense someone behind her. Faster and faster she walked, until she was running down the pathway, the figure close behind her. Turning around to see who it was that pursued her, Ashlieth ran into something hard. "Oof!" She cried out, about to fall backwards until the 'something' grabbed her, placing a firm hand on her mouth.

"Not a word, if you value your life." It hissed, close to her ear. Ashlieth's eyes grew wide in shock, and she grabbed her attackers handscreaming out to Rúmil as she tried to pull it away.

"Rúmil! Help me!" She screamed frantically against his hand, yet all she could hear was emptiness. "Rúmil!" She cried again, yet still she could hear nothing.

"I would not bother to try and call for your 'love." The voice threatened. "He was dealt with before were came to get you." The voice told her. "Of course we could not kill him, we did not want to spill blood in this forest. So his is 'taking a rest' somewhere in the forest." The voice snarled, then chuckled. "I must admit, he put up a brave fight. But there is safety in numbers, and we far outnumbered him."

No, Rúmil! Ashlieth thought, her heart filled with rage from concern for him and she struggled violently.

The voice laughed, hissing in her ear. Then it stopped, and grabbed her by the arm, releasing her mouth. "Come now, silently" He commanded her.

Ashlieth shook her head. "What if I don't want to?" She asked defiantly, though her insides were trembling with fear.

The being tightened its grip, its voice cutting the night like a knife. "I would hate for others to die because of your screams!" It told her. Ashlieth stood, shocked. Then the figure pulled her along quickly through the night. As they came closer to the borders of Rivendell, a small figure burst out of the bush. Ashlieth gasped as a young elf named Alrad came closer.

"Evening miss, nice night for a ... hello, what are you doing with Lady Ashlieth?" Alrad asked, his eyes narrowing.

"Alrad, get out of here!" Ashlieth called to him. "Run Alrad, or he will kill you!" She begged, but Alrad just shook his head.

"I don't think so Miss, not until you come with me!" He added firmly, taking his dagger out of its sheath and staring at the creature that was holding onto her.

"Don't be a fool, boy!" The voice hissed. "Run while you still have life... think of your poor parents!"

Ashlieth's eyes narrowed when she heard the bitter way in which he said this, something about it seemed so familiar... "Naurcom?" she said softly, then turned and faced the beast. "Naurcom!" She cried out, and Naurcom turned his face to hers.

"Indeed it is, Rusvamir." He sneered. Alrad's eyes grew to the size of saucepans. "Lord Naurcom!" He stuttered out, yet Naurcom paid him no head.

"Alrad, run! Find Rúmil! He is in the forest-" Ashlieth was cut off by a hand on her mouth.

"Now dearest, remember what I said? No screaming for help!" He warned her, and as he did so Alrad ran off into the scrub, running as hard and as quietly as he could.

Naurcom snarled at her and pulled her roughly out of Rivendell, Ashlieth's mind filled with nothing but thoughts of Rúmil.

"Rúmil, please be alright." She whispered as she followed Naurcom into the foothills of the Misty Mountains.

:::

Alrad ran for all he was worth. He hated leaving Lady Ashlieth in the hands of that creature, but he knew he could do nothing against Naurcom, and so he ran faster, wondering how he was going to find Rúmil. He ran through the forest, looking in every nook and cranny he could think off, yet no signs of the Elf. Breathless from searching, Alrad scolded himself constantly, in a vain hope that would help him find Rúmil quicker.

"Now think hard, Alrad." He told himself between breaths. "If I were Rúmil, where would I be?" He pondered. But Alrad was not the Marchwarden, and so he continued to run without a destination.

:::

Ashlieth's teeth chattered in fear. Once they had reached the outskirts of Rivendell, Naurcom had shoved her on a horse, and swinging up behind her, they, with five other men, had galloped off towards the south. Fanatically Ashlieth had tried to talk to Naurcom, but to no avail. Finally she could no longer stand the silence.

"Where are we going Naurcom?" Ashlieth asked him curiously. Naurcom smiled grimly. "To the south, Rusvamir. To Gondor." He told her.

Ashlieth raised her eyebrows. "To Gondor, Naurcom?" She asked, surprised. He nodded.

"Indeed."

Ashlieth narrowed her eyes. "Why, Naurcom?" She asked, trying to figure out what tricks Naurcom was up to.

"To be wed, Rusvamir." He replied, catching Ashlieth as she tried to leap off the horse. "Where do you think you are going?" He asked her, Ashlieth struggling furiously.

"Let me off! Now! I refuse to marry you Naurcom, for all I care you can go leap off a cliff! I will not marry you!" She screamed. Naurcom said nothing but continued to ride forward. Ashlieth grabbed the reins of the horse off Naurcom and turned it around, trying to leap out of his grasp. He wrenched the reins back off her, and chopped her on the back of her neck with his hand, sending her into unconsciousness.

"Wake up, Mister Rúmil, come on sir, please wake up!" Alrad urged an unconscious Rúmil, shaking him fervently. "Come on Sir, Ashlieth is in trouble!"

Slowly Rúmil' eyes opened, and he winced as a rush of pain came over him. Gently he sat up, rubbing his head in pain. Then his eyes flew open as he realised what had happened. "What did you say, Alrad?" Rúmil asked him.

"Rúmil sir, Ashlieth has been stolen!" Alrad blurted out.

"Stolen! By who, were did they take her?" Rúmil urged.

"Lord Naurcom sir-"

"Naurcom!" Rúmil yelled. No, not Naurcom, anyone but him. "Where did he take her Alrad?"

"I don't know, sir. I ran to find you so that you could help her." Alrad told him, hanging his head in shame.

Rúmil groaned. She could be anywhere by now, who knows where Naurcom had taken her. Foolish, foolish elf! When trouble had struck, when Naurcom had come, he had left Ashlieth alone. He had practically given her to Naurcom on a silver plate. He had broken his promise to Niamh. Stupid Elf!

He groaned again, then leapt up. "Alrad, show me where you left her." He commanded, and ran off after the scrambling Elf.

Alrad lead him around the forest, until they came to the place where he had last seen Ashlieth. Rúmil walked around, his keen eyes searching for any sign or print. Quickly he spotted footprints and they followed them for quite some time.

"Well Alrad, it appears they left, going South-East. Come, we must hurry." Rúmil commanded, and both Alrad and Rúmil ran back to Elrond's home, in their haste almost bowling Legolas over.

"Rúmil, watch your- what is wrong?" Legolas asked his friend. Quickly Rúmil poured the entire story out, and had it been under better circumstances, Legolas would have hugged his friend when he found out about Ashlieth. Instead he ran with them to the Last Homely House.

In his distress, it took Rúmil a while before he asked Legolas why he was here.

"I came to annoy you, of course." Legolas half-joked as they raced through the corridors.

Rapidly packing bags, Rúmil told Elrond briefly of their mission.

"That is grave news indeed. I will send warriors with you Rúmil, so that you are able to quickly stop any dishonorable deeds." Elrond told him. Rúmil bowed.

"Thank you, Lord Elrond, but I fear that they would only slow us down. I ask that only I go-"

"And I, Lord Elrond." Legolas added, standing beside his friend. Rúmil smiled gratefully at the Mirkwood Elf and continued.

"I ask that we be given the swiftest horses possible, so that we are able to catch them before we lose their trail." He asked, Elrond nodding his approval. Soon Rúmil and Legolas rode out of Rivendell, following Ashlieth's path.

:::

Ashlieth felt a wave of nausea flood over her when she woke up, her head throbbed constantly and the galloping horse was jolting her body.

"Ah, awake at last, Rusvamir?" Naurcom asked and Ashlieth tried to focus on his face.

"Sort of." She mumbled, watching the world swim. She shut her eyes briefly as her predicament came back to her. Married... that's not good. Actually, that is quite a problem. Think Ashlieth, think like you have never thought before. What did Meriadoc and Peregrin do? What was that spiffy quote of Aragorn's that Gimli mentioned on the way to Mordor? 'Not idly do the Leaves of Lorien fall.' Well, that's all fine and dandy, but I doubt they'll see my... Ashlieth felt around in her hair. My hair pin in amongst the grass. No, I need a bigger sign, one that preferable screams 'HELP ME!'. But what... Ahhh!

Ashlieth wriggled her foot inside her slipper as they rode, it was red in colour and hopefully would stand out against the green grass. Easy, easy... there! She smirked in satisfaction as the slipper fell off her foot. Put that in your pipe and smoke it, Naurcom! Will no further complaints she rode along, but it wasn't long until one of Naurcom's lackeys rode up next to them.

"The lady dropped this, Naurcom." The man said as he held out a red slipper.

At that moment, a word that would make any elf blush formed at the back of Ashlieth's mind.

:::

They had ridden hard for many days, Rúmil pushing the horses laboriously, yet they were unable to catch up with Naurcom. "His beast must be those of Rohan!" Legolas called out. Rúmil nodded, concerned. Though the horses of the Elves were fast, they could not compare to the lightning speed of the Horses of Rohan. Ashlieth was some distance in front of him. He did not know if he could catch them in time for whatever dead Naurcom had planned... no, he had to! He pushed his horse faster, he would not let Naurcom win!

Ashlieth blanched visibly as Minas Tirith came into view, they had been riding for many weeks, yet still she had no prepared herself for this moment. It was a tall, foreboding castle, with no life in it. Its white walls rose, higher than the sky it seemed, and as they rode through the gates hollow men opening them for the Lord Naurcom.

The men are scared. They are still wary of strangers. How hard it must be for them to let in someone as obviously evil as Naurcom! All we need to give this Elf is a Ring of Power, and I'd say we would have another contender for Middle-Earth domination. I wonder if he has a cape? Ashlieth mused, almost chuckling.

Through the city they rode, up many flights until they reached the top, where a sapling of a white tree stood in front of a long hall.

They rode straight up to the huge wooden door at the front, Naurcom hoping off. "Rusvamir?" He offered, holding out his hand to Ashlieth. She looked at it, disgusted, and slapped it away. She turned her head and remained on the horse, refusing to get off. Snarling Naurcom grabbed her hair and yanked on it, pulling her off the horse and onto the stone ground. She shouted out and clutched her head as she fell, landing solidly on her hip. She cried out again in pain, then stood up slowly, glaring at Naurcom. He merely smirked back and grabbed her arm, pulling her into the castle.

Note to self: Don't refuse the easy way off the horse. Falling is not dignified.

Ashlieth gasped as they walked inside, huge statues glared down at her, long dead ancestors displaying a cold wrath. Naurcom threw her to one side of the hall and strode down it on his own. For a few moment he conferred with a man who was standing down the other end, Ashlieth squinted hard to see who it was. Stupid human eyesight. It didn't seem to be the King, the man did not hold the same stance as Elessar.

After a few moments, Naurcom came back to where Ashlieth sat and pulled her up, taking her back out of the hall and pushing her towards the horse.

"Get on." He snarled, and Ashlieth almost refused, but at that point her hip gave another sharp pain, and humbly she got onto the horse, Naurcom swinging on behind her. For sometime they rode down the tiers of the City until they reach a small, dark inn. Grabbing her, Ashlieth and Naurcom went quickly inside. With a bang, Naurcom threw some coins onto the table in front of the innkeeper.

"A room. We only want it for a short time." He snapped, and Ashlieth froze. Oh no you don't! As quietly as she could, Ashlieth started to walk away from Naurcom and towards the door. Just another inch, just another inch. Slowly, slowly... Ashlieth's hand reached for the doorknob when Naurcom grabbed her shoulder and snarled.

"Not this time, Rusvamir."

Naurcom pulled her down a long and winding staircase and into a room. "Your room." He told her.

"In the next room there is a bath, use it. We will be married in one hour, giving us plenty of time to be wed before the 'Calvary' arrives." He winked at her, only to be met with an icy stare. Frowning, he turned and briskly left the room, and Ashlieth could hear it lock after him. Without hesitation, Ashlieth also did the bolts on the inside of the door up, hoping that they were of better quality than the rest of the Inn.

For a moment Ashlieth stood still, her mind racing as she tried to keep calm. "This is not good, this is really not good." She muttered as she started to pace the room, wringing her hands in panic.

However, as she walked something caught her eye, and she walked swiftly over to the window and peered out. The window was part of the wall! As she gazed out, she could see all the surrounding lands, including Osgiliath and Minas Morgul.

Ashlieth smiled slightly as she remembered her adventure all those months ago. It had been Meneldil's death that had spurred her to leave. When they had returned to her land with his broken body, she had flown into a panic and left, trying to either die or erase the memory of his body from her mind. She had never expected to live, and she had certainly not expected to fall in love... or be kidnapped by an obsessive Elf, but that was a different matter.

Walking over to the bathroom, Ashlieth looked skeptically at the drawn bath. Its warmth was inviting, it had been many a week since Ashlieth had a warm bath, yet she was pondering as whether or not to stink when she married Naurcom. Maybe he would call off the wedding or pass out due to her smell... no, she would be harming no one but herself.

Hygiene won, and Ashlieth stripped off and stepped into the warm bath, sighing as she sat down. Its heat soaked into her skin and relaxed her tense muscles. She sighed again, and lay down, wondering how she could stall Naurcom.

:::

The White City, its gleaming beauty was normally a pleasant sight for Rúmil, but not this day. He was still some time behind Naurcom, though he had gained considerably in the past few days.

"These tracks are fresh, we are no more than an hour behind." Legolas called out to Rúmil, and he nodded in agreement.

"Legolas, how long do you think it takes for a wedding to be completed?" Rúmil asked his friend.

"Very little time, I believe. Why?"

"Let us ride Legolas. I fear we do not have much time."

"Asca, Narwa, asca!"

Narwa snorted, then sprinted off, and they descended upon the White City.

:::

Footnotes:

Asca: hurry.

Chapter Five finished. Yay, wOOt and NARP! Thanks for waiting! General reviews are appreciated. Shout out to my friends at Deleterious! Hey guys! (Waves) Spork me if you want!

The reason that this chapter has taken so long to put up is because, due to a review I received, I realised that I had to correct some of my content. So I had to wipe out an entire chapter, and then completely redo this one. It took a very long time. Thank you for sticking it out!

Reviewer Response:

Hey Guys!

Thanks for all your wonderful reviews, you guys make the day brighter! Please remember to be as harsh as you want if you review, it makes it easier to write. (Note: Any resemblance of dying character to Flamer in the next chapter is purely coincidental!)

Merry Lad! Sigh, hearing from you makes it all worthwhile! So how are you going recently? It's been great getting reviews from you... btw, do you have any recommendations for any good stories? It's for my website (in my profile), we are dedicating a site to really good fanfiction, and we need some more! Oh, and sorry the chapter took so long!

Crecy: Nice to hear from you again! 84 pages... you review a lot, huh? I'm glad you found my chappie funny, although I doubt this one will be as funny. Much more serious. Anywho, I really loved your suggestion, I hit my head on the desk when I read it. If only I'd asked your opinion first... (headdesk). And again, sorry the update took so long!

Android Jennifer: Hiya! Nice to see you again! I'm glad you like that chapter, can you tell me what you think of Ash in this chapter? She is driving me insane... silly girl. Thanks for reviewing again!

Arda-Thinlaithiel: Wow, that's a name and a half! What a mouthful. Thanks for adding me to your fav's list, it means a lot to me! I'm really glad you are enjoying my story!

Xkuroxshinobix: Talking of mouthful names... dude, how does one pronounce that? I'm glad you like long chapters, I was afraid some wouldn't like it.

One more, it means a lot to me that you guys take the time to review. Thanks again for that!

- Just Curious