Disclaimer: Nothing of the Tolkien universe belongs to me. The only things in this fic that belongs to me are my original characters, such as Galen and Atavus.

Summary: When Estel and Legolas come across a very different being in the woods of Southern Ithilien will the newcomer's dark secrets threaten the new friendship they have found? Or will the true bonds of friendship overcome the horrible secrets that they discover.

Author's Note: This fic is rated T for instances of violence, so please do not read if you do not wish to see such things. This fic also features an OFC, but this character in no way becomes romantically involved with any of the other characters. I wish to stress the fact that this story is not a romance. It is centered around the bonds of friendship and nothing else. I also wish to stress the fact that my original character is in no way perfect and does make horrible mistakes, so please do not label her as a Mary Sue before you get to know her. Words written in italics are either time and place, or is a flashback.

Second Author's Note: I am in the process of completly revamping this series. I took a look back and decided that though the storyline itself is interesting, my grammar and phrasing were horrible when I started this. So I am attempting to improve in those areas. I will leave the original chapters up until I have an edited chapter to replace them with and will mark each chapter with the date it was edited. Thanks for your patience.

Edited: December 2, 2006

Blood For The Taking

Chapter 1: Reckless Nature Third Age 2951, 67 years pre Lotr, Southern Ithilien

"I can not believe you brought us this close to Mordor," Legolas said in exasperation after wiping the orc blood from his Elven knives, a look of disgust coloring his face as the stench of the foul beasts assailed his acute sense of smell. Everything about this small mishap in circumstances irked his elvish sensibilities.

"It was not my wish to be captured by orcs," Estel answered in his own defense, slicing his sword through the last remaining orc pushing it away from him as his eyes scanned the orc bodies surrounding them ever watchful for movement.

The look in Legolas' eyes was skeptical at his friend's apparent innocence. "Sometimes I believe you find us misadventure just so you have new stories to retell to your brothers once we arrive in Imladris," he teased knowing that Estel would rather fight a warg than tell his brothers about this adventure. The twins own past dealings with orcs were horrific enough that he would rather lose a limb than to subject them to such horrible tales.

He could see that Legolas was baiting him. This accidental side-trip to Mordor was very difficult for the elf and Estel realized just how testy it was making his friend, but still it had not necessarily been all his fault this time. "I do not actually relish the thought of another lecture from them," came his sarcastic reply.

"If that is what you claim." Legolas shrugged nonchalantly, a very un-elflike action. In the years he had spent with the human the Prince of Mirkwood had picked up several of those actions. This thought always brought a smile to Estel. But his smile faded as he began to wonder if maybe his friend was serious this time. "Legolas?" he questioned expressing his worries in that one name better than any words could have.

"I know, mellon-nin. I know." Legolas smiled at the ranger he was so fond of. No matter how desperately the ranger's reckless behavior irked the elf he could not stay angry with him for long.

The words had the desired reaction on the man easing the worry he had begun to fee. "Well, at least I managed to free us before we arrived in Mordor." The broad smile on his lips made Legolas groan. His human friend had the uncanny habit of making even the gravest situation seem humorous. But Legolas felt anything but humor at the moment. The closer they drew to the dark land the more an oppressive weight seemed to press in on him and the more his temper flared towards his friend.

"Will you never be serious and stop acting like an adventurous child, Estel? If I did not know better I would swear you were enjoying all of this?" the elf accused.

"Ah, but my youth also keeps you young, my Elvish friend," Estel countered.

"Yes it will be nice to look so young one day, when you end up putting me in my grave," Legolas grumbled under his breath.

Legolas released the frustrated sigh he had been holding in, then turned north heading through the trees they had passed through a few hours before. Yes Estel had been able to free them, and they had managed to overpower the group of orcs that had captured them a few days before while traveling through Gondor, but being this near to Mordor, especially with Estel worried the elf greatly. If they had not been able to get free Estel would have fallen into the hands of the enemy, and that would be a tragedy for all mankind, and an even greater tragedy for the elf that could not stand the thought of losing his truest friend.

Estel followed him quietly. He knew Legolas was angry but he knew not why. Well, maybe he did have the slightest of ideas as to his reasons. But they had been over this time and time again. Estel was reckless. He had always been so, and when their friendship had begun eight years before it had not seemed to bother Legolas as much, but lately the elf seemed to have grown less tolerant of his friends reckless streak. They traveled in complete silence for a few hours until Legolas stopped holding his hand up and motioning for his friend to be still.

Estel looked around quickly then he began to hear what his friend's elvish hearing had already picked up on. It sounded like laughter. Children's laughter. How could that be in these woods, so close to evil? They quietly moved closer to the noises until they stood on the outskirts of what looked like a small village. Indeed there were children here and they were laughing. Adults went about their daily chores as if they had lived here forever, while children ran and played among the grass huts in the clearing.

"How can a village like this thrive so close to Mordor?" Legolas wondered in disbelief.

"There is only one way to find out." Before Legolas could stop him Estel had moved forward into the clearing. He approached one of the startled men before him smiling. "Hello, I am Strider." Legolas shook his head in disbelief. Estel had taken his recklessness too far this time. But it shocked him even more to see the man smile back. Even though he had had contact with the race of men for hundreds of years he knew that he would never understand some of their more foolish actions.

"Hello, I am Galen. Welcome to our village." A crowd was beginning to gather around the Ranger as many people introduced themselves to him. These people were very friendly, and seemed almost carefree.

Galen turned back to Estel as the last of the introductions were finished. "And your friend hiding in the bushes over there, will he be joining us?"

Estel chuckled under his breath. "Come, Legolas. They know you are there."

The blond elf came out in the clearing still not sure if it was a good idea or not. To his surprise there were no stares of disbelief, no shocked gasps, no reactions at all to there being an elf this close to Mordor in their midst. "Hello, Legolas. Welcome to our village. We are pleased to have one of the Eldar as a guest," Galen spoke, and Legolas could hear the sincerity in his voice.

They spent the rest of the day with Galen. He showed them around the busy little village. It was as if the village had been a part of this area for hundreds of years. They had created a community that was very prosperous, working the land and hunting the woods surrounding them and it was not hard to see the pride that Galen held for his people and their accomplishments.

Legolas and Estel often traded astonished looks with each other at the wonders they were shown. It was as if nothing else outside their village existed to them. The world itself did not intrude there and Galen's people were happy to have it that way.

As evening crept closer they sat against logs in front of Galen's hut as his wife Selia fixed them a meal.

Legolas had remained quiet but respectful, not wanting to offend their host, but he could keep the silence no longer. "Galen, I don't understand any of this," he said motioning to the village surrounding him. None of it made sense to him.

Galen immediately adopted an expression of confusion. "What do you not understand, master elf?"

"This, your village, where you are, the fact that your people are not frightened for their very lives knowing the evil that is less than two days ride from here. You are living on the doorstep to Mordor inside the Wounded Woods of Ithilien, yet you act as if this is no more dangerous than the Shire." Legolas didn't want to sound rude to his host, but his own anxiety at being there was beginning to show through.

"Oh that," Galen smiled mischievously lighting a pipe he had produced from his pocket. "We have no need to fear," he stated calmly grinning.

"No need to fear! I have no choice but to admit it now, Strider. There are humans more daft than even you," Legolas said looking first at Galen then his friend.

Estel rolled his eyes at his friend then turned to Galen. "Before you start offending our host, Legolas, maybe we should wait for an explanation of his statement."

"My new friends, in the twenty years that we have lived here, this village has not once been attacked, not by orcs, not by men, and not by animals. We do not fear any harm," Galen said puffing away on the pipe looking even more pleased by the moment.

"How can that be? Last night we were drug through the woods not three hundred yards from this village, by a small group of orcs. These woods must be crawling with the foul beasts," Legolas stated in disbelief.

"No orc ever makes it within fifty yards of our borders. They don't try anymore." Galen could see the confusion in their eyes. "We have a protector of sorts. Twenty years ago when we came here we had an Elven woman with us. She does not stay with us. She stays in a cave about three hundred yards west of here. But she protects us."

"How can one elleth protect you from the evils of Mordor? That is not possible." Legolas knew that most elves could fight better than ten orcs together, but Galen's words just were not believable. He had never met one single elf or elleth that could do what he was suggesting.

"Orcs have bogeymen too," Galen said with a wicked gleam in his eyes using a term normally reserved for frightening small children. "She is no more skilled than any other elf I have come across but the orcs do not know what she is. They have never seen her. They just find an orc body here and there. It has become nearly a legend to them. At times I have hidden near some of their camps to try to discover if they would attempt an attack upon us. You should hear the stories they have come up with about the creature that stalks them near our village. Honestly at times I have found it rather humorous."

Legolas and Estel shared a skeptical look but neither interrupted the explanation.

Galen continued then but his voice lost some of the mirth it had held before. "They will not come within two hundred yards of this village. At least they have not yet, but I am afraid that some day they might decide to come in full force. Those monsters are breeding abundantly now. When out hunting we see their groups. They get larger and larger. I fear we cannot remain here much longer. We have been discussing leaving here. In fact we decided just last night that we should go before we outstayed our luck."

"How long until you leave?" Estel asked. He knew that he had no obligation to these people but in the time they had spent with them he had begun to see just how much these people truly wanted to live a decent life and raise their children in the same way they had been. He felt the urge to protect them, which he knew would seem illogical to his elvish friend but still, he was not often known for taking the logical path and instead followed his heart wherever it might lead.

"A fortnight at the most," Galen answered sighing deeply regretting the life they were all giving up, but it would not be long before their lives would no longer be safe where they were.

"Where will you go?" Estel wondered.

"Gondor or perhaps Rohan. North for sure," Galen answered.

"And your protector?" Legolas asked curious about the unknown elleth.

"I will go see her later tonight. We have not spoken in nearly fifteen years. At times I miss her company. I hope she comes with us, but she is a solitary creature. She might just decide to stay here." Galen's eyes glazed over for a few long moments remembering.

30 years before, Mordor at Minas Morgul

"Galen, you have served our master well." Very few men were allowed in the presence of the leader of the Nazgul, and Galen only wished that he had not been one of them.

"Thank you, my lord," was his only response. Yes, he was good at his job. One of the best slave collectors that Mordor had. If only he had known what he was getting himself into when he had stepped on this path as a young man. But he hadn't. And now it was too late to go back.

"I have decided to reward you for your loyalty. I have gathered some of our most comely looking slaves for you to choose from. Your very own slave that you can keep for yourself," the Nazgul hissed.

"Sire, that is not necessary. All of the slaves I have collected have been for the greatness of Mordor. I do not request one of them for myself." Galen cringed at the thought of owning a woman in the way the Nazgul suggested. Just because he was good at his job did not mean he had to like it.

"No, I insist." The Nazgul waved his hand and a door opened behind him. Several orcs ushered a dozen or so women into the room and pushed them in front of Galen so he could choose. "It is your choice. Some are not the brightest of creatures but they are of use."

Galen swallowed hard looking at the women before them. He noticed as the orcs shoved one forward rather roughly who had been lagging behind. For a moment he saw something in her eyes. Burning hatred. But just as quickly she averted them knowing the pain her rebellious nature could bring upon her. It was plain to see which woman the orcs wanted to be rid of the most. She looked to be in her early twenties. Her curly red hair was tangled and dirty as was the rest of her, but she stood tall and proud.

"Her," he said pointing to the redhead. He had decided that if he was forced to take one of them he should at least chose the one that would most likely receive the worst treatment from the orcs. He could at least do that for her.

The Nazgul smiled. He had hoped to get rid of her eventually. She was a disturbance among the slaves and orcs. This was working out perfectly.

Galen traveled away from the fortress as swiftly as he could, pulling the slave woman behind him. He had been surprised to see pointed ears when he pulled her hair back to fit the collar around her neck. Surely the Nazgul had known he was giving away one of the Firstborn. I did not matter. What mattered was getting as far away from Mordor as fast as they possibly could. He had always dreaded the time that he had to spend in the dark kingdom, but for some odd reason he felt a fear for both he and the elleth that he knew would not subside until they were far from Minas Morgul.

When they left Minas Morgul and entered Northern Ithilien they continued to travel on for several hours until the sun had finally set and then feeling more secure to be out of the shadow of that foul place he stopped to rest. Galen was exhausted. He made camp in the woods and started a fire preparing to feed them from the meager rations he had left.

To the slave woman's utter surprise he removed the collar and bindings from her hands. "Are you hungry?" he asked pulling dried beef from his pack.

"Thirsty," was her only answer. He handed her a flask containing clean water. She drank a small amount then handed it back.

"Do you have a name?" he asked when he realized she would say nothing to him.

"Atavus," she answered quietly.

"I am very good with foreign languages. But I haven't ever heard that name before. It is not Elven, is it?" Galen asked as curiosity overcame his fear of where they had fled from earlier.

"No, it is one of the dead tongues of men. I don't know what it means," she lied. She knew exactly what it meant. But just because this man had been kind to her did not mean she would tell him everything.

"But do you not have a given name from birth?" he asked. She seemed a puzzle to him. One that he could not quite fathom the solution too, but the more he thought about it the more his curiosity was peaked.

"That is it. No other." Her words were clipped and it was not hard to see she would not discuss it any further.

He could see the way her eyes shifted away at her words. He knew she was lying to him but would he have done any different in her position? No. "All right, Atavus. I have traded in slaves most of my life, but have never actually owned one myself. So I'm going to explain how things should be. If you do what you are told and help me with my job, you will be treated kindly and not be abused or resold. I don't mistreat slaves, but I will not accept anything that interferes with my job. Do you understand?"

"Yes sir," she mumbled looking down. She knew it would be easy for her to escape. But then again she could sense that he knew it too. So why did this fact not seem to bother him? Then it occurred to her; where else did she have to go?

Galen was brought back when he heard Estel clear his throat. He had been daydreaming. "Sorry. Just remembering the past." Then a thought occurred to him. One that might just help him to convince her to leave with them. "Would you two like to come with me to her cave?"

Legolas stood immediately. "Yes, it would be interesting to meet this mysterious elleth you speak of." An elf had no business being this close to Mordor and he wanted to know more about her and was willing to push his host into an earlier meeting than originally planned.

Galen had originally planned on waiting until after their meal but the elf's urgency to meet Atavus convinced him otherwise. "Well then, shall we go?"

Estel wondered at his friend's actions, but still he too was very curious about this protector.

"I just hope she doesn't shoot you with an arrow first," Galen said under his breath as he headed towards the woods.

Legolas' Elven hearing picked up the words but he chose not to comment.