Disclaimer: See chapter 1.
Review Responses: I moved these up here, since they are usually the first thing I write.
Karone Evertree: Let me see if I can explain this right. In my little Middle Earth world (Not necessarily the Tolkein universe) I don't see the Nazgul as having as much control over the elves as it does the other races, and yes Lord Elrond would have trained all three of his sons. But the main reason why he is trying to get the info from Atavus is because he once had control over her, while she was a slave, so he thinks it would be easier to break her, especially after UglĂșk tells him that she was broken when Garin was tortured, back at Minas Morgul. Don't get me wrong; I'm not saying that an elf could not be broke. I'm just saying that he thinks it would be faster and easier to break Atavus.
And Garin, yes I kept him alive. It wasn't my original plan, but a plot bunny attacked me, and it definitely will tie up a few loose ends I didn't know what to do with.
manveri mirkiel : Yes I admit it, I am making this up as I go along. I have a basic outline in my head as to how I want things to go, but all the details just get plopped down as I'm typing. As far as time goes I'm a stay at home mom. I get to write during nap time, and after supper. It also helps that I only sleep about 5 to 6 hours a night.
I guess the way I figure it, anybody who has a strong enough mind can withstand someone reading it, if they fight it hard enough. It's only the weak minded that are easy to read, like orcs. So yes she can withstand the Witch King's efforts.
I couldn't just continue to torture Atavus. Number one it would eventually get boring, and number two if a group of five people are taken captive, there is no way only one of them is going to get tortured over and over again, while the others just sit in a cell. That isn't going to happen in Tolkien's world or our own.
And then we have Garin. I just like him. He'll be a major character in the future. As far as Laston goes, he's just a supporting character, who helps Garin.
Slayer3: I'm getting there. I love the way Gollum talks.
Old and New Friends
"What do you mean they wouldn't tell you?" Garin asked pacing around the servants kitchen.
"They asked me why I wanted to know. I told them I had a friend who wanted to know. The human said to have my friend come ask him. I don't know if he'd tell you either. He seemed quite upset about the fact that I was even asking." Laston answered wishing he could have been of more help to his friend.
The dwarf thought for a moment wondering what to do, then an idea came to him. "Tomorrow you are going to be very sick Laston."
"Why would I be sick?" The young man said confused.
"Because I am going to take your place on the cell block tomorrow. You are going to hide in my quarters and if anyone asks, you are sick." Laston began to understand.
The next day Atavus was lead from the cell she was kept in down two hallways and back into the Nazgul's chamber. She did not fight this time. She was silent, and kept her gaze on the floor. She was wondering which of her friends would be tortured today. Her gaze was drawn towards the end of the chamber when she heard manacles rattling. Elrohir was already chained to the wall facing her. He had been stripped to the waist, as his brother had been the day before.
"Are we ready to begin today?" The Nazgul asked almost pleasantly.
"Please Lord, don't do this. I would do anything to stop what is happening here." She began shifting her eyes to the ground in a humble gesture.
"So you are ready to tell me what I want to know." The Nazgul hadn't expected her to give in so quickly.
A lump formed in Elrohir's throat. She couldn't tell the Nazgul. He had never thought she would just give in, but it seemed now his people would be betrayed because of him. He opened his mouth to stop her, but she spoke first.
"If I could, I would tell you. But we are from Mirkwood. We don't know the way into Rivendell. We were just scouting along the Misty Mountains and then heading home. We don't know the way." She lied convincingly, but the Nazgul was not fooled.
"That would be quite the convincing story if my orcs had not found this inside the other elf's tunic." The wraith pulled a previously sealed letter from inside his robes, and motioned an orc to hand it to her.
She could see Lord Elrond's seal on the outside of the parchment. It was the letter that Elladan had been carrying for King Thranduil. She read the letter, then handed it back to the orc. She had no words to say. She had tried a desperate ploy to save her friend from the pain, but it had failed miserably.
"Anything to say?" The Nazgul raised his voice making her flinch.
She did not look at the wraith. She looked at Elrohir instead. Again she silently mouthed the words 'I'm sorry.' He nodded his head knowing she would not give in.
The orcs manacled her to the opposite wall across from Elrohir so they faced each other.
"Today we are going to try something different. I received a gift from a friend in the south. I have been wanting to try it out for some time now." He stepped up to a long table that held many different torture devices, and selected a small box. Today he would be inflicting the torture himself. He opened the box and pulled out an object that looked like as simple piece of metal wire, about four inches long. He then walked over to Elrohir and grasped one arm pinching the skin so he could force the metal piece all the way through the soft tissue on his forearm. When he was done the piece was sticking out on either side by about a half an inch. The elf had drawn his breath quickly, but that was the only noise he had made.
"Looks simple doesn't it?" The wraith asked stepping back letting the woman have a good look. "Not quite." He then removed a small wooden stick about six inches long from the box and lit it from one of the candlesticks mounted to the wall. He then ever so slightly touched the flame to the end of the piece of metal. It immediately started to spark. She watched in horror as an agonizing look of pain crossed Elrohir's face when the flame burned through his skin. The metal seemed to dissolve as it burned. The puncture wounds on both ends were discolored black when it was over, and she could only imagine the damage it had done inside his arm.
The Nazgul pulled another piece of metal from the box and slipped it through the soft skin covering his stomach. She could see the elf trying to double over as the burning metal seared his skin. She remembered when the Nazgul has supervised torture in the pits at Minas Morgul, it had never been this creative back then. The Nazgul was becoming an expert in the art of inflicting pain. She counted the pieces of metal as the Nazgul worked. Thirty-two. She thought it was ironic that, that was the exact number of years she had been gone from Mordor.
When she was taken back to her cell this time she again curled in upon herself, but she was too wrapped in shocked horror to cry this time. The orcs had given her water to drink before she had been taken to the Nazgul, and she now found herself retching in the corner, losing the life preserving liquid. She didn't know how she would withstand the next day. It would be either Estel or Legolas this time. She found herself wishing not for the first time in her life that she was an elf, but this time only because then she could will her body to fade and take her away from what was happening.
The night before Laston had removed the manacles from the captive's hands, and had 'accidentally' forgotten to replace them, so when Elrohir was brought back to them they all grouped around him. He was shaking from shock brought on from the agonizing pain. Aragorn was not sure what the round burned circles all over his torso and arms were from, but he knew that his brother would need some of the healing herbs that were in his pack. But his pack had been taken from them. Same as the day before they were told a slave would bring supplies. "Please he needs healing herbs. The orcs who brought us here took my pack. It has the herbs I need." The orc did not answer as he slammed and locked the wooden cell door.
Garin walked into the cellblock, nervously. "What are you doing here maggot? Where's the boy who tends the prisoners?" The orc who had been in the cell not long before asked.
"He's ill. Can't even stand up. I'm taking his duty today." The dwarf answered.
The orc just made a growling noise and threw a small pack to the dwarf. "The healer said he needed this for the elf. Take it to him." He nodded and hurried towards the cell.
When the cell door opened the captives were shocked to see a gray-headed dwarf standing in the door. He quickly shut the door behind him, and they could here a key turn in the lock.
The dwarf looked at the prisoners. He could see the look of distrust in their eyes. He knew it would be hard to override the elves natural distrust in dwarves. "They said you needed this for your friend." He said handing the pack to Aragorn.
Aragorn said nodded his head in thanks and rummaged through his pack. Anything that might have been used as a weapon had been removed, but his herbs were all still there. The dwarf had also brought water and bandages. He cleaned the wounds and used the water to make a drink that would control his brother's pain level.
"Do you know what they did to him." Aragorn asked the dwarf. Elrohir had yet to say anything to them.
"No I don't normally see the prisoners." Garin answered, kneeling beside the human.
"What happened to the boy who was here yesterday?" Aragorn was as always suspicious.
"He said that if I wanted information, I would have to come and talk to you myself." Garin answered honestly.
"You're the one who wants to know about our friend? Why?" Aragorn looked to Legolas. Legolas had a surprised look in his eyes.
"If she is who I'm hoping she is, then I will do anything possible to help her escape this prison." The dwarf answered knowing it was a chance he had to take.
Aragorn looked to Legolas again. "What is your name Master Dwarf?" Legolas spoke for the first time since the dwarf entered the cell.
"Garin son of Dwalin." The dwarf answered hoping that he wasn't making a mistake by trusting the elves and human.
Elladan recognized the name that Aragorn had said was Atavus dwarf friend. "Is this a trick?" He said not sure if trusting the dwarf was a good idea.
"What do we have to lose?" Aragorn asked.
The elves stayed silent. Elrohir had come around some and he also knew the name.
"She was told you died." Legolas said. "It was very difficult for her."
"Then it is Atavus." The dwarf sighed. "I have been hoping to see her again for more years than I can count. I too was told she was dead, but I never believed. Why else would they move me away from Minas Morgul?"
"Yes it is she. She has been free of Mordor for the last thirty-two years." Aragorn affirmed what the dwarf wanted to hear most.
"Now that is surprising. Not many can say that." The dwarf was happy that his friend had managed to escape her slavery, but his happiness turned to sadness because she was captive again. He shook his head clearing the disturbing thoughts from his mind. He had thought a lot about what he would do if it was Atavus. "I have an idea."
"Can they hear us?" Legolas asked motioning to the cell door.
"No. These cells are sound proof." The dwarf answered.
"What is your plan then?" Aragorn asked.
"Can Atavus last two more days?" He asked.
Aragorn hadn't seen her yet. He looked at Elladan and Elrohir. "It will be more difficult. They will take you and Legolas to be tortured the next two days. She cares so much for you two, I am not sure how much more she can watch. I don't think she will betray our people, but I am not sure how much longer she can remain sane." Elladan answered for them. Elrohir just nodded. The pain-killing herb that Aragorn had given him was helping.
"The guilt is more than she might be able to take. I could see it in her eyes." Elrohir said shaking his head. "And after today the Nazgul will not give up soon."
The others looked at him questioningly, sensing he wanted to tell them more. He sighed and continued. "He knows who we are." Three sets of eyes widened at his statement. "The orcs found Ada's letter to King Thranduil. It was in your tunic pocket Elladan." Elladan looked down at his bare chest. They had not given his tunic back, when they brought him back to the cell.
"Who exactly are you?" The dwarf asked.
It was too late to keep secrets now. The dwarf was their only chance. They had to take it. Aragorn introduced them. "This is Legolas, son of King Thranduil of Mirkwood. These two are Elladan and Elrohir. They are the son's of Lord Elrond of Rivendell. I am Estel. I am the adoptive son of Elrond also."
The dwarf seemed to think for a moment. Then he said his greatest fear. "I hope this information does not change the Master's plans for the next few days." If it did, it would ruin his escape plan. "He is scheduled to leave here for Minas Morgul in two days time. The Dark Lord has summoned him. He is supposed to be gone for many weeks. I just hope he doesn't decide to take you with him. It would slow him down, and the Dark Lord would be greatly upset if he was late. We just have to hope." He then proceeded to tell them his plan, which the others made suggestions to make it run smoother. When they were sure they had it right, he left to go back to the servants quarters. He had a lot to do in the next two days.
