Disclaimer: See chapter 1.
Review Responses:
Karone Evertree: Honestly if you can believe it he did exactly what she wanted him to, no matter how much he hated it. He went home. He continued his life. He did his duty, just as he was expected to do. Doesn't that just bite?
Larien: Oh wow I love new reviewers. Yes I have to admit I have a soft spot for Lord Elrond. I like to portray him as the loving father figure.
Slayer3: ah please quit crying. Here have a tissue.
Author's Note: I'm afraid I must change my mind about something that may not sit well with the true Tolkien enthusiasts. I know I said this fic would be based on book verse, but after going back and rereading certain parts of the book, I have found that the storyline in my mind just won't fit in the timeline of the book, so instead of changing things around in the book I will instead use the movie verse, which leaves a little more leeway with time. I do apologize if this disappoints any of my readers.
Prisoner of Rohan
Third age, Year 3019 March, Edoras, 62 years later.
Four members of the Fellowship have come to Edoras, to free it's King of his horrible possession by the foul Wizard Saruman. After being freed King Théoden learns of the death of his son Théodred. It is evening, and Gandalf the White sits as council to the King, in the great hall of Meduseld. Aragorn, Legolas, Gimli, and Éowyn are present.
"Then what is the decision of the King?" Gandalf asks after failing to convince the King that he must face Saruman in open combat.
King Theoden turns to him, and gives an answer that he will accept no argument to. "We will travel to Helm's Deep on the morrow." He resumed his seat on his throne and ignored the questioning glances he received from the members of the fellowship.
At that moment Háma the Captain of the Guard of Rohan entered the room. "Ah Háma, good I needed to see you. Tomorrow morning you are to instruct our people that we are to travel to the refuge of Helm's Deep, and they are only to take necessities." Théoden instructed.
"Yes Sire. But I have come with disturbing news." Háma answered.
"What now? Have we not gone through enough?" Théoden asked with a grimace on his face.
"After the funeral service you asked me to find your Chief Healer. She has been found." The guard said with an unpleasant look on his face.
"Where is she, and why did she not try to save my son?" Théoden's anger flowered at the one person he knew could have done something for his son, but was nowhere to be found.
"Sire, she is in the deepest darkest cell in your dungeon, and it looks as if she has been there for some time. The guards posted at her cell were loyal to Grima. They say he kept the key. Sire, by my reckoning she has been down there at least nine months. No one has seen her in that amount of time." Háma answered.
The blood drained from the King's face at his captain's words. "Come we must free her. Aragorn if I remember right from when you served under my father as Thoringil, you are a healer. Will you come help me? You may be needed."
"Of course your Highness." Aragorn stood to follow the King of Rohan. Legolas and Gimli also followed. Gandalf remained in the King's Hall.
They traveled down a long staircase into the very rock and stone, until they reached the bottom most level of the King's home. There they made their way to the farthest cell. "We have not used these cells in a very long time. It is no wonder no one knew Grima held her down here." The King explained as they turned the last turn coming upon a cell with iron bars covering the face of the cell. There was very little light. They could see two guards being held at sword point in front of the cell.
"What instruction's were you given by that foul Wormtongue?" He questioned them.
"Just to keep her in the cell, and keep her quiet, your Highness." One of the guards said in fear of the restored King.
"And how have you kept her quiet?" He asked. The guards looked down, not answering.
"How long has it been since she had food or water?" He asked another question.
"Days, my lord." One of them answered.
"Lock them in cells on the higher levels. I will decide what to do with them later." He instructed one of the guards who were holding them at sword point.
Théoden turned to the cell. He could barely see a form crouched in the corner, with her back to them. "Bring me a torch Háma." The captain did as he said and brought his King a torch. Shocked gasps were heard in the cramped hall, as the torchlight exposed the bare flesh of her back covered in dried blood. She had been brutally lashed they could see. She was sitting in the corner, facing the wall with her knees pulled up to her chest, and her face resting on the knees.
"Ata. It is your King. Don't despair; we will get you out of there. Someone find that key." He ordered the anger showing in his voice. She made no move to answer him. She made no move at all.
The three members of the Fellowship had stood quietly as the King questioned the guard, but Legolas pressed his face closer to the iron bars, peering at the form before him. Something was familiar. She was filthy with the dirt and muck of the cell, and he could see very little of her, but still he felt something pull at his memories. "Your Highness, what did you call her?"
Théoden looked at the elf in confusion. "Her name is Ata. But what difference does that make? We must free her."
Aragorn looked to his friend and saw a light flash through his eyes, and then a disturbing look cross his face. "What is it Legolas? Do you know her?"
"Aragorn I don't know how I am sure, but I do know her, and so do you." Legolas answered.
Aragorn looked back to the woman, but his memory was not as good as the elf's. "I'm sorry Legolas. Who?"
He looked again to the figure in the corner, and was positive this time. It was more a feeling than anything he could see. "Aragorn, that is Atavus."
He knew that name. As a flood of memories came rushing back the blood drained from Aragorn's face, and he turned to the woman in front of him. Her hair had been cut to shoulder length, making it curlier, but it was that same fiery red color he remembered, and now that he was paying more attention, he could see that her build was the same. And even the dried blood on her back was darker in color than it should have been. Instead of the rusty color of a normal beings blood it was almost black.
"Atavus." He called out to her. He could see the tremble in her shoulders, as she attempted to pull her head up. She turned her ear to him to hear the voice better. He could see the point on the tip. "Atavus, it is you, isn't it?"
"Estel." She whispered shakily.
"Yes it is I. And Legolas is here too." He answered her, gripping the bars in front of them wanting to rip them from the very foundation.
"Legolas." She said in a voice that seemed too distant.
"Yes, mellon-nin." His voice was full of emotion that surprised all in the room except Aragorn.
Gimli had been watching his friends, but had also been inspecting the cell door that kept the woman imprisoned. "Stand back. I can remove that door." He said pushing forward and using his axe blade to remove the pins in the hinges of the door. Then he and two of the guards lifted up on the Iron door pulling it free of its hinges, and busting the lock. The door fell to the floor making a loud crashing noise.
Aragorn and Legolas were the first to enter the cell. They each kneeled beside their crouching friend who had started rocking back and forth. "You're not real. I know you're not real." She whispered as Legolas removed his cloak and wrapped it around her torso.
"We are very real Atavus. Can you not see that?" Aragorn asked, tilting her head up to look in her eyes. He saw both fear and confusion there. He had seen pain and despair color her face in times gone by, but the look he saw then was worse than any he could imagine.
"It has been sixty-two years Estel. I had given up on ever seeing you again. How can you be here?" She asked tears flowing down her cheeks.
"Does it matter how? We just are." He said taking her in his arms. She was in shock, and probably thought she was going insane. He wanted so much to assure her that she was still sane. She clung to him, and for the first time in months let her muscles relax. She could see Legolas near them over Aragorn's shoulder. He had unshed tears in his eyes. She reached out one hand taking his, in her own. Aragorn let go of her so Legolas could take her in his arms also.
It seemed to her as if he would never let go once he held her, and at the moment she didn't want to. He felt very real to her. More real than anything had been in months.
She looked around her noticing that many others were watching the reunion, including her King. She pulled away from Legolas standing unsteadily, pulling the cloak more tightly around her body, and bowed. "Sire, I'm sorry for my absence." She started.
"None of that Ata. I'm sorry I failed you, and did not realize that Grima had imprisoned you. Things have changed now. I am free of the spell I was under, and am back in control of Rohan. Come now, let's get you out of here, and back to your own chambers, where you can be properly cared for." He said turning and leading them back to the higher levels of Meduseld.
Aragorn and Legolas each took a position on either side of Atavus, wanting to protect her. Gimli followed behind, sensing that his two friends needed time alone with the woman they were protecting.
Author's Note: Okay I know 62 years is a long time, but I promise in future chapters you'll see how she got where she is, and so forth and so on. Please don't throw anything at me for not having Legolas go after her.