Chapter 5 – Intolerable Pain

Aragorn felt that this night could not pass quickly enough. The tension exuding from his elf friend sitting beside him had enough power to shoot an arrow into the sun. Everything so far that day had gone terribly wrong. It began sometime after Legolas had left the dining hall during breakfast that morning. Legolas returned shortly after, dragging Aragorn off to angrily tell him that he planned to separate Hurrnäd's head from his body and gave no reason. After Aragorn convinced Legolas it was not such a good idea, the elf sulked the remainder of the day, occasionally grunting in pain from the bond with Aleera he continued to deny. Then later that morning, the unexpected introduction of Lady Gwinn, the queen of Kozar, had Legolas uttering curses Aragorn had never even heard before in his life. Again, Legolas gave no reason for his dislike of Hurrnäd and now the abhorrence of the queen. What had gotten into his elf friend? He spoke of nothing except to make the king and queen of Kozar ancient history. Then during the afternoon meal in the dining hall, behind Hurrnäd's back, Lady Gwinn unexpectedly placed her hand over Legolas's. He stood up from the table so quickly, his chair fell back, causing everyone to turn to him. The look on the elf's face made Aragorn fear he would unsheathe the knife he secretly kept in his boot and sink it into the queen's throat. Luckily all he did was pick up his chair and sit back down as if nothing happened, but Aragorn continued to clearly see the detestation on Legolas's face.

And now Legolas sat at the table during the evening meal, staring daggers at both Kozari king and queen. Aragorn very well knew the look of resentment on his friend's face and that Legolas was doing everything in his power to restrain himself. Only one other time had Aragorn ever seen Legolas so furious and that was when the elf had caught the man who had threatened his father's life. This was the same anger. On top of it all, sitting directly across from him was the one Legolas had spoken of earlier. Aleera. She was covered from head to toe in dark blue wraps, with only her eyes visible. He could not see her ears to tell whether she was an elf. But her pale green eyes held the kind of emotion he often saw in elves, having lived among them nearly all of his life.

Aleera felt humiliated by the way she was dressed. She could not even eat her food because she was told under penalty of a painful lashing that she was at no cost allowed to lower the cowl from her face. She could see that Legolas was enraged. She could feel his anger from across the table and pleaded to him with her eyes not to start any trouble. The thought of any harm coming to him on her expense made her remain submissive sitting beside the loathsome figure of Hurrnäd.

Legolas did not know to leave well enough alone. He was appalled that Hurrnäd would regard Aleera so disrespectfully. There had been no introduction. She was simply brought by Roxana to sit on the Kozari's left side, while the queen sat on his right. He could not stop his words even if Aragorn had covered his mouth with both of his hands. "Why is this maiden covered?" he asked, no longer trying to contain his anger.

Hurrnäd had been laughing at something the captain of his guard had said and at the sound of the elf's voice, he turned to him. "She is but a ghost, my elf friend. A concubine, if you will."

"But why is her face covered?" His anger was clearly evident by the way he clenched his teeth at the end of his question.

The Kozari ruler regarded Legolas curiously. There was open hostility on the elf's expression. "It is the way of our people."

"I find such practice disrespectful." Legolas wanted to launch himself across the table and squeeze his thumbs into the Kozari's eye sockets.

Beneath the table, Aragorn placed a hand on Legolas's arm, sending him an unspoken warning to either alter his attitude or keep silent.

There was amusement on Hurrnäd's face. "Surely you elves have your own customs. This happens to be ours. Our women remain covered unless they are wed. As you can see, I already have a wife." He turned to the queen, who smiled regally back at him. "A concubine has her uses and she is never revealed to any man except the one she services."

Aragorn frowned at Legolas's seething expression, his brilliant blue eyes blazing in rage. But at least now he understood what was happening. Hurrnäd referred to Aleera as a concubine and this undoubtedly angered the elf, especially since the two of them had unexpectedly bonded. From just a kiss? Was that even possible? Or perhaps there was a deeper connection between them that transcended the physical aspects of elven bonding.

Hurrnäd waved to someone and four veiled women entered the hall. They lined up behind the monarch. "You may have your choice of them, my friends. I will break two of them from their commitment to me so that you may find pleasure tonight."

Aragorn shook his head, somewhat surprised at this new development. As if things could not get any worse on this night. "I decline the kind offer, my lord, but my heart belongs to a lady whose trust I cannot betray."

"As you wish," said Hurrnäd. He turned his attention to Legolas. "And you?"

Legolas looked upon each of the veiled faces. They looked back at him, their eyes revealing the gratification they were indisputably promising him. He turned his eyes to Aleera. Her innocent gaze spoke more words than the four women put together. Despite the fact that he knew his request would surely be declined, he boldly asked it anyway. "I choose her," he said with a tilt of his head toward Aleera, being careful not to use her name and reveal that they knew each other.

Hurrnäd followed the elf's gaze. Aleera…did he know she was an elf? Then he chuckled. "I am afraid she is not for your choosing, my friend. She is still an innocent one and the privilege belongs solely to me."

Legolas watched as Aleera lowered her eyes down to the plate in front of her and he clearly felt her humiliation. Then he turned to the queen. Her eyes were on him and despite her attractiveness, the lust the women radiated toward him was nauseating. "And this is acceptable to you?" he asked Gwinn.

Lady Gwinn flushed at the elf's intense gaze and she desired nothing more than to be wrapped around him. "It is our way." It was a shame that she would not be given the opportunity to experience him, delightfully fulfilling as it would be.

Aragorn wanted to steer the conversation in a different direction, a safer topic, but did not know what to say that could push them away from the current topic. And then he had it. "Tell me more about the rains in Kozar."

Legolas was not swayed by the change in subject as Hurrnäd began to tell Aragorn about the rain wizards. Perhaps two days ago he was greatly intrigued by the way the rains fell from a cloudless sky. Now he cared less if giant spiders and three-headed dwarves rained down upon Kozar Keep. He glanced around at the guards standing about, mentally counting them, deciding how quickly he could dispatch them before an arrow found its way into his back. Not very good odds, he thought…for them.

Aleera was not taken back to her room after the evening meal, of which she could not even taste because of the wrap covering her face. Roxana brought her to an elaborately furnished bed chamber and left her there alone. The linens on the bed were made of rich silk. The furnishings were thick wood. Everything about this room made the hairs on the back of Aleera's neck stand on end.

Gwinn entered the room shortly afterward. She gave Aleera a smile that held no pleasantness and then ignored her as she went about removing her clothing and slipping into a red silk robe. The elf maid was a pretty little thing and so fragile looking. Gwinn wondered if the girl would even be able to endure her husband's force. Better the elf maid than herself. It was the way she wanted it. Let Hurrnäd take out his initial violent actions upon another before his motions finally softened for her liking. In truth, Gwinn reaped excitement from seeing Hurrnäd subdue another so violently. Afterall, it was what he wanted as well and she lived and breathed to do his bidding. The thought of Hurrnäd ravaging this fragile little elf made the blood in her veins run hot and she could not wait for her husband to dispense with pleasantries and dismiss himself from his guests so he could come here at last.

Aleera stood in the center of the room, her arms wrapped around herself, trying to contain the ache in her chest that seemed to have started again the minute she was taken from the dining hall. She had a terrible feeling that tonight would cost her many things and the thought of sharing a bed with Hurrnäd, much less both him and the queen, sickened her. "Why am I here?" she asked innocently, hoping beyond hope that perhaps she was wrong in the reason she thought.

Gwinn reclined on the elaborate bed and regarded the she-elf with mild annoyance. "Do not act so coy, Aleera. You know exactly why you are in this room. You will give your lord the pleasure he demands."

"I cannot do what you ask of me."

Gwinn sneered almost viciously. "You will do as you are told or you will receive a harsh lashing to within an inch of your life, elf. Do I make myself clear?"

Aleera shivered and cringed at the ache in her chest. Tears brimmed her eyes and she closed them, thinking of how desperately she needed Legolas at the moment. His fair face filled her mind and she found an image of his smile. He would be leaving soon and she would be alone to live this torturous life. Deep down inside she knew that she would not survive it for long. She needed to be loved. She needed companionship. None of that would she receive from the Kozari ruler and his malicious wife.

The door suddenly swung open and Hurrnäd stood in the threshold. The blood-lusty look in the Kozari ruler's eyes was unmistakable.

Legolas paced Aleera's balcony, his right hand splayed open over his aching chest, his breath coming out in gasps. Where was Aleera? Why was she not in her room? Had they taken her elsewhere in the palace? He was sickened when he thought of the possibility that she was with Hurrnäd and the queen. Had her time to prove her worth finally come? He closed his eyes and breathed, trying to erase the images that suddenly appeared in his mind's eye.

When the evening meal had ended, the handmaiden, Roxana, had come to take Aleera away. Legolas intended to follow but was stopped by Aragorn's hand on his arm. The ranger gave him a look of warning and pulled him off to the side.

"You have interfered enough, Legolas."

"Nay," replied Legolas. "They will know the full meaning of interference when I am through with Hurrnäd and his wife."

"You care not that Lord Elrond seeks alliances? The Kozari would be useful as allies in battle against our enemies."

Legolas wanted to walk away from Aragorn. The pain in his chest became intolerable and all he wanted was to find comfort with Aleera on this night. "The Kozari will never be our allies. I sense deceit all around. A han noston ned gwilith!" (I smell it in the air)

"We will leave in the morning. Perhaps as we put distance between you and Aleera, your pain will subside."

Legolas gave Aragorn a look and shook his head. "Aleera comes with me."

"Legolas, you know not what agreement Hurrnäd had with Aleera's family."

"Agreement? You believe Aleera's family would trade her to this filthy ruler? Nay, she came here in some other fashion. I will not leave her here."

Aragorn was at a loss on what he could do to calm Legolas down. The elf would not hesitate to go on a killing rampage if it was warranted. He had seen Legolas in action too many times to make him think otherwise. "Then we will bargain for Aleera. Will that satisfy you?"

"Aye, but I suspect Hurrnäd will not give her up so easily."

"We will persuade him, my friend. He will know that we are aware she is an elf and let us see his reaction. Perhaps we will discover how she came to be here."

Legolas was satisfied for the moment. He rested his hand on his chest as the pain continued to throb there.

Aragorn placed a hand on Legolas's shoulder and massaged it. "Go and rest now. Who knows what tomorrow will bring."

And so now Legolas found himself pacing on Aleera's balcony, wondering where she was. The sudden sound of footfalls in the corridor quickly brought him into Aleera's room, waiting for the door to open. But instead out in the corridor he heard a knock on the door to his room. Legolas went to Aleera's door and finding it currently unlocked, he opened it and stepped out in the hall to find Roxana knocking on his door. The girl nearly jumped out of her skin at his unexpected appearance behind her.

"Where is Aleera?" Legolas asked of her, fighting back the urge to grab her by the arms and throttle her.

"She is in the queen's chamber. I could no longer listen to her desperate cries and I came in search of you. You must come quickly."

Fearing the worst, Legolas rushed into his room and retrieved his elven knives, not even bothering with his bow. Then he followed Roxana, his heart heavy with dread that something horrible had befallen Aleera. If such were the case, Legolas would feel no remorse when he skinned the Kozari ruler alive.