Disclaimer: See chapter 1.

Review Responses:

invisigoth3: No, no, no he's pleased as punch. Yeah right.

Lintered: I never did explain how he survived did I? Hmmm. Plot bunny just hit me. You'll see.

Slayer3: All right put down the elves before you hurt them. Calm, calm, calm.

Karone Evertree: Yes that is where the witch king ruled. But in the movie you don't see much of it, so I'm just imagining it in my own twisted mind. But book wise is located right near the pass that Frodo, Sam, and Gollum take, which is further south of the Black Gate.

Yes poor Van. The kid already is developing a complex, but at least he has Veri and Atavus.

ashlyns: I have always seen Legolas as extremely perceptive when it comes to evil. Look at the way he felt when he first met Atavus in Ithilien.

Larien: Aragorn makes a great ruler, but I always thought he would feel more comfortable with friends out in the wilds. He is the type of ruler who doesn't just sit back and command. He takes the reins and rushes in at the lead himself. And as far as Ugluk being a father, it takes a lot more than just creating a child to be a father. That's something he doesn't know.

Author's Note: I guess since I'm on a roll I well as post another chapter. Well as, since today is my wedding anniversary and my husband is out of town until tomorrow night. Not fair. But anyway I will stop feeling sorry for myself and write on.

Nightmares Can Come True

Aragorn and Legolas came to another door which they were sure would lead to another level of the torture pits. "We've been searching for an entire day. How far along do you think the siege has progressed?" Legolas asked trying to pull the door open but discovering it was locked.

"I'm not sure, the troops that followed were not in massive numbers. So they wouldn't completely overwhelm the orc forces." He answered looking around for a set of keys to the door. "I don't see the keys this time. We are going to have to get through that door another way."

"What do you suggest?" Legolas asked.

"Normally if we had time I would suggest waiting for someone to come open it and then jump them, but since that is not possible…." He looked around for something to batter the door down with. There was a bench a few paces down the hall. He returned to it picking it up, and then headed back to the door.

"If you want to get caught that's a sure way to do so." They turned hearing a female voice coming from a nearby hallway.

Legolas' bow and Aragorn's sword were drawn within seconds. "Show yourself unless you want an arrow in your gut."

They watched as a petit woman moved from the shadows. She was wearing a hooded cloak that covered most of her head and face. She held her hands out showing that they held no weapon. "I am unarmed."

"Who are you?" Aragorn asked only lowering his sword slightly.

"A friend, of a friend." She answered cryptically.

"And where might that friend be?" Legolas asked.

"She is beyond that door and in one of the torture rooms." The woman answered.

"Do you have the key to the door?" Aragorn asked.

"No. He normally doesn't lock me out, but he is in a particularly angry mood. I have to wait here until he is done. Then he will summon me to care for her." She explained.

"The orc. Ugluk." Legolas spat the word.

"Yes."

"So you work for him." Legolas strode forward pulling one of his bone-handled knives and placing it to her throat pushing her against the wall.

"No. I am a prisoner here." She said reaching up and pushing her hood back revealing her elvish features to them.

Legolas looked into eyes that matched his own, and was at a loss for a moment. He pulled his knife back. "Who are you?"

"Just a slave of Mordor, and Atavus' friend. That is all that is important." She answered. "I came to warn you. You are in danger. If you continue on this course you will be captured."

Aragorn looked the woman over but didn't know whether to trust her or not. "Why should we trust you?"

"Atavus does." She said smiling at the questioning look they gave her. "But she knew you wouldn't so she said to remind you of something. She said to tell you if you wanted she could pick you up some pets while here. Whatever that means."

Legolas burst into hysterical laughter. "That's if the orcs don't eat them all first."

"She would remind me of that." Aragorn chuckled.

The look on the woman's face said she didn't want to know what they spoke of.

"Well how do you suggest we get in there then?" Aragorn asked after the laughter subsided.

"Exactly the way you dismissed a few moments ago. We wait for Ugluk to leave, while you hide in the shadows. I will go on to the cell, and you can follow when he is gone." She suggested.

"Can she withstand his visit?" Legolas asked.

"He doesn't want her dead. Just information that she won't give." Manveri assured them.

"My patience is growing thin sister." The orc said in a frustrated tone.

"Why brother, are you going soft on me? I do believe that is the first time you ever called me that." She said sweetly. Too sweetly.

She could see the scowl cross his face. He reached out grabbing her by her hair forcing his face close to hers. "Soft is not a word I would suggest you use while talking about me freak." He hissed in her ear, and then slammed her head into the wall behind where she hung from the manacles. For a moment she saw stars from the impact.

Then he backed away. "Do you understand what I will be forced to do if you don't speak. I know by now Manveri has told you of the others on the lower levels. Do I have to bring some of them up here? It would not bother me at all to torture them as you listen to the screams. Can you listen to me torture others like you? Women, children. Think about it." He turned then leaving her behind. She was surprised. He had barely tortured her that time. Just a few punches, but he was beginning to understand what it would take to break her.

She felt the warm trickle of blood running down her neck, and knew the back of her head was bleeding. But that meant little to her. No matter how much he threatened her, her spirits would not falter knowing that her friends were near.

They were surprised to hear the key turn in the lock to the door they stood by. Aragorn and Legolas stepped back into the shadows that Manveri had hidden in earlier. Manveri looked expectantly at the door as it opened.

Ugluk nearly ran into her. "She's not that bad today. She won't need you." He growled.

"Maybe I should check her just in case." She suggested. She had to get him to leave that door unlocked.

He looked at her a moment then remembered hitting Atavus' head against the wall. Maybe she would be needed. But why was the woman being persistent. "Go ahead." He ordered her tossing the keys to the manacles to the woman.

Manveri nodded walking past him and following her normal route to where Atavus was being held. When she entered the room she saw that Atavus was standing next to the wall. She truly wasn't hurt that bad. "That was close. He nearly didn't let me come down today." She said crossing over and removed the manacles.

Then they heard noises coming from down the hall. It sounded like fighting. Atavus immediately headed into the hall, but was pushed back by the figures in close combat outside the door. She could see that Legolas and Aragorn were outnumbered three to one, and she didn't have a weapon.

As the body of an orc was thrown into her she sprawled backwards on the floor, with the creature on top of her. She felt the orc being pulled off her and was about to thank the friend responsible when she felt the iron grip encircle her wrist. "You are going nowhere, and neither are your friends." She resisted the urge to look at the face leering down at her. She had to keep the pretense of her charade as long as possible.

He hauled her to her feet swinging her around in front of him and placing a dagger to her throat. "Elf, human. Stop where you are or she dies." He yelled to the combatants.

She kept her eyes on the floor not wanting them to realize she could see and give her secret away. Legolas and Aragorn froze and turned to see her being held by Ugluk.

"Come in here and throw your weapons in the corner." Ugluk commanded.

They looked to each other and then complied. Several more orcs entered the room taking them to the stone slabs and forcing them to lie on them, strapping them in.

Atavus watched in horror as her friends complied. She wanted to scream at them to fight. Not to allow him to gain that kind of control over her. But she kept silent. "Well isn't this a grand reunion?" He whispered into her ear.

"You tell me." She hissed back.

"Oh I forgot. You can't see them. Why don't you two say hello to your dear friend so she knows you are here." He suggested in a rather jovial mood.

They both remained silent. "No. Don't want to talk huh? That's all right." He said moving Atavus forward so she was pushed against the stone table that Legolas was strapped to. "Reach your hand out sister dear, and find what will finally break you."

She refused to move. She didn't have to feel him to see him there. She shook her head. When he saw she wasn't going to comply he forcefully shoved her hand at the elf's face. Her hand lay on Legolas' cheek. She knew she had to keep up the pretense, so she felt his face, as a blind person would do. "Legolas." She whispered.

She wanted so much to look into his eyes, but knew she would give herself away. She heard the noise he made in his throat. "Sorry Atavus. Our rescue plan didn't go exactly as we thought it would."

"Estel." She called out.

"Yes. I'm here." He answered.

She set a grim look on her face shoring up her emotions. "This didn't work in Dol Guldur. Why do you think it will this time?" She said icily.

"Because this time I don't have a Nazgul standing over me telling me not to kill them. You will break just as you did in the Misty Mountains. You were willing to give me anything to save him. I remember, and you will do it again." He taunted in her ear.

"It was my life you wanted then. That was different. I would gladly give that for them. But other lives are involved this time. I will not betray them. I won't let you turn them into what you are." She said with determination.

"How do you know they wouldn't be better off as orcs?" He asked. "Why should they want to remain freaks like you?"

"Why don't you ask your son what he wants?" She lashed out with all her anger. He let go of her backing up. She turned facing him, but still not looking up.

"What do you know of him?" Ugluk asked.

"Van is a wonderful child. He'll be a good healer one day, just like me." She taunted. She could hear Manveri whispering no over and over, begging her not to say anything to endanger the boy.

"He is an orc." Ugluk shouted.

"He's a throwback, and he wants to remain one." She shouted back.

"No." He said quietly shaking his head, and then turned to run from the room. The other orcs that were present chained her to the wall, and then left to continue their work. They pushed Manveri from the room.

"Hide Van, Manveri." She whispered knowing the woman's sensitive hearing would hear the words.

She waited for the sounds to die and then finally turned her face to her friends. The stone slabs they were on were tilted at an angle so she could clearly see their faces. "You two are a sight for sore eyes." She looked into each of their eyes smiling a pitiful smile. She chuckled to see the looks on their faces as they realized she could see them.