Disclaimer: Atavus is mine. The rest belong to Tolkien. What a cruel world.

Review Responses: Happy Friday the 13th friends.

Lintered: My you're getting to know me well aren't you?

Karone Evertree: Thanks for the well wishes. Well I have a breakfast date with my hubby tomorrow, and then he's going to grill out tomorrow night. So I'm making out real good on this anniversary.

Larien: Yeah they had to get captured. He's gotta have leverage, doesn't he. As far as the ambush well it makes sense that there would be orcs on the level that he was holding a prisoner on. Just because Atavus didn't see much of them it doesn't mean they are not there. And since Manveri acted slightly flustered when he told her not to go down that day it tipped him off. I probably should have told that part from Ugluk's point of view instead of Atavus'. It would have explained more. Sorry about the cliffie. It just seemed so darn dramatic the way I left it. I couldn't help myself.

ashlyns: Please don't keel over from suspense. Here's another chapter to tide you over. But then again, what if I just install more suspense? Hmmm.

Slayer3: If you could hurt someone by loving them too much I could see it happening. More as you command.

ZELINIA: Don't worry I'm a sad thirty something woman who has nothing better to do either. Besides for taking care of little ones. I'm glad you like Atavus. She seems to grow on people. The romantic tension is not actually intentional. I think it's my own feelings slipping in. But as I have said before this is not a romance. I don't think I could do justice to a Legolas romance. Besides friendship is more important to me. But don't worry I won't be stopping anytime soon. This story is in my head and it has to come out.

Secrets Revealed

"You can see." Aragorn said in surprise.

"Yes I can. But it's best if he doesn't know it." She said motioning to the door, where the others had just left.

"How?" Legolas asked.

"Blood is mysterious Legolas." She answered not wanting to go into a long discussion about being beaten again. She was tired of being beaten.

"What is going on here Atavus? What were you saying to him about others?" Aragorn asked still not sure if he had heard them right.

"It seems that without the influence of Sauron all new orc children are being born as throwbacks. Ugluk is collecting them, and any and all throwbacks no matter what the age. From what I've been told there are several being held in the lower levels. The woman who was here before is one, and so is Ugluk's son." It was hard for Atavus to think of her monster of a brother having a son, especially not the wonderful boy she had met, but he did, and it had to be told.

The news shocked Aragorn and Legolas. "Why does he want them? And what does he want from you?" Aragorn asked. "And why in Middle – Earth is he not dead? I remember you saying that his lung was punctured. That should have killed him. We knew there was a chance he'd survive, but when nothing was ever heard of him again, I figured he had to be dead."

Atavus looked down, feeling shame. She hadn't told them about him killing the warg, after she escaped from the Misty Mountain caves. She hadn't wanted to let them know that she had, had the chance to finish him for sure, but hadn't taken it. But they were her friends, and now they were captured by him yet again. She was responsible. And she owed them the truth.

"He is alive because I didn't have the stomach to finish him when I had the chance." She whispered. She heard Legolas gasp at her confession. "I didn't tell you everything. When I was bit by that warg it wasn't my own skill that saved me, or even luck. It was Ugluk. He threw my knife stabbing the warg. Then he collapsed. He was unarmed. I pulled my knife from the warg and could have easily finished him, but I just couldn't. I guess I spared him to prove that I wasn't like him. But he saw my eyes. He could see that I was changing. I don't know how he survived the wound I gave him, but now he believes that I know how to change the throwbacks into orcs, like I almost changed. I guess I knew when I left him that he would survive, but I just couldn't bring myself to do it. Now I see the error I made." She finished her explanation and sighed deeply. She felt horrible about misleading them so many years before, but she also felt relieved that she no longer carried the secret.

"No Atavus. If you had killed him while he was unarmed you would have never been able to live with yourself. You are not a murderer. It would have changed you beyond what had already happened to you. Don't regret your moment of mercy." Aragorn insisted knowing she was blaming herself for what was happening to them.

"That's where you don't understand me Estel. I don't know if I could have killed him even if he was armed. I have no feelings for him even if he is my brother, and I have imagined him dead hundreds of times. But truth be told I don't know if I could kill him even if I had to. This war we have been raging between each other has become so much a part of my life that I don't know what I'd do without it. By the Valar, I sound as crazy as he is." She admitted. She hadn't wanted to admit that to herself, but it was true. When she was with the orc, even though he hurt her she felt almost comfortable. She enjoyed making comments just to see him squirm.

Neither of her friends knew what to say about her admission. They both knew if they had the chance to kill the orc they would take it, but if he were their brother would they be able to do so?

"That doesn't matter now Atavus. We need to get you and the others out of here. Do you have any ideas?" Legolas suggested.

"I sort of thought that was why you two were here." She said sarcastically.

"Well yes originally." Legolas admitted. "But since things didn't work out as someone planned, we need an alternate idea."

"It was a good plan." Aragorn insisted.

"Yes well within about two days time if we don't figure out a way out we are either going to be dead, or trapped in here." Legolas reminded him.

"What?" Atavus had no idea what he was referring to.

"Oh right. You don't know that part of the plan. The King of Gondor has troops of men attacking this fortress intent on destroying it. It's a full out siege." Legolas said sarcastically looking to Aragorn. They were too far underground to hear the siege above them.

"It was a good plan." Aragorn insisted again. "Or it would have been if we hadn't been captured."

Author's Note: Sorry I know it's very short, but I thought the reunion so to speak needed to be separate. I know it's not very angsty, but I'm not through yet. Watch out for next chapter.