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-Chapter 12-

Virawiel woke up. She was a little drowsy. He jailer had given her some meat after he had talked to her. She had been suspicious, but after he had taken some of the meat himself and eaten it, she had trusted him and eaten some herself. A mistake on her part. Almost right after she had ingested the meat she became drowsy and fell asleep. She didn't know how they had gotten her back into her cell, but there she was.

Virawiel yawned, but something was keeping her from opening her mouth. A large mussel made of rough rope had been wrapped around her head. The rope dug into her skin when she tried even a little to open her mouth. She tried to rub it against the stone wall, but had little success at getting it off. She tasted the metallic wetness of her own blood seeping into her mouth from where the rope bit into her unprotected face.

'Great.' She thought sarcastically, 'not only is my wing bandaged, but my mouth is roped shut.'

She heard keys in the lock of her cell door. Some men entered her cell. One was carrying a whip. "Hello dragon." The man with the whip was familiar to her. "How would you like to learn a few 'tricks'." The last word was said with a sinister chuckle that sent a shiver up Varawiel's spine.

The man was Dûrlhug. He was a trader of sorts to a group of people who traveled around with odd animals and such. Not unlike a traveling circus that came to many of the human towns that Varawiel spent her time avoiding. Dûrlhug's job was getting the animals and other things and training them to perform.

"Oh dragon, what I didn't mention was that along with wolves and wargs I also collect Elves and dragons."

Virawiel looked at him. 'If I could only open my mouth I would fry you were you stood.' She thought.

"You and your Elvin friends were there at just the right time. I was thinking we would have to go near that Elvin settlement, and that always causes trouble, but you brought them here."

'What about the young human they were traveling with?' Virawiel wondered.

As if he was reading her thoughts Dûrlhug said "I bet you are wondering about the human. Well, one of my dogs was hungry and I get tired of giving my precious dog maggoty meat."

He smiled. "Lets just say the human will no longer be a problem for us. Although that blond elvish brat put up a bloody bad fight when we took the human from him. But you know how elves are. They never want to move forward, always clinging to old friend. Now, it is time to start training you. What shall I teach you first? You already know how to roar I'm sure, and I'm afraid you would fry me if took of your mussel am I right?"

'Exactly' Virawiel thought. 'I would fry you and all of your pitiful men you call guards.'

The man kept naming off things he could teach her but gave excuses every time.

"Oh I know! I'll teach you a dance! Yes that would be good. And we can call you

Virawiel the dancing dragon. No? You're right Virawiel doesn't sound right. How about Dunly? No, to boyish. I know! Dûrviel. Dûrviel the dancing dragon! Then we have both your and my name in it. Sound good?"

'It's wiel genius, and I will not dance.' Virawiel gave him the nastiest look she could come up with.

"Didn't think so, but that is what it is going to be. And you have to live with it, ok Dûrviel?"

With that he started telling her what to do. He made sure she would do it by using the whip with painstaking accuracy. When she got it the slightest bit wrong he took the whip to her most vulnerable part.. Soon they were bleeding and the scales had all been ripped off till the muscle showed.

'If I take much more of this I will die.' Thought Virawiel, looking at the puddle of blood that had gathered on the floor. But he made her go on and on, testing her limits.

Aragorn thoughts went to his father. He wondered if the lord of imladris would ever even know what happened to him.

The animal was getting closer.

Aragorn prayed to the Valer that it would be quick.

He wondered if he would feel the fangs sink into his flesh.

The dog leapt...

Aragorn braced himself for the blow...

But it never came.

He heard a shrill whistle and the dog twisted and landed a foot in front of him before bounding to the door. Aragorn barely heard a whisper and then saw some meat scraps being pushed through the small hole made for meals to be pushed through for the unfortunate souls who were kept there. The dog wagged his tail and whined before approaching Aragorn once more, wagging his tail and going back to the food. He seemed to be inviting Aragorn to come near him. Then he barked.

"Is someone in there?" A small voice carried through the hole to him.

Aragorn didn't know what to think, so he just answered the question.

"Yes."

He moved a little towards the hole so he could hear the person better and let out a groan when his hurt leg was jostled.

"You can come closer, the dog wont hurt you."

Aragorn was skeptical. "Are you sure, that dog just almost killed me."

The voice laughed. It was a musical laugh that made you want to trust the girl right away. It was a girl. Aragorn could tell by the voice.

"Don't worry. He will not hurt you with me here. He was probably just playing. With no human contact Kancarch gets a little lonely. Now come, you sound hurt. I shall tell the dog to be careful."

'Careful my foot.' thought Aragorn but he came anyways. The dog wagged his tail. Strider heard the girl speak to him in a strange language and the dog whined and then pushed some of the meat over to Aragorn. His tail never stopped wagging.

"Who are you?" the girl asked.

"I'm Strider." Aragorn answered. He felt no fear about answering her.

"Hello strider I'm Mariana and this is Kancarch. Tough situation you got yourself in. I'll try to help you, but it might be a little hard."

Aragorn's eyes narrowed at her quick offer. "Who said I wanted your help?" He asked.

"You have no one else."

"How do I know you are not from them to get information out of me."

"If I was I wouldn't be crouching at the food thing talking in whispers. Rangers have good instincts, do you trust me?" She asked. "I hear someone coming. I'll try to bring you some food next time I come."

With that she was gone.

Aragon heard some heavy footsteps pass the door and continue down the passage.

Then he looked at the dog. In the light he didn't look so fierce. His tongue was out and he stared at Aragorn with a canine smile. The dog was black with a tan mussel and legs. He had a long pointed snout and long legs. Aragorn could see now that the gleam in the dogs eye was an intelligent one, not an evil one. He nosed the food again before walking towards him. Aragorn tensed, but the dog just curled up at his side and sighed before burying his nose in his fur and falling asleep.

Mariana hid some of her food scraps to take to the dog that Dûrlhug had in one of his lower cells. They portrayed him as evil, but his was really very sweet.

She went down to the cells and after the guard had passed quickly made her was to the dogs cell. She let out a shrill whistle when she got there and soon she saw the black nose of the dog sniffing at the hole. She pushed some of the meat though. The animal did not take it at once like he normally did, but instead left for a second before coming back.

man...

"A man, are you sure?" She asked him.

man... hurt...

"Is someone in there?" She asked. She heard some shuffling before an answer came.

"Yes."

She heard him shuffle again and let out a groan.

"You can come closer, the dog won't hurt you."

He questioned her, but she heard him come closer. Mariana knew she needed to help this man. Her heart always wanted to help everyone, it was in her nature.

'Then why are you here?' A voice at the back of her mind asked. She sighed.

"Who are you?" She asked.

"Strider."

So this was strider, she had heard the elf whispering his name when she passed. She had also heard the men talking about him as a ranger.

She introduced herself and her dog. Although she was not sure she was not sure she would be able to, she offered her help.

She could tell he was skeptical, but of course, wouldn't she be if she was captured and someone she didn't know offered help.

'Well, wasn't she.'

Mariana pushed those thoughts out of her mind.

"If I was I wouldn't be crouching at the food thing talking in whispers. Rangers have good instincts, do you trust me?" She decided this would be the safest route. Then she heard footstep approaching.

'We must have been to loud.' she thought. She said goodbye to the ranger and the dog and left.

Mariana was stopped by a guard and she held her breath.

"Why are you here?" He asked gruffly.

"I am going to check on the dragon." She lied.

"Well be quick about it and get out. This is no place for a girl."

Mariana was quick to do just that and soon had returned to her room. She thought about the dog and hoped that someday she would be able to get him out and teach him a new way.

They were almost there. Elladan could hear the river that surrounded Rivindell. He had not stopped for anything. He was exhausted, but that didn't matter. He knew that if his brother died he would die himself. His brothers were everything to him.

Elladan looked down at his brother. The twin was a white as a sheet and his breathing was getting more labored by the moment. The bandage on his chest had a crimson stain covering most of it. Elladan knew he needed to stop and change the bandage. This would be the fifth time he had to change the bandage that day. He found a place where he could set down his brother and gently laid him there.

Elladan had run out of bandages, so he tore a piece of his tunic to use. He gently unwrapped the soiled cloth and cleaned the cut. It had gotten so much worse than last time. Elladan wasn't sure how much longer he would last.

Suddenly he sat up. He though he heard something. Then he heard it again. Some horsemen were coming his way from Rivindell. Elladan hid his brother beneath a bush and then climbed a tree and drew an arrow from his pouch and readied his bow. The horsemen came in view. Leading them was a blonde elf.

"Glorfindel!" Elladan was relieved. He dropped out of the tree, landing in crouch.

The elf looked at him.

"Elladan! We were looking for you." He brought his horse to where Elladan was.

"Where are your brothers and Prince Legolas?"

Elladan's face was sad. "I'll talk about that later. Elrohir is hurt and I need to get him to Ada right away."

"He is, how badly?"

"Badly enough. Can I use your horse?" Elladan was already running to where he had hidden his brother.

"Yes-"

"Good." Elladan cut Glorfindell off. He gently lifted Elrohir up and brought him to Glofindell and the horse.

"Your right, he is hurt bad." Glorfindell said, seeing Elrond's middle son. He tenderly took him from his brother and helped them onto the horse.

"Ride hard, ride fast." He whispered to his horse and watched as they galloped off.

Elrond heard the clattering of hoof beats on the cobblestone. He quickly went to the window and saw his eldest son riding Glofindells horse home. In his son's arms was Elrohir. Elrond went into the healing rooms and got his stuff ready. Then he ran out to find his son. His son was just getting off his horse and handed him to an attendant. Elladan was not looking to good himself. Elrond wondered where Estel and Legolas were, but put himself to the situation at hand.

"What happened?" He asked.

"Orc arrow. I didn't know. He was fine earlier. This is all my fault I should of taken him in, and I knew it, t-"

"Elladan, it is not your fault, now tell me what happened clearly. I need to know so I can help him."

They were arriving at the healing rooms. Elrond was now carrying his middle son and laid him on the bed that had been prepared and unwrapped the piece of cloth serving as a bandage.

"We were tracking Estel whe- Oh Ada, Estel is dead!" The young elf's face was stricken.

Elrond closed his eyes in pain at this revelation, but a groan from Elrohir brought him back to the currant situation.

"I'll deal with that later, tell me what happened to Elrohir."

"We were ambushed by orcs. Elrohir got shot. I took the arrow out and it didn't look like there was any poison on it so I wrapped it and got Elladan to a place where he could rest. There was a fire and Estel and Legolas were lost." At this point Elladan paused to catch his breath and a tear slipped down his face.

"We went out afterwards and looked for them. Elrohir acted fine and he didn't have a fever or anything, but then he just collapsed."

"When was this?" Elrond asked.

"A day ago, I have been traveling ever since."

Elrond knew what it was and knew that Elrohir was lost, but he could not lose hope.

"I have heard enough. I think I know what it is. Go get cleaned up and then rest."

"I won't leave my brother." Elladan protested.

"I know. Go sit down in that chair."

"But I want to help!"

"You are too tired to help, now go sit down." Elrond told his son.

"Ada, is he going to be ok?" Elladan asked, tears in his eyes.

"I'll do all I can."

Elladan knew then that his brother was dying. He went and sat in the chair and put his head in his hands.

'It was all my fault. If I would have gotten Elrohir to him sooner he would be fine. and now I would lose both his brothers.' Elladan cried. He didn't care who saw. Soon he fell asleep, but there was no peace there. There would be no peace in Rivindell till all her sons were home safe once again.

Replies to reviewers

Deana: Thank you! This is so for me, pathetic I know, but…

Hyperactive Forever: I had to make Elladan make it, but don't worry, elf angst coming up. It is probably more torture for Elladan than Elrohir.

Aragorn is going to be fine, for now... The dog is actually designed from a half Doberman, half wolf, I have one in my neighborhood and have happened to fall in love with it.

Hyper is fun! And so are evil cliffhangers, As long as I write them. J

Star-stallion: Two weeks! I think I'd die. No, actually I think it would be fun, as long as there was a good climbing tree nearby. Just one question; did you have electricity?

Is this chapter long enough? Hope so, 'cuz I don't think I could get it any longer.

Grumpy: Yes, poor Elrond. I wonder if it is hereditary and Elrond and Elros drove their parents nuts.

Shout out to all my reviewers. Y'all are all great!

If you have any questions, review. If you understand my perfectly, review. If you love my story, review. If you hate my story, you can review too, as long as you don't use profanity. If you are not sure what to think about my story, review. If I left you out in who I want to review, review. Think I covered everyone.

The more reviews I get the quicker I update. So please review!

Namarie,

Astievia.