Chapter 11:
An Unforeseen Change

Arminas, long since out of bed and healthy, strode down the hall. He had the same self-assured look as he usually had. Inwardly, however, that was not the case. His master was angry, and even a bit nervous. The lord Celeborn was known, even to him, as an elf-lord of great power. He was a member of that most hated White Council, and he was most certainly a threat.

That meant that his master was very short of temper, and he often took his frustrations out on his poor helpless servant. So Arminas was healthy now, but that could swiftly change.

Despite the threat of elf-lords and woodland kings, he still seemed concerned about that little whelp Legolas. Something he had found out through foresight? Perhaps. He wasn't sure if his master had foresight, but it was a possibility.

"Arminis?" A voice startled him from behind, but the councilor did not show it. He turned around slowly, gazing down at what had been quite an annoyance since his arrival. It was Thranduil's young son. Arminas stopped himself from snapping at the youngster for mispronouncing his name.

"What is it?" Arminas asked in a voice that he hoped sounded cool and clipped.

"Could you read me my bed time story?" The elfling asked, as if this was something the councilor should be used to. As for himself, Arminas had to make sure he had heard right.

"You want to what?" He asked, slightly stunned.

"I want you to read me my bed time story. Ada is in the throne room with the lords, and Elladan and Elrohir are already asleep." Oddly enough, Arminas' heart almost broke at the look of complete and total innocence on Legolas' face. It was simple child logic. Obviously since his father was occupied, Legolas had every right to expect his councilor to do it in his place. The temper and annoyance he had always felt with the prince evaporated at that simple request. He reminded him so much of… best not to think about that now.

Desperately, the older elf tried to tell himself that he was the servant of an evil master, and also the enemy of this little child. Yet, that part of him that still retained his last shred of free will reminded him that he could still appreciate such small luxuries as reading to a youngling. It had been so long, after all.

Legolas, for his part, looked utterly confused. The internal battle was rather obvious even to him, and he couldn't figure out why he should need more then a second to agree.

"Alright." The councilor said, still dazed. This, however, was completely lost on Legolas who then cheerfully proceeded to lead Arminas to his room by the hand.

"A tower?" Celeborn asked, interested.

"A tower." Thranduil replied, puzzled as to where this was going.

"Did your people ever build a tower?" The lord of Lorien asked. Thranduil shook his head. Celeborn looked troubled at this. Unless the councilor in question—
Arminas, wasn't that his name? —had been delusional at the time, someone had raised a tower in the southern part of Mirkwood. Considering the shadows that were spreading from that direction, it had obviously not been built with good intentions.

"A company should be sent out to inspect this." Celeborn said, and Elrond nodded in agreement. The king, however, immediately protested.

"Absolutely not. I will not let what happened to the last company I send there happen again." He said decisively. "Arminas was very lucky to escape with his life, but I will not trust in luck. I will not send another company to their doom."

"Yes, the councilor was very lucky indeed." Celeborn said suddenly, thoughtfully.

"Do you plan to let whatever dark power is sitting in that tower remain, without opposition?" Elrond inquired of the king.

"No, of course I don't. But what am I to do? I can't send an army, hoping that they will come back. We have enough trouble around us as it is, and if they don't return we will be defenseless." Celeborn remained silent for a moment. Finally, he spoke.

"I would like to speak with this Arminas myself, if you please." He said.

"If you can think of no other way to find a clue, then I suppose we must. I will find him." He rose from the chair. They were sitting around a table situated at the corner of the throne room. Before he could turn towards the door, a messenger burst in.

"King Thranduil! Mithrandir has just arrived!" The young elf blurted out.

"The wizard? Has he said why?" Elrond asked, looking as surprised as the other two lords did.

"No, he only said that I should find you as quickly as I could!" The messenger was out of breath.

"Have him brought here immediately." The king ordered, and the messenger bowed before taking off down the hall once again. He looked to the other two lords. They were as confused as he was.

"…then Feanor caused fire to be set…" Arminas peaked down at the elfling cuddled in his lap and smiled. A real smile, the like of which he had not given in a long time. Somehow, Legolas had fallen asleep while he was reading about the rebellion of the Noldor. It was hardly a fitting bedtime story, but the youngling had insisted.

He wanted to sit there for a while and let the elfling sleep on his lap. But the fear that his master would summon him without warning (as was usually the case) dashed those plans. He didn't want his master to discover the elflings' obvious trust in him. It was a treacherous thought, wanting to keep something from his master, but it was there. He couldn't bring himself to put Legolas in more danger then he had already.

Arminas rose with the elfling in his arms and put him in his bed. He took only a moment to tuck him in, then headed for the door. As he exited and closed it behind him, an insidious voice spoke in his mind.

:Very good, my slave. The child trusts you.: Arminas froze. No. His master had been observing him the entire time. Panicked, he tried to block out the voice. A dark laugh rumbled in his mind.

:You should know by now that you can keep nothing from me. You will use this newfound trust to MY advantage, slave. You have not the power to resist me.:

Arminas heard this just before he collapsed onto the floor with a terrible pounding headache. No, was his last thought before passing out, I will not hurt him!

A/N: Review!