A week after Florien's capture, Tonus still had not gone to see Yàviel and did not know of their son's disappearance, but Yàviel did, and she told Tiriel and Alastor immediately. Alastor couldn't care less, he wanted Yàviel, but Yàviel's woe for Florien did get in the way of the relationship Alastor was trying to form.
When Tonus did come home, Yàviel was luckily not having Alastor over, and as soon as she saw his caring face peak in and greet her, she ran to her husband and sobbed in his chest.
"T-Tonus… F-Florien's g-gon-gone…" Yàviel cried softly.
"What are you talking about? Yàviel, you need your rest." Tonus said, barely believing a word his wife had just spoken.
"No, Tonus… You don't understand… Last week… He never came home… He's yet to return…" Yaviel said between sobs. Tonus just looked at his wife before stepping back in disbelief.
"That's not possible, not my son, not again…" Tonus shook his head.
"Tonus… I t-think… What happened t-to L-Locien…"
"NO!" Tonus yelled, smacking Yàviel across her face. Yàviel gasped and sat down after he slapped her. Tonus ran down the stairs to the basement of their home, where it once was Florien and Locien's bedroom.
Tonus searched all over the room, determined to find Florien. Loosing Locien was hard, but Florien was his son. Florien came from Yàviel, and Tonus had delivered him, this was his blood son, nothing could compaire to Florien.
Yàviel came back down a short while later. Tonus was curled up on Florien's bed, crying.
"He is gone now, too." Tonus sniffed. "I'm sorry I hit you." He added in a quiet voice.
Yàviel sighed and sat down on the bed, rubbing Tonus' side.
"Maybe Florien's better where he is now, Tonus… Maybe… Maybe the Valar granted him a quick passing, and now he has the luxurios life he's always deserved, in mandos." Yàviel suggested. Tonus nodded and murmured a 'hopefully'.
In Veassen's well-hidden cave, Florien was in the same position as his father, curled and crying. Florien was scared for his life, he had never been away from both his mother and father for a whole week, and now he worried he would never see them again.
Veassen had not been too cruel with Florien, but still, everyday was long and miserable. Florien's days went by slowly and he usually slept during the day or spoke with Haldir and Illiendal. Florien tried to hide his fear from everyone, but he was truly horrified of what would happen to him. Maelui, ever since Veassen had given him the new task of monitoring the prisoners, was getting on Veassen's bad side. Already in the past week that Florien had been trapped in the cell, Maelui had been beaten five times.
Maelui was actually just returning from his sixth beating, since this time Veassen had caught Maelui pouring his own water into Haldir's mouth, more water than, in Veassen's mind, Haldir deserved.
When Maelui reentered he was limping, one part of his leggings stained with blood. Maelui's left arm hung at his side and it looked in pain, but this beating, compaired to others, was light.
"Clean yourself up." Veassen ordered. His voice was slightly distorted for his cold had not gotten better, or much worse. Maelui only nodded his head to Veassen's command.
Veassen watched as Maelui lugged himself out of the cave to wash, having trouble with his fractured arm and bloody leg.
Veassen saw that Haldir was seated upright, Illiendal beside him, chewing on a bit of his meal for the day.
"You, come here." Veassen ordered Halkdir to come to the bars of his chamber, but as soon as Haldir attempted to get a few steps away, he fell flat on his face, he had forgotten of the shackle on his ankle, though it pained him to have it on for so long.
Veassen could not help but laugh as Haldir struggled to get back to his feet. Haldir got to his feet and glared at Veassen from where he could sit.
"What do you want from me? You've had my brother, wife and I imprisoned her for so long and you have not a single use for us! Why cant you just let us go home and get back to our lives?" Haldir demanded.
"Ah Haldir… You don't understand? You, your wife and Rumil where concious when brought here, you'd be able to come back after I leave you three in Lorien, and come back with an army to overrun me. Besides, Rumil can answer me questions about my mother Ammoniel and you and your wife will be able to very easily produce me some young slaves."
"No, not ever! I cannot raise a child like this, I never would!" Haldir yelled.
"I never said anything about raising the child… It would be a slave!"
"I would not let you use one of my children as a slave!" Haldir glared at Veassen.
"Well fine then. I guess you wont mind if I take your wife away. I'm sure I can force Maelui to get some elflings for my use…"
"Don't you dare do that!" Haldir backed up and pulled Illiendal into his arms. The princess was asleep and barely stirred when Haldir had grabbed her.
"Then condsider what I've said." Veassen warned. Haldir glared at the elf as Veassen sneezed into his hankerchief before returning to his room.
Maelui returned, cleaned up. He gruffly poured water into the bowls of the prisoners and did not act at all friendly as he did so. Maelui figured that behaving like his master might get him back on Veassen's better side.
"Thanks." Florien whispered as Maelui filled his bowl. Maelui, you could tell, was about to mutter a "your welcome", but remembering his beatings, shut his mouth and ignored Florien.
Maelui, after giving water to the hostages, pulled up a chair and sat down. Maelui's duty, for the moment, was to watch them. Maelui knew well if any escaped his punishment would not be light, though he felt his duty was a waste, there was barely a way that the hostages could get out.
After three hours of yelling at Florien, Illiendal, Haldir and Rumil every time they wanted to speak to one another, Maelui could not take it anymore. He was not Veassen, nor would he act like him any longer. Maelui took out the chain of keys given to him by Veassen and opened Florien's cell.
"Do you want to go outside?" Maelui asked Florien before he opened the door.
"That would be nice… I mean… If… If you-
"I wont hurt you. Just to get some fresh air." Maelui explained. Florien nodded his head; he did wish to be outside again. Now that it was night, Florien would love to see the stars.
Florien's wrist was shackled and a chain attached before he was brought outside. Maelui let him to what he wished while he was outside, even allowing Florien to drink from the stream.
Maelui was not able to let Florien out long, in fear of Veassen's rage. Maelui brought the young prisoner back inside fifteen minutes later. Florien, though his time outdoors was small, enjoyed the air and the stars and the extra water. Florien got the chance to bathe his feet while he was outside, which made him feel a bit better.
Maelui managed to have Florien back in the prison before Veassen entered. Veassen, luckily, did not find out about what Maelui had done.
"You may sleep now, Maelui." Veassen said. Maelui headed to the bedroom quickly, making sure Veassen would not get the chance to say anything about Florien incase he noticed.
"Um… Excuse me?" Florien looked up at Veassen from his cell. Veassen arched an eyebrow and went over to the door of Florien's cell, looking down at him from through the bars.
"I… I just wondered… C-could I have a pillow?" Florien had noticed that Rumil, Illiendal and Haldir each had their own pillow.
"Pillow? I'd have given you a pillow if I wanted to!" Veassen snorted. Veassen left after looking over Florien's miserable state for a few minutes.
Once Veassen was gone and there was not a single elf around aside from the prisoners, Illiendal took her pillow and crawled over to the bars seperating her from Florien.
"Florien?" Illiendal gently reached through the bars and poked Florien in his side. Florien had to giggle at that, it tickled. Florien had been dozing off, so sat up at the poke.
"Yes?" Florien looked at Illiendal sweetly.
"You can use this pillow." Illiendal passed the pillow through the bars, and Florien took it.
"Don't you want to use it for yourself?" Florien asked, Illiendal shaking her head no.
"Haldir has his own pillow and I sleep against him. You use that, Florien. If you are turly Tonus' son, which I believe you are, he'd want you in good care. At least use the pillow." Illiendal whispered to Florien, who smiled his first real smile since his capture.
"Thank you, Princess Illiendal." Florien told the princess in a hushed voice as not to wake either Maelui or Veassen.
"You do not have to use my title Florien. We are related. And you know, I could call you a Prince since you are the son of a Prince… But you mustn't call me Princess, if I am your aunt!" Illiendal exclaimed. Florien nodded.
"Then, aunt Illiendal." Florien stated before laying his head on the pillow. The pillow was rough and not at all comfortable, but when compaired to having his head on the floor for the past week, it was a nice reward.
In Mirkwood
When Tonus returned home there was a difference with him. Tonus was in a horrid mood from loosing his only child. When Cield spoke with him, Tonus over reacted and punched Cield unconcious, giving him a horrid black eye afterwards. Luckily Elrond, Estel, Arwen and the twins had arrived not long ago and Elrond helped Cield's bruising stop paining him.
Of course, this behaviour alarmed Thranduil, who never usually saw Tonus behave in such a manner. Tonus usually behaved very well, being the great prince that he was, but the sudden change scared Thranduil. Thranduil had to dicipline Tonus, so Tonus now was cleaning each step up to the palace by hand with simply soap, water and a brush for scrubbing off the grime.
"Ion-nin," Thranduil began, looking down at Tonus. Tonus flinched at the words, thoughts all going back to his lost son, his dear Florien.
"Yes adar?" Tonus looked up.
"You can stop now. But please, I am shocked of your behaviour, do not hurt your brother like you did, you've not done something like that since you where a young boy." Thranduil said. Tonus nodded and picked up the bucket of water, soap and brush and then entered the palace to put away the cleaning items.
Tonus' mind was only filled with memories of his son. Florien had always meant the world to him, and even if Florien was dead, Florien still was all that was important to him.
Tonus sadly looked out the window, praying for his son's safe return, when he saw a horse with two elves on it entering the courtyard. The horse was running at a fast speed and one of it's passengers was very young, just a child, and asleep, whilst the other was Orophin. When Tonus realised that the little one was his sister's son, he knew something was wrong.
To be continued… I only posted this because BBERRY06 harrased me into posting it…Miss Telcontar: Well, he's got a reason for being so cruel to his family…
Haldir's Heart and Soul: Well… Is weird a good thing?
Rikku: Veassen is sad now! Well, not really, he's too arrogant to care.
Amarie: Yes, Veassen is quite the pitiable character.
Bberry06: My ear is itchy.
Aranna Undomiel: 7? That means he needs to do more evil things…
Mistopurr: Yes, it makes sence.
NuEvil: No roses are in his life, maybe their thorns though.
CapriceAnn: Darth Vader rocks…Well, we've still got Haldir's ankle shackled up…