Tonus immediately let Thranduil know of his sight. Thranduil had been entertaining Elrond, who had arrived a couple days ago with his children and other Rivendell elves, rushed outside.
Orophin was dismounting his horse, elfling in one arm, when Thranduil and Tonus greeted him but in a panicked manner. Orophin rarely ever came without any invitation or without sending a letter beforehand and the fact that he was with Illiendal's child and not with Illiendal as well was odd, for that had never happened before.
"Orophin, why are you here?" Thranduil saw the Galadhrim had an upset, worried face and carried a sleeping Galadhril who also had a sad face even as he slept.
"It's your daughter, my lord, and her husband, as well as my brother Rumil… They've all been… Taken." Orophin said softly before telling the entire story, from what he knew and what Galadhril had said, to both the elven-king and son. Tonus broke down, and Thranduil suspected it was because of the loss of his sister, having no idea Florien's capture had something to do with Tonus' awful state.
"Well, I am glad you came here. You and Galadhril will each get a guestroom and I will send out some of my men to find my daughter and your brothers. You two will be carefully guarded, for it seems whoever captured them are after your family… Now let's get the little one off to bed first." Thranduil was handed his sleeping grandson in his arms by Orophin and Thranduil carried the child to the guestroom his grandson usually got when he visited, this room had elfling toys and a small enough bed for the little young elf.
Galadhril was put in the elfling bed in the room and Thranduil brought Orophin to where Elrond waited for Thranduil's return, to tell Elrond the story.
Tonus left after Orophin was brought into the home. He did not plan to go looking for his sister; right now loosing his son was too heavy on his heart. Tonus walked through the forest in silence, grieving. All he wished was to know where Florien was right now, if he was well.
As Tonus silently walked beneath the forest trees he did not stay well aware of his surroundings and tripped. The prince through his hands out to break his fall and getting up he looked to see what had made him trip, being an elf he would not have just stumbled for no reason.
Tonus found what made him trip and he sat down beside it and started to cry. There, in the dirt, lay Florien's flute. Tonus had tripped on the most dearest article that belonged to Florien, Florien went everywhere with the flute, he would never drop it purposely or by mistake.
Tonus knew at once that this was where his son was captured.
Since there was no blood around Tonus felt more relieved, only a bit more, for that made the chance of Florien still living greater. Tonus looked around the area for any more signs of his son but found none. Tonus knew it was hopeless for he was a poor tracker.
Tonus picked up the flute and held it like a treasure. Tonus considered asking Estel, who was in Mirkwood now, to help him find Florien, but that would mean ruining his secret and besides, Estel was young and would probably not be ready for such a mission.
Tonus pocketed the flute and walked towards town miserably. He wanted to show his wife the find; he knew Yàviel would find it just as dear.
0o0o0
Though Veassen's conditions improved, he barely left his room. Since he was sick, all he ate was soup, so that was what Maelui ate as well.
Veassen came out only to talk to Maelui or a prisoner and only if it was necessary, such as this day he had to inform Maelui of something.
Veassen slowly opened the door to his room and entered the other, glancing at the prisoners. Rumil, like usual, slept, Haldir drank some water and Illiendal spoke with Florien.
Maelui sat on a chair, watching this, clearly unfocused. Veassen pushed Maelui off the chair, which made Maelui wake up and jump to his feet.
"Listen Maelui, two men are coming soon. They will need to be greeted by you. These men will be here to look at the prisoners and hopefully buy one of them. They already know the price for each, Haldir is four hundred, Rumil is three fifty and Illiendal is two fifty. Florien is not for sale, nor are you. I am too sick to deal with any of them so you must… Remember Maelui, if they buy any slaves, I will reward you so do a good job. They have a key to enter the cave with so they will walk in when they arrive." Veassen explained. Maelui nodded his head and Veassen returned to bed.
"We're going to be sold?" Illiendal asked Maelui softly as soon as the master left. Maelui gave a soft sigh and nodded.
"Will we be sold together, or will we be separated?" Illiendal asked another question.
"Whatever the buyer wants but usually these people don't keep families together, especially not husband and wife…" Maelui mumbled. Illiendal sighed and cuddled up with Haldir and tried to hide her worry of being separated.
Soon the two men arrived and Maelui greeted them with displeasure. Separating the Galadhrim brothers and the princess was hard for him to do, and he hoped that maybe a nice man would buy all the three, but when seeing the two men Maelui knew at once that whoever was bought would not have an easy time.
Maelui showed them the elves. Maelui had to take the three out from their prisons and chain them to the wall so that the men could have a close view of what they where purchasing. One man was not very focused on the three and was ogling Florien, who sat worriedly in his cell, praying that none where bought.
"I think I'd like to see that one. His red hair is so very radiant and vibrant, would make a nice wig for myself, I'm loosing my own hair…" The man said. When Florien heard that he backed further in his cell and instinctively put his hands on top of his head of hair, protecting it.
"I'm sorry… Veassen is not selling him and refuses to." Maelui said. The man seemed disappointed but then began looking at Haldir.
"What does this one do?" The other elf said, holding Rumil's chin and seeing the elf's teeth.
"What do you mean by that?" Maelui asked.
"Well pretty much every elf has some talent that they're good at… What's this one's ability?" The man asked Maelui, who thought of it until he recalled hearing Rumil say it to Florien once.
"A healer." Maelui did not mention that Rumil was a warrior; Maelui feared that then the man would want Rumil more and Maelui hoped that none would sell, even if he would be rewarded if they sold.
"And this one? I like him, very muscular. He could do a lot of the tasks I have in mind…" The other man was observing Haldir carefully.
"He is a fighter." Maelui whispered.
"We'll I do not have use for a woman, so I shall buy this one." The man pointed to Haldir.
"And I am interested in purchasing this other one. Healers can be helpful and he could probably do a decent job in the stables, and his slender hands can do more than mine." The man said.
"Well, you've made good choices but… I… eu… I think I should tell you something that Veassen wanted me not to…"
"And that would be?" Both men asked at the same time.
"That one is sick," Maelui pointed to Rumil, "Veassen knows that that one is so sick it needs to be, um, put to sleep, but Veassen thought it was wiser to sell him so he would earn money for a dying elf."
"Really? Arg! Disgusting! I touched a contaminated elf!" The man who wished to purchase Rumil suddenly had a change of plans.
"And as for that one, as strong as it seems, it's been weakening. He won't last much longer, a week tops." Maelui said.
"Well then we are glad you told us. We are leaving right now, tell your master we refuse to purchase." One man said before they both turned and left quickly. As soon as they where gone Maelui unshackled the three prisoners and put them back in their cells.
"Am I really sick? I'm suffering, really?" Rumil asked, completely unaware of why Maelui had said those things.
"I made that up, I knew it would make them dislike you, it would stop them from purchasing you…" Maelui explained.
"Thanks, then." Rumil whispered, sitting down.
A week later, Veassen was better and yet still upset that none had sold, though he did not beat Maelui for it.
But one night, when Maelui and the prisoners all slept, Veassen awoke and entered the cell of Florien. Veassen carried Florien out of the cell and brought the prisoner to his study, where he kicked Florien awake.
Florien groaned as he awoke, and gasped when he saw he had been moved and was now alone with Veassen.
"Listen Florien, I need you to tell me about the day the two men came to buy prisoners. I need to know what Maelui did exactly to stop them from buying." Veassen demanded. Florien grew nervous. Florien knew what Veassen wanted to know, but that would mean getting his dear adopted brother Locien in trouble. Florien remembered the depression he went through when he thought he lost Locien and now he would feel awful about getting him in trouble.
"I do not know what you speak of." Florien whispered.
"Alright, then what did the men say about you?" Veassen had a plan.
"One man said he liked my hair." Florien stated.
"Well then why don't you know what Maelui said to stop the men from buying?" Veassen asked.
"I… I was asleep." Florien lied.
"Listen Florien, you're not much of an age difference from me, but you are acting stupid! You know what the man said about you but what Maelui said you are oblivious to?" Veassen punched Florien, who fell backwards and gasped.
"Tell me, right now, what Maelui did. Florien, this can go well or badly. Just answer me!" Veassen commanded.
"Locien did nothing!" Florien snapped. Veassen grabbed Florien, who was smaller than him, and carried him out of the study in silence and to a room Florien was unaware of.
"I'm sure after a while in here you will be willing to tell me what Maelui has done…" Veassen smirked.
To be continued…Bberry made me update this again…
Aranna Undomiel: Well I do have to keep some evil things happening…
NuEvil: Give him all the hugs you want!
Haldir's Heart and Soul: Good!
Mistopurr: I don't know what the word is, but I get your meaning.
CapriceAnn: Really, only that many days? Crap… I have to watch the first two star wars in 48 days and completely understand them before then!
Bberry06: Aw, but, Veassen likes you.