Elrohir came to slowly. Blinking to clear his vision, he slowly raised his head from where it had hung, his chin touching his chest.

The first thing he noticed was that he was upright, and tied to some sort of pillar. Ignoring the throbbing in the back of his head, he gazed around the room, somewhat dazedly.

It was a dark, small structure, with no windows, and no door that he could see from his present place, tied in a standing position. In the corner was a small fireplace, where a tiny fire was burning. A number of men sat and stood in various positions about the room.

"Ah, finally awake, are we?" a deep male voice rasped out in Common. "Umer, go fetch Delwon."

"Delwon?" Elrohir muttered. In his fuzzy mind, the name rang a bell—along with another. Garaveg. Garaveg and Delwon—the two elves who had been exiled for their allegiance to Dorlarth.

Elrohir turned his attention to the man approaching him. It was the bandit who had tried to kidnap Katie.

"Not so threatening now, are we, elf?" the man spat out, and backhanded him. Elrohir's head snapped to the side, but he gave no reaction.

"Not yet, Tearlach," said a melodious voice that made Elrohir's stomach clench, though he gave no outward sign of it. "I would like him to remain conscious for a little space of time, yet."

Elrohir closed his eyes for a moment and took a deep breath, gathering himself. When he opened them again, an elf had come to stand before him. He had dark, reddish-brown hair, much the same color as Elrohir's, and similar grey eyes. But the look in those eyes was hard and cruel. "Ah. Lord Elrohir," the elf said.

"Delwon," Elrohir answered, inclining his head courteously. "I see you have not improved in your choice of associates."

"I understand you have met one of my new business partners already," Delwon said, ignoring him. "A good slave is worth quite a bit of money in the south; the trade has prospered in recent years."

"You are the reason our patrols could not find the bandits," Elrohir said, finally piecing things together.

"Yes; their tracking skills are nothing compared to an elf's," Delwon agreed, switching into Elvish so as to mask his response from his associates. "Men are such stone-witted beings. You would have caught them long ago, had I not been hiding their tracks."

"Why Rivendell?" Elrohir asked. "Surely with the presence of the elves, it is a much more dangerous area for your… trade."

"I told the men it was so that we might perhaps capture an elf—one would fetch quite a high price at market. But really, I had other plans. Why do you think I would associate with men, if I had the choice? They are cheap labor, easily gained, and they make a good private army. Trade is not on my mind—but revenge."

Elrohir understood—all too well. Delwon wanted into Rivendell to take revenge on Elrond and the other elves who had exiled him. He wanted Rivendell itself.

"Unfortunately, these men do not take orders very well," Delwon continued in a low growl. "I could not tell them not to take any captives last fall, and once your father learned of the goings-on in the area, the river was too heavily guarded to cross. The cold-snap interrupted our business, but would have been a wind-fall, had not that blockhead over there" (he indicated Tearlach) "disobeyed my orders and tried to take that human child you and your brother seem so fond of. But now," he smiled, and the expression sent a chill down Elrohir's spine, "the situation is saved. We have you."

"If you are thinking of ransom, you are mistaken," Elrohir said in Common, in a clear voice so that the others would hear him. "You will not gain Rivendell with me for your leverage."

"Not as leverage, no," Delwon answered him casually, switching to Common as well. "But as a shield, you will be quite adequate." Elrohir frowned in confusion, and Delwon continued. "But first…" Without warning, he lunged out and struck Elrohir hard in the face. Tearlach's slap had not really hurt so much; this one did. Elrohir shut his eyes, trying to block off the pain so as not to give his captors any satisfaction. A trickle of blood ran from the side of his mouth.

"Hand me those, Lothar," Delwon said as Elrohir blinked, trying to clear his vision. When he looked back, he saw that the elf was advancing on him with a pair of shears. He couldn't imagine what Delwon was planning to do with them, but the twisted elf had a look of malicious glee on his face.

He grabbed a handful of Elrohir's hair with his left hand. "Such thick hair—the pride of all elves." He took the shears and laid them against Elrohir's scalp, then began to cut off his hair. He paused after a moment and stepped back, as if to admire his handiwork, cocking his head to one side and squinting like an artist. "What do you think, men?" he called out to the group, who all seemed to be enjoying the performance. "Not quite so beautiful and imposing with a large bald spot, is he?"

The men roared with laughter, and Delwon grabbed another large chunk of hair on the other side of his head and cut that off, as well. He reached for the back, but Elrohir's head was resting against the pillar, and the elf lord, expressionless, refused to move it. Delwon struck Elrohir in the ribs, causing him to crumple forward against his bonds. A few more snips, and large chunks of glossy black hair fell to the floor, where the men trod on it.

Elrohir, hanging on the ropes as he regained his breath, burned with fear and humiliation.

When Delwon had finished what he called "his masterpiece", most of Elrohir's hair lay on the floor about him. Delwon had cut it right against his scalp—but diabolically, he had left a few hanks here and there at their former length—just for the ultimate ugliness he could achieve.

"There. Now that business is over," he said briskly, putting down the shears. Elrohir looked at him from under lowered brows, feeling flashes of hot and cold as panic threatened him. It only intensified when Delwon picked up a long piece of firewood from next to the hearth and hefted it in his hand like a club. He advanced toward Elrohir, and the men, who had been lounging about watching the performance, all began to stand and close in on their captive menacingly.

Delwon smiled demoniacally at the frightened and defiant elf before him. "Now the fun really begins." He swung his makeshift club brutally into Elrohir's stomach.

000

Elladan twisted and turned in his sleep, becoming entangled in the bed sheets. In the grip of a nightmare, he muttered unintelligibly.

"Elrohir!" he gasped, and shot up in bed. Breathing hard, he looked around the room as if surprised to be there, and passed a hand over his eyes.

A split-second of deliberation, and he threw the sheets off. Out the door and down the corridor, he moved swiftly toward his father's room, where he rapped gently but urgently on the door.

After a moment, Elrond's voice spoke from inside. "Come."

The instant Elrond saw the tight expression on his son's face, he was out of bed. "What is it, ion-nín? What is wrong?"

"Elrohir is not just following the bandits," Elladan answered with absolute certainty. "He is in trouble."

000

Katie awoke slowly to the murmur of voices. She opened her right eye and managed to pry her left open just a bit. The room was quite dark still.

Turning toward the door, she saw a silhouette standing there, conversing very quietly with someone just outside. As she watched, the two figures embraced, and with a final word and gesture, the one inside shut the door softly.

"Lithorniel?" Katie asked groggily. "Wha's goin' on?"

Lithorniel turned, surprised to see her charge awake. She had slept on the couch in Katie's room that night to keep an eye on her condition. "Nothing. Glawar just came to tell me he was going out on patrol unexpectedly." She walked over to Katie's side and tucked the blankets about her.

But Katie was even more awake now than before. "Unexpectedly? Why? Has something happened?"

Lithorniel shook her head. "Just go back to sleep."

Katie would not be put off. "No. What is it?"

Lithorniel looked down at her, not in exasperation, but in worry. "Katie, it is the middle of the night."

"And I won't be able to sleep for worry."

Troubled, Lithorniel gave in. "They are going to search for Lord Elrohir."

"Elrohir? Is he missing?"

"Yes, since yesterday morning. Lord Elrond and the others thought it was nothing, but now they are worried. They have roused most of the remainder of the guards and sent them out to hunt for him."

"Oh, no. What do they think happened to him?" Lithorniel hesitated. "Please," Katie added plaintively.

"I understand Lord Elladan believes he has been captured by the company of bandits," Lithorniel answered her hesitantly.

Katie put her hands over her face. Lithorniel sat on the edge of her bed and ran a hand over her hair. "Katie?" she said anxiously.

"Oh, no," Katie whispered again.

TBC

AN: Alright now you'll have to wait until after the 22nd for the next chapter. :)

crazycatluver: And this one didn't clear up that cliffie problem in the least, did it? —cackles evilly—

IwishChan: I know how the essay thing goes… I write some of my fiction in class. :)

Darkened Dreams: lol! That's a good idea! Unfortunately, I'm doing angst by beating up Elrohir instead.

Princess Siara: Extra credit for noticing that Ro should have heard his attacker coming… Had his attacker been human. One more mystery solved! Well, not exactly one of the family, but definitely considered a very close friend.

Arlindor: Well, now you don't have to wait a week—But I think I've opened a new can of worms now. Whoops… Sorry about that (but not very lol).

RenegadeKitsune: Hope you don't go crazy within the span of a week…

werewolflemming: My mom called Waldenbooks (where I had a copy reserved), and they said they don't check ID or anything when you pick up reserved books. So go ahead and pick that baby up! lol Our situations sound eerily similar…

Thanks also to fk306 and Madd Hatter!

Well guys, I'm off to the great plains of Indiana! Please review, and I'll be back soon!