Disclaimer: I own none of Tolkien's creations and only lay claim to my own humble creatures.

Chapter Quote: "Did I mention that I still hate you?"

Chapter Forty-Seven

Screaming

He hadn't wanted to open his eyes...had hoped somehow that it would have all ben a dream...a nightmare. But it never was. He could remember the first time he had opened his eyes...he remembered his confusion as he awoke not to the sound of his comrades' voices, but to groans...and to the growls of the lowest creatures of the earth. He remembered the pounding in his head and remembered the sticky, oozing blood that had run rivers down his face. He was young...turned twenty and four this coming year. He would have been getting married...now he could hardly remember his own name.

He remember the name of the lord who had slept next to him as they lay in their prison. But even that had begun to get all fogged up in his mind. The man was of noble blood, he knew that much, he was honorable and worthy of respect. That man had spoken quietly to him every night, giving him hope and entreating him not to give up. It was that lord alone who had prevented him from slipping into insanity after their first two weeks in captivity. The lord instilled the vague wish and desire that they might get out of this mess one day, he had cooled the heat of his fevers.

There had been others too...friends of his...men and elves who had ridden into the forest. But he had started to forget them too...their faces only a blur in his mind. The orcs had taken them out of the cave one by one...each time asking the kind lord a question he wouldn't answer. And that was it...the man or elf wouldn't come back. He would never see them again...but would always hear they're screams at night. If he forgot all else, he would never forget those screams. They haunted him...day in and day out.

Now it was only him left...him, the kind lord, and the elven maid. Oh...he remembered her too...quite vividly. The orcs had tried to do unspeakable things to her- but she had fought them...fought even as their slimy, clawed hands had tore at her clothes. She killed one of them...snapped its neck right in two. They beat her after that...beat her till she was lying on the forest floor with blood running down her face and bruises on her pale arms.

They beat the lord too...beat him hard at first...but when he still wouldn't answer their questions they had tried something new to break him. That was when they started to take the others away. That was when the screaming had started. And now there were only the three of them left. They had beat him too...and now he couldn't remember his own name.

He wondered sometimes if it was worth it...following the lord into the forest in the first place. He would never see the woman he had been going to marry...the one he still saw in his dreams. He wondered why it was his lot to die in a strange land for strange people. He wondered about a lot of things. He hurt all over...and the elven lady and the lord had been taken out of the cave a little while ago. They kept them in the back of the cave, it was dark and musty...stinking of orc filth and blood. And the ones they had taken out into the forest had never come back. Only their screams had returned to echo off the cave walls.

He didn't fight them when they finally came for him as well...didn't struggle when their sharp fingers had dug into his arms and they had roughly drug him up. He had blinked in the sunlight...the first he had seen in a while, when they had brought him out of the cave. It had taken him a few moments to get it, but he instead concentrated on something else.

He'd never have to go back in that cave again...it would be all over soon. They brought him out to a clearing...it had been snowing- but he hardly felt the cold at all. Strange. The orcs gathered in a circle around him, hooting and cheering , he was forced onto his knees. He looked up, blinking blood out of his eyes. He could now see the lord, could see the lady too, both being held by orcs. He could see the wildness in the lord's eyes as he stared back at him, he could see the sadness in the elven's lady's. Why was she sad? He was out of that cave after all, he'd never have to go back in there again.

"Where is Legolas, the Prince of Mirkwood?" Snarled one of the orcs to the lord, the lord had chains around his ankles.

"I told you! I do not know...we were searching for hi-"

"Silence!" The orc shouted.

Someone grabbed his hair, yanked his head back.

"He is the last." The orc grumbled darkly. "You know what will happen if you do not answer."

He lifted his eyes to the lord, saw rage and despair written in his bruised and bloodies face. "It's all right." He whispered to him. "I'll be fine." But he didn't know if the lord had heard him.

There was something else in the lord's eyes too...fear. Was he afraid for him? He looked defeated...haggard. He slumped his shoulders and the elven lady turned to look at him.

"I told you we were searching in the northern woods-"

Something snapped in his arm and he cried out in pain and the lord looked frantically at the orc.

"You took him! Gwenél took him! I do not know!"

The orc snarled and something else snapped in his other arm and he saw stars. He was kicked forward onto the ground and he fought the desire to throw up.

"Not good enough." The orc spat.

He didn't hear another snap this time...but he felt something...something much worse. They turned his body over so that he was on his back...staring up into the sky. Then he heard the screaming again. He glanced back at the lord and the elven lady, the lord was pulling frantically at his chains and the orcs laughed.

"I am so sorry." He whispered...not knowing if the lord heard him.

The screaming continued...and he realized as the orcs gathered around him and pain shot through his body that it was him...his screams. He looked up at the sky, closing his eyes to drown out the sounds. Are they...eating me? He didn't know...didn't care. He could see light now...could no longer feel pain...could no longer feel sorrow.

His only regret was that he was leaving the lord and elven lady behind. It was a shame really...though he received the distinct impression that they would be joining him soon.

The screaming stopped.

We left the horses a few paces back...and the three of us crept over a hill overlooking the fire. I heard Legolas exhale shakily and I heard Ana murmur something that sounded like a prayer. I saw the orcs crowd around the body of the boy who they had struck down, and I closed my eyes as I heard his screams stop...I felt sick.

I saw Legolas' friend tugging vehemently at his chains, and I felt Legolas stiffen beside me as one of the orcs knocked him out and he fell limply to the ground. We were too far away for me to see much...but I could tell by Legolas and Ana's pale faces that they could see fine.

I gazed round the circle and my gaze froze as I caught sight of an elven maid struggling to get to the fallen man. Her hair was dirty, her hair matted her face bruised and her garments torn. But I knew who she was as easily as if it had been only a few days, rather then years, since the last time I had seen her. Araviniel. I wanted to call out to her, scream her name to see the recognition in her face. She would not hate me, she would understand. I wanted to see and to embrace her.

I had thought they were all gone...all those from Gilloth, and suddenly Ana was here, following me like a wraith and now here was Araviniel...in the hands of a ruthless pack of orcs. I turned so my back was leaning up against the frozen soil of the hill, a swift breeze chilling me as it ruffled through my worn, black garments. Ana was on my one side, Legolas on the other, all of us grim-faced and pale.

"What are we going to do?" I asked softly, nervous about being so close to the orc encampment without proper protection.

"We will have to fight them." Legolas replied, glancing at the women seated beside him.

"Do not be daft." Ana hissed, her eyes flashing, betraying her nervousness. "There are too many...this is not a small nomadic tribe, they're looking for something. And have apparently been at finding it for a long while."

Victoria didn't say anything, she just looked up into the bare branches of the trees and chewed her lower lip, thinking.

"We cannot just storm their ranks." Ana continued. "They are battle hardened and we are out-numbered."

Legolas glared at the elven girl in irritation. "Well we must do something...we cannot just let them die." He said sharply.

"Which is not something I was suggesting." Ana replied, her lip curling. "It will be no good to get the both of you killed."

Legolas looked up at her curiously, opened his mouth to speak just when Victoria spoke. "I've got it!" She turned to look at him, her eyes suddenly very wide and hopeful. "Do we still have my pack?"

Legolas' mind began whirling, forgetting almost immediately Ana's strange remark. "Yes...it is back with the horses..."

"Come on then!" She said quickly, rising as fast as she could on swaying legs and stumbling back into the forest.

"Explain to me once more this plan of yours?" Legolas was saying. Ana stood silently to one side, watching Victoria through blank eyes as she rummaged through he pack a few times until she pulled out two jars filled with a shimmering substance that she had packed when they'd first left the smoldering ruins of her flet. Victoria was impatient as she sighed and started again to explain.

"Remember all the sightings of Gwenél you were informed of? And how each time those who sought her out were found unconscious and had partial amnesia when they awoke?"

Legolas nodded, recalling the elf who had first described Gwenél in detail...though he did find it amusing that Victoria kept referring to her alias as a whole different person.

"Gwenél was me, as I've already stated." She said. "I'd ride Talorta, singing as I went to warn people to stay away when I discovered them coming too near my star-tree forest."

Legolas' brows met and he frowned. "But I remember seeing...well...I saw a woman in the trees...but she looked like a ghost. She was glowing, and she rescued me from those ors." He stopped short, turning to look at the slight of a woman before him with an incredulous stare. "You are not telling me that you were capable of all those things." But when she didn't defend herself, he narrowed his eyes and realized the truth of her words, incredible as they sounded. "You are telling me that, that was all you?"

She nodded, brows raised and her mouth turned upward into a quirky smile. She looked insane just then. She looked as though she was going to say something saucy in reply but Ana held up her hand, silencing her.

"What exactly does you being Gwenél have to do with what is contained in those jars?"

Victoria immediately sobered. "If you mix this," Gesturing to the powder inside, "...with a bit of water it makes a thin paste. It reflects sunlight and gives the appearance that one is glowing."

"That explains the ghostly encounters then." Said Ana, nearing Victoria and inspecting the contents of the jars. "What exactly is this?"

"A compound of star-flower dust...my mentor showed me how to use it." She replied.

Legolas' brows raised. "Mentor?"

Victoria blushed by discreetly ignored the question. "It is amazing all the uses these star-flowers have." She said, moving off topic.

Legolas, still curious over this 'mentor' business, set his curiosity aside temporarily to ask another question. "Then how did you cause the illnesses among my people?"

Victoria answered this without missing a beat. "The power inside the jars is toxic if breathed in- and I swear again that I never killed any of your people." She said haughtily as she caught sight of Legolas' accusing glare. "All I had to do with blow it at them and they'd be out like a light...it doesn't quite effect humans the same way as it does elves. If I breathe in a bit of it I'd be fine. I've done it countless times in the past."

Legolas was now too inspecting the jars, and his eyes caught sight of the human's as he absorbed this information. "So...what are you suggesting?"

Victoria looked a little caught off-guard. "I thought I made it obvious. I'm suggesting I smear the paste on me and Talorta and scare them off. They fear me...you should remember as much from when I rescued you. With any luck it will be the same band and while I scare them away you and Ana can rescue our friends."

Have Victoria scare them away...it was true he could recall the orcs' respect when they had seen Victoria in her ghostly form. He could also remember his own fear as she had grown angry. But what would stop them from attacking her this time? What if they were unimpressed by her attack? He shook his head,

"You should not go...you are not yet at full strength."

Victoria was insulted. "They've captured you once already...haven't you noticed that they've been executing men down there to discover your whereabouts? They don't fear you and you're also one of the most recognizable elves in this entire forest!"

Legolas couldn't explain to her or to himself the tightness in his chest when he thought of her in danger, even though he clearly understood the reasons for him not being the one to don the ghostly countenance. "Then what about Ana?" He asked, ready to try anything rather then risk the human's life. Besides, Ana had an invincible air about her, surely she'd be fine. He turned to glance at Ana but the elven girl only shook her head, not at all affronted by the Prince's lack of bravery.

"The paste will not work on me." She said quietly, even meekly. But despite his questions that was all she would say.

"I'll be fine." Victoria said confidently, meeting his irritated gaze. "We'll make the paste quickly and attack tomorrow at dawn...they hate the sun. Especially at that time in the morning."

Legolas, frustrated at not be able to stop her, scoffed. "You seem to know a terribly large amount about their kind."

Victoria narrowed her eyes, one hip jutted out defiantly. "Are you accusing me of being on their side?"

"I am not accusing you of doing anything." He snapped in reply.

They would have gone on bickering if Ana had not interceded just then with the usual sharpness to her voice returned. "Fighting amongst ourselves will get us no where...save your squabbling for the fight tomorrow. I believe we are all in favor of this course..." She looked pointedly around at the two of them at finding no complaint she continued. "...so let us get to work then!"

Ana snatched both jars and walked abruptly off to the stream. Victoria glanced at Legolas with the barest hints of rage. "I can take care of myself...I have all of my life."

"And look were it has got you." He sneered haughtily, watching as color mounted to her pallid cheeks.

"You are the most unsufferable...pig-headed..." She couldn't find the words to finish her sentence and, still boiling with fury she leveled her gaze at him and muttered darkly, "You know I still hate you...right?"

Legolas glanced at her coldly before replying, "I thought it went without saying." He gestured dramatically for her to follow Ana and with a snort she shoved past him, smacking him hard in the chest and winding him briefly. They didn't speak again as they hurriedly set about to making the paste- concern for their friends' welfare mounting each moment in their both their minds. Ana was strangely distant, speaking to no one and avoiding physical contact at all costs with them.

With one jar they made a large amount of the thin paste and Victoria started smearing it upon herself until it covered the entirety of her body and dried like a second skin, making her look no different then before, if not slightly paler. Legolas wondered why she didn't appear to glow, until he noticed the setting sun and how she carefully avoided the rays that streamed down through the barren trees.

"Once I step into the sunlight, it'll continue to glow until it wears off...which can take days or weeks at a time."

Realization dawned on him as he continued to mix the paste with water Ana hauled from the stream. That is why she avoided the sunlight...she's been wearing it the whole time.

So they worked long into the late hours of the night...unaware that the orcs sat brooding and making plans of their own while both parties anxiously awaited the coming of dawn.

A/N: Hello all! I'm back on my weekly updating schedule so I hope you all are enjoying updates once more! I noticed a slight decline in reviews these past two weeks...so I hope in my delay I didn't lose any of those wonderful readers that give me the inspiration to continue this work! I am only seven reviews away from 500 and I'm surpassed all my wildest dreams and expectations by coming this far with so much support...so thank you all again! I have the end of this story in sight...so I hope it doesn't end up disappointing:)

Thanks again for all your reviews and I hope you enjoy the chapters to come! And thanks a million to my beta, Kiann!

TO BE CONTINUED...