An- I have a confession to make- I have a 30ish song LOTR 2003 play list on my Ipod. One of the songs I came across (post writing the part) was 'You Can't Take Me' by Brian Adams, off the Spirit: Stallion of the Cimarron soundtrack. I thought it was absolutely perfect for Niori when she was captured. So I decided to write a part with that song as inspiration.

The first time around, I focused on the psychical torture Niori went through. While it was present, I didn't focus on the mental. That didn't really come into play until after she was rescued. This time, it's all about the mental and psychological torture (because I'm apparently a sadist who likes putting my characters through all sorts of hell). Standard Niori-as-a-prisoner-of-war triggers apply.

l.l.l.l.l

You Can't Take Me

The sun was setting, and it was beautiful. Niori hated it. Even more than that, she hated the man who was forcing her to watch it. They were sitting on a hillside not far from the camp, one that showed a perfect view of the sun setting over the trees. Aras had forced her here ten minutes past, had pushed her to the ground, sat down and then pulled her into his lap. This twisted mockery of romance made her sick. She struggled, trying to get herself out of this position, but his arms were around her too tightly and her body too weak. She was long past the point where she even had a hope of fighting him, even if she refused to stop trying.

"Keep that wiggling up," he whispered in her ear, breath ghosting over the back of her neck and making her shudder, "and I'll think you desire something other than conversation."

Niori barely managed to hold back a whimper at the implication. She hated herself for it, but she stilled. Niori felt her sanity slip, and she didn't know how to stop it.

"You know why we're here," he continued to whisper, running a finger down her bare arm. Niori flinched and stayed silent. She knew exactly why they were here, but she wouldn't give him the satisfaction of her answer. He was amused at her silence, and didn't bother to hide it, "I have a question for you."

He did every night at sunset, when he dragged her out here. It was the same question every night, and by the end of the first week, she couldn't help but think -with more than a touch of hysteria- that she was in some twisted version of Pinky and the Brain. She waited for him to ask it. She's learned the third night that is she answered before he even asked the question, she would receive a slap. It wasn't worth it, not in the end.

"Have you finally come to your senses and decided to become my queen?"

"No," there was no hesitation. It wasn't even a question she would consider, no matter what that 'no' meant for her. She wanted this to end, she wanted it to stop, but she wouldn't do that. Niori wouldn't betray the people she loved, or send two worlds into darkness. Besides, for all that she was more desperate than she had ever been in all her life, Niori wasn't a fool. Even if she said yes, she'd only be trading one prison for another. A queen might get treated better than a prisoner of war, but she'd still be Aras's prisoner, and he'd still touch her all he wanted. Niori would still be his to play with, but if she said yes, it would be her choice. She'd never be able to live with herself if she did that.

"So quick with your refusals," Aras actually laughed at her, and Niori felt a shot of impotent anger, "it makes me think you're enjoying your current position. That...intrigues me very much."

When Aras was intrigued, it meant very bad things for Niori. Anger melted to dread and continued straight on to terror. Tomorrow would be bad, Niori knew that with extreme certainty. Tears slipped silently down her cheeks, and she didn't stop them. It wasn't the first time she had cried for him -that had happened in the very beginning, when this nightmare first started-, but after that she'd tried to stop her tears and screams. It wasn't long before she gave up trying. There was too much pain, too much misery, to expect herself to pull that off. The one thing she hadn't done was beg for him, and that was the last thread holding whatever was left of her pride and self worth together. It wasn't much, but she clung to it.

"And what about the princesses?" Aras continued, "What if I were to let them go? Would you change your mind then?"

He had already offered this, so it wasn't anything new. The first time, Niori's heart had nearly stopped. For one long moment, her mind filled with images of Arien and Silmarwen leaving this hell. Hope -a foreign feeling now- blossomed in her, and it was the first time she almost considered saying yes. Then logic caught up and it all died. She had cured and screamed at him for daring to offer that lie to her.

Now, five days later, her reply was deadpan, "You'd kill them the minute they were out of earshot. You won't let them go back to their brother and potentially have them give important information to your enemies."

Aras was a tyrant and a monster, but he was an astute military ruler. He wouldn't make that crucial of a mistake. Niori knew nothing about being a military tactician, and even she knew not to make a mistake like that.

He didn't even bother to deny her accusation, the bastard, "And if I promised to withdraw? To take my troops back to our homeland and never start hostilities again? To leave everyone you love in peace until the end of their days?"

That was new, and it was shocking. This time it wasn't just her heart that stopped, but the entire world. Abruptly, she realized he had found her weak spot. He had found what she'd trade herself for, that she'd give everything over to Aras for. If he truly put the fate of the war on her shoulders, she'd say 'yes' to his question. God help her, if she believed he would actually do it, she'd give him the answer she wanted.

If it was an actual possibility and Niori said yes, he'd keep his word...and Niori hated that she knew him well enough to know that. He was her torturer, but Niori saw him. There was a connection there, as twisted as it was. Everything about it was fucked up, but Niori couldn't deny it was there. She just thanked God it bore no resemblance to Stockholm Syndrome.

If she gave in, if she became his queen, he'd keep his promise. He'd see Sil and Arien back to their brother, for real this time. He'd withdraw, but it wouldn't happen before a ceasefire was negotiated and reached. She could help with that. It would come at a high price, but she'd have true, tangible power. If she said yes, Aras would always have her under his thumb, but he would still let her exercise some power. Her being an efficient queen would only make him look better. There would still be fighting until peace was negotiated -that was just how war worked-, but Aras would still decree that, if God forbid, Erin, Jane, or Carla were captured in battle, they'd be spared all she'd suffered. Aras would hold them, maybe even send them to some far corner of Middle Earth where they couldn't cause trouble until it was over. He wouldn't kill them, and she would even be able to make the same deal for Legolas. She knew she could.

She'd have to plead, to beg, to get those concessions...but she'd get them. She'd have to debase and humiliate herself on her knees before Aras, but he'd agree.

If it was actually an option, Niori would agree in a heartbeat. She'd become a traitor if she could save them all.

"You can't," saying it, admitting it, sent bolts of devastation and relief through her in equal amounts, "even if I agreed, you can't just withdraw. Something powerful is backing you, and he won't just let you shirk your end of the deal. You're not going to risk pissing him off, not over me."

Aras paused and then chuckled, and it was more impressed than anything, "You're far too clever sometimes," fingers moved down her arm again, "I like that."

"Go to hell," there was no real venom in her words because she was just too exhausted to muster it. It didn't matter, because Aras knew she meant the words.

Silence stretched on, and Niori prayed he would leave her alone again. He usually brought her back and left her there not long after hearing her answer. Usually he didn't hurt her after this. Not all the time, because some nights her 'no way in hell' got her a sound beating, if not worse, but normally he left her to curse. She cursed him, the situation, and more importantly, most painfully, herself for not taking the out that was offered to her.

"You'd say yes," he spoke finally, minutes later, when Niori was just beginning to truly dread why they were staying, "if I could deliver that promise, you'd say yes."

"Well then it's a good thing that you can't," Niori only half believed her response, and she despised herself.

"Be careful my dear...you're showing your weaknesses. You're usually smarter than that," there was respect -not even the grudging kind- at the last part. She hated that he respected anything about her.

"Being willing to sacrifice everything to save the people you love isn't weakness," it was something he'd never understand, "so I'm still to smart to show you any."

He laughed at her, but the respect still lurked in there. Almost gently, he took her out of his lap and brought her to her feet. He guided her back to the camp, hand on her lower back. He played the proper gentleman, guiding his lady love home after a date. Niori would have given anything to be able to kill him. She wanted to run, but knew she'd never make it far. Even if she did, Sil and Arien would take the punishment in her stead. It was better for Niori to save her strength for when a legitimate chance for escape came.

Finally, they were back at the pole that had become a horrific version of home in the past week and a half. Both Silmarwen and Arien were blessedly asleep, and Niori didn't have to deal with seeing their terrified eyes. Aras's hand left her back to tie her to the pole again, though he left the rope more slack than normal. Their conversation had apparently put him in a good mood. Niori remained standing and just stared at him.

He was right when he said she was too smart to show him weakness. Complete misery and utter exhaustion were both weaknesses.

"Broken by my hands or ruling as queen by my side. I want them both equally, and I'll have one of them eventually. Only one of those outcomes has your continued existence as a part of it. Think on that, because I'll take either gleefully, and enjoy myself immensely while I wait."

He left then, and Niori gratefully sank to her knees. She would find a way out of this, and she had to find it soon.

Why did it all go wrong? - I wanna know what's going on
And what's this holding me?
I'm not where I supposed to be
I gotta fight another fight
I gotta fight will all my might
I'm getting out , so check it out
Ya, you're in my way
So you better watch out

Don't judge a thing until you know what's inside it
Don't push me - I'll fight it
Never gonna give in - never gonna give it up no
If you can't catch a wave then your'e never gonna ride
You can't come uninvited
Never gonna give in - never gonna give up no
You can't take me I'm free

l.l.