Here we are finally! First conversations where everybody can understand each other. Tell me what you think, what you liked or disliked about it. Thanks to Aredheldaedraugh for noticing that error in the chapter. I fixed it :)
"They will be here at the end of our lesson. It might be our last lesson" Our teacher said looking both panicked and resigned.
"They? As in Tar-Mairon and Red-Eye?" Chloe demanded looking shaken. The teacher nodded sadly eyes shining wetly. She paused for a moment and then began our day as if nothing had changed.
We were not even halfway through the typical lesson when the door opened and two of the orcs came and took our teacher away. She followed them without a word, but made eye contact with us as she was leaving and mouthed bow urgently several times before Chloe realized what she was saying and elbowed me as she got down. I followed her example with a shiver.
"what will you do with our teacher? Please don't hurt her!" I pleaded looking up at Tar-Mairon when I saw fabric out of the corner of my eye. Our teacher had said they would come, however, only Tar-Mairon was here.
"Do with her? I will do nothing with her, she is just a slave. You may rise little ones" He looked down at me and Chloe from where the teacher had urged us to quickly bow when he entered. I looked at Chloe awkwardly after a moment of silence. "You are indeed reasonably similar to the Edain. Always in a such hurry. Yes, you may ask Haldamire." I must have looked quite startled because he said I obviously had a question. I wonder if I'm easy to read. I hadn't really ever thought I was easy to.
"What are Edain exactly?" I questioned
"Edain are the second born and those that have the gift of death. Though we can forcefully give the gift of death to the first-born" He explained like things such as first and second born made sense.
"Gift of death?" I said bewildered.
"Edain get older every year until they die." He said emotionlessly
"We do that." Chloe interjected. He considered us in a thorough gaze looking from me to Chloe.
" A song not entirely like the Edain, but a song that is much more faint and curious. Stronger now than when you first appeared." He placed a hand on my cheek lightly "A puzzle to be worked out."
"A song?" I asked confused
"You could not understand" He said with a gentle pat and turned his gaze to Chloe "you are the same little one. A song too faint to be manipulated." Chloe paled at the word manipulate and asked what he meant. "You have gotten older and healed slowly like the Edain, but you are both singularly unique in Arda. I have you now and I will not allow you to be taken from me. There are other ways for me to change you without invoking the song"
"What song? What do you mean change us and without a song?" I asked again. I felt so frightened at his words.
"you could not comprehend it" He smiled at me and patted my cheek again before removing his hand.
"We can probably comprehend more than you think" Chloe said, quite bravely in my opinion. He didn't seem upset at her defiant outburst, but entirely amused.
"You should be more careful with your words little one. Your master is less willing to tolerate defiant words and actions" He reached out a hand running it down her hair, adding as almost an afterthought "You I will also take in the end".
"The one with Red-eyes?" Chloe asked in a small voice.
"Yes, He is called Gothmog. Something you should perhaps remember." He said laughing in a way that was way too bright for the darkness he held.
"I do tolerate less. I tolerate nothing. You will obey me in everything or I will break you until you will obey me without thought" Red- eyes, or Gothmog, said entering. Chloe's eyes widened and she shifted closer to me. Come to think of it, I do not think I have ever heard him speak before now. Maybe Chloe did that one day with her feet? Or maybe not? Sometimes I think my memory is terrible. This place is so similar to a nightmarish reality that I don't even think the same way I used to. These details escape me! Details that I need to remember if I want to escape with Chloe.
"What will you do with us?" I asked swallowing my fear and asking the question that had been nagging at me since I arrived.
"What we want" Tar-Mairon chuckled. DAMMIT that didn't answer anything! Well he mentioned a puzzle he wanted to solve. So we must confuse him? No, that's ridiculous. How would we even go about that and what is this song he mentioned? I must find out.
"You have stayed relatively secluded and safe from the other denizens and citizens of Angband, but that will change" Gothmog said interrupting the whirlwind of my thoughts.
"We desired you to be capable of speech, the elvish speech, before we allowed others to see our pets. You did manage to be seen by quite many maia and other creatures when you appeared Haldamire. However, they know better than to inquire after my affairs." Tar-Mairon expanded giving Gothmog what seemed like a disgruntled look.
"pets!" Chloe exclaimed looking so pissed she forgot to be afraid. Gothmog shifted forward almost imperceptibly, but Tar-Mairon held out his arm.
"How old are you little one?" Tar-Mairon asked.
"Um, maybe 21 or 22. I don't know how much time has passed here" Chloe said after a moment. He and Gothmog stood silently for several moments. Enough time had passed to increase my nerves by a great deal when Tar-Mairon spoke again.
"Allowances must be made for age and for" he paused running a nailed finger down Chloe's arm hard enough to draw blood making her wince and draw back "fragility". He called out something in the other language and two more orcs came in.
"They will return you to your room. I will come for you both tomorrow. Today was an unusual day for questions. I would further suggest you learn to control your mouth tonight Airawende" He turned and swept out of the room with Gothmog following.