Hi everyone! Please don't hate me because it took longer then a week lol. I was actually a bit stuck on the best way to approach this chapter, but here we are :D Also if anyone is interested in being a Beta reader please PM me. Please Enjoy the next installment of Sauron and Haldamire!
I shifted on my feet nervously looking at Hutare still lying motionless on the floor. I couldn't believe how no one here was reacting at all to it. They just moved around her like she wasn't even there, though some did step on her. I just couldn't tell if it was on purpose or not.
Tar Mairon was observing everything, but not making any specific movements towards anyone or anything. Eyes were on us, I could tell by the prickly feeling of discomfort, but none that I could visually see. I really wonder how they can be studying us without looking directly at us.
"Haldamire" I flinched at the sound of my name suddenly spoken and blinked up at Tar-Mairon who was gazing at me. He made a small motion with his free hand and I moved closer allowing him to tip my face up. He seemed to study me for a moment and I tried not to flinch under the distressing gaze and dancing flames. He tilted my face up a degree higher and smiled. I was too scared to move away and too nervous to ask what he was doing.
"Haldamire" he said again in a brighter tone. The perfection of his voice was almost as terrifying as his gaze. He seemed so beautiful, so bright, so golden, and yet he was capable of such violence and horror. I shivered and he smiled in amusement at my reaction. He released me and stroked a hand down my head. "It is working much faster than even I anticipated at the beginning of this experiment. This pleases me greatly." I trembled slightly wanting to ask questions, but refusing to pay the price for speaking. I didn't even have to move my mouth the feel anything. The memory is enough to make my lips tingle. He clearly understood my sentiments because he gave me another smile with a keen glint in his flaming eyes that showed delight. I looked at the floor meekly.
I didn't even feel him moving so when the chain pulled on my neck I looked up in surprise and hurried after Tar-Mairon. I nearly tripped trying to catch up with his walking pace. He was holding the leash too tightly so I didn't have any room to fall far behind or I would just be dragged. He could've warned me we were going to move.
"Mairon" a fell voice carried across the room to us. I spun around trying to locate the source of it as Tar-Mairon halted. He grabbed my shoulder and turned me towards the far left of the room. I stared at nothing in confusion until a figure seemed to almost walk out of the shadows. I could feel myself staring in shock and unable to control the expression of disbelief I had. It was as if the shadows had writhed and tussled against each other into this shape. I felt Tar-Mairon push down gently on my shoulder and tried to not to stare. I don't even think I could really figure out what or who I was looking at anyway. It seemed to be shifting into different figures as it came closer to us. Short, then tall, broad, and then lean. It was like the shadows couldn't even decide what they wanted to take the shape of.
"I have an experiment to conduct. Make this quick" Tar-Mairon said raising an eyebrow in an almost lazy attempt at showing impatience. The shadows begin writhing more at those words and I quailed back into Tar-Mairon terrified he pissed it off until I realized the shadows were twisting with amusement and that there was a faint mimicry of laughter in it. I want out of this room and out of this place right now. It is so unnatural. All of the beings and monsters. What happened to Hutare! To my horror I could feel moisture beginning to rise to my eyes. I tried to swallow and maintain composure in front of the shadows, but slowly, as if one second was a year, I could feel a tear start rolling down my cheek.
The shadows twisted even more furiously for a moment and I fell under the horrible impression they, or it, was staring at me. It moved closer to me and more tears dripped down my face.
"I think I made your pet cry Mairon" the shadows whispered as some of them moved forward towards me. To my rising horror and increase of tears, when the shadows brushed over me it was as if something cold was literally passing itself over me. They twisted around me and I put a hand over my mouth trying to calm down and dispel the tears.
"Out with it, you came here for a reason" Tar-Mairon said making no move to save me from the shadows coiling around me and pressing in on us. Why was he letting this happen.
"The orcs are killing too many slaves for sport. We need more hale enough to work in the mines" The shadows finally left me and I felt myself almost instinctively push myself into Tar-Mairon and the warmth he radiated.
"Is that not a problem you should be taking to the overseers?" Tar-Mairon asked coolly letting me push into him. The shadows let out a hissing noise of malcontent.
"Orc overseers fail to understand the complexities of the war effort" it seemed to almost spit out.
"Are there not overseers not of orcish nature? Have you jumped the chain of command in reprisal for some slight?" Tar-Mairon said in a much quieter voice. It sounded contemplative, but I could sense the flames licking up under the words and crackling danger. The shadows clearly could as well for they twisted less and become more of a figure. It seemed like a very tall cloaked man. I peered at it, him, carefully but failed to see any distinguishable features. It was like he almost had no real face. Without thinking I grabbed Tar-Mairon's hand in fright. He didn't pull away, but instead laced our finger together. I winced at his grip because it was nearly too tight.
"Mairon" the shadows spoke and this time it sounded closer to being one person.
"Don't. I will come seek you out later. I have more pressing matters to attend" Tar-Mairon said interrupting the shadows. They fell back seeming extremely subdued. Tar-Mairon turned and pulled me along with him. I felt relief until a jolt of cold slithered down my arm. I gripped Tar-Mairon's hand as hard as I could so I didn't scream in fear. I looked back and the shadows had begun to sink back into nothing. He led me back the winding pathways I had walked with Hutare, but I really couldn't understand how because we didn't pass back by Hutare on the way. I loosened my death grip on his hand, but refused to let go. He was the only thing that would protect me from monsters like Thuringwethil.
I felt my heart finally leap in a positive way as I spied Ungo running down the hallway towards us. I wanted to cry out in happiness at the semi-friendly wolf and ask him more questions. Ask him how to raise my baby fluff.
"Ungo" Tar-Mairon said without stopping as Ungo made it to us and then turned bounding along at our pace. " I need you to go to my rooms and have someone fetch me a small mirror". Ungo let out a little yip in affirmation and sped down the way he had come. I couldn't help the disappointment that he was only here for a second.
It always such a long and arduous journey to go anywhere in this place. Nothing is ever close by except when I lived with Airawende and we had the baths close by to our room. At least by now I wasn't always tired and with muscles burning after short distances. I still got tired and wanted to sit, but it was much better than it had been early on.
"I have something to show you, my dear Haldamire" Tar-Mairon whispered in my ear when we arrived to his, or I guess also mine, residence in hell. I followed Tar-Mairon's movements to a mirror sitting on his desk. I shifted my gaze over slightly and found Ungo curled up on the floor watching us in curiosity with rapt attention. Tar-Mairon leaned down and carefully put his arms around me holding the mirror up to my face. I stared at my reflection in bafflement. I tried to turn my head around to give him a questioning glance, but I was prevented by his other hand catching my face.
"Look carefully, Haldamire" He whispered quietly in my ear and I shivered. His hand held my face still and I puzzled into the mirror even after he pulled it closer. I could feel him almost sigh, but all he did was whisper low in my ear again. "Eyes". I peered at my own eyes reflecting back at me and saw nothing. Until there was something. I have no idea how Tar-Mairon could have possibly just noticed this with such little time. There seemed to be just the barest gleam of fiery energy hiding away. I blinked and it was gone again.