Hey everyone! I hope you enjoy this informational chapter. I will repost it again later with editing :D
I felt sick to my stomach as I meandered behind Thuringwethil away from the dungeons. I had only met him twice so I really should not be concerned by his insults, but they still stung. I winced as one of my hands idly touched my damaged hair. Was I ugly? I suppose compared to him and Tar-Mairon, but I did not really think objectively about beauty anymore. Life here did not allow time for things like vanity and there were not many mirrors in any case. My mind flicked over to Gothmog and what had made the mess of my hair. He obviously did not think I was not tempting.
"So you taste blood?" the question popping out of my mouth before I could stop it. Thuringwethil stopped and turned to look at me with a predator's gleam in her eye.
"Taste? I suppose I do, but I prefer to drink blood slow and deep like a fine bouquet of strongest wine" she said eerily. There was still the gleam of her own blood across her mouth from before making the statement seem even more sinister.
"Is it cause you will die without it?" I asked trying not to shy away. She was strangely alluring for a monster.
"I certainly will not die without blood." She said haughtily as if I was giving her a grave insult. "Blood can teach you much."
"Teach you?" I echoed disbelievingly.
"Oh yes, little girl. Blood is the essence of life. At least life of the hroa which chains the fea. Much can be discerned from a taste of blood. Much can be gained from drinking deep" She explained her gaze taking on a more assessing quality then before.
"What kind of things can be discerned and gained?" I asked feeling braver at her detailed explanation.
"Oh the nuances of what I do are very peculiar. Some you could not truly comprehend in your feeble mind, but emotions, strength of spirit, power." She said licking her lips and putting an emphasis on the word "power".
"Could you tell me about me?" I asked wonderingly "If you tasted my blood"
"Perhaps, but perhaps not. If you are anything like Tar-Mairon's little pet what I can learn is greatly affected by the added maiar blood." She said with a graceful shrug. "But we all have secrets hidden in our veins. Secrets I could bring to light. She has the sweet flavors of light but hidden down there is the tang of darkness. Together the flavors are so intoxicating, but Tar-Mairon refuses me more." I felt a strange flash of pity for her at those words. She looked upset and hurt by not being able to drink Haldamire's blood more. Her face does not carry despair well. It looks almost comically wrong on such haughty features. I can't help but wonder what else she can read from blood. What would my blood say?
"Will you?" I asked in a rush. Maybe she would be able to tell why we came here.
"Oh, believe me, I would very much like to" Thuringwethil said eyes flashing darkly "But my bite takes much longer to heal then normal wounds and he would see it."
I stuttered for a moment thinking about that. He sometimes leaves for days on end. No telling when he might show back up again. Unfair of me to ask her to risk her life to give me information. Even if she drinks blood and wants to. I wonder if I could bite myself hard enough to draw blood. I know teeth can draw blood, obviously as she drinks blood, but could I do it to myself? I looked at my hand considering and then back up to Thuringwethil. She had turned and started walking away again and I did not hear her move.
"Wait" I nearly shouted. I had suffered far worse than a stupid bite here. I closed my eyes and bit into the soft muscle of my hand. Pain shot through me, but I ignored it until I could taste the iron in my mouth. I spat to try and get rid of the taste. Thuringwethil had turned and was watching me with that typical Angband expressionlessness.
"You are offering this to me? Freely?" Thuringwethil said watching blood drip onto the floor with a stead pit-pat rhythm.
"I want to know what you learn about me. The secrets of my veins" I said holding out my hand.
"Very well. Perhaps you are not a little girl after all. I accept your bargain of blood" She smiled serenely and then was over my hand in a flash. I let out a little yip of startlement at how fast she moved. I closed my eyes feeling a little nip over where I had bitten. She was widening the injury a bit to get more blood. She was keeping my hand very still, but the rest of my body was slightly shaking. More from exhilaration than fear. I shivered at the extremely disconcerting feeling of my blood being drank right in front of me. I put a hand on the wall to steady myself as a bit of lightheadedness invaded my mind. She released my hand and stepped back.
"You had enough to learn?" I murmured dazedly still feeling strangely light-headed.
"Yes, I learned much from this. I would drink more if it would not be such a risk. Now put pressure on that with your other hand" She said and I blinked trying to figure out if she was pouting. I did follow her instructions and winced at the sharp pangs racing up my arm. It was not anywhere close to the pain I had already felt on my feet, but that didn't mean I had to like it.
"How did we get here?" I asked as the bleeding eased.
"I was not privy to that knowledge" Thuringwethil said blinking at me as a crease formed between her eyes. I stared at her shocked at the human expression and trying to process the words.
"My blood didn't tell you" my voice wobbled. Was it that stupid jewelry at Ren Fair? So Haldamire and I weren't damned?
"No, how would it tell me that?" She sounded genuinely puzzled. I cursed mentally.
"What did you learn?" I asked sulkily.
"Your blood" she said sighing a little bit "I like you more than the other one. Not in taste necessarily, but you gave me much more blood. Freely. Not to say that I do not like the futile struggle of my prey now and again, but sometimes free blood just tastes sweeter."
"I don't" I began feeling baffled and then changing tactics "What does that have to with secrets?"
"Oh yes, of course, our bargain" She said smiling toothily. I could see a red sheen over them from my blood and realized she was had probably smiled like that to throw me off balance. "Your blood has a little spark hidden in it. Like a little ember. I suspect its from the maiar blood and will grow into true flame if fed enough"
"Fed enough? True flame?" I asked feeling put out. I did not want to turn into one of those fire shadows monsters and who the hell knows what they feed on.
"Given more blood of that nature" Thuringwethil said waving an unconcerned hand "True flame is nothing to you really. Perhaps the fire will bend to you a bit, but you were not born nor made of it so it won't truly ever heed your call. It may simply deign to listen once in a while. Perhaps make it so you will remain unburnt forever depending on the strength. Though you remain unable to reach The Music and forever will remain unable. Perhaps not even blood of a Vala could make one understand and see. Same as the other. Tis a pity for Tar-Mairon I suppose. He wanted to test the limits of creation"
I just stared at her in blank confusion trying to process everything she said. "I'm not sure I follow. Test the limits of creation?" I wondered.
"Tis nothing for you to be concerned with" Thuringwethil said looking at me thoughtfully "Now come. Certainly, you don't want to arrive after he does." I nodded vehemently at her observation and followed behind closely. I learned much today and not just from Thuringwethil. Was Maedhros right about Tar-Mairon lying about my fea? Or maybe he just did not know? Haldamire and I were still unusual for them even after all this time. There was much to consider. And what of that supposed tang of darkness in Haldamire? Is that the result of maiar blood in her?
"We are here, my young bargainer" Thuringwethil announced pushing me into the cavern "I will leave now. Wouldn't want to be found here and I have such a delicious bouquet awaiting me in the dungeons".
"Wait" I called before she could turn away. She raised an eyebrow at me in a go on kind of way. "I was wondering what Maedhros's blood tasted like" I said with curiosity coloring my tone.
"Like a cold burning fire and ash" she said with a laugh "Such a delectable burn."
I nodded like I understood what she was talking about and shifted away. She was gone when I looked back towards the cavern entrance. As bad as Langon. I had barely sat down on the bed before Gothmog stormed in. I jerked upright in surprise. Just a few minutes longer and I would not have been here when he got back. I surreptitiously tried to slide my bitten hand under blankets.
"Nierima" He said catching my face between his hands. I winced at how small I felt and how large his hands were. He turned my head this way and that inspecting my face and hair. I didn't know if I could speak or not at the moment. Better not to risk my feet angering him. I couldn't hide my wince as I leaned back onto my hand slightly. He, unfortunately for me, never missed a single thing. "Give me your arm" he demanded. I complied sulkily and shivering as he let go of my face. It always felt cold when he let go. "Explain yourself." He still seemed infuriated from Langon's timely interruption.
"I didn't mean to. I was just trying not to cry" I said half truthfully. I had been holding in tears when I bit down that hard.
"Do you remember what I told you?" He said in dark tone that had me drawing back. I nodded because I never forgot anything, he or Tar-Mairon said. It was too risky. He had warned me against causing injury to myself. His cocked almost minutely in what seemed consideration. "I will let it go. This one time only" he finally said lifting up burned strands of my hair. A breath of relief wound itself through me. I hadn't even realized how tense and fearful I was. "I will take you to meet someone that you may talk to when I am gone" He said standing and pulling me off the bed with him. I started to ask who, but then cut myself off. Gothmog glanced at me with his red eyes piercing. "His name is Ancalagon."