Luriel sat in her cage, it had been a month since she had been thrown in there. She was filthy, hungry and alone. Her only company were the orcs who came and brought her morsels, enough to keep her alive and the unborn child well. The wound on her side caused her much discomfort. Sauron had healed it enough so it was not life threatening, but if she was not careful it would reopen and risk infection. She knew it needed proper care, but she was not going to get that here. She looked down at her gradually growing stomach, despite her best efforts, the child grew still, slowed only slightly. It was clearly visible now, that she was pregnant. She closed her eyes and leaned back against the bars of the cage. She had no tears left to shed, so she sat in sorrowful silence.
A few minutes later, her silence was disturbed by the creek of the door to her dismal living quarters. Two smaller orcs scurried in, one had keys to her cage in hand. She watched them with little interest in her eyes. The one with the keys opened the cage door. The second leaned in the cage, it's stench flooding her nostrils.
"Lord Sauron requests you to join him for dinner," it snorted.
She moved her head forward slightly, her eyes narrowed in a glare, "And if I refuse?" she asked in snarky tone.
The second hissed out a chuckle, "Its not like you have a choice….. you belong to him!"
The first snickered, "Pathetic little witch thinks she has a say in what goes, does she?"
"No of course not!" the second added in, "Now get up, our Lord Sauron wishes you clean and presentable…. Not that you have much hope in that. Eh?" he asked nudging the other orc. She said nothing, not even rewarding them with a response as she slowly pushed herself to her feet. She paused mid way and winced, hand on her left side.
One of the orcs noticed, "does the wittle witch have a boo boo?" That earned a laugh from the other orc, "Come on and hurry it up!"
She glared daggers at them as she slowly straightened. Each orc grabbed one of her wrists and roughly pulled her out of the cage and out of the room. They led her through the tower to a room. She noticed it contained a bath, and in the corner on a clothes display was a beautiful deep red dress with gold trimming. The orcs pushed her towards the bath.
"Hurry up and clean up, Lord Sauron does not like to be kept waiting!" one snarled.
She stood next to the bath, waiting for the orcs to leave, but they didn't. They looked at each other one stepping forward, "Do you need help getting in the wee bath?" It mocked suddenly pushing her into the water. She fell with a splash. Coming out of the water coughing, the orcs laughed in pleasure at seeing her struggles. She turned away from them, deciding to enjoy the little luxury she was given. The warm water soothed her aches and pains. She gratefully washed the dirt and grime off of her skin. She slipped out of her ruin clothes while in the bath, tossing them aside. Once she was done she turned to the orcs that still stood watching her.
"Do you mind?" she growled.
"No. We don't mind at all, do we?"
"Nope, not at all, do continue."
Rolling her eyes and scoffing in disgust she climbed out of the tub, as she got dresses she paused and looked to the wound on her side, it was swollen and scabbed over. She carefully slipped into the dress. It was soft silk.
The orcs grabbed her wrists again and led her out of the bathroom. They took her to the dining hall, pushing her in before closing the door. She looked back at the door, almost wanting to be back in her cage rather than be here.
"Finally you have come."
She turned towards the voice. She saw not the Sauron she was accustomed to. His hair was a flaming orange, he wore elegant black robes. His amber eyes on her, looking her over. His voice was slightly deeper then when he was Annatar but no less sinister. He sat at the end of a small rectangle table, which adorned all sorts of succulent food. Luriel felt her mouth water but she did not move, "Come, sit," he said gesturing to the chair across from him. She saw that accursed golden ring on his finger as he did, knowing that he was in control here. He knew that as well as a smirk crossed his face. She reluctantly made her way to the chair and sat. She turned her head away so she did not have to look at him.
"I assume you hunger, I thought you would enjoy a proper meal," he said.
Though that statement was true, all she did was turn and stare at the food.
He picked up a glass of wine, taking a sip before speaking, "It is not poisoned, I assure you."
She finally looked up at him. He was smirking ever so slightly, watching her closely. She reached out and took a decent helping of the roast before them, as well as some of the steamed vegetables, siding it with a fresh slice of bread. She slowly took a bite, then another, soon all manners were forgotten and she wolfed it down. Sauron watched in silence as she finished it off with the roll.
"I see you were hungry," he observed.
At this she narrowed her eyes in anger, "No thanks to you," she snapped.
He lounged back in his chair, crossing his legs, a crooked smile on his thin lips, "I did not say I did not know why you hungered," he replied calmly.
This fueled her anger, "Are we done here?" she almost demanded.
He tilted his head slightly, "Eager to return to your cage my little pet?" he sounded intrigued.
"I am no one's pet!" she snarled.
He raised his hand adorning the ring. It glowed a little as did her collar. It burned ever so slightly, "I beg to differ," he almost whispered.
She tensed slightly, raising her head a little. Gripping the arms of the chair, she silenced her tongue.
Satisfied, he lowered his hand, "You must be thirsty, I had the orcs bring out the best wine I had, do try it." He said picking up his own glass and sipping from it.
She closed her eyes for a moment before opening them again. She reached out and picked up the glass before her. She looked in it at the deep purple liquid, looking back up at Sauron. He had lowered his glass and watched her. He motioned for her to take a drink. Raising the glass to her lips she took a small sip. He was not wrong, it was a strong wine, but she was too resentful to truly enjoy it. She lowered the glass.
"Come now, finish it off," he said setting his own glass down.
"I am not thirsty," she said quietly, "Though I am curious as to why you brought me here."
"Only obedient pets get answers," he remarked.
"Then the answers are none too important to me," she retorted.
"I can free you at any time, you would do well to remember what I hold in the palm of my hand." He said, his voice had an edge to it, "If you pledged yourself to me, I would have no need to collar you like a dog. And I would allow you to help raise the child, of course I would train it and teach it on how to use its powers, but you would at least still be like a mother."
"After all you have done to my people, after everything you have done to those that I care for, I would rather die than join you!"
"What happened to your people was your doing," he growled, uncrossing his legs and leaning forward, "Had you not interfered at Eregion, I would have left your people alone!"
That caused her anger to boil over, she threw the glass of wine aside. It shattered on the floor. Sauron stared at the wine spilled on the stone ground, his expression one of anger. He slowly looked back at her and slowly stood.
"I will not have such disrespect! You will not join me freely?! Then you are but my dog!" he said reaching his ringed hand out again, "Transform!" he commanded as his ring glowed.
She felt the collar begin to burn, it spread throughout her body. She stood so fast, her chair went flying. Her hands on the collar, her face contorted in pain. She fell to her hands and knees. Sauron walked closer as she was forcefully transformed into a white dog with some silver on her face and back. She looked much like a husky. She was shaking slightly, she raised her head, her eyes darting around, "Now, if you will not accept my hospitality like an obedient pet, you will have to be trained! You did not accept my wine in a glass, then enjoy it off the floor," he said pointing to the spill. She turned and looked up at him, her ears back, and her lips drawn back in a snarl. "You will learn to obey!" he said fading his hand again. Luriel crouched and whined discomfort.
"You can end the pain! All you have to do is obey!" he roared.
She shook her head, back and forth, fighting his control. Slowly she stopped, her eyes turned black with white pupils. Black flames sprouted from them. Sauron smiled, "See, now was that so hard? Now clean up the mess you made," he commanded, going back to his seat. He watched as she licked up every drop of wine spilt.
Once she was done she sat, looking at him. A sinister smile crept onto his face as he raised his hand again, "Transform," he said quietly.
She transformed back to her elven appearance, still sitting on the floor. He released his control over her mind, her eyes going back to normal. She blinked several times. Her face became one of disgust as she tasted the filth of the floor.
"That is what happens when you disobey, you are punished, now sit back on the chair," he ordered.
Worried he was going to force her to do something else as disgusting she stood. Suddenly the world spun around her, spreading her arms for balance, she stumbled a bit. Sauron
smiled in amusement.
She stumbled over to the chair and managed to pick it up. She plopped back in the seat, her hands on her head. Her fingers started to feel a little numb.
"What was in that wine?" she managed to say, her words slightly slurred.
He stood and sauntered over to her side, leaning down, he rested an arm on the back of her chair the other on the arm rest. She looked up at him, "I thought I would show you what happened when you obeyed…" he softly murdered, raising the hand from the arm rest to her face.
Realizing what he was talking about, she jerked her head away in disgust.
"Don't touch me!" she slurred.
"Come now, it's not like you can resist." He said in an alluring whisper. He suddenly scooped her up in his arms and began carrying her away. She tried to struggle out of his arms. But her limbs would not listen to her, "Don't worry…. I'll be gentle…"
