Warning: This chapter depicts a graphic portrayal of bondage that Elves ARE NOT KNOWN FOR. It is only here to enforce the OC's hatred and distrust. I have many who hates this story come forward, for those of you who love it and can identify with it. I will continue on as it is going. Note there is some changes coming to the OC and the relationship with her and the elves, including Haldir...so bear with me...I will update as much as I can...Huggles and Please Review.

Chapter Ten: The nerve

Haldir proceeded to follow her for some time and noticed that she was way off path. She was lost and unable to find her own home. He called after her, "Mandi, stop!"

She ignored him and continued her trek over bridges and walkways higher and higher up into the trees. They were at least three branches up from the one that held both their talans. At each junction she would stop, look around, and stomp angrily.

At the last time she stopped, Haldir finally caught up with her. "Mandi, you are lost. Listen to me." he commanded, his nerves frayed at her insistence of not listening to him.

She finally looked at him. "What?" she asked her lips pursed together tightly.

"You are lost. Let me show you back to your talan." he said reaching out to touch her arm, hoping to grab it and lead her. She pulled away.

"No, thank you. I can find it myself." she said stubbornly.

"Mandi, this is nonsense. Enough now, and let me show you." he insisted, his patience wearing thin.

She turned to him, holding her hand up in his face. "Save it, Haldir. I do not need your help. I am a big girl and can handle myself just fine. Now if you will excuse me, I need to find that damned talan so I can change and leave." she started to move but was stopped when Haldir grabbed her arm tight and held her in place. She looked down at his hand then up to meet his eyes. "Let. Me. Go!" she commanded as she began to try and wiggle from his grasp.

He felt a fury rise up inside him. This girl would be the death of him, he knew it, and right now, he did not care. The arrogant, aloof elf he had always been, began to come out. "NO! You will not leave. You do, I shall find you and bring you back kicking and screaming." he said not letting down his resolve on the situation.

"No, I think I shall leave, it is what is best. You know it as well as I that you do not want me here, nor do you or anyone here care, that I am a prisoner." she huffed out a deep breath and wiggled more, only to find Haldir's grip grew tighter. "Unhand me, you sorry oaf!" she spat at him, giving him a look that could kill an orc at one glance.

"No!" he said again, this time to the point of screaming it. "You will allow me to escort you."

"No, I will not!" she said back, with all the venom, the hate behind it.

Haldir's eyes flashed something she did not recognize. He was more angry than she had seen anyone in her life, she realized that she had made a mistake. Haldir would not back down, not listen to her. But to her horror, he did something unexpected. Bending down, he threw her over his shoulder and began walking.

Appalled at first, she then turned to a fury of kicks, hits, and shouting. "Haldir of Lorien, this is barbaric, let me down! NOW!" she said, hitting him in the back and kicking his front.

Having had enough, and his wits clearly at an end, he was doing the one thing, he never thought he would do. He would teach her once and for all, that she would listen to him and like it.

Down many walkways, paths, and bridges he walked, passing talans and small bowers in a blur, he carried her until they reached an area she remotely recognized. It was her talan with his across the way. Instead of stopping at the door of hers, he went straight to his, slamming the door open, then closing it with his booted foot.

She panicked then, not knowing exactly what he was about to do. Would he take advantage of her? Would he force her to partake in something she did not want? He walked through his talan, in great strides. Soon they went through a door, and into a room with a bed, wardrobe and dresser. She panicked as her mind told her, he was about to do something to her.

Soon she found herself tossed from his shoulder onto his bed. His eyes shone with great anger, his nose flared some. She soon crawled to the headboard and huddled there. "Do not move!" he said. She began to shake, scared of what was to come.

Haldir scrambled over to his chest upon the floor. After rummaging through it, he finally came up with something in his hand. He turned holding the rope between the hands.

Seeing the rope in his hand, Mandi began to feel the fear unlike she had ever felt before. She sprang from the bed, huddling in a corner to put as much distance between him and herself as possible. Her voice shaking, quivering from that fear, she spoke, "Wh-what are you planning to do with that?"

Haldir looked at her, threw the rope upon the bed, and came to her. He did not answer only reached out for her, threw her on his shoulder and then back upon the bed. "I am keeping you safe." Holding her down, he began to tie her hands and feet to the post.

"Haldir, don't do this. Please. Let me go." she pleaded her voice shaking, wondering what he was going to do next.

"Perhaps, if I have you here a while, you will learn, who is stronger and who is not. I will let no harm come to you." he told her gruffly.

What was this he was doing and what was his true plans? The thoughts began to fuel the panic she felt. Never had anyone been so barbaric to her before. She struggled against the ropes more, but as she did, the ropes grew tighter and tighter. She growled out, "Haldir, this is barbaric!" she spat at him. But he ignored her. It was when he took a long piece of scarf and came at her face with it that she began thrashing more. "No! Haldir, what are you-?" she asked as her mouth was bound by the material.

She fought harder against it, but found she could only speak into the cloth.

Haldir stood up, smiled as if satisfied and turned to walk from the room, slamming the door securely behind him.

Mandi sat there stunned for a moment that he had done what he had just done. She fought more to loosen the ropes, but winced behind the gag as the ropes cut into her wrists. Her muffled cries, no one would hear, she knew that. She began to cry, and then continued to scream out for help. Tolkien was so wrong about his creations, they were not civilized. These elves were barbarians with no tact, and no sense of care. They were no different than the torturers back home. She cried helplessly, sitting there in the darkened room. How would she get out of this one?

The Scolding...

Haldir had been at his wits end. Tired of trying to make the girl see. She was insufferable and headstrong, not to mention extremely rude. He did the only thing he knew to do to break her down enough to make her see to reason.

He fumed at her inability to accept the help she so desperately and obviously needed. The Lord and Lady gave him this task, and he would see it through no matter what. He hated using such and ancient technique for submission, but felt it was necessary. He walked great strides to no where in particular. In his head he heard the voice of the Lady calling to him. She was displeased and quite angry. Come to the palace Hall, NOW! She told him.

He knew that the Lady had seen what he done, and now he was in for a lashing. He bound the stairs two at a time, to hear what she had to say.

At the top of the steps, the two sentinels stood, the massive wooden doors already opened for his entrance. He stepped into the hall to find The Lady and her Lord standing near their thrones, both looking greatly displeased.

"Come forth, Warden." she commanded him, her voice full of the displeasure she was feeling. Celeborn stood there only staring at him, his expression filled with disbelief. When she had spoken, Haldir knew he was in trouble.

He came to stand in front of them and waited patiently for his lashing. He knew what he had done was wrong, but how else do you deal with such a person. "Haldir of Lorien, you know what it is that has brought you here. What you have done." the Lady spoke angrily.

He bowed his head, "Yes, milady." he said humbly.

"Use of that tactic, has not been done, since of the days of the kin-slaying, and was agreed to never be used again by any of our kind. Why have you done it to Mandi?" she asked stepping down from her throne and looming over him.

"My lady, she was threatening to leave. She is adamant on going. You have charged me with her care and protection. What else was I to do?" he asked not quite looking her in the eye.

"Her care and protection, yes. I did not mean bondage." the lady retorted taking his chin her hand and staring him in the eye. "What you have done has not been performed in any realm in many millennia. It was banned from our use long ago. For that, you have made a great error." She threw his face from her hand. Haldir's jaw tensed, feeling the Lady's anger resonate through him.

Lord Celeborn stood forward, came to their sides. "My love-" he started, but was stopped when Galadriel stared daggers at him and held a hand to shush him.

"Save it, Celeborn. This is your fault! I told you long ago, not to show him the old archives. The younger elves knew not of the things that were once done, but you showed it to him anyway. You are to blame." she spat at her husband. Celeborn looked at her, hurt by her scolding against him.

"My love, I only showed him to allow him to know of what we used to do, only to be a lesson learned from long ago. Told him that those tactics were no longer to be practiced and were banned. I had no idea that he would actually use them against anyone, let alone a female." he defended himself. "Had I known that he would use it, especially an innocent girl, I would not have done so. I am sorry for it."

"Still, you have opened a window of hate for us in the girl." She said looking at her beloved, but then turned to Haldir, "She does not deserve to have such things done to her. She has endured enough in her life. You have both set her back more. Now her healing will take some time longer from this." she said looking from her husband to Haldir. She studied Haldir's intention, true, she knew he had only done it for the girl's protection, and the intention was not of malice, but it was still bad form. "The binds are to be removed immediately. Celeborn, go and release her since you are sincerely sorry for your part. Try and damper her feelings. Send her to Saralonde for Haldir has been stripped of his duties toward her until I see his remorse is true." she looked to Haldir again, "Haldir, you will remain here."

Celeborn hearing his wife's command, he turned to leave the main hall, and do his task. Once he was from the room, the lady stared at Haldir a moment, contemplating what to do next. She turned from him to look out the window. After a few moment, she spoke, "Follow me, Haldir." she commanded.

Releasing the sparrow...

Within moments, Celeborn reached Mandi's talan to find Saralonde still waiting for the two to return for the dinner she had cooked. After hearing the Lord's knock, Saralonde opened the door shocked to see, Lord Celeborn standing there. "Come with me, please, Saralonde. I have a task for you to help me with."

She bowed, "My Lord. I was expecting Haldir and Mandi nearly an hour ago for her manner training. Is something amiss?' she asked looking up and down the walkway behind him.

Not responding to what she asked, Celeborn continued. "All will be explained shortly." he asked looking at the elleth.

"Of course, anything." she said curiously stepping out onto the walkway, shutting the door behind her.

Celeborn turned and walked to Haldir's talan. Saralonde was greatly curious as to why they were going there. The Lord opened the door and waited silently, as if listening for something. Saralonde tuned her ears to listen as well. In a moment they heard the sound of muffled cries and fear. Celeborn shook his head. Confused, Saralonde followed him as opened the door to reveal what laid behind.

Celeborn stepped aside and into the room, leaving eye view of what laid there. Saralonde felt sick to her stomach at the sight, gasping in a loud breath she looked to the bed and found Mandi there, tied to the bed and gagged. Shocked, she looked to Celeborn. "Oh, Valar! Who-?My Lord-?, Hald-?" she started stammering as if not believing her friend could do such a thing.

Mandi looked of fear, her eyes swollen from crying, her tears staining her cheeks and streaming silently. Her wrists reddened from the burn of the ropes, shaking as her fear piqued. "Yes, Haldir did this. Come, help me with her." he said reaching upon Haldir's wall, and retrieving two long knives, and handing one to Saralonde.

"How he could he do such a thing? Why?" Saralonde asked in confusion mixed with shock mixed with anger.

"It was a custom used many millennia ago, during the time of the Kin-slayings. A tactic used as a way of submission during questioning and integration. But it was banned long ago because it was considered cruel and wrong. Let us be glad that he did not use the second part of this particular practice, for if he did, his punishment would be far more unbearable even for him to endure." he sat on one side of the bed and the elleth on the other. "Do not cut the binds yet, let me speak to her first." He moved forward and untied the gag, but Mandi pulled away, fearful. "Shush, girl, I will not harm you. Let me remove it." he told her, his tone almost soothing.

Mandi calmed a bit as Lord Celeborn began to untie the gag. Once it was removed, she pursed her lips and scowled. Celeborn looked at her, noting how her anger was mixed with fear. He felt nothing but compassion for her. "I am truly sorry, little one. Haldir should have known better. This is partly my fault, and for that, I am sorry as well. Are you hurt?" he asked looking her over.

She looked at her wrists, which were now burned and scratched from the rough rope. He looked to them and then back at her. His anger toward his warden piqued. "Before I remove them, I will say only this to you. You must humble yourself, Mandi. I and my wife do not condone what Haldir did, but understand also that he was only wanting your safety. He went about it the wrong way."

Mandi furrowed a brow. "Some way of showing protection. Is this common practice among your people?' she spat at him.

"No, it is not. And greatly frowned upon and forbidden. You must allow us to help you, Mandi. We know not why the valar sent you here, but here you are. We have never offered our assistance to any other human before you, why do you resist us?" he asked.

"Why help me? I am no one, and for your information, I did not want to be here, nor believed it to be more than anything but a story." she said looking at him, struggling against the ropes once more. "Some elves you all are. Tolkien was wrong about his own creation. Since I have been here, I have been molested, elf handled and tied to a bed like a criminal. Excuse me, MY LORD, if I do not appreciate your 'HELP'." she said in contempt. She looked to her binds, which now began to seep blood, and then to both Saralonde and Celeborn, "Since your people feel the need to force your help upon those who do not want it, release me and I shall go." she looked away from them.

There it was, hurt, pain, and fear wrapped squarely together. Celeborn saw it and spoke to her softly, "Mandi, we are not like what you think. We are kind, loving, and accepting to all creatures. We see beauty in all things that live and breathe. Do not judge us by what few others of have exhibited. Haldir knows he has done wrong, and my wife is making him see it deeper now. You are not from this world, and have not ever seen the dangers that loom here. If you leave from these borders, your life will be in peril. Understand you are not a prisoner, nor are you captive, we only want to help you, keep you safe. Though, you do not feel it now, hopefully you will see it one day. Now I am going to remove your binds, both of us are, and I want you to promise me you will at least take what I said to heart." he looked at her, seeing that she was calming down some. "Do I have it?"

She breathed in heavily, and sighed. Then thought a moment, "No, you do not have my promise. Please let me go." she told him.

Celeborn shook his head. This girl was a stubborn one. He motioned for Saralonde to cut the binds. In a moment, all binds were cut. After the ropes were removed, which both elves found difficult due to the deepness of the cuts, they found the wounds bleeding more. Celeborn examined them closer and looked up at Saralonde. "Saralonde, take her to her talan, get her cleaned, feed her. I will fetch the healer, and bring him to her talan myself. These wounds need treated quickly to minimize the scarring."

"Leave them. Let them scar, it will remind me why not to trust the elves." she spat out.

Celeborn ignored the girl completely, "Saralonde, if you will please."

The tall beautiful elleth stood, holding a hand out to Mandi, who refused to take the hand and stood on her own. Saralonde looked genuinely sorry for what happened. She pursed her lip and motioned for Mandi to go a head of her.

As Mandi walked past Celeborn she eyed him with great contempt. "Humph! Of all the creatures in Tolkien's works, I admired the elves the most. I never thought in a million years, I would be thrown into this world, or encounter your kind." she shook her head. "I have to say, I am greatly greatly disappointed."

With her words, she had stung the great Lord of Lorien through the heart. Never had anyone shown such hatred for his kind. It saddened him to see such response, but could he blame her? His head hung slightly, feeling humbled by what she had said. Closing his his eyes, he made a plea to the valar for guidence and help with this lost child.

Leaving Haldir's talan, he made his way to the healers.

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