Gabrielle was feeling more confused than ever. Every kiss she shared with Taranel seemed like a betrayal. Every mention of their impending wedding broke and re-broke her heart. Something felt so incredibly wrong to her. His lips felt wrong, they did not feel like the lips of the blonde man looked. She was pacing anxiously in what had been deemed her room even though she was certain that it wasn't her room at all. Her room was…well it was just different.
She stopped and stood in front of a big white gown that hung on the outside of an armoire. It was beautiful, that could not bee doubted. The dress had a silken cinched bodice with thin sleeves and skirts that flowed out in layers of muslin and crinoline. Black satin ribbon decorated the bodice and twined around the length of the sleeves. The ribbon fell freely from the waist of the skirt. The ribbon then braided and twisted around the skirts. She wrung her hands nervously. The whole dress felt so wrong. She knew that her dress should have gold, like leaves just turned in autumn. Where was the gold?
Gabrielle sighed and sat down on her bed. Perhaps she would get this night to think, and Taranel would not visit. She knew it wasn't right for her to be entering her room at night, even if they were…betrothed. Just as these thoughts were passing through her head, there was a knock on her door.
"Gabrielle, are you decent?" As per usual, Taranel did not wait. He stepped right into her room with a smile. "How do you feel love?" He asked as he approached her. He gripped her upper arms gently and kissed her forehead.
"Fine." Gabrielle said tensely, shrinking away slightly from his lips. He didn't seem to notice.
He turned away slowly to look at the object of his Gabrielle's attention, her dress. He smiled and walked around her to wrap his arms around her so that they could both look at the beautiful dress. "One day soon, you'll walk to me in that gown." He murmured into Gabrielle's ear.
She was overcome with the desire to vomit. His hot breath in her ear made her feel exposed and uncomfortable. She pushed away from him and whipped around so that she looked into his eyes. "Should you be in here, Taranel?" She demanded, even as she watched the confusion and sadness pass through his eyes. "Is this really appropriate?"
Taranel recovered from his shock and chuckled. "Oh, Gabrielle, you worry over the little things, come here." He reached out and took her hand and though she wanted to pull away, Gabrielle remained perfectly still. "We are betrothed, we have nothing to worry about." He tried to pull her to his body again but she fought against his grip.
"No, Taranel." She said firmly, standing her ground. "This is not proper, I should not be with you without an escort." Then a thought struck her that hadn't occurred to her in the past couple of days. "Taranel," She spoke guardedly. "Taranel…where are my mother and father?" She asked.
Taranel sighed. "Come sit with me, Gabrielle." He instructed gently. He tugged on her hand and led her to the bed. Having forgotten her previous distaste, she followed, needing to know the answer to her question.
Taranel sat down, pulling Gabrielle down in front of him. He began massaging her back. His fingers danced on her shoulders and Gabrielle moaned slightly as some of the knots on her back were released. His fingers seamed to go deeper and deeper before Gabrielle snapped herself out of it. "No…Taranel, my question." She muttered.
Taranel sighed again. "Gabrielle, this was not something I wanted to tell you. The doctor said it wouldn't be good for you…that you had to remember naturally."
Gabrielle felt her heart rate climbing with fear, Taranel was dancing around the story or whatever had happened and it was scaring her. "Just answer me." Gabrielle demanded as she turned to face him.
There was a sadness in Taranel's eyes but also something else…behind the sadness…it was anger. She wasn't sure she was willing to risk his anger. Something inside of her was telling her to back down before she got hurt, but they were talking about her parents, they were important, she had to know this. Calm swept Taranel's face and Gabrielle felt herself become a bit less tense, sure that he would tell her, but it wasn't to be. There was a loud crack and suddenly Gabrielle was on the floor holding her stinging cheek. She could taste blood in her mouth and her body started to tremble as she looked up at Taranel with betrayal in her eyes. His face was still the deadly calm mask. He took a step forward and reached down, winding his hand around Gabrielle's neck. Her eyes widened in fear and she tried to draw away. Taranel clenched her next tighter and Gabrielle felt her airway close off. She raised her hands to his, trying to pull them off as black dots swam in front of her. "You want to know what happened to your parents, do you?" Taranel snarled as he shook her. "Your parents are dead" He screamed. He threw Gabrielle away from himself.
Gabrielle lay wheezing on the floor, with both of her hands running up and down her neck. She let out a few coughs before finally looking back up to Taranel. There were tears running down her face but she noted that the calm mask was gone, now he just looked sad. He walked forward again and kneeled in front of her, taking her chin. "I am sorry, Gabrielle" He said softly. He leaned forward to place a kiss on her lips, but Gabrielle turned her head to the side. Taranel sighed and stood. He cast a distasteful look at the girl he left lying on the floor. "I was hoping to do this the easy way, my pet…but I suppose the hard way will be more enjoyable…for me at least." He chuckled darkly and swept from the room.
Gabrielle didn't move from the floor. Her eyes were locked fearfully on the door, afraid Taranel would return. Her whole body was tacked with trembling as she wrapped her arms around herself. She stood and stumbled to the bed where she sat down, bending her chest half way to her knees. Her mind was running a mile a minuite…Taranel had struck her…his words promised more…and her parents…she let out a sob. How had they died. She could see two people in her mind when she thought of her parents. There was a blonde, fair woman who always appeared to be in pain and a stoic man with raven hair and silver eyes… We only recognized you by your eyes. Gabrielle heard the voice and whipped around swiftly, fearful that Taranel had snuck in while she was being inattentive.
"Who's there?" She asked quietly, raising a hand to brush her tears off of her cheeks. "Please…show yourself." There was no answer and another sob choked from Gabrielle, she felt so alone. She yearned for someone to hold her and tell her that all was well but it seemed that was not to be.
She sat alone for some time before walking to the window sullenly. She looked out to nearly empty streets. She looked back at her door, fearful that Taranel would reenter. She tried to brush that from her mind as she turned back to the window. She was on the second story and she wasn't so sure about falling all that way. It wasn't really on her agenda…then again, neither was what Taranel had planned. She looked back and forth between the door and the window frantically. She didn't know how long she would have to make a decision but she assumed it wouldn't be long. The stress started to show.
Her pulse slowly began to accelerate…faster and faster. Her breath came in short gasps. She needed to decide. She finally turned to face the window head on. She toed over to it and slunk out. The wood creaked and splintered but didn't completely give way. She breathed a sigh and took a step down onto the straw thatching. She pushed herself the rest of the way out the window and carefully wove her fingers into the thatching and started sliding down. No one was left on the streets but she didn't know how long that would be for.
She reached the edge of the straw and pushed off. She landed with her feet on the ground and bent knees. Her eyes darted to either end of the road. One direction lead to woods…the other…to the ocean. Gabrielle knew that she would be able to get away easier through the woods, but something about the ocean called to her. Something about the way the water glittered hypnotized her and drew her closer. She took her first step in the direction of the shimmering water. Her head turned back to the woods, yearning for her escape, for what made sense but she couldn't. There was an odd safety…beyond the ocean. Gabrielle stopped when her feet touched the powder soft sand. She wiggled her bare toes through the sparkling dust. The smell of salt burned her nose. The glittering water lapped up and wet the sand, darkening it. She took several more steps forward and let the water brush her toes.
Her eyes followed the sparkling blue to the horizon. There was something she wanted…something she needed, far beyond that horizon, over the water. It was something that she yearned for, something that she had been without for a very long time. She took another step into the water which instantly soaked the hem of her dress as it rose to her ankles. She inhaled deeply. Something deep inside her called her further. It felt primal…and instinctual. She took another step and she stood knee deep in water. Naneth, no! She heard a child's voice and turned to look around. She saw no one. She must be hearing things.
She was about to take another step when she felt something else, something pulling her the other way. There was a pure safety beyond the ocean but there was something undeniably waiting for her here still. She didn't know what it was. It couldn't be Taranel, but…that blonde man. Was it him? Was he still waiting for her? Gabrielle shook her head, she didn't even know who that man was. Her mind traveled to the one image of him in her mind and her body turned, and began walking from the ocean. He was waiting for her, and Gabrielle knew that she could not go to the ocean before getting to him.
She wanted to know who it was, the man who haunted her thoughts. She rung out the edge of her dress on the beach before walking down the road again, only this time she walked towards the wood. She kept her eyes trained on her goal, not sparring a look to Taranel's house. So, needless to say, she was shocked when she heard a voice.
"And…where exactly do you think you're going, Gabrielle?" The girl in question whipped around at the perfectly level sound of Taranel's voice. Her body seized up when she saw him. How long had he been standing there, under the eves of the first floor? Had he watched her go down to the beach?
She tried to hold herself strong and not to show her trembling. "I was…I am…leaving Taranel." She said as firmly as she could manage. "I would be hurt by someone who professes to love me." She kept her eyes on him as she slowly backed away.
It seemed that Taranel was satisfied just to watch her for a moment. There was a smirk on his face as he watched. "Now, Gabrielle." He began in a condescending voice. "Where do you think you would go? You haven't been here since losing your memory, you would be lost…stumbling around in the woods, trying to find your way…I could just watch as you succumbed to hunger and thirst and exhaustion, and then, when you were crying out to me…to save you…" He walked out towards her and Gabrielle took steps backwards to match his. "I would be watching then…and I would hold you, because you would be begging me…I wouldn't give you the other things you crave though…I would leave you in the basement, chained to my wall, hungry, thirsty, and scared." Taranel raised an eyebrow at Gabrielle's continuous retreat. "Or…we could do this the easy way…I'll take you to the basement and I'll get you something to eat and drink."
Gabrielle shook her head mechanically. Taranel was scaring her, especially his tone. It was so level, so cool…like he meant every word. Gabrielle didn't doubt that he did. She took a deep breath, refusing to look away from his deadly gaze. "I won't go with you, Taranel." She said with a soft but firm voice. She turned to walk away from him only to find herself surrounded by fowl black creatures dressed crudely with awful grotesque faces. She gasped and turned back to Taranel, who wasn't looking at her, but at something over her left shoulder. He nodded slightly.
Gabrielle whipped around just in time for something large and blunt to slam against her front with more force than she thought possible. She let out a scream of absolute agony as she fell to the ground, clutching her side. She saw pairs of awful marred legs coming closer to her and pain all over. She bit down on her lip, in hopes to avoid screaming. Whimpers and moans escaped her but she was avoiding screaming for a while. There was suddenly an iron boot in her stomach and all the air was expelled from her. Her mouth flew open in an effort to draw in more air and then there was a club in her face. She screamed loudly as she felt blood pour from her nose. She just wanted it to end. She needed someone to make it stop. She fought the pain and shock to pull her arms up to her face and cover it and she pulled her knees up to her chest despite the pain. She needed to protect herself. She felt a large chain beat against her back and she screamed. Someone had to stop this. She needed someone to stop this. Taranel wouldn't, she knew that, and she would never beg him. Not when he was the one doing this.
She wanted to call out for help, but she knew no one, she was truly alone. She was thinking of the blonde man, she knew that he would help her. Only, she didn't know who he was or if he was. Through her pain and screams, as she envisioned the lovely face she heard a voice. May I introduce Legolas. Gabrielle jolted. That was it. "Legolas!" She screamed as more pain lit her body like fire. She heard a crack and screamed.
Her wrists and ankles were suddenly grabbed roughly and yanked apart. She whimpered and raged breaths tore from her throat and she tried to jerk away. Her limbs were pulled far apart so that she was stretched before Taranel. Tears rolled down her face and obscured her vision of the man whom she had trusted. She could hear the rattling of chains as Taranel came close enough for her to see a distorted version of him. She couldn't see very well, but she could see perfectly the furious expression. She felt a hand in her hair, petting, tugging, yanking. "Gabrielle." Taranel began softly. She felt and heard chains trailing on her torso that was stretched out before him. "I never want to hear that name from your pretty little mouth ever again." Taranel's voice was perfectly level until the end. Then Gabrielle felt the chain land across her unprotected stomach and she let out a blood curdling scream. She yanked her body around, trying to escape but to no avail. Taranel struck her over and over, yelling over her screams. "Never again!" He shouted on one stroke. "Do you understand me, you treacherous wench, never" He struck again "Say" and again "That name" Gabrielle screamed under the chain. "Again!"
Gabrielle heard the chain clatter to the ground and she was dropped right after. She groaned in pain but couldn't summon the energy to move and protect herself. Breaths and desperate sobs were ripping loudly through her chest and tears poured down her face, everything hurt so badly. She dared to glance around and despite her fuzzy vision, she saw that she was completely surrounded now, by many kinds of people. They all stood around chuckling, laughing, cracking their knuckles and other joints. They all wanted a piece, she could see it. Gabrielle didn't want to see anymore, hear anymore, feel anymore. It seemed her body was willing to give in as well. Her vision swam before her eyes and slid in and out of focus. She heard talking but it was fuzzy, like her vision. She saw Taranel over her, felt his hand on her neck. She felt the hands leave and blackness consumed her. She heard noises for several more moments before she floated finally into blissful unawareness.
Eldarion was sitting at the fire with Elladan, Elrohir, and Legolas. They had been in discussion for hours, about what to do. More than once, Legolas had leapt up and made to run into the city, only to be forced down by the twins. He finally conceded that rushing in and getting captured or killed would do Gilraen no good. They figured that she would be injured and it would be hard enough to travel with one injured person, let alone two or three.
Their plan was simple. Elladan and Elrohir would go in at three hours past high noon. They would sneak Gilraen out her bedroom window, rush her to the forest edge where Legolas and Eldarion would be waiting. Legolas would take Gilraen on Loki north to Isengard where Aragorn would be waiting. They had sent him a message and while he hadn't replied (the hawk probably hadn't reached him yet) they all knew that he would be there. The trick would be getting there. While Legolas fled with Gilraen, Elladan, Elrohir, and Eldarion would lose themselves in the woods and follow the Gray flood to the old bridge and then double back to Isengard to meet the others. Fresh horses would be waiting there for them all if Gilraen would have to be taken to Imladris immediately.
They were accomplishing the hardest part though, the waiting. The waiting was far more difficult on the companions than the actual saving. They were just sitting there, around the fire, trying to extinguish the tension that was enveloping them. It was easy to see that they were all psyching themselves out for the challenge before them. Eldarion would be getting his aunt back, the twins, their sister, and Legolas, the love of his life. It was two hours before sunset and they were all focusing on what they would do.
It was awful, knowing that someone dear to you was only minutes away and being badly hurt but not being able to do anything about it. For a good portion of their time in self-imposed silence. It was at least tolerable on the elves and human to wait. But then a scream ripped through the area. It was clearly feminine and their enhanced hearing could distinguish that it was coming from the village. Each of them sought the eyes of another. They all knew who it was, and worse that there was nothing they could do, but no one would say it. They all looked in the direction of the village, hoping that their minds and ears were deceiving them.
More screams were tearing through the area and Legolas trembled and his eyes were wide. His lips were running at a million miles a minute and he sunk back to the ground, wrapping his arms around his knees. The twins were still staring blankly at the trees beyond their campsite and Eldarion was looking between them and Legolas anxiously. He wasn't sure what he should do. Then there was something even worse. "Legolas!" The name was cried out in pain and desperation.
Without thinking, Legolas leapt up and ran, ran towards his love who was crying his name. Eldarion and the twins tore after him. At the tree line to the village, The twins tackled the prince to the ground. He struggled against them as they all were forced to listen to Gilraen's screams of pain and Taranel's screams of anger.
"Stop!" Eldarion ordered his uncles. He had seen the danger the second they emerged from the trees. What appeared to be all of the citizens were gathered around something…something Eldarion didn't want to think about. If they were seen, they were dead. He had to protect his uncles.
The twins looked up though they still pinned Legolas. They gasped and pulled Legolas' head up. They all froze and backed away slowly, even though it hurt them to do so. They wanted to tear through the scum and take Gilraen but they could never win so they backed into the woods to the sound of her screams.
When they were hidden by the trees Legolas spoke. "We're coming, love" He promised. "Don't worry." They all walked heart-brokenly back to their campsite.