First, super, super, SUPER sorry it took so damn long to update. I've been working on a different fandom. I'm also sorry for the strange mess up when I first updated. Hopefully I fixed it. Here's the next chapter. Also, please read the AN at the bottom, it's important.

The time of their departure did come, two weeks later. During those two weeks, in the mornings from sunrise until noon, I was with Elrond in the Healing Halls, learning all I needed to know about taking care of elves—the difference in anatomy, elves compared to humans, was astounding, something I never would have guessed, based on looks. In the afternoons, I spent hours with Legolas, either watching him train, exploring Imlardis with him.

After he left, the highlight of my week was the Sundays when his letters came in. Time passed, more than I ever even realized, most of the time. My schedule was regulated and perfect. I was content to see my days pass by without trouble, change, or worry.

Ten years passed, ten fast years. In the spring Arwen decided to visit my adopted grandparents, that I've never met before, so when the time came for her to come home, Lady Celebrian decided to take me with her, to meet them. We'd all come home together.

"Do you have to go?" Lord Elrond asked, for the forty-second time in three days. "Can you not wait for a better time?"

"Better time, Elrond? When is there ever going to be a good time to travel across the Misty Mountains?" While I agreed with my adopted mother, I also agreed with my adopted father. The roads were dangerous, some of the mountain passes were simply swarming with orcs. It worried me to go through the mountains, but…I was also curious to meet Lady Celebrian's parents.

Lord Elrond was silent, before pulling Lady Celebrian into a tight hug. "I apologize, Meleth-nin," he murmured, "But I worry for you."

He met my eyes over Lady Celebrian's shoulder. "All of you. Just…be careful, please? And keep with your escort."

Lady Celebrian kissed her husband. "Of course. Come, Nîn, we must leave before the sun is up, else we will be stuck in the mountains during the night."

I nodded, but as she left the room, I turned to Lord Elrond. "It'll be alright." I said softly. "We'll be safe." For reasons beyond me, I had the distinct feeling this was not so.

Lord Elrond sighed, before pulling me into his arms, enveloping me in the tell-tale sent of ink, books, and honey. "Come back to me, Nîn." He said softly. "Don't forget to come back."

I nodded, accepting his love. "I will."

We pulled away. He caught my face in his hands and kissed my forehead softly. "Safe travels, Iell-nin."

~X~X~X~X~

The shadows of the mountains darkened over us, the sun had passed from sight long ago, but sunset and total darkness were at least four hours away. We weren't being particularly quiet, or any such thing and I was nervous. I wasn't paranoid, I just wasn't comfortable.

"Éponine, my sweet," Lady Celebrian addressed me softly, "What is bothering you?"

I looked over at her. She always stole my breath away with her beautiful pale form, everything about her spoke of grace, beauty, wisdom, and kindness. "I don't know," I answered truthfully. "I'm just nervous. Something doesn't feel right."

She smiled gently at me, reaching over and squeezing one hand. "All is well, my sweet, we are protected."

I nodded, but I couldn't get Lord Elrond's warning out of my head and I hated not knowing—anything. I sighed shifting in my saddle, but suddenly I tense when the scuttering of falling pebbles alerts me to the presence of something in the pass other than us.

"Captain Herion," I started to say, but the orcs came out of nowhere. Bella, my horse, screamed in terror, rearing as a large orc jumped at me. With the speed and agility, I'd all but forgotten about I leapt from the saddle, hit the ground and rolled. I came up again just as Bella fell dead and the orc turned to Lady Celebrian.

"Cele—" My scream was cut off as a sharp pain sliced across my arm. I spun and caught an orc in the nose with my elbow. Playing dirty I knead him in his 'manliness' and ended the fight with a swift beheading using his own blade. I turned back to Lady Celebrian just in time to see four orcs drag her off.

She screamed, her faë calling out to me, but my way was blocked by two ugly brutes. "Well, look at this little mouthful, bet she could give a pretty good fuck!"

I growled tensely and despite the warning the Sisters had given me, I lowered into the familiar beginning battle stance. The two laughed but drew their blades. I leapt first, engaging the one on the right in a deadly dance, the second one stepped back with a smirk, letting his companion take my onslaught.

I thrust, parried, blocked, dancing around him searching for an opening, then just as I saw one, I felt the muscle in my right thigh rip and suddenly explode in pain. I screamed and crumbled to the ground, the world around me going black. Fear screamed in my mind.

~X~X~X~X~

I jerked awake with a shriek as the foulest cold water suddenly brought my mind from the black of unconsciousness. I stifled a cry when a twinge of pain shot through my right leg, but that became the least of my worries as dark laughter filled the cave, we were in. I didn't get a look around before an enormous orc suddenly yanked my up by my hair. I winced in pain but couldn't tear my eyes away from the brutish creature before me.

His skin was dark gray and his eyes red as blood. He wore a feral smirk, long dark fangs jutted down over his bottom lips. His dark dreads were pulled back with a leather cord that matched the black leather he wore. He smelt horrendous, to say the least.

"Looks like the little warrior's awake!" My heart, already pounding, was going to fast for words. "The boys were right, you're a right pretty fuck."

I couldn't seem to think straight. I was resisting every instinct in me, urging me to rip the thing's hands out of my hair. "Let go of me," I muttered softly.

He burst into roaring laughter, that was like a knife in my ear. The very sound of it was physically painful. He dropped my hair, letting me fall to the cave floor. I caught myself, but too my horror, I'd been dropped right into half decomposed bones.

My half-stifled shriek caused another round of harsh laughter. My world was spinning, my head pounded, everything wasn't right. It couldn't be right. I wanted to go home, even before the whip, I wanted to go home.

Even after it lifted, and I felt the white-hot crack I could only think, feel, and function on my want to be home, in Lord Elrond's arms.

IMPORTANT, PLEASE READ!

Hey, this is then end of The Beginning. Next starts the beginning of the three part split. I'll start with Rescued and every break-off after that, then go on to Changing, and last Lost. I hope you all understand, enjoy, and continue to follow.