"Argh, how does he do that?" demanded Eorel in exasperation, as he vainly scanned his surroundings. "I swear, he was sitting right there a moment ago!"

Rercyn groaned and turned to look at a nearby Craban in the eye. "Well?" he demanded. He could only sigh in resignation as the Craban flapped its wings in an aggravated manner.

Clearly, it had no idea of where its master had disappeared to either.

Together – looks like this has turned into a habit, Rercyn thought tiredly – he and Eorel dismounted from their horses, waited for a helpful Craban to perch upon their shoulders, and set out to search for their erstwhile ally/prisoner/king.

It's strange, thought Rercyn reflectively, how one man can hold, simultaneously, all three of these roles. But then, Raza – as Rercyn and Eorel had taken to calling him, since he'd refused to provide his own name – was a very strange man indeed.

Looking back into the past fortnight in which they'd been traveling together, Rercyn could only shake his head in confusion at what little information they'd gleaned from Raza. When the hero-worship had faded – and it had faded fast, mostly because of how utterly antisocial and irritable Raza was – suspicion had set in, and Rercyn had to suffer several nights of Eorel berating him for his gullibility.

"Well, he's really...tall. Like King Elendil the Tall. I suppose...it shows that they're related?" Rercyn's sole, weak defense of the glowering Raza a few nights ago had sounded not in the least convincing to either Ranger.

Who is Raza? Where did he come from? Must he be so annoying? What's his real name? How could he be a king? Can he quit setting his Crebain on us when we wake him up in the morning? Could he be Sauron's spy? Is it safe to bring him into Minas Tirith? Will he stop disappearing like this, you aggravating man!

The Craban let out a disapproving caw at that, startling Rercyn out of his thoughts. He'd blinked, only just realizing that he'd half-shouted that last sentence aloud, and patted the Craban's feathers to soothe it.

"Sorry, little one. I just wish he'd realize how dangerous it is to continuously wander away! It really isn't a good idea to separate when there's so many Orcs hunting us." By his side, Eorel grunted in agreement, while the Craban cawed again, seemingly mollified.

Which is yet another thing which I'd never think as normal before I met Raza, Rercyn thought grumpily. What sane Ranger would consort willingly with potential spies of the Dark? However, he couldn't say that he regretted it at all. The little fluffy birds had proved their usefulness to Raza and the Rangers time and time again. They were a comforting source of entertainment and companionship, and had also helped create the uneasy alliance that currently existed between the Rangers and Raza.

They're so much like their master. One can't help but like them, even when one knows that they're sly and manipulative.

I just have to remember that they have their own agenda, though. I can't forget that their loyalty is, first and foremost, to Raza.

"Damn it! Damn it you blasted wand why won't you work?" In a fit of rage, Severus raised his arm, ready to fling the crudely-made wand away...and lowered it again. Slamming into the pouch where he kept the other failed wands for further examination and experimentation, he could feel only despair at his continued inability to fashion a wand successfully. He'd tried various kinds of woods and cores. He'd tried varying the length, the thickness, the amount of magic he'd used to fuse the core and the wood together. He'd even tried painting runes upon the wand to help it channel magic, but it was all to no avail.

What is the secret to wandmaking? Will I never find it? Severus keened softly as he imagined the possibility of being forever wandless. He could survive, he could still wield magic, but somehow, it wasn't the same. To have to watch his spells so closely, to be forced to conserve his magic...Merlin, he'd never been so near to magical exhaustion in his life!

For months, Severus had been pushing himself, had been straining to keep one step ahead of the game between the Light and the Dark. Nearing the day of his confrontation with the Dark Lord, Severus had been so stressed out he could barely manage to eat and sleep.

It didn't help that once he'd gotten to this strange new world, his paranoia couldn't let him rest well, and had pushed him to constantly be on guard, to protect himself with as many spells as he could wield. And since he'd lost his wand, he'd been forced to do this wandlessly, and sometimes nonverbally.

So, it no longer mattered that he had vast magical reserves or a high magical recovery time. It was maddening to feel himself get weaker by the day and if Severus had a choice, he would never have engaged in so many goblin fights with such strained magic. Merlin he needed his wand, he needed it so badly...!

Severus stiffened in surprise upon hearing a strange rustling in the trees. In a trice, he'd regained his composure...only to lose it again when he looked up to realize that his little familiars had finally found him and were zipping around in what seemed to be a half-relieved, half-angry frenzy. Severus felt a guilty twinge in his conscience for blocking his link to them. He couldn't help it, though – while he loved his familiars dearly, he still required his space and privacy. He couldn't take being around them so much. Couldn't take them seeing him so weak...

Not weak. The sudden, stern voice in his head startled him. Apparently, the Crebain had finally tired of the block Severus had placed on their link and forcibly torn it down. Worry and indignation colored their thoughts. Hard life, but you survive. You live. Strong.

No. Severus sent back at them. I'm no longer strong. I'm addicted to magic, like those fool purebloods in my old world. I'm caged by my lack of a wand, caged like a prisoner...

Caged? Caged? The sudden fury burning down the link was as unexpected as it was hurtful. Fire raced through veins, fire that he couldn't stop, fueled as it was by the Crebain's wrath against him. Severus fought and failed to choke in his pained cry.

Immediately, the burning disappeared; the agitated Crebain crooned and soothed him. Sorry, sorry, strong. Uncaged, ours ours flock ours...

Severus threw his hand up, warding them away. Yours? He infused that word with all his bitterness, as he tasted the fresh sense of betrayal. They hurt me. They had no right, no right to do that. He should've known all along that it was too good to last. He should've known, and yet he'd hoped...

No no sorry accident...

"Enough." Severus spoke aloud, slamming down on their bond forcibly. I will not be made weak, not by magic, nor by you. His voice was chilly as he cast about to change the subject. "We should seek out the warriors. It's odd that they haven't found me yet..." Severus trailed off as he felt an odd, suspicious little twinge from the link. Narrowing his eyes, he reopened the link.

Meekly, the Crebain showed him a strange view of the warriors. It took him just a moment to realize that it was seen from the eyes of the Crebain on the warriors' shoulders...and that they were subtly leading the warriors away from where Severus stood. Baring his teeth, Severus sneered at his little familiars, "Finally thinking to ingratiate yourselves with me? After a whole week of leading them to me whenever I wished to be alone? Is it no longer for my own good that I be a caged prisoner?" As his voice rose into a crescendo, Severus was working up a full head of wrath.

He was unprepared, however, for what followed.

The Crebain had been getting increasingly distressed. His last words, shouted out so viciously, seemed to galvanize them into action. In an explosion of feathers and wings, they descended upon Severus, crooning and preening his hair and desperately showing regret. Sorry sorry so sorry accident just memories no cages no cages...

Against his will, Severus felt his rage crumble before their pitiful looks. Sighing, he ran his fingers through their feathers. "I...apologize. That was unwarranted. I know that you're worried about the goblins attacking me."

Sorry sorry so sorry accident just memories no cages no cages...

Severus blinked. "No cages?" That worked the Crebains up even more. No cages no cages nocagesnocagescagescages...

"Hush now, it's alright," Awkwardly, Severus tried to soothe them but they didn't listen, caught up in a strange horror. At a loss, Severus finally reverted back to mindspeak. Shh, shh, it's alright. Talk to me. That's why you sent the warriors away, right? You wanted to talk, I promise I'll listen, I won't lose my temper again. Be calm, be calm.

Gradually, the Crebain quieted down, though their eyes still held a terrible vestige of fear. Their mental voice, when they finally spoke, was faint, almost a whisper in Severus' mind. Bad memories. Cages hurt. Help?

The last word, whispered so plaintively, brought a strange ache to Severus' heart. Slowly, he nodded. What should I do?

Trust us. Open mind. Their eyes pleaded, even as Severus involuntarily jerked back in denial of their request. No shields. Open mind. Severus began to shake his head, but froze at their last, heartfelt word. Please.

Please. Severus, please. Albus had asked him please too. But Albus had asked for something much more manageable than dropping his shields. He had never done that, not for anyone, not for anything. Even when the link was forged between himself and the Crebain, it hadn't been agreed to on his part; it had been forced to form by his magic. And though he loved the Crebain, though he constantly spoke to them over the link, he hadn't ever dropped his shields.

And yet, they were his familiars. If he couldn't trust them, who could he trust? He hadn't trusted Lily with his true, loving feelings for her, and it left him alone and friendless. He hadn't trusted any of his Hogwarts colleagues with his secrets, and it left him reviled and ignored. He hadn't trusted the warriors with even his name, and so now, they looked upon him with suspicion and anger.

Could he deny his trust to his familiars too?

His familiars. His helpers.

His friends.

Closing his eyes, Severus breathed in sharply. And finally spoke one word.

"Alright."

He dropped his shields, welcoming in the flood of memories from the Crebain.

A/N: For further clarification, the Rangers chose the name Raza for Severus because Raza is Westron for "stranger".

Also, quite a few readers seem worried about Severus' lack of a wand. No worries, I've got an idea for that which will come in a few chapters. Love all the creative suggestions though!