Chapter 27 - The Dim Quarters
"You are a vision of rebirth my dear," Gandalf spoke pleasantly as Vezely sat next to him on the white stone bench, her expression noticeably taking these words as jest. "Truly," he stated assuredly, hoping to further explain, "You do not remember, but I pulled you from the dungeons of Dol Guldor." The mention of the fortress of her prior captivity further piqued Vezely's interest in what he had to say, "You were but a shell of a being, the light of your people almost spent. I was not convinced you would recover, but you have proved an old wizard wrong."
Vez smiled slightly and casted her eyes aside, feeling uncomfortable to know he saw her in such a pathetic state. She did not recall much from the event when the White Council drove out Sauron, except for waking up many days or possibly weeks later in the house of the Blue Wizard Romestano, far out on the edge of the deserts of Rhun.
"It may do your heart well to know that the fortress is destroyed. Lady Galadriel has torn down its walls," he announced, desiring to tell her the news when he heard it.
Her eyes flicked back to him, for she wasn't expecting to hear of its destruction, and further wondering of surrounding Mirkwood, "And the forests?"
"The Woodland Realm yet stands, though with substantial losses. Fire has spread throughout, but Sauron's servants are no more," he noted she displayed some concern for her homeland and was glad for it.
Vez breathed in deeply, glad to hear the war there was over, though desiring some other details, "Was it the Easterlings?"
"No, the Orcs of Dol Guldor. Despite Sauron's intentions, the Easterlings never joined the attack. Most of their legions were destroyed by the Dwarves and the men of Dale at the Lonely Mountain after Sauron fell. Though if otherwise, such good tidings may not have been," he added steadily.
Vez nodded halfheartedly, strangely thinking of her life being reversed - if they still had been her legions and if her current fate was as theirs. She assumed many if not most fought to the deaths, as Easterling militias were trained to.
Gandalf picked up on her melancholy, and slightly changing the topic asked, "I've heard you've assumed leadership of the prisoners and will be their escort back to Rhun."
"I have, though not all are convinced it is a good idea," she responded wearily.
The wizard considered a moment, before revealing more information, "There was a reason the Blue Wizards never provided you rank in the resistance," for Vez was always delegated menial tasks, "It was not because you lacked ability."
"Because I was untrustworthy," she responded knowingly; despite the years spent with them she never came to care much for their cause, always believing it folly.
"Perhaps," Gandalf considered with a slight lift of one eyebrow, adding, "But more so you needed to learn humility before being sent West, which had always been the plan." Vez had assumed this; that the Blue Wizards had been priming her to go West, and having her learn Elvish was part of it.
"Then it was wrong of me to assume leadership?" She jumped to this conclusion.
"No," Gandalf replied curtly, "You have Maiar in your blood, you are a natural leader. But you needed humility to move past your own ambitions, to find something higher to lead for."
Vezely contemplated his words, before smiling slightly, conceding what it was, "The greater good."
He nodded, "The war is not over in the East. The Blue Wizards would now have you use your honed strategies and tactics to help reduce the bloodshed, to help end the chaos. You no longer work for Sauron, but for the greater good. It is the debt you owe. And you will not seek glory for it, or stand to gain more than what is earned. There may yet be peace for Rhun, and for yourself when it is over."
"Peace," she repeated the word with slight disdain, becoming even more reluctant to hope for it personally, "I still know not what that is."
"Search back to your memories before you were taken, you will find it there," he replied.
Vez thought to her childhood, happy memories came to her but if offered only concern, "But it is as gazing upon another self, a stranger."
Gandalf added, "Your path to peace can only come after you reconcile it is not," prompting confusion in her eyes, "You cannot be Vezely of Rhun or Bellethiel of Mirkwood," he said raising an eyebrow at her, "Oh yes, I know your Elf name. No, instead you are just Vezely, or Vez as many now call you," he smirked, noting he had created the nickname when he first introduced her to King Theodon, "Once you accept that, others will too."
Vez noticed that like Romestano, Gandalf always simplified situations. They were never wrong with their assertions, but tended to leave out the steps which complicated the path between A and B.
He stood up from the bench, and turned to her, "No one is perfect, Vezely," and then adding with a certain amount of charm, "Not even Elves."
She smiled; glad to hear such an assertion, especially after spending the evening thinking of herself as completely unworthy of the race. "I've been meaning to ask you," Vez started, stopping him from leaving momentarily, "The Blue Wizards, are they alive?"
Gandalf smiled down at her, grateful to hear genuine concern and perhaps even fear in her question, "They yet may be," causing her to breathe in another deep breath, gaining some hope even if it was uncertain. He looked up at the sky considering, "Ah, it may just rain tonight."
She was amused on how Gandalf could end a heavy conversation on a lighter note, but it did little to stop her from over contemplating. Where just before she wanted to dash to her room, now she remained completely still, feeling the weight of this new information - the fall of Dol Guldur, about the destruction of the Easterling armies, about the torching of Mirkwood. An odd mix of melancholia and relief rushed over her and she stared blankly ahead, finding the anger from before subside slightly and wondering further about her future path.
Legolas had been returning to his room after an afternoon of his own responsibilities. The Elven Delegation would arrive in Minas Tirith in a number of days and being the delegate currently there he would assist in preparing for their arrival, even taking on menial tasks such as arranging guest rooms, since he knew a few Elves not to room next to each other, also meeting times, coronation details, even food, for some Elves were specific in their diets. Having such tasks, even if not entirely pressing, allowed his mind a much needed respite from the evening spent in contemplation and the discomfort caused by the letter received from his father that morning. But walking into the courtyard and seeing Vezely, now clothed in foreign garb further reminding him of her difference, and seated completely still, staring blankly ahead, exuding unsettling emotions, again brought back his prior feelings of confusion. He stalled his steps, noting he desired to engage in conversation with her, but was uncertain how to.
Though before a decision was made, she had turned her eyes on him, having heard his movement just prior. Her gaze narrowed, and a second later she looked away in obvious contempt for his presence. For Vez, her anger immediately returned when she noticed he had stalled, obviously contemplating whether to avoid crossing her path or not. He wanted avoidance she thought, perturbed over his hesitation, so she stood up and walked away from him not looking back. Unfortunately it was not in the direction of her room, since that was where he stood, so she really had no plans on where she'd end up.
Legolas felt wounded by her response, suspecting he had induced such contempt by his actions for leaving her last night. He began following her, knowing it was wrong of him to provide her the cold shoulder after he had said his heart would not skate from promised affection. Perhaps, he thought in pursuit, it was not his heart but his head which confounded him.
Vez continued her route on an unknown path through the guest villa, unexpectedly running into two hobbits merrily making their way to the kitchen.
"Hoi Vez, fancy meeting you here," Merry said cordially.
"Though I don't think it's too surprising Merry, seeing as we are all staying in the same villa," Pippin added jovially, making Vez again wonder whether he was poking fun at Merry's sarcasm or completely unaware of it.
"I know that Pip," Merry replied quickly after, an all too common reply to his friend's remarks.
"Where are you two off to?" Vez asked, thinking she could follow.
"The kitchen, of course," Merry stated forthrightly.
"We discovered a secret," Pippin stated, appearing proud to soon reveal it, "After meal leftovers are actually left over in the kitchen. Perfect to go sneak a mid-day snack, or in this case, a before dinner snack."
"You're welcome to join us, of course," Merry added optimistically.
"I'd like that. I've yet to eat lunch." She was admittedly glad for the offer, giving her a place to continue to and avoid a possibly contentious confrontation.
"No lunch, why would one skip a meal when food is aplenty? They had best meat pies today..." Pippin continued his friendly banter as they continued their way to the kitchens.
Legolas overheard Vez's encounter with the hobbits from an opposite corridor, causing him to forego his chase. He needed not provide an awkward confrontation amongst trusted friends who had only just recently heard of their courtship. He would equally avoid discussing their personal troubles with anyone, though he knew Aragorn would lend an understanding ear if need be. No, he needed to work this out with her privately and explain to her why he reacted that way. He was equally determined to settle this before the Elven Delegation arrived, when a host of other issues, now alluded to in his father's letter, would undoubtedly complicate everything.
The pre-dinner snack was adequate enough for dinner with Vez's non-hobbit sized stomach. The villa certainly had the stock of food to appease a large amount of guests, which reminded Vez of the change in activity that would soon take place there in the lead-up to the coronation. Merry and Pippin's conversation continued to mention Frodo and Sam, both still recovering in the infirmary. The two were still overjoyed at being reunited. It reminded Vez of all those she would be introduced to in the upcoming days, with the two heroic hobbits the least of her concern. While she knew very little about the Elven Delegation, she was aware that the delegates hailed from each of the Elven kingdoms in the West, including the Woodland Realm. She knew Lord Elrond would attend, but she was unsure if Legolas's father, Thranduil would. Even without the current conflict going on between her and Legolas, meeting members of her race who held important enough status to represent their people, and who undoubtedly would know or have heard of her past relations did much to dampen her resolve. In the West, deeds that earned her respect to Rhun's warring cultures, which helped garner her leadership of the remaining Variags, were obviously not points of honor for Elvish culture; indeed, they were points of denigration. While she certainly did not desire total acceptance, being lovingly embraced by her kin was far from her mind, she equally did not desire flat out rejection or contempt, which she felt she was dealing with from Legolas at the moment. Gandalf's words to her, of reconciling her two sides, seemed far from a reasonable solution to gathering even neutral opinions from Elvish elites. She would maintain her confidence and stay true to herself, she thought; she was on the right path and she believed in her methods, even if others were less than certain of them.
Despite the foreboding chance of rain, Vezely still had her mind set on going to the Dim Quarters in hopes of multiplying her coin. She dressed again in her Gondorian gown and covered her ears and hair by a headscarf, for if the city was truly hostile to any affiliation with Rhun, as the old shop keeper had told her, she did not need to flag herself as from there by wearing foreign garments; especially in quarters where the city's less noble mingled. The sights lining the streets which composed the Dim Quarters were not unfamiliar to Vez, who had seen similar seedy places in all the larger cities she had stayed in. Despite darkness having just fallen on Minas Tirith, already drunkards were pacing the streets outside, making their way to the next bar, the largest of which, Caster's Haven, was an establishment known for its underground gambling rings, or at least that is what the young house maid had told her. She knew after walking into the dark interior, whose candlelight was dimmed by the excessive pipe smoke, that she stood out. Not that other young women weren't there, but the style of her dress and headscarf, both demure for these parts of town, marked her as an innocent among wolves.
She stood at the bar and ordered a pint of ale before turning her back on it and propping her elbows behind her on its ledge. Tuning out the racket from the band playing, which was not soothing to her ears by any means, she surveyed the room's interesting mix of characters confidently; her stance and demeanor appearing less out of place than her outfit. As expected it took only a matter of seconds until a man engaged in conversation with her.
He was tall, middle aged, dark of hair and short in beard, "What's a pretty little thing like you doing in a dive like this?" He asked, as if a concerned father, though undoubtedly with other intentions.
Her ale had just been brought and she turned around to retrieve it, "Wouldn't you like to know," she rejoined with some attitude, giving him a bit of the run around, thus causing him to smirk and shift his eyes to his friends who were watching the exchange from afar. He wasn't going to give up that easy.
Vez took a swig of her ale as the man nudged up closer to her side, "If you're looking for a good time," he added chivalrously, "I can be of service."
"Can you now?" she asked raising one eyebrow, "If you or your friends over there," her eyes shifted, noting that she knew he was communicating with them, "Know where I can multiply my coin, then perhaps you can."
"You, take to the tables?" he laughed slightly, truly thinking she was joking.
"Take is a good word for my purpose," she replied bluntly.
He cackled, but noting she was a serious, he added, "Alright little thing. But I wouldn't recommend it. The tables are not kind to newcomers."
She smirked slightly before engaging his eyes, "Oh I count on it."
The man figured it couldn't hurt to let her waste her coin if it gave him an opportunity for some company after. "Well then, why don't you follow me?" He glanced again at his friends who were impressed that the girl followed him, but surprised as they walked towards a door at the back of the establishment. The man knocked and the door was opened to them, revealing a staircase leading into the attic which was filled with busy gambling tables full of rough looking patrons and air even thicker in pipe smoke.
"Who's the girl?" the large man at the door asked, appearing to be familiar with Vez's new companion.
"She has coin to throw away," he told him while exchanging an encouraging look to let them pass, "Might as well let her." The doorman stepped aside, foregoing giving him trouble due to owing his friend a favor; assuming rightly that he was interested in the girl for other purposes.
Vez had seen enough clandestine gambling circles in her time, always hidden in the darkest corners of cities which purported a wholesome facade. Minas Tirith's walls stood white, its citizens dressed demurely, its culture upheld noble practice, but as with every city, there existed a dark underbelly which punctured that superficial reality. She knew to step lightly for within this world; powerful people played dark games, and newcomers seeking profits or anything else were easy targets. She would sit alongside her new male friend, who introduced himself as Bayler along with the names of the others at the table, "...And your name little lady?" He asked.
"Vesper," she smirked slightly, not having used that alias in some time.
"That's an interesting name," Bayler replied.
"My mother was an interesting person," Vez replied looking at him, adding sarcastically, "But I don't think you're interested in my mother," which caused him to laugh.
"Can she play?" the man across from her asked Bayler, slightly perturbed that his friend brought the woman and now appeared to be flirting with her, and apparently wasting their playing time.
"And she can also answer questions," Vez quickly retorted, taking adequate coin from her purse and placing them on the table. "I believe this weighs more heavily on your mind."
The man shifted his gaze to the other players, and Vez knew they were exchanging similar thoughts - that her coin would be easily lost thus why not indulge and allow Bayler to his plaything after. Yet that was not how it worked out. Vez was too skilled at reading them and they remained too convinced in her incapableness to reconsider their strategies. She had tripled her coin in the matter of four rounds, much to their discontent.
"This little ones full of surprises," Bayler laughed after losing another hand and deciding to back out of game play; he wasn't overly concerned for he was more interested in her company after. Yet the others at the table were less pleased.
"Where did you say you were from?" the man across from her asked while reshuffling the cards before another round. He seemed to have some authority in the group and was more interrogative than others who just wanted to regain their losses.
"I didn't," Vez replied bluntly, obviously disinterested in giving details.
"You are not new to this, but I don't believe we've seen you around these parts before," he added suspiciously.
"You haven't," she replied again curtly, afterwards drinking the last of her mug of ale, still not desiring to give him any more information despite him wanting her to.
"A mystery," Bayler said unconcerned, while ordering another round of ale for him and his new lady friend by raising him hand, "I like that."
After the next round she decided it was enough for the night. Her coin had grown to a respectable amount, but it wasn't extraordinarily ostentatious for a newcomer, she thought. She hoped to forgo any complications. Gathering her coin she said sarcastically, "Now that I've gathered my coin, I'll leave you to gather what you have left of your dignity. It was a pleasure, gentlemen," she nodded courteously before leaving.
Their eyes shifted amongst themselves as she left the table, but Bayler calmed them, silently eluding that he would take care of it - meaning he would give her similar treatment as all newcomers who take the tables a little too masterfully; a forced tax on their profits.
Vez left the smoked filled room, ascended the stairs and made her way through the tavern and out the door into the fresh cool air of the darkened street. Yet Bayler was close behind her and grabbed her arm, "Not so fast little one," he said pulling her back, "I can't just let you leave now."
"And you were so close to being a perfect gentleman," she remarked before turning towards him, her tone shifting to one more serious as she spoke in her face, "Remove your hand, or see it removed from your arm indefinitely."
He laughed slightly, "You are a rough one," he then boldly placed his hand on her waist in an attempt at an embrace, "I can work with that."
"Work with this," she said as she took the hand he had on her and brought it and herself behind his back; after tightening her hold on him, surprising him with her strength and his inability to get lose, she whispered in his ear, "You have two choices. Let me walk away, leaving the pockets and egos of you and your friends slightly damaged, or I dislocate your arm and then walk away." When no answer was made, she added discomfort by twisting his arm closer to the popping point.
"Alright alright," he squeaked out, "You can go!"
"You are a very reasonable man, Bayler," she told him as if a parent to a child before easing her grip and stepping away from him. She then threw him a coin after retrieving it from her purse, "For the drinks." Through instinct, he caught the coin she had thrown, though if judged by his demeanor he appeared shocked by the occurrence, having never been dismissed by a lady in that way before.
Vez was not convinced he wouldn't retrieve his friends and follow her so she took an alternate path from where she came in, winding her way farther into the Dim Quarters before circling back around to the upper levels of the city. The dark alleyways were somewhat quiet, most inhabitants in the taverns rather than loitering in the streets, yet her Elf ears picked up on a disturbance which concerned her, a young woman screaming, "No, don't, please stop!" She moved into a dark alleyway, her eyes witnessing a struggle taking place between a young woman and aman. As soon as she saw the man hit the woman across the face sending her to the ground, she raced towards them, quickly grabbing the man by the collar and throwing him against the wall. The front of the woman's gown had been ripped, alerting Vez to the true nature of the confrontation. A second later, the man had pulled a knife from his pocket, swinging it towards his attacker, but Vez grabbed his wrist, pulled his arm straight, and used her other hand to break it by hitting it in a direction opposite his elbow joint. It caused the knife to fall from his grasp only to be retrieved by her in mid fall. He collapsed against the sidewall in pain. "You fucking broke my arm!" he screamed at her angrily. With knife in hand Vez quickly went to his throat with it, saying darkly, "You're lucky if I don't use this to break another part of you," as she trailed the knife down his torso to his crotch. His eye went wide, "No, don't, please stop!" he squirmed under her grip.
"Familiar words," Vez replied amused, "Perhaps I shouldn't heed them since you didn't."
"Lady Vez? Is that you?" the voice came from the woman the man assaulted, as she staggered to her feet besides her.
Not pleased to have her name called while the man was still conscious, Vez immediately stopped her toying with him and hit the man across the head, knocking him to the ground. Throwing the old dagger to the side, "Shelbi, I am not even going to ask why you are here," she said perturbed, recognizing the woman was none other than the young house maid who had told her about the Dim Quarters the other day.
"I...I just wanted to," she stumbled on her words, still in shock over what happened, or what could have happened.
"C'mon," Vez interrupted her, "Let's get you out of here," she put her arm around the girl to steady her steps, but before they could even make it from the alleyway, Vez's gambling buddies had discovered them and blocked their path.
Bayler stood alongside the three others she had met at the table that night, "Sorry little one, we don't let newcomers get away that easily," Bayler said casually, though internally he was not pleased by their past altercation for it caused him to lose face in front of his companions.
"That coin that weights your purse, you return it to us and maybe you'll get a chance to play the tables again," the leader stated as ultimatum, for he was even less amused by the girl than his friend.
"And if I refuse?" Vez asked with a small smile.
"I wouldn't do that now," he warned, as the largest man to his left starting walking towards them, his intent on taking her coin purse no doubt.
Vez pushed Shelbi aside, adding right back, "And I wouldn't do that," she engaged the eyes of the man approaching her.
The man went to grab her arm but Vez grab his wrist, and unsuspecting to the man himself, she pulled him downward with enough force that allowed her quickly raised knee to meet the side of his head, sending him to the ground; causing the others to realize she was serious in her threat. The man, disoriented from being clocked in the jaw hard, was on his hands and knees attempting to regain his composure and get back up; spitting blood and a tooth from his mouth in the process. "I suggest you all turn around and call the night a loss," Vez stated coolly walking towards the fallen man and placing her foot on his back, forcefully pushing him back down to the cobbled street below, "Unless you like losing teeth like your friend here." She found herself amused at actually offering them a choice, for she would not have in the past.
Yet the three men were unconvinced she could take on them all, and they encircled her. "It seems you left us no choice, little one," Bayler added, playing with his words, "It's a shame, seeing how we now have to mess up that pretty face of yours."
"You know what Bayler," she said, her eyes shifting among each man as she considered her fighting strategy, adding, "You talk too much," before punching him in the face. It was enough to invoke the two others to converge on her. At first Vez deflected their blows, toying with them to gauge their abilities. Street thugs, she thought disdainfully at their pathetic skills; not trained in combat, only bullying. She then moved to quickly knock them out, which would allow her and Shelbi time to escape from the Dim Quarters without being seen or followed.
After sending the two down, the third, who had already lost a tooth in the beginning, found another switch kick to the head in his second attempt to get up in order to aid his friends. This left only Bayler; the one who appeared the most cordial of the bunch had found his way over to Shelbi, who had nervously stood back from the entire confrontation. Bayler had the idea of using the young girl as bate in getting what he and his friends desired - Vez's money. Shelbi tried to run from him, but he grabbed her by the shoulders, and pulled her into an embrace. He didn't count on her struggling to fight him off of her. "Stay still," he yelled, hitting her across the face, but she retaliated by smacking him across the cheek. Being hit again and by another girl, sent Bayler over the edge and his hands went to her throat and he began strangling her.
Vez quickly made her way over to them, grabbing Bayler's shoulder, intending to pull him off of her and to send him the way of the others, only to find him in shock, looking down at his own abdomen, holding the hilt of a dagger whose blade had impaled him. Blood seeped from his mouth and he fell on the ground below, rolling over on his back. Shelbi had defended herself; the girl must have found and pocketed the dagger from her previous assaulter, and she used it in her moment of desperation.
Vez's eyes went wide as she watched Bayler fall, shocked by this development; her demeanor slightly matched that of the woman who did the deed. She went to her knees aside him, his life was draining along with the blood that poured from the middle of his body. A crack of thunder was heard and followed immediately after by rain bursting from the darkness above. The water hit all of them hard, and a red puddle started to grow on the ground beneath them. Vez pulled out the dagger and tossed it aside, afterwards removing her headscarf in order to use it to put pressure on the wound. The man held fear in his eyes, knowing he would die in mere moments.
"Bayler," Vez engaged the man with her eyes, "You need to stay focused," she said providing him hope, even though she knew there was little she could do to save his life.
Bayler looked upon the newly revealed Elf, finding some semblance of peace from the little light her aura protruded, "I am...sorry," he said incoherently, wasting his last breaths on words Vez did not want to hear. As his life was extinguished, Vez felt some mild sorrow by his passing, an emotion unbecoming to her, though her grief was also due to the predicament she now found herself in - one quickly brought back to her attention by Shelbi.
"What have I done? I. killed. him," the girl stammered in her own state of shock, her arms wrapped around herself, her body uncontrollably shaking.
Vez's now bloody hands grabbed Shelbi by the forearms, "Look at me," she said strictly, hoping to turn the girl's eyes from Bayler's dead body. "You defended yourself. He would have killed you. You did what you had to, to save your life." Her breathing was heavy, and tears had already begun streaming from her eyes. Vez brought an arm around her, "I am going to get you out of here," she coaxed her to move, stepping through the red water below them. The possible repercussions of being connected to the incident soaked into both of them along with the rain as they made their way out of the Dim Quarters; doing so unnoticed since all others were now avoiding the deluge and staying indoors.
Being the middle of the night, it was completely silent in the lobby of the guest villa, and the two drenched women appeared to have arrived without acknowledgment by the other guests or keepers. Vez continued to hold Shelbi by her side, guiding her towards her room; stopping in a hallway which departed in the opposite direction from where Vez's guest room was located. After Vez released her, hoping to send her to bed, Shelbi stood still, not sure what to do, "Please. Don't leave me alone tonight," she said pathetically, tears which had stopped on their quiet journey now started again, "Not tonight, please Lady Vez."
Vez looked upon the pathetic being; only a child if compared to her in age, her whole life ahead of her, and now one possibly ruined by one night of poor judgment on both their accounts. She acquiesced to her request with a nod, adding, "Alright. Let's get you dry, we don't need you catching a cold."
Acting as caregiver, Vez assisted the girl as a mother would a child, or a maid would a high lady. She helped her undress, got her dry clothes, wrapped her in a blanket, and got a basin filled with clean water and clean linen to tend her wounds. Vez kneeled beside her as she sat in a chair staring blankly ahead, dipping the cloth in water and carefully dotting the brushed cut on her eyebrow. The girl again began sobbing, causing Vez to prop up her chin, as her mind searched for the right words of comfort, which she had little experience of giving.
Shelbi looked upon Vezely's concerned eyes, and began fluently confessing her thoughts, "I should have never gone there. I should have never agreed to have him take me home. I was so stupid."
Her words of self-blame pissed Vez off, "It is not your fault. You are a free woman, you should be able to go wherever you like. And you did nothing wrong with assuming others had decent intentions. No man is allowed to do what was done to you, none."
"But. Then I. Killed that man," she stammered again, still in shock of her action.
"A man who was trying to choke the life from you," Vez replied back solidly, as she looked upon the red bruises all too apparent on her neck, "You did what you had to."
There was also fear in her eyes, "But how do I go on? If anyone finds out, I'll be thrown in jail, or worse!"
"For defending yourself?" Vez scoffed, though slightly afraid of the answer of what they do to women who kill in self-defense. Men of the West had not proven more advanced in terms of gender hierarchies.
"They will never believe me," she said in a panic, "I don't know what to do!"
Vez grabbed her shoulders, turning her attention back to her, "First, you hold your head high. Do not let this event destroy you. Those men do not warrant ruining your life over. You are strong, and proved yourself fearless in the face of horror. Do not think otherwise."
She tried to believe her affirmations, tried to hold it together, but blurted out a moment later, "Please don't tell anyone, Lady Vez. Even that I was in the Dim Quarters tonight, for if the other house maids found out they would assume I am not a virtuous girl. I'd lose my job and I wouldn't have anywhere to go. Please Lady Vez, promise me."
An uncomfortable knot had formed in Vezely's gut, making her uneasy about promising, from where such concern came, she knew not. She looked at her wearily, deciding it best to agree and calm her fears. "No one needs to know."
Vez tucked the young girl into bed and waited by her bedside until she was asleep, standing guard as she heard Legolas had done for her when she was poisoned. It was right before dawn when she decided to leave the young girl's quarters. Her dress was yet damp from the rain which had stopped a few hours ago; it made the air smell clean and the breeze filtering through the open walkways feel crisp and cool to her skin. Vez desired only to be unseen, for her gown's skirt was dyed in red up past her knees, stained by the puddle of Bayler's blood she knelt in. She knew it would not come clean and needed to be disposed of, for the implications of a blood stained dress would cause questioning.
When she made it behind her closed door, she let out a sigh of relief. She removed her coin purse from her pocket and threw in on her desk, causing some of the round metals to escape from its top. The sound and sight stood as reminder of the incident, causing her to curse herself in Easterling for suddenly finding herself in such a precarious situation - all due to a desire to multiple her coin. She pondered if she would have just let her gambling buddies have what they wanted then a young girl's hands would be clean, Bayler would be alive, and any possibility of being implemented in a death charge would have washed away with the rain.
After she had washed her face and hands, she had begun removing the outer layer of her ruined dress when a soft knock came at her door, the footsteps of the one who produced it were imperceptible to her ears thus she knew it was Legolas. The Elf had heard the two women arrive in the middle of the night, for he was up on the veranda listening to the raindrops and admittedly, concerned about Vezely's whereabouts.
"Now is not a good time," Vez called to him perturbed in Elvish, alerting him that she did indeed know it was him. She then began peeling the inner layer of her damp gown off, hastily finding her new pants and shirt from among the clothes she hadn't bothered to fold or put away prior to leaving earlier. After dressing, she wrapped the blood stained clothes into a bundle, throwing them under her bed for the time being.
Legolas replied in a calm manner, "I am checking to see if everything is alright. You returned late, and the young woman you were with, she sounded in trouble."
Vez gritted her teeth, for they were not unseen as hoped, "It is not your concern," she replied steadily, coming closer to the door but of no mind to open it.
Legolas could since her unsettled emotions: slight nerves, mixed with anger and uncertainty, "If something has happened, I would lend aid."
His polite gesture only reminded her of the prior evening's conversation. His words, if I would have known, filtered again through her head. She scoffed slightly. Leaning her back against the door, knowing he was directly on the other side; she was invisibly turning her back on him. She queried sarcastically, "Now knowing the true nature of my past, you would lend aid? I doubt that."
Legolas closed his eyes and placed the palm of his hand on the door itself, as if he knew she leaned against the other side. Part of him felt her reply was childish, for he was simply displaying his concern, yet another part of him was wounded by her words, as he was wounded by her overt disdain of his presence earlier that day. He knew he had caused this strife by turning away from her when he said he would not. "We have not finished our conversation, thus I do not yet understand the true nature of your past," he said cautiously, hoping to reiterate that he still wanted to converse with her so he could understand.
"It was finished, and you left conceding not to understand," Vez reminded him sharply, for she had provided him enough details, even uncomfortable ones that he demanded she give, and she tried wholeheartedly to explain her changed position, yet he walked away.
"I left because there was much I had not expected to hear," he explained, adding, "I needed..."
"Time," Vez finished his sentence, turning and talking at the door itself, "Time to reconsider our relationship."
He didn't reply, for it was what he needed, for he felt deceived into loving her and uncertain they could have a future together, but it was his head, not his heart that needed time. His heart belonged to her, regardless of her past. "Vezely," he said softly, pressing his forward against the door, hope apparent in his plea, "Please open the door so I can explain."
Vez stepped back from the door, crossing her arms and committing mentally to not pull it open. But after a moment of silence, she noted perhaps he did desire to reconcile what they had, and her heart ached to have it so. So she answered him, with a tone as soft and hopeful as his, "My door still remains unlocked to you," giving him choice to make the next move.
A small smile formed on Legolas's face after hearing her words, for her giving him leave to enter her quarters as she did the first day they came to the villa, a time when no strife existing between them. He grabbed the handle, turning the knob when a small bevy of guards were heard marching down the hallway, led by Faramir, who personally hailed him.
"Lord Legolas, is Lady Vez in her quarters?" he asked authoritatively, his voice also alerting Vezely inside. By the sound of the footsteps and the clank of metal, she knew Faramir was not alone, but with guards. She gritted her teeth and cursed in Easterling tongue, knowing all too well why they were there.