Another chapter up before I start writing my essays for school -.- three of them D:
A couple more chapters of this story and then it will be over, I think. Sorry lovelies!
Enjoy and review!
~:Elven Kat:~
Rìan lost all sense of time as she hung from the ceiling. Had it been a day? A week? A month? What of Legolas? And Nyvyan? She missed her family terribly. All she could do was stare at the candle that was kept burning by the door. The flame danced as the door swung open. Giwen stood there, a smile playing on her lips.
"What do you want?" Rìan hissed as the woman came closer.
"Do you not know?" Giwen asked, her face now directly in front of the elleth.
"Do not play games with me!" Rìan said.
"You are in no position to speak to me in that manner," came the cold response.
Rìan struggled, wanting desperately to snap the woman's neck.
"It is Legolas I want," Giwen whispered, her breath hot on Rìan's ear. "Now that you are missing, he needs comfort to ease his mind. I have comforted him, holding him in my arms."
"He will never be with you!" Rìan spat.
The thought of this whore of a woman, caressing and holding her beloved, made Rìan furious.
"Do not worry. I shall take care of Nyvyan as well," Giwen said.
"Do not touch my son!"
Giwen laughed as Rìan tried to break the rope that held her.
"It is only a matter of time before you slip out of his mind," Giwen told her, smiling.
The woman turned and left, glancing back at the elleth as she closed the door behind her. Knowing she was defeated, Rìan hung her head and cried. She cried for her family and wondered if she would ever see them again.
~:✿:~
As time passed, Rìan began to feel...cold.
I'm fading, she thought, since Elves do not normally feel cold.
Grief had taken over her body, slowly killing her. She was weak. In her mind's eye, she saw Legolas and Nyvyan, their faces blurring into a whirlpool. She saw Arwen and Aragorn, even Gimli. Braedia, Guddry, and Eowyn flashed before her eyes too. The door swung open and Giwen, accompanied by a man, entered.
"Cut her down," Giwen commanded.
The man came to Rìan and severed the rope. Rìan fell into a heap on the stone floor, too weak to stand. The rope had cut into her wrists, drawing blood that dripped down her arms. There it had dried, leaving lines of red over her pale skin. With her foot, Giwen tilted Rìan's face upwards.
"You do not look so well," Giwen said. "How am I supposed to present you to Dunyc?"
"Dunyc?" Rìan asked feebly.
"Yes Dunyc. He is a slave trader. He has been looking for an Elf to keep as a...pet," Giwen replied.
As she spoke, another man entered. He was short and wide. His brown hair fell to his shoulders and his eyes were dark.
"Is this the Elf?" he asked, his voice booming.
"Yes, Lord Dunyc. This is she," Giwen said, stepping aside so the man could have a better look.
He knelt down and grabbed Rìan's slender face with his meaty fingers, adorned by many rings.
"You are a pretty one," he said, twisting Rìan's head side to side, inspecting her. "Leave us."
Giwen left, followed by the first man.
"You will make a wonderful pet," Dunyc growled.
Rìan did not move. She felt his hands glide over her, cupping her breasts and sliding downwards.
"A wonderful pet indeed."
Those words made Rìan want to vomit but she held it back, determined to stay strong.
"So, Elf. I heard you are wedded to Legolas, Prince of Mirkwood," Dunyc said. "Does it upset you that he cares not about you?"
"He does care," Rìan hissed.
Dunyc laughed, his belly shaking.
"If he cared, he would have found you by now!"
Rìan gritted her teeth, holding back tears.
"It does not matter. You will come away with me and he shall never see you again," Dunyc said, stroking her cheek.
Rìan turned her head away from him. Dunyc stood and called out.
"Giwen!"
The woman came through the door.
"I am satisfied with her. I shall be back tomorrow to fetch her. Dress her in a nice gown and clean her up. I will not have her dirty and bloodied," Dunyc demanded.
"Yes, my lord," Giwen said, bowing.
The two left, leaving Rìan in the floor, awaiting what she thought was an inevitable fate.
~:✿:~
Legolas paced the throne room angrily. Aragorn was talking quietly with one of his guards. The guard bowed and left the room. Legolas turned to the King.
"Well?" he demanded.
"The order has been given to search every house in Minas Tirith," Aragorn said.
"It had been a week," Legolas hissed.
"Legolas. We will find her. She has not left the city. The guards at the gate would have recognized her," Aragorn reassured him.
Legolas said nothing as he began to pace again.
"My friend. All will be well," Aragorn said, attempting to calm the Elf.
The doors to the hall swung open.
"King Elessar! King Thranduil of Mirkwood has arrived!" a man announced.
The two friends turned to face the Elven King as he entered, flanked by Elven guards. He was tall with the same blond hair as Legolas. He wore a crown of spikes on his head and a long robe of gray. His stern face was set with two blue eyes that seemed to glitter.
"Father," Legolas said, placing his hand on his heart and bowing.
The two Kings greeted each other.
"Have you found her yet?" Thranduil asked.
"Every dwelling in Minas Tirith is being searched as we speak," Aragorn replied.
"This is rather unfortunate. I had hoped to meet my new daughter and grandchild under different...circumstances," Thranduil said, turning to meet Legolas' eyes.
He spoke his words slowly and evenly. Legolas could not hold his father's gaze for long and he let his face tilt downwards. The males fell silent. It seemed like an eternity passed before the silence was broken, as a guard burst through the door.
"She has been found, King Elessar!" he cried.
With a burst of speed, Legolas was at the man's side.
"Where?" he asked, shaking the man slightly.
"On the second level. In the cellar of Lady Giwen."
Anger rose in Legolas. In a blind rage, he flew out of the throne room. Nothing would stop him from saving her.
~:✿:~
Rìan still lay on the floor as she managed to remove her bonds. The rope had cut into her wrists, leaving them bloody and raw. Tomorrow, she was to leave Minas Tirith, never to return. She would never see her family again. She placed her forehead against the stone floor as a voice faintly reached her ears.
"In the name if the King, open this door! We are ordered to search your house!"
My mind is playing tricks on me, Rìan thought.
But then the voice called out again.
"Open this door!"
It was only minutes before the cellar door swung open.
"In here! I have found her!" a man shouted.
He came over to her as she weakly raised her head.
"My lady. Do not move. You are injured," he said.
More men appeared in the doorway. All wearing the armor of Minas Tirith. One of them barked an order to place Giwen under arrest. And then there was a flash of blond as Legolas flew past them.
"Melamin," he whispered, kneeling beside her.
He gathered her into his arms and held her close, not minding her matted hair or dirty gown. Despite her ordeal, the scent of strawberries still lingered on her.
"How long has it been?" she asked quietly.
"A week. But it is alright. I am here now, melamin," Legolas said.
"Legolas," she breathed before slipping into unconsciousness.
He picked her up, carrying her through the soldiers and out of Giwen's cellar. He did not put her down until they were safe in their chambers. Legolas refused to let Braedia help, asking her to watch over Nyvyan instead. The Elf Prince tended to his wife that night, bathing her, brushing out the knots in her hair, dressing her, and laying her in bed. He laid next to her, holding her tightly as she slept. Neither of them stirred as Braedia entered, putting Nyvyan to bed. The room was dark and quiet, save for the fire that burned in the fireplace. Outside, the city was peaceful as a warm breeze swept through it and the crickets chirped in the tall grass. Stars twinkled overhead and not a single cloud was to be seen. Aragorn had been right. All was well.