Note: There is only one reason that I decided to give this story a T rating. This is because (if you hadn't guessed already from the first chapter) it does deal with torture. I will not be very graphic with it, but some people may find it uncomfortable, especially as with the way I write I concentrate more on what the character is feeling rather than what is actually happening. It is luckily a very short section. Please review.

Also ""Quote"" indicates the twins talking in unison.- PT

Athrana (Wandering Shadow)

Chapter 2- Athrana

TA2938

Athriel sat as still as she could in the tree tops. She could hear them coming, but she needed a weapon. As much as she wanted to, she couldn't just leap down on top of them without a plan. She had to keep calm no matter what happened. She had to get home. Home, she had to hold on to that thought.

TA135

Her room was huge, especially to a 4yr old. Erestor had put her down once they reached the door so that he could unlock it. Then he had taken her hand and led her over the threshold.

"This will be your room Athriel"

The door opened up into a small living space. There was a large sofa on a round rug beside a huge ornamental fireplace. There were shelves all around them and a large storage chest. It all looked so grown up.

"Once your stuff gets here we can figure out where it will all go. There are shelves and the trunk, and hooks on the wall to hang whatever pictures you like. Tomorrow we can see about getting whatever you need. And this is the bedroom"

Erestor pushed open a door in the far end of the room.

In the centre of the room was a huge bed with burgundy sheets and what seemed like thousands of cushions and pillows. There was also a large wardrobe, a dressing table and a balcony. With great excitement she ran to the balcony doors but they were locked.

"I'm sorry Athriel, but I don't want you going out there until I can make it more secure."

She heard laughter from behind them and spun around to see Glorfindel laden down with bags.

"It has already started I see my friend"

He said dropping the bags onto the bed before putting his hand on Erestor's shoulder.

"I am afraid Athriel that you will find your brother far more protective than any other Ellon you have ever met."

Tilting her head to one side Athriel watched as Erestor shook Glorfindel's hand away and proceeded to look through his pockets.

"I don't know about that. I have the key here somewhere, we can go out on the balcony if she wants."

Athriel smiled.

"It's alright Erestor. I don't have to go out on the balcony. What's through this door."

She pulled her brother over to the door beside the dressing table.

Through that door was her very own bathroom. Athriel shrieked in delight. She had never had her own bathroom before.

"You don't think she's a bit young for all this do you Res?"

Glorfindel asked quietly, although Athriel still heard him.

"Of course not Fin. She will need her own rooms eventually and what's the point of moving again then. I want her to be settled here. Besides until then she can use my rooms as well."

Athriel grinned while she pretended not to listen to the adults talk. That was until Erestor mentioned his own rooms.

"Where are your rooms Erestor?"

She asked oblivious to how she had given herself away for listening. He grinned and led her back through to the living room. On the right wall there was a very new looking door. Glorfindel groaned.

"You had a door knocked through?" He asked, but her brother ignored the question.

Erestor opened the door into a larger living area. It was similar in decor to her own, but with a large desk on one wall and crammed full of books.

"These" He said "Are my rooms. I want you to treat them as your own."

Glorfindel laughed again at his friend as he swept his little sister into his arms to show her around his rooms. While they were busy he decided to start on the unpacking. That was until he heard the 4yr old shout from the other room.

"Glorfindel where are your rooms?"

Sighing he caught her as she ran through to him.

"They are just across the hall sweetheart. Now how about we unpack your things."

He smiled at Erestor as he followed them into her rooms. Within moments the little elfling's things were strewn about the room and she was jumping on the giant bed.

"Can I go out on the balcony now Erestor?"

The Orcs were underneath her tree now, and they knew she was there. She had to do something. At that thought something beneath her skin moved. She could feel anger growing inside her. No not anger, rage. She could feel it boiling in her blood. These creatures, these things, had taken her away from her life and from her home. They had taken her away from her family. Her family and her friends.

Athriel ran through the corridors ahead of her brother, only to rush back so that he could tell her which turning to take.

"Where are we going Erestor?"

She asked for the fifth time since they had left their rooms that evening.

"Calm down Athriel. By the Valar, you have been here less than a day and already you are wearing me out."

She walked beside him for a couple of steps, but she was too excited and ran on again.

"Where are we going?" She asked again.

Erestor laughed. She had been here for only a few hours and already his entire life had been turned upside down, what's worse, he was loving every minute of it.

"You'll see when we get there."

Finally they reached the door they were looking for. Erestor knelt down in front of his little sister so that they were the same height.

"Now this thel-tithen is the Hall of Fire. This is where all of the elves and men of Rivendell meet at night to sing songs and talk with friends. There are lots of people in here who want to meet you, so you need to be on your best behaviour. Alright"

She nodded enthusiastically.

"Alright"

He stood up then and took her hand so they could walk in together.

Erestor had forgotten however, that little elflings don't really have a best behaviour. As soon as the door opened Athriel had spotted Glorfindel and ran towards him.

"Athriel" The warrior exclaimed as she rushed towards him."Is that a new dress you are wearing? I did not see it amongst your luggage."

The elfling jumped up and down on the spot.

"Yes it is Erestor gave it to me, isn't it pretty"

Glorfindel laughed and Erestor rolled his eyes.

"Athriel, what did I just say."

She looked up at the advisor with a face full of innocence.

"Sorry Erestor."

""You're new.""

Athriel spun around to face two elflings two identical elflings, not much bigger than herself. She looked between the two faces for some time.

"Why are there two of you?" She asked.

Erestor groaned.

""We're twins"" They said laughing.

Elrond handed Erestor a glass of wine and watched the children quietly.

"How old are you?" One of the boys asked.

"Yes how old are you?" His brother echoed.

"I'm four" She replied proudly.

They grinned together.

"We're five" One announced.

"Yes, we're older than you"

Athriel did not look impressed.

"So, that doesn't mean you are better than me."

The two brothers looked at one another before they continued.

"Ada says you have to respect your elders" One started.

"And we're older than you" The other finished.

Elrond couldn't help but laugh at their logic, but Athriel wasn't fooled.

"That just means you have to listen to adults. It doesn't mean I have to listen to you"

Then she turned to her brother.

"Erestor, can I have something to drink?"

The twins folded they're arms and huffed together as Erestor took her to get some fruit juice.

Soon after Athriel sat on a large cushion drinking her juice while the adults talked amongst themselves. She could see the two boys sitting sulking in the corner so she got up and walked over to them.

"I'm Athriel. If you don't boss me about we can be friends" She said.

They looked at one another for a couple of moments having a silent conversation before they stood up.

""OK""

"I'm Elladan, and this is Elrohir"

"But you can call us Dan and Roh if you like"

"OK"

Something inside her snapped. Athriel jumped down from the branches. Her hands were not hands, they were claws. Her teeth were not teeth, they were fangs. She set upon the things surrounding her and ripped them to shreds.

It took a long time for her to calm down once they were all dead. She wasn't really sure what had happened, but there were bits of bodies everywhere. Looking down at her hands Athriel noticed not only the blood covering her hands but the dark blue scars across the skin and underneath it. How long had she been like this? How long had she had these marks? She wandered over to a nearby stream to wash her hands. When she did she saw how deep the scars ran. She peered at her face in the water. There were scars there too. Horrible dark blue, nearly black lines from the poisoned blades they had used on her. Her hair, once long and immaculate was now tangled and singed. Huge clumps had been cut away by the same blades that had marked her face.

TA2933

It was so dark she could barely see them, but she could hear their laughter. She had no idea how long she had been here. Time did not matter anymore. The ropes that held her cut into her wrists, but she barely felt it. Not now. Not with the cuts so fresh. They burned on her arms and legs, on her torso and on her face. The cuts were everywhere burning into her brain. She knew the routine by now. They would leave her for a while now. Leave her to get used to the pain. Leave her long enough for the poison to leech into her bloodstream, but not long enough to kill her. No killing her would be no fun. Corpses don't scream. Corpses don't bleed and corpses don't cry.

At first she had refused to give them the satisfaction, but that seemed so long ago now. A day, a week, a month, a year, five, ten? She didn't know. All she knew now was that she was broken. She was in this hell now for eternity. The cuts then the waiting, then they would patch her up so that they could cut her again. And throughout it all the laughing. The knowledge that she only existed now for their amusement. She prayed everyday for sweet death, but it never came. No matter how much she begged Mandos would not allow her entrance into his halls.

Blindly Athriel reached for the nearest weapon she could. It was a long knife. An orc blade. With it she cut off the hair that had once given her her name. Athriel, Shadow garlanded maiden. She was not that anymore. She cropped the hair as close as she could to her scalp. She was not the same person anymore. They had taken that away from her. She could never be that person again. She could never go home. She was Athrana now, the wandering shadow and she would use whatever life she had left to track down as many of the vile creatures as she could and rip them apart for what they had done to her.