-AN: I don't own LOTR

***Chapter 19***

**Saffy's POV**

It had been two days since Frodo had been brought down to our cells, and thankfully we were getting three meals a day. At least, I'm fairly sure that they were days as there was no light to let us keep track. So instead I was counting by meals. We hadn't managed a solid plan really, nothing more than the rudimentary try and get the necklace off of Di before destroying it. However, since Frodo had been brought to us, she had not returned. Our meals were brought by a human maid. There was even a healer, the same one that I had awoken to, coming down each day and ensuring that we were all healing well. She seemed to fuss the most over Legolas and Frodo, probably because they seemed to have the most severe injuries.

The atmosphere in the dungeon though was downright depressing. The hobbits had stopped talking the previous day, having drifted into reminiscing about the food they used to eat in the shire, a topic which had seemed to lower their spirits. Everyone had tried to test their cell doors throughout the day, before Pippin and Merry had tried to figure out what it would take to pick the lock. The guard who kept the keys hadn't been down this far in a few days, instead they simply passed the meals through the slat in the bars meant for the meal tray.

I had been singing to myself off and on through the last few days, taking some solace in the old tunes I used to sing. I was humming A Little Piece of Heaven when the sound of footsteps came once more. Not just one lone figure either, instead there was a herd of boots pounding down the hallway. The clank of chains mingled with the jingle of the keys growing louder with the footsteps. I moved from my cot, over to the door to see a large group of orc guards with chains beginning to open the cells down at the end starting with Frodo. The hobbit was dragged from his cell and chains were clapped on his wrists and ankles before he was taken down the hall with a knife pressed to his neck. One by one each cell was emptied, I watched all my friends being dragged away before looking over at Gandalf.

The wizard looked less powerful now than he had in the past days, over his face bore a look of resignation. He just seemed like a dirty old man in a cell. I shifted my eyes to Aragorn, seeing a look of fear in his eyes, concern that we wouldn't all survive what was going to happen.

I was still looking to Aragorn for reassurance when the door to my cell was pulled open. The orc roughly grabbed my shoulder dragging me out of the cell before I felt the smashing of the shackles against my wrists and then my ankles; I was then pulled along after them by the chain that connected my wrists. I hurried to follow, knowing that my wrists were undoubtedly going to be covered in bruises if I didn't comply. I could hear more shifting of chains and the sound of metal scraping as another door opened, while I was pulled down the hall.

We walked past all the other cells, which were all emptied of the prisoners, making it seem like they had all been brought wherever we were being taken ahead of my group. I turned my head back to see Aragorn being pulled behind me and there were a group of guards surrounding Gandalf as he was removed from his cell. One of the orcs saw me turn around and struck me across the face causing me to turn forward and stumble a few steps more.

The light in the hallway beyond the stairs blinded me for a few seconds, as it was so much more intense than in the dungeon. I could see that there was a long line of prisoners being dragged down the hallway, the entirety of the dungeons before me. We were all led into a great chamber with a black throne raised up on a pedestal and a smaller black throne a few steps below. Sitting in the lower throne unsurprisingly was Deirdre, her hair was tied back in a bun and there was a small ebony diadem upon her brow. She wore a black and grey gown, the train pooling at the feet of the throne. Her necklace winked in the torchlight of the chamber, seeming to taunt me.

But what was more shocking was that there was someone sitting in the upper throne, a man with long black hair and burning eyes. He seemed to be rather tall; I could tell his legs were long even though he was seated. He was dressed in all black from head to toe and it contrasted with his pale skin. His eyes were flames themselves, the whites taken over completely by the orange, yellow, and red of fire. I had absolutely no doubt that before us sat Sauron, having taken back his physical form.

The knowledge that I had of the story line was now completely useless, and seeing Sauron sitting there in the flesh just reminded me how hopeless this situation was. I looked at his face, sharp angles drawn into an expression of utter boredom. His gaze flashed to me and seemed to sear into my mind in a painful flash before I broke eye contact. Our small group was shoved down onto our knees before the thrones, causing a jarring pain in my already sore bones.

"Do you know why you have all been brought here today?" a sickeningly smooth voice sounded throughout the chamber, I glanced up seeing that it was Sauron speaking.

There was a silence in the room as no one was willing to answer; even Gandalf seemed to have decided to hold his tongue for the time being. When I glanced over he was staring up at Sauron with a look of determination though.

"You are here today to swear your fealty to me." Sauron stated in response to the silence that had met his previous question. "If you swear your loyalty, your lives will be spared. If not, you will be executed this day."

There was still no response from any of the prisoners in the chamber, only a slight rustling of chains filled the air. Sauron rose from his throne at this continuing lack of response and made his way slowly down the steps; his movements were slow and graceful like a predator.

"Let's start with the wizard," Sauron began a dark smile twisting its way onto his face as he drew down to the same level as Deirdre's throne. The group of orc guards which were surrounding Gandalf dragged him forward so that he was positioned dead center in front of the pedestal. "What do you say, wizard? Are you ready to swear your fealty to me?"

"I will not bow to your will, deceiver." Gandalf swore, his voice ringing with authority as he spoke. "You may have power now, but you will fall as Melkor fell before you."

Sauron's face hardened with anger at Gandalf's words but he seemed to be able to push the fury aside as a cold smile spread across his thin lips. "Such a shame that your talents cannot be utilized. Deirdre?"

Deirdre rose from her throne at her name, walking down the steps until she stood before Gandalf, there was no gentleness in her expression as she stared down at the wizard on his knees.

"Yes, my lord?" she questioned in an emotionless tone.

"Your wedding gift, my queen." He stated waving his hand in the direction of Gandalf.

There was a moment where Deirdre stared at Gandalf almost hesitating before she looked back to Sauron with a small twisted smile on her lips.

"Thank you, my lord." She turned away from him looking at the guards to the left of the pedestal. "My sword."

She raised her hand out and immediately the orc moved forward offering her an ornate sword with a black hilt, a red gem inset in the pommel. She withdrew it from the sheath, making the slate-colored blade reflect the light of the chamber.

"It's too bad, Gandalf." Deirdre stated, causing the wizard to turn his gaze from Sauron to our ex-friend. "You could have lived."

"I would rather die than serve that monster." He replied, his voice steadily calm.

"Then allow me to oblige you."

The orcs shoved Gandalf roughly so that his hands braced against the stone floor and his head was bowed. Deirdre moved to stand next to him, looking out over the prisoners gathered in the throne room.

"People of Middle-Earth, do not follow in this man's folly. His choice leads only to death. Swear fealty to Sauron today and no harm shall befall you. Your families shall have the same option should you obey. Defiance will only result in suffering and death."

As she spoke her eyes met with each of our party, lastly falling on me. Her gaze seemed to be almost pleading, for a moment her cruelty faded away and she was begging me with her gaze, take her up on this offer that she would protect me if I did. Then her gaze fell back upon Gandalf and there was a great sadness buried in her eyes.

Then she raised the sword and with an arcing motion sliced clear through Gandalf's neck, his body slumped to the floor and his head rolled to Deirdre's feet, blood seeping onto the dark stone floor and the orc guards abandoned the lifeless body of the wizard. Leaving only a dirtied grey shape on the floor.

My breath stopped in my throat, tears falling down my cheeks. I felt my head drop but the sight didn't change for me, my mind was filled with the image of Gandalf's lifeless body. I could faintly hear in the background the crying of the hobbits as they struggled against their guards to get closer to Gandalf's corpse. I was vaguely aware that the smooth voice of Sauron had begun again, but I couldn't focus on the words. Shock was still filling me, that Deirdre had actually killed Gandalf.

"You have until sundown tonight to decide if you wish to pledge your loyalty to Sauron or die like the wizard." Deirdre's voice came clearly through the haze in my mind. "Guards, return them to their cells."

***End Chapter***

So please don't hate me for taking so long to post this chapter. I was having a lot of trouble writing it because I really didn't want to actually kill Gandalf. Also I'm on summer break now from classes so I should be able to do a little more updating.

Reviews make me feel less guilty, so I will post more often.

-Serrah