The next chapter is here! Enjoy :)
As the weeks drifted by, March had arrived.
Though it was only about the second weekend in March, it was still cold out. Mia was pretty happy though because the next day, daylight savings time begins again, so they will gain that extra hour of sunlight back.
At this time, she and Adar were hanging about in her office.
The writer's block Mia was experiencing the last few weeks has finally dwindled down and now the ideas for her book were flowing more freely. While he was occupying the couch near the back of the room, still quietly going through the dictionary.
She noted how he made a pretty good dent in the dictionary since he started reading it a couple weeks ago.
Every now and then one of them would say something, before going back to what they were doing. The pair always seemed to have their own little routine going and always had something to do.
"Let's see, what's another word I can use besides excitable. There are quite a few other words to choose from, but which one flows best with the sentence." Mia says to herself, as she leans back in her chair.
"There's volatile, tempestuous, neurotic, temperamental, take your pick." Adar added, with a small smirk, as he continued looking through the dictionary while relaxing on the couch.
"While those are all good choices, I think I may go with something along the lines of snappy. While I may use some big words in some instances, I tend to try and not use too many because the age group I write for is anywhere between ten to fourteen years of age." Mia stated.
"But at the same time, it may be better to use bigger words, that way the younger readers can learn what they mean and expand their vocabulary." He says.
"That is true. I suppose I can use a few more bigger words this time around. Though I would like to evenly spread them out throughout the chapters and not have them all cluttered together. Otherwise, it may confuse them." She replied.
"Understandable. It is your book. I'm just here in case you would like suggestions." He told her.
"And I appreciate that." She said, with a small smile.
Mia went back to typing afterwards.
Fifteen more minutes into typing and her iPhone started going off. She grabbed the phone off of the desk right next to her and saw that a friend of hers was calling. It was actually the same friend that invited her and Aerin over for dinner tonight.
When Mia told her friend about him, she became excited for Mia and said she would like to meet him. Hence, she invited them both over her place for dinner a little later tonight.
"Hey Sasha." Mia said, as she answered the phone.
"Hi Mia, I'm sorry to do this to you last minute, but I'm afraid I have to cancel dinner tonight. When I awoke this morning, I felt a tad achy and had a bit of a headache. I tried to shrug it off thinking it was nothing, but as the day went on, it got worse and now I feel like someone hit me with a car. I think it may be the flu."Her friend said.
"I'm sorry to hear that. I hope you feel better soon. You want me to bring you anything? I made chicken soup the other night, I can bring some over to you for you to have for dinner if you want." Mia suggested.
"I'd say don't worry about it. But with how lousy I'm feeling, I just feel too tired to cook anything. So, yeah, that would be great if you could bring me some. I'd appreciate it."Sasha says.
"Ok, it's already close enough to dinner. I'll go pack some up for you in a container and I'll be there in the next fifteen minutes or so." She replied.
"Alright, the door will be unlocked then. Thanks again, Mia. And I'll try and postpone the dinner date for next weekend if you're not busy."Her friend told her.
"That's fine. I'll be there soon. See ya later." Mia said.
"Later."Sasha replied, then the phone line cut out and she hung up.
Afterwards, Mia swiveled around in her chair, facing Adar, who was also staring back at her from the couch.
"Your friend's not feeling well then?" He inquired.
"No, she believes she may have the flu and she's exhausted. So, I'm bringing her dinner. I won't be too long. Just going to drop it off at her place then go. Would certainly like to be in and out of there as fast as possible so I don't catch the flu from her. Either way, looks like we will be breaking out those ham steaks tonight after all, instead of saving them for Monday." Mia informed him.
"I'll cook this time. Seeing as the last couple times I cooked; nothing caught on fire or blew up and actually tasted descent." He stated, with a small, amused grin.
"Yeah, I'll admit that last couple things you made weren't too bad. At least they were a little less burnt this time around then that steak you attempted to cook a while back." She teased.
Adar is halfway convinced that she will never let that one go, and for good reason. Seeing as it was really bad.
He sighs, "You know for that remark, I should just intentionally burn yours and make mine the only edible one."
"Oh fine, I'll drop it. Only because I don't think my fire alarm can handle another smoke out like the one you made last time. Didn't help I had to open the windows to let fresh air into the place which sucked because frigid cold air blew in." Mia stated.
"Fair enough. Even I'll admit, that was a rather unpleasant experience. The house did reek, and it was cold. If I remember correctly, we both threw on our jackets." He pointed out.
"Well, yeah, because we were both freezing our asses off. The only one that didn't seem to mind the temperature dip was the dog." She said, as she got up from her chair.
"Anyways, I'm heading into the kitchen to pull out a container and fill it with some of the chicken soup I made us the other day." She told him.
"Alright, I'll be here." He replied.
Afterwards, Mia left the office.
Instead of following her out, Tundra remained behind on one of his doggy beds she had in there by the desk. Must've been too comfortable to get up or went to go lay down by Adar.
She pulled out a small container and set it on the counter. Then went into the fridge to pull out a bigger container that was still filled with plenty of the soup.
Mia scooped some out and placed the lid on both containers, before she returned the bigger one to the fridge and grabbed the smaller one off of the counter.
The young woman headed out to the living room with it and headed for the front door where she shrugged on her jacket and picked up her keys from their little ceramic dish on the small side table against the wall by the door.
It wasn't a long drive. Sasha's house was only about ten minutes away from her own. So, before she knew it, she was knocking at the front door.
Mia heard a faint 'come in' from behind the door. She opened it up and walked inside.
When she did, she saw her friend's head pop up from behind the couch where she was sitting. Her tabby cat, Link was lounging on top of the couch and barely moved when Mia came walking in.
Her friend got up from the couch and rounded it to greet Mia.
"Hey, thanks again for bringing me some dinner." She says, with a tired smile.
Mia could see she didn't look very good at all. She was a bit pale and had some dark circles under her eyes.
"You're welcome, Hun. I hope you feel better." Mia told her.
"Ehh, it may not be the best way to spend the weekend, but I'll manage." Sasha says.
Mia's gaze then went to the TV that her friend had on. It took her a moment to realize what she was watching. Then it came to her when she saw some familiar characters appear on the screen.
"You watching this show again? What you didn't get enough of it when we binge watched it a few months back together?" Mia joked.
The sick woman rolled her eyes.
"Hey, as you pointed out it was several months ago, and I haven't seen it since. So, it didn't hurt watching it again. Though I still can't decide who I think is hotter, the one who plays Galadriel or the one who plays Elrond." Sasha teased.
"So, you're saying, when your Bi it's twice the difficult decision to make, is that it?" Mia continued joking.
"At times, it certainly can be. But hey, what can I say, I can't help that I appreciate the beauty of both forms, whether it's a guy or girl." Her friend said and playfully winked.
"Does this mean I have to worry about you drooling all over Aerin when you finally do meet him?" Mia teased.
"Maybe, but if you already have called dibs, then I won't bother." Sasha playfully teased back.
"I wouldn't go that far yet. I'm still getting to know him. But...I do suppose I can see myself being interested in him. The only issue is my fear of getting close to another man again, getting in the way." Mia admits.
Her friend gave her a sad smile.
"I know it must be very tough for you, Sweetheart. But at the same time, you don't want to live your life in fear. You just need to remember that most other men are not like...Lucas. You will meet someone who will treasure you and treat you right and won't hurt you." Sasha assured her.
Mia gave her a soft smile. Sasha ever the romantic.
Before she could say anything else, her gaze flickered to the TV screen again. It looks like one of the scenes where the one called Galadriel was captured and they were taking her out into the woods.
They took her to this figure in dark clothing that was kneeling in front of a large rock.
What happened next had the young woman completely floored, because when he got up and turned around to face the heroine she got a good look at his face. What she saw, made her face grow pale.
'Aerin!?'Her mind screamed.
She continued watching as he and Galadriel exchanged a few words with each other. At this time, she noted the outfit he was wearing. It was disturbingly just like the one Aerin was wearing when he mysteriously arrived here.
Then she saw how his face started changing when he pulled the ring off of his pinky finger and offered it back to Galadriel.
Mia saw the angry pattern of scars slowly appear on his face and the skin tone grew pallid and greyish. It took her a moment to rack her mind trying to figure out this familiar character is. Then it finally hit her.
'Adar! Aerin...is Adar!'She soon realized.
She watched as he went over to check an orc who was strung out on a stretcher only for him to be stabbed by the orc and then ambushed by the others there. They all then took turns stabbing him, even after he fell to the ground.
She could feel her eyes starting to mist up, as tears gathered in the corner of her eyes while she watched the horrible scene play out as he continued being stabbed.
Sasha watched as her friend grew pale and then saw a couple tears leave her eyes.
"Mia, what's wrong?" Her friend asked in concern.
That snapped her out of it, and she quickly shifted her gaze from the TV to meet her friend's concerned gaze and quickly wiped her tears away when she realized she had been crying.
"What? Yeah, I'm ok. Sorry about that. It's just...lately death scenes have been irking me and...I guess I just don't like to watch them much anymore." Mia tried explaining, to cover up why she was crying.
Sasha was unsure whether to believe that or not and to her it all led to one question.
"Sweetie, are you having those nightmares again?" She softly asked her.
Mia was silent for a moment before answering.
"Yeah, I have." She quietly replied.
Which wasn't a complete lie. She was still having them on occasion on and off.
Her friend wanted so badly to reach out and hug her. But refrained from doing so because she didn't want to get close to her and get her sick as well.
"Make me a promise, Mia. That whenever you have them, I don't care what time it is, you call me." Sasha told her.
A small smile appeared on the young woman's face.
"I will. But I need to go. I actually have to go back and let Tundra out and feed him." Mia says.
"Alright, try and take it easy. Relax, have a glass of wine, and talk to Aerin. It'll help you feel better." Her friend suggested.
Hearing his name though, just made a tinge of sadness go through her again. But she did her best to hide it and smiled again.
"Yeah, ok. I may do just that. Thanks, Sasha." Mia said.
"You're welcome. What are besties for, right?" Sasha stated, with a smile.
"I know, and that is why you are and always will be my best friend." She replied.
"Ok, you get out of here before I get too choked up and I come over there and make it awkward for you by kissing you." Sasha teased.
That made Mia chuckle a little. She almost wouldn't put it past Sasha to try it.
"Nope, you're my best friend and I love you and all, but not like that. Despite the fucked-up shit that has happened to me, I'm quite certain I'm still straight." Mia says, with a hint of laughter in her tone.
"Boo, you're no fun. But I still love ya too. Though by any chance if you do change your mind, you know where to find me. And don't be ashamed to string your new friend Aerin along too. I'm opened to trying a threesome." The Latina woman said, with a wide smirk and a wink.
"Sasha!" Mia blurted out with a red face.
Her friend nearly doubled over laughing.
"Oh my god, Mia, chill! I was only joking!" She said, between peals of laughter.
Mia just shakes her head while rolling her eyes.
"On that note, I'm out of here. Later, you old hoe." She teased, as she waved goodbye.
"Bye, you old nun. And thanks again for the soup." Sasha reminded her as Mia started leaving.
"You're welcome, enjoy. The soup, I mean. Not yourself." Mia joked on the way out.
"Nah, I'm too tired to play with Mr. Vibrator right now." She called out.
Mia couldn't help but silently laugh as she finally left, giving her one quick goodbye before closing the front door.
If there was one thing Sasha was good at, it was cheering her up and making her laugh. She was also one of Mia's eldest friends. They have been besties since childhood, growing up and going to school together. Even after Mia got big as a professional ballerina and it started taking her all over, she would still find the time to call or face time Sasha.
She got to her car, started it up, and left her friend's driveway.
As she started driving home though, the lighthearted conversation she had with her friends started to wear off and soon was replaced with sadness and caution.
She just couldn't believe it. This whole time, she had the renowned father of orcs living under her roof for nearly a month now.
Mia doesn't believe it's a coincidence either. He just looked too much like the character on the actual show, all the way down to his courteous mannerisms to his deep raspy voice.
Aerin had told her how he was stabbed to death repeatedly and the multiple holes in his armor and shirt correlate it.
The armor he was decked out in when he came here, looked just like Adar's to a fucking 'T' even donning the signature spiky gauntlet that he wore. There was just too much evidence to say otherwise, and it just made her grow even sadder.
Mia actually believed she could've trusted him and trusting others was something that was very difficult for her to do after her assault.
It also blew in a whirlwind of questions clogging up her mind.
Why was he here? Why did it have to be her that found him? Was he learning everything he could from her than once he learned what he needed to survive here, was he going to...kill her? Was it his plan all along to gain her trust and use her to his advantage?
She had to calm down and push down all these cray thoughts. All they were doing was making her very nervous and the last thing she needed right now was a panic attack while she was driving.
Mia took a few deep breaths and tried concentrating on other things while she drove.
Eventually, her home did come into view and soon she was pulling up to her driveway. She sat there for a moment in the driver's seat after turning the car off. The young woman closed her eyes and took another deep breath before letting it out slowly.
Then she opened her eyes and opened the car door, exiting the vehicle.
She walked up to the front door with heavy steps, then reached up for the knob and grabbed it. Mia twisted it and opened the front door, letting herself in.
When she did, she could smell a nice aroma coming from the kitchen. Aerin must be in the kitchen and has started cooking.
She shrugged off her jacket and hung it up. Then started heading to the kitchen, as she did, she couldn't help but start feeling nervous again. How could she not be nervous and scared? He was obviously a very dangerous individual.
Yet at the same time, whenever she sees him and spends time with him, she feels happy. Aerin was always so kind to her and considerate. He also was very humorous, saying things that would make her laugh.
He...held her as she finally opened up about her horrible assault and broke down soon afterwards.
He was the only one she told of the assault and didn't feel like utter shit afterwards about sharing it with him, like she always did when she shared it with others, like the therapists or her family. If anything, she actually felt better for once, and felt like a weight had been lifted off of her.
How? How can one man who's supposedly very dangerous, make her feel so comfortable and safe? None of it makes any fucking sense.
As she entered the kitchen, Tundra padded over to greet her. While Aerin turned from what he was doing on the counter to face her. He gave her a small smile upon seeing her.
Mia smiled back, though it didn't quite reach her eyes.
"Hey, smells good in here." She says, trying to act normal.
"Thank you, and before you ask, the ham isn't burning. I have been checking it while heating it up." He stated, with a slightly amused tone.
"Guess we won't really know for sure though until the microwave starts smoking." She teased.
"Oh, come now, do you really have that much little faith in me,Wilwarin?" He teased back.
Sadly, in truth, she wouldn't even know how to answer that question.
"Well...when it comes to your cooking...I think it could go either way." Mia lightly joked, while still trying to hide the sadness she was still currently feeling.
He sighs, "Well, if it does truly turn out to be terrible, I won't hold it against you if you wanted to order something instead."
Mia shakes her head and couldn't help but smile at the cute, boyish grin on his face.
It wasn't until he started approaching her and got within a couple feet did, she tense up a little and took a step back. Something that he clearly noticed, and his smile slowly faltered and became replaced with concern.
"Mia, are you alright?" He asks her.
"Yeah...sorry. That happens sometimes. Just...remnants of my PTSD coming through. Used to happen a lot more in the past after what happened. Though, it is generally better now, it still happens from time to time." She explained.
Again, that wasn't a complete lie. After her assault and rape, she would tense up and get very nervous if a man came too close to her in public. In the beginning, even when her own family would give her hugs or make any kind of physical contact she would flinch or shy away from their touch.
Adar stood there studying her for a moment, before nodding, and then backed up a bit to give her space.
While he knew trauma can affect people in various ways, this is still a first he saw her do this. Though he does recall in the beginning when he first arrived here, he did notice she would become a little tense or step back, when he would get a little close to her.
At the time, he figured because she did see him just appear out of nowhere and he was a complete stranger, which made her guarded. He didn't blame her for that in the least. He'd be cautious and guarded too.
"Well, anyways, it is almost done." He told her.
"Ok, we can hang in the living room until then, like usual." She says.
The two of them then left the kitchen and back into the living room where they sat down on the couch.
Though he didn't sit as close to her like he usually did, he still wanted to give her some space. They did chat a little as they waited for dinner to finish. He asked her how her friend was doing.
Mia informed him that she was fine but clearly looked tired and unwell.
Even as they sat down to eat, they still talked like everything was ok. But even still, Adar couldn't help but feel something was bothering her. As much as he wishes to address it with her, he didn't want to put her in a position that made her uncomfortable.
If something is truly bothering her and she decides she wants to talk about it, then he will wait for her to do so.
The rest of the night went on like usual. After dinner ended, they spent a good portion of the rest of the evening and night watching movies. They would still talk on and off while they watched the movies. He would still sometimes comment on the phenomenal special effects that made scenes look very real.
Mia would give comments back and express how she always thought the movie special effects were pretty awesome and that they seem to get better as the years go on and they get more advanced in computer technology and CGI.
By the time it got closer to Midnight, they finally called it a night and decided to head off to bed.
They went to their separate bedrooms to get ready for bed. Mia then did something she actually hasn't done for the last couple weeks; she locked her bedroom door.
Afterwards, she turned out the lights and got into bed.
Mia lied awake for some time after that but eventually managed to fall asleep.
A few hours went by, before she found herself waking up with a sharp gasp. Her eyes darted around the dark bedroom, before she took a deep breath to calm herself down. Then she slowly sat up, and turned her white noise machine off, that was sitting on the nightstand.
She found herself thirsty and went to grab the glass of water on her nightstand that she usually tends to keep there at night. Only to see there wasn't one there. That is when she realized she must've forgot to grab a glass and fill it before going to bed.
"Shit." She says, with an agitated sigh.
The young woman kicked off the covers and got out of bed, making a b-line to the bedroom door.
Mia slowly opened the door and stepped out into the hallway. It was very quiet. But that didn't mean that Aerin was asleep. He would tell her at times that when he couldn't sleep, he'd stay up and read the dictionary or watch something on TV with the volume turned down low.
She turned to the right and was about to head down the hall to the kitchen when she thought she heard a sound.
She paused and listened. A few moments went by, when she heard it again. It sounded like a muffled groan. Mia shifted her gaze looking for the source. As she did this, she heard it again, this time it was a little louder.
It was coming from Aerin's room.
She slowly made her way down to his room which was only a few feet further down the hall on the opposite side. When she got there, she noticed his door was ajar, and not completely closed.
Mia slowly opened the door a little wider and peeked inside.
She could somewhat make out his form on the bed. Then he made another sound as he rolled onto his back. She knew he must've still been asleep, because he would've said something if he weren't.
She suddenly found herself taking a few hesitant steps towards him, when his body jerked a little.
"No." He muttered, and his breathing started to quicken.
That's when Mia knew, he must be having one of his nightmares.
She backed up and turned on the bedroom light. Only to see him tossing again, this time repeating the word 'No' a little louder. She took a few tentative steps towards him again, before stopping a few feet from his bed.
"Aerin? Aerin, wake up. You're having a nightmare." She says aloud.
He woke up with a start, sitting ram rod straight up, looking around the room with a bewildered look, and huffing and puffing like he had just ran a marathon.
Then his gaze landed on Mia who was standing a few feet away off to the side of his bed.
"Mia?" He breathed out.
"Easy, you're ok now. You were just having a nightmare. I heard you groaning in your sleep, so I came to check on you." She told him.
Adar leaned back a little, waiting for his heart to slow down and stop racing.
It was then she decided to move closer to him and despite the fear she was feeling earlier upon learning who he truly was, she pushed that fear down and went and sat next to him on the bed.
Mia then slowly reached up and placed a hand on his back and she started to gently rub it, trying to soothe him and get him to relax.
"Was it...about your...death again?" She hesitantly asked.
He let out another exhale, before slowly shifting his gaze to meet hers.
"Yes. It's always the same. Becoming surrounded, then stabbed to death." Adar said.
She could see, it deeply bothered him talking about it. Yet at the same time, she felt she needed answers from him.
Mia wanted him to be honest with her and not hide anything. She needed to know if she was safe continuing having him here under her roof. Or if he was going to hurt her at some point.
"Who...stabbed you? Was it...other Elves?" She asks, despite knowing who really killed him.
He was silent for a moment, before replying.
"No, it was...Uruks." He admitted.
Adar watched as her gaze slowly flickered about his face, he could tell she wanted to know more. But in all honesty, he had been very reluctant to tell her the whole truth about who had killed him as well as who he was.
Still, he knew it was something he couldn't keep from her forever. Mia had already done so much for him and because of this, she deserved to know.
"My...Uruks. My children." He told her.
That was really all the confirmation she needed, to know that he truly was the one known as Adar. Yet she still wanted to know more.
"What is an Uruk? And why do you call them your children?" Mia asks.
Though she knew what an uruk was. They were more commonly known as 'Orcs'. This much she knew from watching the show with her friend and the movies a long time ago.
Adar eventually broke it down and explained to her what they were, where they came from, and how they came to be. How they were a race said to be created in mockery and darkness by the first evil dark lord, Morgoth.
"I have done...so many terrible things in my...previous life, Mia. Things...I am not proud of, nor did I ever truly want to do. And what you see now, this was not how I looked before I arrived here. I was...covered in many grotesque scars and disfigured. Over an age ago, before I became a servant of Morgoth and Lieutenant to Sauron, I was...an elf.
One of the very first ones to dwell in Arda. I first awoke in an area called Cuivienen, with around one-hundred forty-three others. We all were amazed by the beauty and splendor of the world and lived there peacefully. Myself and...my companion that I awoke with were very happy. Her name was...Eleniel. And we...loved each other very much. We were always together.
Then one day while we were out deep into the woods that surround Cuivienen, Morgoth came and captured us. He dragged us up to this nameless peak and chained us up there with several other Elves he has captured and left us. We were there for what seemed like an eternity, and thought we were going to die up there. Until he...Sauron came to us and offered us wine.
We were all starved and dehydrated. So, when my time came, I drank it all. It wasn't long after I did, I started to feel different. Feel a change from within me. It was excruciating, to the point, I ended up passing out from the pain. Then when I awoke, I was no longer up at that peak, but down in a dungeon somewhere." He explained.
Adar spent a while after telling her what had been done to him down in that dungeon of pain and horror. The way he described the place, it almost sounded just like hell. She could barely hold back tears, as he sadly described all the torture he had endured and just when she thought it couldn't get any worse, he began to tell her something even more heartbreaking.
"Even though much time has passed, I still never stopped asking where my companion Eleniel was. Many of these times, my question went ignored. Until one day, they opened the door to my cell and Sauron came in with a woman. Like me, she was scarred, her skin no longer a healthy pale color, but was slightly greyish and ashen. I'm ashamed to say that I didn't recognize her at first. It wasn't until she looked at me with recognition in her gaze and said my name, did I know. It was Eleniel.
After all that time, they brought her back to me. Yet at the same time, it broke my heart when I saw what they did to her. That they tortured and twisted her as they did me, turning us into the first Uruks. Despite how different we both have become, we still cared for one another. After that, they kept us together for a while and we shared the cell together." He says.
Mia was hesitant to ask her next question.
"What...happened to her?" She asks.
She saw a look of melancholy appear on his face; his eyes became glassy.
"She died. Eleniel died...giving birth to our first child. The child...was stillborn though and... she died only moments after giving birth." He said, in a broken tone, as a couple tears escaped his eyes and rolled down his pale cheeks.
Mia couldn't help but shed some tears as well.
Here, she thought he may have been some evil villain while residing in Middle Earth. Only to find out he was a broken and shattered soul who had lost everything he had ever cared about. Including his own family.
"After that, they had brought in captive she-elves for me and the others like me to breed with to create the first generation of Uruks. I... didn't want to. It was clear they were unwilling and afraid. But...Morgoth forced us to...come together to reproduce." He confessed.
Each time he did, he hated himself for it and felt sick.
It didn't help either that he knew Mia herself was violated and raped and the last thing he wanted was for her to think him a violator like the vile man that hurt her.
When Adar slowly shifted his gaze back to her, he saw tears streaming down her cheeks. He thought he had done it now and scared her.
Only to be thrown completely off when she leaned in and slowly wrapped her arms around him in a soft embrace.
"I am so sorry, Aerin." She gasped.
He carefully wrapped his arms around the petite young woman, hugging her back.
"No, I'm sorry. Sorry I didn't tell you sooner. I just...didn't want you to think me a monster and be afraid of me." He admits.
Mia closed her eyes and tightened her hold around him.
"You're not a monster, Aerin. You had horrible things done to you that changed you and while you may have gone on to do terrible things afterwards, it's clear that you regret doing them. Otherwise, it wouldn't be eating away at you like it is now. A monster doesn't feel regret, remorse, or guilt for their actions. You do. And I'm not afraid." She tells him, as she continues holding him.
Adar felt an overwhelming sense of relief wash over him at her words and gentle contact.
"You really are amazing,Wilwarin." He says, barely above a whisper.
She couldn't keep the soft smile from appearing on her face.
"So are you." She told him.
After a few more moments, Mia pulled back a little and gazed at him.
Adar shifted his gaze up to meet hers. As her light eyes met his, she just knew deep down, that he really wasn't a monster. Only someone who was tormented and haunted by a horrific past and endured centuries of torture and anguish while he did his best to lead the Uruks. Many of which were his direct descendants through the many offspring he did successfully sire with many captive she-elves after his companion and child's passing.
She slowly reached up and caressed his wet cheeks, gently wiping the tears away.
"I know, it has been very difficult for you. But...as hard as it may seem...you do have a new life now. One you can do as you please with. And no one here will ever hurt you like that again. You are safe here." Mia promised.
For the first time since he just told her everything, a soft smile appeared on his face.
"I know. And in many ways...you have already made it better." He said.
Her smile widened a little, "Just as you have been making it better for me as well."
Not long afterwards, she had to stifle a yawn.
"It's late, should try and get back to sleep." He told her.
"I agree. Hopefully, no more nightmares plague us for the night, and we can actually sleep." She replied.
"You had another one too then?" He inquired.
"Yeah, I was leaving my room to get a drink of water, when I heard you from down the hall, groaning in your sleep." Mia says.
"Well, at least it's over now. Though instead of feeling restless for a change upon waking, I actually do feel exhausted." Adar said.
"Then lay down." She tells him.
For a moment, he was reluctant to do so but eventually gave in and laid back down on the bed.
"I'm going to turn off the light." She added, once he got comfortable.
Mia got up and went to turn off the light. The room was then clouded in darkness once more.
Before she left, she heard Adar call out to her.
"Mia?" He says.
She turned back to him.
"Yeah?" She asked.
"Thank you." He told her.
"You're welcome. Good night, Aerin." She said.
"Good night." He replied.
Afterwards, she left his room.
Then walked a little further down the hall. Before she returned to bed, she downed a glass of water in the kitchen. She laid there awake for a little while. After talking with Adar, she saw him in a new light. It was clear to her that he was not some dangerous monster. Just someone who never had a chance at life and had one bad thing after another happen to him throughout his long existence.
So, because of this she no longer feels the lingering doubt of regret for taking him in when she did and in some ways...was grateful that he did come into her life. Since he has, she felt like she was slowly becoming her old self again, before the assault.
Her mind finally felt at peace, and she was finally able to fall into a dreamless and peaceful sleep for the rest of night. She wasn't alone either, Adar had managed to sleep undisturbed for the remainder of the night as well. It was like he was able to finally let go of his past, something he felt like a prisoner to for over an age.
It's as Mia said, he has a new life now, and he can do with it as he will. That includes striving to make this life much better than the last one.
Until Next Time ;)