For the next hour, I sat, my muscles aching terribly. I kept one eye on my surroundings, waiting to see if anything sinister might slither its way towards me, and one eye on the cloaked figure half concealed in the shadows. The figure did not move, didn't even make a sound, so much so that I thought I might have been imagining the person.

The cells stank, either from bodily waste, mold, or rotting rodents. Probably all three. I stole a glance towards the corner. A single chamber pot gleamed in the dimmed light. Oh, I so needed to relieve myself, but not where all can see and hear.

The world seemed to press down on my shoulders heavily right then. My breathing quickened and a weight pushed down on my chest. I wanted to break into a fit of tears. But, no. I will not break do easily.

You're alright, Lumornel, you're alright. Everything will be fine, just you se--

"Are you just going to sit there and have a panic attack, or are you going to introduce yourself, child."

I squeaked at the smooth woman's voice. My body involuntarily shifted to face the cloaked figure sitting in the gloom. Smooth, dirty hands, that might have once been clean and pale, reached up from out of the dark blue cloak and gently pulled down the hood. A young woman's face met mine, strong and determined. But it also held sorrow and something else I couldn't quite put my finger on. A tangled mess of curls framed her face, the full length of the brown river concealed by the folds of the blue cloth. Delicately pointed ears poked through the matted hair.

And her eyes. Her eyes as brown as the soil held a depth and age that I ever so rarely saw. The only eyes that came close to these were Galadriel's. But these... so much emotion hardened over with timeless depth...

Who is this elleth?

Her finely shaped eyebrows rose and I heated with embarrassment as I realized I had been staring.

"I-I'm sorry... milady," I closed my mouth, then opened it again. Only to close it once more.

"Speak child. Although I have all the time in the world, I do not enjoy waiting." Those brown eyes stared me down with such intensity, I'm surprised I didn't combust into a pile of ashes.

My mouth went bone dry, "My n-name is... is..." I forgot my name. I forgot my name! Oh yeah, it's-- "Lumornel."

She bowed her head in acknowledgment, "I will give a name for a name. I was once called Melnárë; you may follow suit."

I spoke before I could think it through, "Melnárë? Does that not mean 'lovely flame' in the Quenya tongue?"

Her brown eyes narrowed, "Indeed, it does." Barely a pause. "And your title is 'tree shade' in Sindarin."

I slowly nod my head. Slow because of where this might be going, not at the pain in my neck.

"And if I am correct, a prophecy states that an elleth with a title having the meaning of 'tree-shade' will spring up out of the shadows and redeem us all, yes?"

If possible, my mouth becomes drier. "That is what the prophecy states."

"But you have the round ears of a mortal belonging to the the Race of Men." I couldn't tell what she was thinking. Her voice is so smooth and hard.

I grit my teeth, "Yes."

Melnárë hummed, "round mortal ears and a young human body. But the fire of your soul tells me otherwise. So does the ancient power surrounding you in great waves. Tell me, are you not the one the prophecy speaks of?"

I considered not answering, but by the words she spoke, she probably already knows the answer. "I am."

Melnárë clucked, "interesting."

A minute passed by but I couldn't hold my tongue any longer, "what? What's interesting?"

She merely smiled. Is she always going to be like this? "You're power. What is it? What has the Valar gifted you with?"

I held out my hands, summoning my power for her. But none showed. "I would show you if I could. But ever since I was caught, I haven't been able to summon it."

Melnárë motioned to my leg with her chin, "show me your leg." My leg... why?

"Show me your leg," she repeated. "I don't care how hairy it is."

Brows furrowed, I leaned over, pushed up my pant leg--and gasped. A black symbol lay on the side of my shin.

"Just what I thought. That symbol suppresses your power for a limited amount of time. It will return to you shortly. Though, I warn you to not use it too much after first gaining it back."

"Why?" So many questions.

"Because if you use too much of your power well after it has been suppressed, you may become fatigued. So fatigued that you may just lay down to sleep and never wake again."

"How do you know this?" I wasn't questioning her word for it--I trusted her, strangely enough--I was just curious.

"It happened to a friend of mine." Her voice became as hard as stone, as cool as ice. I shut myself up.

Melnárë turned around and said, as if reading my mind, "You'll have to use the pail to relieve yourself if you don't want your bladder to burst. That would be most unpleasant for me and for the orcs who would have to clean you off the walls."

I had a feeling Melnárë would become a nuisance.

*********

Nuisance indeed. I would ask her questions, because what else am I supposed to do? And she would completely ignore them. Occasionally she will answer a few or she will answer vaguely. For example, I asked how old is she, she answered with, "older than you." I'm not an idiot! I can tell she's older than me just by looking at the way she holds herself and those eyes that seem to hold so much.

The only good thing coming out of this is that I can use the pail in the corner without her looking my way. Thank the Valar.

The coolness seeping into the place told me that night has fallen over us. The cement ground didn't help much as I sat shivering in the corner. The cold seemed to seep into my bones, making even them shiver. My breath collected in front of me in cool mist.

I didn't dare close my eyes to welcome sleep. I was actually grateful for the wintery harsh air, for it kept me awake. Too many nights have those nightmares plagued me. But sleep tugged at the edges of my consciousness, and I knew my body would have to yield to sleep at some point.

"Take my cloak, child." My head snapped up at the sudden voice. Melnárë's voice sounded unnaturally loud as it pierced the silence like a knife.

From where I sat in the corner, up against the cement wall, I shook my head. "No, you need it more than I. I'll be dead soon, anyway." Because if Saruman doesn't kill me soon, then hyperthermia and infection from whatever down here will.

"Child, do not think about your own death and pain. Only think about what you can do for everybody else in need. I know life when I see it and I know you'll make it out of here alive." A pause. "Now get over here and take my cloak before you freeze yourself to death.

Silently I obeyed, even though my muscles cramped up and protested. I watched as she slowly took off the cloak, as if she too were in pain. She scuttled herself closer to the bars separating us and reached through, the fabric hissing against the bars. As I took the dark blue cloak, with some effort--seeing that the cloak did not want to come through--I asked carefully, "will you not be cold?"

She said, her voice sounding dead, "I have my own ways of providing warmth." Then she moved back to the shadows.

I didn't question it as I moved back, sliding the cloak around me. I marveled at the fabric, how it stayed mostly clean and the fur still soft was beyond me. The heavy cloak was lined with black fur. The bottom of the cloak had a line of two or three inches tall of black fur, the hood lined with the same thing. The black fur went perfectly with the gorgeous blue color of the cloak. Simple, but elegant.

Somehow, as I wrapped the cloak tighter around myself, the cloak felt as if it was capable of warming someone up or cooling someone down. I again marveled, not at the fabric of the cloak, but at the magic that went into this.

Again the question entered my mind:

Who is this elleth?

Yes her name is Melnárë, but there has to more to her than a name. There has to be.

Against my will, the warmth started to coax me to sleep. I struggled to stay awake, but as my mind and body yielded to sleep, I saw a tiny flicker of orange and golden light.

*********

I backed myself up against a cool wall as the Uur Rauko sauntered towards me, taking its time knowing it had me fully trapped. I could not run to the right or left--the creature was too close. I hated how the light that seeped out of the creature mouth illuminated the hallway. It cast everything in an eerie glow, pulsating in time with my fast beating heart. I could practically hear my blood sing in terror.

The beast sauntered still closer, close enough that I could smell dead and rotting flesh coming off of it. How many others had this thing ate before me? Or would I be the first it has ever tasted?

A whimper escaped my throat as the thing pounced. I pressed my clammy hands to the stone and turned my head to the side, awaiting death. I felt a claw scratch my cheek--

The wall opened up and I stumbled backward onto my butt. Light, real and pure, filtered through my eyelids, turning my vision red. I opened my eyes to see that I am in a giant garden, no wall or creature in sight. I almost sobbed in relief.

I wasn't going to die today.

But then my blood went cold as I recognized the garden, the flowers of every kind, my flowing and short, white dress, and my bare feet. I recognized the moss under me, the lovely cascading of a nearby waterfall and the buzzing of bees.

I felt a cold and dark presence behind me. I bit down on my lip, enough to make it bleed, and rose. The hair on the back of my neck rose as I turned around, every instinct in my body screaming run, run, RUN.

A sly smirk spread across his face, "greetings, love."

"Hello, Sauron."

*

"Lovely seeing you again, my love." He turned to the horizon with his hands clasped behind his back, where fluffy clouds floating and a rainbow of flowers met. His strawberry blond hair seemed to quiver like liquid fire in the slight breeze. I wish he wasn't so beautiful.

"Beautiful, isn't it?" I wasn't sure if he was talking about himself or the horizon.

It took all my courage but I managed, "what do you want?"

His eyes turned to me, narrowing at my tone. But he left it at that.

His eyes ventured to the scratch on my cheek, where I could start to feel warm blood collect. "I see you have met my pets."

I went rigid. What.

"Darlings, aren't they?" a sigh, "although they struggle to follow orders. But their art is fantastic, isn't it? They way they maim and kill, it sends such pleasure running through me."

His golden red-orange eyes met mine, "what do you think of them?"

"They are a terror," I struggled not to put in a 'sir' at the end.

He smiled in delight, "good. I'm glad you like your soldiers."

"What?" Did-did I hear him correctly. Soldiers?

"Ah, yes. I will delight to see how you control them. I'm sure with you leading them, they will create great carnage on a battlefield. Although, you will have to train them quickly if they are going to be fighting anytime soon. And of course, they will need to grow to their full size."

"Full size?" I squeaked. The Uur Rauko came up to my torso, how are they not full size. I bit down, hard enough to bleed, on my lip to keep from screaming.

The full intensity of his eyes hit me as they went cold and hard, "Do you not believe me? They are only in infancy, in mind and body. Once they are to mature they will be unstoppable. And with you as their general, they will be death incarnate."

My blood seemed to turn sluggish with ice. I couldn't keep the terror out of my voice as the words shook, "I do not wish to command the Uur Rauko."

He merely laughed, "Uur Rauko? ...Fire Demon fits them nicely. You don't mind if I use it, do you?" He laughed again.

"I do not wish to command them," I stammered.

As quick as a viper, Sauron was in front of me, glowing eyes narrowed and his cold hand gripping my jaw. "You will command them. I still sense that darkness in you, you only need to realize that it is there." Each word was thrown out like a lash.

I could smell the soap and cinnamon and darkness coming off of him in waves. His hand loosens its grip on my jaw and instead his thumb rub my cheek. Right where the blood on my cheek was. I barely felt the sting as he raised his thumb to his mouth sucking off the blood. My blood.

At the sight, something dark and unforgiving stirred. I shuddered.

He leaned in close and his lips grazed my ear as he said, "With a little bit of help, that darkness will come show itself."

He put a hand on my hip, "I desire to see that darkness for myself."

*********

I awoke with a start, my breathing labored and shaky as tears threatened. It was an effort not to up-heave my guts at the memory of him touching me, of him tasting my blood. Oh Valar, Valar, Valar.

I ran a hand over my cheek and stopped dead. Underneath my hand was something warm and sticky. A sob escaped my mouth when I lowered my palm, my blood coating it.

I hurriedly tore off a strip of the sleeve of my shirt and pressed it against my bleeding cheek.

Oh, Valar.

It had been real, this scratch had been given to me so I would know it had been real. I bit down on my lip only to squeak in pain. My lip had been cut open when I bit on it earlier.

"Lumornel?"

I'm fine, I wanted to snap, but I couldn't muster words. I don't think I was even breathing.

When I was with Sauron... I had felt something... dark... stir in me. Is it possible that he is right? That there is a darkness in me?

It hit me like a brick. I have a bigger problem than being stuck in a cell. If the rumors were true, then Saruman had sided with Sauron. Saruman doesn't just want me to learn about my power. No, he has me so he can awaken the darkness.

*********

I didn't scream. I didn't cry. I didn't really do anything as I lay lie in the grass, my body unmoving and my eyes staring up at the sky.

My sanity broke. The Ring has me. And I'm not screaming. I'm not crying. I'm fine. I'm absolutely fine. I have my life, that's all that counts, right?

I'm not screaming. I'm not crying. I'm fine. I'm fine.

My pointed ear twitch as I hear something other than the deafening silence that greeted me when my mind broke.

I'm not screaming. I'm not crying. I'm fine. I'm fine.

I heard voices. I think. They sounded as if they were in another world, wavering and warped. But slowly they evened out along with the sound of the world returning to me.

Aragorn. Gimli. They were talking, having a conversation. The thought occurred to me that I might need to stand. If I lay here any longer, then Aragorn and Gimli will think that something is wrong.

But nothing is wrong because I'm not screaming. I'm not crying. I'm fine. I'm fine.

I stood, brushing grass off the back of my legs and hair. I smiled at nothing as I caught up to Aragorn and Gimli. They stopped dead in talking.

I cocked my head to the side, "can't I talk too?"

It was weird, they allowed me to talk with them, but they did not continue the conversation they had earlier. They only gave each strange looks and asked if I was feeling alright.

I'm not screaming. I'm not crying. I'm fine. I'm fine.

The day passed in a blur, my mind only having one goal.

The two males and I ventured into Fangorn and we eventually came to a rock wall. My actions that day were not of my own. Or maybe they were, I couldn't be sure.

At the bottom of the rock wall, we were atop, an old man with a white brimmed hat peered up at us.

*********

Hello, wattpadians! So so so so so so so sorry about the huge delay. I was procrastinating. And also reading a really amazing series! Throne of Glass anyone? If You haven't read the series then you seriously need to read it. I fell in love with it and it broke me too. I'm still not over this thing that happened in the third book, Heir of Fire. I just finished the latest book, Empire of Storms, the other day. And let me tell you, I don't really cry that easily, the most I have cried over a book was in Heir of Fire. In Heir of Fire, I was silently crying so much that the tears in my vision blurred the words on the page. But when I was reading Empire of Storms, I dropped the book, curled up on my side, and sobbed. SOBBED. Now, I'm reading the prequel. Then I'll read the other series the author has: A Court of Thorns and Roses. The author is Sarah. J. Maas. I love her writing. The series is my new favorite series. And actually, the picture attached to the chapter... that is actually Throne of Glass Fanart... but it fit well with this chapter so...

Anyways... tell me what you think about this chapter? Did ya like it? Enough suspense? Is the Legolas situation making you feel frustrated or something? And yes, the Legolas situation might be confusing to read, but now that his sanity kinda broke his thoughts are reasonably messed up.

Novaer, melloneamin!