In the middle of the night I woke up. My elvish side had had enough sleep for the night. As quietly as I could, I got up and put on my cloak, which I had taken off to sleep. I stepped over the sleeping Pippin, my eyes falling on Gandalf, who was sleeping with his eyes open, holding the bundle of cloth tightly in his hand. That was just as well, for a plantìri was not to be trifled with, through him Sauron could see directly into our thoughts, what a terrible idea. I quietly closed the door and went out into the fresh air, where I met Legolas and Thranduil, who probably couldn't sleep any more than I could. Both stared off into the east without speaking to each other "What's wrong?"
Neither of them turned around, I stood beside them and tried to make out what they were staring at.
"Something has changed, something is stirring in the east." Thranduil murmured.
Suddenly a screech ran through my head, I pressed my hands to my temples and almost went to my knees "What was that!" I gasped.
"He's here!" breathed Legolas.
Then I could feel it too, the darkness increasing. I took my legs in my hands and ran. Heading further and further towards the centre of that darkness, I yanked open the door to our dormitory and what I saw was simply horrifying. Pippin was clutching the plantìri with both hands. His face was contorted in pain and he was writhing on the wooden floor.
"Pippin!" screamed Aragorn and snatched the orb from the hobbit's hand. Pippin lay trembling, but now the dark magic of the orb gripped Aragorn. He stared at it with wide eyes and contorted his face into silent cries of pain.
I did not think for long. In two long strides I was at the orb. Ignoring Thranduil's shouted "Leona no!" I plucked the orb from the ranger's hand. Only peripherally did I see Aragorn slump and be caught by Legolas.
Darkness flooded every inch of my body, every attempt to keep it out was futile. And with the darkness came the pain, I was frozen, try as I might to let go of the orb, it just wasn't working, it was as if my hands were glued down.
"Leona!" the voice of Sauron almost shredded my mind "There is so much pain inside you." Images flashed through my mind, my village being overrun by orcs, my mother lying dead on the forest floor surrounded by a pool of blood. Kili nearly dying of Morgul poisoning and wallowing in pain, Gandalf being dragged to apparent death by the Balrog."
"Out...of my....head!" brought forth I.
Sauron just laughed blisteringly "And yet all your pain is nothing compared to what is yet to come, Fire Elf!" he spat out the last word like an insult. A bloodcurdling scream sounded from somewhere, only later did I realise it had been my own. Sauron planted the next image in my mind, I didn't even notice that my knees buckled under me and I fell to the floor. I saw Kili being tortured by orcs in the black tower. He was writhing in pain as they hit him again and again and he was screaming my name. I screamed for him, but I knew very well that he could not hear me.
Suddenly Sauron was in a body form in front of me and grabbed me by the chin "Look!" a tear ran down my cheek as an orc broke Kili's arm with a cracking sound "This will be the fate of all you love."
I roared out, with the last shred of strength I had in me, I let go of the orb. Dully it rolled to the ground.
Blurred, I could make out Thranduil's face above me "Leona can you hear me?" his voice came through muffled.
I grabbed him by the sleeve with the greatest effort and pulled myself up to him "They've got him." tears welled up in my eyes "They've got Kili, they're torturing him!" I wanted to jump up and fly off at once. But I was held back by Thranduil "Leona, Leona calm down, Kili is safe at Erebor Sauron dare not attack the mountian."
I heard his words but they didn't reach my brain, I struggled desperately against Thranduil's grip who held me tightly "You don't understand!" again and again I saw Kili crying out in pain "I....I have to......" I lost the fight against the tears and just clung convulsively to Thranduil.
When there were no tears left I noticed Gandalf standing behind me "Leona, that wasn't real."
My last two tears ran down my cheeks "How do you know?"
Gandalf frowned "Sauron knows he can't break you with physical pain, but he can break you with mental pain, he wants to make you careless, he fears you."
I took a deep breath in and out "I hope you're right!" I lowered myself to the ground and pulled my legs in as Gandalf walked over to Pippin and placed his hand on his forehead. After exchanging a few words with the hobbit, he pulled him to his feet and dragged him with him into the King's Hall, which must have been filled by now after my screams must have thrown all of Edoras out of bed. I pushed myself up against the wall and followed the others with a blank expression on my face. The conversation in the hall passed me by, the only thing I could make out was that the fate of the people would probably be decided in the capital of Gondor and that Gandalf and Pippin would probably ride there. The only thing I could think of was how I would fly home to make sure that the vision of Sauron was not the truth. Then a thought occurred to me "I'll come with you Gandalf." it would drive me mad if I sat here uselessly. And from Gondor I could make a detour to Erebor.
"Then it is settled." Gandalf looked out of the window "We ride at sunrise."
Pippin looked out of the window confused "But the sun is already up!"
Gandalf snorted "You've got it, young Took!"