Be My Voice in This Present Darkness (Legolas x OC)

~Chapter XXXI~

Vana tried to tear her eyes away, but it was a fruitless effort. There she lay in cell. Her.

"But. . . but. . ." She struggled to formulate the words. "How?"

Sauron opened up the cell. "Nawath. Come out and greet Vana." He sounded like a father rebuking his daughter, but their relationship was clearly not that. "See what you have lost."

The elleth, whom Sauron had called Nawath, rose shakily. Her face, now in the light, had marked differences to Vana's own. It looked gaunt and pale, defining the cheekbones and facial structure more than necessary, and was surrounded by matted black hair. Her golden eyes were hollow inside. Scars were visible on her neck and arms. Nawath had not been kindly treated.

"Greetings," she mumbled, looking at the ground. Her hair fell into her face, revealing how tangled and matted it really was.

Sauron frowned, the action causing a crease in his otherwise smooth forehead. "Look Vana in the eye when you speak to her."

Nawath winced, as if he had slapped her. She looked up a little, just meeting Vana's eyes. They were same colour, almost as if the two ellith were looking into a mirror and seeing themselves in another situation, another life. Vana saw the terrible life of Nawath as her own, and vice versa.

"Greetings," came Nawath's croaky voice again, this time less audible. She started to shake again, trying to find a handhold to steady herself.

Sauron made a disgusted snort. "Nawath. Control yourself."

She just looked at him. "Why did you take me out? You said yourself. . . if I have another round I'd most likely die."

He smiled cruelly. "Nawath, it would be my forever joy if you happened to be killed in my torture chambers," the Lord of Mordor told the poor elleth. "But unfortunately, in the light of what is to follow, that would be merely the satisfaction of a whim."

Nawath sighed. "You were different before," she whispered. "Very different."

"No," he said. "You just didn't see me clearly."

"When you changed, I didn't agree. . ." she was talking to herself now. "Then I was replaced and forgotten."

Vana wondered what all of this was. Then sense kicked in. "Are you going to help her or not?"

Sauron sighed dramatically. "I am surrounded by fools. Of course I will not help her. You are going to watch her die. But before that she can explain herself."

"Can we do that in the healing-bay?"

"No, we will not." His tone was final, but Vana pushed on.

"I don't see why we should."

"Because then she will suffer tenfold what she did before, while being forced to reveal her deepest secrets, all of which are known only to her and I." The savage, inhumane, bloodlust that filled his voice spoke of horrors untold. Vana went for his arm, with which he had taken a hold of Nawath's shoulder. He shook her off and pulled Nawath away with him. "Come, Vana. This is good practice for you to watch."

She had to follow him deeper into the depths of that terrible place.

********

Achasiel walked back slowly to her rooms. The energy of her desperate run had left her, and now she was weary. Maybe the baby contributed to it. . . but she was tired. Really tired. This would never have affected her before, but now. . .

Something was off. Very off.

What was it? Achasiel wondered if she was becoming ill. Walking through the halls of the underground fortress, she aimed for her rooms again. She flinched as she opened the door; there were many bad memories that stemmed from when someone had opened that very door. Now the slight creaking made her wince every time.