Within Dreams [A Legolas love story]

Dark Matters

"Don't say that," I said faintly. "Please, get off me."

He switched positions to kneeling by me, observing.

"You wouldn't hurt us, Falcon," I said, not because I believed that, but because he might be persuaded to.

"You're wrong," he said. Suddenly my eyes were covered with nightmares, horrific scenes of Faewyn, limp and lifeless, bound and bloodied. Legolas, still standing proudly, stabbed from behind as I watched, and as I turned, I saw Thranduil watching his son fall. It was hardly just them, scores of burning villages, fair elven relics lost and destroyed, people screaming. Somehow I had done this, by not agreeing sooner. My senses were assaulted and I thought I was screaming, stop it, please stop it, but no sound came from me instead I gazed up at Falcon, hot tears running down my face, never able to unsee it.

"Take me," I said, defeated.

He led me out of the camp with no sound.

I was not blindfolded, I was not fettered nor tied, but I followed Falcon as a beaten dog might follow its cruel master, though I loathed myself for it. The path went on no more than a few hours, and yet, it seemed in that time we went farther than anyone ever could.

"The advantage of being privileged to uphold the word of Sauron," Falcon started conversationally, "is that you are always welcomed in the darkest places."

"Sounds like great employee benefits," I muttered.

"What?"

"Nothing," I growled.

"You do not know what it's like to have this power, this lust for truth," he said, in a hushed voice. "It is enlightenment, knowledge. You cannot stop evil, Gianna, nobody can."

"Maybe not," I said. "But I will fight against it, against you, until my last breath falters."

"Perhaps." he said thoughtfully.

He stopped suddenly.

I looked warily around, tiredly trying to make sense of things.

Falcon suddenly turned and he struck me across the face. My jaw cracked with a snap and must have dislocated, shooting pain across my face and sending me tumbling to the ground. I saw Falcon approach me.

"I apologise," he said. "But I really cannot hope to accomplish much if you still could consider...how did you put it? 'Fight me with your last breath?'"

I said nothing.

He took a moment to mockingly untie my braids, letting my hair loosely lie around my shoulders. To finish, he took a hard leather strap and reached around me to tie my hands. I resisted, pushing off the ground and using my leg to kick out as hard as I could. I thought I heard a crack in his knee but he seemed not to notice. I grimaced and tried again, but he dodged it and looked at me disapprovingly.

"You are truly a gem," he said, as if looking at a precious stone and not a person. "I hope it doesn't kill you so I can experience your beauty by myself."

"I thought you didn't want to kill me?" I observed, still on the ground.

"Not intentionally," he said apologetically, as if he were sorry. "The thing is, to corrupt what is good for the master of shadows I must first put out the light."

"The Valar protect me," I said. "You cannot harm me."

"Heavens, I'm glad," he said. "Hopefully you will heal well."

"What is your intent?" I asked.

"No more questions," he said decidedly, tightening the leather strap. I realised apart from my hands behind my back he had wound the stiff belt around my ribs, for no other reason than to suddenly pull it tight. I felt my lungs constrict painfully, and he pulled it tighter.

"Let me know if you have trouble breathing," he commented with a smirk.

I couldn't take a breath to respond, and only thought of fighting, resisting, horrified at the thought of his plans for me.

"Why must you bind me like this?" I choked out in fury. "I am no threat to you."

"So they say," he mused. "But I will take no chances. This must not fail."

The day (and myself) dragged on painfully, arduously, and at last we came to what must once have been the tower of Barad-Dur. The foundations still stood, like a jagged hole in the ground, and it was here he led me.

"Nobody else can get here, to these ruins," he reflected. "It's no wonder you and that prince didn't find anything. Sauron would never have allowed the--well, let us just assume nothing of value is in the other ruins."

"I doubt you know what we sought," I said, though I knew he did.

"The weapon of Valinor, perhaps?" he said smugly. "I know all about your little 'quest' of sorts."

"Then you'll know that nobody has ever found such a weapon," I pointed out.

"Of course not," he scoffed. "It is a myth to give hope to the forlorn and raise up the righteous. This reign of light cannot endure."

I tried to answer but found that to catch my breath sufficiently, I had to breathe in quick, short little gasps.

"Falcon," I wheezed out. "I cannot follow at this pace with this belt binding me." Playing on his supposed concern for my welfare, I added, "Besides, the way it is tied I feel my recent injury returning to it's old condition."

He looked back interestedly. "Which injury might that be?"

"I was attacked," I said faintly, "not a fortnight ago, by goblin-Orc like creatures. My rib was broken severely by the impact." I looked at him forlornly. "If it fractures anew my lung could fill with blood and I would be no use to you, would I?"

Of course, I was well aware I was in no danger of my rib re-fracturing, but I intended to be as melodramatic as possible.

He sighed in resignation, loosening the strap just barely, not enough to make much of a difference, but I felt my lungs take in air gratefully.

"Thank you," I scowled. "I'm surprised you were unaware of the situation."

"What, the mutants? I didn't send them," he said.

"I thought your lot was the ones running me down," I commented dryly.

"Probably," he shrugged. "Had to get you somehow."

"Don't you think I deserve to know exactly why you insist on kidnapping me?" I said crossly, narrowing my eyes.

"I do not believe the circumstances imply I forced you against your wishes when you came willingly," he commented mildly, tugging on the leather strap and causing me to lurch forward suddenly.

"Through threats and fear?" I hissed. "Anyone would do the same."

I hated him for making me submissive and weak, despised my inability to fight back. But if I played my cards correctly, I might be able to gain the upper hand and collect important bits of information. Maybe it would never reach the others, but I would try regardless.

I swallowed my pride and trudged after my captor.