Amarth

Chapter 25

I scream in anger and fight even harder. Half of the men are forced to hold me down to keep me from struggling.

They force me onto the ground to where I'm laying on my side. And the rest of the men surround Anna who's helpless to run away.

When I hear the whip crack against her skin and hear her scream in pain. My world crashes around me.

I can't see or think. All that I am aware of is the cracking of the whip, and Anna's screams. But it doesn't end with the whipping.

Next comes the beating.
The punches, the kicks.
Her screams become fainter and fainter until they are silent. I can see nothing but grey, as if all the color has left my sight.

I don't even feel the men cut off my bonds and release me. I can barely comprehend what the man in front of me says as he grabs a handful of my hair and pulls my head up.

"I hope you've learned your lesson elf."
He slams my head into the ground and pain explodes throughout my mind.

It's not because of the physical pain, it's because of the horror of watching my baby sister get beaten in front of me.

I force myself to crawl over to where she lays. Motionless and covered in blood, her blood.

I sit up beside her and cradle her body against mine. I can't tell if she's alive or dead. All I know is that it's my fault.

I'm the one who started killing. I'm the one who led those men here.
I'm the one who failed to save the one I promised to protect.

"Anna, forgive me."
My voice is hoarse as tears begin to well up in my eyes.
I put my forehead against hers and that's when I hear it.

She's breathing.
"Anna?"
I shake her gently.
Hoping for her to wake up.
"C-Caran?"

She's alive!
My joy fades immediately.
How long will she live with her injuries? I can't heal, I can only destroy.

I never mentioned this before because when I first discovered it I was afraid and shameful of it, but while Alatar was doing his experiments on me he didn't just make me into a monster.

He gave me certain...
Powers.
They are things that I do not want. I promised myself that I would never use them because of their malice.

But now, seeing that Anna's life was at stake, I had no other choice. I gathered her into my arms and began to carry her north. Deeper into the forest the surrounded our home, and to a place where I knew she would be safe.

////

I had come up with this plan years ago, if anything ever happened that endangered Anna's life, I would bring her to a safe place.

A place where she would be safe from those who did her harm, and from me.

I stepped over tree roots and willed myself to go faster. Anna was fading fast, I knew that she didn't have much time left.

One of the abilities I had that I did use was the ability to sense when other beings were nearby. I onlt used it during combat or when I had been hired to assasinate someone.

Now I used it to make sure that Anna would be found.
I kept going a few more paces before I stopped. Carefully I set Anna down to where she was leaning with her back against a tree.

She moaned softly and I gently carressed her face with my hands.
"Anna? Listen to me, you have to stay awake alright? Just for a little longer."

"C-Caran? W-where-"
"Stop Anna. You need to rest now. Help is coming. You're going to be alright, you're safe now."

"W-what.... about.... you?"
Her voice is so weak it brings tears to my eyes.
"You mean so much to me Anna."
I say as I move my hands to rest on either side of her head.
"What.... are you doing?"

"I'm sorry that I couldn't protect you, I'm sorry that I broke my promise."

"Caran...."

I close my eyes and a single tear runs down my cheek.
"I love you Anna."

Before she can say anything else she gasps as a shudder runs through her body. I hate myself for what I'm doing to her but I have no coice.

I'm taking away her memories. Every single one of them.
Even the ones of her family, me, and her name.

The only to keep her safe is if I get as far away from her as possible. And if she doesn't ever know who I am.

She gasps and suddenly her body lies still. I know that she's still alive, but she will be awake soon.

I lean forward and kiss her forehead.
"I love you so much Anna, you were the only one who could have saved me."

I tuck a strand of her hair behind her ear. She is so beautiful, she will bring happiness to someone else in her new life, the one I was forced to give her.

I step away as I hear footsteps approaching. Calmly I enter the trees and merge with the shadows. I watch as several elves race over to Anna's side, shouting at each other in frantic voices.

One of the elves kneels down in front of Anna and calls to her softly, asking her is she's alright.

Her eyes slowly open, dazed and confused. She won't remember how she got there at all, she'll only remember what I put in her head.

The elf is asking her what her name is. She seems confused for a moment as she waits for her name to surface.

I picked a name that would suit her in her new home, the name was also our mother's name.
She always looked so much like naneth.

Her eyes focus as her name comes to her. She looks the dark haired elf in the eye and says her name.

"Tauriel, my name is Tauriel."