Bride of Mordor

Forgiveness

Slowly, Aradheleth's sleep caked lashes began to flicker, and her hazel eyes burned from the countless days of slumber as she opened them. As she tried to move from the immense discomfort, her body felt stiff and weighted as if it had become one with the bed she had been sleeping on. Indeed, it was a bed and not that decrepit excuse for a cot she had been laying on in the dungeon. She forced herself to rise on her elbows, and though her head spun dreadfully, she managed to keep herself upright. Once the web of her senses and thoughts untangled themselves she haphazardly wiped the crusts from her eyes with her silk sleeves. 'Silk?' her mind raced. Had she now faded from life into the Halls of Mandos? She could discern scents of jasmine and lavender, not the wretching stink of her own rotting flesh and filth. Surely she was dead.

"Well now, somebody took their time to wake up." The voice was snide with cruel sarcasm. Blinking hard, her eyes trailed to the origin of the voice, and she almost recoiled at the sight of her father standing near the end of the bed.

"Wait...wha...?" Her words tangled in confusion.

"Short version: you are not dead. Though that is unfortunate. I would show no such mercy to a brat as spoiled as you are."

Almost instantly she could feel tears of hurt sting at the corners of her eyes.

"I am your daughter. Does that really mean nothing to you?" Her gaze focused on him now as her lower lip began to involuntarily tremble at his harshness.

The Witch King groaned at her in exasperation. "Do you really want an answer to that?"

"Then, why don't you just kill me if I am nothing but a speck of dirt to you?"

"I would have more respect for the dirt as it has more use." His tone was flat, yet his cruel eyes were ever piercing. "You are no longer my property, and thus no longer my problem to deal with."

Aradheleth looked away from him to hide the pain in her expression, and the tears which now streamed down her bronze skin.

"I hate you."

"I do not care." He dismissed her. "You are as worthless as that pathetic creature that pushed you out. I will never be able to fathom as to why our master wanted me to keep the both of you. But here we are. And look at you, senseless and unfit to be his queen."

"Why are you even here? Just to insult me and my mother yet again?" She hissed at him.

"Because you never learn, do you? Nothing ever seems retainable in that thick skull of yours. How is it so difficult for you to be his obedient fucktoy? You have just one purpose and that is to keep your mouth shut and your legs open.

"I have been keeping my legs open, and quite wide for him, in fact. I have not yet once heard any complaint when my mouth has been open around his cock."

"Nor any praises..." Her father bit back. The actual truth in his words stung like a thousand thorns in her heart, and she slumped back against the bed end in defeat.

"I know how you serve him. Yet, he would get more satisfaction and obedience from a common whore."

"If that were the case, father," She hissed through gritted teeth, "I would not still be here, nor would I still hold a title over you."

"A worthless title."

"It is a title nevertheless. And one highly surpassing yours. Now get out before I show you your place in this tower." Came another chilling voice from behind.

The Witch King hitched his breath. "Master..." And he immediately obeyed. As he flung open the heavy-set doors, he glared back at his daughter one last time.