It was cold, and the little strength I had soon evaporated into the soaked earth. The thin, abused clothing I had on was chilling me to the bone, icy with frost, but at the very least it soothed my ravaged skin.
Afternoon was setting in and long shadows tossed themselves on the ground in shapes like fallen phantasms.
With a groan, I sat up, faint from lack of food. Or water, for that matter, for nearly two days. I vaguely recalled that humans could last only two days lacking water, but I wasn't sure if that applied to me or not.
I reached a trembling hand out to an untouched patch of snow and hastily brought it to my mouth, feeling the ice melt into little more than a mouthful.
Wracked with exhaustion, and now that my body sensed no danger of thirst, I felt my eyelids close slowly and found myself asleep on the frozen ground.
In my dream, everything was hazy again, and I was disoriented and confused. "Hello?" I called out. There was nothing, only a chilly mist. At last, I felt the presence of the mighty Valar near me, and I felt small and pitiful.
"Gianna," said the voice of Lorien, low and melodious. "You must know before you continue that the only way to stop the oath you are under from progressing is to find and use the weapon you know of." His tone was weary. "The only way to stop any of this is to find it."
"I don't know what to look for," I cried out desperately. "Help me."
So useless.
"You are the only one who can find it," the voice said. "Use the moonstone."
"How much time do I have?" I asked suddenly, knowing somehow that time was running out.
"You were fortunately not impacted by that spell the dark sorcery inflicted upon you," I was assured, "Though from your previous engagement in your own time you have lost the light of one star."
I looked down and noticed that indeed, one star was missing, instead leaving a small mark, like a freckle, in its place.
I no longer felt as safe as I had with all three. Slowly but surely, my time was running out.
"You have time still," he continued, "But you must find it before they become too rampant."
"Why did they seek to take my power from me?" I asked uncertainly.
"They would have taken it, twisted it and convoluted it beyond recognition, left you weak and unprotected, and probably would have kept you there, alone. Without being bestowed this essential blessing of protection and assurance, it is likely your purpose would never be achieved. Without the enchantment on the stone, it is simply another pretty gem. That is what would have been lost."
I meant to answer but before I could do so, the dream faded into nothingness and I was vaguely aware of discordant voices surrounding me.
"Gianna..."
I felt gentle hands under my waist, lifting me a few inches off the ground and I had no energy to react or do anything at all. However, suddenly I heard a low cry and fell back to the snowy earth.
Some exclamation in Elvish followed. "My prince, what is the matter?"
In somewhat of a labored voice, Legolas responded quietly "I'm not sure."
Maldor, that was Maldor who was speaking. So it must have been Legolas who picked me up, as usual, although for some reason, he couldn't fully lift me.
I opened up my eyes barely, making out the shape of snowdrifts and mountains. I barely heard Maldor's footsteps running up to me. "Lady Gianna," he said aghast.
I just stared, unresponsive. Now he came and gently scooped me out of the snow with ease, turning around so I could see that Legolas was indeed there, as well as Faewyn.
Fae...and I thought Falcon had her? But she appeared unharmed. At the very least he had kept his word and released her, apparently.
The men of Gondor (minus one, of course) were assembled as well, speaking in worried voices amongst themselves.
"Thank you, Maldor," Legolas said. He turned his attention to me. "Thank the Valar." he said, his voice soft, "Not all is lost."
"Thanks for dropping me," I said to Legolas, attempting to weakly joke with everyone. The tension was too real; Legolas looked at me stonily and turned away.
Faewyn ran to me and Maldor gently set me down on a slightly less wet stone. "Can you sit up, my lady?" he asked with concern.
"Yes," I said.
I laboriously propped myself up.
"Nobody here knew what to think," Faewyn said, her voice tremulous. "What occurred?"
"Falcon," I shuddered, his very name sending unpleasant thoughts into my mind.
I noticed Legolas was hovering a few feet away listening intently.
I first began with Faewyn. "How are you?" I asked her. "I cannot tell you how sorry I am you were dragged into this."
"We all were," she said. "It is what was meant to be."
"But I didn't mean for him to take you, as well," I said in a rush, "I suppose you don't remember, you were unconscious, but I can't believe you were in danger by my hand. I truly hope you'll forgive me."
I registered confusion in her glance as she looked worriedly at Maldor.
She looked at me, confused. "Gianna, what do you mean?"
"Falcon threatened me," I said in a low voice. "He took me with the promise that if I did not, he would kill you, or Maldor...or Legolas." I hesitated on his name.
"He coerced me into swearing to an oath; when I would not consent, he brought you in and threatened to kill you unless I did."
"It wasn't me, it couldn't have been," Faewyn said, hushed.
Legolas assented to that with a brusque nod. "She was here the whole time."
"Then who--" I broke off suddenly.
My powers have not been idle...
It had been a ruse, a trap, a ploy.
I knew it now. My love for Faewyn was my downfall and he knew it. I had taken those dark words into me for little cause. Faewyn had never been in danger.
"It was your likeness," I said bitterly, "And on my loyalty I swore it."
I tried to stand up but instead my still weak legs, not quite caught up with my hot head, gave out and I kneeled over, my hands chafing on the icy rocks. Faewyn, the nearest to me, tried to help me up, but as soon as she grabbed my arm, the deep cuts I had there throbbed in pain and I pulled away with a sharp breath.
"What is it, what's wrong?" Faewyn said urgently.
"Just a flesh wound," I said tersely, pulling the thin cloak around me that Maldor had draped over me earlier.
"No, it isn't," Legolas said, with such desperation, I looked at him in surprise.
"Cast it off," he said, addressing me.
I pulled off the cloak and gingerly stood up, hardly daring to meet anyone's eyes.
I shakily turned to face the assembled group. In the sunlight, it was painfully obvious exactly where each of Falcon's dagger slashes had reached me.
Through the seven or so cuts in my clothing, no skin was visible, just matted blood that had probably stuck to the fabric by now.
Faewyn's face was ashen as she studied me. "What did he do to you?" She murmured.
"Before the whole thing with you--or not you, whoever it was--he tried to torture me into binding myself to his will." I said softly. "He achieved the means in the end. I had no idea that the illusion he manifested would be so convincing, or I would have never said it."
"But why did he want you there in the first place?" Maldor frowned, meanwhile rummaging though his various assortment of herbs.
"Apparently, he wanted to remove the power allotted to me by the Valar, so that he might take it and ruin it beyond measure." I said. "But after he realised it would kill me to do so, he settled on something else."
"How nice of him," Faewyn muttered.
In spite of myself, I smiled. It seemed my sarcasm was rubbing off on her.
Legolas came forward in a sudden movement, clearly over his momentary shock.
"Let me--there must be something I--"
I cut him off. "Legolas, I'm fine."
He looked at me intently. "I cannot see anyone like this, you least of all."
"I am the one who can recover, Legolas," I reminded him. "For every stroke his hand dealt to me I thanked the Valar it was not anyone that I love."
"Do not say that," he said in a low voice. "I should have been there, I should have protected you from his threats and violence."
"There was nothing you could do." I said, pleading with him to understand, to stop blaming himself. "And here I stand, just as well as when I left."
"Not quite." His voice had sunk into an icy fury that matched the thunderous blue of his eyes.
I turned to face the others. "As soon as we may, we must continue. Before you encountered me, the voice of Lorien found me once more and it is imperative we continue at all costs."
"Not at yours," Legolas said, seemingly without thinking. "Never again."
It wasn't the scars I was afraid of. I knew without a doubt that whatever dark malice Falcon wove in the painful darkness would hurt more than injury. More than death.
"What oath did you swear?" Legolas asked.
I avoided his question in forced silence and fortunately was stopped by Maldor approaching me.
"Lady Gianna, might I be permitted to see your injuries?"
"Please do. Although they only ache now, I cannot continue looking like this," I said, half smiling.
"The blood has adhered to your clothing and will need to be cut away," he warned me.
I flinched slightly as I considered the motions of tearing cloth off of my scabbed skin.
"I hardly think healing can be worse than the process by which I attained them," I laughed jestingly.
"Perhaps we should ask Gilron's opinion on the matter," Faewyn pointed out.
Ouch.
"I'll have to risk it," I conceded.
Maldor nodded curtly. "I'll need both of you go hold her down," he told Legolas and Faewyn.
At that statement, I felt panic rise in me for two reasons.
Primarily, Maldor's statement regarding pain and me needing to be restrained sent me into wild delusions of grotesque injuries, which probably applied to me, considering I'd been slashed by a very forceful dagger multiple times.
Secondly, to dress wounds, you had to undress them, if you know what I mean.
Legolas finished establishing orders to the Men of Gondor and strode ahead without another word.
I tried to walk forward considerably but after around the second step, the throbbing from the slashes on my thigh and both knees were too much and I staggered uncertainly.
Faewyn instantly offered me her arm, and with difficulty, I leaned on her shoulder, trying not to agitate anything.
After what seemed to me like half an hour of walking but was probably only ten minutes, we emerged in a rocky area with a small river running through it.
"Here," Maldor instructed, striding to the riverside.
"Is that river even remotely safe?" I asked with a sideways glance at the inauspiciously trickling water.
"Black lands or not, things here have been considerably cleansed since the Fall," Faewyn said assuringly. "Regardless, it's our only choice. This many injuries need a significant source of water."
I winced as Maldor motioned for me to go towards where he was standing.
"My lady, I will do my best not to hurt you," he started. "But the only way to clean such deep wounds is to strip away that which is staring to heal."
"No matter," I reassured him. "Do what you must."
I gingerly laid upon the bare cloth Maldor had spread out by the river.
"Are you ready?"
I merely nodded, clenching my teeth in anticipation.
"Relax," murmured Legolas from my left. "It's no easier when you are tense."
I tried to consider this logical fact but instead my heart raced at his voice.
Maldor took out a short knife. If I wasn't tense before, I certainly was now.
Faewyn shot me a worried glance but instead nodded to Maldor. With one fluid motion, he sliced around the first wound on my abdomen, peeling away the fabric gingerly. When it was fully exposed, he slowly, agonizingly, pulled the clinging cloth. I whimpered as a section of the scab peeled off with it, exposing more raw flesh to the cold air.
He worked quickly and methodically, applying a tincture to the area with care.
"That wasn't so bad," I said. "Perhaps the other two are simply here for moral support."
"Unfortunately not," he said with regret. "The fabric there was all but torn away already. The other six cuts have been much less fortunate."
I resolutely acknowledged this.
"Legolas, Faewyn," Maldor said, the sole authority in this situation. "Hold down her arms."
Wordlessly, Legolas approached me from behind and held my arm, fully extended, to the ground.
Legolas recoiled with a violent shock and leapt back as if he had been struck by a bolt of lightning.
"My lord?" Maldor asked, concerned.
"I can't--." He took a minute and exhaled heavily. "Gianna, I--"
I tried to go to him but Maldor held me down. "No, my lady, you will hurt yourself."
"Legolas, what..." I began, seeing something was terribly wrong.
"It is nothing," he insisted. "Please, Maldor, continue." He stood aside and impassively observed.
Faewyn instead positioned herself behind me and held me down.
"You must not tense your arms," Maldor said. "Or the blood flow will increase substantially."
He made a thin incision in the cloth of my sleeve and suddenly tore it off, in a sudden motion. The pain was instantaneous, and I knew now why he had told me not to tense up.
It was impossible not to. Both my arms reflexively snapped upwards.
Faewyn easily held me, pinning me to the stones below with a collected air. "Easy, Gia, it must be this way."
"Don't release me," I said hoarsely.
She nodded, half to me and half to Maldor, who tore off my other sleeve in a similar fashion.
Legolas crouched down next to me. "You can't imagine how much I wish I could take this from you," he said in quiet desperation.
"I am glad you cannot, else I would be saying the same." I whispered.
Legolas stood up with a frustrated sigh and sang softly as he looked out on the lengthening shadows.
"'Guard her from wind and frost, and hide
from hands that seize and cast aside;
keep her from wandering and woe,
for pride and fate now make me go.'"
Faewyn looked at him in surprise, but I was too focused on Maldor, who had just bandaged both my arms.
"This needs water," he said. "Legolas?"
He was already walking towards Maldor with a small bowl of water.
"There is no time to heat it," Maldor said to me, "Already the skies darken and the shadows fade."
With that, he poured it over my chest, soaking the remaining fabric and also the foot long cut that graced the stretch from my shoulder to my sternum.
He gently loosened the remaining cloth and fully pulled it off, leaving me completely freezing, not to mention bleeding everywhere. Oh, also topless.
But nobody really was paying attention, the important thing was for me not to die. Ha.
"Easy," Legolas begged. I wasn't sure who he spoke to, but either way, his raw tone made me cringe.
"There is no time to do the ones on your legs without you freezing to death," Maldor sighed, wiping the balm he had been applying on a rag. "But you must make sure the cloth does not stay stuck to the raw wounds."
I nodded, barely.
"It's time," Maldor said tiredly. "She cannot walk back."
"I will--" Legolas started, then abruptly stopped. "Follow me back. Maldor, can you manage?"
He nodded mutely and wrapped a blanket around me as he lifted me, to keep me from the cold.
Dazed from the pain and feverish, regardless of the cold, I hardly noticed the walk back through the twilight.
When we arrived, the men, concerned, immediately asked Faewyn what had occurred. When she told them, they mostly shook their heads sadly or looked around nervously.
"Tomorrow we continue," Legolas announced.
He tossed some wood (don't ask where he found dry wood in this place) on the fire and strode towards the far end of the camp, tightly grasping his bow.
Maldor set me down in the warmest place that existed, a sodden and gravelly patch near the fire.
"Take this, it will help with the pain," he said soothingly, offering me a small flask of something.
I took it without question and took a sip, feeling a numbing relief spread to my aching limbs.
Faewyn knelt by me. "I never thought I would see you like this," she said, the firelight reflected in her grey eyes. "Falcon is a monster."
"I never knew, not until--" I hesitated.
"Until when?" she asked.
"Do you remember, days ago, when Legolas and I went to scout the area?"
She nodded.
"I had seen that day that Falcon was one of them, the Remnants. When I was lost I shot him on accident and when I tried to pull it out, there was no wound. He tried to convince me he had good intentions, but I rejected his offers of amity. That night, I had a dream that he offered me a deal--either I came with him, or he would kill one of you. After you came with the others, the second night, I knew he would come for me. And he did."
I weakly contemplated the fire.
"He is one you must destroy before the end, then," she responded, "He is no longer human, but half spirit, and half mad besides."
I smiled a broken grin and tried to turn to look at her. "Mellon nin, I thank you for being here."
"Always," she said. She squeezed my hand reassuringly and turned towards her own blanket.
The moon rose over the stark peaks and for a single moment, I was at peace.
It left me when I recalled all that had transpired. "Legolas," I murmured into the dark, half heartedly.
"Híril vuin (My lady)," he replied, striding towards me. "What do you ask of me?"
"What is wrong?" I asked, remembering his uncharacteristic and agitated demeanour earlier.
"Nothing," he said gently, "Just sleep."
"No," I said. "Tell me."
"Tell me," he said absentmindedly, "What did Falcon make you swear?"
I felt feverish again at his words.
Slowly, I spoke, repeating the words that would never leave me. "'The deepest bonds should be torn from me and I forsake all who would love me in greater kinship than that of a comrade.' He told me nobody would ever love me again, not until the world is remade and I can suffer what he has."
"His suffering is completely deserved," he said savagely. "But he has ever desired you, Gia, you know that. He will stop at nothing to have some sort of satisfaction from this."
Nothing but a deep satisfaction. It slowly dawned on me what he had said.
Nobody would feel my touch--it was literal.
Very literal.
"Legolas," I said with cold dread. "Now tell me what happened."
"It was as if my heart stopped when I held you," he said darkly.
My heart actually did stop right then.
That was it.
"Forgive me as I cannot hope to forgive myself," I said, my voice as broken as my heart.
He turned to me with confusion but saw my expression and understood.
"He wanted revenge," Legolas said in anguish. "And he shall have it."