Princess of Arnor - The King's Regent (Under Edit)

Chapter Nine: Dol Guldur

"Are you sure? Did you see his body?" - Radagast.

The dim light from the opening of the cart door and the two pairs of Orcish hands grabbing hold of her disturbed Thorwen's blissful darkness. The clanging of the chains made her head throb as her captors released her from the manacles and pulled her out. Outside, a sea of grey Orcish faces greeted her, some laughing, others sneering.

But Thorwen did not care, she only longed to return to the blissful nothing. The Orc's half-dragging, half-carrying her, pushed the crowds aside. "Make way for the Great Master's bride," they jeered. The Orcs then dropped her on her knees.

Thorwen slowly looked up and saw Nuta looking down at her, smiling. "Welcome to Dol Guldur, Sweeting. We are expecting the Great Master's servants to return here in the next day or so. Therefore, we have no time to waste." She then made a speech to the Orcs that roused them further, but to Thorwen it was little more than an incoherent noise. Two priests pulled her to her feet and Nuta ordered them to put her in a holding cell.

They dragged Thorwen through the large main doors of the Fortress, which closed with a loud thud behind them. They were in a huge stone entrance hall with no windows. It was lit with braziers, torches, and candles. One priest lifted a torch, and they took Thorwen down dark musty steps and tunnels, but she was barely aware of where they went.

Two Orcs guarded the entrance to the holding cells, and the priests ordered them to open one. They threw Thorwen into a windowless cell and one priest lit the lamp hanging on the wall. The other priest drew out a flask and ordered her to drink. With Thranduil gone, there was no hope for her now. Only misery and darkness. Thorwen almost snatched the flask from him and downed its contents. Soon the dark bliss came over her again and nothing mattered anymore.

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From their hiding place on the battlements Calenamath, and the others looked on in dismay. Below them, in the courtyard, a great crowd of Orcs, goblins, and trolls gathered around the small wooden cart they had seen earlier. Two Orcs opened the cart and dragged out a dishevelled Thorwen. Calenamath shuddered and Bregwen gasped when they saw her. "Her eyes. Is that what the Poppy Syrup does?"

Calenamath nodded. "She is sadly under its influence." He wanted to tear down the walls and rip the hearts from every one of those Orcs. But took comfort that Thranduil did not have to see Thorwen's predicament.

The Orcs dragged Thorwen through the jeering crowds before Nuta, who then gave a rousing speech. "The Elves thought they could hide 'The Gift' from us. But we did not give up and now, as prophesied, victory is close at hand! The Great Master will soon have his queen and his ring! We shall be the masters of Middle Earth and all will bow before us!"

A foul cheer went up and two priests took Thorwen in through the main entrance of the fortress. "Dol Guldur is a maze of evil. It will not be easy to find the Lady. What is our next course of action?" asked Haldir.

"I will lead a group of seven to infiltrate the fortress. The rest should remain here," replied Calenamath. Haldir and Bregwen volunteered to accompany him, and Calenamath selected two from the Huscarls and two Galadhrim to join them. Then they watched and waited. A few hours later, the Elves noticed a group of black-cloaked priests carrying Crebain in cages.

"There is something strange about two of those priests," said Haldir.

"They are wearing shadow cloaks, made with the souls of those given to Morgoth. It is Morgul work," replied Calenamath. Shuddering as he spoke.

"You seem to know a lot about these priests."

"They had an enclave in the Emyn Duir and I infiltrated it for a year before we destroyed it."