A Light From The Shadows

We Always Keep Going, or The One Where Shit Goes Down. Literally.

A.N: Here we are with chapter 3! I'm still having so much fun with this, and I feel like I've finally gotten back into my writing groove with this chapter, which is wonderful. And yes, this chapter has two titles because I'm very indecisive and wanted a funny title but really liked the other one ;) Anyways, enjoy!

*******

The faint grey light of the moon filtered down into the cell from a small crack in the stone ceiling, barely illuminating Aeri's face. It cast a shadow across her hands and set the vaguely familiar face of the elf passed out in the cell next to her aglow.

Aeri lay on the cold stone floor, hands and feet still bound. Her fingers flexed as she tried to get some blood flowing to her arms. She'd been in the same position for a very long time- it was so dark that she could not tell exactly how long had passed since Rhugar had dumped the body in the cell next door.

"Where am I?" a weak voice asked.

Aeri started. She turned her head and saw the other elf clinging to the bars separating them, even more, familiar with her eyes open.

She looked so scared, terror illuminating her face just as the moon had moments before.

"Please tell me. Where am I?" She clutched at the bars desperately.

Aeri shifted, trying to move closer. "You're in Dol Guldur."

The elf looked horrified. "Really?"

Aeri nodded, and she could see the despair crashing over the elf's face. She tried to think of a way to distract her.

"Who are you?"

The elf looked away, "I don't know if I can tell you that."

Aeri sighed. "Fine. Will it help if I tell you my name first?"

She didn't respond, so Aeri continued.

"I'm Aerinithil."

The elf's spine straightened, eyes widening in shock. "Really?"

Aeri couldn't help but laugh. "I think I'd know my own name. But how do you know it?"

"You're Calenglîn's daughter! The one she had with that human."

Aeri grew wary. "How do you know my mother?"

The elf had a faint smile on her face, reminiscing. "We were best friends, inseparable until she left with Eddard."

And then Aeri realized where she'd seen her before.

"...Celebrían?"

The elf nodded. And then passed out.

Aeri scrambled over to her, chains clanking against the rock-solid floor as she crashed into the bars separating them.

"Celebrían!!! Celebrían! Please wake up, please, please, please..."

Aeri trailed off. She'd been shaking Celebrían through the bars and rolled the elf over to see blood spilling through her dress, pooling on the floor underneath her. Aeri parted the fabric at the source, on the left side of Celebrían's abdomen, and saw a stab wound, bleeding and so clearly infected Aeri was sure the blade that had done it had been poisoned. 

"Oh no, no no no no no," Aeri muttered, scrambling for something to stop the bleeding. She looked down at herself, the ragged hem of her tunic. Quickly, she tore it off and tried to wrap it around Celebrían through the bars of the cell. She succeeded, getting the fabric over Celebrían's wound and tied it, contorting her arms through the bars.