Traitor

Chapter Seven

The guards pulled Esandryya roughly to a dimly lit cell far below the rest of the city. After throwing her in, they took her armor away from her and chained her hands and feet before shutting the door, which resonated with a dull clang. She waited there for several hours, sitting against the wall and seething.

Just as her head began to nod from drowsiness, Esandryya heard footsteps descending slowly toward the cell. Her ears twitched as she listened to the condescending sound. Then, King Thranduil himself came into view, his hands folded behind him. They regarded each other through the bars of the Orc's prison cell, Esandryya's eyebrows raised and the King's face stony and brooding.

After a tense moment, Esandryya stood up and bowed as she had when she had first arrived. The King gave her a false, humorless smile and said, "No display of respect will earn you my sympathy, Orc."

Esandryya gave him a measured look. "I'm not asking for it."

King Thranduil turned his back to her and said, "You are a bizarre creature... in appearance and in actions."

"Why are you here?"

"For your cooperation – which I intend to receive completely. Tell me..." he began to pace slowly, ignoring the scrutiny of Esandryya's yellow eyes. "Why were you trespassing my borders? Was it simply to insult me and harm my subjects?"

The Orc scowled and opened her mouth to give an impertinent reply – but she bit it back, remembering her terrible actions. So, she hesitated and answered in a low voice: "I... wanted your help."

The Elvenking stopped and smirked at her over his shoulder, saying, "A filthy Orc, requesting the help of an Elven lord?"

Esandryya raised her chin proudly and said, "I wish to go to the Undying Lands."

There was silence for several moments – then the King suddenly burst into loud laughter, his voice echoing through the prison cell and rebounding to jeer at her a thousand times.

Esandryya crossed her arms and glowered at his back darkly. "We were Elves once, before evil took and defiled us," she stated once the echoes of his laughter had died completely.

The King turned to face her and said, "You have hope that you can redeem yourself despite your corrupt form?"

"Yes," Esandryya answered stiffly.

The King exhaled loudly through his nostrils, regarding her with a condescending glare. "An Orc is not an Elf. You were never an Elf, and you will never be accepted as one – and if you think I would help you after what you did, then you are as witless as you are grotesque."

"I can get there with or without your help," Esandryya said testily.

King Thranduil smiled, tilted his head at the Orc, and said, "So much... 'hope'... for things that are impossible. It is hardly possible you will leave my Kingdom alive."

Esandryya narrowed her eyes and replied, "I just want to be free – not despised or called filthy!" She shook her chains agitatedly.

"You and your fellow Orcs are a disgrace to Elven-kind!" The King replied, raising his voice slightly.

Esandryya curled her claws into fists and declared, "I will get to the Undying Lands or die trying!"

Leaning close to the bars, the King hissed, "You were foolish to seek my help. Now you will die trying,"

Esandryya reached out and took hold of the bars, her eyes flashing. "Legolas thought my coming here was foolish as well, but he still agreed to help me because I am his friend. You don't like me or trust my intentions – I understand that. But shouldn't you trust his?"

The King laughed. "My son is far too lenient for his own good – I trust his misplaced feelings are authentic at the very least. But trust you? My trust is deserved by those who have done no evil to me. Orcs have been bred for evil for thousands of years – yet you wish us to believe you are different?"

Esandryya glanced away, but replied, "Yes, they were. I do not deny it, but I will defy it. I am not evil – but I let my impulses overtake me in your throne room. For that... I ask your forgiveness."

The Elvenking straightened, his face expressionless as he started back up the stairs. "Save your breath – and your strength. We may need it later." Then he disappeared up the stairs and out of Esandryya's view. She sighed and sank to the floor once again.

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Esandryya did not know she had fallen asleep until she was woken by a familiar voice echoing from near her cell.

"I'm in here," she mumbled groggily. "Legolas, is that you?" She heard a few footsteps before Legolas appeared in front of her cubicle, the worry in his hazel eyes easing when he saw her.

"Good, you are alive," he said. "When you did not respond the first time, I thought King Thranduil had had you executed."

Esandryya gave him a sour smile, but she looked away and said, "I'm sorry about my rudeness in the throne room. It was wrong."

Legolas was quiet for several moments; then he sighed. "It is all right – at least you are learning. All of us acted terribly."

Esandryya nodded, relieved. "Is that Elf all right? I hope I haven't hurt him too badly."

Legolas smiled. "Oh, he is young and stalwart – his pride is hurt more than anything else, I fear." His smile fell. "He will take great delight in what is to come."

Esandryya frowned. "What do you mean?" she asked.

Legolas sighed and began, "I came to tell you that you will be... accompanying us as we delve into the deeper parts of Mirkwood." Esandryya gave a slow nod before asking why. Legolas looked down uncomfortably and continued.

"You have heard that the Spiders have been increasing in numbers?"

Esandryya nodded again.

"Our scouts and hunters have brought back news of a great cave hidden in the forest where an entire colony of Spiders reportedly dwell with their Queen. We go today to exterminate them."

Esandryya's eyes widened. "You are bringing me?" she asked incredulously.

Legolas nodded. "The King has promised me that he will set you free if you survive this ordeal."

Esandryya pondered that, her brow furrowed. "Then I assume it will be difficult. He only said that to you because he hopes I'll die, right?"

Legolas nodded again. "That is my expectation as well. I would brace for extra challenges that he would impose upon you. As you well know, my people... haven't taken kindly to you thus far, and they may treat you unfairly."

Esandryya's ears twitched. "As long as I have armor and a weapon I can kill as many Spiders as I need to."

Legolas looked hard at her and said, "They may not even give you those."

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