Traitor

Chapter Twelve

Esandryya watched as the sun began to show her face to the pale and sleepy sky. She yawned and stretched, but it did not improve her sour mood. She was about to climb down from the tree when she heard Culfin's voice calling her name. She peered down through the branches to find him standing at the base of the tree, looking up at her.

"Good morning," he called. Esandryya sighed, climbed from the tree, and picked up her spear. Then she strode past him to find food. Culfin began to run after her, calling, "Excuse me – and where are we going?" Esandryya ignored him, but he ran ahead and stood in her way, forcing her to stop.

"What do you want?" she snapped. She had half a mind to simply push the small Elf aside and keep going.

Culfin gave her a cold glare. "Do not take your anger out on me. I simply came to tell you that the boat will be leaving shortly – but since you seem to be in a mood, I'll just leave you to sulk on your own. If the boat leaves without you, it will not be my fault," he said primly.

Esandryya held his gaze sullenly for a moment, but she realized he was right. She was acting a bit petty. "... I'm sorry." She held up her spear. "I'm just hunting for some food. Do you want to help?"

Culfin's eyes softened, and he pulled out a packet of Elven bread. "There is not enough time, I'm afraid. Would lembas suffice?" Esandryya nodded, took the bread, and followed him back to camp.

Along the way, she asked, "Why are you here? Are you not supposed to be guarding the King's throne room?"

Culfin cleared his throat and looked away, evading her question. "Legolas wishes to speak with you. He is waiting for you at the docks." He would say no more on the matter.

When they reached the camp, Esandryya gasped. There, at the harbor, was a large golden ship. Elves were standing all around it, the new morning sun making their snowy white cloaks shine. They were singing, and their clear voices flowed through the air like a clean, fresh wind.

Culfin took a white robe for himself and handed one to Esandryya, who took it gratefully. She searched for Legolas among the crowd of singing Elves, but she did not see him. Culfin, who guessed what she was doing, pointed to a nearby tree and said softly to her, "There."

He was sitting in the tree, watching the Elves. Esandryya hesitated before walking over and climbing the tree to sit beside him, still feeling bitter from their argument. "Hello," she said shortly.

"Hello, Esandryya," Legolas said, without turning to her. When Esandryya did not reply, he asked, "Are you still angry with me?"

Esandryya stared hard at him for a moment and pondered his question – and her feelings.

"It doesn't matter." she answered with a heavy sigh. "I understand why you reacted as you did. Are you still angry with me?"

Legolas turned to her with a probing look. "No; you did what you thought was right in that situation. However, I have a question for you; you do not have to answer it if it is too sensitive a subject."

Esandryya looked at him warily, but said, "Go on."

Legolas continued, "When we were... at the dock last night, you said your name was Eskhadrau rather than Esandryya. Then, when I brought it up again last night, you seemed to react to it strongly. Does that name have any significance?"

Esandryya hesitated. "Eskhadrau was my first name, the name given to me by the Orcs and by Saruman. I abandoned it years ago – I only used it then because I could not afford to let you give me away to the other Orcs." Legolas nodded in response and they sat in silence, watching as the Elves began to file onto the golden ship, still singing and bathed in the morning sunlight.