The Last Othellan

The Threat of Temptation

I awoke with an all too familiar feeling of fear dripping into my heart. I was still close by the river, but the fellowship were nowhere to be seen. This confused me. I had thought for a second that Saerwen had brought me here, but usually I woke in a place of darkness, not in the location my sleeping body was residing. 

Sitting up, I saw exactly what I had dreaded. Saerwen stood there in front of me, a satisfied expression on her face. Something I had not seen before hung on her hip – a jet black dagger, deadly looking and sharp.

Her eyes followed mine to the dagger. As with the other dreams, my own weapons were gone.

"This dagger was forged by he who commands me" She leered "He thought it would be a worthy addition, since I will soon be killing you, and all your little friends"

"You will not harm them" I growled back "If it is me you want, then why don't you kill me now?" I rose off the ground and stood in front of her, my eyes unblinking and showing no fear. I had promised myself I would run from her no longer. It was time to stop.

"It's much more fun to play with you for a while, show you how much better I have become under the guidance of the Dark Lord" Saerwen answered. She curled her fingers around my throat and I gritted my teeth, determined not to show fear.

"Why not join us?" she continued "Alliance with him is your birth-right, it is your duty. You are powerful, Aúthiel, and skilled. Will you not bestow your talents on a worthier cause? You could start now, by telling me where you are, and where you and your companions are going."

I ripped her hand off my throat. For a moment, she looked surprised at my strength, but her face snapped almost immediately into fury.

"I will never join the dark lord, I will never tell you where we are and what we are doing, and I will never succumb to Sauron's will like the Othellans!" I shouted.

It all happened in a moment. Her hand gripped my neck once again, my knees buckled and suddenly I was drowning.

After what seemed like hours, she took my head out from the river and I coughed, drawing in great lungful's of air.

"Tell me where you are!" she hissed in my ear. I could feel her anger building as I stayed resolutely silent.

My head was forced under the water again. Until now, air had been something I had taken for granted. If I ever got to breathe it again, however, I would savour every gasp. My eyes were tightly closed but spots of light danced in front of my pupils.

She tugged me backwards and I fell against the bank of the river, gasping. "Why?" I asked. "You would kill me if I tried to enter his service. You must know that I will never give away my friends or our task. You don't want me within a thousand leagues of you, unless I'm dead at your feet!"

Saerwen grinned. "You're right, child, I don't. I know you won't join him, won't renounce the wrong side like I have. However, since I have the power to hurt you, I wouldn't miss the opportunity". She dragged me forwards and forced me to my knees, so I was staring at the river water I was sure would be my grave. "Ready?" she teased, before pushing me in and holding me down for the longest time yet.

She pulled me out again and I could barely draw the air into my lungs needed to keep me conscious.

"The darkness is the only way, it will pull all under its grasp" said Saerwen. "Elves, men, dwarves, wizards, even the Valar and the Blessed Realm will not be safe once Sauron holds dominion over all. Your death will be slow and painful - I will make sure of that. But I joined the Dark Lord. I will enjoy the eternal night."