"Here we are again, Aúthiel"
The voice of my nightmares had returned. When I sat up, I was not on the ship, but surrounded by the foul rocky landscape of my torture, and suddenly my hands had balled into fists. I sighed. It had been such a peaceful night. I had felt safe before, but I was never safe. Not with Saerwen still living.
"Why don't you just leave me alone?" I hissed "Have you not done enough damage?"
"No." she said plainly. "I came to tell you that there will be something waiting for you in Gondor. The men fighting on the side of my Lord Sauron will know you. It is not difficult to spot an elvish lady on a battlefield packed with men and orcs. If you survive, if you reach the city, there will be another little gift waiting for you."
"I've had quite enough of your little gifts" I grumbled, supressing the surmounting terror and the impulse to hide my left arm from her sight as my scars tingled.
"I don't quite think you got the message yet", Saerwen said lightly "I want you to be afraid. I want you to come crawling to me, too terrified even to defend your own life".
"That will never happen" I replied frankly "so why don't you just give up and leave me be? I have a battle to fight – I'm busy!"
Saerwen leered. Lightning fast, she reached out and gripped my left wrist, digging her bony fingers into the scars. I gasped, but it was over almost as soon as it had begun. Saerwen laughed insanely and I felt myself being pushed back into reality.
I wrenched my eyes open to find the others hurrying towards me. I sat and drew my knees up to my chin, trying in vain to ignore my stinging arm.
"It is over" I muttered as they crowded concernedly around me "I'm fine".
"You don't look fine, lass" Gimli pushed gently. I sighed, but stayed silent. I knew they wanted me to talk, but I was afraid my voice would betray the lump in my throat.
Legolas knelt down on my left and wrapped an arm around my shoulder. "Did she hurt you?" he asked. I shook my head, but the slight tremor in my left arm gave it away. Tentatively, Legolas undid the laces of my arm guard.
"It is nothing" I insisted "Really". Nevertheless, Legolas slid off my arm guard and gently pushed the sleeve of my tunic upwards. Red marks over my scars showed where Saerwen had gripped me. It must have been harder than I thought, and longer.
Legolas ran his hand gently over the finger marks and I shook my head. "I told you it was nothing".
"It isn't" Legolas muttered "It frightened you".
"It matters not", I urged. "It's over now"
Aragorn and Gimli knelt down too. "What did she say?" Aragorn asked softly. I sighed. There was no getting out of telling this lot anything.
"She said that Sauron's men on the battlefield would know me, and that there would be something waiting for me in Minas Tirith"
"Like what?" Gimli said.
"A possession. She plants objects around for me to find. Things from my past". Legolas knew this already, but Gimli and Aragorn frowned. I could tell they were on the point of asking what these things were, but I spoke before they could start.
"There is no time to ponder this. We will be in Gondor soon, we must prepare for battle."
The others seemed to know what I meant. With nods, Legolas squeezing me closer for a second and a clap on the shoulder from Aragorn, we all ate and made last minute preparations for the fight ahead.
YOU ARE READING
The Last Othellan
FanfictionAúthiel has always been alone. Her dark past is splattered with blood and she struggles everyday to live with what she has done. She depends on no-one, and trusts very few. However, when the wizard Gandalf asks her to go in his stead to assist fo...
