Be My Voice in This Present Darkness (Legolas x OC)

~Chapter XXXII~

Vana looked helplessly at Nawath's pale body as Sauron gently led her out. "Come, you still have one more person to meet."

"Can I just have a few minutes?" Vana wanted to slap out at the monster in front of her, but he held her hands as if he knew. He probably did. "I watched my sister die." Her eyes filled with tears.

"Your sister was almost a stranger," was the heartless reply. "You will live." He went on, taking her with him. "Besides, this person, unlike Nawath, is expecting you."

"I still don't want to see them."

"They want to see you. And whether you want to or not, they have more of a say than you know."

"I'm not going."

Sauron merely smirked. "Oh, really?" Vana suddenly felt a familiar pain in her hand; the same way Sauron had 'demonstrated' his power to her the night her soulmate bond was broken. She tried not to wince, but reflex tears sprang into her eyes.

"Stop it!" she told him, trying to be as firm as she could. "Stop it now!" However, she couldn't control her voice's rise in pitch.

"Why?" He made no move to quit. "Are you scared?"

"I'm not," she said quickly. Too quickly. Sauron smiled at her, saying nothing more. The look on his face said enough. He didn't believe her. But what reason had she given him to believe her?

She put the thought the thought to the back of her head. It didn't matter if he believed her or not, was the thought she told herself. But for some reason she still did, as many people do.

They walked in silence for a while. Vana examined the walls as they did so, marvelling at the beautiful architecture. She hadn't really had an opportunity to do so before, and although it was strange to do it now, her mind was trying to find a distraction from her present situation.

It worked, but only in part. Nawath's horrible end still flashed before her eyes. And she let it. Couldn't she have stopped Sauron? If she was just a little stronger?

The guilt ate her up in a sudden wave. She tried to direct the blame back at Sauron, but it came right back to her. Sauron kept that superior smirk. It was like he knew what she was feeling. Maybe he did.

He probably did, as she wasn't sure if she was blocking him or not.

********

Achasiel was sitting down on the floor. She hadn't moved for a while. When Lómion left, she had slumped there, tears of pain in her eyes. She slowly worked up the willpower to examine her arms and torso. As expected, her delicate skin was mottled with red bruises. She painfully stood up and felt her stomach.

The poor mother-to-be wondered if her baby was okay. How could she tell? She had no one to help her understand what was going on. She wasn't even completely sure she was with child.

That decided her. She stiffly changed her clothing into her outfit for what she wore for shapeshifting. Then she turned into an eagle, hoping it wouldn't affect the baby. She hadn't transformed for a while, due to the whole clothes issue. These particular clothes were Elven-made and had magic woven into them. They transformed with her.

She flew out of the window and downwards towards the healing-bay. Delóswen would know what to do. She hoped.

********

Vana resisted the thoughts that ran through her head, but then Sauron pulled her chin up, so she faced him. "Now, I have a few things to say before we enter."

Vana wondered if they included not bursting into tears.

"As you well know, your sister just met her, ah, demise." He ran a finger up her jawline. "So I understand that, although it is unnecessary, you are upset."