The Scars of a Loyal Traitor

The Other Me

I drew my sword and dodged an arrow. 
"Run!" I yelled at the people. They obeyed and scattered but the archers had them first. They fell in all directions and people began to band together again. My eyes trained on a figure in the distance. He appeared human with short black hair and pale skin but I knew who it was. Without any arrows to waste on him, I prepared for the first of the orcs to attack. I struck down one but others ran past me and began slaughtering the villagers. I used my gifts to send a shock wave to send them back but more came. I did another stronger this time but my horse suddenly buckled underneath me. He had been shot. I slid off his back and sliced the head of one orc cutting another one in the gut. I could hear people dying around me and I tried my hardest to get to them. I couldn't see Freda but she was probably behind me. I wondered if she was regretting her decision on coming. Suddenly horns erupted through the air and the sound of galloping horses reached my ears. On the hill arrived our saviors. They rode down killing orcs as they went and were by our sides in seconds. 
"Thank you!" I yelled as the fight raged around me. Suddenly a searing pain shot through my shoulder and I winced in pain trying not to collapse. In my blurred vision, I saw Khamul lowering his bow and admiring his shot. I felt hands around me and voices calling my name but I didn't focus on those. I had to keep myself conscious. I focused my eyes on someone coming toward me. 
"Captain Elinor. I seem to have helped you on time." I gritted my teeth and nodded. STAY CONSCIOUS I told myself though I didn't know why. Maybe I could just fall asleep, someone else could look after my wounds.
"You've been shot," Willem said. "I'll have the arrow extracted from you when we get back."
"Oh, Okay." I stuttered. Someone lifted me onto a horse and asked me if I could ride. I gritted my teeth and nodded, my shoulder in agony. I didn't think it could hurt this much but a bit of rest was what I needed. Stay awake! Half of my head screamed. Why was I fighting this? And with that final thought, I slipped away falling off the horse. I didn't remember hitting the ground.

A small elleth with silver hair ran into the arms of her father, Lord Elrond. Elrond picked her up and twirled her around in his arms. She giggled and her face lit up as Celebrian, her mother walked over to her and smiled. 
"Mother!" Another baby elf said. She had dark blond hair like her father and was older than the blond one. Elrond put down the little one and her sister snatched her up and took her off into the gardens of Rivendell. Their parent's laughed and kissed happily when the dream changed. 

The same two elleths were walking together in the same garden but they much older. 
"I'm really going to marry him, Lord Aragorn." Arwen sighed happily. "Please be happy for me."
"I am." Alternate me said. 
"I overheard father the other day," Arwen said in hushed tones. "He was suggesting to mother that you marry King Thranduil's son Legolas!" My eyes lit up,
"Truly? "I asked.
"Of course! There hasn't been a war for centuries nor will there ever be but father always wants to make sure his alliances are still friendly. 
"That sounds like him! You remember how angsty he got when the dwarves took back their mountain, he thought that there could be a fight." I said laughing. 
"I do love him though!" 
"We both do."

We laughed as we walked over a bridge and now Arwen was holding a baby in her arms. I had a big rounded stomach and I realized I was pregnant. 
"Our little princes!" Arwen said smiling.
"I know!" I replied happily. "And now I'm the queen of Mirkwood! It's all happened so fast!"
"For such long lives, they are exciting," Arwen said. 
"I had the strangest dream last night," I said. "I dreamt I was the daughter of an evil Mair and I got married to his horrible servant, a half-dead evil king. And I was a warrior and I had magical powers." Arwen laughed. 
"You always have strange dreams!" She laughed. "Thank god it's not true though! Imagine that!"
"Must be the baby" I said. 

My dream suddenly stopped as I found myself standing in a dungeon. I was chained to the wall and I couldn't move without hurting my shoulder. 
"That was another life," Khamul said.
"Where am I!" I said frightened. "Is this a dream too?" 
"You'd like that, wouldn't you? To just wake up and have it all over. Well, you're safe here. Your friends are getting slaughtered but you're fine." He said casually
"I HATE YOU" I screamed. 
"Can't hate your husband. that's not how it works."
"Our marriage was over when that sword destroyed you." I hissed. 
"Yes," Khamul said. "That did hurt. But I'm back now and quite alive. Did you like what your saw?" I didn't answer.
"That never happened."
"It could've." He taunted.
"This is another dream," I said. 
"Illusion." Khamul corrected. 
"That arrow!" I realized.
"You resisted the poison for much longer than I thought." Terrible thoughts ran to my head.
"What am I doing!" I demanded my chains clinking and shoulder throbbing.
"Right now, you're walking out of Edoras killing anyone who opposes you." I took in a sharp breath.
"ah look, your little friend... Gildor? Is it?"
"STOP! DON'T HURT HIM!" I yelled desperately.
"To... Late." Khamul said softly.
"NOOO!" I yelled tears erupting in my eyes. Khamul snapped his fingers and I fell limp, losing consciousness."