Of Wraiths and Kings, and Friends and Rings (Calling All Nazgul)

[Lotesse]

Buzukhumarz the Fifth was upset. He was fed up, and no amount of dulling the senses with cheap wine and mortal distractions was going to calm him down. Not this time. Enough was enough. How dare she give him the blow off? Who did she think she was, treating him like another one of her stupid sexual lackeys? He was going to get to the bottom of her duplicitous shenanegans, once and for all. No longer was the Fifth going to be her patsy, oh no. Or so he fumed, as he angrily paced around his room and quarters at Orrodel House, flinging his clothes hither and thither, and at one point even angrily jabbing his side dagger into the thick mahogany desk in his little office alcove, next to his bed. He had pretended to go to the Star of Elendil, after leaving the girls at the University entrance, but instead he had opted to go back home and think. He needed to figure a few things out for himself.

"Why is no one straight with me," he thought bitterly and furiously. "They think I can be easily fooled, and HER, her especially. I am tired of being made a fool of at her gorgeous expense," and then, as his mind got sidetracked thinking of Lilaenwen's long, creamy thighs and intoxicating green eyes, and that silky, flame-red hair, that hair...

"Dammit!" he cried. He quickly composed himself after saying that out loud, and darted his eyes around his own room, as if there might have been someone in the shadows hearing his tantrum.

Annoyed with himself now, in addition to being annoyed with his girlfriend and his NazFamily, Buz decided to dress himself in his best clothes, and girt himself with his nicest weapons and tall, polished black boots, and go out and - do something. Yes, he was going to find that damn sewing circle, or wherever it was that Lil had said she and Vivvie were going to. He wanted to know what was going on. He felt like he was being left out of the loop, and that, he thought smugly to himself, was going to end, now.

Before leaving his room, after having dressed to the nines, he polished off a bottle of his finest Umbar rum, to prepare himself for an evening of discovery and personal conquest. He wondered if Viniglaen would mind if he borrowed her new magnificent horse.

Downstairs, as he donned his crimson cloak which had been hanging on the cloak-stand in the coatroom, he heard Silla, one of the new housemaids, shuttling around, making housekeeping noises.

"Miss!" he called. "Ah, miss - miss Silla, is it?"

The shuttling noises abruptly stopped, then after a beat, she shyly emerged from a side room, feather duster in hand.

"Yes, my lord?"

"Who was this man from whom you received correspondance earlier this evening?"

"My lord, I'm sure I do not know who that gentleman was. I merely received a letter from him -"

"A letter for the Lady Lilaenwen, correct?"

"Y-Yes, yes sir."

"Can you describe the man to me?"

"Um, he was - he was - it was difficult to tell, really, sir; I think he was a bit dark-looking, and of medium, tallish build, and - and sort of formidable seeming, I suppose, but other than that sir, I couldn't say."

Irritated, Buz cut the conversation off completely, and left the house, shutting the huge door behind him firmly and a bit loudly, for emphasis.


******************


Outside, the wind was really making everything confusing. Bits of leaves and whirlygigs of tiny windstorms were whipping up, making Buz even crazier with irritation. His cloak flapped up, and momentarily stuck to his face, and he whacked his arms around, trying to get the cloth out of his eyes. Finally getting himself sorted out, he tugged his front tunic down, and patted his breastpocket, where he kept his silver emergency flask of rum."Good thing I brought THIS," he thought;"It's going to be a long night."

In the stablehouse, his first obstacle was Frankie Gladheart, the goodest goodboy that Buz could remember having run into in the last hundred years or so.

"I need you to saddle and ready this black Mearas for me, boy," barked Buz as he bustled his way in and struggled to shut the door behind him.

"Good evening, sir!" responded Frankie, forgetting to smile through his nervousness.

"I disagree," said Buz gruffly, brushing the bits of twig and leaf out of his face and hair, "it is by no means a good evening. Now, saddle that horse for me, boy! Time's a wastin'."

"Yes, sir," said Frankie uncertainly, knowing full well that the horse was Vivvie's prize mare. He was getting to know the Lady Viniglaen, well enough to know how close she was to her mount. But Pengolod was a Lord of Orrodel; what a quandary! What could he, a lowly stableboy, say?

[CrazySquirrel]

Lilly was having a sweet dream.

They was lying in a sumptuous bed, and the High King, the crown on his head, was kissing her passionately. In between the kisses Lilly moaned "Val, my beloved, take away your crown , it is rather awkward in bed, don't you think?" .

Valandil pulled the crown from his ruffled hair and proffered it to her. "It is yours, my sweat Lilaenwen, yours forever." Lilly gripped the crown, put it on her head and awoke from pure bliss.

She found herself in bed, but alone. Disoriented, she looked around. A dark figure was standing near the window, its back to her.
"Whaaa. Valandil, where are you? ...I think I must have fallen asleep..." Lilly yawned and rubbed her eyes. The man at the window spun round.

"Khamûl. What are you doing here?" asked Lilly startled and suspicious. She noticed the quick change of emotions on the Easterling's face, then it settled in an awkward smile.

"Lilaenwen, I want to talk to you..." he started irresolutely, straining his ears for footsteps on the stair. He could overpower Lilly alone, but it might have become noisy.

Indignant, Lilly rose on her elbow and yelled "What is this stupid joke again? Where is the King, I ask you!"

Playing for time, Khamul continued "You see, Lilly, the letter you have got was not from the King. It was from me" He waved his hand to prevent another yell from Lilly, and continued in a rush. "I wanted some time with you in private. With all the others around, especially Buzukkumarz, how could I find the right time and place to speak of my feelings to you?"

Lilly's mouth dropped. Wide-eyed and thoroughly bewildered she peered at Khamul. She was experienced enough to recognise a beginning of a love declaration, but to have it coming unwarranted from the cruel Second himself was overwhelming.

Khamul eyed her warily. She was effectively silenced for now, drinking in his words and paying no heed to her surroundings. He detected the sound of an opening door downstairs in the hall. Swallowing hard, he continued to improvise.

"O Lilaenwen, for long years have I watched you, admiring your beauty and your wit, and giving my heart to no other. I watched you when you danced and sparred, when you trained your orcs or when you were flirting with the others. I kept my feelings hidden, as I was afraid you might turn them into mockery. Many times have I promised myself to forget you, but I couldn't..."

Lilly watched him transfixed, like a silly green frog watches a snake. Khamul smiled inwardly, hearing the stealthy footsteps on the stair. Making a mind contact with Udu, he commanded "She is awake. Approach from behind, make no noise, hit her on the head".

Dropping to his knees to distract Lilly further, Khamul yelled in order to hide the footsteps on the stair " O fair Lilly! Would you reject the one who loves you so dearly? Give me your heart and be my Queen. We shall leave this boring West and make our Kingdom in the fair East; it will stretch all the way from Rhovanion to Nurnen and to Rhun in the east! We shall rule together for all eternity!"

At the end of this speech he sprang forward and seized Lilly's hands in a passionate grip. Lilly sat frozen her huge green eyes blinking. Hearing the sound of the opening door, she turned her head absent-mindedly, but only caught a blur of movement. Something hard connected with her head and she sunk into oblivion.

[Telcontar_Dunedain]

"What happened?" said Udu, wiping the few drips of blood off his sword hilt and resheathing his blade.
"It seems that your potion has, fo a second time, not worked as well as hoped. Next time leave the planning to me and maybe then it will go more smoothly," said Khamûl sharply.
"Lily is more resistant than I presumed. Perhaps we have underestimated her," replied Udu.
"Underestimated her? She is a Nazgûl for Morgoth's sake. What did you expect? A mortal?" said Khamûl coldly, his eyes flaring up, remebering the past differences the two had shared.
"No, I apologise," answered Udu attempting to defuse the situation. "Well all is well now. Downstairs is prepared, should you care to add you own security improvments go ahead. I will follow shortly."
"Very well," said Khamûl, turning his back on the Seventh and wlaking towards the door. "Oh, Udukhaturz. If anything happens to go wrong in the two minutes that you are alone with Lilaenwen I will personally see to it that you are punished as severley as Lily will be."
"Of course," said Udu bitterly before calling. "Ulfang, take Lady Lilaenwen down to the cellar."

[Udukhaturz]

Ulfang looked hesitantly at Udu. “Are you sure she is asleep, Master?�

“I am certain, Ulfang,� Maethor said impatiently.

Ulfang looked back at his master and then at the unconscious Lilly. “I... I...� he stuttered. “I am almost afraid to touch her, Master!�

“She is harmless this way,� Udu said irritably. “But if you are afraid she will awaken, I will carry her.�

Maethor bent down and scooped up the sleeping form of Lilaenwen from the bed. “Pretty, foolish Lilaenwen,� he thought. “You walked right into our trap. Did you enjoy your brief stay in my bed-chambers? Did you find the bed comfortable? Were you pleased with the paintings on the wall?� He bent down and kissed her soft, lush ruby red lips. “I do not think you will be quite so pleased with what we have prepared for you,� he laughed softly.

Draped over his arms, her arms, torso and head hung limply to one side, her long, unbound mane hanging down in a red cascade. Udu carried her down the stairs, her limbs lolling with each step. When he reached the first floor, he turned down the stairs leading to the dungeon. At the bottom of the steps there waited three more strong, grim-faced Easterling warriors, all armed with fierce scimitars, knives and daggers.

Turning to a man whose face was decorated with many tattoos, Maethor asked, “Is Brodda keeping watch as he has been commanded?�

“Yes, Master, he just reported a short time ago. All is well.�

“See that he keeps to his duty,� Maethor barked. “Now the rest of you wait here,� he said as they reached the corridor leading to the special cells.

Maethor found Khamul inside, inspecting the cell. “Are you certain, Seventh, that these chains will hold her?�

“I enspelled them myself, but perhaps you can add your power, Second, and, might I suggest, this would be an appropriate time to take her ring.�

[The last sane person]

At the river, thursday afternoon
Shah's patrol

His men had finally reached the river banks, and could see the enemy very clearly. And seeing the volley of arrows shot into the woods surrounding the bank, he knew Marthalion's men were under fire. He gave the signal to his men to sneak around back, in order to come up from behind the shelter of the woods and give what aid they could. Screams of pain comming from the thicket added to their sense of urgency.

Shah and his men were flagged down by one of the troopers in the first patrol. Shah noted the smoldering sheets and decks of two of the remaining three ships. Good man! Kill the bastards...but we must give chase... Marty did a double take, as the men comming towards him looked more like warriors made of clay than of flesh and blood, so caked in it they were.

"Go, Shah, we need cover fire from the other side of this thicket. Take some of my men and go to a defensible position just south of here, behind those rocks. I'd move my men there, but we are pinned. They don't know you are here yet." Marty was bleeding, and he didnt know it. Shah didn't bother to comment, not wanting to scare the young man. Though it looks as though he has had worse.... He thought with a rueful smile.

He directed his men and picked out a few of Marty's in the brief respite that the pirates gave them, trying to sort out their own problems aboard ship. He subtly looked over Marthalion, and dismissed the wounds as minor. "Marty, look, that ship that headed back in the middle down stream. I'll bet my bottom mark that that is the ship with the leader of this bunch. We ought to get reinfocements soon, that falcon I sent you has headed to Tharbad and to Mahtaliel. We just have to hang on."

"I hope you are right. We can't hold out much longer, unless they decide to come ashore for a tea party. We must pin down those two remaining ships, if we try to go and shoot in the open at the command ship, we will be finnished!"

"I know, I have the men we will need sir, ready to deploy!" Raendil had gathered the men that would form the second group of archers and with a nod, and Shah mounted up and rode for the safe point. Marty's men took the signal and returned fire on the Pirate ships, and a confused hail of arrows were sent into the thicket.

"Wait for it men, wait for it...." Shah was hard pressed to wait for it himself, but the Pirate archer's captian had signalled for them to rise and fire again, after Marty's return salvo thinned their number and forced them to take shelter. "NOW! FIRE AS ONE!" They aimed for the ship closest to them, effectively knocking them well into confusion, and giving some breathing room for Marty's men to stand up and take out some of the other ship's remaining archers.

Raendil didn't like bows. But at this range, he didnt quite care, because his had a fire arrow and was aiming for something he'd be hard pressed to miss: The pilot at the rudder. And into him arrow went, still burning merrily in the man's chest, as he toppled over into the water. The ship suddenly turned with no one to guide it in this rough weather, and started swaying one way and the other. Shah looked over to him and gave a triumphant cry, signaling his men to up and fire.

Though luck quickly changed hands, as one scared pirate let loose an arrow his way. Shah's triumphant shout was cut short as a dart sped his way, and found a home in his side. He felt a searing pain shoot up from the base of his spine unto the base of his brain. He toppled and his head met a rock. He saw white, and faded into it.

[The last sane person]

Shah lay unconscious to the screaming and tumult of battle surrounding him. His mind was engulfed in a battle of its own.

No! Pain, Darkness and Screams swirled around in the dark recesses of Shah’s mind. No, please, god no! Darkness attacked what light he saw, twirling his worst memories in front of his eyes, mixing them among happier times. Something snapped.

NO! Shah roared, driving back the suffocating blackness, reclaiming his memories in a bright shell, surrounding that which he held sacred. The darkness withdrew to the edges, shifting to each monstrous memory Shah had ever strove against. He braced himself for the onslaught, and the shadow charged only to be driven off by a familiar figure…. wielding a mace. Mahta? He saw only the outline, the inside being white and silver, to bright for his eyes. Mahta! Wait! Where are you going? The bright figure turned to face him, then nodded back to the glowing pearl that was his soul’s shield.

He took a step forward, and then saw the shadow coming back at him. His eyes darted back to Mahtaliel, only to see her silhouetted form disappear into the luminous globe of his memories. He darted after her, suspended for a moment in all that was good to him, being cleansed of the darkness. He then found himself in a sweet memory.

Imladris? After the war… He had found himself back in the Last Homely House, sitting in the shade of a tree in the garden, his mind not truly in the beautiful garden surrounding him, but back in the gruesome battle of the black lands. Elves… Indeed, for coming down the path were two Imladris elves. They spotted him, and whispered among themselves, apparently formulating a joke. Once agreed, they approached him.

“Sir, we think that there would be a person of interest to you. Someone with whom you could speak more comfortably?� Shah saw himself eye the two elves with suspicion. He heard himself reply, “Speak with whom? Who is this person who you claim I could talk with?� He remembered that the elves had put on their best faces and replied, “A warrior who has lost all, just as you have they are located in the forge, near the stream, should you wish to have some one to confide in.� Shah watched as his former self got up, and with the bare minimum of politeness left the elves and wandered away.

He remembered hearing, once out of eyesight of the elves, “So Erestor, what say you, which is more crazy? That man or Mahtaliel?� He also remembered the reply, “Oh, I think they about equate with each other. Five bottles of wine says that Mahta will strike the first blow.� The other elf had a smile in his voice, which Shah remembered stopping to listen to, “I’ll take that bet!�


Shah remembered being curious as to whom this Mahtaliel person was, and casually made his way over to the indicated forge. He remembered seeing her for the first time, lit by the fire of the forge pounding away at an old sword. He froze for a moment near the anvil, as he noticed the smith.It’s a woman. He saw himself move out of the forge and knock over a hammer. The woman at the forge immediately whipped around with the red-hot sword she was working with. Shah’s battle instinct took over the much younger version that he saw, and the younger Shah moved to parry with a long heavy hammer.

Shah watched as the two combatants glared at each other through the shower of sparks, weapons still connected and aloft. As he was standing in the shadows observing this memory, there was the silver figure standing next to him, watching as well.

[Serenoli]

Finally in familiar territory, Jas looked more comfortable, and made a beeline for the larder, leaving Eärniel standing somewhat uncertainly at the doorway. She wondered if, now he was safely back in his room, she might not leave him there. But, then, she was not sure that he was still completely sober, and he had promised her a story after all. So, she set about making the room slightly more cheerful, by pulling the curtains to let in the sunshine and tidying up here and there. Then she settled down in the armchair, the very one the Chancellor had graced several hours ago, as it was the only one completely free of clothes, wine bottles, books, and other such debris.

Before long, Jas appeared again, basket in hand, whistling. He gave Eärniel a beaming smile when he saw her.

"Still here? Good. I know I have something to tell you. Can't remember what, right now, but doubtless some breakfast will help."

With a magnificient sweep of his arms, he cleared the table of his last night's sadly-untouched supper, and then went about setting the table. Once he was done, he pulled the table with all his might, until it was inches in front of Eärniel. Pulling up another chair, he sat down opposite her, and announced, "Dig in!"

And with that, he attacked his food with vigour. More to keep him company than because she was hungry, Eärniel joined him. A few minutes of furious munching, and his immediate hnger was abated, and he began his tale.

"It all started with... well, I'm not exactly sure, but, I do know I went to sleep. And, I started having all these dreams. But, wait, I didn't even tell you who I am did I? My name is Jas Fernik, and my father owns a vineyard, the biggest in our country, and I suppose I should ask you your name, if you have one, but if you don't, it doesn't really signify, dreams hardly ever do-"

"Eärniel." She cut in sharply, and clearly.

"Nice name! So, are you an elf?" This he said with trepidation and some hesitation.

"Yes, of course."

"Wow! I mean, I've never seen one before, you know, because there are none in my part of the world. But, to make it all short, I fell asleep when I shouldn't have... and perhaps thats why I had such bad dreams, guilt, you know. I had a dream where I was in this room, and the man, the nasty one I told you about, came and kept talking of languages and classes, until I got tired and told him to shut up... and oh, its very confusing, but then I found myself here. And I was just going to have supper, when that dratted man jumped up on me just when I was going to have my supper, and he was very rude!"

Here he paused to take a sip of wine, "So, of course I told him what's what, and told him just what I thought of him, and then I tried to make him disappear, because like you, he's just someone I imagined- not that I want to make you disappear, of course... I like you. You're nice like the red-haired woman."

"And he said some very ugly words, some spell, I think, and then - " he gave a dramatic pause "I turned into a big blubbering FROG!"

For a moment, there was just silence, and a sound of munching, and then Jas went on, "Now isn't that amazing? I mean, yes, its a dream, and wierd things do happen in dreams, but still!"

"This man you keep talking about... what does he look like? I mean, I shall have to stay away from him, won't I?"

"Oh, he's... well, not really ugly, I mean his face is all right, but he has the most awful burning blue eyes, although they're sometimes grey. And he has silver hair, like Grandpa's, and someone as old as he is should not be going around scaring boys! And he's as tall as a giant, and very big, you know. But, you'll know him by his voice."

"What's so special about his voice?"

Jas shuddered, and replied, in a rather scared voice, "Its just so... makes you think of winter, everlasting winter" and his voice was a whisper now, "and hearing it makes me think I would be trapped in ice, forever, and not even die!"

The atmosphere became tense at these words, and Eärniel was shocked at how frightened his face was of a sudden. Then, he turned his attention to his food, and in a tone of bravado proceeded to inform her proudly that despite all the fear the voice had caused, he, jas Fernik, had still stood up bravely to him.

"After all, nasty men like him really should not be encouraged. Leastaways, that's my opinion."

[Serenoli]

In the dark and sinister cellar of Udu's house, Tolvadok went around inspecting the equipment, while really thinking of the kiss that still seemed to be burning into his cheek. He wondered how it would have been if he had met her years ago, when he was the darling prince of his people, handsome, both outside and inside, and... no! He would never think of that past again. He was no longer Girithron, no matter how much Yerri saw Girithron in him. He was a slave, bound willingly to his master, and Yerri had no place in his life. He would have to find a way to rid himself of her, she reminded him too much of a forgotten and useless past, reminded him too much of a time when he was the enemy of Lord Sauron. No, that shameful period of his life was best forgotten, and buried.

And, then he rebuked himself sternly for being so taken with a chit of a girl he hardly knew, who he had met but two days ago!

Putting his mind to the job, he found himself surprised by the quality of the equipment before him. Having always designed everything in Mordor, he had hardly supposed either Udu or Khamul of being anywhere near as talented as him. As he inspected a suspicious looking rack, a sudden happy thought came to him. The others were still upstairs. Might it not be time for a little... sabotage?

Nothing big, just a little screw unloosed here, a blade there, a spell somewhere else, and Lily's pain would lessen... and Khamul would in all probability blame Udu for all malfunctions.

Footsteps on the stairs behind him, and he assumed the most nonchalant walk he could, and climbed out of the cellar, passing by Khamul who was going down.

Upstairs, he got himself a bottle of wine, and drank up. He knew his little sabotage would not really help that much, and he needed fortification for the night ahead, if he was to witness it all quietly. He smiled wryly at how soft he was getting... he supposed it was all the contact with mortals that did it. What he needed was a good dose of battle, washing off the weakness with the blood of those he slew on the battle-field. He had not had a good fight for years... perhaps, he could fight Khamul... like he had wanted to for so long. And, immersed in his fantasies, he finished the bottle sip by sip.

[Udukhaturz]

Maethor held the unconscious Lilaenwen as Khamul locked the enspelled manacles about her wrists.

“Hoist her up to the horizontal bar!� Khamul ordered. Udu, a fiendish look upon his face, turned the crank of the windlass. With a clanking of chains, Lilly’s limp body was raised up and soon dangled far above the floor of the dungeon.

“That is too high, Seventh! What were you thinking?�

With a twist of the windlass, Lilly’s body fell downwards, stopping just before it crashed onto the floor.

“She is too low now! Up higher!� Khamul commanded.

“It is amusing to see her bob up and down like a puppet,� Udu chuckled evilly as Lilly bounced up and down with each creak of the windlass.

“Right there,� Khamul said after Udu had sent her lurching between the floor and the ceiling a few more times.

Lilly now was firmly secured with her feet hanging about a foot from the floor. Udu walked over to her and looked at her bent head. He grabbed her by her loose hair and pulled her face up to look at his.

“Enjoying yourself, Lilaenwen?� he smirked.

“We do not have time for this!� Khamul growled.

“What do you suggest?� Udu asked. “The whip?�

“No, first I will make certain that your spells are strong enough,� he said as he bent his head and intoned a holding spell. “There. Now we go to work.�

“Let me first,� Udu hissed.

“As you will,� Khamul said and stood watching.

Lilly awoke screaming as lash after lash fell upon her back.

[Telcontar_Dunedain]

"Enjoying yourself Lilaenwen?" said Khamûl, has Udu briefly stopped whipping the Sixth Nazgûl.
"Khamûl? But you said, you said that you loved me," said Lily, her voice faltering.
"You've known me for long enough. I say many things. many if which are untrue," said Khamûl.
"But why?" said Lily.
"Are you that stupid Lilaenwen? You had awoken, I could have taken care of you myself, but it may have become messy, I felt Udu coming and told you something I knew you'd like to hear. You never could resist someone who flattered you. I knew you would be preoccupied and told Udukhaturz to approach you from behind and hit you on the head," said Khamûl smiling coldly.
"So it was all a set up. What about the letter? Did Valandil send that? I felt no one near Orrodel, well except Buz and Tol," said Lily.
"It was one of my servants, Ulfang, maybe you would like to meet him," said Udu, beforing calling his servant frm upstairs.
"Yes, my lord," said Ulfang, a minute or so later. "You called."
"Yes Ulfang, Lady Lilaenwen wished to meet you, and I wished to show you how little danger she now is," said Udu. "Should I proceed Lord Khamûl?"
"Yes, for a short while," said Khamûl.
"No," screeched Lily. "Seven. Remeber your place. As your superior I command you to stop."
"And you should remember your place Six. I am commanding him to continue, and unless the Captain shall come and say otheriwse that is what shall happen," said Khamûl, the anger in his voice rising.
"Noooooooooooooo," screamed Lily, shaking as well as she possibly could. Suddenly the top of wooden beam slipped on one side, leaving Lily hanging only from her right arm.
"Seven, what is this? Did you not say all was in order," barked Khamûl.
"It was. Ulfang, was all not in order? You checked everything did you not?" said the Seventh.
"Yes sir, all was fine an hour ago, all screws in place, all ropes tightened," replied Ulfang.
"Well then clearly something has happened in the last hour," said Khamûl, his eye glancing upstairs.

[Udukhaturz]

“Obviously, my lord Khamul, we have a traitor in our midst, and who else could it be but the sniveling weakling Tolvadok? He has grown soft over the years and his resolve has lessened... but I have had two cells built,� Udukhatûrz chortled. “Perhaps he could be housed in the other?� Udu hissed viciously. “And you, Ulfang,� Udu said, tapping the hilt of the whip against his thigh. “Perhaps you would like to trade places with the lady?�

Ulfang looked from one to the other, apprehension building up. “No, Master, no!� the man cried, falling to the floor, begging.

“Then call another of your number. Prepare the grate and hot coals as quickly as you can!� Udu looked at Khamul. “With your permission?�

“Yes,� Khamul said, smiling. “Toast her!�

“No! No!� Lilly shrieked. “You cannot do this! This is a fiendish torture!� she said, batting her eyes appealing to them in her feminine wiles.

“Why not, Lilly?� Udu said, walking over to her and picking up her chin. “Just why not?� he smiled.

After a pinch on her lovely cheeks, Udu walked over to the windlass and lowered Lilly with a crash to the floor. Quickly she was dragged to a large iron grate suspended upon chains from the ceiling. The grate was pulled back at an angle; nearby Ulfang and the other warrior had filled a metal trough with flaming coals. The two Nazgûl threw Lilly down on the grate and chained her neck, waist, wrists and ankles down. The grate was then swung down and held over the brazier. The level of pain produced by this torture could be lessened or heightened by a mere pull on the chains that held the grate over the fire.

“No, no!� Lilly screamed.

“Let us hope that the grate does not fall,� Udu said snidely from a safe distance, “or Lilly’s fine feathers will surely singe!�

Khamul began to lower the grate up and down, bringing Lilly closer to the flames and then raising the device back up.

[Lady Marion Magdalena]

She had been sent to Curufin to finish her apprentinceship. Out of the seven brothers he was the best at metalwork and the only one with a child of his own. Maedhros had said it would help her recover to have a cousin closer in age to herself around.

Abruptly she stopped that memory. She wasn't ready to remember Celebrimbor yet.

It was odd, maybe it was just that he had been the last, they hadn't been that close and yet...

His death had hurt the most. She had grieved for the others yes, but they hadn't been themselves for a long time by the end. Dying had been the only release for them.

She had believed it to be a release for them.

She had to. Iluvatar surely wouldn't be that cruel.

Would he?

She wasn't certain anymore. Perhaps she never should have been certain, but even through all the grief of the first age she had held on to the belief that surely Iluvatar could see that her cousins weren't all bad. They had looked out for eachother, for her, for their followers. They had tried.

Surely forgivness wasn't out of the question.

But then Celebrimbor had been taken as well. The Deceiver had been allowed to remain free. They had been betrayed again.

It was unbearable.

During the retreat-

No. She wasn't ready to remember that either. She hadn't wanted to exist, much less live during that time. Why they had bothered to save her was a mystery.

She had asked Glorfindel once, (having never met him during the first age she found him more approachable than Elrond, barely); he had said 'Why not?'

She suspected he knew something and wasn't telling, smug, re-embodied b- vanya that he was...

That had been during one of her saner moments. There had been more of them during the too brief peace that followed.

In retrospect, fighting in the Last Alliance had been a mistake, though a necessary one, they had needed every person they could get. Apparently though, her going berserk in battle had caused a set-back. She didn't remember much out of those years either. Just that she had been sent back to Imladris soon after the start of the siege.

She remembered being allowed to work in the forge though. They had never stopped her from being in there, it was the only place she became calm.

They never asked why.

They didn't know that she was never alone in a forge, that everytime she worked she felt her family come alive again. Saw them in the flames, the metals, the gems, the tools, the quenching waters, in the the stone and the wood and even the ashes... in a forge they were all around her.

Which is why she hadn't noticed the intruder at first... the man they had sent to visit her.

Him she was glad to remember.

[Serenoli]

Screams... he woke up a drunken stupor, and focused his eyes. Who was screaming? Lily...

The mist in his brains cleared, and he got up at once, bounding down the stairs to the cellar. For the moment, all thoughts of noble evilness was gone, replaced by the urgency which Lily's panicky scream called forth. In seconds, he was down the cellar steps, and had flung the door to the torture chanber wide open.

A gruesome scene met his eyes. Lily, chained and shackled over burning flames, was screaming fit to burst, and pulling on the chains nearby, gloating, stood Khamul. Before he knew where he was, Tolvadok had uttered a hoarse cry, "Stop!"

For a moment, no one moved. Then, Khamul secured the grate at a comfortable distance from the flames, and turned to face Tolvadok, a smile of pure malice spreading over his face.

"Stop, shall I? And who are you to command me?"

Cursing himself for his runaway mouth, but realizing, he could not very well take back what he had said, Tolvadok replied, as deferentially as possible, "I was merely pointing out, that the Morgul Lord did order that we should not destroy Lily's body, but only curb her spirit... those flames can leave burns that will scar her forever. If you must torture her, then use a more-"

"And was it part of your orders to teach me my job? I know what has to be done better than you! And do you think I do not know who has been tampering with our equipment?"

Tolvadok breathed in softly. So they knew already of his foolishness.

Khamul continued, taunting and angry, "You have grown soft and indolent, you have not the power of a true Nazgul. Don't interfere where you're not needed, or else..." He left the threat hanging in the air.

Tolvadok felt the full force of the jeers, probably because he himself felt there might be truth in the accusation that he, Tolvadok, might have grown too weak to be a Nazgul.

"Or else what, Khamul the Second? You'll go and complain to the Morgul Lord? Go ahead and do so, and you'll find that he will tax you with having forgotten your orders." Then putting his hand on the longsword hanging on his belt, he continued with a half-smile, "Or perhaps you were thinking of torturing me as you are doing Lily? You won't find me so easy a prey, and at any rate, I won't give in without a fight. But perhaps you think yourself above fighting a weak indolent opponent?"

With baited breath, he waited to see if Khamul would take his bait. As long as he could get Khamul to attack first, the Morgul Lord could not reproach him. He could always claim he was doing it in self-defence...

[CrazySquirrel]

Lilly awoke from the pain in her head and wrists. She was hopelessly void of even the slightest idea where she was and why. Then a familiar face sprang into focus... Udu!

“Enjoying yourself, Lilaenwen?� he smirked, his usually handsome face disfigured by an ugly grin.

Lilly moistened her dry lips and tried to utter a sound. The room was dim, the objects looked like ghostly shadows in a thick mist. Without looking at her hand, Lilly knew that her Ring was gone. The loss was like a dagger through her heart. She wailed from the agony of it, when a sting of a whip on her back turned her mournful wail into a piercing shriek. After some agonising moments, the whipping stopped.

"Enjoying yourself Lilaenwen?" another voice repeated the same jibe, this one belonging to the Second.

"Khamûl? But you said, you said that you loved me," muttered Lily, her voice faltering. She knew better already. The damned Easterling loved no one and nothing. How could she be such a fool as to believe his words of love?

The rest was a blur. She tried to reason with them of course, tried to plead and to command, but the ugly grins they wore only widened. Lash after lash fell upon her back, until one of her desperate tugs on the manacles dislodged the horizontal bar she was hanging from.

The monsters stopped for a brief discussion. Lilly's mind raced. She searched frantically with her senses and detected a third familiar presence, upstairs. By the feel of him, Tolvadok appeared asleep or unconscious. Sure, he was no better than the others, but now he was her last hope! Lilly concentrated her thoughts and sent a mental scream of agony, a nazgul call for help right into his mind.

At this moment, Khamul said, smiling like a fiend he was “Toast her!�

“No! No!� Lilly shrieked. “You cannot do this! This is a fiendish torture!� she said, batting her long lashes appealingly.

“Why not, Lilly? Just why not?� Udu smiled smugly and pinched her cheek.

With a twist of the windlass, Lilly’s body crashed onto the floor. Agony sprung up, travelling through the readhead's spine to her head.

Lilly screamed shrilly "You have always lusted after me, you cowards! Have I not noticed how you eyed me? But I never as much as looked at you, I would better kiss a dirty orc!"

The two laughed at her words. Gloating, they chained and shackled her over burning flames. Lilly was screaming fit to burst, the flames were always a terror to their kind and the two nazgul knew it.

"Stop!" said a new voice.

Lilly was too weak to turn her head, but she knew that Tolvadok was there to rescue her. With her convulsing brain, she projected into Tol's mind the picture of her soft ruby lips, and of their kiss, slow, languorous and laden with promise of more to come...

The effort took all her remaining forces and she blackened out.

[Rían]

Thursday and onward,
in the countryside outside of Tharbad

Tyaron finished the last line of the engraving, wiped the blade, and looked at it quietly for a moment. He held it up and turned it around anxiously, critically, and then slowly and contentedly. The lines from one side continued onto the other and blended the two patterns into one whole. He sighed deeply - the sigh of an artist's contentment and relief at completing the movement of a thought conceived in his head to its birth into the world - and handed the dagger to Alagos. Alagos examined it, tracing the flowing lines with his finger and exclaiming softly under his breath, then handed it to RÃ*an. He looked at Tyaron and nodded his head.

RÃ*an looked at the dagger, and then up at the two men. Handing it back to Tyaron, she said quietly, "Hope in the midst of sorrow; beauty that cannot die, even in the midst of tragedy ... " Tyaron nodded, and she handed the blade back.

"That's just what came to me - that's not what I originally intended," he said. "The first pictures I saw in my head were of the death and destruction of the Nirnaeth, but then these arose from the darkness, and I couldn't get them out of my head ... I didn't even want them, but I couldn't get them out of my head - I had to make them ..."

Tyaron looked at the dagger one more time, and then rose and carefully put it away. As he returned, RÃ*an's voice rose up softly in an old, familiar song, a stanza of the song of Beren's farewell to the world that held Lúthien's beauty:

Though all to ruin fell the world
and were dissolved and backward hurled
unmade into the old abyss,
yet were its making good, for this -
the dusk, the dawn, the earth, the sea -
that Lúthien for a time should be.

"That's why you fight, isn't it?" she asked him.

"Yes," answered Tyaron. "Evil wants only to get, and to do that, it takes away, wrongfully and cruelly, from those not as strong as itself. But the impulse of good is to give, and in the giving, it ends up getting far more than evil could ever dream of ... There are some things that cannot be taken; only given..." he said softly.

"I hate seeing the tyranny of evil over the innocent!" he continued, standing up and pacing around. "I hate it! and that's why I fight it. And yet ..." he continued in a softer voice, "sometimes I find that evil in myself ..." He stood very still and looked out over the countryside.

"And that battle is harder than the Nirnaeth," observed Alagos. Tyaron turned to look at him, his face torn by many emotions, and pain in his eyes. Alagos looked back at him steadily until Tyaron turned away.

[Lotesse]

Lomi followed the Lady Lilaenwen, as per Viniglaen's instructions, the best she could. It was no easy task, manoeuvring through the whipping tree rances and dodging leaves and such, but Lomi with her owl's senses was able to make do. Lilly wasn't a hard target to follow, that blazing hair billowing in the wind like a banner. Lomi observed her enter the triangular house, and then waitied for a moment, scanning the area some more, before leaving to track down Viv again and give her report.

Viniglaen met Lomi outside the Observatory, just as she had come down from her brief audience with her Captain, and Viv put her arm out for Lomi.

"I shall lead you to the place where she went," said Lomi.

" Not yet, Lomi, we need to find my big brother Buz first. He goes with us; he'll be our escort tonight."

"Smart idea," agreed Lomi, bobbing along on Viv's arm, feathers getting blown backwards and asunder in the fitful wind. Now even sharp shards of rain had begun lashing and biting down, and they picked up pace, Viv pulling her head in and down against the elements.

"Where did he go after he left us at the University; did he say the Star of Elendil?"

"He did not go there, my lady," said Lomi, shaking her tufted head and picking up the volume of her voice a little to cut through the rain and wind. " He changed course back towards Orrodel, and I did not follow him all the way but most likely that's where he went. "

It only took a few minutes to get to the mansion, as Viv was very, very fast when she wanted to be; unnaturally fast. As they came around the stablehouse entry, to enter through the back of Orrodel like Viv always liked to, they heard the frustrated gruff pleas of Buz, inside the stables, and the irritated, angrily frightened whinnies of her prized mare, Laslech.

Viv pulled open the doors, and Lomi fluttered off and perched on the frame of one of the stables, shaking her feathers furiously, and Viv threw back her hood.

"What is going ON in here?" she said.

"Vivvie! Thank Morg- I mean, good thing you've arrived, just in time. I needed to borrow your horse, little sis; didn't think you'd mind, but the damnable beast won't let me anywhere near it!"

Viv rushed up to Laslech, and soothed her, and calmed her down. Looking up at Buz, she shook her head.

"I just don't have time to be annoyed with you right now for this," said Viv. "Listen, penny, we've got to go find someone right now, it is VERY urgent," she glanced sideways at Frankie Gladheart, who stood in the corner watching, a bit shy and baffled. She switched to thoughtspeak, using her bright deep eyes to convey the urgency of what she needed to say.

'It's Lil,' she transmitted, her lips pursed worriedly, 'Something's going on that I fear might be overwhelming for her. Our Captain has full knowledge and approves of whatever itr is, but listen, Buz, it can't be good, and surely she is over-matched and being ganged up on right now. We have to DO something!'

'I'm more worried more that she's cheating on me again, but now that you mention it, I DO feel an alarm-sense, a stress-sense, coming from her. What are we waiting for, then? Let's find her!'

They switched back to spoken voice, so as not to freak out the young stableboy too much with prolonged, intense silences.

"And we are NOT taking my mare, Pengolod; she does not tolerate anyone else upon her back but myself and her former master, my boyfriend. You should know better," and they together pulled their hoods up snug around their heads and with Lomi this time hunkered down snug on Vivvie's shoulder, they pushed outside again, against the crazy elements, heading for the triangular house which Lomi had last seen Lil at.

[Telcontar_Dunedain]

"Leave," said Khamûl as calmly as he possibly could.
"What?" said Tolvadok surprised.
"Leave. I will not be ordered around or be baited by my inferior?" said Khamûl.
"Baited?" said Tol, acting as surprised as he possibly could.
"Yes baited. If you wish to plan and scheme against me Tolvadok the close your find before you do so," said Khamûl. "Now you will leave, that is unless you want to fight me. Feel free. Draw your blade. I will not attack first but I swear by the name of Morgoth that if you do so you will leave this realm bodiless and kept alive only by the power given to you by your master."
"My master?" replied Tol, flexinghis fingers round the hilt of his blade.
"Yes your master. You know full what I mean. It would not surprise me if you were reporting to him now," said Khamûl, his anger building up inside him and now reflecting in his voice.
"You are here not to find the Ring for the Captain but for him. He who made us like this. He who condemned us to this half life. Have you forgotten all of this Lord Tolvadok? Have you forgotton the life you used to lead. Fighting him, for your people, the people you loved and who loved you. Do you not remember what he turned you into, what these turned you turned us into?" said Khamûl holding up his ring finger. "Do you remember the last time you felt the wind in your hair? The sun on your face? We are not alive Tolvadok, yet we are not dead. We are compelled to an eternity of walking this earth, and this is his doing. Yet you still serve him. Is this not true?"
"I serve only myself," replied Tol, turning and making his way to the door.
"Khamûl," said Udu urgently. "There are more of us approaching. Lady Viniglaen and Lord Buzukkumarz I think."

[Udukhaturz]

"He was always a sniveling fool," Maethor growled as he watched Tolvadok leave the cell. "My lord Khamul, I sense that we have company, but they shall not disturb us until our work here is finished."

"What do you mean, Seventh?" Khamul asked in surprise.

"Just this," he said as he looked towards the door and entoned a warding spell. A puff of yellow smoke began curling about the room and when it reached the doorway, the heavy gate clanged shut with a solemn finality.

"The door shall not open until I give the command," Udu said, walking towards Lilly.

Moved now to a safe distance from the flames, Lilaenwen was stirring once again. Udu bent down and stared into her frightened eyes. "Such lovely hair you have, Lilly..." he said as he reached down to the nape of her neck and severed her mane with his wicked dagger. Tossing her locks into the flames, he watched it as it incinerated into a heap of glowing dust. Lilly closed her eyes tightly, but that did not prevent the tears which streamed down her face.

"Your hair does not smell so good when it is burning, does it, lovely Lilaenwen? Let me see what other parts you do not need... fingers... toes... surely you do not need all of them," Udu hissed as she began screaming again.

"Lust for you, Lilaenwen?" he laughed. "On the contrary, my dear. It is you who have always lusted for all of us! You have practically thrown yourself at my feet, begging for my touch! Perhaps if you no longer have those beautiful green eyes, you will no longer be able to see to lust for any!" he laughed.

"You are a dog, Seventh!" she said as she spit in his face.

He wiped the spittle off with the back of his hand.

"You should not have done that! And that tongue, Lilaenwen... you could do well without it. The loss of it would make you far more appealing," he hissed as he pried her mouth open.

A snarl pierced the air. "You bit me!" he cried, looking at her with hate. Her head drew back as he slapped her across the face and put the edge of the blade to her lips.

"Shall I, Lilly?" he laughed.

[Lady Marion Magdalena]

Thursday, mid-morning

As if summoned by Mahta's thoughts, Blackwing swooped out of the sky, landing beside Mahta on the wall.

"Pirates! Attacked the patrol! Halfway between here and Lond Daer!"

"How many?"

"Dozen ships."

"Too many then." Mahta offered her arm for the falcon to perch on and started down the stairs, moving more quickly than was safe on the now slippery steps.

"Careful!" Blackwing scolded, "You can't help them if you slip and injure yourself!"

"Sorry about that." Mahta re-gained her balance and kept moving. Soon she reached her home and wrote out two notes, briefly hesitating over the second. Attaching them to Blackwing's leg she gave a stream of instructions, "Take the first to Oreturion, he'll alert the king. Then fly to Nin-in-Eilph and deliver the second to the elves there. They probably won't want to get involved, but they should still know."

"Yes lady."

"Good." Mahta took Blackwing back outside and launched her into the sky. Going back inside she quickly changed into dry clothing, and a layer of chainmail covered by her leather smith's apron. She didn't have time to put more armor on, but it would be foolish to neglect it altogether.

A quarter of an hour later the City's warning bell was ringing, gathering all guards, able-bodied men and women and an officer from the Garrison across the bridge sent to see what the matter was.

By noon it was settled. Half of Tharbad's forces would sail downriver with the hardier sailors present. The other half would prepare to defend the city. The gondorians had agreed to travel via the causeway, and would attack the pirates from the south bank.

Mahta would go with the sailors.

[Lotesse]

Buz and Viv pushed their way into the house of Maethor, and made a beeline for the area from which emanated Lilly's distress call. It was faint, and faint also were the emanances of presence of Tolvadok, Udu and Khamul, although faint as it was, still to Buz and Viv it was as clear as could be. They didn't even speak anymore; the two Nazgul were as one mind, in a driven effort to track down the source of the distress. Upon reaching the dungeon entrance, and finding it solidly shut with a spell, Viv looked exasperated, a "now what" look on her face. But Buz shook his head furiously, and motioned her to wait. He was thinking, remembering... He had a treasure trove of spell information back in his dusty old brain, and now was the time to find some of it and put it to use.

It finally came to him, and he snapped his fingers, and held up a hand, eyes half closed, very intensely concentrating, he recalled the counter-spell which unlatched the demonicly bolted door, and cleared the yellow mist of impossibility. Itr was no small feat, and took all of Buzukhumarz' concentration, but he had it in him. Necessity, for Buz, was the "key" to unlocking his own education in the spells and dark arts which he'd neglected taking seriously for so long. Lately, it had been nothing but frolicking and drinking, but now, he was needed, and that made all the difference.

The door easily swung open, inward, and the two Nazgul beheld the scene. Instantly, Viniglaen was at Udu,s throat with her small yet vice-like hands, and her eyes were now like thin diamond blades, and literally cut Udu to the brain for a moment, causing him to twitch her hands off him with one giant convulsion. Now his attention was off Lilaenwen, but all the focus was transferred to young Viv.

Buz, wasting no time, went straight over to Khamul and drop-kicked him in the head, causing the Second to fall with a loud thwump onto the dusty dungeon floor. As fast as he took the hit and fall, Khamul was back on his feet again, sword drawn and pointed right at Buz's face. Buz did not flinch; he stood there and glared at Khamul while the sword was in his face, and for an eternal moment, everyone was sort of frozen in their respective poses of wrathful destruction.

Then, Tolvadok reappeared, and came up quickly behind Khamul, and smacked the Second with the flat of his sword, along the backside of Khamul's head. Which turned Khamul's attention to Tol, and then it was Tol and Buz on top of a raging Khamul, and Viv was being alternately strangled and punched in the head by a viciously irrational Udu.

PUNCH! "Give -" PUNCH! "Give her -" stranglestrangle " her r- r- Ring," Viv struggled to say through her crushed larynx, and then in her mind she furiously transmitted in quick thought-speak, 'You KNOW this is not a fair fight; restore our sister her rightful ring!'