Something Evil This Way Comes

Disclaimer/Author's Notes: I own nothing but the Original Characters and their adventures. Everything else belongs to JRR Tolkien, the Tolkien Estate, New Line Cinema/Peter Jackson, et. al. This was done purely for entertainment and as an exercise in creativity.

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The reception turned into the banquet which was followed by dancing and other forms of entertainment. Alex eventually found she had to get out and get some air, despite the cold weather. She walked along one of the garden paths, enjoying the silence and the absence of others.

She closed her eyes and let her senses relax, trying to psych herself up for another foray into the crowd when she heard soft sounds coming from one of the grottos built in to the garden. Her sharp gaze focused on the shadows and saw three forms in an unmistakable pose. She quickly looked away and made her way to the opposite end of the garden, trying not to giggle. She often laughed when embarrassed, and if what the brief glimpse suggested was any evidence, she now knew what Glorfindel and Saelbeth were spending so much time doing. She did not recognize the female, but thought it was one of the East Lorien she-Elves possibly Eamane.

“It is dangerous for a lady to be out here alone,” a pleasant voice said from the darkness.

She tried not to jump.

“Indeed? I thought the palace well-protected.”

“It is, I will concede; still,” the speaker moved into the bright moonlight and her breath caught. “I would not want my wife or mistress out here alone.”

Her new companion was one of the most beautiful creatures she’d ever seen. Long, black hair which tumbled down his back in soft waves; perfect features which reminded her a little bit of Orophin, though his eyes did not have the same tilt as the Lorien Warden’s; a strong frame which she could see, despite his cloak and elegant clothes, was muscular; skin like honey; and a certain aura. Back home, it would be described as animal magnetism. Here, it was just a sense of an Alpha male.

She had never seen him before and his dress was somewhat exotic, so she thought he must be one of the Eastern Elves---surely, no Man could be so fair. Yet, his ears had no points and he did not have that vague luminescence shared by the Firstborn.

“Forgive me, my lady. I did not mean to startle you.”

“It’s alright. I don’t belive I’ve met you before.”

“There is no reason you should know me. I am simply one of the minor functionaries accompanying Lord Irikiz.” He moved closer and she was once again struck by his presence. His dark eyes were hypnotic, and they moved casually over her body. She knew she should be outraged; that was the proper, ladylike response. But she wasn’t.

“I saw you earlier with an Elf. Is he your mate?” His choice of words struck her as somewhat odd, but then, he was from the east.

“Yes. My husband is Prince Legolas of Mirkwood. Well, it’s called Eryn Lasgalen now.”

“Ah. I did not know his name. And you seem to be friends with the daughter of Lord Irikiz. She has been away from her people for many years. I trust she is well.”

“She is thriving,” Alex replied, something niggling at her mind, making her wary. This man was too charming. But she could not deny his appeal.

They began walking back toward the ballroom.

“Have you ever been to the east, my lady?” he asked pleasantly.

“I’ve been to Rhun, and I suppose I’ve been through parts of what’s called Near Harad; but I’ve not really spent much time in either place. I would like to see it sometime. Perhaps I can travel there with my husband someday.”

“Indeed. I would very much enjoy having you and your husband as my guests should you ever travel to our part of the world.” They arrived at the doors to the ballroom and he placed his hand against her back and leaned in to whisper to her. “Do extend my invitation to your husband.” He smiled and, to her surprise, kissed her hand, a gesture she had not seen in Middle Earth. His lips lingered just enough to give her a small tremor of delight, then he smiled, bowed respectfully, and vanished into the crowds of people moving into and out of the room.

“Alexandra, are you alright?” She turned to see Legolas looking at her with concern.

“I’m fine. Why? What’s wrong?”

“That man you were just speaking with. Where did you meet him?”

“He was in the garden. I went out for some air. Legolas, what’s wrong.”

Her husband pulled her into his arms and held her protectively. “That was Lastharos.”

She felt a chill course throughout her body. “That was him? Are you sure?”

“I know him. Haldir, Orophin and the twins are trying to follow him. It was all I could do to make Rumil stay with Charika. She does not need to know of his presence unless it is necessary. Now,” he looked into her eyes, “what did he say to you? What did he do?”

“Nothing important, really,” she said, thinking back to their brief encounter. “He asked if I was your wife, asked if Charika was doing well, and invited us to visit him in the east.” The implication of the last bit sickened her. He wanted her husband for his ‘collection’. She held onto him tightly. “I will kill him,” she said in a low, dangerous voice. “I should have done it when I had the chance. But I did not know, Legolas.”

“I am just glad you are alright. He … mentioned you in that prison. I do not think he knew who you were, but he knew I had a mortal mate. Apparently his minions spy for him because he knew … ” The anger in his tone was unmistakable. “I want to kill him for even daring to think of you.”

“Well, he certainly took his time looking at my body tonight,” she replied. At his dark look of anger, she shook her head. “Face it, Legolas, this dress doesn’t hide much; it’s made to show off my attributes.”

“I shall be certain to gouge out his eyes,” he said, taking her hand and leading her back to where Meriel and Gilraen stood near Charika and Rumil, seemingly in casual conversation, but in reality, watching over the woman.

Alex glanced at where Charika’s parents sat across the room. Her mother was still watching them and Alex felt a sting of sudden pity. Lady Krionen had not spoken, to her knowledge, allowing her husband to do all the talking. She wondered how the woman had felt, sending her daughter into a life of sexual servitude; and how she must feel now, seeing her daughter surrounded by Elves, creatures she’d feared all her life; in fact, knowing her daughter was the mate of an Elf.

“Stay with Charika.”

“Where are you going?”

Legolas raised a brow. “Rumil and I have some urgent business.” He smiled and kissed her deeply, taking her breath. “We should not be long.”

He and the other Elf bowed to the ladies, then vanished into the crowd.

“What’s wrong?” Charika asked. She could sense an undercurrent among the Elves and it made her uncomfortable.

“Nothing,” Alex answered, absently. She saw Vanurion in conversation with Rumil and he glanced in their direction, then nodded.

The woman was insistent. “I know something is wrong. Why will no one tell me?”

“Perhaps they do not wish to frighten you,” said the smooth voice Alex remembered from the garden. She whirled around and saw the Khandun standing just beside Charika. The elleth did not move but watched him intently. They were unarmed and there were far too many others in the room for him to do anything rash.

“She has no reason to be frightened,” Alex said, keeping her voice calm. “She is well-protected.”

Charika was frozen with fear. Alex had never seen such terror in anyone’s eyes before.

“Of course she is,” he laughed. “I simply want her to know I can find her at any time. She still belongs to me, and lives only because I have not chosen to yet take her life. And you, my lady,” he turned to Alex, his gaze full of meaning, “remember what I said earlier. I should very much enjoy you and your husband in my own land.” She noticed his choice of words and felt rage threatening to burst forth. He smiled. She would do nothing in the crowded room.

“I seriously doubt you could handle both me and my husband,” she said, with a meaningful glance. “Either of us alone would kill you.”

He smiled and leaned close to her. “Perhaps I shall take your husband as you watch, then you as I test the limits of his endurance. I have heard his kind can endure much pain.” He laughed softly at her disgust, then turned away and once again vanished into the sea of people.

“That was the infamous Lastharos?” Vanurion said beside her.

She nodded, not trusting her voice.

“Some of my people are following him. He cannot escape.”

“Yes, he can,” Charika said. “He is like the wind; he can disappear when he so desires.”

“He’s just quick,” Alex said. He’s never been hunted by Elves.”

The other woman shook her head. “No, he is more than quick.”

“He’s just a man,” Alex said with exasperation. “If you cut him, he’ll bleed; and if you cut him deep enough or often enough, he’ll die.”

“He knows where I am all the time. He’ll hurt you and Legolas and will kill Rumil---or worse. Legolas told me that … Elves could not survive being taken by force. He would kill them. All because of me.” Tears welled in her eyes and Alex pulled her into an alcove. Vanurion and the elleth stayed close.

“I have to leave. I must go with him. It’s the only way to keep him away from my friends.”

“No!” Alex said sharply. “They will find him. You will have nothing to fear from him; you have nothing to fear now. Charika, you are safer here than you would ever be anywhere else.”

“No. He knows I am here; he found me in Ithilien. He can take me whenever he likes, and will kill anyone who gets in his way. And why? Because he can.”

Alex took Charika to the quarters she shared with Legolas. Meriel and Vanurion joined them, Gilraen remaining behind to make sure Legolas and Rumil knew what had happened.

Securing the door, Alex turned to Charika.

“You have to calm down. All this excitement isn’t good in your condition.” The woman looked at Vanurion and Alex rolled her eyes. “He already knows. Get over it, Charika. You can’t hide a pregnancy, as tiny as you are.”

“What would Lastharos do if he knew about the babe?” Meriel asked.

“I … do not know. Likely, he would kill me and the child. He does not care about such things.”

“Well, then we don’t have to worry about him taking it,” Alex said, fighting with the laces of her gown. “Oh damn these things!” Vanurion gently moved her hands and in only a few seconds had her gown completely undone. She gave him a calculating glance over her shoulder.

“You’ve done this before.”

“Many times,” he replied with a smile.

She laughed and went into their bedchamber, emerging moments later in a pair of gray leggings and black boots, with one of the bras Charika had made her underneath one of Legolas’ tunics that was only fastened in the center. She could’ve worn one of her own, but somehow, she wanted to be covered by something of her husband’s. She noticed that Vanurion glanced at her exposed belly and was proud she still did crunches so it remained flat. At least no one could say Legolas had a fat wife.

“Charika, you can’t go through life afraid of this man. The only power he has over you is the power you give him. Your fear feeds him. It’s just like it was back in the village. If you just keep giving in, he wins.” Alex had a headache from the festivities and though she loved how it looked, it had been a relief to get the crown off of her head.

“I do not know what to do anymore,” Charika said. “I do not want to have Lastharos’ child; I know Rumil does not want it; but it is too late to do anything about it now.” Meriel was shocked that anyone would deliberately end a pregnancy, but then, Elves only got pregnant when they wanted to. Vanurion, as an eastern Elf, knew Charika’s situation and understood her meaning.

“Give it up for adoption, then,” Alex said. Sounded like a simple solution to her.

“I … do not know anyone who would want it. In my land, it would be sold as a slave if it were allowed to live.” Meriel and Alex looked away in disgust. This was no way to raise children. And Charika had been a product of such a society.

“I will take your child, if you do not want him,” Vanurion said quietly. His words stunned all three of the ladies into silence.

He laughed softly. “I mean no disrespect, Charika, but if neither you nor your mate truly desire to keep this child, then, Alex Is correct. You should give him to someone who would see that he is cared for. The babe cannot help that his father is a monster. It would be unfair for you and Rumil to keep him, not loving him. My people, however, have many children, unlike our western kin. I have quite the nursery full myself, mainly the children of my own children and grandchildren. One more would barely be noticed. He would have a large---very large---family around him, all of them with some eastern blood of some sort, so he would not feel different.”

“And he would be safe with us; Lastharos does not even know where we are, and would certainly never expect to look for your child there … even if he knew such a child existed.” He smiled at Charika, whose expression had become thoughtful. “You do not have to make your decision right now. Talk it over with Rumil; look to other options. Just know that the offer stands whenever you may wish to take it.”

“Why would you do this for me?” the eastern woman asked slowly. “You do not know me.”

The leader of the Rhunian Elves looked at her. “You are the mate of my western kinsman; you are of the east, as am I; you are in need and I have the means to answer it; and,” his eyes met Alexandra’s, “if I expect to find a home, I should also provide one.”

Alex smiled at his words, recalling their conversations back in Rhun about Eru’s children---even the lost ones, the vanwa. He returned her smile, then suddenly drew his sword.

“Someone is outside the door,” he said softly. Alex pulled her dagger from her boot, and tossed her own sword to Meriel. Charika stood.

Vanurion stood to the side, then opened the door slowly. He relaxed his stance when he saw it was not Lastharos, but an eastern woman.

Lady Krionen stood in the hallway, eyes wide with terror, fixed on Vanurion. He must have seemed a nightmare come to life for the woman. Alex resheathed her dagger and smiled.

“Please, lady, come in. We thought you were someone else who wished us ill.”

Vanurion put away his sword and retreated to the far side of the room, near the door to the bedchamber, giving the frightened woman space.

“I … asked one of the servants where your chambers were, Lady Alexandra.” Her accent was very heavy and Alex had to listen closely to understand her. “I wished to ask you about my daughter.”

“Why not speak to your daughter directly?” Alex asked. Charika stepped out from where she had hidden behind Meriel and looked at her mother with detachment.

The others were surprised to see tears well up in the older woman’s eyes.

“Oh, my daughter! I have been so afraid for you!”

“Is that why you never visited me in Lord Tezzan’s house? Were you too afraid of your husband to check on my well-being? Did you know I was being used as a whipping girl for Lastharos’ pleasure whenever he came to visit my lord?” She laughed bitterly, a sound Alex had never heard from her normally docile and generally happy friend. “Did you not wish to see if the beatings your husband gave me had done their job and increased my pain tolerance to the point where I was the ideal pleasure slave for the Butcher of Khand?”

“You know I could not visit you!” the woman cried, and Alex almost felt sorry for her. “My lord would have beaten me as well, probably killed me! And you would have been put to death for bringing a nuisance to your lord’s house. I could do nothing but hope and pray you were being well-treated.”

“Oh, I was treated well, lady. I was treated better than I was in the house of your husband.” The others noticed she never referred to Lord Irikiz as her father. “Except when Lastharos came and demanded my services. Because your husband had trained me so well, I did not succumb to death under his hand, and so my torment was unending when he visited. I could not even give up to oblivion to escape the pain, so much had I learned to endure. And now, the Khandun Demon is after me and my friends. Your silence and your complicity has brought this sentence down upon innocents, lady. I only pray that the Valar will show you the mercy you did not show your own children.” She turned away and the room was silent except for Krionen’s soft sobs and Charika’s ragged breathing.

Alex and the Elves exchanged looks of uncertainty. None wished to intrude on the moment.

“I … did all that I could,” the woman said in a small voice. “You know what it is like to live under the control of your lord. I … did what I could.” She lowered her head and great sobs wracked her body.

Charika turned and looked at the woman.

“Then you have nothing more to say; nothing more to do. Return to your husband, lady. He will be angry if he knows you came here unaccompanied.” She looked at Vanurion. “Especially to private chambers with a male Elf in attendance.”

Krionen raised pained eyes to her daughter. “I have not seen you in years, and I will probably never see you again. But I love you and will always worry about you. You are my child, and even though we are not together, you will always be my child and I will always wonder if you are alright. May the Valar be with you and may you find happiness with your Elven lord.” She turned and left the room.