The Taking of Vanelossë - Part III

Notes and Disclaimer:
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I am going to state the obvious here. I do not stick to canon or adher to LACE in this story!
I do not own any of JRR Tolkien’s characters, I just borrow them. The following characters
(and the meanings of their names) are mine are:
Vanelossë – beautiful, snow-white Séro- peace
Alasse – joy Illisse – all sweet
Anarion – child of sun Calime – bright
Arnarmo - noble wolf Larin

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Thanks to my beta GhettoElleth for her wonderful suggestions for making my story better.
You are the best!
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PLEASE NOTE - THIS CHAPTER HAS VERY STRONG VIOLENCE/RAPE IN IT. IT IS PERTINENT TO THE
STORY OR I WOULD NOT HAVE IT IN THE STORY AT ALL.
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CHAPTER 3
Losing Hope


Vanelossë realized that the man that held her was the leader. As his abhorrent breath trailed down the skin of her neck, he hissed in her ear.

“When I seat you on my horse, you will do nothing foolish or it will cost you the lives of your friends.”

Vanelossë nodded and he shoved her on his horse, mounting behind her. She was in shock over the events that had just occurred. The very peace of her life had been shattered. Her heart ached with thoughts of her children and the elves of the city, for she knew not what had become of them. Forcing back her tears, she vowed not to give the man the satisfaction or pleasure of seeing her cry.

The band of Easterlings and their captives fled through the forest of Mirkwood, meeting up with an even larger band. They rode as if the chased by a Balrog, trying to put as much distance between the city within the caves and themselves as possible. Clearly, they were aligned with orcs as a combined force to invade the city. Based on the comments of the one Easterling, the orcs had failed to defeat the elves within the city, but Vanelossë did not know how many had been lost trying to defend it. The elves had not known until Mehtar had come upon them, that the Easterlings had planned to attack from the lakeside. Not expecting as much resistance as the orcs had received; the Easterlings foolishly stopped to capture the women.

Riding the rest of the day and into the evening, they stopped briefly. The ellith were all roughly placed together, sitting on the ground. Vanelossë reassured the women, and reminded them to remain calm. The leader returned and Vanelossë watched him with concealed contempt. Evil radiated from him like a storm cloud. Leering at her, he lifted her from the ground by her arm.

“Tell me your name, princess. If you remain silent, one of these she-elves will suffer.”

“Vanelossë,” she said softly.

“A beautiful name for a beautiful woman.”

He stroked his finger down her jaw line. When she pulled away in revulsion, he smiled as his eyes took in her face and body in a manner that made her feel dirty.

“Vanelossë, you will do better to cooperate with me rather than risk my wrath, for you will not answer for your impudence, these others will. If I ask a question of you, you will answer. When I command you to do as I say, you will follow my command. If you challenge me, they will answer for your impudence. If you cannot abide my rules, I will make you, and these other she-elves wish for death. Are my words clear to you?”

Having no choice, she nodded and he continued.

“My name is Larin. I am in command of this company from Mordor. It is by my judgement that we decide if hostages will be of use. If I decide that you are not, it will be your ruin. Understand, I do not mean a swift or easy death. Do you understand?”

Swallowing hard as her breathing quickened in terror of this man, she nodded again.

“If you do not please me, Vanelossë, I will not kill you, but have you watch as I torture and kill every she-elf before you. Then before their bodies are cold, you will be broken slowly. Is my meaning clear to you?”

Vanelossë nodded once more as the terror filled her heart.

“You are wise for a she-elf, Vanelossë. If you continue to be wise, your friends will continue to breathe.”

Reaching over, he trailed one of his fingers down her face, then moved to cup her chin.

“I wish to know something. How long since you last saw your husband?”

Vanelossë resisted the desire to pull away from his horrid touch and the closeness of him. She hesitated a moment.

“Near eight moons.”

“And you have never strayed as that time passed?”

“Never,” she retorted.

“I saw how close you seemed to your friend, Mehtar. Are you saying he never took you in your husband’s bed?” he said with a leering smile as his hand moved from her chin to the back of her neck.

“No!” she cried.

“I imagine that bed gets cold at night, Vanelossë, when you are alone aching for man’s touch, burning for the pleasure that a women such as yourself needs.”

Vanelossë’s jaw tightened in anger as she looked down. When his grip tightened on her neck, her eyes flew to his face.

”Answer me,” he commanded.

“You did not ask me a question,” she said with open hostility.

Releasing her neck, Larin backhanded her once more, nearly knocking her to the ground. She was sickened by the taste of her blood. Preventing her fall, he pulled her close to him.

“I will take you as my own when we halt for the night. Remember that when next I ask you a question. I will make you burn with desire, or I will make you weep with pain, but I will enjoy you tonight, Vanelossë.”

Larin shoved her to the ground with the other women and walked away.

Vanelossë wept softly as Calime began to wipe the blood off her face with the edge of her sleeve. She kept reminding her to be strong for the men would come for them. Fighting her tears, she fought to appear strong for the others, reinforcing what Calime had said. The other three ellith had terror emblazoned on their faces. She did not wish for them to see her fear as well. Her heart sinking, she felt strongly that she might die before this nightmare was over. She almost wished for death rather than have that vile man touch her again. His promises of her violation to come made her sick with dread. If she only had her life to be concerned about, she would not worry so much, but now the fate of the others was placed on her as well. She prayed for strength to make it through this. She pushed all thoughts of Legolas and her children out of her mind, knowing she would not be able to go on if she thought of not seeing them again.

Once again, they were forced on the horses. Larin mounted up behind her, and pulled her back against his groin as he whispered in her ear.

“Wait until tonight and I will make you forget all about that prince of elves.”

Vanelossë felt herself retch at the thought of what was impending.

Meeting up with another band of Easterlings, they stopped and made camp for the night in an opening within a grove of trees. The other band had captured elves as well, eight ellith and three ellyn from Lothlorien. The three ellyn were all injured. She recognized Orophin, the youngest brother of Haldir, as well as two of Lord Celeborn’s nieces. When she could, Vanelossë spoke to the ellith to find out what had happened. They spoke in Elvish hoping that if the men did hear them, they would not understand them. The other women told them that Lothlorien had been attacked that morning as well as Mirkwood.

Lothlorien had lost many of the men who had gone to Helm’s Deep, and the number of guards on watch was less than usual. They had all been along the fences when they were taken. The ellyn had been on watch when they were injured trying to protect the women. Looking back to assure that none of the Easterlings were watching, Vanelossë crawled quietly over to the injured ellyn. Assessing their injuries, she was saddened when she realized one of them was close to death due to a sword wound in his stomach. Orophin caught her eye when she looked over at him, and was upset when he realized how bad his friend’s wounds were. He and the other ellon, Arnarmo, had been beaten.

“You are predictable about the man you prefer. An elf-whore is always an elf-whore.”

Cringing inside, she started to back away from Orophin. Larin grabbed her up by her hair and she yelped in pain.

“Now you are responsible for the lives of twelve women and three men. Should we start with the men as we torture them to their death? Perhaps we will torture one of them now?” Pushing her away, he grabbed the closest man and yanked him to his feet. Vanelossë watched in horror as Larin grabbed the most injured of the men. He moaned weakly as both Vanelossë and Orophin reached for him.

“Please, no!” she begged.

“So this one is not your first choice. Pick one of the other two.”

“I cannot do that!”

“Either you do or I will torture them all,” he said. “Or perhaps you would rather be lashed in their place, Vanelossë.”

Vanelossë’s lip quivered but she was unwilling to condemn anyone to torture.

“Take me then, but leave the elves be.”

Larin raised an eyebrow, looking impressed with her bravery. His wickedness soon returned as he turned to one of his men.

“Take the women and give them to the men of your choosing. Have these men whipped. I will take care of this one.”

“No! You cannot do that,” she begged, urgently grabbing his arm.

“You do not understand, Vanelossë. You have nothing to barter with. You and the other women are to be used for our pleasure. The men are here as hostages, to be tortured or used as we wish. Unless you think, perhaps, that they would prefer pleasuring us as well. With that long hair and those pretty faces, we can use them as we would a woman and scarcely know the difference. Which do you think they would prefer?"

Her spirit bruised but not yet broken, she glared defiantly at him.

“No matter what I say you will do as you wish.”

Larin studied the bold elf for a minute and when she did not cower, he smiled.

“Vanelossë, for your sake, they will not be beat. And we will leave half of the women untouched each night. But you, my beauty, will not rest any night.”

Relaying his orders to his men, he grabbed her arm as he dragged her behind some trees and threw her on the ground. Sinking to his knees between her legs, he began to pull up her skirt. When she resisted, he grabbed her thigh as he squeezed hard.

“Would you prefer this the hard way? Should I take another women in your place?”

As the blood ran cold in her veins, she shook her head without a word.

When Larin stripped her of her clothes and violated her, Vanelossë cried tears of pain and defeat. Afterwards, she sat on the ground, wrapping her arms around herself as she huddled, completely broken inside. While he dressed, he watched her.

“I will enjoy having you with me on this trip. Now get dressed before the other men see you and want their turn.”

Larin threw her dress at her. Still shaking, feeling hurt and degraded, she quickly put her dress on and he grabbed her up. Grabbing her face, he kissed her and began to stick his tongue into her mouth. Resisting the urge to strike him and push his foul mouth away from hers, she closed her eyes and prayed it would end soon. Releasing her lips, he smiled and dragged her once again to the ground where the other elves were. Looking over at the elf men, he laughed.

“I see why you keep your she-elves hidden. Or is it just the elf royalty that feels that good?”

The men did not say anything as they glared at him.

“You wish to find out. I can see it in your eyes,” Larin said looking at Orophin. “I can see you desire her. Perhaps you should have her now. We can all watch as you take the prince’s wife. You will enjoy her as I did. We shall see if all she-elves are the same.”

Grabbing a Lothlorien elleth, he pulled her back into the woods. They could hear her screams as he dragged her away. Vanelossë sat in abject horror as she heard Larin hit her many times until she was silent. When he returned, he pushed her down to the ground beside Vanelossë. The elleth was crying as her face began to swell. Vanelossë pulled her into her arms, trying to sooth her as Larin finally left them alone.

When Larin's men had returned with the women, one of them kept watch over them throughout the night. Most of the women had been struck, and all of them were crying in despair. The women who had been left behind untouched were comforting the others, even as they feared for what the next night might bring. As the women huddled together during the night, the men looked miserable, torn with grief and guilt. No words were spoken between them; each wrapped in their own misery, for there were no words to say. The ellon that had been injured so badly died, during the first night as Orophin looked on, unable to do anything. The women wept over his death. The Easterlings just left him lying there the next day. This torture went on night after night.

One night when Larin was on top of her, she saw his sword nearby. Boldly, she reached for it but was not close enough. Seeing what she was doing, he held her down as he finished violating her, then he beat her and kicked her, breaking a few of her ribs. Completely nude, she was lashed on the back by one of the other man. Afterwards, the other man violated her as well, throwing her down on her bloody back as she wept tears of pain and horror.

Larin had disappeared for a moment, when he returned he brought Orophin with him. He dragged him to where Vanelossë had been left and ordered him to take the prince's wife. Orophin struggled fiercely against his restraints.

“I would die before I would dishonor this woman," Orophin swore at Larin.

“Do it dog or you will not be the one doing the dying. I will take my knife to your princess and gut her like an animal, and while she is dying, you can look her in the eyes and tell her why you were not man enough to save her. Do not pretend you do not want this. I have seen the way you look at her. You desire her, elf. Consider this my gift, and your only chance to save her.”

Once again, Orophin tried to resist, he would rather force them to kill him than hurt Vanelossë. Larin watched the elf struggling, and when he tired of the game, he turned and kicked Vanelossë again in her already injured ribs. Vanelossë screamed and tried to roll herself away from Larin to protect herself. Orophin watched in agony as Larin raised his leg to kick her again.

“Alright,” he cried out in a tortured voice, he had to help her.

Larin looked at Orophin, “So, it does matter to you if she suffers. You will take her then?”

Orophin looked at Larin with hate in his eyes as he replied, “Yes.” His voice was filled with shame.

“I can go on hurting her all night if you prefer, are you sure you would not rather see her crawling like a dog in the dirt?” Larin raised his leg again.

“No!” Orophin yelled, “I will do this, please, stop.”

Orophin had no choice, either he would have to take her honor, or watch helplessly as Larin took her life. He felt sick as he began to remove his leggings and sank to his knees between her legs. He felt himself becoming aroused as their bodies met and part of him was sickened. He begged her to forgive him as he entered her gently.

Vanelossë cried silently as he thrust into her. Larin and the other man stood mocking them, laughing at Orophin's horror and obvious inability to control his own lust and asking him how he was enjoying his friend’s wife. Vanelossë turned her face away from Orophin so he would not have to look at her and prayed that this would end quickly. He was being as careful as he could not to hurt her any more than the humans already had.

Vanelossë felt completely violated inside as he continued to thrust himself inside her. It seemed to go on forever as Orophin’s breathing came more rapidly. Finally, unable to control his body’s natural reaction to Vanelossë’s warmth, or to force it to feel the shame his heart and mind did, he reached his release, his entire body shuddering on top of hers. When he finally relaxed, he hung his head in shame as the men laughed and congratulated him.

Pulling Orophin away from her, Larin pulled her to her feet.

“Next time you try for my sword, perhaps you will be reminded of your reward for your misbehavior. Get dressed before I let all of my men have their turn,” Larin spat on the ground at her feet.

“You will die for this pig!” Orophin swore at Larin, “When I am free, I will hunt you like a dog until I find you and your death will be neither swift or merciful. For every moment we have suffered, you shall suffer a day.”

Larin laughed wildly. When he had calmed his mirth, he grabbed Orophin’s hair tearing his head back and placing his filthy face to within inches of Orophin’s.

“I see no suffering in your face elf.” He then raised his hand and struck Orophin across the jaw with his fist.

“No one here could mistake the pleasure in your eyes for suffering.” He pushed Orophin’s head away as he released his hair.

To be safe, Larin had Orophin bound tightly with his hand behind his back. They returned them to the group and throwing them down on the ground together. She could feel the blood from her lashing running down her back as it throbbed painfully but she could not think about what happened. Between the beating, the lashings, and repeated violations, she actually prayed for death. She could no longer remember making love to her husband, or holding her children, She felt dirty and disgraced and wondered how Legolas could ever love her or want her again.

During their captivity, the men would stop at a stream or a lake and make the prisoner strip and bathe. Although it was humiliating to be bare in front of the men, Vanelossë relished scrubbing their filth off her, feeling free of their touch if only for a moment or two. Looking at the other ellith, she realized that every one of them had bruises marring their skin.

It was unheard of for elves to touch their women in anger or violence. The elves cherished and nurtured their women, and the ellith were in shock at what was happening to them. Legolas would die before he raised a hand to strike Vanelossë and he would kill another ellon before he let him beat an elleth, no matter who she was.

The women were so defeated that they no longer fought back as one by one they were beaten into submission. Some discussed taking their own life rather than endure the degradation that had become their life. Each day,Vanelossë felt the increasing need to remind them of the good things in the world and that they would return to those things soon. Her heart doubted her own words but she had to help the others to keep hope in their hearts. She feared that if she did not, they might try to do something drastic in order to escape their captors.

She was reminded of Lord Elrond’s wife who after being held captive by orcs went to the undying lands, unable to take the evilness of Middle Earth. She felt sure that some of these ellith would make the same decision when they were rescued. If they were rescued, she corrected herself.

Ten days after they had been taken, one of the men beat and killed an elleth from Lothlorien. Vanelossë felt like her heart had been ripped out of her chest when she saw the beautiful elleth lying dead. She did not look as if she were in a peaceful sleep but had blood running over her fair skin. Her immortality had been ripped from her in such violence that Vanelossë was unable to stay quiet.

“You told me no one would die!” Vanelossë said turning on Larin.

“I also told you, you were not in control. Do I have to remind you yet again who has control, Vanelossë?” he said as he grabbed her by the throat and threw her against a tree. “Now you will be quiet or I will kill more.” Throwing her to the ground, he stomped off.

The elleth was left behind still unclothed. The women and the two men kept hoping for a rescue or some way to escape, but that hope was waning as the days passed and the brutality of the Easterlings increased. The men started getting beaten for the sport of the Easterlings. Every day that went by without a rescue further damaged their spirits, their eyes began to look haunted. Vanelossë’s heart ached for her husband and children, feeling that she would never see them again. Images of Illisse’s sweet smile, Séro at play, and Alasse telling her mother how the world should work, overwhelmed her at times. Her arms ached to hold Anarion as she nursed him. She could not think of Legolas without fear overwhelming her that he was already dead. If he was, she prayed that death would take her if she were not to see her children again. Things looked hopeless and soon the hopelessness was all she felt.