Story Downloaded from Open Scrolls Archive (https://www.openscrolls.net)

Title: Companions (#75)
Author: Nathronoelei
Chapters: 4

Warning: Undefined variable $retval in /home/httpd/vhosts/openscrolls.net/httpdocs/fanfic/download.php on line 105

Archive: Tolkien
Category: Alternate Universe (AU)
Description: In a world where elves are hunted by men and taken as slaves, one man must learn to overcome what he has been taught and see things as they truly are, with the help of two extraordinary people.
Published: 12 Jun 2003
Updated: 15 Jul 2003
Warnings:
Type: Romance
Characters: Arwen; Aragorn; Legolas


Chapter 1 - Prologue

Disclaimer: I, sadly, can claim nothing other than the creativity that I put into this and any original characters that may emerge. The rest of Middle-earth and its inhabitants belong to J. R. R. Tolkien and associates.


Companions
Prologue

The elven people came to Middle-earth and accepted it as their home. However, when the race of man entered into being, they grew to fear the power, grace, and beauty of the elves. They thought that the elves held themselves high above the other inhabitants of the world, and men felt that they should be shown the error of their ways. Men thought themselves to be the superior race, and that elves, with their immortal-like life, should serve not only Middle-earth, but men as well. With careful planning, the high lords in the lands of Gondor, Rohan, and many others started deepening the hatred their people felt. For some it took little convincing, while some never agreed to take part. A large army was forged within the land of men, and with a cry akin to that of the thunder of the gods they rode forth.

They fell upon the elven cities like a great wave, destroying all that lay in their path. Those that were not killed and who failed to escape were taken prisoner. At the end of their rampage only a fourth of all elves were free. Some fled across the countryside and over the Misty Mountains, while others took shelter in the forests of the north, hoping to at last find peace. Sadly, their prayers were not yet to be answered, for the men continued to come for them, just not in the same force. Small groups scoured the world over searching for the focus of their hatred.

The prisoners were taken back to the lands of men and treated horribly. They were clothed in rags, sold as slaves, and forced to work under terrible conditions. If they failed to rise to the wishes of their master, the men were allowed by law to punish them as they saw fit, unto the point of death. Luckily for the elves, many saw it better to sell their old slaves in order to purchase new ones, therefore sparing the lives of many.

This continued on for centuries, with few changes in the attitudes of men. They still, after nearly two thousand years, hated the elven race, but at this point in time many knew not how this had come to pass. They knew only that this was how it had "always" been, and many considered it foolish to break such traditions.

There were some, though, who did not see things in this manner. They knew the elves as they truly, a people of the earth who wanted nothing more than to live in peace and celebrate the wonders of life. These people helped the elves in what ways they could. Some were helped to escape their masters, others placed in more comfortable environments.

Those that managed to leave the land of men raced to what remained of their people. As time passed, the number of free elves grew as did their power and strength. They planned their revenge over the course of centuries, gathering their forces in hopes of one day releasing their people from the cages they were forced into.

That is where this tale begins...


Chapter 2 - Chapter One

Companions
Chapter One

The trees were once again in their golden state in the land of Lothlorien, leaving all who gazed upon them in awe of their splendor. A girl, young in measure of elves but already surpassing the lifespan of Men, walked with her grandmother among the great towers of beauty, taking joy in the happiness of those around them. As they spoke of the girl's home, to which she would soon be returning, an elven guard ran towards them.

"My Lady!" the man exclaimed as he came to a halt, bowing quickly. "A great army of men approaches. They are those we have had word of, and I beg you, come quickly!"

A cry was heard coming from deep within the woods, and the elves could hear the sound of hooves against the ground. The voices of Men screamed in anger, and the woman turned to the young girl beside her.

"Find your father and tell him of this if already he has not heard. Move quickly, my child, for time fades. Go now!"

With these words echoing in her mind, the girl sprang forward. Her elven abilities allowed her to run at a speed that few men had ever accomplished. When she came upon her father he was being told of the recent events.

"-Ada-, let me help. I can fight with the others," she pleaded, praying that he would agree.

"You are still but a child," her father said, raising a hand to ward off the usual response that she gave him to the statement and smiled slightly as he continued, "and yet you hold inside you wisdom beyond your few years. If you feel you are ready, you may take up your sword, but stay near your brothers and pull back at the slightest indication of capture. Understand?" he asked, looking into her eyes to guage her reaction. What he saw caused pride to grow within his heart for his only daughter. She understood what was happening and was prepared to fight for her people's safety, no matter what the cost.

The elf nodded and raced away to her room. She hurried to the chest at the foot of the bed and lifted the lid, her fingers brushing against the carvings. Taking out the sword, she unsheathed it, nonce again taking a brief moment to admire its craftsmanship before dashing off.

"-Muinthel!-"

Turning towards the voice she saw her brothers signaling to her. They ran together to the entrance of the city, where the battle was already raging. Men atop horses swung their blades at the elves around them, but soon dismounted when they realized the real fight would be on foot. Elven archers fired upon the humans from their positions in the tall trees, striking many with their accurate skill.

The girl and her brothers rushed into the battle, fighting side by side. They had often practiced together, perfecting silent signals, and therefore they were able to anticipate the other's actions. They worked as a team, quickly felling many of the intruders. The elves begans to think that fate was in their favor when suddenly cries errupted from the forest. An army three times that of the first emerged from the treeline. Swords clashed, arrows sang, and axes flew, but the elves were not prepared for a battle of this magnitude. Many fell under the great weight of Men, others fled or were captured.

As the girl lost sight of her brothers and realized that the elven people would not win this fight, she felt arms wrap around her small form and throw her to the ground. She jumped up and faced her attacker, her sword flying towards his. They met with crash after crash, each meeting the other's blows with equal force. Suddenly, as if from nowhere, an arrow appeared, its path leading straight to her heart. Her body twisted to avoid it, but not soon enough. A scream tore itself from her throat as the arrow buried itself deep within her chest. A darkness began to work its way across her vision, and she felt herself falling. The last thought she had before the arms of oblivion took her was, 'I have failed...'


~~~~~~~~~~~~~


"Elf. Elf! Wake, you impedent creature!"

She jolted awake. As her vision cleared, she saw her master towering above her. Quickly she rose, the haunting dream of her capture forgotten as his ever harsh tone told her that she was about to be punished.

"You think you have the privledge of waking when you please? Next you'll start believing that work is an option and you have rights! Hah! You are a slave and a poor one at that. I feel rather sorry for the man that has purchased this wretch that stands before me," her master spat, his hand striking her face. Her weak body slammed against the wall as he hit her again and again, taking out his rage at the world on her.

The woman was used to it. She had been the 'property' of this man and his large family for half a century. Before that she had been sold every few years, after they had "gotten tired of seeing her face" as they had put it. She had grown used to being a slave, and took the 'punishments' without complaint. It had been nearly two thousand years since she had known anything else, and had lost all hope of ever knowing freedom again.

The man stepped back, breathing heavily. He walked to the door and stood there, looking down at her. "Come."

She rose slowly, her body screaming in protest at the movement. Adjusting the rags that were her only clothing, she followed him out of the dark windowless room that they locked her in each night.

Her master stopped before a door and told her, "Wait here." As he stepped inside, she could hear that someone else was in the room, and she stepped closer so as to hear what they were saying.

"My Lord, are you sure that you want to sell this elf? It has been with us for many years, and I find it rather suspicious that Lord Raklend requested this one in particular. Why would he not want to buy to a newly captured slave instead of one that is old and weary?"

"The Lord is purchasing the slave for his son. Apparently, the boy has been complaining of having no other to speak with, and thought that and elf would be and ideal companion. The man decided that he wanted an old slave since the boy has little experience dealing with them."

"But, my Lord..."

"Enough! My decision has been made. We set out immediately. I have business in the city that I shall attend to after presenting the elf to Raklend."

The last few words said were too low for her to make out and she knew that the conversation was coming to a close. As the door began to open she stepped back quickly.

"Come," he said to her once again. They set off down the long hall. As they reached the door that would take them outside, he took a long pice of rope from the pouch at his hip and tied her hands behind her back. His aged fingers tied the pieces into a knot tight enough to rub her skin raw if left that way for long, which she knew it would be. They were going outside, a privledge she had not been allowed in all the time she had been there. Men knew that elves loved nature and took strength in being around it, and so many kept their slaves locked away inside their homes where they would grow weak and not fight back. Her master knew that she would gain some of her strength back as they journeyed, even though she would be made to walk as the man rode.

He was afraid, she realized. Afraid that she would be able to fight him and win. 'Well,' she thought to herself, 'he doesn't have to worry about that. I no longer have the will to fight.'


* * * * * * *
Ada = Father

Muinthel = Sister


Chapter 3 - Chapter Two

Companions
Chapter Two

The sun was just beginning to set when the two reached their destination. The
woman was weary from walking, while the man was angry at having to journey so far out of his way. The only thought that soothed this anger was that of the
money he would receive for the slave.

They approached a great house, one whose walls looked to have seen many years and been scarred badly by the winds of time. To her delight, the elf saw that the home was surrounded by a great many trees, and had a beautiful garden to the sides. She was startled out of her thoughts by her master's tug on the rope around her neck. He had placed it there as further "precaution", and had found it amusing to pull on it at different times during their journey.

The man reached for the door and was surprised when it opened. A human girl
stood framed in the doorway. Bowing her head slightly, she moved aside so as
to allow them to pass. 'A servant,' the elf thought to herself as she followed her master inside.

The stepped into a great hall lit by many candles and lamps. Paintings lined the walls, depicting scenes from history, a few that the elf remembered hearing of from her father.

The sound of footsteps caught her attention and she turned to face the set of stairs that stood at the end of the hall. A middle-aged man with dark hair and eyes walked towards them, followed by a boy who looked to be near the age of twenty. Both moved with a grace akin to that of the elves and were dressed in shades of dark blue and black. The elf studied them, taking in all she could with the few glances curiosity allowed. Just as her eyes were wandering to the boy, taking in his dark hair and striking grey eyes, she was pushed down to her knees.

"Show respect for your new masters elf!" Speaking to the man and boy he said, "It'll be no trouble to you, but if ever it is, force has always been a good tool on slaves."

"I know all about the methods used on slaves, Herresh," Lord Raklend replied in a cool voice laced with power. "Here is your payment. Now be on your way, for I am sure you would rather to be in town ere full dark sets in."

Herresh looked suspiciously at the lord for a few moments before grabbing the offered purse. Turning to go, he gave one last hard kick to his former slave, sending her to the floor, then dashed out the door.

Lord Raklend sighed deeply, shaking his head as he closed the door behind Herresh. He walked over to where the elf still lay. He reached down and put his hand to her shoulder, but quickly pulled it back when he felt her flinch at his touch. Hesitantly he knelt down beside her, beckoning his son over in the process.

"This is my son, Aragorn," he told her. "He will show you where you can clean up. After that, we'll have a look at your injuries, alright?"

Slowly she raised her head to look at the man, then his son. In a voice that was so low that they almost didn't hear it she asked, "Why?"

Raklend reached out his hand and helped her to her feet saying, "I have always had a deep respect for the elven people and as long as you are here no harm will befall you. I had hoped that you could provide companionship for my son. Our home is so far away from the towns that he is often left on his own whilst I am away. Do you think you could manage that?"

The elf looked at him in awe. 'Can this be true? Have I truly found someplace where I will not be punished for what I am?' She searched their faces for some sign, but upon finding none she gazed at the room around her. It didn't seem to be possible that these kind of people who bought slaves could really treat them well. 'It must be a trick they play,' she decided. 'They lead you to believe that you will be safe, and then prove themselves false.'

She sighed, nodding, and the two men smiled warmly. The younger, Aragorn, beckoned her forward. Placing his hand at the small of her back, he led her up the stairway and through another hallway to a large bathing room. He handed her a package saying, "I hope that this fits. We had to guess what size you would be, but I think we came fairly close. Everything you need is already there. When you are finished, come down to the main room. There is a hall next to the stairs. The second door on the right leads to the library, you'll find me there, and we'll see what we can do for you."

He turned to leave, but stopped after a moment, facing her once again. "One more thing. What is your name?"

The elf looked at him for a second, then cast her gaze to the floor. She struggled with her memory to produce the name that she had bore for so many years, but finally been forced to leave behind. Finally it resurfaced along with many memories of family and childhood friends. She pushed the memories back, knowing that they would only cause more pain if brought forth now.

Aragorn studied the elf and waited for her to answer his question. So long was she in thought that he wondered if perhaps she had forgotten him. He was just about to ask her again when he heard her reply. A smile once again crept onto his face as he heard the beautiful voice speak her name, and it did not leave him for a long while after he left the room as the word echoed in his mind.

"Arwen."


Chapter 4 - Chapter Three

Companions
Chapter Three

Arwen stared after the boy and uttered a sigh of relief when he closed the door behind him. Turning, she was met with the sight of a steaming hot bath. The water seemed to call out to her, as if it were the great sea that lay beside Gondor.

With quick motions she removed the rags that she had worn for years, watching them fall to the cool floor. Picking them up with gentle fingers, she set them off to the side with the mysterious package. For a moment she toyed with the idea of opening it, then decided against it, saying to herself, "After I am clean."

She slid into the warm water, gasping at the wonderful feeling of it on her skin, like a sweet caress. Finding a cloth and soap resting on the edge of the bath, she began to lather it upon her body. She ignored the stinging sensations that were brought forth when she touched one of the many cuts or bruises that had been part of her "punishments", she concentrated only on once again being clean. Much of the soap went towards washing her hair, which was matted and in clumps. Ducking under the water, she felt like crying out in happiness. It was such a wonderful feeling to have what seemed to be centuries of grime suddenly lifted. It was almost as if she was being born all over.

Satisfied that she was as clean as she would get tonight, she stepped out. Looking around, she found more cloths to dry herself with and a brush for her hair. Taking it up, she began working the many knots and twists out the long locks. Finally, after what seemed like hours, it lay about her in straight waves, coming nearly to her knees. It would have been much longer had it been free to grow as it pleased.

A memory of her grandmother filled her mind. She was brushing Arwen's hair, then coming only to her shoulders, and from her lips came a sweet song in their native tongue. Galadriel would often sing to her granddaughter, usually songs that she had sung to her mother when she was young as well.

The slight smile that had found its way onto Arwen's face faded at the thought of her mother. When she had been but a child Celebrian had gone into a state of utter depression. To her family it seemed that just lost the will to live. No one knew what caused it, but at times Celebrian was said to have had visions of things that were to come, much as her mother could look into her mirror and see things. Her visions were not always true, since the power was not as strong in her as it was in Galadriel, but later Arwen learned that her mother had had one not long before she died. Her own theory was that her mother had somehow known what terror was to befall Middle-earth and the thought of what would happen to her people and how she would be powerless to stop it caused her depression.

Running her pale fingers through a few strands of hair she thought to herself, 'And now I shall never know.'

She turned, and her attention was once again caught by the package that the boy had given her. Walking over, she picked it up, noticing how light it was. Slowly she undid the wrapping and lifted put its contents.

'Where could they have found a thing such as this?' she wondered in amazement as she held up the dress. Made of an almost elven-like materialthat she had not seen in decades, it was a shimmering white with sparkling gold embroidery around the edge of the sleeves and across the chest. Leaves resembling those of the mallorn trees of Lothlorien were etched into the fabric, leading Arwen to believe that the maker had purposefully tried to copy an elven style.

Slipping into the dress, she looked into one of the many mirrors in the room. Her own reflection was startling. The dress fit in all the right places, showing off the curves of her body, and was tight but not uncomfortably so. The neck dipped low in a v-shape, ending before it would come under the classification of being 'too low'. The sleeves were close until they reached the elbow where they were cut, allowing them to fall off if she lifted her arm. The skirt barely reached the floor, merely brushing against it when she moved. A sash of light gold was around the waist, its color matching the embroidered thread. Her hair hung in light waves all around her, forming what her father had called a halo. Her mother had kept her hair like this,
though it was golden and not dark like Arwen and her father's.

'I almost feel as if I am home,' she thought to herself as a sense of peace washed over her. Breathing deep, she could almost smell the forests of Rivendell that she had played in as a child.

The thing that cut down the illusion were the many twisting cuts and marks that ran their way across her skin. Painful reminders of her previous situation and hints of what could be ahead in the near future.

Her hand reached up to her neck, groping for something that was had not been there in many years. 'If only...'

With one last glance to the mirror she walked out of the room, carrying the various cloths she had used. Looking around, she searched for somewhere to put them. A servant who was passing saw what she was doing and quickly said, "Here my lady, let me take those for you." With a smile and a slight curtsy the girl left, leaving a stunned elf behind.

'My lady? Does she not see what I am? What game are they intent on playing?'

Following Aragorn's instructions, she made her way to the library, finding the door closed. She heard voices on the other side, one of them mentioning her name. Preparing herself for the worst, she knocked and waiting for a moment after, pushed the heavy door open.




~The story of Celebrian was changed from Tolkien's original, I know. It suited the story to have things be this way. I hope no one was offended, but this is an AU after all.~
------------------------------------------------------------------

Printed from Open Scrolls Archive (https://www.openscrolls.net) on Sat Nov 14, 2026 9:45 pm