Important authors note at the end

My head throbbed and bounced on a hard surface. I'm too nauseous to moan or move, and the bouncing running steps of the Uruk-Hai carrying me didn't help, so I settled for opening my eyes--only to snap them shut. The sun stung my eyes, basically blinding me.

A hopeless sense filled me, right down to my gut. As I fought down some nausea, I thought: well, at least I'm the only one taken.

"Merry! Merry!" I froze at the sound of Pippin's voice. I mentally cringed and muttered, "oh no, no, no..."

There was a pause, "Lumornel...?" Pippin's voice sounded concerned.

I tried speaking without vomiting up the contents of my stomach, "I'm all right."

"No, you're not. Merry's not alright either," Pippin sounded like he was ready to cry.

"It could be worse," Sam said, although he didn't sound very happy, "we could be dead."

"Don't give them any ideas," I mumbled under my breath.

I cautiously opened my eyes to the blinding light. I was being carried by an Uruk-Hai, surrounded by a horde of Uruk-Hai. Pippin and Merry were being carried a couple Uruks away. I couldn't see Sam. One look at Merry and I instantly began to worry. The poor hobbit had a big gash on his head, the blood congealing. As the hobbit began regaining consciousness, he started moaning.

Suddenly, the group of Uruk-Hai comes to a stop, several of them bumping into each other. It would have been funny if it was not for the fact that the Uruk that carried me was one of them. I grimaced in pain and tried not to vomit at the sudden movement. A nice thought came to me, if I did vomit, it would go on the Uruk and that might cheer up my mood a bit.

I think such strange thoughts.

Lucky enough, or unlucky--however you want to think it, the Uruk carrying me was turned slightly so I saw a large group of orcs emerge from behind a boulder. The one in the front moved forward reptilian like, "You're late. Our master grows impatient. He wants the Shire-rats now."

"There's been a change of plans," the lead Uruk growled, "you are taking the girl while we take the Shire-rats the long way 'round." My blood runs cold at this news.

After an excruciatingly long pause the cruel Uruk spoke again, "And I don't take order from Orc-maggots. Saruman will have his prize. We will deliver them."

Merry's moaning became slightly louder and I twisting my throbbing head around to look at the poor hobbit, "Merry! Merry! Wake up! My friend is sick. He needs water. Please!"

My gullible personality began to hope for a moment that we would finally get a little water to dampen our dry throats.

"Sick, is he? Give him some medicine, boys!" The dark servant of Saruman laughed loudly while another Uruk spilled a dark syrupy substance into Merry's mouth, the liquid spilling over his chin as Merry started choking and coughing.

"Stop it!" Pippin shouted while straining against the creature he was attached to.

"Can't take his draught!" The Uruk laughed loudly, getting others laughing too.

"Leave him alone!" Pippin and I shouted together.

The Uruk whipped around to face us, "Why? You both want some? Huh? Then keep your mouths shut!"

As the Uruk turns around Pippin calls out to Merry while I will myself to stay calm.

I try to tune everything out but it doesn't work. My efforts to stay calm become useless as I hear Merry say something about him just 'acting.' My blood temperature rises as I clench my fists. He shouldn't joke around about being seriously hurt!

I keep my ears tuned to any new developments about the orcs taking me away from the young hobbits.

My ears pick up the gruff voice of the Uruk standing next to the Leader, "What is it? What do you smell?"

The Leader sniffs the air, "Manflesh."

"They've picked up our trail!" a neighboring Uruk exclaimed.

"Aragorn," Pippin whisper-yelled.

My heart lightens, but then is replaced my a sinking feeling as the horde of orcs carry me away from the hobbits and onto a trail that would be very hard for a tracker to pick up on; even a very skilled one such as Aragorn.

*********

The three males stood around Frodo's lifeless body, each one of them terrified, yet excited, at the prospect that one of them would be carrying the Ring. The Dark Creatures of Saruman had taken away five of their companions; leaving one dead and taking four alive.

The wind carried dead leaves and the smell of blood mingling with the scent of the river. The only sound was the leaves blowing about and the males ragged breathing.

"What do you suppose we do now?" The dwarf, Gimli, grumbled. He leaned on his ax.

"The only thing to do: we decide who carries the Ring," Aragorn stated simply.

Simultaneously, Gimli and Aragorn's heads swiveled towards Legolas.

The ellon looked up with crossed arms, eyebrows up with surprise at first, "What--oh--no, no, no."

Legolas shook his head and put a hand out, "I will not take it. I refuse to do so."

Aragorn sighed and went to put a hand on his friend's shoulder, but he thought better of it, "You must."

Legolas went to refuse but Gimli cut him off, "Aye, lad, he's right. You must take the Ring."

The elf shook his head, causing waves to ripple through his golden tresses. "I won't. One of you two will have to take it."

Now Aragorn shook his head, "We cannot. The dwarves have a passion for all things made from the riches of the earth; that rules out Gimli. And I am part of the Race of Men. We are greedy and desire power above all else. I also have the blood of Isildur running through my veins; the man who betrayed his own kin by taking the Ring for himself and made Sauron able to rule. He could've destroyed Sauron once and for all, but now we have to do what he could not. I fear that if I take the Ring, I would repeat Isildur's actions."

"So why let me have the Ring in my possession?" Legolas berated.

"You are of elven kind. You are somewhat resistant to its power."

"Somewhat." Legolas crossed his arms again and narrowed his brows.

"When we rescue the hobbits and Lumornel, you can hand over the Ring to one of the hobbits--preferably Sam."

Legolas hesitated, "I will only take the Ring if we get Lumornel and the hobbits back as soon as possible."

Aragorn nodded once. He hated the fact that he had to set this terrible burden upon his friend, but he hated the option of taking the Ring himself more.

Legolas bent down next to Frodo, avoiding the blood pooling under the innocent body. His tender hands searched for the chain holding the one object that was the reason all of them were there. The action of him taking the Ring seemed to take an age.

The Ring now was around Legolas' neck, carefully placed between his clothing so that it was hidden out of sight and so that it didn't touch his skin.

Instantly the Ring began to tempt him, filling his head with thoughts. But he resisted and nodded to his friends.

"Let's go get our friends back so I can get rid of this cursed object."

After a burial for Frodo, the former Ring Bearer, Aragorn, Gimli, and the newest Ring Bearer set off to save their friends at top speed.

*********

"Let us stop! We've had enough with the running! The trackers probably didn't even follow us!" the raspy voice of an orc brought me out of that numb place I go.

Long ago the sun had gone down and the stars now glittered the black canvas above. With the sight of the stars, I am reminded of the words Legolas said to me all those nights ago, "Do not cast all hope away, if everything changes, we will always have a constant, a hope. And that is the stars, up in the sky above us, nothing can change them. Their eternal beauty and knowledge will always shine down on us, making a path. That path may not always be clear, but it is enough to lead us on."

I then remember the words that he had said after that, "I see the stars in you, Lumornel." I could then almost feel his hand wrap around mine as if I was reliving that night. I became very sad at that moment. I couldn't tell Legolas how much his words meant to me. I probably won't even see him again.

A moment had barely passed as the ignorant, selfish, orc-leader answered, "We set up camp here boys! No one touches the merchandise!" I knew he was talking about me. I was glad he had clarified that. I couldn't stand the thought of an orc touching me more than just having one carry me.

The orc carrying me swung me off its shoulder, making me land on the hard ground with an 'oomph!'

With the sudden change in orientation, I became light headed. I struggled to turn onto my side but with a kick from a nearby orc I freeze. After an excruciatingly long period of time, I somehow manage sleep.

*********

"No, no, no!" I screamed and tried to get away as an orc pushed me into a dark cell with a sneer.

I stumbled back a few steps and as I regained my footing. I grasped the gritty bars, "Please, get me out of here! Please! Don't do this to me!" I pleaded, tears streaming down my face. I knew what was coming, of course, I knew.

A terrified whimper escaped my throat. The orc wasn't going to save me. No one will save me.

I pushed myself away from the barred cell door and backed myself into a corner. I heard a door clang open and shut in the darkest corner.

My throat closed around a scream, only emitting a sound that was similar to a screech. I turned around and desperately tried to claw my way up the bars. I tried pulling myself up, but my sweaty hands just slid off the rusting cell bars.

Knowing that I had no hope left, I turned around just in time to see the dark creature with hard black skin, a whip-like tail, soulless black eyes, and a molten tongue pounce on me. I could feel its jaws rip my flesh from my bones and feel the searing pain of its tongue swipe across my skin, melting it before me. I couldn't think through the pain and barely smelled my skin melting through my screams that guided me to my death.

*********

I awoke screaming. Sweat drenched my body, but I barely felt that through the ghost of my pain. But still, the ghost of my pain was enough to produce blood-curling screams.

Feet colliding with my body with force was enough to bring me back to the present.

"Shut up girl! Shut up! Anything alive around us in a hundred leagues will know where we are!"

I stopped screaming and started crying. I didn't care who saw, I wept in terror. I wept in pain. I wept in sadness. And after the dream was well away, I wept for Arda.

*********

"Farewell, I go to find the Sun!"

-Legolas

I know that the chapter is shorter than usual, but, hey, I updated!

Anyways, listen up folks! I have made another cover for this fanfic, I need you to choose between the one I have right now and the new one!

First off, here's the old one just in case you forgot

The user name on the cover above is my old username, just in case you were wondering

Here's the new cover

Here's one more that I literally made in, like, three minutes

No, it will not hurt my feelings if you pick the old one. I like both of them equally, if I didn't then I wouldn't be asking you, now would I?

Novaer, melloneamin