“I can’t believe they left us too,” the young Pippin was saying.

After searching the entire city, not a single trace of Maelute or Frodo was found.  Merry and Pippin did discover that there were two horses missing from the Royal Stables; all signs pointing to the two running off to help Lienan on their own accord.

“I would expect this behavior from Maelute,” Legolas commented, “But not from Frodo.”

“I’m not surprised, Frodo really cares for Lienan,” Merry stated, “You would understand if you had someone you really cared for.”

“I do,” Legolas said quietly to himself, “She left to save her dearest friend from the hands of a wizard.”

“What was that?” Merry asked, hearing the elf mumble something.

“Nothing,” Legolas replied, keeping his calm composure.

“This changes everything,” Faramir pointed out, “We now have to worry about the three of them instead of just Lienan.”

“But what if Rowena was right when she said that Lienan didn’t plan on coming back from this?” King Elessar questioned.

“She will have to come back now,” Legolas said with a hint of determination, “Frodo and Maelute won’t let her die.”

“True,” King Elessar mused, “But I wonder.”

“What?” Merry inquired curiously.

“Do they also aim on never returning if they are not able to rescue her?” the King of Gondor replied.

Everyone knew this to be true.  Any one of them in that room would sacrifice everything to save the others.  And they knew that if there was a chance that the two of them could not reach Lienan in time, then Frodo would not be coming back.  As he paced in a small circle, Legolas began to wonder if Maelute would return should that ever happen; she still had a reason to stay didn’t she?

Maelute on the other hand, had other things to think about at the moment.  Quietly she slipped through the land of Isengard as Haldir and Frodo followed quickly behind.

“Where are we going?” Haldir asked.

“I remembered that there was a secret way to get into the tower,” Maelute relied, “The Ents showed it to me once.”

“How can we be sure that Saruman doesn’t know of this way too?” Frodo inquired.

“We don’t,” the Elf from the Havens replied hesitantly.

“That’s not very comforting,” the little Hobbit commented.

“If the secret way is here, then where is it?” Haldir said, a little impatiently.

“I don’t know,” Maelute replied as she looked around, “The land seems different from when it was first shown to me.”

“I think I’ve found it,” Frodo exclaimed quietly as he removed some underbrush.

“Good,” the Haven Elf said as she lifted the trap door, “Let’s go before someone sees us.”

Without a word the three of them slip through the trap door and into the confines of Orthanc.  Once inside of the tower, they quietly searched every inch of the dark place for their friend, having little luck finding their way around.

“Where can she be?” Frodo asked no one in particular.

“I don’t like this,” Maelute said suspiciously, “We should have found her by now.”

“And I haven’t seen a single guard since we’ve entered,” Haldir added.

The trio of rescuers continued up the tower until they reached the top and last chamber.  Inside was an empty room with chains on the far side of the wall.  On the floor were shreds of clothing laying in a pool of freshly dried blood.  

“This is Lienan’s blood,” Maelute said as she examined the pool of blood, “She was here.”

“But where is she now?” Frodo asked in desperation.

“Looking for something?” a deep and eerie voice called from behind them.

The three gathered around the dried blood on the stone floor turned to the door to find none other than Saruman standing there, a smug look on his face.  

“Where is Lienan?” Frodo demanded.

“Why she’s right here,” the wizard said innocently, gesturing his hands to the shadows.

As the evil wizard stepped aside, the trio spotted Lienan standing silently in the shadows.  She was dressed in some black garb that helped to hide her well in the darkness of the chamber.  She was staring down at the ground causing her face to be shadowed and impossible to see.

“Lienan,” the Hobbit called out softly.

“Something’s wrong,” Maelute whispered to Haldir.

“Yes, I feel it too,” the Lórien guard whispered back.

“Lienan?” Frodo called again, this time with growing concern.

Slowly, Lienan raised her head as she stepped into the light.  The others were shocked when it was revealed that Lienan was wearing black armour with the white had of Saruman on her chest plate.  They looked on in disbelief as she emotionlessly stared at them.

“Tell me this is some form of trickery,” the Lórien Elf demanded.

“I’m afraid that it’s not,” Maelute said grimly, “We came too late.”

“Correct, my dear,” Saruman gloated, “She’s my servant now.”

~*~

In the halls of Minas Tirith, the others impatiently waited to hear tidings of their friends.  It had been weeks since Maelute and Frodo left to rescue Lienan from the clutches of Saruman and none knew what had happened to them.

Rowena stood on the balcony of her room looking out to the west towards Isengard hoping to see them approaching over the horizon.  Faramir walked out to join her and wrapped his arms around her in comfort.

“What troubles you my dear?” Faramir asked lovingly.

“I was there, I knew what she planned to do,” Rowena replied, “I could‘ve stopped her and they would‘ve never left to save her.”

“You couldn’t have known that Maelute and Frodo would go after her,” the Ithilien Prince said, “We all wish we had done things differently, but we cannot change what is done.”

“I know,” the Rohan native sighed softly.

“Then please stop dwelling on it,” Faramir pleaded as he gently rubbed her belly, “It’s not good for the baby.”

In the courtyard, Legolas was having his own concerns about the things he would have done differently if he could turn back the hands of time.  And not all of his thoughts were directed towards his sister.

“I should have told her when I had the chance,” Legolas whispered to himself as he sat down on a nearby stone bench.

“Told who what?” the Queen of Gondor asked, quietly walking up behind the Mirkwood Prince.

“Lady Arwen,” Legolas called, a bit startled by her sudden appearance.

“I am sorry I interrupted you,” the Queen said gently.

“No, it’s quite alright,” Legolas insisted as he motioned her to sit down on the bench as well, “Come sit.”

The two Elves sat in perfect silence for a while as they listened to the peaceful stillness of their surroundings.  

“She knows, Legolas,” the Queen said, calming the Mirkwood Prince’s troubled thoughts, “She is not blind.”

“I know, but I still should’ve told her,” the Elven Prince said, “I meant to, but she left to save Lienan before I could.”

“She is much like your sister: impulsive,” Lady Arwen mused with a smile.

“I know,” he responded grimly, “And now because of it, they’re both in danger.”

Standing up from the bench and then bowing to the Queen, Legolas quickly walked away leaving the Lady Arwen to sit alone in the courtyard.  Feeling sorry for his pain, she turned to face the northwest in the direction of Isengard, worry brewing in her heart for her friends who were there.  

~*~

“What sorcery is this?” the Lórien guard demanded.  

A wave of panic surged through him as he watched the Lady Lienan standing there with the mark of Saruman on her chest.  

“What did you do, Saruman?” Maelute inquired angrily when she saw the dark scar marring Lienan’s once flawless eye, “Beat her into surrendering?”

“There was no sorcery or force involved,” the dark wizard replied, “She became my servant of her own free will.”

“I refuse to believe that!” Frodo snapped.

“Do you now?” Saruman mused, “Then perhaps they can persuade you otherwise.”

With a wave of his hand, the wizard gestured over to Lienan once again as two other familiar figures stepped out of the shadows to join the half-elf.  

“Prince Imrahil and King Éomer?” Maelute whispered in horror and rage, “You monster!”

“Careful,” Saruman warned as Lienan‘s grip on the hilt of her sword tightened, “She’s very sensitive to insults towards her master.”

“You are not her master!” Frodo corrected angrily as he approached the wizard, sword in hand.

Quick as lightning, Lienan disarmed Frodo and had a knife held at his throat before anyone had time to react.  

“Don’t move,” Lienan said emotionlessly. Then to Maelute and Haldir she added coldly, “Put down your weapons.”

“Oh, look what you made her do,” Saruman said in mock innocence, “I suggest you listen to her if you want the little rat to live.”

Slowly and hesitantly, the elves placed their weapons on the floor and slid them to the other side of the room where Éomer and Imrahil were waiting to take them.  

“Good,” Saruman said, pleased with their quick submission, “Now if you would please follow me to the dungeon.”

“Move!” Lienan ordered as she harshly pushed Frodo forward behind the wizard.

They did as she said and followed Saruman through the tower down into the dungeons of Orthanc.  Once there, they were shoved into separate cells by the hands of their friends, Saruman looking on with delight at their suffering.

“How did you know we were coming?” Maelute asked as she gripped the bars of her holding cell.

“Simple,” Saruman replied nonchalantly, “The Ents told me.”

“The Ents?” Frodo questioned.

“Of course!” the Elf from the Haven exclaimed, “That’s why the land looked different, the Ents were disguised as trees and hiding.”

“So you have found a way to control the Ents,” Halidr stated.

“Indeed I have,” the wizard gloated, “And as you can see from you friend‘s betrayals, they weren’t the only ones.”

“She broke free from you once, she can do it again,” Frodo shouted from his cell, “She’s too strong for your control.”

“That may be true, but is she strong enough to fight the evil that’s inside of her right now?” the dark wizard inquired evilly.

“What are you talking about?” the Lórien Elf demanded.

The wizard sighed in frustration at the endless questions, but still he turned to face them as he continued to explain.

“Coursing through her veins at this very moment is an evil so ancient that not many remember it’s name,” the wizard sneered, “Not even those who have dwelt here since the beginning.”

“You mean to tell us that you‘ve resurrected an evil that existed during the First Age of Middle-earth when Morgoth lived?” Maelute questioned in disbelief, “But how could that be possible?”

“Simple, as the Protector she is cursed with reliving the entire history of Middle-earth,” Saruman explained, “I merely searched her memories for this creature and brought it forth with my newfound powers.”

At this, the dark eyed Lienan looked at the prisoners with such hate as a smirk spread across her lips.  

“Come, we have plans to map out and a land to destroy,” Saruman said to the creature, smirking along with it. Then turning to his caged guests he added, “Enjoy your stay here.”

Lienan followed obediently as Saruman made his way up the stairs and out of the dungeon.  As the others watched them walk away, Maelute sank down into a corner of her cell in horror.

“What’s wrong?” Frodo asked with worry.

“It would seem that Lienan is in more trouble than we first realized,” Haldir replied, seeing that Maelute was unable to move or speak at the moment.

“Lienan has the spirit of an ancient evil dwelling inside of her,” the Elf from the Haven replied, regaining her composure, “None can survive such an experience unscathed; it may be the death of her."

“No!” the Hobbit whispered in horror and concern.