‘Flo?’
She turned. A hobbit, taller than herself was staring at her through the bars of one of the cages. She crawled slowly over to him. He had several cuts over his face and his arms and legs were badly bruised and his clothes torn. Nonetheless, it was still Terwin. He took her hands and looked at her with loving, but sorrowful eyes.
‘They found you.’ he muttered. ‘I knew they would. It grieves me to see you brought to this.’
‘Terwin, what are you doing here?’ asked Flo.
‘They have questioned me about you – I told them nothing – but I knew they would find you when they sensed it.’
Rough hands suddenly grabbed Flo and dragged her away from Terwin. They threw her to the ground at somebody’s feet. She looked up at a tall man in a shimmering blue robe. He reached down, placing a hand on Flo’s head. She shuddered at his touch, but could not pull away. This must be Dinius.
‘So this is the Aurendiun. At last. And her Aura is so strong.’ he grinned. ‘Now – where is the Glint?’ he asked.
Flo looked up in confusion, not knowing what he was talking about. Terwin also looked up in the hope that the Glint had not been found Flo would not have her powers taken – she was useless without the Glint – they wouldn’t be able to use her.
Dinius picked up Flo and shook her. He tore her cloak from her shoulders and felt in her pockets, only finding her old music-pipe which he threw aside. He slung her back on the ground as if she was nothing but a rag. He picked up a staff and glared down at Flo. ‘Where is the Glint?’ he asked.
Flo looked up at him terrified. Dinius swung his staff and Flo suddenly felt a burning pain all over her body. She screamed and writhed. She closed her eyes in pain as it grew. Then it stopped. Flo lay sprawled on the ground, shaking. Dinius dragged her up by the hair.
‘Where is it?’ he yelled. ‘Answer me!’
‘I … I do not know what it is you’re talking about.’ said Flo, shakily.
Dinius picked up his staff again. Flo recoiled as he pointed it at her. A shot of red light hit her, causing a sharp pain cut through her. He repeated this over and over, not caring for her screams. Then that too stopped and it lay silent. Flo looked back up as Dinius looked down at her.
‘My Lord – Look!’
Dinius turned to the doorway. Melodious had arrived and with him was Nalmalu. Flo felt relieved. She looked at Nalmalu, but Nalmalu turned away from her.
‘Welcome, Mel.’ answered Dinius, then he turned to Nalmalu and remained silent.
Nalmalu sank to her knees and bowed her head. Flo watched in confusion.
‘I have returned, My Lord. Please forgive me of ever wandering from your side.’ said Nalmalu. ‘And I would like to offer you this.’
She felt in her cloak and pulled out the Glint. Dinius took it and smiled. Flo kept her eyes on Nalmalu. Dinius took Nalmalu’s hand and then they embraced like father and daughter. Flo couldn’t stand it.
‘Nalmalu?’ she whispered.
Nalmalu looked at her and Dinius turned and smiled. ‘You are too trusting it seems, Halfling.’ he said softly. ‘Did you not see that Nalmalu befriended you to bring you to me? Although there were times I felt she was failing – but it seems she has returned to me.’
Flo stared at Nalmalu as the two guards dragged her to her feet. She remembered Ghenbay’s words. ‘She must hurt you.’ Nalmalu strode over to her. She looked down at Flo, her eyes full of a sadness that Flo could not explain. Flo kept her eyes on Nalmalu’s, wondering what Nalmalu planned – but was it a plan? She looked so determined and angry at Flo. Nalmalu placed a hand on Flo’s face, gently and smiled. Flo closed her eyes relieved. With a snap, she opened them again. Blood was dripping from a cut in her left cheek. She looked at Nalmalu who was standing back, looking maddened and holding a small knife. She came forward again and raised Flo from her feet and shoved her towards the wall. Flo hit it and fell to the floor, feeling a little dazed. Nalmalu stood over her, looking down at her. She kicked Flo hard.
‘Get up!’ she spat.
She kicked Flo again, when she didn’t move.
‘I said GET UP!’
Flo shakily got to her feet and looked down. Nalmalu forced her head up. Neither of them spoke, but anger seemed to well up inside Nalmalu. She raised her fist and hit Flo hard across the face. Flo lost her balance and staggered, but Nalmalu grabbed hold of her pinafore and hit her around the face repeatedly. Then she let her fall to the ground. Flo gazed up at her, her head and face bleeding. Nalmalu crouched down and, taking Flo’s hair, pushed Flo’s head against the wall and put her head close to Flo’s.
‘That was for all the trouble you have caused me, Halfling!’ she spat at Flo and pushed her forwards to the ground.
Flo looked up from the ground. The guards stepped past Nalmalu and pulled Flo to her feet. They lead her into a cage beside Terwin and, leaving her feet and hands bound together, fitted heavy shackles around each wrist and ankle. Flo slid down the wall onto the floor and looked up to meet everyone's eyes looking at her like she was some kind of animal. Dinius then turned his back on Flo and turned to Nalmalu.
'Nalmalu, Melodious, come and speak with me. We have much to discuss-espcially Nalmalu's doing's- you have been away many years,' said Dinius and he turned out of the cell, Nalmalu and Melodious followed close behind.
Flo gasped with horror, but she had no time to say anything, the guards left and the door clanged shut.
Dinius lead Nalmalu and Melodious to a small chamber, three floors above the cells. In it was an old wooded table, with three chairs around it, in the middle were set three silver goblets and a jug. Dinius gestured them to sit.
Dinius poured them all some wine from the jug, Nalmalu gulped all of hers down and set the goblet back down.
'Thirsty daughter?' enquired Dinius.
'Indeed I am,' she replied, 'No such wine have I tasted in a long while.'
'May you get used to it, my dear. Melodious, tell me, is all going to plan?'
'Yes it is, we are well protected here. And I suspect that the halfling will be ready for the test within the week.'
'Good-I hope that all is ready for the occasion, Melodious, we do not wish to be unprepared do we?'
'No Master.'
'Nalmalu,' he said turning to her, 'The Glint I shall leave in your safe keeping until it is needed. But tell me what has happened? You left nigh on seven years ago now, you have taken long on your task. I hope you did not tarry on the road? The last I heard from you was on Weathertop, that was a long time ago. I had given up on you, I thought that maybe you had betrayed us.'
'Of course not! A lot has happened, and if I have tarried, it is only to ready myself for the task.' So Nalmalu told him all that had happened since Weathertop (apart from Rohan) and when she finished, he refilled her goblet and looked long and hard at her while she drank.
'I understand that the task must have been wearisome for you, I am not surprise you almost left her. And the fight with Melodious, indeed I am glad you kept the Glint,' then he said looking sidelong at Melodious, 'He is worthy enough, but not careful of his actions. I am glad you are back Nalmalu, now things will be set in order, great misery shall the halfling suffer for all that has passed. And there shall be a reward for your loyalty. Now go!' And as Nalmalu set to follow Melodious, Dinius said, 'Do what you want with the halfling! Just don't kill her!'
Nalmalu lay down to sleep, drawing the rough blankets around her, she slowly drifted into a deep slumber.
'I tried to save her,' she heard herself say.
'Treacherous fool...' voices unheard before came into her head, 'To be Captain-General...' 'Reveal yourself!' 'She said it was the only way...' 'No!' 'Not like this...' Then it seemed to her that a light appeared and as it grew brighter she saw a fair face...her mother's.
'Darkness,' her mother said, 'Before...behind...your friend, your foe and endless sadness. Save...tell and the key destroyed...'
Nalmalu woke with a start, all she could remember was what her mother had said, nothing before that. She could hardly see in front of her, but her eyes were wide opn in the gloom as if trying to decipher something from the grey black of the room. To her right stood a tall stone wall and she pressed her hand against it, feeling the cold chill running through her fingers. She sighed and lay back down.
The sound of her mother's voice replayed over and over again. The last line seemed most important to her:'Save...tell and the key destroyed.' Her thought lingered on 'the key destroyed' and then she knew what she must do.
She lept out of bed and got dressed, she pulled on a heavy black cloak and set off. She came to the outside door and stepped out into the rain. She closed the door and headed for the prisoners block. She got inside and searched for a guard.
They were standing in Flo's cell. Flo was crouched down, unable to support her weight through tire and fear. But one of the guards kicked her and dragged her to her feet.
‘You sit when we tell you to. You stand.’ he shouted. ‘And no leaning on the wall – you stand on your own two legs.’
He let go of her and with difficulty, she stood up, slouching slightly. The guard laughed again.
‘Stand up straight – no slouching!’
Flo straightened up, cringing with the pain that was coursing through her body. She felt her legs shake under her own weight, but she tried her hardest to stay standing, trying to ignore the pain and the taste of blood in her mouth.
The guards nodded and left her standing there and locked the cage door. Terwin stood up and looked at Flo through the bars that separated them. He felt helpless as his sister stood there, pained, terrified and weary.
The guards nodded at Nalmalu, who carefully avoided Flo's eyes. The guards returned to Flo. One went into Terwin’s cage and gave him a chunk of bread and a cup of water and the other went into Flo. He stood at the door and held the bread out to her. She looked away – she could not eat anything, even if she tried. The guard shrugged and ate the bread himself. Then he offered her the cup. He let a little of the water dribble from the cup, showing Flo what the cup held. She stared at it. She was thirsty. She needed the water. It would, in any case, wash away the taste of blood from her mouth. She reached out for it, but he grinned and shook his head.
‘Come and get it.’ he sneered.
Flo stared at him. Nalmalu watched. The other guard joined him and watched in interest. Flo looked away. She couldn’t bring herself to move – so she would go without.
One of the guards turned and looked at Nalmalu. She walked over and yanked the chains around her wrists and she fell forwards. Nalmalu pulled her up again.
‘He said walk! Do it!’ she snapped.
Flo looked up at her and she raised her fist threateningly. Flo flinched and then nodded. She started walking. The chains were heavy on her ankles and they added to the weakness in her legs. The matter of the rope also made it difficult. Three times it made her trip and fall. Then she had to start again. She was letting them all play with her. Tears of torment and pain poured down her face. It took a long while to complete the small walk from one end of the cage to the other. Eventually she stood at the guard’s feet and looked at him. He laughed and, holding her head up, poured the water down her throat and pushed her away again. This time they left her on the ground and went away, locking her in once again.
‘You’ll soon wish to be back here, beaten and chained like an animal – or you will beg for your own death.’ they laughed.
Flo lay down on the ground. Looking away from Nalmalu, she looked at Terwin for comfort, but he turned away. The grief seemed too much for him to bear. She took hold of the bars and looked at him.
‘Terwin?’ she whispered.
He turned his back on her.
‘Please, Flo – do not make it any harder for me to bear. You trusted her – and she has brought you here to die. You will die. And I cannot bear it – leave me.’
Flo stared at his turned back and then curled up in the corner, her head on her arms and tears in her eyes. She felt Nalmalu had betrayed her – even if it was a plan, surely Nalmalu would not have caused her so much pain and watched her suffer. Terwin had turned his back on her. Letting her suffer alone – and die alone. She longed for the day to pass into night and to see the new day bring an end to it all. There was nothing left – only pain and torment. The thought of her death was the only fragment of hope that remained. She heard Nalmalu snigger and she looked up.
'Seems as though you are alone, Halfling!' she laughed.
Flo looked away, half-expecting Nalmalu to hurt her in someway.
But Nalmalu turned away and locked Flo's door. And Flo saw to her horror that Nalmalu was undoing the lock to Terwin's cell and then entered inside.
Terwin backed up against the wall as Nalmalu advanced on him, she crouched down in front of him.
'Flo don't watch!' he cried.
Nalmalu hit him and looked at him angrilly, 'This is not the time!' she growled, 'Now listen to me and don't make a sound or you'll get more from where that came from.'
Terwin swallowed and ignored the blood dripping from his nose, aware of the watchful eyes of the guards. Nalmalu turned to them.
'Please leave us.' she ordered. 'This is not for eyes to see.'
They nodded and left the room. Nalmalu turned to Terwin again.
'Do not tell Flo this,’ Nalmalu began,'For her own safety. I have a plan - it may be the only way to save her but you must not tell her or the Dalde wil find out and we will all be killed.' So she explained her plan to Terwin and once she had finished she stood up and drew a small knife from her belt. She chucked it carelessly at Terwin's feet.
'Keep that, it may come in useful, but do not let anyone see it.'
'Nalmalu-' Terwin whimpered, 'How can I ever repay you for this?'
'Don't. I shall not see you or Flo, for another week I guess. But who knows what may have happened by then? I do not know how much strength is in my heart to hold off the evil that is inside me. So stay with what I have told you now, and do not worry for Flo.'
'And what of you?'
'I do not know, but I shall save Flo...somehow.' And Nalmalu turned and left without another word.
