Aiwë awoke to a nightmare. She was in complete darkness, her head was throbbing, and the air around her was filled with a putrid stench. Aiwë lifted her hand and gingerly touched the lump on her head. Closing her eyes, she tried to remember what had happened. Slowly things came back to her like pieces of broken glass. Orcs... Darye... Maeglin... Thindolfin... Thoron... Legolas! When the Orc had picked her up, Aiwë had momentarily regained consciousness. The sight that had met her eyes was worse than any pain she might have suffered at the hands of the Orcs. She had seen Legolas lying on his side, blood pouring from a wound in his chest, his eyes dull. Aiwë began to sob, trying to stay as quiet as possible. Her love was dead and she was the prisoner of Orcs. She knew that soon enough the Orcs would come for her and then... No. No! She would not let them! They had taken Legolas, but they would not take her. But how will I escape? she wondered. Then she remembered. As she and Maeglin were scouting, they had seen a small hole in the west corner of the south wall. The hole was just large enough for an Elf to slip through. Aiwë laughed bitterly. So all I have to do is escape my cell, find my way out of this fortress, and slip through the wall without ever being seen.
        Suddenly she heard a harsh voice coming down the corridor, speaking in a foul tongue that chilled her blood. She knew little of the Orcs' black speech, but she knew enough to realize they were coming for her. Thinking quickly, Aiwë formed a plan.

        "Open the door!" one of the Orc guards growled.
        "I'm trying!" snapped the other. "It's not working!"
        The second Orc leaned forward, holding up the torch he carried. "You're using the wrong key!" he sneered.
        Muttering a curse the Orc found the right key and unlocked the door. Pulling the door open, the second Orc stepped into the cell, torch held high.
        "Here pretty Elf," he sneered. Then he stopped. "She's not here!"
        "What?" the other Orc growled.
        "She's not in here!" he snapped. "See for yourself!"
        The other Orc entered the cell. Sure enough, there was no sign of the Elf. Muttering a curse the Orc turned to raise the alarm, but the door slammed and locked, trapping the Orcs inside.
        Aiwë smiled as she listened to the livid Orcs swear and bang on the door. That should keep them busy for a little while, she thought as she slipped noiselessly down the passage. She was lucky the Orcs had never looked up, or they would have seen Aiwë clinging to some hooks in the ceiling. She had slipped out when the other Orc had joined his companion in the cell, and she could only hope the door would hold long enough for her to make her escape.
        Slinking down the passage, Aiwë appeared to be no more than a shadow, sliding through doors and past guards until she could see the door that led outside. Unfortunately it was being guarded by two large Orcs who did not seem interested in moving. Picking up a small rock, Aiwë through it down the passage as far as she could. The Orcs leapt to attention as it struck a wall. Snarling and mumbling in his foul tongue, one of the Orcs went to investigate the noise. When he had disappeared down the passage, Aiwë threw another rock, but this one struck the remaining Orc. Aiwë grinned as the Orc fell senseless to the ground.
        Thank Eru he was not wearing a helmet, Aiwë thought, closing the door behind her. She was outside, but now there were even more Orcs for her to avoid, and less shadows. Aiwë glanced up at the sky. It was late in the afternoon, and she was sure that she did not have long before the Orcs broke out of the cell and raised the alarm. Moving as quickly and stealthily as she could, Aiwë crept around to the south wall, staying close to the fortress. From where she hid, the hole in the wall was clearly visible. Now to get there without being seen, Aiwë thought, glancing around.
        Luckily for her, the south wall was lightly guarded. Fifteen Orcs patrolled the wall, five of them carrying bows. There were a few Orcs on the ground, but none of them were looking towards Aiwë or the wall. Seizing her chance, Aiwë raced to the wall and squeized through the hole. Once outside, she flattened herself against the wall, so as not to be seen by the Orcs on the wall above her. She waited until the Orcs were looking away from her and then she ran into the woods like Sauron himself were chasing her.
        As she ran, Aiwë could hear an eerie horn call and shouts coming from the fortress. Her absence had been discovered.

        Aiwë ran, ignoring her body's demands for rest. She would run, fall, and keep running, repeating the process for Valar knows how long. When she could run no more, she pulled herself into a tree and passed out.

        When she awoke, the sun was shining through the trees, winking at Aiwë through the leaves. I am alive, I escaped, Aiwë thought, lying on her back, staring at the sky. But where do I go now? I cannot go back by Dol Guldur, the Orcs are looking for me. I suppose I could walk to the Anduin and follow it north, and then go back into Mirkwood and... Aiwë stopped. Go back. How could she go back? Legolas and the others were dead, how could she ever walk Thranduil's halls again, knowing they would never return? Aiwë sighed and shook her head, pushing the thoughts from her mind. She had to have water, and there were no streams south of the fortress. I will travel to Anduin and make up my mind when I get there, she decided. But in her heart she doubted she would return to Mirkwood, not right away at least.
        Aiwë dropped from the tree to the ground, and walked towards the edge of Mirkwood, toward the Anduin; toward a new life, one without her beloved.