Tel\' Lindar (The Bard)

I am sorry for the late post. Real life got in the way seriously. While Bronwyn\'s and Haldir\'s thoughts are clear, Severus\' POV is noted in ***thoughts***

Due to several challenges and other things I won\'t bore you with, I\'m rather behind, so this will be the last update for a few weeks until I can get a few chapters past my betas. My apologies for the wait.


Chapter 12

The Horrible Wretched Death of Smut or The Leaving

***

In a time before this time
Those ancient gods of mine and thine
Proclaimed our twin fates intertwined
And named our day of destiny

***

Up, up, up....

High over Hogwarts, the Forbidden Forest , with fascination, he watched the scenery change. The edges of the lake warped and ebbed, eventually drying up, Hogwarts eventually disappeared, the borders of the forest minimizing, expanding, changing...

Time was flying backwards. And he was watching...

He was aware of her presence next to him, aware of the mounting excitement and trepidation, both building within her.

Look.

He focused back on where Hogwart\'s had been, watched an ivy and briar covered mound grow and bubble. The greenery split, revealing rubble, tossed and crumbled stones. The stones organized, the greenery continued to fall back...

***Hogwarts... in the middle of the forest?***

No Severus. It is Dol Guldor.

It was majestic still, even in the middle of a murky, dark forest. Quickly he... they descended, and as he flew back down to Earth, he had a new awareness...

Spiders in the trees.

Sounds of battle rose from the ground. Orcs, Elves, skirmishes were still being fought.

The two flew along, just above the ground. In the distance, Severus saw a clearing, filled with Elves.

And the Woman.

Needless to say, he was shocked when rather than hover or stand off to the side to watch, he was...

Sucked into her body.

***

Every time I turn around
I\'m lookin\' up
You\'re lookin\' down
Maybe something\'s wrong with you
That makes you act the way you do
Maybe I am crazy too.

Soak up the sun
Sheryl Crow

***

Tha-thump.

Tha-thump.

The first thing he was aware of was her heartbeat. It drummed in his ears like a beckoning call.

Tha-thump.

The second thing he was aware of was the weight of her weapons on her back and waist.

Tha-thump

Sweat was trickling down her brow, between her breasts. There was something tight around her left arm and try as he might, Severus could not look down...

She was scanning... scanning the clearing...

Breathing. He could now hear her breath.

Tha-thump

He saw her husband, Haldir, conversing with several Elves. He noticed Rumil, battered, bloodied. He also recognized Heridil, the Elf that had married her daughter. He had seen pictures that Rumil had drawn of the two of them. They were talking, excitedly, gesturing... names, a name... Liandrian...

‘Liandrian? No. Not dead.\' Her thoughts, clear, audible to him, -

Sorrow rose. ‘She was too bitchy to die.\' This body he was in wandered, away from the Elves, through trees, into a clearing...

The palms of his/her hands began to prickle. Itch.

Tha-thump... tha-thump...

‘Where?\'

She was continuing to scan...

‘Welcome to my lair, said the Dragon to the Bard.\'

Eyes jerked into the direction of the voice. It was hypnotic, velvet, stroking the wild thoughts battling in her brain. Gates to the courtyard lay open before her. She lifted...

The Sword.

The Sword of his nightmares; the Sword with the strange inscriptions...

She forged ahead, heeding the insane chuckling in her head.

And with her body, Severus, the Ultimate Voyeur, went with her.

She was not thinking. Not clearly. Not straight.

‘Where is it? Where is it?\'

From the corner of her eyes, he saw the spiders. Huge, frightful, hairy things skittering back out of her way.

Tha-thump.

The castle rose above her... them. Spiders were everywhere, moving back, moving away.

As if in fear. As if in deference to what awaited her inside.

Severus now heard her... humming... occasional words coming through the childish melody.

Puff, the Magic Dragon, lived by the sea...

In her mind, he could hear, feel the Elf...

Baraermin?

Her palms were on fire. Severus felt the desire to find a rain barrel to submerge them to the elbow; what was it that did this to her?

They entered the Grand Hallway.

Insane laughter...

The Bard, the Bard, the Bard comes. Come little one, come meet your demise...

Spiders the size of large dogs scrambled up the walls, skuttling noisome things, but he knew she was completely unaware.

Her palms burned more and she followed them like a beacon.

Tha-thump... tha-thump... tha-thump...

Her heart was beginning to race. Her breathing was shallow and they came around the corner, through large doors...

The Library.

Severus decided he would happily die if he could spend a day here. Bigger than the library at Hogwarts, shelves, bookcases that went forever, glass topped tables with ancient parchment encased within. The sword that had been waving so erratically in front of her...them... lowered as her attention was completely diverted. She began to take deep, cleansing breaths. Her entire being filled with joy; consuming Severus.

‘Hours, hours, hours... oh God, the time I will spend here...\'

The Elf\'s voice cut through their rapture.

‘Baraermin. Focus on the task. Where is the Dragon?\'

They were completely oblivious...

They? When had they become as one? Mentally, Severus tried to shake his head, tried to shake free of her overwhelming joy...

Tha-thump...

They were stepping further into the room, the sword now dragging along...

***Pick it up, Bronwyn! Pick up the... Merlin\'s Robe... Look at the size of those bookshelves...***

Tha-thump... tha-thump... tha-thump...

Snape\'s eyes were turning, circling, taking in... Circe, the very age of this place... he could feel the depth of their breath, down to their diaphragm... he could hear the faint scrape of the point of her sword now dragging the marble flooring...

‘My love... Baraermin... watch your step.. what do your eyes see?...\'

***The Elf... he would invade me... us here...Go away!...Books, scrolls, lost magic... so much to gain...***

\"My, my, my! Do mine eyes deceive me?\" The voice was deep, velvet, vaguely familiar. \"Why, nay, they do not. It is the little Bard, so far from her home.\"

...tha-thu...

Her voice...

shitshitshitshitdamnohfuckingshitshitshitdammittohellweareinsomuchtroublenow

Two pairs of eyes, sharing one vision jerked upwards. Perched upon a ledge and across several tops of bookcases was the dragon. None of the dragons of his time or his knowledge prepared him for this. Snape doubted that even Hagrid or Charlie Weasley would have been prepared for this sight.

This was a dragon of fairy tale proportions. Only in dreams, in fantasy, did something this beautiful, this horrid, live. Red-gold scales, with dark, metallic royal purple spine spikes, all the way down to the lashing tail, bright and glimmering like jewels. His eyes were glittering green and they were narrowed in an evilly appreciative stare. He was smiling, his maw gaping, showing razor sharp teeth. His tail flicked lazily and they noticed red claws and red wings. He was huge, larger than anything Snape could ever imagine, and he sat up, preening like a cat, forelegs stretched out in front, claws fully extended, in all their glory. He was sitting regally, regarding them with interest.

This dragon could talk.

***Oh, for the love of whatever deity you worship... Bronwyn, please lift your sword and get the hell out of here...***

\"You are a pretty little thing. I think it might be a sad affair to do away with you.\"

***Bronwyn, do not answer! Just...***

\"Oh, keep me around. You might find me amusing.\"

Well, at least they were backing up...

\"Oh, Bronwyn Morgan. You would be amusing; however, your very presence is disconcerting and a problem...\" The dragon spread his wings full and he lifted, hovering from the ledge and moved over them. They backed up quickly and rushed between two shelves. They rattled and tipped as the dragon sat down none too gently on the floor and Bard and Wizard barely escaped the falling cases, books cascading to the floor. They ducked behind a large pile and called out.

\"Oh unfair, cruel creature! You know my name! Yet, I know yours not! What do you call yourself?\" Claws clicked together and they attempted to make themselves as small as possible.

\"My name? Ah, I supposed it would not hurt. Fair lady, I am Smut.\"

\"Your name is... what?\"

\"No, My name is not ‘What\'. My name is Smut.\"

Her inner voice was howling in hysterics. Never had he heard her laugh in this way, over a name... she was bantering with the creature, moving. Snape had slunk through the shadows for years, sneaking into places he was not meant to go, catching students in trysts in places they were not supposed to be. Out of the side of their vision, they saw a spider.

It was huge, venom already dripping as it prepared to jump. Severus heard the song rise in their head, saw the spiraling sound waves raise. She flung them with her hand, like water droplets . The thing fell backwards, waves circling into its pinchers, its many eyes. Her knives flew in, quickening death.

...not suffer...

Deep chuckling from the familiar voice rose in the room.

\"Oh my. You have gotten powerful, have you not?\" The temperature rose in the room...

***Bronwyn, run, damn it all!***

As if hearing Severus\' voice, she took off between two closely spaced book shelves, ducking the fireball. It hit above her and its impact incinerated two cases of parchment...

\"Oh nooo...\" they moaned, in tandem seeing ancient knowledge crumble in embers. He felt her fury rise.. \"You moron! Can\'t you aim any better than that?\"

The dragon moved slowly, turning his head to the direction of her voice. \"Ah. And I thought I was the fiery one in this room.\"

\"You should see her when she is angry!\"

The Elf. They looked around, Severus felt her need... her...

Guardian. Shield. Protector.

Baraermin...My love...

Her voice... He is here. He found me. I am safe...

\"Ah. A second voice. Perhaps...the Guardian?\"

Well, never let it be said a dragon was a stupid creature!

Bronwyn answered. \"You\'re damn straight, Skippy!\"

The dragon - Smut - was slow on the floor, his bulk hampering him. There was not enough room for him to stand up and move around, so he simply sat on his rear, like a cat. Claws clinked again.

\"Ah. My lucky day. Two for one.\"

The barrage of words continued between the dragon and the Bard. Deft parries of information sought and revealed interchanged with fireballs thrown, manuscripts lost. For each one launched, Severus mourned with her, the incinerated tomes, parchment.

Like the Voyeur in his dreams, Snape watched, listened as the Big Elf...

***...Haldir...***

...ingeniously moved her away from the fire breathing monster and towards himself. He was startled along with her, when a grimy hand clamped around their mouth and he participated fully in crashing their heel into the whoreson\'s foot. When that did not work, they spat into the gore and sweat encrusted palm, only to be spun around, looking into the amused blue eyes of their captor.

The Elf wiped his hand in her hair before laying a finger to his lips, instructing their silence, as they listened to the dragon, promising them a quick and merciful death if they would simply come forward.

\"Answer him and then we run...that way.\" Haldir\'s voice was a low, low whisper, barely audible. \"Keep him talking.\"

She spoke, they ran. Fireballs flew and slowly, the contents, furnishings in the library were incinerated, leaving fewer and fewer places to hide.

And leaving fewer and fewer pieces of salvageable parchment. Apparently, Haldir could sense her sorrow at the loss. \"Baraermin. Give up the thought of rescuing a single scroll. I am sorry. Speak to him. Ask him anything!\"

Snape saw the Elf, felt him zero in on... something... hope flared...

\"Ah.. yes, Smut. How did you know who I was?\" They ducked and zig- zagged around the casings.

She continued to goad the monster, asking questions, how he knew about her, her Guardian, why she must die...

Tha-thump... tha-thump...

\"Ah, well, sometimes history does not need to be remembered, does it? The one who kills you, kills your Guardian, gets those powers. I would like them and quite frankly, I would prefer to be remembered as the one who welded power at the end of the Third Age, rather than Sauron.\" Yet another temperature rise and yet another bookcase was destroyed, enveloped in flame.

Severus and Bronwyn both cried out together in despair. From the midst of this mental anguish, a single arrow shot, the whooshing of the slim, pointed missile flying straight to a...

***...chink in the dragon\'s armor. How had he missed it?***

It was a perfect shot and Smut howled at the intrusion upon his flesh. He scratched, in attempt to dislodge the offending missile and screeched in anger. The temperature rose quicker than ever and the entire corner where they had been hiding was burned to a crisp.

But they were no longer there.

They looked around, taking in the carnage of paper, burned cinders, smoldering, sizzling. Spiders hiding in tombsombs had been charred with them or went skittering drunkenly from the premises. Palms itching, embers dying, his own anger at the senseless destruction aided, goaded hers to rise...

\"That\'s it! That\'s it! I cannot allow you to set anything else on fire, you dumbass lizard!\" They ran out and stood directly in front of the Dragon. Her sword was out and she glared with every ounce of fury she could muster. \"This stops and it stops right now! Now behave and be a good boy and go back to whatever mountain or rock you crawled out from under - Moria would be a nice habitat for you - or so help me, I\'m going to put out your fire once and for all.\"

At this point, everything sped up.

Thathumpthathumpthathump...

Smut was laughing, taking much amusement in her... their outburst. Leaning back, he exposed the chink, the white feathers of the arrow where the Elf had shot him, showing, deeply embedded.

They thrust the sword at the Elf and knives flew.

...vibrating, singing blades, returning to her... come, come, come to Beavis, my darlings...

...forcing the dragon to fall forward, on all fours. Blood welled and the temperature raised...

Haldir grabbed her arm to flee.

They flung him off. Snape thought he had witnessed fury with Voldemort, but this was unleashed wrath. The edges of their vision were red and her body shook. \"No! I stand my ground! I am Bronwyn Morgan ap Powell. I am the Historian and Storyteller of the Ages. I am the Protector of the Future and Keeper of the Truth, appointed and empowered by the Valar and Iluvatar and you have NO power over me! Back down, you ass wipe, or I will back it down for you!\" She lifted her sword to the dragon again.

‘Oh, lovely.\' The Elf\'s thoughts reverberated through Snape\'s mind . ‘Now she thinks she is a wizard.\' That one stepped behind them and reaching around, took hold of the sword.

It glowed green.

***It will take two to properly weld this weapon. She cannot do it on her own. It takes two. Her. Her Guardian and Shield...***

The music swelled, rattling the windows of the room and the heat rose. The fire hit the blade, full force and bounced, arching around them as if they were encased in a protective dome.

\"Whooaah!\" Bronwyn inhaled. Fueled by her rage, she repeated her oath, throwing her knives, grabbing and using her sword in this new dimension. There was music... loud, angry... waves spinning and Snape realized they were standing directly under the monster.

Carry on my wayward son
There\'ll be peace when you are done...

They saw the waves, saw them spinning, large white lines bounding overhead and she flung them at the mighty dragon.

Smut shook his head, as if to dislodge water from his ears. \"What? You play your games with me?\"

She continued to aim the waves at the Dragon\'s ears, the continual effort weakening her...

Her energy was failing, receiving temporary boasts from adrenaline, from the electrical touch of the Elf, when his hands touched hers.

Waves spun harder, harder, continual, until Smut fell over, leaving the chink, the wound exposed. Blood oozed from his ears.

\"Baraermin.\" The Elf pointed at the gaping wound they had made. Together, blade still glowing, they pushed the sword into the wound, as far as it would go.

It was not enough. The dragon was NOT dying, despite the ruptured ear drums, the copiously bleeding wound, blood now all over them, their hands, the Elf\'s. \"Haldir, I can\'t...the blade is to the hilt already. It isn\'t enough. What now?\"

\"The glass, Baraer.\" the Elf grunted, still pushing, \"The glass. Break the glass.\"

\"Break the glass? What do you mean ‘break the glass\'? What the hell is that?\" They were grunting as well. She continued to throw sound wave after sound wave at the dragon and he convulsed, tail still twitching madly.

She was weakening, the flow of energy ebbing. Her thoughts...

This dragon will not die. Please, oh Saes, die. Die now. I cannot take your suffering...

\"How am I supposed to know what it means? You are the musician!\"

Her thoughts running rampant...words running together in fury...

Break the glass. Break the glass. You are the musician. You are...

DUH! Realization hit with the force of a hammer.

They continued to press, but looking at the Elf, Snape could feel, sense the exhaustion that plagued her both in body and in spirit. The constant barrage of sound waves had driven her to the brink of her wall. Memories of experiments long past, tied Uruk Hai, Elves falling in pain... \"If I hurt you, tell me. I will stop.\"

\"Just do it!\" The Elf continued to push.

She imagined...

R-E-S-P-E-C-T
Find out what it means to me...

A mighty voice that moved upward and upward. The sound spiraling and spiraling, the wave spinning and spinning. She positioned it right at the dragon\'s head, as he lay still thumping. And as the wave, the pitch, broke the glass, she flung it into the dragon\'s ear.

Her thoughts...

Please die. Please.

Tha.... thump...........tha......thump.......

Sweat trickling down their brow, hanging on the tip of their nose...

Smut convulsed, writhed.

The waves, no longer under her control, encircled the dragon\'s skeletal mass. And his bones shattered.

Her voice... oh God. What have I done?

Thathumpthumpthathumpthathum....

Waves then encased his muscle, liquefying it.

The waves continued inward. Organs ruptured. The sword, no longer having any obstacles, slid into his body, straight to the dragon\'s heart.

Thathumpthumpthathumpthathum....

Smut\'s brain exploded.

Showering bone-weary warriors and voyeur in blood and gore.

Her voice... Oh God. What have I done?

Thathumpthumpthathumpthathum....

And as Smut the Dragon slowly, horribly died, Bronwyn completely collapsed, taking Severus with her.

***

She allowed Severus to share sensations, to feel strong arms cradle her body to an armor clad chest, felt her unconscious relief in being held close, protected. He was aware of the frantic flight from the castle as the windows shattered, as the casings, the walls, buckled, the waves she had created, bouncing from weakened buttress to weakened buttress. Other magics were also at work; Severus could sense the power of another as the Elf ducked and wove between falling stones.

And as they exited into bright, bright sunlight, Severus lifted, soared into the sky.

***

He heard her breathing. Harsh, ragged gasps.

\"I... didn\'t... know.\" She picked up the tumbler of scotch he had poured earlier, taking a healthy swig. \"I didn\'t know what it was. I didn\'t know what it would do. I didn\'t know it would take so long. I didn\'t know that he would suffer.\" Both had sunk to the floor.

Severus looked at her, incredulously. \"You feel... guilt because you perceived that thing suffered?\"

\"As do you!\"

There. It was out, and she had flung it in his face. With a shot, she bolted across the small space separating them on all fours and shoved her face into his. \"As do you!\" she repeated. \"I keep my guilt here,\" she tapped her forehead. \"You wear your guilt in knotted muscles!\" She moved backwards, picking up the discarded glass as she moved. \"Every curse you cast, every deadly, disfiguring potion you created for him or for the cause. You do not put those memories in your pensieve because you want to know you can feel something!\" She crossed her legs angrily and lifted the glass to her mouth. \"Do not belittle me for the same failing within yourself.\" Severus watched as she took a gulp from the glass. \"It was horrible, to discover what I could do. I hated what it did to Smut. I hated what it did to me.\" She drained the glass and threw it into the fireplace, shattering the crystal against the mortar. \"It totally drained me. I was devoid of any energy for three days. I slept for 72 hours straight, rising only to go to the bathroom. And I needed help with even that! Haldir spooned watery broth down me to aid in the rebuilding of my strength.\" For several minutes, there was no sound, but the crackling within the hearth, her angry inhalation and exhalation of breath. She pulled her legs up to her chest and began to rock to the angry music welling within the room. When she finally spoke again, it was a hoarse whisper. \"I could not conjure music for over a week, much less spin waves in defense for weeks after that.\" She closed her eyes, concentrating on her thoughts.

\"I hated how Smut died. I hated what it did to him. No being, no matter the depth of its evil, should die so horribly. I have never used this so-called gift in this way again. I swore not to.\" Her eyes, which had been staring into the fire rose to meet his. \"I have no pensieve to put that memory into. I would if I could. Do not ever badger me with the mention of that dragon or his death again, do you understand?\"

\"If that is what you desire, madam.\"

***

Calling all to come and feast
To witness blood of man and beast
Intermingled West to East
North to South and sea to sea
Mortal shall have dragon kin
Share blood in virtue and in sin
\'gainst common enemies shall win
And ever bound in twain shall be!

Dragon Song

***

Remus\' heart ached. He would have turned away and left her to her sad parting, save the ElfLord had him tightly by the elbow.

\"My Lord Celeborn, I truly do not wish to intrude on this.\" The Werewolf gazed sorrowfully across the way, away from the tearful good-bye in front of him.

\"She will need you. That one -\" the Elf pointed with his chin to Severus, \"will not give her the comfort she needs.\" It was not said in derision. \"He does not know how. That job shall fall to you.\"

Bronwyn and Rumil stood in front of the train, clasped tightly together. The Elf was whispering frantically in her ear.

\"If you need me, I will be here, as quickly as I can.\"

\"Not fast enough, Rumil! It took Celeborn three days to get here the last time.\" Bronwyn\'s knuckles were white where she clasped her brother - in - law tightly around the waist. \"What if something happens?\"

Rumil\'s body shook with mirth. \"You are surrounded by some of the most powerful Wizards on Earth. I daresay they could protect better than we.\" He looked over her head and smirked at Snape, standing off to the side, out of earshot. \"I would be willing to make bets that Potions Professor of yours would lie down on the track and die, rather than allow you to be harmed in any way.\"

Bronwyn\'s head lifted with a jerk. \"Are you daft? Severus would lie down on the track and die JUST to rid himself of the burden that is me!\" She scowled fiercely. \"And he is not my Potions Professor!\" She buried her face back into his tunic. \"Bite your tongue.\" she mumbled into the soft fabric.

Rumil chucked her under the chin, forcing her to look back up. He grinned playfully, sticking his tongue out and chomping down. Despite her anger, Bronwyn had to laugh at the silly face he made. \"Ah!\" Rumil hugged her closer, \"there is the laughter I will so miss hearing. I will take the sound of that with me.\"

They were talking about him, all of them. Severus could tell. He could hear their voices carrying on the air, but he couldn\'t make out the words. Although tempted to cast an Amplify spell, he decided to let it pass. He would find out from her... eventually. He stopped himself from reaching down and scratching the ears of the wolf sitting next to him.

\"What kind of comfort are you talking about, Lord Celeborn?\" Remus was intrigued by the ElfLord\'s comment. Celeborn\'s thoughts went deep inward.

\"Haldir and Bronwyn loved each other very deeply. But they were very different beings. They reasoned differently and they rationalized individually. They looked at the same picture and saw contradictory things.\"

\"You are saying their fights were spectacular!\"

Celeborn had an amused look. \"Spectacular is an understatement.\" he murmured. \"Rumil has walked a delicate tightrope all of his life. He was the middle brother of the three. He grew up being the peacemaker. Rumil was the buffer between Bronwyn and Haldir and strove hard to preserve the harmony between the two. I have known him to take sides; I have known him to tell both they were being childish.\" Celeborn sighed. \"I have known him to aid Bronwyn in one shenanigan or other. And I have known him to take Haldir hunting to get him out of Bronwyn\'s hair. Regardless,\" and with this, Celeborn turned to Remus, yet continued to watch Snape, \"that Wizard is still at odds on how to deal with her. Chances are likely he will never get the gist or will be too stubborn to deal with her on certain levels. They will both need a good friend who will listen to them objectively. She will definitely need a shoulder in the upcoming days. We have removed her last crutch.\" Celeborn\'s eyes gazed at Remus. \"She will need occupying and support. She might still need... encouragement... in continuing to work with Professor Snape.\" Celeborn\'s eyes moved back to the Potions Master. \"He will need a lot of encouragement to continue to work with her and not throttle her.\"

Remus laughed in spite of himself. \"I need to be the buffer between them.\" Celeborn looked confused, but Remus kept on. \"Aye, I think I can keep them from killing each other. Merlin knows I love nothing better than to irritate Severus.\"

The train whistle blew.

Celeborn released Remus from his grip and stepped back, arranging the folds of his sash. \"Then I leave assured she has been left in several pairs of good hands.\" He arched an eyebrow. \"She thinks she is quite slippery. I assure you, she is not.\" Remus found himself laughing as the ElfLord approached the embraced couple. \"Rumil, it is time to go.\"

\"One more week, Celeborn. Saes.\"

Celeborn opened his arms to her and she moved from one hold to another. \"I cannot leave my MarchWarden here any longer. I have left him for far too long as it is and he has duties to perform.\" He leaned over and whispered in her ear. \"I promise, we will visit often. Soon, you will be so busy with your students and your other matter, that you will not miss us at all.\" He found a small fist thrust quickly into his stomach and he inhaled sharply at the jab. \"Besides, I hear you are to be taken shopping this weekend for harpsichord wire and... wizardly attire.\"

\"Ooh! Shopping with Snape! What joy! And all the liddle birdies sing with much delight!\" she mocked. \"I want robes that go ‘Whoosh\' like Severus\'.\" Bronwyn turned so she was now standing next to Celeborn, looking over at Snape and Amadeus. Hands flew out in lampooning motions. \"Whoosh! Whoosh!\" Playful eyes gazed upwards with a smirk.

\"Whoosh, eh?\"

She nodded. \"Three more days?\"

Gentle lips brushed the top of her head. \"No bargaining. My apologies.\"

The ElfLord and Elf stepped aboard the train. Rumil\'s eyes never left hers until the conveyance pulled around the curve.

Bronwyn felt a reassuring arm around her shoulder. \"So,\" Remus asked, \"has that prat taken you on a broom ride yet?\"

\"What?\" Bronwyn looked askance at the DADA professor. \"You want me to put my ample ass on a rod this big around?\" Her finger and thumb curved in circumference to a broom stick. \"I would sooner play footsies with Filch!\"

Remus grimaced. \"Ew. That is just a nasty thought!\" He tucked her hand into his elbow, calling to her beast. \"Amadeus! Who would you rather walk with? Us or him?\"

Amadeus quickly ran to her side, leaving Severus standing alone. She scratched him behind the ear, before looking at Snape.

\"Don\'t stand there like a ninny.\" She jerked her head forward. \"Come join us!\"

\"Oh.\" Severus muttered moving forward, hair ruffling in the breeze, \"One would think I would enjoy breathing dust.\"

\"Actually,\" Bronwyn piped up as the trio began to move forward, Amadeus moving alongside between Bronwyn and Snape, \"you would have been behind Amadeus and he has some nasty gas!\"

The wolf stopped in his tracks. He plopped his backside down dejectedly and stared balefully at the retreating back of his mistress. Nasty gas, indeed. He would show her.

On the train, the two Elves settled in for the ride. Celeborn was fidgeting, a very un-Celeborn-like trait.

\"Rumil. When we return to London, you will be returning to Valinor. You must convince Orophin and Faeowynne to return with you.\"

The younger Elf looked at the ElfLord, confusion gracing beautiful features. \"Return? My brother Orophin and Faeowynne? That would put us far from Bronwyn. Why?\"

Worry carefully hidden during his time with Bronwyn, consumed Celeborn\'s features. \"Several more Elves have disappeared. All were friends of Haldir and Bronwyn. We see a pattern and we fear the worst. Bronwyn is well protected with the Wizards. Gandalf and I would see what is left of her inner circle protected as well.\"

Nothing but the sound of the train could be heard for a minute. Celeborn finally completed his thought.

\"Someone is out to destroy every toehold she has on sanity. The Vessel cracks, Rumil. She and all she holds dear must be kept safe.\"

***

I love the way
You chain me to the bed
Your secrets never show

Control
Puddle of Mud

***

The heat is horrid.

The stench, overbearing. It gags me and I cannot bear to breathe. I look around the cavern and slowly, it comes back...

Mount Doom.

Where Frodo destroyed the ring.

No. Where Frodo failed to destroy the One Ring. Where Gollum in his insane glee, fell over the side, destroying himself and the Ring.

My eyes dart around. Up there, on the ledge, where I perched and watched, like a voyeur. Watched the events unfold in their grim telling.

I can feel the sweat, feel it dripping between my breasts, down the back of my neck.

Why am I here? This place was destroyed, gone...

I turn to the cavern opening, towards the light, cooler, cleaner air...

Swirling dust and grit rise before me, a vague outline...

Mothheeeerrrrrrr.... Tell me. Tell me of the Ring.

I am feeling irascible. ‘Ring? Well, my wedding band was a simple thing...\'

The sound of laughter echos through the cavern. Verrrry funny, motherrr. The One Ring, please...

My eyes narrow. ‘Buy the book.\'

I\'m laaaaazy, motherrrrr. Tell me. I want to hear it from you.

I attempt to step around the swirling dust, only to be rebuffed and backed up.

Oh, but Mother, to hear it from you. You who saw it unfold...

My eyes search for a way to get around the whirling dervish. ‘Eh, what is to tell? Frodo had the Ring, Frodo wanted to keep the Ring, Gollum stole the Ring, Gollum died with the Ring. End of story.\'

Aaaaaah. The swirling grit became larger, more dense. Tell me of your bow.

‘Haven\'t seen it in years.\'

Satanic laughter rises. You are very funny, mother. Tell me how the Orcs came into being. Tell me how the Elves were tortured...

I make a run for the entrance, no longer wishing for just cooler, cleaner air, but I am rebuffed, pushed backwards. Closer and closer to the edge of the lip. I feel, can see the pitching, rolling lava beneath...

Tell me mother... make it easier on yourself.

‘Go to hell.\'

Someday. But not today, motherrrrrrrr....

I am shoved, falling backwards, arms spiraling, the lava rising to meet...

***

...Encased in strong arms.

Amadeus pushed against her, whining...

\"Bad dream?\"

Unconsciously, uncaring, Bronwyn tucked herself as tightly as possible into Severus\' body. Her body racked with stifled sobs and uneven breaths.

\"Oh, you don\'t know how bad.\" Her breathing slowed. \"How did you...\"

\"I felt you. Amadeus alone would wake the entire dungeon with his howls.\"

Bronwyn\'s fingers dug into the shirt he had thrown on. \"I have to find my bow! But I don\'t know where to begin!\"

Long fingers stroked the hair back, away from her face.

\"I have been thinking. You do know who had your bow a century ago.\"

\"Yes.\" Bronwyn\'s face tilted up into the moonlit face of her Shield.

\"Is there anyway to trace his lineage? Brothers, sisters, cousins...\"

The idea took hold in Bronwyn\'s brain.

\"When we go London in a few days, we can go to a Muggle library... Get me to a computer. I can trace almost anything.\"

\"And,\" Severus continued to stroke the sleep-knotted hair from her face, \"then we can find which one disappeared into the Wizard World and trace from there. Of course,\" his breath tickled her face, \"it would mean some covert stealing in and out of the Ministry of Magic, looking for birth and family records...\" his voice trailed off.

\"Oh! Covert stealing in and out of places. I have not done that since...\" the memory of she, Haldir, his brothers and Heridil, stealing into a mayor\'s residence, stealing information for the King of Gondor...

Severus saw it as well, a fond, exciting memory. \"Of course, it might be dangerous. I could do it by myself...\" he goaded.

\"Screw that, kind sir! If you are stealing into somewhere where you aren\'t supposed to be, I will most definitely be there. I know my way around a lock or two. We won\'t be left behind, will we, Amadeus?\"

The look on the wolf\'s face said it all. Absolutely not.

\"So be it.\"

Bronwyn continued to lean against Severus. \"Of course, we will need to ge ear early start then. Perhaps make it a weekend trip.\"

\"Lovely.\" Snape\'s voice was droll. Muggle London. Where he did not wish to be, ever. Smelly, dirty place. Busy. Shopping for her supplies and Muggle London.

It was going to be a long weekend.

***

TBC

***

A/N

meloany - Yes, I did warn ou - big time. Yes, Haldir\'s death is traumatic, but he isn\'t far. Don\'t feel sorry for Snape. He has a pretty lethal bite too.

Qachatu - HAH! I\'m moving to your place. Glad you like.

Chloe - I\'m sorry - NOT! (But thank you!)

Ember Vixen - I thought you were part vampire? :-)

Kim - yes, I did. Believe it. And isn\'t he a cool Elf? (Oh, Elrond had really dark hair. His Elvish side is Noldor and they had very dark hair.

Amy - Whoa! THank you! THis means so much to me. (Big dip coming up - hang on!)

SlitheringGriffendor21 - Thanks. I\'m glad you are liking it. PS - OVldie is dead. Pick another bad person.

Me - HEY! :blinks: Thank you.

Forcythe - I try to explain as I go. Did you know this is a sequel? See Empty Vessel. That might help some. To me, Mary Sue is just a label and every one\'s definition is different. Accordign to my definition - she isn\'t. She is not beautiful, perfect, or not needing a man. She\'s... human... she\'s - well, Bronwyn.

Laura - She pisses me off sometimes too. And I\'m writing her! LOL!

Ishie - Much in common between the Elves nad the Wizard world. The real question is Why is Haldir Helping Snape? Or is he?

SlashGoodess - THanks

Nerwin - I think Snape and Bronwyn hand\'s will be quite full...

Phairesse - Thank you for your gracious review. It couldn\'t have come at a better time and I am humbled.

In case others have not realized yet, I have been hit and targeted by the MSP - basically a rather vampiric LJ (and I don\'t mean vampiric in a good way), the GAFF and Fandom Wank. I will be honest - the claims they made about my fics - I didn\'t even recognize them. I have never had problems with constructive criticism, but while some consider me a \"canon rapist\", I still contend that even with all the lube in the world, I cannot accomodate a canon. (Maybe something with a smaller barrel,hmmm?)

Hope to update in a few weeks, folks. :-) (Aiming for early March...)