Rally The Eldar......Book 3

[rwhen]

Well, about time. I thought you might let this threat to your evil self go unanswered, but it appears that SB has snuck off again. *sigh*


Don't kill him......yet!! See if he rises to the bait..erm hook, erm, threat.

Yeah. THEN kill him.

[SmaugsBane]

I'm going to RP for sure. I love where this thread is going. I also think the best RP in Rally, so as long as I can impersonate one of them, I'll keep doing so.

[sandra]

But if you don't show up here soon, Tempest may be tempted to kill you as she has rid herself before of other so-called dark alliances.

Make sure the blade is sharp dear, blunt swords make messy wounds!

[SmaugsBane]

blunt swords.... Why did I just think of Nearly Headless Nick? I can picture Tempest's rage building and building as she tried to hack at a victim with a blunt sword that wasn't doing the trick.

[rwhen]

Okay, no response from Nov. 8th? Really?


I KNOW we can do better than this.


Sandra, I like that line, I will have to remember it "blunt swords make messy wounds."

[gimli_axe_wielder]

I coulda sworn I'd posted in here again... me thinx someone has had her editing hands working again..

[rwhen]

Were you being kind and gentle?

Hi Gimlettes!! How's life the universe and everything down your way?

[SmaugsBane]

Alright, as I am nearly caught up on the RP posts in this thread, I will have a post up soon. Tempest, I just noticed that you had my army attack yours prematurely. Which is fine, I can come up with a post that fits, but no fair. It's bad enough I have to use deserters from your army, now I have to have ones that don't follow orders. Guess I just have to kill them all, to make an example.

[Tempest]

Did you say "no fair" in regards to TEMPEST?

Sounds about right.

If you end up killing YOUR army, you'll really be killing MY army because most of YOUR army used to be MY army.

And I'm not going to forget that kind of treachery.....

Besides, you alluded to the fact in your OWN post that Bane planned to have his army attack Tempest's army in the cover of night. You brought this upon yourself, pal.

Time to reap the whirlwind.

[SmaugsBane]

You're gonna MAKE me post tonight. Aren't you? Huh? HUH?

Well, I guess I gave you long enough to sit back comfortably and watch from the sidelines as your army does all the work. Time to risk your own neck for once. mwahahahahaha

Time once again to get all on y'all!

[SmaugsBane]

"My Lo...."

Zaugoth sat bolt upright. He held is right arm parallel to the ground, with Neleg Amlug as a natural extension of his outstretched limb.

The Captain of his personal guard's head rolled to a stop some feet away from his crumpled body.

"Damnit!"

From a safer distance away, another man spoke, "my Lord Zaugoth, I warned him not to stand so close when he woke you."

"What time is it?"

"One hour past sunset, m'lord."

"WHAT!!??"

Zaugoth had not wished to sleep so long. He lay down to rest sometime mid-afternoon, intending only to gather his strength for an hour. Now, his men had allowed him to sleep for fear of what happened to the captain.

"Who are you?" Zaugoth stood, straightening his clothes and armor.

"Mahmed ibn Ahmud of Harad, lord. I am second in command of you personal guard."

"Well Mahmed, congratulations, looks like you've been promoted," said Zaugoth without even looking at the man.

The dark warrior climbed to the rim of the little hollow in which he had chosen to rest and surveyed the field. Immediately, his eyes fell upon the left flank of Tempest's army, where orc fought orc.

"What is this, Mahmed? Infighting amongst the Lady's troops?"

"No sir, it is what the captain was coming to tell you of. A regiment of our orc infantry has engaged the enemy."

"WHAT!? By whose command?"

"Apparently none sir. Our spies caught one of her scouts and made him talk. This scout was Uruk-hai and not easily broken. I saw to it myself, sir. In the end it was his arrogance that was his downfall. He boasted that Tempest had called upon mountain trolls to fight alongside her army."

"What has this to do with disobeying orders?"

"Nothing yet, sir." Mahmed was beginning to sweat, but to his credit, he held his ground and did not show his desire to flee Zaugoth's wrath. "I told the uruk that Trolls are nothing to boast about. Our army has trained for years with Trolls and can defeat them easily. He only chuckled past his broken jaw. 'That's not all my lady has in store for you and those Lulgijakrim*1 in the trees. She has called the winged beasts to rain hell from the sky upon her enemies!' I'm afraid the effort of his gloating was more than he could take in his condition, sir. It was the last thing he said. I believe that the rumor of this reached the nearest regiment," he gestured with a thumb over his shoulder, indicating the skirmish, "-that one- and they decided to attack before the flying beasts arrive, out of fear what they might be or how they might be killed."

"Bring me the captain's body and head," seethed Zaugoth, "place it upon the crest of the hill."

The Ur-Dirk closed his eyes and raised his arms until they were extended at either side, palms up. He lifted his face to the sky and held still there for a long moment. Finally, he slowly lowered his hands and turned to face Mahmed, a sinister grin upon his face.

Zaugoth strode to the prostrate body of the captain, bent, picked the head up off the ground and placed it upon the corpse's breast. He drew in a deep breath. The battlefield rumbled once again with Zaugoth's primal roar; it reverberated at alarming levels for the entire length and breadth of the field, as well as within the neo-forest; and once again, the faint of heart among the armies of Tempest and Zaugoth fell upon their faces and covered their ears. Swords and spears were stilled in mid-blow as the skirmish stopped short.

"Tutasim! Conog zourdam?! Mat nadhaub!!"*2

The words exploded into the ears of all living creatures upon the Anfauglith, causing agony on their own. His guard encircled the hill Zaugoth stood in a ring with no gap larger than an arm's length. As the sound of his voice trailed off into distant echo, some of them turned to watch their master.

He had grown to immense stature, and his face had become beast-like, with red slit-pupiled eyes like an undead feline and within his sneer they espied the curved fangs and forked tongue of a dragon.

Again the Zaugloth roared; and many of his orcs that knew they were about to be punished fell upon their own swords, wailing. The savage cry intensified, lifted into an ear-splitting screech, like the death-shriek of a phoenix as it bursts into flame, then ended as its frequency extended far above the aural capabilities of any living thing in Middle-earth. Zaugoth raised Neleg Amlug above his head tip-down with his hands reversed on the hilt. He held still and raised his face to the heavens. As he stood there motionless, members of his guard could see that his mouth moved as he spoke a silent incantation.

Suddenly and with the force of a giant, he thrust the black blade of the Dragon's Tooth down through the dead captain's skull, through his body, piercing the heart, and into the earth below.

Instantly all sound ceased to exist. It was not merely silent, but a vacuum had formed, centered where the sword had penetrated the ground and sucking all sound into itself and causing a painful pressure upon the eardrums of all upon the field and within the wood.

Slowly and distantly, the whisper of wind began in the back of their minds. As it gained intensity, all faces turned to the sky. What they saw was the clouds being blown from all directions toward the point in the sky directly above the pommel of Neleg Amlug. There, as the remainder of the sky became crystal clear and revealed the moon and the stars, a singularly terrifying thunderhead loomed.

As the last shreds of vapor were gathered unto the sinister cloud that hung above the little hill, Zaugoth knelt, placed his hands upon the hilt of his sword, bowed his head with closed eyes and whispered a single word.

With all the cacophony of a hurricane compressed into a single thunderclap, the entire cloud surged down and funneled into sword's pommel, down through the blade and the captain's corpse and into the earth beneath the Ur-Dirk's knees.

It was still for a moment - an ordinary stillness in which men and orcs and beasts could be heard panting with fear and anticipation.

Then the screams began.

With a hiss like the rushing of poisonous steam escaping from a vent upon the slopes of Orodruin, blasts of boiling vapor shot up from the ground beneath the feet of Zaugoth's disobedient regiment. Tempest's troops fled from the beleaguered orcs as the steam flayed them open from their toes up. The upward pressure of the steam prevented them from falling until the ordeal finally ended for each of them. In a vicious twist, they did not lose consciousness until death took them, which did not occur until after the skin and muscles of their faces were gone and the superheated steam had penetrated their brain cases.

When the death-yowl of the last member of the rogue unit went silent and the last of the vapor had rushed from the ground, Zaugoth stood, pulled Neleg Amlug free of the captain's corpse and sheathed it. He assumed his human appearance again and, stepping over the body, raised his head again to address his troops, which lay hidden in wait in several positions surrounding Tempest's army. His gritty voice, however, projected into the minds of all, regardless of allegiance.

"Lat Zaugoth baurobzot Nazgûl! Timer nariastazim!"*3

Zaugoth turned to the northeast and raised his hands once again. His voice echoed across the Anfauglith.

"U Zaugoth kilzotrim! Narkrimplatuk u Murlat! Zaugoth kritak Melkor nar Murlat!"*4

Mist from the rising deadly vapors hung over the unnaturally silent battlefield and obscured the moon and stars so that utter darkness fell over the eyes of all like a black veil. Not a soul stirred.

Faintly at first, then more distinctly as the seconds drew out to minutes, the sound of leathery wings flapping upon the wind signaled the coming of the fell beasts. Even when they arrived above the field they were invisible above the mist. They circled several times and finally lighted upon the hill between Zaugoth and the ring of his guard. Despite their utter terror, not one man of the dark warrior's guard fled, or even moved - a testament to the powerful example he had just made of how cowards are dealt with in his ranks. The largest of the nine beasts landed in the center of the hill before Zaugoth. It lowered its great head in reverence. The Ur-Dirk tilted his head in return.

Then the beast let out a blood-curdling shriek and bent its head to the corpse of the captain at its feet, caught up the body and head within its jaws with a grotesque crunch and with a great leap, returned to the sky followed by the rest of the beasts. With the mist obscuring them from view, the cries of the beasts and the flapping of their wings as they held vigil above the silent battle plain were the only report those on the ground had of their positions.

Without the promise of the heir of the Witch-king of Angmar to protect them from the winged horrors above, throngs of orcs and men scratched the symbol of the Iron Crown over their Lidless Eye insignia and walked with hands raised towards Zaugoth's position, where they fell to their knees and swore allegiance on pain of death (which they were all too aware would be dealt mercilessly) to the Iron Crown. The Ur-Dirk's elite guardsmen received them, ordered them into ranks and arrayed them around the high ground of Tempest's own position.

Throughout the night, Zaugoth stood upon the hill's crest, directly over the steaming fissure where an entire sky's worth of vapor had jetted into the earth, allowing his presence to be felt - heartening his own troops, cowering Tempest's, and allowing the denizens of the Light hiding within the forest to regroup and formulate a plan.

In the small hours of the morning while the mist-shrouded sky was still black as pitch and just as Tempest's captains had begun to restore order to her even-further-depleted ranks, a great booming like immense drums thundered from the forest just across from the largest contingent of her army, directly in the center of the field.

Zaugoth projected his fairest voice into the mind of Tempest, "Dearest Queen, now is the opportune time to join with me, before the cursed walking trees march upon the greater part of what's left of your army. You are surrounded on five sides, by the hated weak-minded elves and their ilk before you, my (formerly your) army on the ground to both sides and behind, and the sky-lords above. Will you not concede that fighting between us only gives the cowardly elf-kind the advantage, whereas if we join forces, they would have no more chance than ants beneath a troll's foot? Come to me. Bring as big a contingent of guards as you like. So long as their blades stay sheathed, so shall ours and you will have free passage to me. Come, let's talk this over." Then he added smugly, "Oh, and let's leave the sleeve-daggers behind this time, dearest."

*1. Flowers in the blood. A euphemism for elf or "wimp" (only not so nice an insult.)
*2. Cowards! Break my command? Die in agony!
*3. Your Black Lord is the son of the Lord of the Nazgûl! Fear no beast of the sky!
*4. To the Black Lord, sky-lords. You are not bound by Tempest. The Black Lord is the captain of Melkor, not Tempest!(yes, there's a Black Speech word for "Tempest". cool, huh?)

Take that!! If this doesn't get the RP going full speed around here, then I am at a complete loss.

[rwhen]

da da daaaaaaaaaaaah!!!

How will Tempest respond?

Will Oreo ever wake up?

Does Sandra feel the need to fight SB and Tempest?

Will rwhen hightail it on Falmira?

Do the Ents even care?

Does anyone know where the other companions are?

Does SB need a very large alcoholic beverage right about now?

Stay tuned.......

[Tempest]

Tempest was past the point of anger, and if she had a moment to reflect, she would have realized that she was also beyond the point of rational decision, so blinded by her rage at the two voices that now sounded in her head. She was beginning to hate both of them, for they both prevented her from her goal of seeking out and destroying Sandra. Zaugoth was now no longer an irritant; he was a full-fledged menace, and gaining power by poaching from the army that SHE had gathered and managed and stabilized. In fact, the more she considered it, the more she became convinced that SHE was the only real leader that Mordor or Angband had. SHE had remained when everyone else had departed. And now, this Zaugoth and perhaps even Melkor himself were trying to tell HER what to do? It wouldn’t end well, of that she was certain.

Again Tempest looked down at the marking on the splintered shield before her, tracing the crude drawing of a Black Iron Crown that covered the fainter red Lidless Eye. The symbolism was not lost upon her. And yet, for all her wrath, something about that image troubled her more than even the words that pierced her ears alone. An iron crown meant a coming King: Melkor’s symbol of course, but Melkor himself was yet to be seen. Instead, this “thing” had appeared to challenge her, to STEAL her army from under her. And what had he said? Called himself the “Black Lord,” son of the Lord of the Nazgul? Well, she had known too many Black Lords in her lifetime, and each of them had come to wretched ends. Did Zaugoth think that she was a mere pawn in this great chess match, that she did not know her own history? Did he think to frighten her with his overt display of power, as if she could be won by force?

But now that her head was a little clearer, she could see that she was in trouble. An unpleasant scenario presented itself to her mind. She really only had two choices: Abandon her army and flee further into the Ent-infested woods, or agree to meet with the Witch King’s son.

A very nervous-looking sergeant interrupted her thoughts by saluting and then hurriedly restating the battle situation, and the direness of their cause.

”We…they are frightened, my lady. The Black Lord’s power is too great.” he recounted, near hysteria.

”Stop calling him that!” she ordered.

”He says that he is the rightful captain of Melkor, instead of you. There is great confusion,” he whined.

”If these orcs are so easily swayed, then they are stupider than I gave them credit,”

”But the winged shadows….they too have joined his army. We cannot possible hold out much longer….” his voice trailed off pathetically.

”We are about to be overrun,” Tempest stated without mirth, her eyes following one of the dark shapes flying in low circles over Zaugoth’s position. The monster was right about one thing, this in-fighting gave their elven enemies a chance to regroup, and every minute that she wasted fighting him allowed Sandra and her friends to slip farther and farther from her grasp.

Stop resisting….. came the voice, sickly sweet, within her head. End this siege…

”End it? Funny you should say that, because it is most certainly what I intend to do. I shall end this,” she thought bitterly.

She tossed the splintered shield to the ground and spat on it, watching the black and red colors blending together and creating a putrid shade. She drew her sword and called forth the rest of her lieutenants. ”We are going to participate in negotiations with our new enemy." she told them wryly. " You are to keep your swords sheathed at all times, unless I give a direct order to use them. Anything more will result in your death. Am I being clear?”

They nodded their assent, the fear written all over their faces.

"We are going over to them?" one of them asked feebly.

”Yes. Send him word: Tempest is coming.”

Her eyes strayed again to the hill on which the monster stood. ”I’m coming,” she directed her thoughts toward him. ”As you have so elegantly requested. Though it remains to be seen whether or not we can negotiate with one another.”

Her lips curled slightly as she thought to herself, ”I can be patient. I have been patient before. And I will be no more his Queen than a sleeping serpent beside him!”


______________________________________________________________________


SB---you’re distracting me from the Mithril Knights. Shame on you!!!

[SmaugsBane]

Sore loser much?


Sorry about the distraction. But since you were all talking about pulling a B-D on me unless I showed up, I figured I had better stir the pot a bit.

[Tempest]

Hahaha.....no, I wouldn't have REALLY killed you. I just needed to properly motivate you towards action.

Although, now Tempest is a little sorry that she did.....

[Sunsilver]

Okay, I was away at a very important medical appointment in Toronto yesterday.

What'd I miss?

[anya_Skywalker]

So as usual the good guys don't really need to do much... Bad guys keep destroying eachother.

Good to see this topic still lives!

[Tempest]

The bad guys are about to join forces, so I'd start frantic planning for destruction if I were you....

[anya_Skywalker]

I have all the faith in the world in the Good Guys, Tempest dear.

Hope everyone had a wonderful Christmas, and may 2010 be at least ten times better than 2009! (Shouldn't be difficult )

*Leaves some beer and cookies around*

[the mouth of sauron]

anya!!!! is that you!? Davey rugby tackles anya and give her the bigest bearhug EVER!!!! I have missed you so much! You little brat!

Davey.

Please forgive my intrusion into your thread my dear friends.

[Sunsilver]

You're forgiven (by me, anyway!)

It's great to see both you and Anya!

I wish you both a very happy New Year!

[SmaugsBane]

I second Sunny. Good to see both of you. Hey Anya, any chance of an RP post?

[the mouth of sauron]

My thanks to you both and a likewise happy new year to you

[anya_Skywalker]

I second Sunny. Good to see both of you. Hey Anya, any chance of an RP post?

Too busy till february... And Sunsilver has been writting Anya, it would be wrong of me to barge in again.
(Besides, I haven't really written anything other than uni stuff for the past year or so. I'm not sure I can even string together two sentences that make sense.)

I'll happilly lurk and read everything you guys write, though.




Happy New Year and huge hugs to all!

*tackles Dave and runs away into the real world *

[SmaugsBane]

An unnatural mist clung to the ground upon the field, ending abruptly in dazzlingly clear blue sky at the rim of the flat little hill upon which Bane awaited Tempest. He had been as a statue of blackest granite in the center of the hill's crest since he received her response. Likewise, his guard regiment stood at attention in a circle about the edge of the mist, not daring to move until bidden to do so.

With a start as if waking from a dream, Bane breathed deeply and craned his neck first left and then right with a pair of sickening cracks.

"Leave me."

Without a word, the twenty men marched with precision to take up post at the hill's base.

The echo of their boots stamping in unison had not died in Bane's ears when a herald in the livery of the Great Eye materialized at the edge of the mist.

Despite being thoroughly terrified, the man held himself erect with his chin pointed directly at the black-clad necromancer. He cleared his throat and opened his mouth to deliver his message, but the words caught in his throat with a raised hand from Bane.

"My brave herald," Bane rubbed his chin thoughtfully pacing before the man, "you show courage. Your mistress is great indeed to foster such strength in her men."

He stopped pacing and flashed the herald a grin. "However, you needn't have faced my hoard alone to announce your Lady's arrival. I am fully aware of her presence as she approaches the outskirts of my camp. Even now my men are creating a lane for her and her guards, creating a wide berth for their passage and placing themselves between her and the orc scum I command.

"Lieutenant," Even though the word was spoken at conversation volume, an officer appeared and bowed before Bane, "see that this man is given our best hospitality."

"It will be so, my lord."

The Lieutenant escorted Tempest's herald to a clearing some distance away which had not been defiled by the orcs. Several logs were set about a small fire that had been lit to chase away the chill of the mist. He was brought a basin of cool clear water with which to bathe his hands and face, followed by food and wine from Bane's own stock. (Though where it had come from the herald could not have guessed, since they had not brought such extravagances and Bane had first appeared alone and without provision.)

As the herald made his egress, Bane drew Neleg Amlug and placed it upon the ground near the edge of the mist, and then sat casually upon the gnarled stump at the hill's apex.

No sooner had he sat than Tempest appeared at the exact spot where he had laid the black blade. She stood on the threshold for a moment squinting until her eyes grew accustomed to the supernaturally bright sunlight.

"My men were led away from me," she seethed, "if they are harmed in any way..."

Dirk stood with his arms before him, gauntleted hands held palm up, "Peace, Lady Tempest. They join your worthy herald in a well-deserved rest and a nice meal." He took two steps and her hand shot to the hilt of her sword. "I said peace Lady, and I meant it. Look at your feet."

Tempest, with her blade half-drawn, glanced quickly at the ground before her and saw the enchanted weapon that lay there.

"Take it up, Tempest. I give my sword to you willingly."

She locked eyes with him, then squatted and reached her hand toward the hilt of the Dragon's Tooth. But she hesitated with her fingers inches from the pommel. She knew the blade well from her many trips to Minas Morgul during her tenure in the service of Mordor, though it bore no such name then. She remembered the Black Breath, the poison it had carried that sought out men's hearts and blackened them, creating wraiths in thrall to the Witch King and his Master.

"I said I give it willingly," he smiled, "therefore it will not harm you. Indeed it is yours now - unless, as I am hoping, you deign to return it to me so that we may stand side-by-side instead of in opposition."

She grunted derisively and snatched up the sword with a trembling hand. When she stood however, her trembling ceased. The sword itself, pulsing with its own life beat beneath her palm, made her understand that the wicked boy in black told the truth. Power waxed from the blade tip to the pommel and into Tempest's arm. She knew that Bane was powerless to stop her while she held the sword. She understood immediately that here was the channel through which the Darkest of Lords projected his voice and his might. If she wished, she could strike down this upstart like a suckling child and keep the famous sword and its power for herself.

"Ah," said Bane with a twisted grin. He could see written upon her face the realization of what the offer of the blade implied. But as quickly as it appeared, his smile vanished.

Tempest knew also that to seize that power was to subject herself utterly to the will of Morgoth's shade that resided within the Witch-king’s weapon. Her lip curled in a sneer of hatred as bile rose in her throat. Though her disgust was absolute, still the power was alluring. So it was with strength of will not possessed by many of the "great" men and elves who had gained fame through the ages that she resisted the urge to either keep it for her own or to slam it to the turf in revulsion.

She swallowed hard, cleared her throat and strode forward, raising herself to full height. She turned the hilt back toward Bane.

"I need no such crutch to accomplish my ends," she said with her chin held high and shoulders thrust back. "Take back your blade Bane, or whatever you call yourself, and get on with whatever it is you brought me here for."

Bane clicked his heels and bowed formally to receive his sword from her, then casually sheathed it and reposed himself once again upon the tree stump. As if on cue, men appeared with a small wooden table and folding camp chairs. Tempest and Bane were offered clean, steaming linen cloths to wash up with, which Tempest refused. Hers was placed in a basin on the table along food and wine. The men retreated as quickly as they could without breaking into a flat run.

With a simpering grin, Bane held out a chair for her. She sat in the other with purposeful spite. Bane shrugged and took the seat himself.

Tempest ignored the fare completely, "Well?" She sat perfectly erect and glared through squinted eyes.

The man formerly known as Dirk leaned back in his chair, crossed his legs, and took up his wine goblet, "My dear lady, I have been arrogant," she rolled her eyes, "and in that arrogance, I failed to realize that no sooner would I want a woman who could be intimidated into joining me than would you be intimidated into it. No doubt such a weakling would bore me within a day and I'd most likely dispose myself of her as I would a hound that refused to flush a bear from its den." He drank deeply and set the cup on the table. Placing his forearms on his knee he continued, "Although I have attempted to show you courtesy here, I can appreciate that you wish to get down to business.

"So here it is: apparently, there is something you desire greatly within yonder entwood." He tilted his head to the north where the close-set trees hid their besieged enemy. "Now, I would just as soon set the whole thing ablaze and be done with it.” He waved his hand dismissively. “But I see an opportunity therein. Let us be no more than allies with a common purpose for now. I will abandon my suit, for the time being, and retrieve for you the one you seek. I will give her to you as a gift, a gesture of sincerity in my wish not to conquer or enslave you, but to join with you. Then after you've done what you will with this woman, we can crush these cowards and move on to bigger and better things."

He sat up straight and reached for a loaf of soft white bread and honey, "What say you?" He held her gaze unwaveringly, waiting for a response and chewing heartily.

[Tempest]

Whatever she had expected of the one called Bane, this was not it. Tempest was used to men who used their position of power to intimidate and batter their will into their subordinates. Sauron had done so, and so had his master, the one she knew as Morgoth. Indeed, she had witnessed first-hand the absolute superiority of Bane's power to her own, and so had assumed what kind of alliance he, too, would demand.

But this was not so, at least not at present, and she found herself realizing that he was not such a fool under Morgoth's thumb as perhaps she had imagined. She would not let herself be mastered, at least not by force or manipulation, and he had presented her an alliance as equals, which was the only alliance that would be acceptable to her.

He was willing to let her have her way.

He was willing to assist her in the capture and destruction of the one she hunted so tirelessly.

But, she considered, at what cost? Her eyes strayed toward the Entwood and she envisioned Sandra even now fleeing through its lofty trees, thinking that she had escaped the clutches of her pursuer. No, Tempest had promised the shade of Morgoth that if he granted her the revenge she desired, that she would be his entirely.

And yet, could she be true to that word? Her eyes met the man's who sat across from her. Could she join herself with such a creature, even if he fulfilled the desires of her heart? Perhaps, but only on her own terms. In the deepest part of her soul, she had vowed never to allow herself to be tamed.

"What will your master say, if you abandon his orders to pursue my revenge?" Tempest finally spoke. "He did not seem obliged to grant my request before when I asked."

Bane half smiled. "He will not object to our alliance. It is His will."

"I see," Tempest replied, leaning forward suddenly. "And after I have completed my revenge, we will destroy what is left of those who oppose us.....and then? Shall we two rule together? Or shall we be Morgoth's simpering dogs, fawning over our master and doing his every bidding? I was enslaved once to one Dark Lord, shall I become a slave again?"

"I would think that slavery would not be your fate," Bane smiled fully this time. "But we will have plenty of time to discuss that when we have conquered Middle Earth."

"Well, that aside, I would not see our forces divided for fear of our enemies outwitting us. As you say, when we have decidedly won, other concerns can be addressed." She leaned back and drummed her fingers against the cup she held. "For the moment, I accept your proposal. If you will help me exact my vengeance, then I will lend my sword and swords of my army to yours, that we may painted this landscape in blood."

She stood up and raised her cup to him. "What would you suggest be our first move?"

[Sunsilver]

Wow!

Well done, you two!

(Slinks back to hiding in the Entwood...)

Edited to add: FINALLY, after several years of not getting updates for subscribed threads, I have the update feature working again! When I lived in Aurora, the problem was with my server rejecting updates, following an 'denial of service' attack by hackers. When I moved north, I THOUGHT I updated my e-mail, but for some reason, the change didn't take. My old addy was still listed in my profile! I changed it last night, and VOILA!! I have notifications in my mailbox this morning!

I think it's been about FOUR YEARS since that feature last worked for me!

[rwhen]

Great posts Tempest and SB!!

For the "other" side. I have been trying to come up with something new to add to the mix.

Sunny? Would it be possible to move you, Anya and Gil to where Sandra, Oreo and I are with Enty? Or I can have Enty come and fetch you three? Would that be okay?

I should have a new post to offer on Monday.

Have a great weekend everyone.

[sandra]

Indeed, they are great posts

I'm going to print off the last four and go and find a peacefull five minutes to read them and see if I can think of anything. In the meantime, I look forward to your up coming post Rwhen.

[Sunsilver]

Rwhen, when a poster in a RP doesn't post for long periods, I feel they are fair game for others to do as they please with them (as long as it's not something totally out of character!) I've done this with Gilgalar and Sfatha. As we have so few active RPers in this thread, it's necessary to keep some of the people who rarely post kicking along and active.

I'd try to cook up a post myself, but I'm very much in the winter doldrums right now, and just don't have the energy.