#Maedhros in Angband | Explore Tumblr posts and blogs

animatorweirdo · 5 months ago

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From the Shadows

You were expecting your baby's arrival, but then your friends decided it would be good for you to get out of the house and hike in the mountains with them. One incident of a missing friend somehow magically sends you to another place and not a good one. You end up as a thrall in a place called Angband, so now you take it upon yourself to find a way to escape before something happens to your baby. Luckily, you are not completely alone and find companionship with another thrall, an elf named Maedhros. Will you succeed in escaping? Or will things turn out badly for you and your unborn child?

Warnings: mentions of pregnancy, an ex-boyfriend who ran away, dealing with pregnancy alone, falling, violence, Angband, becoming a thrall, lying, suspicious food and water, paranoia, dead characters, escape, a complicated birth, some fluff moments, losing a hand, blood, explosions, cold, and angst.

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- Life has been a bit of a bitch to you. You had successfully finished high school, and college, and got the necessary degrees for the job you wanted. You had secured a job and were well off. It was just your unfortunate pregnancy. Ever since that cowardly ex-boyfriend of yours from college ditched you when you found out you were pregnant and left you to deal with it alone, you had not the easiest time.

- Despite the circumstances and your emotional state, you decided to keep the baby and luckily your friends and family had been supportive of your decision. They helped you continue with your life and helped you get things good and ready for the baby. The boss who sent you the job offer when you were still in college was understanding and offered a job you could do online since it could cause some risks if you started your work as a graduated chemist while pregnant.

- Things had become better during those months, but now that your belly was bulging and your due date was near, you had been feeling anxious and restless. It could be pregnancy hormones, but they did not help relieve all the heavy stuff on your mind.

- You felt many things, mostly regret. You were happy that you decided to keep your baby, but you regretted some of your past mistakes, especially dating your baby’s father, who turned out to be a sorry excuse for a human being.

- You had not even decided what to do with the baby when you told him. You wanted his input first, but then he just stood up and left without a word. Even though it had been months you still felt pissed off by his act.

- When your moods didn't improve and your friends took notice, they decided it might be a good idea to go out and hike. Have a little adventure and fresh air, rather than being stuck in the house.

- You were not excited by the idea but when your parents pushed you to do it, you agreed and they arranged most of the things for the trip.

- You all went hiking in this well-known mountain place that held many stories. You were not excited about walking up to the hills and mountains, but you did not deny that it helped take your mind off the past and the view from there was lovely.

- At the top where you could see the vast woods and the city in the distance, the air felt nice and you even imagined taking these kinds of trips with your little girl when she was born, learning to go out once in a while and appreciate nature was not a bad thing.

- But then the trouble started when your friends wanted to check out one of the caves. They held a lot of stories and the guides warned you not to go in them because some people had known to go missing there and never come back.

- You thought you would just check it out and continue with your hike, but then your friend decided it would be a good idea to go inside.

- You rejected the idea and then watched as your friend went inside, yelling stuff from within the cave. You tried to tell her to come back, but then you and your other friend heard her scream and a sound that sounded like she had fallen.

- When she didn't respond, your other friend called for help while you went to check what had happened. You went into the cave and called out to your friend but no response. You found a steep fall at the end and a pit that led to darkness. You feared the worst and called out to your other friend. But then, at that moment, you felt a powerful wind behind you, making you trip and slide down the steep while screaming to your other friend.

- You tried to slow down your fall as you fell into the darkness. You used your hands, but unfortunately, the sharp stone and gravy cut through your gloves, cutting and bruising your hand.

- Your fall came to an abrupt stop when you felt ground beneath your shoes and stumbled forward. Luckily, you were quick enough to stop yourself from falling on your stomach.

- Your hands were in pain from the fall, and now you were alone in the darkened cave, far away from the cave entrance. You felt strange as you could not see the top but you were able to hear your other friend's voice. You called out to her and then tried to look for your friend who fell, who was nowhere in sight.

- You tried to call out to her, your voice echoing through the cavern, but there was no response. It was like your friend was never there.

- Anxious but worried, you tried to check one of the tunnels. It was dark, too dark for your human eye to see properly.

- You continued calling out your friend’s name, but there was still no response. The darkness and the absence of another human being’s presence caused you to feel paranoid. How could a whole human fall and then disappear into thin air?

- You were certain, you and your other friend heard her scream and fall.

- The whole cavern system began to feel like one big labyrinth, but then you found something on the ground. It was your friend’s scarf. You felt some relief from finding her stuff, but now you worried that something had happened to her.

- A bad feeling crept into your skin when your ears caught sounds that could only be described as whispers. You were not able to understand them, but they caused you to feel immense fear and paranoia. When you heard something move in the shadows, you quickly hid yourself in a small corner, and then waited for something to appear.

- You did not expect a scaly hand to appear from behind your head, silence your frightened mouth, and then pull you into the darkness.

- Your flight and fight instincts kicked in and you tried to struggle as much as you could, but then more hands appeared and forced you to move. You couldn't see anything, but then you felt a harsh strike on the back of your head and you lost consciousness.

- The next time you woke up, you found yourself in a room with creatures straight out of horror stories. You quickly slapped your hand against your mouth to avoid alerting them and stared at them with fear as they seemed to be fighting for the possession of your outer clothes they had taken from you. Luckily, you were still dressed in your usual clothes so you were not concerned that they had done something to you while unconscious.

- There was a sharp pain in the back of your head, but quietly, you stood up and avoided alerting the ugly creatures that you were awake.

- You saw the door and decided to go for it. You stayed as quiet as possible as you walked toward the door, keeping your eyes on the creatures, you could only guess to be orcs. After reaching the door, you quietly sneaked out and dashed through the corridors.

- You quietly stepped through the corridors and then hid when you heard more of them come running. You sneaked around and then took in the surroundings. You nearly couldn’t believe your eyes. It was some kind of underground fortress, straight out of some kind of dark fantasy book.

- But before you could react, you were caught by a bigger and nastier-looking orc. He then dragged you back to the previous orcs and told them to throw you into the cell since they were unable to watch you.

- They harshly grabbed you and began leading you to what seemed to be dungeons. They threw insults and for some reason called you 'a round-eared elf’.

- You were then thrown into some kind of cell. It smelled awful and you were certain there was a rotting corpse in the corner. You quivered and hid in a corner, trying to control your tears and panic.

- You cried for perhaps a minute or two but slowly managed to calm yourself and recollect your thoughts. You looked around the cell and tried to make sense of your situation. It was hard as none of it made any sense, and you knew you were not dreaming, even though you hoped this was just an awful nightmare.

- You came to the cell door and saw the corridor and many more cells. You then heard sounds coming from the cell beside yours.

- There was a small hole in the wall and you saw another person through it. It was hard to see but it seemed to be a man with long red hair. He didn't look well. He seemed malnourished and there were some bruises on him, but he appeared conscious enough to talk with you and you hoped for some answers.

- "Hey, carrot top.." you called out silently. He looked around before his eyes looked toward you. His eyes had an odd glow in them, but you brushed that thought away and concerned yourself with getting some answers.

- You tried asking about the place and what was happening, but he only advised you to remain quiet since the orcs did not allow much talking among the thralls.

- He seemed baffled when you shared you had no idea where you were. You then explained you were looking for your friend and got caught by the orcs. The man was then kind enough to answer your questions and you learned about Angband and elves.

- You felt shocked and figured you somehow managed to travel to another world. There was no denying it since you were not dreaming. Now the orc’s comment about you being a round-eared elf also made more sense.

- The red-haired guy was an elf himself and he softly advised you not to get yourself in trouble, because it might end badly for you. You only felt dread at the thought. There was no doubt that these orcs were violent, and would do horrible things to you and your baby.

- There also seemed to be not a single human around. If they were to learn that you were not an elf, then that could cause unwanted attention on you.

- You questioned the elf if there was a possible way out.

- He explained you two were deep in the earth and the main entrance was heavily guarded by orcs and creatures alike. Escape was nearly impossible.

- You crossed the main entrance away from the list and questioned if there were other possible ways out since you did not come through the main entrance.

- He shared he had heard about other tunnels but had no idea where they could be. He was too guarded to have allowed a chance to look for them. You nearly felt pity for the guy, he seemed pessimistic and lost of all hope.

- You told him that you were pregnant and that there was no way you would allow your daughter to be born in a place like this. He seemed saddened by your reveal and told you that you should play nice and perhaps the orcs won’t be cruel to you and your child.

- You had no idea how long you had been in that cell, but eventually, you were taken out by an orc and taken to a room with other people. You saw that they were women and that they were pregnant as well. You only felt more dread because they were singling you out for something.

- You were then told to start working on stitching and clothing. You had some basic knowledge of fixing clothes, so you started working and tried to get more answers in the meantime.

- You talked with an elven woman, named Siriel, who seemed six months due. She was a pleasant person and answered some of your questions. She said that if you agreed to give your child away to them, they would get better treatment and be safe from the cruelty of your masters.

- The idea did not appeal to you in any way. You did not wait for your daughter’s arrival just to give her away to some monsters. There was also a high chance your captors were lying about the whole thing.

- You received some questions about your ears and why they were round. You quickly lied that you were born that way and played it off as a deformity. They seemed convinced and even the orcs guards lost their interest in you.

- You felt relieved since it would play in your favor. If you did not make yourself appear different from the other thralls, then your captors would likely pay less attention to you.

- After working atrocious hours in clothing, you were given some food and returned to your cells. You did not really trust the food, picking out the bad parts away and carefully sipping the water.

- You had managed to memorize most of the corridors and paths to the work room, but you would need to see more to start planning.

- You investigated the cell avoiding the dead carcass, bones, and sharp rocks that could prick your feet. There was almost nothing of use, but you found a rock you could sharpen on the edges and use as a weapon in your time of need. The orcs used swords and clubs, but they would definitely not expect someone to use a primitive weapon like a sharpened rock.

- You were startled when you heard orcs bring the red-haired elf back to his cell. It was loud and when the orcs left, you looked through the hole and saw him in a rough shape. He had new bruises and cuts that were still bleeding. When you remembered him mentioning that he was heavily guarded, you figured he was an important prisoner and thus he was tortured for something.

- You offered him a piece of clothing and water for his wounds. He tried to reject your offer, but you managed to convince him that if he cleaned his wounds with something, he might avoid suffering from an infection.

- You two stayed near the hole, passing items through the hole. He was reluctant by the exchange, but you advised him to pass the items back when the guards came to do their rounds.

- He was the only one you could talk to and you preferred to have some sanity by having some companionship.

- You asked very little of what they did to him and offered some words of comfort. You eventually managed to convince him to share his name with you, which used to be Nelyafinwe, now changed to Maedhros.

- He tried to discourage you from talking to him because he was a hostage, and having some connection with him could cause you and your baby harm, and he did not wish that upon you.

- You assured him that you would be careful. He shared a bit more info about the dark lord and his servants, telling you who to avoid. You put them on a note in your mind.

- And for a long time, you were forced to work with other pregnant women. You gathered information while trying to avoid being too suspicious. You gave some things to Maedhros in your cell, who continued trying to convince you to take the food since you were expecting, but you did not trust the food. They could hold bacteria or other things that could cause harm to your child. You even went as far as to try to filter the water through a piece of clothing you managed to snatch.

- One good thing you couldn't figure out was that no one had seen or heard about another round-eared elf in the fortress. It could mean your friend was either safe in your world or that she was somewhere out of your reach. You decided to believe the first deduction.

- During your free time in your cell, you would talk with Maedhros and sharpen the stone. Talking to him about random things helped you retain some sanity and sometimes you offered words of comfort when he came back from another torture.

- One day, when you had fully memorized the guard schedule and become familiar enough with the other pregnant women to stay quiet about your activities, you took the risk to leave the room and look for the rumored tunnels.

- You dressed yourself like the servants you had seen passing by, hiding your belly and successfully passing the orcs without suspicion. You finally had the chance to memorize more paths and corridors, figuring out the locations of mines and other things.

- You caught the scent of sulfur in the mines so you figured the fortress was under volcanoes.

- The place was more horrid the more you learned about it. However, when you deemed it was time to return, you went back and waited for another chance.

- You successfully investigated the fortress three times but made sure to wait to avoid suspicion.

- You shared your findings with Maedhros, who seemed horrified and concerned for your safety, trying to convince you not to go too far or you might suffer punishments.

- You assured him you were careful and that Siriel kept your secret. You just had to find one tunnel.

- One day, you succeeded in finding an entrance to the secret tunnels. You took one of the candles and went exploring putting your mind on the time so that you would not be noticed.

- You found a cave that was secluded and had a small pond with dripping pure water. You knew some underground places possessed pure water pockets, so you took the chance and drank to your heart’s content.

- The water had a salty and mineralistic taste, but it was better than the water served by the orcs.

- And finally, came the day when you memorized most of the cavern paths and found a way out. You could have taken the chance to escape on your own but decided that since you were no longer in your world, you would need someone to help you navigate, so you started planning an escape with Maedhros and Siriel.

- Unfortunately, the plan to take Siriel with you was put on uphold when you noticed she was nowhere to be found and no longer came to work at your work place. You tried to question other women about it, and they shared that she was taken away and hadn’t returned since. It caused you to feel suspicion and worry. She was only six months pregnant, so it would have been too early for her to go into labor, so why was she taken away?

- Well, you got your answer on her fate when you found her body lying in the pits where the orcs dumped the dead thralls. Her once bright eyes devoid of any life and her stomach was torn open. It was a sickening sight.

- The orc guard who had the job to watch over you and the other pregnant women then said something that gave you a hint on why Siriel was dead. He faked sympathy and revealed that if one of you behaved well, she would not have been dead. It nearly made your blood freeze when you realized that someone was on to you and your secret activities.

- The orc then said that he felt some pity for you and the other women and offered help to get you out of Angband. You knew he was faking pity, and Siriel’s fate wanted you to strike his head down to a pulp, but you saw the chance and took it, faking gratitude and agreeing to the plan.

- The orc then secretly gave you a key to your cell and you took it to safekeeping.

- You shared what had happened with Maedhros and he shared his sympathies. You wanted to cry for Siriel since she was a kind soul, but since the situation was dire, you needed to put your escape plan into action sooner than planned. You could mourn for her once you were out of that hell hole.

- You had memorized the schedule of Maedhros’s guards and when he would be taken away for another torture. When the chance came, you sneaked out and struck the orc in the head with your sharp stone. You took the keys to your elven friend’s cell and opened it.

- Maedhros was shocked to see you free and opening his shackles. You explained your plan to him and what had happened, and as a gratitude for keeping you sane, you were going to help him out.

- Maedhros tried to urge you to escape by yourself, but you countered that you were only familiar with Angband, and would be lost in the outside world, so he was going to need to be your guide.

- You then led him through the dungeon and then to the tunnels, which to your relief had remained a secret.

- You checked on the orc on one of the entrance locations, and found him there with others, just like you thought.

- You secretly led Maedhros through one of the stairs. However, your time soon ran out when an alert was sent. You two quickly ran, but the anxiety and stress might have triggered your labor because, at the steps, your water broke.

- Maedhros had panic in his eyes when he saw what was happening, but you quickly instructed him to the hidden cave. He helped you reach there and blocked the entrance while you kneeled down in pain.

- Since there was really no other way to go through your labor silently, you decided to strip yourself half-naked and dip yourself in the pond, blocking your mouth to avoid making too much sound while you started pushing. Maedhros allowed you to grip his hand as you then tried to push your daughter out.

- You do not know how long your labor took, but it felt agonizingly long. Maedhros tried his best to give you assuring words while looking out for danger in dread. When you felt something pushing out between your legs, you pushed for the final time and then dipped into the water to grab your baby.

- You soon resurfaced after grabbing your baby and removing the umbilical cord. Your daughter released a small feeble cry as you grabbed your dry clothes and wrapped her around her.

- You were shaking and freezing, so you asked Maedhros to hold her, urging him to keep her warm with his body heat.

- He didn’t question it and gently took your crying daughter, keeping her against his chest and soothing her. She stopped crying and you felt glad. Her cries could have echoed and attracted unwanted attention. It also seemed Maedhros was experienced with babies.

- You cleaned yourself and removed the remaining cord from yourself. You pulled yourself out and laid against Maedhros’s leg--- cold and deadly exhausted.

- It was like your hips and legs had been hammered a thousand times. It was a straight-up awful feeling. The withered dress barely gave you any warmth.

- You then turned your attention toward your daughter and asked Maedhros if there was anything wrong with her. The elf quickly assured you that your daughter seemed healthy as a day.

- You nearly found it humorous how good he was at keeping her calm, and he shared that he has six younger brothers and had been part of their lives when they were young.

- When he felt you shiver, he took off whatever remained of his shirt and laid it across you, trying to help you keep you warm.

- It was quiet in the cave, but no one seemed to know you were there and you struggled to keep yourself awake.

- You felt awful that you failed to escape before she was born, and Maedhros tried to assure you that it wasn’t your fault and that he would keep watch since you needed rest.

- You felt emotional as you would have liked to have your family and friends there when your daughter was born. Your longing for them finally resurfaced after realizing how long it had been since you had last seen them.

- Maedhros tried to comfort you, assuring you would be able to see them and your husband once you got out. You were safe and near the entrance, so you two had better chances than before.

- You nearly felt silly when he thought you had a husband, and confessed about your situation with your daughter’s father and that you were not an elf, but a human, from another world.

- He listened attentively even though there was a surprise in his eyes, and pity when you revealed that you had gone through your pregnancy on your own because your ex-boyfriend was a coward and that you once considered getting rid of your daughter before she was born.

- Maedhros did not judge you and his initial surprise about you being a human vanished. He comforted you and told you how strong you had been to make it on your own.

- He then asked what kind of name you had considered for your daughter. You had not thought of many names but told him you considered Anastasia or Estelle.

- He then humored, telling you how the word ‘Estel’ was a word in Sindarin for ‘Hope’. And for a moment, looking at your daughter, helped him feel hope after so many years in captivity.

- The mood lifted for a moment, even though the name was slightly cheesy, and even you considered it was a proper name for your daughter for now.

- You lost more strength than you thought but Maedhros assured you that he would keep watch and allow you to rest. You felt hesitant at the thought of falling asleep, but it was like an automatic response and your eyes closed by themself.

- You might have slept an hour or two, but it felt like a long time. When you woke up, you were relieved to see that nothing had happened during your rest and you three were still safe in the hidden cave. Your legs and abdomen were still aching, but you were no longer in awful pain.

- You urgently needed to get out, so you dressed up and Maedhros helped you make a small sling that would allow you to carry your daughter against your chest.

- You two quietly sneaked toward the next hidden tunnel. However, Maedhros then suddenly pulled you back and covered you when an orc jumped out of the shadow with an axe in hand. The axe struck him in the hand and you watched as Maedhros lost his right hand and in its place now stood a bleeding stump.

- Maedhros cried out in pain but prevented the orc from touching you and your daughter, pommeling the creature to the ground with the sharp stone he had most likely snatched from you and killing it.

- The sight of Maedhros killing the orc nearly frightened you, but when you two heard a coming noise, the elf then urged you to hide.

- You did what he said and hid, but then froze when you realized he did not hide with you and remained behind to fight the orcs. The fight was short-lived as he was overwhelmed and eventually pushed down by the mass of orcs.

- You nearly cried when you heard him yell in pain and be taken away. You successfully remained hidden.

- There was no doubt that they would punish him severely. You considered your options. The freedom was right there and you could escape with your daughter. However, you felt awful aching at the thought of leaving Maedhros behind. He was perhaps your cellmate, but during your time in this hell hole you had become attached to him in a way.

- Your nose was then invaded by the familiar scent of sulfur, and you paused to consider your next move, formulating a dangerous plan to save your elven friend.

- Maedhros was taken to a room where his most cruel master, Sauron, awaited. Sauron had grown accustomed to Maedhros’s escape attempts and always delivered the harshest punishments. However, this time, if Maedhros denied everything and refused to yield, he could buy enough time for you and your daughter to escape. The defiant fire that once burned brightly in his soul was rekindled.

- Sauron threatened punishment but complemented how near he was escaping. Maedhros felt dread when the Maiar revealed that they knew he got help, and would do awful things to his ally once they were found. He then felt determined to put up whatever shield he could offer to protect your identity since they didn't know who you were.

- However, Sauron was disrupted when the whole hall began to shake violently and a loud explosion could be heard in the distance.

- Amid the confusion, an orc arrived in the room, full of panic. He yelled how the mines and the lower floors were on fire.

- Sauron quickly acted, ordering everyone to go put out the fires, because damaging the lower floors could cause severe damage to the whole fortress.

- Maedhros was left alone with a few guards, but when they did not pay any attention to him, Maedhros felt someone pull him into the shadows.

- He felt shocked when he saw that it was you who had stolen him from the guards and were now leading him through the corridors. He wanted to scold you for not taking the chance to escape, but then another explosion shook the fortress.

- You had gone to the mines where the sulfur deposits were. You had spoiled oil all over the floors and left a trail that could spread the fire to the other floors, then lit them with a torch since sulfur was highly flammable.

- You were serious about needing a guide, and when all of the fortress was distracted you two ran like hell.

- You managed to avoid the guards since most were busy trying to end the fire and the explosions that threatened to destroy the entirety of the fortress.

- You two found the initial entrance. You saw horses that were left unattended and urged Maedhros to take them.

- You two then rode out of the cave, into the outside world, and away from Angband.

- After riding as far as possible and finding cover in a forest, Maedhros helped you rest and make a fire. Your legs were aching after such a ride. It was evident that the labor was still taking a heavy toll on you. You felt glad letting Maedhros lead your horse while you held on to the creature. You had ridden a pony when you were small, but there was no way you would have managed to ride a full-grown horse on your own, especially with a newborn baby in your arms.

- You helped Maedhros tend to his still bleeding stump with whatever cloth you had left and you two tried to enjoy the warmth you had from the fire.

- Maedhros thanked you for helping him escape, but scolded your recklessness and risking your chances for freedom.

- You rolled your eyes at him and told him you wouldn’t have survived long since this wasn’t your world.

- You then offered some pace beneath a cloak you managed to steal during your escape since your withered clothes barely provided warmth. He declined, insisting he would be alright and that you and your daughter needed it more. You called him an idiot and threw the other side of the cloak over his shoulders, claiming it had enough space for both of you.

- He looked flustered by the closeness, so you guessed he was either not used to being so close with someone, or that he tried to be more gentlemanly about it.

- While you two tried to enjoy the warmth, you pondered about the future.

- Maedhros confessed about his deeds as a kin slayer and that his kin were at odds with each other. You could be safe with them, but since you two were thralls, he didn’t know if he should risk your safety.

- You assured him that you did not care about his past. If he was willing to sacrifice his own freedom and well-being for you and your daughter, then you could trust him. Actions spoke louder to you than words.

- You two then basked in the warmth of the bonfire and the comfort of each other’s presence, wondering about the days ahead.

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