[Amanaduial the archer]

Nuhrive slumped againgst a tree again, glad to rest her tires feet. The men had dragged her along for most of the day; it was now twilight. Her feet ached and her wrists, bound with tough rope by which her captors had dragged her along, which had sawed through the skin on her wrists, making them raw and bleeding. She had tried to hold onto the ropes, in an attempt to stop the pain on her wrists, so her fingers and palms were in much the same state. A cut across her forehead was stark against her pale skin, and a large bruise had formed on high on her cheeks; the easterlings had struck her several times, when they lost patience, or she somehow offended them by, ooh, I dont know, breathing in the wrong way maybe? Most were afraid of damaging 'their prize', but Ru-Sahn had struck out on her face. The big man seemed to have taken her living as a personal imsult to him.

Her hair, thankfully short, was none the less tangled with twigs and dirt. Even in the circumstances, she smiled slightly to think of most of the other elf maids in this way, with their long blonde hair that they were soooo proud.

Ru-Sahns blow had not been completely uncompensated and Nuhrive had to stop herself smiling widely as she felt the back of her belt where, under her robe, she had hidden her dagger. Ignorant human fool, did he think he would have been able to keep her precious blade away from her?

She watched the camps activity through a narrow gap between her eyelashes. Nura...where was Nura? She started to panic; without the kind human girl, the plan she had focused on all day to stop her from giving up would fall apart.

"Hello Nuhrive." The small voice was from behind the tree. Nuhrive would have jumped in surprise, was she not so shattered.

"Hello Nura." She replied through unmoving lips. "Listen Nura, I have a plan but...but I need your help.

Can you distract the men? I need to escape, I fear they plan slavery, or...worse. Please, I need to get away, and I cant do this without you."

There was a silence as the girl seemed to mull over this. The elf maid held her breath, biting her lip. Please Nura, please...

"I will do it." She said finally and Nuhrive had to stop herself leaping up with joy. She opened her mouth again but Nura got in there first. "But-"
But? Theres a but? Why is there a but? Nuras thoughts jumped around as the rest of her froze...
"But you have to take me with you. Back to that...that beautiful wood." Nura breathed. Nuhrive continued to not breathe. Take a human back to Lorien? Could she do this?

She turned her head slightly, looking at the girl by whom her life would be decided, hovering nervously just behind the tree, her face as bruised as Nuhrives own, but kindness and hope shining in her eyes. Oh what the heck about some old elves...

"Of course, sister." She replied. Nura smiled widely and Nuhrive wondered how she would have fully reacted if they werent possible being watched. Without another word, the girl slipped away.

Taking the dagger from her belt, Nuhrive started to saw quietly through the rope around her wrists. In a few hours she would be gone, back to her home...