[gremlin]

She could hear the screaming and the smell of fire but Judith was not awake. She was dreaming again but when Rhyldrin began to fight the guards it woke her abruptly. Judith jumped from her sleep, at first it felt as if she was still sleeping. Perhaps she was having another vivid nightmare but then she smelled smoke strongly and she heard the screaming. Her head began to throb. What was happening? Judith sat up from the bed seeing Rhyldrin strike two figures. At first she didn't register what she had just seen and then she saw Rhyldrin leave.

"Rhyldrin!" she cried and jumped from the bed, but by the time she had reached the door he was not in sight. Vrine followed her, then stood behind her chirping. Judith's wiggled her toes as they felt something warm and wet, when she looked down her feet were soaked in her own kind's blood. Vrine hissed at the men who were barely alive on the floor. Judith balanced herself against the doorway, her stomach felt knotted and her throat burned. Judith was almost sick but she held it down. Now was not the time to be weak and as she ran her eyes over the area she knew what was happening. There's so many bodies, she thought and pressed her hand against her mouth to stop herself from sobbing loudly. The smell of blood was strong, the stench was unbearable. Vrine climbed up her body and to her shoulder, he nuzzled his face affectionately against her neck. "Not now," she whispered to him. The little dragon responded with a chirp.

Judith's eyes fell on two Light Elves who were approaching her. She fled in to the house, her heart pounded in her chest. Judith placed Vrine on the table by the bed. She searched frantically for something to defend herself with. Though she didn't fine anything before she felt one pull her towards himself. She screamed and struggled to break free she fell silent when the second one placed a blade to her throat. She kept her eyes to his, her ears perked up as she heard Vrine's claws clicking against the ground. "Don't kill her," the first one hissed. "Brishen does not wish for us to take her life." he added. The second one grinned at Judith. "Not yet anyways." he laughed. The other one bellowed with laughter as well. Then he suddenly stopped. "What was that?" he asked the other. Then he found out what was causing the noise that he had heard. Vrine jumped on his face taking a hold of his nose between his teeth. The first man didn't seem to laugh at this. He turned, alarmed by the sudden outburst of the other. Judith took advantage of him as he was distracted. She gripped his wrist in her hand and twisted it. Then elbowed him in the face hard. "You little bitch!" he growled and attempted to take hold of her. Judith pushed him back and ran to the front door.

Her feet pounded against the floor as she ran and when she looked back they had not followed. Vrine had followed her though, he whined for her to let him catch up but she just couldn't do that for him now. He would find her one way or another, he knew her scent. "Where are you going?" a man asked. Judith then felt herself being thrown to the ground. Her head slammed against the ground and then she felt pressure on her stomach. "You're a pretty one." he purred, he had placed his foot on her stomach. "Your brother is looking for you. Now, how about you behave and be a good girl?" Judith looked up at a familiar face, just like her brother he was a high-ranking Light Elf. She remembered that his name was Ulric. She looked back but Vrine had disappeared, maybe he had gone somewhere safe for now or he was searching for Rhyldrin. He grabbed her by her hair tightly and dragged her back towards the house. "That fucking bitch!" the first man yelled, he stepped out of the house and held his nose in his hand. "I'll cut her up for this! She broke my fucking nose!" Ulric stared at him and began to laugh. "If you touch her then Brishen will not be too happy with that. Be patient, maybe he will give you permission to do so later." Ulric brought Judith to her feet and forced her to walk with him to the house. "Maybe your brother will let me keep you as a toy." he whispered quietly to her a smile spread across his face.

When they entered the home Ulric sighed at the now dead men on the floor, they had bled out. He didn't seem that upset about it, of far as Judith was concerned he showed no remorse. Ulric tore a piece of fabric from his shirt and used it to tie Judith's wrists together tightly. "That won't hold her," the second man said. He held his nose in his hand as well, his face twisted with pain. Ulric looked at him as if he had been insulted. "Do you have a better idea?" he barked. The two other men fell silent. He threw Judith on the bed and looked down at her. Judith felt something nuzzled against her ankles, it was Vrine. "You will be reunited with your brother soon." he told her. He turned as two other Light Elves entered. Ulric seemed annoyed by their presence. "Kane? Aldric? You two were suppose to be elsewhere," he hissed.

Aldric raise an eyebrow at Uldric. "We are not here for the girl," he said and rolled his eyes. Kane kept to himself but smiled as he listened to them, they always argued. "We have no interest in her, you can calm down. We know that you have been after her for quite some time. Difficult is she?" he looked at Judith, examining her as if she were an odd creature. Kane looked over at her as well but turned away when her eyes met his. "But she is beautiful, makes up for it, yes?" he asked and smiled charmingly at Uldric. Aldric looked at the two unnamed men who were wounded. "You two can go now, leave this to us. You mat want to tend to your wounds but be more worried about the Dark Elves outside."

When they they left Aldric's body language changed, he seemed more relaxed now. "I hate speaking about details in front of foot soliders," he sighed. "They always ask so many questions and become so nosy. They are like children." Kane laughed, it was true. Aldric continued speaking giving Kane an annoyed stare. "Now, i ust ask you. Curiousity is getting the best of me," he smiled at Uldric. "Did you find the Dark Elf, brother?" he asked. When Uldric looked away his smile faded. "Oh my," he said pretending to seem upset. He didn't really care about his brother's problems. "Brishen will not like that, wil he?" he teased. Aldric moved as Uldric swung his fist at him. "Calm yourself," he muttered. "You need your energy to capture the Dark Elf."

"You two should stop bickering like a married couple," Kane snorted with laughter when Aldric's face dropped. It was always hilarious to see the two go at each other's throats but there was a time and place for it. "You underestimate Uldric," he said then smiled. "He will capture the Dark Elf later, though perhaps you should be the one doing that. He caught the girl and you have come here empty handed. Brishen will not like that too much, will he?" Aldric seemed upset but he kept his mouth shut. Brishen didn't like it when his top men came back empty handed. He liked presents.

A few foot soldiers came in to the home. The three fell silent aware that they could no longer speak freely with them around. "Oh well," Uldric whispered to his brother. "That's quite a problem is it not?" he smiled knowing that their conversation about such matters could go no further. Kane was about the speak but then an unexpected guest arrived. Uldric looked up at the Dark Elf. "Welcome home!" he laughed. He looked over at Judith. "Seems that you're not very good at keeping her out of harms way. Don't worry about that though, I will take care of her just fine. She will be the perfect toy for me." Uldric waved a hand and the foot soldiers went to Rhyldrin.

It took some time for them to get him to stop resisting. One soldier received a concunsion in the process. Though even skill alone could not prevent them from taking him captive. "What a fuss," Uldric hissed. He was happy that he didn't have to get his hands dirty. Though he might have stepped in if the foot soldiers didn't gain control. Aldric and Kane spent the time watching in amusement. Aldric was particularly happy that he no longer had to find the Dark Elf. "Brishen will be here soon," Uldric announced. He looked down at the Dark Elf. "He was looking forward to seeing you," he whispered in his ear. His lips curled in to a smile. "Tie him up and put him with the girl," he barked.

A soldier took out shackles and brought Rhyldrin's hands together forcefully, he then did the same to Judith when Uldric suggested it. It was much better than what he had tied her up with earlier. When Brishen arrived the room became silent. "We have your sister and the Dark Elf," Uldric said politely. He watched what he said afraid to upset Brishen. "Though Kane could not locate the queen. She must have escaped using the underground tunnel we discovered. We have men down there now searching, we will find her." Uldric prepared himself for Brishen to start yelling, but he didn't.

Brishen looked at Uldric, he was disappointed. "We must find her, it's very important that we do. it would be lovely to let the Dark Elves feel what they felt when we suffered our great lose." His eyes landed on Rhyldrin. "Don't touch the Dark Elf," he hissed then looked at the surrounding men. "He's mine." Brishen looked over at his sister. "As for my sister," he paused to think for a moment. "I will think about what to do with her." Brishen took note of the shape that she was in, perhaps punishment was uncalled for. He could just send her back home. Uldric seemed upset and leaned in to whisper to Brishen. "Perhaps she can be my award?" he suggested. Brishen ignored his question, he found it inappropriate to call his sister a reward and wouldn't allow someone to keep her as a pet. Even that was too low for him.

Brishen looked at the foot soldiers and waved his hand. "You are dismissed, return outside to continue cleaning up the mess that we have here." he was speaking about the Dark Elves. The men nodded and without hesitation they left the four with Judith and Rhyldrin. Brishen turned to Kane. "Kane, I want you to return to the living quaters of the queen. Aldric, go with him. Do not return until you find her. Do not disappoint me." he barked. Kane and Aldric nodded and left quickly. They didn't want to make Brishen mad. He looked back at Uldric. "You stay with me to handle these two." Brishen's side throbbed as he thought about his previous incident with the Dark Elf. "Now, what shall we do to you?" he asked and looked at Rhyldrin.