Title: The Doom of Men Author: Symbelmynne (symbelmynne@hotmail.com) Pairings: Aragorn/The Lieutenant of Barad-dur/Imrahil Prince of Dol Amroth Rating: NC17 Summary: At the Black Gate, Aragorn is captured by the Lieutenant of Barad-dur, where he’s tortured, raped and eventually broken. Warning: This piece was written for the Archivists’ April Darkfic Challenge. Consequently it contains rape, graphic violence and non-canon murder. Perhaps even more horrifying, it’s book-world a la Return of the King and includes characters that may never exist in movie-world. Read at your own risk! Disclaimer: The characters are Tolkein’s. I have gained nothing from writing and sharing this other than the respectful enjoyment of the work. Authors Note: As always, feedback is welcomed. Special thanks to my fabulous beta reader Sandra, a.k.a. 3 of 4. *** On the field of Cormallen the battle raged. Orcs and Easterlings swarmed the ragged force of men and elves. In their midst fought Aragorn, called the King Elessar, his eyes bright with the killing fever. In his grip he wielded Anduril, the Flame of the West. The sword reforged fell again and again, beating down upon the shields of the enemy, sending showers of splinters as they shattered. The screams of their bearers followed as they were swiftly dispatched. From a window high above in the tower of Narchost, the Lieutenant of Barad-dur watched and waited. His eyes followed the would-be-king of men as he cut a swath through the chaos and confusion of the battlefield. But despite his efforts, the host of Mordor surged about him. For every orc that was cut down, three more sprung up in its place. The odds were overwhelmingly against him, and yet he fought on valiantly. The Lieutenant drank in Aragorn’s strength, his stamina and his grace, and it roused in him a potent combination of respect, jealousy and lust. He had seethed silently when his Lord had commanded him to capture the Ranger, so that he might be broken and made to serve Sauron’s purpose. The Dark Lord meant for him to rule, even under that name which he had claimed for himself. As the new Lord of the Nazgul, Aragorn would lend his power over men to the glory of Mordor. It was an honour that he did not deserve, the Lieutenant had thought. Instinctively, he had kept these thoughts hidden, for the Lord Sauron had a way of knowing the hearts of men. Now that he had seen for himself, the Lieutenant was forced to acknowledge the wisdom of his Lord’s decision. It was obvious that Aragorn was a man destined to rule. Every fibre of his being proclaimed him king and inspired loyalty in his men, even until death. What more had Sauron seen of him as they strove against each other through the palantir? He was determined to find out for himself. As the Lieutenant looked on in relative safety, he saw Aragorn dispatch a trio of Orcs in a matter of seconds, buying himself a moment of respite. He brushed a damp fall of hair from his eyes before the next wave fell. Feinting, slashing, stabbing then whirling to meet his next victim - Aragorn was caught up in the rhythm of the battle. For the Ranger, time no longer had any meaning. There was only the foe in front of him and the singing of Anduril as it flew through the air to meet its target and then the next. But as minutes passed, and then hours, the sword became heavier in his hand and each kill required more effort. The Lieutenant could see that exhaustion was infiltrating the beleaguered army and they were being driven back. From the tower, he could hear the clear voice of the wizard Gandalf above the din, calling for a retreat. A smile played upon the Lieutenant’s lips. The moment had come. With a signal to his officers below Sauron’s trap was set into motion. As the main body of the defeated army regrouped and began to withdraw, the Lieutenant’s personal guard was released from the gate. Their purpose was simple: to take Aragorn alive. It would prove no easy task and the Lieutenant craned forward for a better view. The fresh riders descended upon the harried army with a ferocity that ripped into the retreating force, cutting off what remained of the vanguard from their comrades. The warriors, skilled though they were, were so battle weary that they were dead on their feet. The Lieutenant’s men drove that point home again and again as they drove their spears through their hearts. Aragorn fought on heedless of the danger, struggling in vain to reach the men that were being cut down around him. He lunged forward in an attempt to aid Elrohir who was facing two of the Black Numenoreans and struggling to hold his ground. In this moment the full might of the force turned against Aragorn, raining blows upon him but avoiding any lethal strike. With a sharp blow from behind, the Ranger fell, to the despair of all who saw. From high on the hill Gandalf cried out, for Aragorn held many of his hopes for the survival of Middle Earth. Claiming Aragorn’s limp body for their own, the elite force bellowed their victory and fell back to the gate with their catch, leaving those alive to reel at the sudden emptiness of the battlefield and in their hearts. The thrill of anticipation surged through the Lieutenant’s veins as he turned from the window and descended to meet his prey. He had looked forward to confronting the arrogant upstart on his own terms ever since he had first laid eyes on Aragorn at the parley before the Black Gate. In another time, Aragorn might have been his equal, mused the Lieutenant. For they were of the same blood, though the paths of their peoples had been diverged by the power of Sauron. *** When they brought him to the great hall, Aragorn was wavering on the edge of consciousness. Two huge orcs held him up by his arms and his body sagged between them, his head lolling forward onto his chest. The Lieutenant strode forward and grabbed a fistful of the Ranger’s lank hair, yanked his head up, and fixed his gaze upon those clouded blue-grey eyes. They seemed to flicker in and out of awareness for a moment, until finally they focussed on the penetrating black eyes of the Lieutenant. The Ranger jerked back, struggling to break free of his captors. But it was no use. The orcs stood fast and in his weakened state Aragorn was not able to break free of their hold. He turned his eyes, clear now and defiant, to glare at the Lieutenant. His proud features radiated scorn and hatred and the Lieutenant drank it in greedily, for it fed his desire to make the Ranger submit to his will. “So this is Elessar, the King of men?” spoke the Lieutenant, drawing off his gloves and tucking them into the pocket at his waist. “This is the one come to save us all from the terror of the Dark Lord?” His cheerless laugh echoed in the cavernous hall and was hateful to Aragorn’s ears. For the moment, Aragorn was powerless to silence him. His hands clenched instinctively, aching for the comfort of his sword. In his mind, he took off the man’s head with a single stroke. But the best he could do now was to remain silent. He could not risk revealing the true purpose of the assault on the Black Gate. Sauron’s eye must remain fixed at his border. There was still hope for Middle Earth, even if there was no longer any hope for him. He would suffer and he would die. The line of Isildur would be at an end. “Well then, my Lord, welcome to Narchost.” The Lieutenant gave an exaggerated bow towards his prisoner, his voice dripping with sarcasm. “You will be my own honoured guest.” His eyes raked over the Ranger, and seemed to pry into the very depths of his mind and soul. Involuntarily, Aragorn shuddered. For although the Lieutenant was a mortal man, he had long been a student of Sauron, long enough even to have forgotten his own name. Through the Dark Lord’s teachings, the Lieutenant had learned a great deal of sorcery, and though no wizard, was capable of many things that were beyond other men. He bent his will upon Aragorn now, pleased to feel the Ranger’s mind spring back against him when he reached for his thoughts. Was it instinctive? Or had he learned to shield his mind during his time with the elves? No matter, in this respect he was no match for the Lieutenant. Soon enough Aragorn would be his better, his master even, and he might someday cower before him. But in this moment he could savour his weakness and exploit his vulnerability so that the ring would be able to work more effectively against him. Stepping forward, he backhanded Aragorn across the face, his eyes glinting with pleasure as blood trickled down from his cheek. It looked good on him, the Lieutenant thought, the sight of it stoking his desire to see this man in excruciating pain begging for mercy on his knees. Turning, the Lieutenant strode to the head of the hall and took his place on the dais. With a curt nod, he called forth one of his men, dressed in the black livery of the fortress guard. In his hand he bore a long jagged knife. Aragorn’s eyes widened to see it. For a moment he longed for the mercy of a swift death, for he had no hope of rescue. But the longer he could keep the Lieutenant occupied, the longer Frodo would have to destroy the one ring. He must not fail. With one slice the guard ripped Aragorn’s tunic from his body. He removed the chain maille hauberk while the orcs held him fast, then tore the knife through the finer clothes beneath it. Stripped to the waist, Aragorn shivered in the cold dampness of the fortress. He was dragged roughly to a whipping post and secured facing the Lieutenant so that he might watch the Ranger’s face as he endured the first stage of what was to be a long and brutal torment. The guard exchanged his knife for a heavy braided whip. At the Lieutenant’s command, the guard began to wield his implement. Aragorn’s body, already exhausted and battered from the long battle, shuddered with the impact. At first he did not cry out, stifling his screams by biting down on his lip. But soon his lip was bloody and his anguished cries filled the hall. After a time Aragorn no longer cried out, but merely slumped against his restraints, and the Lieutenant raised a hand to bring the whipping to an end. He descended casually, circling the prone man. The Lieutenant exhaled softly in pleasure as he beheld Aragorn’s broad back, muscles rippling under the bloody welts. He reached out to stroke a particularly nasty slash, smeared the blood across his fingertips and brought them to his lips. It was warm and tasted of iron and salt. The Lieutenant sucked greedily. His temptation to take the Ranger right there was very strong. But no, he didn’t want him like this, unconscious and delirious. He wanted to Aragorn to know him and hate him and to hate himself as well. The Lieutenant ordered the Ranger cut down and his wounds tended to, although none were to trouble themselves with gentleness. A dark cell, stale water and the administration of a stinging antiseptic would suffice. He was to be brought again before the Lieutenant when he was well enough to bear further punishment. *** He did not have to wait long. Thanks to the trace of elvish blood in his veins, Aragorn healed quickly. It had been only days since the Ranger had first been brought before the Lieutenant, but to him it felt like weeks. For in the darkness of his cell he had begun to fear and doubt, poisoned by the dark thoughts that the Lieutenant had insinuated into his mind. Aragorn stood now before the Lieutenant with his hands bound behind his back and his ankles shackled. He still wore his own breeches but he had been furnished a tunic from the Lieutenant’s own wardrobe as befitted his rank. It was black, as were all of the uniforms of the men of Barad- dur, but finely spun and embellished here and there with black jewels that glinted in the torchlight. The Lieutenant looked him up and down slowly, his eyes lingering on his broad chest, narrow hips and the suggestive swell at the juncture of his thighs. Although Aragorn had the discipline not to squirm beneath his gaze, the Lieutenant could feel his panic rising. With a kick from the guard, Aragorn was forced to his knees before the Lieutenant. The guards withdrew a few paces, but not far enough to leave Aragorn a hope of escape. From above, Orcs trained their crossbows on him, with orders to shoot at the first sign of trouble. Aragorn would become a servant of the Dark Lord Sauron or he would die. The Lieutenant rose with an easy grace. He was a tall man, with black hair and eyes. Although not as broad in the shoulders as Aragorn, he was strong and agile as a cat. He extended his black gloved hand and, with surprising gentleness, tipped Aragorn’s chin up so that he might look deep into his eyes. When Ranger resisted, the Lieutenant’s fingers dug into his jaw until he complied. For long moments they stood motionless, locked in a battle of wills. Aragorn’s eyes flashed with anger and defiance as the Lieutenant probed his thoughts. He sensed that there was something he was desperately attempting to keep hidden – no doubt the location of the one ring. But no matter, the Lieutenant thought. He would know soon enough. He also sensed in Aragorn a towering despair, not for himself, but for his friends who were now in very grave danger. He understood then that Aragorn was resigned to his own death; he accepted that it was his fate as Isildur’s heir. But it pained him beyond measure to think on the harm that might now come to his companions. All to the better, the Lieutenant thought, for the Ranger was not the only prisoner in Narchost. Although Aragorn was able to prevent him from delving too deeply into his mind, he made no attempt to gain access to the Lieutenant’s thoughts, which lead him to suspect that the Ranger did not know how. But he wanted to give the man a taste of what was in store for him, so he flooded the Ranger’s mind with images and sensations. Aragorn was blinded momentarily by visions of torture and carnality. He saw himself bleeding and naked, his face contorted with the agony of the pain that was to be inflicted upon him. But other images flashed before him in which his face was contorted with excruciating pleasure. He saw himself being taken from behind by the Lieutenant, saw his own organ hard and willing. He reeled backwards as the Lieutenant released him from his grip. His mind was overwhelmed, horrified by what he had seen. But his body was already responding to the naked lust that had been thrust into his mind. The Lieutenant saw this as well and smiled. He called forward the guards, who hauled Aragorn to his feet. With a brisk wave of his hand, he indicated that he wanted the Ranger stripped of his garments. Aragorn struggled as the guards began to remove his tunic, thrashing against their attempts. Finally one drew his knife and held it to the Ranger’s throat as the other fumbled with the clasps. But the Lieutenant was not a patient man. Stepping forward he drew his own knife and slashed through the costly fabric, laying bare the Ranger’s muscular torso, then handed the knife to the guard who set about cutting away the leather breeches. With a sneer on his lips, the Lieutenant moved to stand just inches away from Aragorn, savouring the man’s humiliation and his frustration at his own body’s betrayal. Although he did not flinch away from the Lieutenant’s mocking gaze, he was struggling hard to bring himself under control. His breathing was laboured as he tried to banish his unbidden desire. His jaw clenched and blood trickled down his throat from where the guard’s knife held him immobile. Aragorn coloured noticeably as his breeches were finally cut away and his erection sprang free. And when the Lieutenant reached out with one gloved hand and took hold of the Ranger’s cock, his facade was shattered completely. Aragorn shuddered, and his eyes shut tight as if to shut out what was happening to him. With long, deliberate strokes, the Lieutenant worked Aragorn to his full erection, the leather of his glove cool against the hard flesh. Aragorn’s expression was one of torment as pleasure and revulsion warred for dominance within him. The Lieutenant fed the fire, offering up images taken from the Ranger’s own mind - images of a lovely elven maid with soft, full lips, and of a proud elf warrior with startling blue eyes and pale blonde hair. He recognized this male elf, for had he not been present in the group that rode forth to parley with the Mouth of Sauron? Clearly Aragorn and he were on intimate terms, for he had memories of the elf’s curved organ, of its texture and taste. The Lieutenant probed deeper and saw that Aragorn had lain with the elf on more than one occasion, and yes there it was, he had submitted to the elf’s desire. It was a shame that this elf had not been taken as well, the Lieutenant reflected. But he hoped that his bait would similarly inspire the Ranger. Suddenly the Lieutenant drew back and slapped Aragorn’s cock sharply, causing him to cry out in pain and surprise. His eyes flew open and his expression was for a moment almost pleading. The Lieutenant smirked at this and at once the hatred returned once again flooded the Ranger’s eyes. He signalled the guard to withdraw the knife from Aragorn’s throat as two more brought forward a solid oaken table and bent Aragorn roughly over it. His wrists and ankles were secured so that he lay flat on his stomach with his legs wide apart. His bare ass was extremely vulnerable in this position and the Lieutenant noticed several of his men looking on with desire. Aragorn saw this as well and struggled wildly against his bonds. Good, thought the Lieutenant, let him think that I would turn him over to the guard. They would make good use of him to be sure. He paused for a moment, considering the possibility. The Ranger continued to writhe on the table, not realizing that he was only serving to make himself more appealing to those that watched. Reclaiming his knife from the guard, the Lieutenant approached the table and showed it to Aragorn. “My Lord Sauron has commanded that you are to bear his mark upon your body,” he said cooly, turning the knife in his hand so that the light of the torches glinted off of it. “It is an honour you don’t deserve, King Elessar, for you are weak and undisciplined.” Placing one gloved hand on the back of Aragorn’s neck to steady himself, the Lieutenant pressed his own erection hard against Aragorn and drew the blade across his skin. The pain raced like fire and Aragorn bucked against him in protest, serving only to further inflame the Lieutenant’s passion. With precise strokes the eye of Sauron appeared, carved deep into Aragorn’s flesh. Blood streamed freely from the incisions, making the eye weep red tears. Once the cutting was complete, the Lieutenant drew forth a vial of fine black powder - ash taken from the slopes of Mount Doom - and spread it into the wound. Now the marking would not heal cleanly but instead yield a permanent scar, a testament to Sauron’s claim over Aragorn. Aragorn bore the pain far better than he was able to bear the outrage of the Lieutenant’s cock rubbing against him through his breeches. Maddeningly, his own cock was only further inflamed by this and it swelled painfully against the rough wood of the table. The sight and scent of the Ranger’s blood mixed with his frantic movements proved too much for the Lieutenant. Unable to resist any longer, he drew out his cock and pressed it to the opening of Aragorn’s body. He toyed with the man, holding himself on the threshold until Aragorn lifted his hips up to meet the pressure. Only then did the Lieutenant thrust himself fully into Aragorn’s body. The man screamed incoherently in pleasure and in rage until the Lieutenant gestured to his guards to silence him. One by one the guards raped Aragorn’s mouth as their commander took him from behind. They hurled insults at him as they came in his throat, calling him a false king and a traitor. By the time the last guard had had his turn, Aragorn’s eyes were glazed over with pain and shame. His ass was raw and bleeding from the Lieutenant’s brutal thrusting, and when at last the Lieutenant himself cried out, spilling his seed deep inside the Ranger’s body, he had strayed again into unconsciousness. Aragorn was freed from his bonds and dumped unceremoniously onto the cold stone floor. He lay there unmoving for some time, a sort of numbness stealing over him. When the Lieutenant nudged him with the toe of his boot he roused himself weakly but did not try to flee. Through his stupor he could see that the Lieutenant was offering him something in his outstretched hand – a glint of gold, bright and beautiful. He looked up, his eyes widening in recognition. It was not the one ring, no, but one of the nine given to the kings of men long ago. It had been the ring born by the witch-King Angmar, the Lord of the Nazgul. And now it could be his. He could not deny that he wanted it for his own. He would have been a fool not to. The ring would lend him the strength to end his torment, to punish his captors and save his people. And perhaps this ring would prove more malleable than the one ring; perhaps he had the strength to bend it to his will. Unlike the kings of old, he would not come to it blindly, for he knew full well what dark powers the ring possessed. If he were wary he might be able to elude the trap. After all, Elrond still bore Vilya without ill effect, although he used it only sparingly and never directly against Sauron. No, the risk was too great. He was no elf, and, as it had been so clearly demonstrated to him of late, he lacked Elrond’s purity of mind. Moreover, it was doubtful that this hateful minion of the dark lord would be offering him the ring if he wasn’t certain that he would fall prey to it’s powers of corruption. The ring would buy him freedom from these immediate torments, yes, but it would induct him into never-ending slavery in the service of Sauron. With great difficulty, Aragorn turned away from the ring, from the offer of power and immortality. I have committed myself to death, he thought. I have only now to wait for it to find me. The Lieutenant drew back in surprise, for he had not considered the possibility that this weakling king would have the strength to resist the ring. He himself had to struggle against its seductive call. Simply holding it in his hand he could hear it whispering to him of glory and power beyond reckoning. But his fear of Sauron was greater than his lust for power and the dark lord had not intended for him to wield this ring. He had to be rid of it. With a nod the guards sprung upon Aragorn, dragging him again to his feet. The Lieutenant regarded Aragorn now with a mixture of disdain and admiration, and all the while the ring whispered urgently. “You cannot resist the will of Sauron, my lord. He has deemed you worthy to serve him, and serve him you shall.” The Lieutenant circled to stand behind Aragorn. For a moment he stood there, silently contemplating the blazing eye that glared out from the man’s back. Then he forced the ring onto Aragorn’s finger and tied his hand so that he could not dislodge it. Immediately the urging was gone from his mind, and the Lieutenant let out a sigh of relief. Aragorn’s body had tensed when the ring slipped onto hand, and now he stood alert, waiting for the ring to take effect. The Lieutenant appeared again in Aragorn’s line of vision, and he smiled graciously. “And now I believe that Sauron has another gift for you, my lord,” said the Lieutenant. The doors of the chamber opened, and a bound and hooded figure was dragged in by a pair of orcs and shoved to the ground at Aragorn’s feet. The Lieutenant reached out and pulled off the hood to reveal a handsome young man with dark blue eyes and brown hair. Imrahil, the fair prince of Dol Amroth, blinked hard in the sudden light, for he had been kept in darkness for days following his capture on the fields of Cormallen. When his eyes fell on Aragorn he cried out in joy and in sorrow. He had not dared hope to look upon those dear to him again, let alone his beloved King. But his King stood before him naked, bound and bloodied and so he despaired. Aragorn shook his head in anguish, and for him there was no joy in this meeting. He knew that Imrahil would find here a bitter end. Already Aragorn could feel the ring’s power building inside of him. The eye of Sauron burned in his mind and his control over his own thoughts was deteriorating. Despite his efforts to resist, little by little he was being seduced to the dark lord’s purpose. “Is this your King?” The Lieutenant’s demanded of Imrahil. “Is this the man that you have come to die for?” Imrahil’s looked up at Aragorn searchingly, hoping for some glimpse of the fire that had once burned brightly in his eyes. But it was gone, replaced by a cold detachment that frightened the young prince. Still, he answered as confidently as he could. “Yes, he is my King,” he said, in his proud strong voice. “And I will gladly die for him.” Even then Aragorn could not look at him, for he was all that remained of what was good and had now been lost. “And so you shall,” spoke the Lieutenant darkly. “But first you shall serve your King in another way.” Imrahil’s eyes grew wide as the Lieutenant pushed him towards Aragorn’s cock, which stirred in response to his nearness. He looked up beseechingly, asking his King what he should do. Of all of his thoughts of what might befall him in the dungeons of Mordor, this certainly was not one of them. For this was something he had long desired, but had never dared to imagine possible. He had stood no chance of attracting Aragorn’s favour when there were always the elves to contend with. It seemed cruel to him that his heart’s desire was to be granted only in the hour of his death. Then Aragorn did turn and look on Imrahil, his noble features a testament of kings past, of Aragorn’s own bloodline. He had loved this man, as a brother and as a friend. But now all of that was over. The world of men would fall. Aragorn nodded, and the prince swallowed hard. Tentatively he pressed his lips to the tip of Aragorn’s cock. It leapt at his touch and Imrahil was encouraged. Gently, reverently, he took his King’s cock into his mouth and began to suck in earnest. He rocked back and forth on his heels, small moans escaping his lips as he worked his way up and down the shaft. Aragorn looked on, loving this man for his devotion and despising him for his innocence. With his rising pleasure came a rising hatred and the two were intertwined until he knew not where one ended and the other began. He only knew that he wanted this man, this beautiful echo of the glory of Numenor, to suffer as he had suffered and to perish as he could not. When he felt his hands freed, Aragorn immediately wrapped them around the prince’s head, burying his fingers in his hair and forcing himself deeper and deeper into his throat. Behind him he felt the Lieutenant’s cock, seeking his entrance and then finding it. Aragorn moaned and thrust harder, his hips now moving in rhythm with his captor’s. He watched impassively as the prince began to struggle against him, fighting for his breath. But Aragorn did not yield, driving his cock ever more violently into his mouth until, finally, the prince no longer fought back. Aragorn continued to pound against the warm wetness of the prince’s throat, mindlessly seeking his release. When the Lieutenant shuddered and a stream of hot liquid flooded his body, Aragorn climaxed as well, shouting his victory over the beautiful wretched creature before him as he let his seed surge into the passive mouth. When Aragorn released the prince from his grip he fell unmoving to the floor, he eyes open and unseeing. Somewhere inside a part of Aragorn wept at what he had done. But the stronger part only laughed. Then he turned to the Lieutenant, whose wet cock was still hanging out of his breeches, and drew him into a passionate kiss. As Aragorn pulled away he swiped the knife from the Lieutenant’s belt and with one swift stroke he slit open his throat. The Lieutenant’s face was a picture of shock and disbelief as the blood poured from the wound like a fountain. He fell, and his blood formed a crimson pool around his body. With that, the King Elessar turned and strode from the hall to where a dragon was awaiting him in the courtyard. He had two small hobbits to find, somewhere on the slopes of Mount Doom.