I realize in the last chapter there was not much humor, so decided to do something about it, publishing this one-shot to compensate. Please note we are jumping in time here, backwards that is. Exactly 4 years. Jaina and co. are all up north still, her mom is around, only two Nazgul are present. Her father and Adunaphel.

I would also like to grasp my chance and answer a few questions and inquiries made in the reviews, just so everyone can see them.

I realized that I have now many comments who ask for continuation and seem to mistake this for a story with a flowing plot. This is not a story with a plot but a collection of one-shots that I write when I have the time and the interest to do so. Also, I might lose interest at any time, this is why the story is ALWAYS counted as 'Complete'. Please note the status of the story. I am also jumping from one timeline to the other, so have no set pace, neither do I need to update. You see finished one-shots.

However…. I do accept ideas for chapters. If one catches my eye, I will write a chapter about it. So don't be shy to give me ideas.

You never know when I update.

Of course I would like to thank everyone who reviewed for the virtual hugs and everyone who just read, follow, fav because it means you guys like it and I am doing something right.

Now, enjoy.

4.: A Lesson for Life

Timeline: 4 years before departure to Minas Morgul.

Location: Northern territories, unknown fortress

-slam-

Peace was so overrated. The steadying force of the weak. Something they could grasp in uncertain times, becoming engulfed in this false sense of security. Peace was nothing more than the silence before the storm… and each storm was more devastating than the last.

-slam-

This was something the world knew… This was something he and his kind knew… Then why do the mortals enjoy these times? Why don't they take the time to prepare for what was to come? Why do they let their unprotected brethren die for something they shouldn't have if they did the right thing? Why were mortals this foolish? Why were they so… What was the right word…?

-slam-

Unconcerned? Disinterested? Careless? They don't care about the looming danger before it was too late and lost too many. They don't take action until the problem became a threat… They won't fight until those who they care for perish. Yet…. Why do they win? Why are they victorious after each clash? Why do the Valar aid something so primitive and negligent? Why are they the ones who claim the favor of most? Unlike his kind who put effort into preparing… perfecting defense… training nonstop and being resourceful… Yet he and his brothers end up defeated. What made mortals so… strong? Their wits? Allies? Their emotions? No…

-slam-

Pure luck, the help of elves, istari and the exaggerated protection of the Valar. There was no other explanation… There can be no other. They became weak… pampered… A shame really… And to think of it, there was not much difference between them. Both of them wish a share of the spoils, of the world. The difference was that the light holds all lands for themselves in greed, hunting their troops for sport and disgust, whereas his kind does the same. So why was it that they were called evil? Would this be any different if the tides were turned? Hmm...

-slam-

Fifth, right in the middle.

With this proud thought Adunaphel lost his previous train of thoughts, inspecting his handiwork from afar.

The assassin Nazgul had been practicing and training his throwing accuracy with his daggers for the past hours, which involuntarily ended up in a philosophical battle within his own mind as he tried to make sense of the defeat they suffered many hundred years ago. Because even now, his cursed mind just couldn't grasp it… In his opinion everything was perfect and rightly timed. They planned this for years, perfected the plan until they had hundreds of emergency tactics in case of trouble. Yet here they are… Pulling back their tail, hiding away silently like villagers from his kind on a moonless night. Of course, the Nazgul was well aware that this was necessary for survival, giving themselves a chance to regroup and form a new perfect plan. They shall return once their Dark Lord calls. When his whispers guide them to their eternal stronghold. Uniting them under the starless night sky to hunt and awaken terror in the minds of those who dare defying them.

But this was yet the future. For now…. They needed to prepare.

He finally concluded as he let yet another black-darkblue dagger slide into his armored hand from his loose tattered sleeve, twirling it once between his metal-covered thumb and index fingers before taking aim at the wooden plate that was laid out for him by the servants. So far each dagger met their desired target, thanks to his accurate hand which was trained for thousands of years for this one move among the many. He was deadly with his daggers and shortsword, best in stealth and agility. Speed was his second name. Assassin by hear-…

"Adunaphel."

Said wraith flinched at the sudden call of his name, having not realized in his inner 'conversation' that he wasn't alone, having not sensed an aura or danger, just in the same moment when he threw the dagger, which –just as he predicted- actually missed its target. He didn't move from his position, just let his invisible gaze follow its course intently, watching as the weapon flew above the target plate, right past a pillar and ended up embedding into the chest of a black numenorean who stood nearby reading a book, now falling limp lifeless, grasping at the offending item which caused its demise.

The Nazgul on the other hand was indifferent towards the loss of a life, instead shrugged, brushing it off, though feeling rather disappointed at the off-aim, then turned his dark hooded head towards the source of the voice who disturbed his training. Instantly the assassin stood straight, quickly bowing his head in respect to his King, who stood at the entryway of this small section of the fortress, one of his hands on the hilt of his famous sword, the other limply at his side. No wonder he could not sense him. Their leader could approach them either with a thundering aura of fury which forces them to their knees or as silently as a little feline, his footsteps being just a faint echo in the wind.

"Yes, my King?" His voice smooth, the submissive Nazgul inquired the reason for the visit, having not expected it the least. For each time Er-Murazor appeared in their line of sight, he always had an important and most serious task in hand for them, which all of his brethren took with the knowledge of contributing to their Lord's success. Their dark king was the only one who had a most direct connection to Sauron. So he stood, awaiting eagerly what he had in store for him. It was long since his daggers and sword tasted blood or used his superior stealth to ambush or spy. He needed the thrill of a fight.

The stoic leader watched him wordlessly, his invisible dark gaze just briefly flickering towards the bleeding servant, not giving it more than a momentary thought, before facing his brethren again, sensing his eagerness, his willingness. The darkness he carried relaxed somewhat, pleased by the display of submission, knowing he will not need to use force. He chose the right one for the next duty.

"I have an important task for you." His half-whispering, mind-tearing voice echoed in Adunaphel's mind, making him cringe just a little but otherwise he didn't dare show any sign of weakness towards his power. That would be most unwise, as even among themselves Nazgul can prey upon one another's brief moment of sensitivity. They crave to dominate. He quickly nodded before watching as the dark leader turned, no doubt wishing to share the vital information with him along the way, so the assassin excused himself for a moment, quickly running over to the targets to wrench his daggers from them and swiftly, with experienced hands put them away into the hidden holsters under his cloak, his sleeves and his boots. After this he didn't waste time but followed his king, walking beside him, waiting for the details he surely wanted to share with him.

But his leader was silent.

-a little later-

Adunaphel wasn't exactly sure what they were doing in front of the Witch-king's quarters… He waited for him to share the information needed for his next mission but his leader had to yet utter a single word since he told him that he was needed. While his determination about the importance of the oncoming assignment faded just barely, he still took the silence as a preparation for the deliberate plan. He uneasily shifted from one foot to the other, his mind working hard to read the smallest signs of his leader but his figure was as difficult as he always remembered him since the thousands of years he worked alongside him. He was silent, strict, perfectionist, deadly and swift to deliver a killing blow to anyone who just uttered a word of doubt against his person. The matching leader for his kind. Harsh and determined. Yet his patience knew no bounds, rivaling even that of the assassin's. This was why he was not surprised that he did not yet disclose any information. He expected patience the same way as he displayed.

Then the door opened.

As usual when he visited, he was met by the study section of the quarters, complete with book shelves stacked with books, a desk right next to the window and a chair. The walls were clearly not painted, they were made of cold stone, dark and gloomy, as if not letting any light reflect from its shadowy and rough surface. The source of light was the single window next to the desk and a few torches put up here and there. It wasn't there to make seeing easier for the King. Oh no… He was a wraith in the inside and outside, needing no light but swallowing it, his senses being only strengthened by darkness. The lights were put up for another individual in the room. Well… individuals. One of them was just walking from the bedroom into the study, having heard the door open.

"Oh, Adunaphel." Came the half surprised and half relieved voice from the woman, who now stood by the door, ushering the confused wraith inside. She was rather tall herself, standing 5.7 feet, slender, with a long curly black hair and equally as dark eyes.

Black numenorean.

A witch to be precise. The mate of the Witch-King, second in command to the dark forces in all Arda by title. While most would hold no respect to such a creature, seeing she lacked immortality and all that defined their species… However the Nazgul by now knew better. She was smiling at the moment, delighted to see him as it seemed. But let that not fool anyone. Her long dark robe made her profession obvious. She was a powerful mage, cunning and sly, determined just like her mate, one that used one's emotions against themselves… As actually many others of her race. But how she managed to gain the unique favor of Er-Murazor, that was another story. However, in the past few years she had been pulling back mostly from the battlefield. Looking at her robe, Adunaphel was sure she donned it once more to finally return to her original purpose and act as second leader to a troop or lead a mission of vital importance… But… what about the…

"I am glad you decided to come. I didn't know who I could ask for help but our King seemed to know who to turn to. You don't know what it means to me." She said, grasping his hand and pulled him inside. He didn't know what to think of this, so cast a questioning glance towards his King but he was long gone from the doorway, making his way down the corridor towards the exit if the sound of his echoing footsteps was something to go by. By the time he looked back, the woman vanished from his view as well for a moment, rushing towards the desk, searching for something as it seemed in a hurry, muttering to herself something about a plan. All the Nazgul could do was stare at her, standing there, what for most would seem awkwardly but he simply found it just natural to wait and see what his… task would be. He heard an odd noise coming from the bedroom, so turned to look inside, passing the time while the other was occupied.

There was no door separating the two sections and instead a doorway, a larger arch made it clear that these are two different rooms. The bedroom itself was not much more different than the study. There was a bed, a table, chairs and bookshelves inside. There was no carpet or pictures… One such as their kind doesn't need scenery elements to distract them. And on the ground, peeking right towards him was the second individual who required the torches to see, clutching one of the few toys she had, playing with it, squeezing it to her chest.

Jaina. The offspring of the Witch-King and his mate.

Even the idea of ever having children never crossed the mind of any of their kind. Their priorities lay elsewhere and simply they lacked any such urges, the primitive desire to recreate themselves with the help of another. This child wasn't planned either. She just happened to be… A miracle in itself, so the woman claimed. First, there were doubts when she announced her pregnancy; many of her kind accused her for disloyalty and sleeping with another man, even though they were not sure if such an act even occurred between the King and her.

The concept of a 'mate' was not quite the same as it was for the living. Mortals tend to choose a mate for procreation and security, sometimes merely for power and the sake of owning a property. For a Nazgul, a mate was no other than a chosen second-in-command. The name itself was to deliver a message of the bond and trust they share, which was far deeper than that of a captain and his soldiers. There were no secrets between the wraith and its mate, they would work and plot together, sharing leadership of a larger army if the circumstances ask for it, while other times the mate would act as the absolute leader, while their King was absent. Though, Er-Murazor chose a female as his own, it was still not unheard of that their brethren had males under their direct command at times. And while the mate would fill in their duties beside their master, they also can demand certain requirements for themselves. As this woman also had apparently.

The King himself didn't agree, neither did he decline the claim of these people, being his patient self but simply chose to wait it out and decide once the proof was delivered. But it soon was clear that they were wrong. The aura of the child even in her womb in the last months of carrying was almost the exact copy of her father's and once born she sported the features of him as well. Blond hair so unlike her mother's, right going with the piercing blue eyes. For a wraith such as him, the concept of creation, birth, childhood and growing up was foreign. They didn't understand how it could work and what it meant. And here they were now, witnessing this unknown process.

"Alright, I have it." Came the almost too cheerful tone from the other end of the room, the witch having found what she was looking for and hurrying up to Adunaphel.

Said wraith just looked at her, averting his invisible gaze from the child and tilted his head to the side as a sign of confusion and curiosity. He had yet to say a word since he got here.

"Here is everything you need to know." She quickly continued, now sporting a rushing tone, feeling her mate's aura going stronger, urging her on. He felt it as well… In the next moment she showed a parchment into his silver gauntleted hand. He barely was able to get a good grip and she helped him open it. On it stood a neatly written list. But about what, he couldn't yet fathom because she ran a hand over it, gesturing, claiming his attention from the writing to herself. "She might maybe become a little upset after she sees me gone, but it won't last."

"Ho-…"

"You will do fine! Our King trusts you, I trust you."

"Whe-…"

"We will be back in a few days!" She practically shouted from the doorway, then simply slipped out, shutting the door behind her. While she seemed to hurry so much, the assassin managed to catch the rather worried and almost pleading look she sent him and her only child. This was the first time she went out on a mission after her pregnancy and the very first time she left her offspring alone. But she wanted to prove her further use to her mate and resume her duties as the second in command. She knew, as she learned, that emotions were but a burden, slowing one down and confusing them, making them thread in wrong paths. But no matter what, his kind needed to accept that it cannot truly be killed off of her. One can try to drown it but it will still lay just under the surface. However, as long as she was useful, nobody would question these moments of sensitivity.

So, here he was, standing in the middle of the study, staring at the door with his hands limply at his sides, one of them holding the parchment lazily. His confused and overloaded mind still tried to process all that was said in such a short time. He felt no shock, no surprise, no fear of the task. Oh no… He was unable to feel them. All he felt was disappointment once his degrading task dawned upon him. Nothing more. The wraith at least hoped for a far more important and far more dangerous task than watching over an offspring which could still barely walk without struggling or talk properly. He craved blood, yearned for the smell of fear, the sight of terror in the eyes of his enemies. He wanted to tear at flesh, watch as that delicious yet oh so disgusting crimson blood leaves the bodies and coats the ground with its thick and aromatic stench. He almost had it.

Almost…

Only then did he avert his gaze from the door when a noise came from the bedroom, so turned his dark hooded head towards it, watching as the child tried to stand up, putting its small hands in front of her slightly plump body and with a small grunt pushed herself up onto her legs, staggering a little maybe but she stood, then with some incoherent babbling started wobbling over to another toy on the desk not far. He watched with unintended curiosity as this played before his invisible gaze, only averting it after a few minutes. The child was strange… How was she supposed to be the heir if she couldn't even walk? She could barely talk and wasn't exactly tall, neither strong. However, he trusted the judgment of his leader and did not dare questioning it.

With a small and faint hiss, the Nazgul shook his head and simply turned around, fixing his gaze on the chair next to the desk and walked over to it, deciding to read the list while he was there. From what he could tell before, it was rather long…. But he didn't think it was this long. Once he sat down and unrolled the parchment, he could only tilt his head to the side when it almost matched his height. One couldn't say he was tall either… Standing only 5'4. But as an assassin, it is hardly a problem. He gave the list a once-over, then simply rolled it back again. He will…. read that later. For now, he needed to find something that will help him pass time. With the constant noises the offspring was making, he could hardly meditate and she will be much less of a problem to watch over. At least so he thought. Well, surely a small toddler that can barely walk, speak or even stand will not cause any trouble. Plus she seemed to be entertained with her toys.

Oh yes, the toys which the mate of their King insisted on introducing to their child. They didn't understand the importance of it or how it could be of benefit to anyone but she pointed out that playing was 'undeniably needed' for one such as Jaina, as it will 'teach her coordination, work her intelligence and train her muscles and her mind'. Who would say 'no' to something like that? For now she possessed a few animal toys made of wood, fabric, a few mind training games which were obviously extremely easy for a wraith but as she explained it wasn't as easy for a child. They didn't understand but she insisted.

Very well.

-an hour later-

He was only gone for ten minutes.

He counted.

Just in case people questioned him, he precisely counted the seconds from the moment he set his foot out of the room, right up to the moment he stepped back in. After he just sat there for almost an hour, watching the little… 'toddler' -as her mother called her that way- play innocently and calmly in the middle of the bedroom with her toys, the Nazgul decided he should as well entertain himself and get a book from his own quarters. The mate of the Witch-King told him that leaving Jaina alone would prove to be dangerous and it never should be done for too long.

Adunaphel couldn't grasp why… She could barely walk… How could anything happen to her? She couldn't quite leave the room with those chubby legs of hers and those weak and short steps in such a short time. He didn't understand…

Until he stepped inside…

Like a-…. He didn't even…

He was gone for ten minutes…. and the whole bedroom looked like a rabid warg was released in it, chewed through half of the content of the room, as if everything was rubbed in with some kind of meat and it found great care to rip everything to shreds… And he just stood there, the book he was holding almost fell from his grasp, staring at the mess that greeted him motionlessly.

And in the middle of the mess? Well… there sat the culprit, chewing on the cover of a book, watching him with big innocent blue eyes.

Normally, he didn't find a disorganized room too big of a problem. He had all the time of the world to put everything back into its place, plus his kind never truly cared about how neat their rooms look like… They spent most of their days among orcs who knew no order or rode tirelessly across the land, stopping only because the horses needed rest…

But this one brought all the cake… Not because it was a mess…. But because of the extremely short period of time it happened to magically appear in. Even orcs needed about a good hour to make themselves... comfortable.

His invisible gaze was irritated -although mostly quite curious- by the sight of it and also felt annoyed how she didn't seem to realize that she did something wrong. Again, his kind didn't know how to distinguish emotions or looks, due to lacking it themselves, however being an assassin, he had to learn to do so, to know each twitch of the body, their meaning… So he can use it against his victims or negotiation partners. But she didn't seem to show regret… If anything, she moved on to play like nothing happened. The wraith tilted his head to the side in the end and put the book he was holding in his metallic grip on the desk in the study section of the quarters, before moving over to the child. He bent down and watched her closely, at first in silence, before he addressed her.

"Why did you do this, Child? What kind of use did you gain from this other than giving me work?" He asked her, moving to tilt his head to the other side, helping her with his own state of mind, expressing his curiosity and confusion towards her actions. Much to his irritation however his only answer was a blink of her bright blue eyes, a slight giggle, an incoherent babble, then she turned around and wobbled over to the nearest toy. He felt irritated that she didn't wish to answer his question. The Nazgul still didn't understand that she refused to reply because she could not… and not because she didn't want to. He had still a lot to learn about her.

With a sigh, the wraith gave up on trying to communicate and instead looked around, his invisible gaze travelling the damage that was done to the room. He could leave it this way. He wouldn't mind to spend the rest of his… 'guarding time'… having to dodge bits and pieces of toys, fabric and torn book pages… However, the King would be less pleased… If he couldn't do this simple task of keeping a harmless little thing like her at bay…. then how could he even do his other tasks? He shook his head and picked up the first torn book, tilting his head again, noticing the bite marks and the way the tearing was so clean without fail… He flipped it over to note the damage before raising his invisible gaze to the happy child in disbelief.

How can something so small, weak, innocent, cheerful and harmless inflict such damage? And so well at that… And in such a short time…

Strange…

-another hour later-

Hmm…. He couldn't truly remember this part of the book… This page must be the one where he stopped reading it the last time. It was the journal of a well-known stealth master, so there was much to learn and perfect. Sometimes mortals were the ones who first invented or found specific techniques and tools which always proved to be useful. He was a rather decent master assassin at this time and age, very few able to keep up with him or spot him when he was on a mission but he always found new things to learn, new knowledge to acquire, new ways to build them into his tactics, molding them, shaping them, making his moves less predictable. This is what makes a perfect assassin. And tha-…

His train of thoughts was interrupted when all of a sudden the wooden carving of a horse appeared on the page he was reading. He didn't remember having put it there… Neither has he seen it having been placed there by anyone. It was known about him that he tended to… engulf himself too much into reading. No wonder, he finished putting everything away half an hour ago, having muttered to himself, cursed in black speech and tripped a few dozen times over new parts of fabric and items that the little girl hauled around despite him telling her to leave everything where they are…. But she ignored him all along…

So, here he was, staring at the wooden animal, not moving an inch, tilting his head to the side at it, before reaching out with one metal-covered hand and gripped it, pulling it closer to his hood, looking at it more carefully. Almost a perfect replica actually, surely the handiwork of their King's mate. He raised his invisible gaze when an almost inaudible thud sounded in front of him, now realizing that another crafted animal was staring right at him. This puzzled him…

What in the name of Morgoth…?

Adunaphel was about to reach for it as well when he noticed the form of the child move in front of him towards one of her nearest stacks of toys. He watched her with mild curiosity when she babbled about something he didn't understand, then picked up another toy and toddled over to him, putting it on his open book with another incoherent mumble. The next moment she was back at her stack, picking yet another item.

He didn't know what to do… What was she doing? What is he supposed to do with all these things?

"Why are you bringing these over, Child?" He asked, trying to communicate again, showing her one of the toys he was holding, awaiting an answer to his question. But as usual, she ignored him again… The Nazgul shook his head, his mind being overwhelmed with confusion, not liking the feeling of cluelessness. He picked up the new toys and not knowing what else to do, he simply put them neatly on the table, then cleared his throat and resumed reading the book.

Well, attempted…

Because in the next moment another toy landed on the page he was trying to read. Hissing, the wraith picked up that one as well and put it next to the others. He was a rather tolerant Ringwraith, the most patient one of the Nine but when the sixth item landed on his page, he couldn't help but question the purpose of this action and the reason why she kept annoying him… Wouldn't it be better if both of them spent their time effectively? He could read his book, while she could… well… do what she does all day. But oh boy, was she persistent. Because the next item she brought over was a plush feline kind of animal, which she outright forced into his hand, pulling the book slightly down. Obviously… she wanted him to look at it… Not knowing what else to do, he just… held it… Which as it seemed wasn't enough, because Jaina babbled something again, pulled it away from him, then put it back in his hand again, ending her…. 'explanation' with an expectant gaze.

Now, the tables were turned. He was the one being instructed… and could not act on it because he couldn't understand a word that was told him. This kind of…. dawned on the Nazgul in the next moment.

Who would have thought? A little girl who couldn't even speak made an inexperienced wraith realize that she did not understand and how it affected her, just by treating him the same way, even if it was unintended…

Adunaphel looked back at the plush toy and stared at it, before meeting the azure gaze of the princess, his mind working to try and find a way to communicate… Slowly, he pulled the feline item away from him and extended it towards her, pushing it against her chest slightly repeatedly in an attempt to bring her to show him what she wanted. This seemed to have worked because in the next moment she babbled on and took the toy, then pulled it closer to her chest, stroking its fake fur lovingly. A wide and bright smile appeared on her face as she hugged her beloved item, then pulled it away and held it out to him.

So…. This is what she wanted?

Not knowing what the action itself meant, he slowly and carefully took the toy from her, then cast a –to her invisible- uncertain gaze towards the heir before pulling it closer and started mimicking her movements. The little girl's smile reappeared and even clapped in approval before turning and moving back to her stack of toys. The wraith watched her for a moment then just shrugged and put the toy on the desk, having no knowledge about the purpose of this simple action. This proved to be a bad move as the moment he released it from his grip, the toddler came right back whimpering, stood in front of him, watching him with a look that he didn't yet see on her and extended her small hands towards said furniture. Following her gaze he noted what she was looking for and simply grasped the plush again, letting her take it from him. She almost screamed in delight as she clutched the toy to her chest then walked off to her stack once more. All the Nazgul could do was hiss and shake his head, finally returning to his book, seeing she was busy and entertained.

While he was reading, he couldn't help but notice… something being off. The air carried… a strange aroma to it… One he never smelled before. It caught his curiosity and attention, making him sniff audibly, trying to find the source but seeing his instincts told him it was harmless, he simply resumed reading, waving it off as probably nothing. The smell however intensified a little but this didn't bother the wraith the slightest. No wonder, really… He and his kind were living with orcs a lot, which carried many different scents. They grew used to it. However, it seemed to have an effect on the child. Because not a few seconds later she started whimpering. A sound, that the Nazgul found annoying, irritating, and most of all… pointless. After listening to it for a few minutes, Adunaphel decided to check what it might be because apparently she was bothered by it. He put the book down and started following the trail, which was rather hard, seeing that the room trapped it, so instead looked for the location where it was more intense… Which –after a few minutes of search- happened to be Jaina. This puzzled him… She didn't smell like this a few minutes ago… The wraith soon reached out and picked the toddler up, holding her out and looking at her, tilting his head to the side. He was about to address her again but remembering the 'language gap', he simply waved it off and put her down where she was, shook this all off and went back to his seat.

For a few minutes…

Because in the next moment the whole fort shook of the teary cry of the little girl. She gripped her hands into tiny fists with such a force that they shook and pressed her eyes together, opening her mouth wide to let the sound escape as loud as it was possible with her small lungs. The wraith flinched at the sudden screaming voice and snapped his gaze towards her, giving a sigh of defeat.

Alright…

The moment he stood, reached her and picked her up again, the crying magically stopped… Blue expectant gaze met his invisible one, so knew something was supposed to happen. But what? His sensitive nose tried to locate the exact source of the smell, directing his gaze towards the… white thing that the princess wore on her lower half. It looked like something was wrapped on it. However, even his learned mind couldn't find the reason for its existence. He held her like this for what seemed like minutes but had to stop thinking as she started whimpering again, having noticed that nothing was happening. The Ringwraith hissed and put her down, deciding to do what he should have long ago….

Read that list…

Maybe it had answers?

He tolerated her crying for now as he could do nothing about her state and walked over to the parchment that rested on the table and unrolled it, letting his invisible gaze follow the lines of writing.

Wow… she was precise.

Basically it contained a neatly worked-out timetable for the day. Which he didn't follow so far…

'Do not leave her alone, or she will make a mess of the room…'

Should have read the list indeed…

According to her description, there can be three reasons for crying… She needed to be fed, needed a diaper change or needed entertainment.

What in all the Nine Nazgul is a 'diaper'? He questioned in his mind, and shook his head, holding the scroll a little farther away and simply kept reading. This however was answered by the next sentence, which explained that if he smelled something unusual, then she needed that change. So… the 'diaper' was that thing on her lower section? Wasn't it called 'pants'? He thought mortals called such wear like that…

And to his luck, there was also a detailed step-to-step drawing of what he was supposed to do. No wonder she was the mate of their King. She was rather thorough and basically could read minds, thinking of future trouble way beforehand. This was something most of the mortals lacked.

So, being equipped with a detailed guide, the Nazgul made his way back to the now sniffling child and put the parchment on the ground, looking it over again, trying to memorize the steps. First, he needed a clean diaper, which was nothing more than a white cloth. Instantly his gaze travelled the room but failed to find such a fabric. Hissing and letting his shoulders slump while listening to the irritating cries of the princess, he stood up and searched for something that could be used as what was described on the parchment. After a few minutes of search, he managed to locate some white cloth that actually matched the description. After kneeling on one knee in front of the sobbing child, he noted the next step.

Take off the used diaper…

Alright. Easy step.

The Nazgul grasped the child and laid her down, then pulled her shirt up to reveal the…. complicated binding of said fabric. Adunaphel ended up messing with it for a good minute before being able to find the right way to open it and folded it down…. revealing… A mess. Being a wraith however was an advantage in this case, since he didn't find it gross or disgusting, neither did the smell bother him… But what did was the fact that he obviously –as described- needed to clean her now.

With more fabric… Which he lacked…

Wait… He had them!

Looking up, he quickly moved over to one of the shelves where he put in some ripped fabric that Jaina ruined a few hours ago, then returned to her. It was so…. humiliating… The mess was sticking everywhere and she wouldn't stay still…

After what seemed like half an hour, he finally was able to just throw the used diaper and all the fabric out of the window, which apparently landed upon someone, if the grunt and scream was anything to go by. But the 'fun' didn't end here. Because for the next hour the Nazgul had to chase the child around the quarters with the clean white cloth in hand, all the time listening to her giggles. So, she found this entertaining? Marvelous… In the end he was stuck in the process because the little girl found the perfect place to hide from the wraith. Under the desk. Which pretty much blocked the Nazgul from reaching her. The Ringwraith spent the next minutes with trying to call for her name, even crouched down to locate her but it all was in vain. The only reaction she showed was a smile of victory, which started to unnerve the dark creature. How can the parents handle this small bundle of mischief? Hissing and slumping his shoulders, Adunaphel simply just gave up and threw the fabric on the bed, then returned to his seat to continue reading. The offspring wasn't worth the effort anyway, seeing he couldn't grasp the reason why she needed that thing right now. She just made that mess, surely she will not do so again so soon.

Right?

At this point the wraith was uncertain…

- a few hours later-

Peace and quiet. The time when everything stopped, when the mind could relish in the most subtle of thoughts, resting and recovering from the harshest of days was a must for such an old creature like a Nazgul. Do not misunderstand… For immortal beings such as the wraiths, time was irrelevant and meaningless… But days could wear them out just the same. It was a relief to sit down, to let their spectral body slump, let their thoughts reach the deepest recesses of their souls, pondering about their purpose and reason for existence. This was the time of true bliss… The time of ripping away from the noisy connection they share with their brothers… The time when there was nothing more but silence…

-giggle-

Adunaphel hissed in displeasure as the noise the princess made disturbed his concentration while he attempted to meditate. He spent the past hours hunting her and finally getting that 'diaper' onto her behind, then put away some dangerous items she somehow managed to get a hold of while he wasn't looking for a few seconds. She was a curious and cunning little critter, he could give her that but right now wasn't the time he wanted to experience her full power of mischief. The Nazgul was sitting on the center of the bed in a lotus position, both his hands on either of his knees, his hooded head was lowered to face the sheets under him. But the little offspring was making it hard for him to receive the needed recovery. Instead she was running around with loud laughs and clumsy steps, taking her toys for a 'flight', sometimes crashing against the bed with a thud, causing the Ringwraith to be shaken from meditation.

"Would you just quiet down?" The assassin demanded, his hooded head finally rising, meeting the form of the little girl as she stopped and looked at him curiously with her big blue eyes and a wide smile on her face. But as usual, she did not care about what he said and simply resumed her entertainment. Why was he even trying? The Nazgul wasn't sure. She cannot understand him, he cannot understand her and he did not know how to handle the situation properly. He was an assassin… born and made to kill in the shadows, to get rid of annoyances… and not to tolerate them. He did not know how his King could stay calm every day with this bundle of energy bouncing around without a care for the world.

Or maybe he was doing it wrong?

Here he was, hoping for a serious and very demanding mission from his leader… and he got it. That was something he should not complain about. This indeed took its toll on him and urged him to use intelligence and experience he lacked. He learned a lot in these few hours, even if this knowledge will not serve him at all in his future. What would he need the skill of changing diapers for? Or how to get a child out from under a desk using her toys as bait? Ridiculous. But knowledge was knowledge. It made him wiser.

As usual, he had to abandon that thought when his mind reacted to something in a flash, causing his body to move on its own in reflex, raising a hand swiftly to catch something that came racing towards him. His silver metal-covered fingers enclosed the soft form of the item in a tight grip and lowered it into his field of vision. It was that… soft furry feline animal she kept holding all day and gave to him for a moment at the beginning of their time together. The wraith stared at it, tilting his hooded head to the side slowly, then raised his invisible gaze to the little girl who was staring at him expectantly with those innocent azure eyes. Adunaphel was an intelligent creature. He could remember lessons taught him from many years ago, so a few hours will not make a difference. He knew that look and knew what she was waiting for, so after a small hesitation, he pulled the toy closer to his chest and hugged it the way she showed him before.

The answer was a delighted giggle as the little toddler clapped; pleased with the action he did before holding her arms out towards him and the toy. The Nazgul by now knew to answer to her demands if he wished for some quiet time, so reached out her soft feline 'companion' towards her. Though… what happened next puzzled him.

Jaina refused to take it.

She shook her head instead, her golden flocks flying around her and kept the gesture up while pushing the toy away slightly.

The dark being tilted his head in disbelief. What else could she mean by this? She was holding her hands out towards him and the toy, the same movement she did when she wished for her animal back. He tried searching his memory for anything that might be related to the current problem but came up with nothing that could be useful. However, he was not a mindless frustrated creature like most of his brethren. If there was something he did not understand, he would try to find out more about it, to achieve knowledge and receive new information in the end.

Adunaphel hissed, then took the toy back and put it next to his sitting form, all the while watching for the reactions of the offspring. Seeing no change, he could tell that her point of interest was not her plush animal. So what else could she be asking for? The wraith tilted his head to the side slowly, then simply hissed and reached out with a metal-covered hand towards her, being careful to see if there is anything she wanted. The closer his limb went, the more she stood taller, seemingly on the tips of her toes and tried to reach for it, her small mouth opening in eagerness. So there was something she wanted from his hand? Gaining newfound curiosity and a hunger for knowledge, the Nazgul observed as his hand reached her. But the gesture of the child did not change. She still kept her hands directed towards him, now her blue gaze turned towards his own invisible one, staring at him with an expectant gaze.

He knew something was supposed to happen…

But what? It might be easy for a living being to use logic and understand the gesture. But for a Nazgul that was made to forget such useless information and pointless gesture for their role, it was rather hard to process. He never saw the movement before… At least, not in this meaning.

However, something began to dawn on him once Jaina made a small noise of eagerness and began bouncing a few times on her toes, her hands slightly shaking as she kept them held out towards him for too long and they began to tire. The gesture helped him pinpoint her true desire. She was truly gesturing towards him, the same way she would gesture for her toy. So she wanted to hold him the same way? This made the wraith hiss in puzzlement. Didn't she see he was too big and heavy to be held like that? But then again, she didn't show too great intelligence in the past hours either. Or maybe…

The Nazgul tilted his hooded head once again, then finally reached out with his other hand as well, which slowly but surely joined his already extended one on either side of the little spawn of their King. She seemed to have recognized the move, as the next thing she did was look at him with an increased eagerness and a bright smile. The wraith hissed long and silently, pleased that he could gain this new experience and knowledge all by himself. Both his hands were now firmly held by Jaina's sides, then put some effort into lifting her slightly plump and giggling form from the floor, and put her on the bed in front of him. Once he released her from his grip she laughed in a sharp voice -causing the dark being to cringe-, then sank to all fours and crawled over to her feline companion with an incoherent babble he could not understand. Adunaphel couldn't help but hake his hooded head in disbelief, then with a faint hiss he returned to his meditation, even if it will mean more challenge thanks to the little offspring now bouncing on the bed in what he could describe excitement.

The next thing the assassin knew was that he was joined in his meditation, once again disturbed from his concentration. He hissed and shook his head briefly, staring at Jaina's every move as she crawled over his leg and sat into his lap, nestling herself comfortably against his stomach and hugged his waist with a lazy smile and a sigh of what he could tell was of contentment. Then she stopped moving, the only indication of her still living was her slightly heaving back with each breath she took and her now calmed heartbeat. And all the dark being could do was stare at her, his arms now having been removed from his knees instead were now hovering over them, unsure what to do. He was never approached like that before… He didn't know the meaning of this gesture, causing the Ringwraith to become tense and watch her. Even if she was no threat to him, he still wasn't sure what he should make out of this. The Nazgul stayed like that for what seemed like minutes, testing his situation with caution, watching the heir to the throne with an invisible but suspicious gaze.

But nothing unusual happened.

Thus, assuming that this was probably a harmless gesture living beings like to practice, the wraith decided to leave it be. Instead, he lowered his hands back to his knees and hissed once before relaxing his position, beginning his much deserved meditation.

-few hours later-

How can something so small and so weak have such a loud voice, that the whole fort shook by every single wail? Adunaphel didn't know and honestly... he didn't eve-…. No… This time he really was curious about an explanation and answer so he can work against it somehow… The Nazgul was awakened rudely from his meditation by the spawn as she began to sniffle and cry, clear tears dripping down her -by now- red cheeks while her small hands were formed into fists in an effort to create an even louder sound.

"I heard you!" Came the hissing voice of the assassin as he fumbled with the long list that was given him, his invisible gaze trailing the lines, trying to determine where he was now in that busy timetable for today. Honestly, he didn't care about doing everything exactly as the witch wrote. He will not let his day be all about this offspring of hers. That she was to take care of her all day, didn't mean he will be willing to do the same. He was not made to babysit spawns. The wraith hummed to himself as he tried to drown out the irritating high-pitched squeals the princess made, kind of… surprised that despite ignoring the list he did follow it quite well. She was supposed to sleep about the time he went to meditate, so she did get her rest for the afternoon. Now he tried to see what was causing her discomfort. "I know…" He voiced again, trying to communicate that he heard her crying and knew something was wrong and she didn't need to repeat it every second. This wasn't the first time she cried like this. The last time she did this was when he needed to change her diaper. He smelled the air before and found that he did not need to do so right now. There were three reasons for crying as far as he remembered. She needed to be fed, needed a diaper change or needed entertainment. As far as he cared, reason number two was invalid. Reason number three was surely not the cause because… she had so many toys around he refused to believe she could not find a way to entertain herself with. So she needed to be fed?

Indeed.

She was supposed to get food after she slept, so the list said.

Hmm...

Food… Food…

He knew that word…

It did not take long for the so called 'food' to arrive. It was put on the table by a servant on a neat little platter, together with a utensil and a fabric and soon they were alone again but thankfully the wailing stopped the moment the dish came into the toddler's sight. Her wide blue eyes kept staring at it and the wraith observed as she stuck out that fleshy tongue and licked her lips in eagerness. Thinking the problem was solved, Adunaphel snatched the little girl in his hands and sat her down at the table, pushing the seat in for her to just… do what living people do with 'food'. As a Nazgul, the assassin never understood the concept of feeding. According to his observations, living beings needed to consume one another and use the energy the other contained to live on. To him, this made them vulnerable and predictable. Once hungry, they would hunt for food; once there was no food… they die. The wraith hoped this was a trait the spawn will forget to need later. Or else she will not be a sufficient leader if something happened to their King. It made him question Er-Murazor's decision for a moment but made sure to shake it off as soon as the hint of the thought entered his mind. He trusted the Witch-king's judgment. It was his obligation to do so. But as his adviser… he did have a small right to think out of the box.

The Nazgul hissed and shook his hooded head, lazily reaching over to the table and taking the book he left there. He didn't even have the time to read much today, so it was time to make up for it, using the opportunity that presented itself to get some pages down. The assassin sat down on the bed, not even wanting to watch as the child consumed her 'food' but instead busied himself with trying to find the bit where he left off earlier today. His time for himself however was short.

Because in the next moment a loud clatter caught his attention, making him raise his hooded head sharply towards the sound. He tilted his head to the side briefly when he found that the tool the servant set on the table for the offspring was now on the floor abandoned. The little girl in the mean time was beginning to make noises of discomfort as she tried to reach for it but her little hands were simply too short and the floor was too far away from her position. After watching the display for a few moments, the Ringwraith finally hissed faintly and stood, putting the book reluctantly on the bedside table and then walked over to Jaina. He bent down and picked up the clearly used utensil, reaching it out towards her but stopped. The little girl was a mess. Her mouth was smeared with her food, her clothes were not in a better shape either and as far as he could smell and tell, the floor might be also decorated by it. Could she not eat properly? Could she not even do this part without fail?

There really wasn't anymore question about this… He needed that list again and this time he was set to read it fully and see if there was something else he did not know… While Jaina giggled and played with her 'food', blowing a raspberry and watched as the substance flew around her, the wraith hummed to himself as he paced in the room, the list trailing after him on the floor.

- some minutes later-

This was degrading...

Came the voice within the Nazgul's deepest recesses of his mind as he held the utensil that the servant brought with the food and while holding the thin end of it, he fed the substance sitting on the flat wide end to the little female. Currently, Adunaphel was sitting next to Jaina, having bound that strange fabric in front of her chest as well. At least, this is what the list told him and apparently it does do the magic of keeping the spawn relatively clean.

She cannot eat on her own...

He kept repeating it in his mind, finding it a baffling information. So, the living need to feed to survive but the princess cannot feed on her own. What kind of Queen will she become? Imagine him having to feed her even when she commanded their lines... The wraith actually shuddered at the thought of having to serve her like this in the future.

And to top it off, the little toddler also found great entertainment in blowing the 'food' out of her mouth or the utensil instead of ingesting it, causing some of the food bits to land on the dark cloak of the creature of night.

At least the nightmare came to an end soon enough when the platter became empty, so the assassin simply let the utensil drop to the table and after having removed the offspring from the chair he put her down.

And from now on, he seriously did not care what she did.

He was done.

-screaming-

"Come back, you little spawn!"

-louder screaming-

"I am not going to tell you again!"

-crying-

"I promise you eternal suffering!"

-giggle-

-hissing-

If anyone would stand by the door, they would think the Ringwraith finally snapped and letting his dark and murderous instinct guide him he was out for her blood while the princess ran from him, noticing that she was in trouble and then... laughed in the face of death?

What?

The truth was a tiny bit different. The Nazgul indeed snapped by now and was letting his anger flood his mind as he was hunting the little spawn of his King, however instead of using a dagger or a sword or even his bare claws, he was using a... towel.

According to the list that the wraith now attempted to follow, the little 'toddler' had to take a bath. This one puzzled him somewhat, actually. Wraiths know that the scent of people had the purpose of identification. They could smell one another, calling them friend or foe. Bathing, so water, on the other hand would cause this scent to vanish for a while. He understood that perhaps if there was a time of danger, someone would want to get out of sight and mask their scent with something else but Jaina was hardly in such a situation. If anything, this would cause the assassin to spot her with difficulties later on.

But as he already learned, nothing was easy with the child.

She -although reluctantly- accepted her fate about half an hour ago and let him drop her into the water where she proceeded to play and splash around, while the Nazgul stood in the far corner, hissing at the mere presence of the clear liquid.

It was no secret, that wraiths hated water. No... They feared it. Why would they stay away from something so simple? Adunaphel -just like all his brethren- simply felt the danger and enemy within it. It was not tainted with the touch of their dark god and was one of the few clean materials that remained on Middle-Earth. The assassin loathed the very look of this liquid. Although, they would make contact with it if their Dark Lord commanded them.

Jaina, even if she was part wraith, didn't seem to mind it, however. This puzzled the assassin but he claimed in his mind, that she was also part numenorean. They lacked this sense and deep connection to the darkness. Perhaps her senses will awaken with time and she will realize that what she was staring at with her azure eyes of wonder... was actually her enemy.

There was some relief in the aura of the wraith when he could finally leave the room, even if it was momentary. According to the list, the little spawn will contract some kind of murderous disease if she wasn't dried fast enough, which was why he was chasing her in the room.

The little princess was standing on the large bed, giggling, as naked as she came to the world and dodged her guardian wherever he tried to get her. If he went to the right of the bed, she would duck to the left. If he attempted the same to the left, she would jump to the right. But Adunaphel had no primitive mind and knew if he went for her straight, she could use either side to get away from him, so he was stuck, with the towel held in both of his hands.

She was behaving like any mortal would. Believing that she had a chance to get out of his grasp and away from his claws just because there was some distance between them. It was a foolish mistake to make. Especially when the one they were facing was a Nazgul. There was also this very interesting detail about them , that if the wraith decided to turn its attention elsewhere, this meant they were safe to make a run for it.

Thus, Adunaphel faked having lost interest in chasing her, so turned around sharply on the balls of his metal-booted feet, letting the towel dangle down behind him as he clasped his hands behind his cloaked back.

And waited.

He could still hear her giggles alright and could make out each step she took on the soft covers of the bed thanks to his acute hearing, while his dark aura told him what distance was between them.

At first, there was nothing happening, seeing she was making noise and was laughing, clearly attempting to gain his attention to test him but what he didn't know was that the small child actually tried to gain his attention for the opposite reason. She was trying to play and she most certainly did not like it if her playing partner was not in the game. The little toddler giggled and jumped around on the bed, after each movement she stopped and watched the big cloaked man to see if he would react. Once he did not, she babbled on and hopped a few more times but he didn't turn towards her, just stayed with his back facing her. The more ignorant he was to her advances, the more curious and desperate she became, moving closer unsuspecting to the quite aware wraith. Her steps were careful and sometimes she screamed loudly and ran back to the other edge of the bed as if he almost caught her. But seeing he remained unmoving, the little child soon pouted and dared much closer than previously.

Which was what Adunaphel was waiting for. Using his superior hunting abilities, the assassin quickly turned around as soon as she was in the proper distance and extended his gauntleted hands with the towel towards her, intending to trap her in the fabric as she stepped closer. His brilliant plan let his reap the fruits of his victory as the felt the weight in the -now closed- towel. He bundled her right into it and set her down on the bed with an irritated hiss.

The little child seemed to never admit defeat, as she continued to battle the fabric even when there was no chance for her to get out of the Nazgul's grip. So, the wraith let her battle on, hoping that somehow this will dry her. He didn't quite know what to do, so he assumed her erratic movements were meant as cooperation and she was doing the job alright.

Right?

By the time the second shift of the numenorean guards walked down the hallways of the fortress, the Nazgul was sitting on the bed, his book forgotten beside him on the wooden surface of the nightstand, while his invisible gaze still fixed on the peaceful bundle under the covers of the bed beside him. She refused to shut her eyes until he didn't sit beside her and she could hold both her little plush feline-like toy and his ragged gauntleted hand.

So, one could say he was stuck.

At least, the silence of this time let him think about his experiences and all that he learned today. How weak and pathetic she looked, unable to walk, eat or even talk... He still questioned how she will lead them in this state. How will she give them orders if all she could do was babble incoherent words and giggle uncontrollably at the mistakes she made. She doesn't seem to understand the world, where she was, what she does, how the world works and where her place was. She was pure, innocent. Disgusting... If he thought about it, other than her dark inheritance she was nothing like a wraith, like the one half of her blood. But on the other hand she seemed to have a fiery personality, a stubborn nature, a clever mind and a daring look in her eyes. The heir to the throne also taught him a few things along the way on her own way. One of them included the realization that underestimating her and thinking she was harmless was one fatal mistake one can make. She managed to drain his power twice that day. That was something no man alive ever managed to do. This puzzled him. But maybe he was the one who handled the situation wrong and caused his own tiredness with his inexperience and his foolishness for not reading the list.

Even in his mind he knew there was more to this spawn than what met the eye. Well, time will tell what will become of her.

But no matter.

He had his important and dangerous task...

In his logical opinion the day has ended. One day less to endure this torture. They did say they will be gone for a few days.

So, a few more days and he can return to his normal daily routines.

Right?

I guess by now everyone who read the other one-shots already know the answer to the last question. Well, this kind of is the answer of all his similar questions if one thinks about it...

Well, I myself am drained. How about giving me ideas what I should write about?

Maybe I will find it interesting and it brings back my muse.

Anyway, thanks for reading.

avpke