Loyalty Unyielding by Zlu and Luff

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Conspiracy Unmasked

A/N Greetings, dear readers! The following chapter is rather short and light-hearted but in the next chapters the story will already become serious and mostly stay that way. But for now, enjoy some Silmarils-obsessed Melkor paranoia! ;D

Chapter 3

Conspiracy Unmasked

* * *

"He hast a thing for thou, indeed," Gothmog shook his great horned head in amusement, for since few days most of the Maiar in Angband had heard the news that Morgoth had spies watching Sauron, and when sending them he had explicitly stated that he was not suspecting his lieutenant of treachery, just wanted to know his agenda better for planning purposes. Put that way the order sounded dubious and invited a particular interpretation, which Morgoth had not intended - as usual. Melkor's intention, when he gave out that strangely formulated order, was not to show weakness by hesitating to destroy a possible traitor.

The great craftsman and Morgoth's second in command rested his heavy head in his hand, "I fear that it is not what thou thinkest, Gothmog," Sauron sighed as he spoke to the Balrog King. He had almost given in to weakness on that day and yet it was not the weakness Morgoth thought it to be. The chief lieutenant did not however know what would leave his master more seething, to know the truth or to fear treachery that his own deceitful nature would make him suspect Sauron of. The Silmarils were breathtaking and admirable, of course, but seeing the price and the burden of their fate, the Maia had never, not even for a moment desired to have them for his own. Shaking his head to clear it of needless thoughts, Sauron reached for a chunk of elf meat and tossed it to Draugluin, that lay on the floor between them. Now that the evil of Angband no longer had to lie in waiting for its master, the army Sauron had raised was being put to good use, which included providing Draugluin with the best food available. The Eldar were plenty and even more were coming to Middle-earth, having sworn vengeance on Morgoth Bauglir.

"And what else could it be? Hath he thought thee erroneously a traitor, he'd slaughter thee, but he hath no reason to ever doubt thee, for thou hast served him loyally and diligently. I bear witness to thy devotion," Gothmog boomed. The measure of Sauron's loyalty was no secret to Melkor's minions.

"Roar quieter if thou mayst, Gothmog, for the matter is not one I would want the whole stronghold to hear. Our master thinks me longing for the splendid Silmarils in the crown of iron, yet I desire them not and never will." Sauron admitted in a low voice, watching as the wolf - already much more grown than few weeks back - sank his teeth in yet another slice of meat that Gothmog served to him this time.

"What hast thou done that he should think this, Sauron?" Gothmog boomed quieter this time, too curious to know the reason for Morgoth to doubt his most faithful servant so wrongly. The balrog leaned forward, and when Draugluin growled in hunger, the balrog king shoved a huge piece of elven meat straight into the beast's sharp-toothed mouth to silence the great wolf.

And Sauron leaned to him and whispered it into the balrog's ear and then he put a finger to his lips and told Gothmog to speak naught of what he had heard under the pain of excruciating torment.

Gothmog's jaw dropped open and so it stayed, he did not pay heed to wolf that gnawed on his palm. Finally the Balrog king snapped out of it and at once he boomed "Unfathomable!" But spoke no more.

Yet, this thunderous shout carried through the corridors to the ears of Morgoth's spies. And had he exclaimed just a little louder still, it would have likely reached Melkor himself.

* * *

"Darkest of Kings," said a swift-legged goblin from where he knelt before Morgoth, right after his head touched the floor as he humbled himself respectfully before the Black Enemy of the World, "The object of thy concern has been seen last in the presence of Gothmog, the Balrog lord, as they spoke in great secrecy of the Silmarils and of thou, my lord."

Morgoth could not withhold his most unpleasant surprise. His commanders were plotting against him. "Who else was with them?" he demanded in a thundering wrathful voice, that made the hall shake with his fury. But fury was not all that Morgoth felt, he felt also fear and bitterness, disenchantment and even sorrow, for he had use for both these skillful and previously most faithful servants, and there they were now begging to be properly punished for their plans of treachery that Morgoth hoped they would not act upon. He had not suspected Sauron in vain. It was most unfortunate.

The spy answered once more, and what he said had sown even more doubt inside Morgoth's troubled mind, "The Great Draugluin was with them too, gorging on meat of the elves passed from their hands, oh, Darkest Lord."

"Nay, not Draugluin!" Morgoth cried in despair. This was the blackest of days for the Black Foe of the World. His two greatest allies - he had ceased to count Ungoliant into the ranks of those, after she dared to trap him in her nets and almost stole his Silmarils - were plotting against him and dragged Draugluin into it too. But the wolf was young, despite its monstrous size and appetite and should they go through with their plans and have him on their side, the beast would have to be slain as well. Morgoth was downcast. Yet only anger he showed to his subjects. And his anger was not faked for the traitors were three and so were his jewels and now their vile plot was clear in his mind. And still he acted not on his fury and decided to wait, "Keep thy kind's eyes and ears on each of them, most of all Sauron. Of his every action, no matter how minor, I must hear."

* * *

Since that day on terribly inconsistent rumours arose all over the stronghold of Angband. What in the beginning was to be allegedly but a harmless invigilation for the sole purpose of better scheduling of operations - back then considered by many to be their lord's excuse for keeping an eye on the lieutenant's private life, or checking if he had one - now after the outburst of anger at the spy's report of the overheard conversation that concerned Melkor and the Silmarils, became yet another rumour. This time, given fuel were mentions of real treachery and yet neither the Balrogs, nor the orcs, goblins or other dark inhabitants of Angband were sure what kind of treachery it was and in what ways it could possibly involve the Silmarils. Was it that Sauron allied with Gothmog and the great pup Draugluin were planning to overthrow Melkor or was it that Melkor was simply jealous of their secret meetings? Those who knew anything of Sauron or the Balrog king shook their heads though, denying both versions. The meetings were not secret at all and both the lieutenant and the Lord of Balrogs were faithful to Melkor, the Dark Enemy, more than any orc could ever imagine being.

And so the wildest and strangest rumours spread over the fortress, but none of them kept strong, all of them doubtful and inconsistent and none of the dwellers of Angband knew what to really make of them. Yet despite of being so lacking in consistence - all of those rumours had one thing in common; they reached everybody's ears but Melkor's own.

* * *

In the weeks that had followed, Melkor had taken many a step to validate or invalidate his suspicions towards Sauron. Pursuing one of his thoughts of a way of testing his lieutenant's allegiance, he had ordered the making of a crown identical to his, but with the biggest diamonds of Arda instead of the Silmarils. A lot of orc blood was spilled, but the end result satisfied him not. He was not fooled by it and neither would Sauron be.

Uncertainty was the worst torment. It even made the Dark Lord of Angband forget his aching black hands, as he dwelt on a solution for his current problem. The swiftest and surest way would be to destroy Sauron and hope that Gothmog would be dissuaded from further plotting. Draugluin was still a young werewolf and would likely forget the Maia ever existed sooner than Morgoth himself would... And that was where the root of the problem lay. Morgoth did not want to be rid of the Maia. Sauron was an invaluable help - a passionate loyal unquestioning servant with no equals among even the other Maiar, that had crossed onto Morgoth's side.

And there also was that matter, which Morgoth did not want to admit even to himself. He was very fond of Sauron. Not only as of a tool of his Dark Will, but as of a companion. And for all the darkness, hatred and anger that was in Morgoth's existence, until now Sauron was but one fragment unmarred, at least in Morgoth's own eyes. And even though the most recent events cast a shadow on that image, Melkor did not wish to brand Sauron a traitor unless absolutely necessary.

So he had finally devised a test and summoned his servant to his chambers once more, stationing massive guard nearby, should Sauron prove to be a traitor and require capture, so that his death could be horrid, long and public.

* * *

When through one of the orcs he had received the summon to Melkor's halls, Sauron knew at once that nothing good was to come of it and it was with a heavy heart that he descended the many flights of stairs and headed, instead of his fiery smithy, into the even darker depths of Angband where his master dwelled. As he entered the very same hall as few weeks back, Sauron took in the surroundings, noting the order and lack of objects that would be crashed, flipped or broken. It was quite as if his master had forgotten about his previous rage and frustration. However with this new worry on his mind, the grand craftsman of Morgoth did not dwell on it for long. His lord was awaiting him and judging by a pair of Balrogs at each door he passed, Melkor's trust for him had really been undermined in the recent days. Undermined to the extent where Sauron was no longer sure if having lied to Melkor in order to hide the truth from him last time they had met in private, was a wise thing to do.

Morgoth awaited him, standing in the middle of the hall, black hands clasped behind his back, the pain utterly forgotten in this new mental torment. "Come hither, Sauron of the Maiar, and stand before me," Melkor commanded. As Sauron, ever obedient, greeted his master and followed his order, Morgoth's eyes stayed on him, cold and cruel and unfeeling. "Now behold the splendor of the Silmarils and do not look away. If thou shalt take thy eyes off them, thou shalt be named traitor and shalt suffer the fate of traitors of my realm," Melkor warned. And his voice allowed no disobedience

And so Sauron raised his head and gazed forth upon the Silmarils, relieved that it was them and not Melkor's own cruel and cold countenance that he was now to behold for the great craftsman of Aulë knew that gazing upon the Silmarils and the Silmarils only he could and he would keep in check the fire that blazed inside him.

As Sauron of the Maiar stood before him, taking in the sight of the Silmarils, Melkor beheld his form in every detail. His servant's eyes burnt dimly with their usual wit and energy, but none of the lust he had glimpsed in them before now surfaced. And so Morgoth looked for other signs of his servant's treacherous intent. But there were none, so far, therefore Morgoth, the Dark Foe of the World, stepped closer to the Maia, not taking his eyes off of Sauron and ensuring that Sauron's own eyes were fixed on the Silmarils in his iron crown. The light of the three stones was so bright, that if he passed the trial and was allowed to leave, on that day the three shapes would lingered long before his sight.

Step after step, Morgoth slowly approached his servant, until Sauron was forced to lift his chin and stare upwards into the high-set jewels. When Melkor stepped so close that there was merely an inch or two dividing them from each other, there was finally a flicker of flame in Sauron's eyes, right before the Maia squinted at last, blinded by the light, but did not look away.

The Dark Foe of the World remained silent for a while, watching Sauron from aclose and pondering on his dilemma. "Thou lustest for the Silmarils still, Sauron. It is clear to me now. But it is only natural and it would be a waste punishing thee for treason thou hast not committed. Look into my eyes now and open thy mind to me, so we can put this matter behind us," Melkor looked into Sauron's eyes and this time his gaze, though still stern, was softer.

Sauron's eyes widened ever so slightly when that request had been spoken for never before had Morgoth peered into his mind. Sauron's will as that of a powerful Maia was too strong for Melkor to enter his thoughts at his own discretion. And for a brief moment fear overcame the grand craftsman for in his mind dwelled thoughts he would not wish his master to find.

Yet such was the will of Morgoth and to cleanse himself from the suspicion of treason, Sauron nodded his head and looked into Melkor's eyes filled with darkness and fire and opened before him his mind, hoping his lord would swiftly find that which he was looking for and search for nothing else besides.

And fire gazed into fire for a moment, that felt like an eternity for the Maia, before Melkor's gaze shifted but did not leave his face. "That day was the first time thou hast witnessed the Silmarils in such great proximity. I understand why that would have unsettled thou, my faithful servant, for the jewels leave no living thing unmoved. Thy mind is clear of treason and my doubts too are cleared," Morgoth smiled to him and this was a genuine smile, the kind the Valar had not seen since the creation of Arda and likely believed impossible for the Dark Lord. "I value thy faithfulness, Sauron. The Silmarils are mine, but if there is something else thou wouldst want to possess, that thou now lackest, speak thy mind and thou shalt have it," Morgoth offered generously, proving he had not peered into Sauron's mind for things other than treasonous thoughts.

But Sauron simply shook his head and asked not for the things he'd wish to have. "I wish to serve thee, my black lord, and always be at thy side. I wish to be there as thy enemies fall to their knees and as the skies grow dark with smoke and ash and to still stand by thy side when days are hapless and out of luck." Those were the words that he spoke calm and slow as he beheld the smile that played on Melkor's lips, hoping that what he said would not be perceived as disrespectful by his lord.

"Then that thou shalt have," Morgoth said, smiling still and rested a hand on the Maia's shoulder. "I am glad to hear our wishes coincide. Now thou canst return to thy duties, if thou so wilst, or we could have a look at my most recent scheme," the lord of Angband smiled inviting Sauron with a gesture, that held the generously-offered option of refusal.

But Sauron knew well never to refuse his lord and feeling no need to further put his loyalty in question, he soon was once again by Melkor's side, gladly offering his advice.

Chapter End Notes

And now onto the already serious chapter!

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