Hello my avid readers. I've been going over this story and decided that it was in need of revision, so I decided to do just that. Most of the story will be the same, but there will be some changes.
As always, I own nothing but my OCs.
Chapter 1: Welcome to Middle Earth
Chris woke up with a raging headache that practically radiated across his body. With slow and careful movements he moved to sit up, right hand tenderly touching the side of his head looking for any wounds. There were none and it doesn't feel like a hangover.
Opening his eyes and ignoring the bright painful light, he looked at his surroundings and tried to contain the panic that was rising in him. Panicking will do him no good.
Last he recalled he was in a desert. What the hell was he doing in the middle of a fucking forest? More than that; what the hell was he doing in a fucking forest by himself?
"Danny!? Danny!? You out there!? God dammit… DANIEL!?" He shouted, and okay he tried not to panic, but he can let this slide since this is his brother, his twin brother. He can get away with panicking. It was a few moments before Chris released his breath and his brother called back.
"Chris, where are you?" Danny yelled and Chris followed the voice and reached him. When he reached Danny, the panic within him subsided slightly.
Looking around, Danny asked where they were. "No idea, you?" Chris replied. Danny shook his head. "I've been in most jungles and forest in the world and studied the plant life. Everything here seems… wrong." Chris nodded. He had the same feelings too.
"I do remember being in the desert and…"
"Gunfire." Chris finished for him.
"Yeah and an RPG headed our way. We should be…"
"But we're not." He knows they're not he's still wearing his marine uniform and even though they lost the helmets they're still wearing the bandanas.
"How do you know? For all you know this is…"
"But it isn't and I know because I have a killer fucking headache. You?" Chris asked.
"No, but I feel a bit dizzy and sore, but no headaches. So where are we?"
"How the fuck should I know? I just know we're not dead." Chris shouted and dammit now he has to contend with hysteria. Fucking fantastic. He can deal with this he just needs to plot and think.
"I'm going to look back where I was and see if I missed anything. You okay being by yourself for a few minutes Danielle?" Chris tried to use humor to lighten the situation. It does help.
"I'll be fine Kristen." He smirked.
"Fucking asshole."
"Punk bitch." Danny called out as Chris moved to his point of origin. Chris went back and looked around, but found nothing but his handcuffs, which he picked minutes after they were placed on him. Still it didn't hurt to have them.
Crouching to get them, every warning and alarms was blaring inside his head telling him one single truth.
You are not alone.
They are armed and they're weapons are pointed at you.
Run.
Instinct told him to run and run fast. Training and experience told him that running will make them shoot him faster. He couldn't run, but he could still play dumbass and try to get the element of surprise.
Chris started walking while looking around all angles acting like a lost nitwit, which he begrudgingly admits that he kind of is but won't admit it aloud. There's nothing around him, nothing that he notices, but then the idea suddenly struck him and thank god for training because then it would have been written all over his face.
Those fuckers are on top of the trees.
Once he was back to Danny who was acting natural, but he can tell that Danny is tense and is fighting the fight or flight response. He is unsure which way to go and is waiting for Chris to decide.
"Found my handcuffs." Chris started easily. Danny's smile had a little too much teeth, but he was sure that their watchers don't notice it. "Yeah I got mine too, anything else?"
"No, that was about it." Chris replied. Danny nodded before he went on, "So are we gonna talk about the elephant in the room?"
"Not sure, since we'll have to deal with said elephant and I'm not sure how to go about it."
"Podemos matarlos (we can kill them)." Danny said changing to Spanish. Good idea, odds are they don't know our native tongue.
"Es demasiado para nosotros (too many for us)." Chris countered.
"Podemos correr (we can run)."
"Ellos nos atrapan (they'll catch us)."
"Hablar con ellos (talk with them)." That made Chris pause. It was an idea, but…
"Podría ir en cualquier dirección (it could go either way)."
"Hablar entonces (talk then)." Danny said and isn't he the pacifist, but then again right now that does seem like the most viable choice. Chris assumes that they won't attack them since they've had plenty of chances to attack but didn't.
"So how do we…" Danny asked and Chris rolled his eyes. And looked up, but didn't really focus on anything in particular.
"Alright, we know you're out there so on the trees. Can you please get down here so we can talk? We promise not to attack… unless you attack first." Chris mumbled the last part, but Danny still heard. He snatched Chris' bandana from his head and was about to smack him with it before he noticed something odd.
"Chris what happened to your ears?" Danny asked slowly, while his eyes were getting wider with shock and fear. Chris, starting to feel self-conscious, grabbed them before he noticed something odd. Expecting curves that comes with oval shaped ears, he felt pointed tips instead.
What.
The.
Fuck.
"They're pointed aren't they?" Chris asked a twinge of panic laced in the tone. Danny ignored the question and removed his scarf and touching his ears. He didn't bother masking his panic.
"Chris what happened to us? Where are we and why are we here? What's going on?" Danny was getting more and more panicked with every question. Chris can't allow that. This is getting too weird and confusing that the last thing any of them needs is panic added to the mix. The calmer 5'1'' twin grabbed the 5'11'' one and brought him down to his level to they could meet eye to eye.
"Relax, Daniel," Chris said using a tone that booked no argument or disobeying unless one wanted the next three days under extreme torture, "I don't know where we are or what's going one, but we'll find out. However, until then, we do not panic and we will stay calm, because right now we cannot afford to lose our shit. We need all our wits here. Do you understand me?"
Danny nodded dumbly.
"Not good enough, soldier. I need verbal confirmation. Are you calm?"
Danny nodded more enthusiastically. "Yeah. I'm good. I'm good. I'm calm." Chris kept eye contact on Danny the whole time. He wasn't entirely calm (he didn't expect it), but he had a tighter control over it (that was what he did expect).
Too focused on worried over his brother, Chris didn't notice another presence until he made a loud cough signaling that he was here. Chris was silently berating himself for letting his guard drop so blatantly, Charles is practically rolling in his grave, he trained them to be better operatives than that.
The new guest is 6'2'' and hot. What? Chris is bisexual and has no issues with his sexuality and god dammit enemy or not, he's still going to look. One cannot look that attractive and expect him not to look. Hell he's pretty sure Danny was checking him out and he's straight as an arrow.
Then Chris noticed the clothing and the bow on his back and the sword on his belt behind him. He also noticed the long, straight hair and the ears, especially the ears. Hot blond went from delicious and fuckable to enemy number one in less than a second. Hot blond (he really needs to think of a different name since he's now the 'enemy') doesn't notice anything since Chris has long since schooled his features to reveal nothing.
"Who are you?" Chris decides simple is the best approach.
"My name is Legolas…" he starts off but never finishes.
"Bullshit." Danny says right off the bat. "Who are you really?" Blondie just blinks at the accusation, before getting offended.
"I assure you I am who I say I am." Blondie (Legolas) says. Danny smirks.
"So you're the 'Prince of Mirkwood'" Danny says using air quotes. Chris feels like he's missing something very important.
"Uh, who is he and how do you know who he is?" Chris asked Danny now.
"Seriously!?" Well, shit, he's freaking out again. Danny closes his eyes and takes a deep breath. Okay maybe not.
"I don't know who he is, but I know who Legolas is. He's a fictional character from Lord of the Rings, remember!? You went with me to see the films. All three of them." Chris blinks at the answer. He went with Danny to see the films, but Danny was the fanboy, Chris was not. He went and then fell asleep ten minutes into the film. In his defense… screw it he has none. Medieval fantasy films aren't his thing. He's into action, comedy and Marvel, with the occasional horror film thrown in the mix.
"So he can't be Legolas, it's insane and generally not possible." Danny finished.
So much for starting with the easy question first. Then Legolas had to make it worse.
"Are you elves as well?" He asked innocently.
"I know you're not an elf so stop lying! Do I look like a fucking elf!? No, because I'm not and you're not either! So stop lying and tell us what you did to us!?" Danny shouted moving to stalk up to the blond guy and beat him mercilessly. Chris stopped him from making two steps, by kicking the back of his knees and locking his arms behind his back.
"What the fuck did I say about calm? Get your shit together and calm the fuck down or I knock you to sleep. You have sixty seconds!" Danny was struggling up until he heard the threat of unconsciousness, then he moved on to controlling his breathing.
"Okay. Where are we?" Chris turned back to Legolas. He still had a tight grip on Danny's shoulder when he let him stand up.
"You are in Middle Earth. We are currently making our way to Rivendell." Chris still heard a soft 'bullshit' from Danny, but otherwise said nothing else.
"How did you find us?" Chris moved on. He didn't believe anything, but he knows that this guy isn't lying to him either, its making everything very confusing.
"We heard a loud explosion not far from the road. We followed it and found you." He explained.
"And why are the other three elves hiding in the trees?"
"We did not know how many of you there are or if you were friendly or not. It seemed safer; times are dark here, it is difficult to determine friend from foe." He didn't explain further and Chris could understand. He'd do the same thing.
"Why do you think we're elves?" Legolas stared in the 'isn't it obvious?' expression.
"You're light. It shines bright and humans do not glow as we do."
"I thought you were gonna say the ears are a dead giveaway." Chris tried for humor. He really needs the comedic relief.
"Well, yes. That as well." Legolas smiled.
"Would you two stop flirting, already." Danny groaned, rubbing his face. "Please tell me you don't believe him."
"I don't believe him," he replied automatically, "but he's not lying either."
"What!?" Danny screamed again and Chris' grip tightened in warning.
"Stop letting you emotions cloud your judgment. You'd know he's not lying either." Chris said evenly.
"But…"
"He's not lying, but I don't believe him either. Be glad." He should be glad. Chris can spot a liar, but just because he knows the truth doesn't mean he'll accept it unconditionally. He has a lot of conditions.
"Is this a dream?" Danny asked hopelessly looking at the ground, trying to make sense of everything.
"I'm still hoping to wake up in a bathroom stall in Ethiopia from a really bad acid trip with you in the next stall." Chris deadpanned and got the reaction he wanted. Danny was laughing and trembling and his eyes were shining with unshed tears. He's freaking out, but he's letting it go with that laugh. Chris grasps his arm and Danny does the same. He's letting it go, but he needs someone to stabilize him.
"What do we know?" Chris asks gently.
"Fact 1: We were in Afghanistan, near the border to Pakistan.
"Fact 2: We were betrayed and arrested for treason. But we're pretty sure we would have been killed long before trial.
"Fact 3: Our convoy was attacked by insurgents and an RPG was heading towards us then we blacked out.
"Fact 4: We wake up in a forest, in an unknown land.
"Fact 5: Our bodies have gone through some type of body modification because apparently we're glowing and our ears are pointy.
"Fact 6: There is an unknown blond cosplaying as Legolas, complete with bow, arrows and sword.
"Fact 7: He's not alone and telling us that yes, he is in fact the Legolas.
"Fact 8: He's also telling us that yes we are in Middle Earth and we're elves.
"Fact 9: He's telling the truth.
"Fact 10: We don't believe a word he says."
By the end of his list, Danny was cool as a cucumber. That was good. Then Legolas had to ruin it. Again. What a dick!
"What were you arrested for?" Chris looks to Legolas and sees that he has an arrow poised and pointed at him. Chris glared venomously.
"It's none of your business." Chris glared.
"I order you to tell me!" Legolas glared, then he added, "by order of the Prince of Mirkwood, I-"
Chris marched up to him, ignoring Danny's protest, only ordering him to stand down. He kept going even when he felt an arrow land beside her foot. He didn't stop or hesitate. Once he was right in front of the arrow pointed directly at her forehead, he spoke low and deadly.
"You are nothing to me. You are not my prince or my boss or my commanding officer. So in that regard you cannot tell me to do jack shit. You think pointing an arrow at me and threatening my life will make me spill my secrets? I have been interrogated and tortured by men infinitely worse than you. So go ahead, shoot me and I will guarantee you, you'll be dead before you release the arrow. I may not live after this fight, but me and Danny will take as many of you fuckers with us. And that is no idle threat; it is a statement of fact. Do we understand each other, Princess?"
Legolas stared in disbelief, outrage and a begrudging glimmer of respect. He hasn't had that many people saying no to him, has he? He relaxes the bow and puts it away. He says something in a language Chris doesn't understand and raises his hand, catching rope. The other elves are jumping down from the trees.
Legolas reaches for Chris' hands. He ebbs away from Legolas. The prince of Mirkwood shoots him an annoyed glare.
"Do not resist or they will shoot you." Legolas warned.
"And who the hell says we want to go with you, asshole?" Danny said getting ready to fight, but Chris sent him a look that said to go along with it.
"Vamos con ellos (We're going with them)."
"Por qué (Why)?"
"Para obtener algunas respuestas (To get answers)."
"No me gusta esto, Chris (I don't like this)."
"Lo sé, pero no tengo otra opción (I know, but we've got no other choice)."
"Chris?" Danny asks hesitantly.
"Si?" Chris doesn't like that tone. It means that he's about to talk about something that Chris won't like.
"Usted sabe que usted puede hacer cosas que otros no pueden. ¿Cree usted que (you know that you can do things that no one else can't. Do you think) ..." He didn't finish. To be honest, the thought has crossed his head since he saw the self-proclaimed elf. It can be possible, but…
"Yo no sé cómo (I don't know how)." Chris said. He looked at his brother in the eyes saying that they will talk about it, but later, now is not the time. Danny nods his acceptance.
They're both tied and shoved towards the forest. They're pat down for any weapons. They find none except for the handcuffs and an IPod that Danny has, it's out of battery. The elves question what it is, but they say nothing.
"You're smart boys, figure it the fuck out." Chris sneers. One of the elves comes up to him.
"You seem too… delicate to be a warrior, and your partner there far too fragile. What tortures did you're 'worse men' subject you to? I wonder, if I can make you speak." The elf was trying to be intimidating, but was coming out as annoying in his eyes.
Chris slammed his head in the elf's nose and kneed him in the abdomen. The elf fell to the ground. The other elves came to his aid.
"It was something like that," Chris smirked. Another elf came up to him ready to strike him, but Legolas stopped him.
"That is enough. We take them to Rivendell; we'll see what Lord Elrond can make of them." Legolas said, glaring at Chris, which Chris only replied with his best 'eat shit and die' grin. Legolas looked ready to hit him himself, but didn't. The group with Chris and Danny in tow started moving.
Minutes later they hit the road and two more elves standing by horses. Two elves shared a horse so that Chris and Danny had one to ride. It wasn't so bad. If this really was Middle Earth, which he doesn't believe he's in, he believes that the first meeting and impressions could have gone worse.
After all, treason wasn't the worst thing they've done.
A/N: Revised May 12, 2013