Note: All unknowns are my characters! This fic deals with attempted rape, the aftermaths of years of it, and suicide attempts, so it is Rated R! This is the prequel to `Shadows of Memories' (SOM)! Takes place ten years ago, when Éomer first rescued Legolas! The poem is for Legolas; I'm on a trend with starting each of these stories with a poem for Legolas in the prologue...
Prologue
**************************************************
Is there no-one out there who can help me now?
Is there no hope left to be found in this world?
Faded memories, broken dreams...
What does it all mean?
And who cares in the end, no matter how you suffer?
Not wanting to hear your cries and screams
Not wanting to know the awful truth.
For who could believe in such things
Who could accept living in this Hell?
Somebody, please...
Help me before it's too late...
Before I'm fully broken
To the point of no return
****************************************************
Éomer, King of Rohan, dismounted from his horse when he arrived at his destination. He'd been told that this was the best place to hire a servant.
The king's troops dismounted as well, as Éomer knocked on the door.
"Who is it?" a cold-sounding voice asked from within.
"Tis King Éomer of Rohan. I have come to hire one of your servants," Éomer said, being used to having to give his full title.
The door opened slightly, and a chubby man with a round middle peered out and inspected the man who stood before him. He assessed the worth of the clothes and sword that Éomer carried, and the soldiers who stood loyally beside their king.
"You may enter, your majesty, but I fear that the presence of all those soldiers would frighten my servants," the man said sweetly.
Éomer had been expecting that. "They shall not accompany me, but will remain nearby in case of trouble," the king said, asserting his authority.
The man nodded again, and beckoned for the young-looking King of Rohan to follow him inside.
"What kind of servant are you looking for?" the man questioned.
"A fast and nimble servant, as well as fleet and agile." Éomer looked at the man next to him. "Do you have such a servant?"
The evil man was thinking quickly. The elf he owned was the fastest servant, and he was currently recovering from a suicide attempt. But he hated to miss a bargain.
"I think so, but he is wounded somewhat. He needs a little time to recover," the man said carefully.
"I wish to see him for myself, to make certain that he is adequate." The words were spoken quietly, but with an undertone that hinted that it would not bode well if an argument ensued.
The man hesitated again. Lector then remembered that the elf was chained and could do no harm, so he nodded and led the king to the elf's room.
He opened the door and stiffened slightly.
Éomer's eyes narrowed.
A smaller, blond figure lay under a larger and heavier man. Slender wrists were bandaged and chained above the blond head. The bulky man was straddling the listless prisoner, who didn't move at all, even though he was being raped.
Then Éomer got the shock of his life when he saw the eyes and ears of the victim. Emerald-green eyes, and pointed ears. A tiny silver tear streaked down the elf's face.
"Legolas?" Éomer whispered hoarsely, before he raced over and pulled the larger man off of the elf beneath him. He touched the elf's face, knowing it instantly.
Legolas had shut himself off from the world, so he could no longer feel pain or pleasure. But he felt a gentle hand touching his face, and saying his name. Somebody knew him, the elf thought incredulously. For the first time in years, someone knew who he was.
Éomer was stricken when Legolas just lay there, motionless. The king of Rohan turned a furious glare on Lector.
"Release him at once!" Éomer snapped. "This elf is one of my friends. What is he doing in a place like this?"
"Hey, he was sold, same as the others. I won't release him. I paid good gold for him, even if he tried to kill himself. He's been here for nearly fifteen years," Lector said nervously.
"I will not hesitate to call my soldiers in here if you do not release my friend at once!" Éomer said in a dangerous tone of voice.
"Fine!" the man snapped, after thinking it over for a few moments. He took off his key chain and shuffled over to the bed. He unchained the elf, who still did not move. "Take him, and see how long it is until he tries to kill himself again, oh mighty king."
Éomer inspected the practically nude elf on the bed.
Very few physical wounds were on his front, save for a slice across one of his eyes and his bandaged wrists. But Legolas was so thin and pale, it was a miracle that he was alive. The only clothes he wore were threadbare leggings. It was Legolas's eyes which haunted Éomer. They were not... normal. A glazed-over look was in them.
The king of Rohan gently picked Legolas up and turned him over. A hiss of anger came out of Éomer's mouth when he got a good look at the scars across the elf's back. The king glared at Lector.
"You will be punished for this, for all know that I was searching for a lost Elven friend," Éomer said coldly. Even though Elessar had given up on Legolas, the king of Rohan thought bitterly.
After he turned Legolas back over once more, Éomer removed his fine, silky cloak and wrapped it around the ice-cold elf. Éomer then lifted the weightless Legolas in his arms, and carried him away.
Lector followed them to the door, and watched as the king left with his most valuable slave. "Like I said earlier: Good luck keeping him alive," Lector taunted angrily.
Éomer said nothing, though a few of his soldiers brought his horse over. He mounted, and still held Legolas securely in his arms as he looked down at his gathered battalion. "We return to the castle immediately," the king instructed.
The soldiers nodded and mounted as well. They knew better than to question their king.
The group then rode back to their home, galloping hard.
Éomer glanced down at Legolas, whose eyes were still clouded over. The elf needed a bath and a proper diet first. And he would have to tell Elessar that the impossible had happened. Legolas had been found.
But the king of Rohan was incredulous at finding an Elven prince in such a predicament.
How could something like this have happened to Legolas, Éomer wondered. And will he ever recover his gentle spirit again?
To be continued
Prologue
**************************************************
Is there no-one out there who can help me now?
Is there no hope left to be found in this world?
Faded memories, broken dreams...
What does it all mean?
And who cares in the end, no matter how you suffer?
Not wanting to hear your cries and screams
Not wanting to know the awful truth.
For who could believe in such things
Who could accept living in this Hell?
Somebody, please...
Help me before it's too late...
Before I'm fully broken
To the point of no return
****************************************************
Éomer, King of Rohan, dismounted from his horse when he arrived at his destination. He'd been told that this was the best place to hire a servant.
The king's troops dismounted as well, as Éomer knocked on the door.
"Who is it?" a cold-sounding voice asked from within.
"Tis King Éomer of Rohan. I have come to hire one of your servants," Éomer said, being used to having to give his full title.
The door opened slightly, and a chubby man with a round middle peered out and inspected the man who stood before him. He assessed the worth of the clothes and sword that Éomer carried, and the soldiers who stood loyally beside their king.
"You may enter, your majesty, but I fear that the presence of all those soldiers would frighten my servants," the man said sweetly.
Éomer had been expecting that. "They shall not accompany me, but will remain nearby in case of trouble," the king said, asserting his authority.
The man nodded again, and beckoned for the young-looking King of Rohan to follow him inside.
"What kind of servant are you looking for?" the man questioned.
"A fast and nimble servant, as well as fleet and agile." Éomer looked at the man next to him. "Do you have such a servant?"
The evil man was thinking quickly. The elf he owned was the fastest servant, and he was currently recovering from a suicide attempt. But he hated to miss a bargain.
"I think so, but he is wounded somewhat. He needs a little time to recover," the man said carefully.
"I wish to see him for myself, to make certain that he is adequate." The words were spoken quietly, but with an undertone that hinted that it would not bode well if an argument ensued.
The man hesitated again. Lector then remembered that the elf was chained and could do no harm, so he nodded and led the king to the elf's room.
He opened the door and stiffened slightly.
Éomer's eyes narrowed.
A smaller, blond figure lay under a larger and heavier man. Slender wrists were bandaged and chained above the blond head. The bulky man was straddling the listless prisoner, who didn't move at all, even though he was being raped.
Then Éomer got the shock of his life when he saw the eyes and ears of the victim. Emerald-green eyes, and pointed ears. A tiny silver tear streaked down the elf's face.
"Legolas?" Éomer whispered hoarsely, before he raced over and pulled the larger man off of the elf beneath him. He touched the elf's face, knowing it instantly.
Legolas had shut himself off from the world, so he could no longer feel pain or pleasure. But he felt a gentle hand touching his face, and saying his name. Somebody knew him, the elf thought incredulously. For the first time in years, someone knew who he was.
Éomer was stricken when Legolas just lay there, motionless. The king of Rohan turned a furious glare on Lector.
"Release him at once!" Éomer snapped. "This elf is one of my friends. What is he doing in a place like this?"
"Hey, he was sold, same as the others. I won't release him. I paid good gold for him, even if he tried to kill himself. He's been here for nearly fifteen years," Lector said nervously.
"I will not hesitate to call my soldiers in here if you do not release my friend at once!" Éomer said in a dangerous tone of voice.
"Fine!" the man snapped, after thinking it over for a few moments. He took off his key chain and shuffled over to the bed. He unchained the elf, who still did not move. "Take him, and see how long it is until he tries to kill himself again, oh mighty king."
Éomer inspected the practically nude elf on the bed.
Very few physical wounds were on his front, save for a slice across one of his eyes and his bandaged wrists. But Legolas was so thin and pale, it was a miracle that he was alive. The only clothes he wore were threadbare leggings. It was Legolas's eyes which haunted Éomer. They were not... normal. A glazed-over look was in them.
The king of Rohan gently picked Legolas up and turned him over. A hiss of anger came out of Éomer's mouth when he got a good look at the scars across the elf's back. The king glared at Lector.
"You will be punished for this, for all know that I was searching for a lost Elven friend," Éomer said coldly. Even though Elessar had given up on Legolas, the king of Rohan thought bitterly.
After he turned Legolas back over once more, Éomer removed his fine, silky cloak and wrapped it around the ice-cold elf. Éomer then lifted the weightless Legolas in his arms, and carried him away.
Lector followed them to the door, and watched as the king left with his most valuable slave. "Like I said earlier: Good luck keeping him alive," Lector taunted angrily.
Éomer said nothing, though a few of his soldiers brought his horse over. He mounted, and still held Legolas securely in his arms as he looked down at his gathered battalion. "We return to the castle immediately," the king instructed.
The soldiers nodded and mounted as well. They knew better than to question their king.
The group then rode back to their home, galloping hard.
Éomer glanced down at Legolas, whose eyes were still clouded over. The elf needed a bath and a proper diet first. And he would have to tell Elessar that the impossible had happened. Legolas had been found.
But the king of Rohan was incredulous at finding an Elven prince in such a predicament.
How could something like this have happened to Legolas, Éomer wondered. And will he ever recover his gentle spirit again?
To be continued