Title: Out of the Safety of the Wood

Authors: No Tears, with a considerable amount of help from Dollrandir

Summary: Making their way back into Mirkwood, Legolas and Naruhitu are attacked, and
Legolas is taken captive while Naruhitu is left for death.

Rating: R

Warning: Violence/torture and some sexual content. Here be Legotorture! Can't get enough of it,
can ya? There will be nothing overly graphic in the latter category (sexual content), however,
since I (No Tears) have to heed the ratings of FF.Net. ::rolls eyes::

Disclaimer: We don't own anything made by Tolkien! Naruhitu, however, belongs to Dollrandir.
All the other icky bad guys are mine!
No Tears's Notes: This is my first posted fanfiction! I've got a lot of help from Dollrandir on this
one. She's really good at deciding various torment for characters, I've found. Which is a little
disturbing, now that I think about it. Reviews and constructive criticism will be very much
appreciated!

Dollrandir's Notes: Yes...I'm writing another story with another friend. This is gonna be a little
on the dark side. Well, compared to my other works it will be! Go ahead and read and hope you
enjoy!

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Part 1: Safety Denied

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The atmosphere was welcoming and the air warm as the sun made her way, glorious as ever,
across the mid-day sky. The blades of grass upon the plains sang loudly as breeze after breeze
rippled softly through them. A pair of birds chased each other through the air, chirruping happily
in the peace of the area. A mother doe grazed silently with her fawn, ears flicking as she kept on
the alert for any predators.

A very small forest started in the west, extending only a league across the land. From this forest
afox came, bright eyes gazing around as he moved forward. His eyes rested on the doe and fawn
tentatively before he took another step away from the forest, searching now for something to
hunt. He was rewarded almost immediately, catching sight of a small rabbit coming out of her
den.

This particular area was a favorite hunting ground for this fox, as rabbits were always good in
abundance. There always seemed to be just enough of the rodents as their numbers never
dwindled. Likewise, foxes were never scarce, though this day very few were up and about. Most
were lazing away in the sun's rays somewhere in the forest.

Ears pricked in interest and hunger, the fox stood completely still as he stared at his prey. As he
waited the rabbit hopped farther away from the safety of her hole, obviously confident enough
that she would be safe. The fox prepared to lunge, eyes fixed on the unsuspecting rodent.

Suddenly, the rabbit's head shot up, and with a quick glance towards the forest she darted back
into her hole. Surprised and flustered, the fox raised his own head, and his ears caught the sound
of footsteps and horses coming nearer at astonishing speed. Not wasting a moment, the canine
bolted off passed the doe and her offspring. The doe, too, looked up then, dark eyes searching
before she began to bound off while her fawn tried his best to keep up.

The clearing was eerily silent then, save for a distant rustling that was growing ever more loud as
whatever was creating the noise neared. The beat of horse hooves echoed through the air, and
distant shouting rang out. There was a swish, and then an unmistakable cry of pain, followed by
the sound of a body hitting the ground. A horse neighed in fright, and there was more shouting.
Then the sounds resumed as before, and for a moment everything in the clearing seemed to be
holding its breath, as if anticipating the arrival of the makers of these noises.

Two figures burst from the trees, their legs pumping as they bolted across the plain. They made
very little sound even as they sprinted through the clearing, making for the forest that extended on
the other side. One, a long, dark haired Elf turned and glanced back behind them, before urgently
turning to his companion.

"They've almost caught up, Legolas!" he cried, his voice hoarse but not breathless from the
intense exercise.

The other's eyes narrowed as he continued on. Each wore an empty quiver on their back, the only
reminder of the arrows that had once been inside being a small piece of feather here or there. The
only weapons they now possessed were a long knife and a sword. Gripping the hilt of his smaller
weapon more tightly, Legolas pressed on faster.

"Mayhap we should stop?" the uncertain voice of the raven haired Elf asked.

In reply to this Legolas only grit his teeth and moved even faster. Looking to the other in a flash
of doubt, the dark haired Elf sped up as well, his confidence in his companion's lead slowly
turning over to his realization of the precariousness of the situation.
"We must keep on moving." the golden haired Elf said, speaking at last to his friend. "Follow the
wind, Naruhitu, and do not falter!"

Nodding once, the other Elf kept his pace, and risked another glance back into the forest, which
was steadily moving more into the distance. Before his eyes, horses pounded out from the trees
just as he and Legolas had done moments before, the riders looking none too happy. Turning his
head back, Naruhitu dodged a rabbit hole and moved up to Legolas's side.

"Did you really think it necessary to punch that man?" he asked, voice tinged with exasperation.

"He insulted you, Naruhitu," Legolas said flatly. "And I could see his own intentions were none
too kind."

"Ah," Naruhitu said, glancing once more behind them and grimacing when he saw the horses were
gaining. He looked at Legolas. "I'm sure your astonishing communication skills made them see
the err of their ways. Do you think they are any better now?"

Despite himself, Legolas's lips curved a little in a small smile. "No."

"Really?" Naruhitu raised his eyebrow as his voice tinged with even more sarcasm. "That's too
bad. I had hope we would be having tea with them. Or perhaps inviting them to join us on our
journey back to your father's kingdom to treat them to some of his rich wine."

"Naruhitu, come off it, will you? I am in no mood to be in the mood for jests."

"No mood to be in the mood?" The dark haired Elf shook his head in amusement despite the
situation. "I believe that is a new one."

Rolling his eyes at the remark, Legolas sped up until he reached his limit. Naruhitu began to lag
behind because of the immense speed; the dark haired Elf was not as fast as the prince. Sensing
this, Legolas slowed just enough for Naruhitu to catch up, though the golden haired Elf's dread
was growing with every closer hoof beat.

"I told you we should not have gone that way." Naruhitu sighed.

"And I am supposed to be certain of the whereabouts of every mortal on Arda?" Legolas
demanded.

"No, but you could have at least given my direction some thought. That way we could have been
heading the opposite way in fact, the way we are heading now."

The forest began again before them, and the two Elves felt relief soar through them as they got
closer and closer to the trees ahead. Legolas's eyes widened as a neighing reached his ears, and
eight horses with riders exploded from the trees that they were moving towards. The
princesharply turned, only to find his path blocked by more riders. Naruhitu did the same with the
other
direction, gaining only similar results. They were surrounded.

"You were saying?" Legolas asked as he backed up into Naruhitu.

"And I am supposed to be certain of the whereabouts of every mortal on Arda?"

The two Elves desperately searched for a way out of the problem they now found themselves in,
but could not formulate any immediate plan to escape it. Several of the men took out bows, which
were strung with arrows and them aimed directly at the two Elves.

"You've got nowhere to run, Elflings." one of the men said.

Naruhitu gazed about him before whispering in the prince's ear. "He's right, Legolas."

"Silence yourself, Naruhitu!" the prince ordered, giving a sharp glance at the other before turning
back to continue his assessment of the situation. Unfortunately, he was coming to much the same
results as the others were.

"Just drop your weapons, and less harm will befall you."

"Less harm?" Naruhitu asked, his eyebrows raising. "Oh, surely we'll be hearkening to your
wishes now."

"Naruhitu if you do not shut your mouth I shall do it for you!" Legolas said through clenched
teeth.

Looking over his shoulder at Legolas, the dark haired Elf murmured his apology and turned his
attention back to the men surrounding them on his side. Keen eyes scanned the horses and their
riders, looking for a weak spot that might be exploited so they could make their escape. It was no
use, Naruhitu soon found, for the men were all well dressed with armor that was obviously not
part of their usual garb.

He guessed that they must have been a part of the tribes of men that were scattered throughout
Middle-Earth. While not really violent in nature, these tribes were constantly staging battles at
each other for power and money. Usually other races were not bothered because of this, but he
and Legolas had been unfortunate enough to stumble upon this particular traveling band. What
then ensued happened a little too fast for the dark haired Elf to recall properly. He did know that
one of the men had bumped into Legolas somehow, though how exactly was beyond Naruhitu as
the two had made sure they were steering clear of the men. Legolas had favored the man with a
glare, and in turn the man grew angry and began shouting at Legolas. Not wishing for the man to
invoke the wrath of his friend, Naruhitu had tried to calm the human, who had then turned on him
and yelled at him as well. The man was completely overreacting, but so did Legolas. With a
particularly annoyed, indignant, and hateful look on his face, the Elven prince had punched the
man in the face after he had said something extremely obscene towards Naruhitu. That was whena
chain reaction occurred. One of the other men of the band had seen Legolas punch the man, and
he called out to his companions. The two Elves had tried to explain that the man had threatened
them first, but their explanations were ignored and the men eventually ended up giving chase to
them.

Which is how we end up here. Naruhitu thought with a mental sigh. Valar, Legolas, you are
going to get me killed!

Naruhitu felt a light touch at his right thigh then, and after a second realized that Legolas was
indicated he wanted to try to escape by using the men on the right. Looking out of the corner of
his eye so as to not give the men any real indication as to what their actions were to be, Naruhitu
saw that one of the men was seated upon a rather nervous horse that could be used in their
advantage.

"At least you are not just a good for nothing prince." Naruhitu whispered so that his words would
not be carried to the mortals' ears.

"Let's just find what you are good for, then." Legolas replied, equally quiet. He could see that the
men were watching his lips move, but from the smiles that appeared on their faces he concluded
that they thought he was doing it in prayer and not in communication.

"Lay down your weapons." Legolas supposed that it was the leader who was now speaking so
coldly towards them. "The order will not be repeated again."

"Then you are doing yourself a favor in saving your breath." Legolas said boldly. "We will not
surrender."

Raucous laughter was the answer to his words, and he clenched his jaw in annoyance. Several of
the men, however, seemed a little perturbed by his confidence, and at this he inwardly smirked.

"Do not think that we are unaware of how your kind acts, Elf." the man sneered. "I know that
you wear the garb of those of the Woodland kin. Do not think that I am a man so foolish as the
others of my own kin."

Legolas furrowed his brow slightly as he gazed at the man addressing him, and a small chill of
uncertainty ran down his spine. He was suddenly not so sure of himself, and realized that there
was something happening that he could not yet perceive. His senses suddenly screamed, and his
eyes shot to the right, opposite of the direction he and Naruhitu had been planning to make their
move. His eyes were quick enough to just catch a glimpse of a heavy rope woven net that
descended upon he and Naruhitu. He heard the dark haired Elf's cry of alarm, and then the two of
them were hacking as well as they could through the intricately woven net. Their efforts were
foiled when several more nets were thrown upon them, the weight almost bearing both to their
knees.

Legolas felt his heart begin to beat a little faster. He had not been expecting this. Through the
nethe could see the men dismounting and making their way over, and several drew blunt looking
clubs. His eyes widening, Legolas tried to move more swiftly to cut through the net, but it was all
in vain.

He saw the first club descend, and then everything mingled with black until he knew no more.
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