IN BRANDY HALL
Disclaimer - These characters belong to Peter Jackson and J.R.R Tolkien. Not me. The non-canon characters are created by either EA or Snowblind Studios. Not me.
Legolas has just finished firing an arrow at the last surviving orc roaming the roads of the Old Forest. Gimli has just did his share of the killings and is now sitting on a corpse with his axe on its head while smoking his pipe. The duo and the rest of the Fellowship - minus Gandalf, who had other business to attend to, and Boromir, who is dead - had just got back from visiting Radagast the Brown, have camped in the woods for tonight and Legolas and Gimli, who gradually became friends during their first visit to Lothlorien, use their free time to hunt down any roaming orc while the others slept.
"I believe," Legolas announced as he walked around to retrieve his arrows from the corpses, "that I've killed more than you, ol' stout one. It's up to twenty."
"Now, I wouldn't speak so soon, lad," Gimli grinned, hiding a hint of triumph. "As of right now I'm sitting pretty on twenty-five."
Legolas raised his eyebrow. "Excuse me?"
"Come on. Did you really think just a few orcs would run around in the woods this dark?"
"I've never actually doubted it for a minute," Legolas replied. "My main concern, however, is how did you managed slay that many despite your obviously blindness and slow movements."
"Now look here, you pointy-eared prince!" Gimli got up with a yell. "We Dwarves don't need that much speed and skill to dispatch orcs or any other foul creatures! We can even break through the armor of the Easterlings!"
"Well, you Dwarves don't do any good job hitting their weak points!" Legolas shot back, but is quieter than Gimli for the most part. "That's why we Elves have arrows!"
"You Elves are quite cowardly compared to us Dwarves!"
"Cowardly! Well, I'll have you know, beardy, that we have far prettier bodies to show for it!" Legolas has just finished putting his arrows back in his quiver. "And before you even ask, no. We're not as prissy and proper as you might think!"
"But you Elves are weaker compared to us Dwarves in terms of sturdiest. You wouldn't even withstand a knife in the back!"
"Oh really!" Legolas wasn't able to contain his laughter any longer. Neither could Gimli.
Before both of them could continue their playful banter, they heard a strange sound.
"Huh! You won't hear one of those every night," Gimli remarked as he picked up his axe and held it ready.
Legolas drew out of on his arrows and places it on his bow. "It's unlike anything we've ever heard before. At least, not the ones we've ever faced." After that, he and his Dwarven companion took a silent stroll across the road, keeping their eyes and ears out for anymore foul beings.
Nothing yet.
They continue onward, determined to not let a single orc into their camp.
But then...
They find themselves immobilized. Unable to move.
"Gah! Can't... move..." Gimli grumbled as he struggled.
"What dark sorcery is this?" Legolas hissed as he realized this was the work of dark magic when he sees a group of dark sorcerers surrounding them.
One of them has more armor on than the others and approached the two. He wore an iron helmet with horns on it to conceal his face and also a wooly cape to cover his armor. In his left hand is a long black staff. Soon it became obvious at this was the leader of these sorcerors.
"My my," the lead sorceror marveled as he circled around the immobilized duo. "Look what we have here. An Elf and a Dwarf together? And here I thought that such an unlikely combination is impossible. How did this came to be, I wonder?" The leader let out a laugh when he realized something. That kind of laugh disturbed the two. His voice was of pure shadow. "Of course. I've heard a lot about this... Fellowship of the Ring. An elf and a dwarf were both in it, and here are these two companions standing before me. I suppose that makes the two of you likely canditates to fit their description. Tell me. Either of you wouldn't happen to know a man by the name of... Aragorn."
This caught Legolas and Gimli by surprise, which impressed the leader who saw the look on their faces.
"So you two are in that Fellowship," the leader let out anough laugh. "This must be my lucky night. Wonder where the rest of your companions might be. But most importantly Aragorn. He is the Heir to the throne of both Gondor and Arnor, is he not?"
"Who are you?" Legolas finally spoke up. "How did you know? What is the meaning of this!"
"I've... had my sources," the leader simply replied. "But to answer your first question, I am Wulfrun. I am in charge of the Cult of the Lidless Eye."
Worshippers of Sauron, Legolas pondered. What do they want with Aragorn?
"If we weren't so stuck, we'll tear you all apart right now!" Gimli growled at their captors.
"I won't be to worried about that as soon as I get your Ranger friend," Wulfrun let out a harse chuckle as he drew out a scroll. "See this scroll? That's what me and my fellow sorcerors just used to pin the both of you down, all by the writings of my Black Speech. Soon, we will use it to kill the future king you so want to see ascend to the throne. My master, Agandaûr, is looking foward to seeing him suffer. Seeing his halfling companions, as well as an elf and a dwarf, mutilated before his eyes."
"You bastard," Legolas muttered under his breath. "He will come for us."
Wulfrun leaned closer to his Elven prisoner to the point the latter turned away trying not to smell the former's foul breath. "I'm counting on it."