After all these years I have picked up this story and decided to write it further. I will not overwrite the old chapters even if I'm not happy about them. I think the most problem with the old chapters is, that I stuck with the film too much. I couldn't get into it.
I tried to rewrite it but I realised I still can't write it much different.
The first three chapters will be untouched and maybe the new chapter won't be harmonising. I hope you will enjoy it anyway.
O O O O O
Chapter 4 – Encounters
O O O O O
The Uruk-hais ran without any rest. The sun was burning down on the great plains of Rohan but the beasts wasn't even bothering it.
A large one had their captive slung around his broad neck. He held the elf on the legs and arms on each side.
Legolas was the most time unconscious. The arrow was still embedded in his thigh. To his dismay an infection had started to spread its fire through his body. A fever was starting to burn.
He was glad that they left him alone and unharmed. Beside the fact that the Uruk-hai carrying him was digging his claws into the wound whenever it seemed possible.
The penetrating smell of sweat filled Legolas nose. So much the worse than that was his dry throat. On the second day without water it was agonising to breathe, let alone to swallow.
It was in the evening on the second day, when they stopped to set a camp for the first time since the capture. Legolas could feel the fear he was trying to scotch. He didn't know what they had planned with him. He already noticed that he wasn't a common prisoner of these foul creatures. Legolas knew the stories and to remember them made him shudder.
The Uruk-hai hauled him over his shoulder and dropped him not too gentle to the ground. The black arrow connected with the ground and scraped along the bone of his thigh. A weary scream was ripped from his throat and he curled himself up. His eyes closed tightly and the right hand pressed down just above the bloody leg wound to ease the pain. New blood covered his fingers with each beat of his heart.
The scream of the elf roused some of the Uruk-hais. Their leader sensed the upcoming interest. "Everyone back to his place. This captive is for the hands of Saruman and no one will touch him!" he made his point clear with his sword raised. The others growled but the fear won the battle over their curiosity.
The last rays of the warm sun disappeared. The horizon was coloured in all shades of red. Legolas tried to absorb the warmth the sun gave his heart and body. He turned his head to the fading light and closed his eyes.
He had to escape. A great responsibility to all living beings on middle earth weight on his shoulders. Legolas couldn't let Saruman get the ring. If he would fail, every single loss of the fellowship would have been in vain.
He lay there without moving. Cold sweat covered his brow. It was getting colder. The sun had no power left and the pale moon took her place, rising slowly over the horizon.
Elves normally aren't affected by the cold but Legolas was shivering. He knew it was because of the fever. It demanded all his strength to not chatter his teeth.
"Where is that bull-headed leader of yours?" An ugly voice shouted through the camp. The whole camp was up in an instant. The new arrived Orcs of Mordor were greeted with raised weapons and distrust. Ugluk took a few steps towards the slightly smaller Orc. "You, Grishnakh should watch your tongue. My Uruk-hais are hungry. Despite our wish to not eat foul flesh, it would be better to eat your filthy Orcs than nothing." The Uruk-hai bared his teeth.
Grishnakh snarled. "You think just because you follow the orders of the old wizard, you can tell me what I am allowed to do?" he took a few steps forward, his own weapon raised. "I follow the lead of the Great Eye and your treacherous wizard follows him. That would make me the leader of you and your muck-rakers."
The tension lay heavy in the air. Legolas new it was now or never. They were too engrossed in fighting each other verbally, that no one observed the elf.
Legolas stayed on his left side. His feet were bound in a loose way. It was easy for him to wipe the rope off. With his left leg and both arms he dragged himself forward.
The blond elf was too slow. He could see the tree line not far away from him and tried desperately to speed up. A groan of pain escaped his clenched teeth. He had to stop. Fearfully he looked back over his shoulders but no one had heard him.
His breath quickened and his heart beat faster. Dehydration let his body exhaust much faster. His vision swam. Legolas was frantically trying to get his vision clear. It was exactly at this moment, the Uruk-hais discovered, that he was not where they left him.
In the moon light Legolas was soon discovered. Rough claws dug into his right leg and pulled him backwards. "Now I have found your little elf, therefore I can keep it." A broad grin bared the rotten teeth of the Orc behind him.
Legolas tried to get away but it was too painful to tug on his right leg to get free. A quick glance around him told Legolas, that he had not much time left. The other Orcs and Uruk-hais came in their direction.
With all his strength left Legolas smashed his left foot in the Orcs face. The impact threw the creature on the ground. Black blood spilled out of its nose.
The adrenaline that shot through him lend him more strength. Legolas still couldn't be fast enough. As soon as their companion went down the other black creatures started to run.
They were fast upon the elf. Hands were holding Legolas down, with his back on the ground. His arms were stretched painfully over his head. His legs in a similar way unmovable. The blond elf was trapped.
Ugluk and Grishnakh stood on either side. The leader of the Orcs had a grin on his face. "What a beauty to destroy." He went down on one knee and took the elf's chin in his hands. Grishnakh had to laugh at the hidden fear in the captives eyes. Ugluk knew better of it. "You will get your filthy hands off or I will have to cut them off!" Grishnakh looked up into the piercing eyes of his opponent.
They stayed in this position. Neither of them showing the weakness to look away first. Ugluk made a growl to underline his words. Grishnakh knew that his Orcs couldn't stand a chance against the larger beasts. "You will make a deal with me. After your 'master' has found what he wants, I will get that elf and do with him what I want." Ugluk knew he couldn't decide over the life of this being, Saruman would but that fact was unknown to the Orc so Ugluk played along. "Al right. This proposal is settled then."
Grishnakh was satisfied and would see forward to it. He released the elf's chin and didn't notice the shudder running through Legolas at the thought of being in the hands of this Orc.
Ugluk saw the lost bindings at the elf's feet and growled. "Bind him up. This time he shouldn't escape again. If he does you will pay the prise for it." The nearest Uruk-hais went into action, not wanting to disappoint their leader.
Legolas woke with a start. Screams filled the night. Hoof trampling shook the ground beneath him. His mind couldn't stay any longer in the world of consciousness. He blacked out again.
O O O O O
When the rider of Rohan finally found him in the darkness, Legolas was barely conscious. The throbbing in his leg was increasing. It felt like it was burning. With the tight bindings it was even more painful.
The soft grass beneath him turned slightly red, stained by his blood. Legolas had to close his eyes underneath his blindfold. His mouth had long gone dry. He wondered how much more blood he could loose without collapsing. The heat that was burning inside of him didn't help the hydration at all.
The elf tried to find comfort on the cool earth and pressed his brow into the dirt. It helped little to ease the pounding headache.
Someone tried to rouse him but he wasn't able to focus on the words spoken to him. He tried to give them an answer but the only thing he could response was a hoarse groan of pain. The word elf, Legolas could clearly understand and he was relieved, that through the blindfold, covering his ears, someone recognised his kind.
Eomer followed the excited man and tried to get the other ones words. "One of the horses, Arod I think, found him. He lay near the other side of the camp. He is completely bound, gagged and blindfolded. I don't think that he is a spy. He is in bad shape. His leg is grievous wounded and it seems to be infected in a bad way."
Eomer followed until he saw someone laying on the ground. The moonlight reflected in blond hair lying spread around the head. The green tunic was dark red beneath the leg wound.
Eomer had to admit, this person must have caused trouble. His arms were stretched painfully on his back and not only bound by the wrists but up to the elbow with a thick rope. The legs were equally bound. Eomer flinched when he saw that these foul creatures had also bound the wound, where the arrow was still embedded.
The piece of cloths used as a gag was painfully tight and cutting into the corners of the mouth. The blindfold was concealing the ears of the being. Eomer went down and carefully lifted the blindfold to reveal a pointed ear tip. The blond elf instantly tried to get away. "It's an elf." The horse lord had expected it but still it surprised him.
If the wound wouldn't be tended to the elf would die. Eomer stood up again. Another groan left the mouth of the elf.
There was something else with this elf. Some kind of dark feeling Eomer couldn't grasp. It made him uneasy and led him to the question, why this elf was still alive. Orcs hated elves and slew them down as soon as they could in the most painful was possible.
Eomer had seen it only few times but more enough to know that this elf was captured for other purposes. These things he would discover later. "Tend his wounds and see to it, that he stay alive. You can unbind him but guard him. I don't want him to be unattended." Eomer threw one last glance at the crumbled form at the ground then he helped setting up a camp for the night.
When Eomer and his loyal men were forced to leave Edoras, they hadn't even enough time to fetch their tents. They now had to settle down around some fire places. It wasn't much but at least it helped keeping them warm.
Legolas was lifted up. He drifted in and out of consciousness. The next time he woke he could hear the cracking of wood in fire. He lay with his back flat against the ground. Warmth spread through his weary limbs and he felt the light on his face. It comforted him and the elf relaxed for the first time.
Voices filled the air around him. Legolas tried to open his eyes. To his surprise his bindings had all gone. They seemed to trust him at least a little. Painfully he tried to swallow.
The headache had nearly gone. He wondered if they had tended his wounds.
His eyes obeyed and the blond elf stared at the beauty of the shimmering moonlight. He was more and more aware of his surroundings. The soft and cool grass a contrast to his still burning body.
Legolas tried to turn his head to see the men he could hear. He regretted it after a mere inch. A pain shot up through his stiff neck and increased the headache. He closed his eyes again. The pain in his leg began to follow the pounding of his heart.
"Are you awake?" The voice not far away from his right ear startled him. He didn't hear someone approaching.
In answer Legolas opened his eyes, not trusting his voice. He could see a worried filled face of a young man with long middle brown hair. "We have to pull out the arrow to properly tend the wound. It is infected and your fever is increasing. Do you understand?" Legolas tried to answer but it was nothing more than a hoarse whisper. "Yes..." It pained him too much to speak. He was thirsty,
The young Rohirim searched until he found a water filled flask. He brought it near Legolas face and cupped the elf's head to guide him to the water. Legolas coveting gulped the water down. It tasted great. He nearly protested when it was taken away. "Thank you." Legolas could see the hesitation in the other man.
Then a smile captured his lips barely noticeable. Maybe the man had his orders to be careful with him; to never let his guard down.
Legolas sighed. He knew there was a long grown barrier between the elves and the men. They grew year by year further apart. The strong friendship between Aragorn and him was a rare one. Nearly impossible to some of both races. Legolas bewailed this development. He held nothing against the race of men.
"...Legolas..." he wanted to say a full sentence but decided against it. His throat was still burning and his mind was beginning to get unfocused again. The man understood. "I am Darthin, the healer..." He trailed of. He could see the heavy eyelids of the elf.
"The arrow must leave your body now." the man was visible uncomfortable because he knew that he had to cause the elf more pain to help him.
Legolas managed a short nod to reassure the man. He knew that it must be done. The Rohirim showed him a flat piece of wood. "If you want something to bite down on." Legolas sighed again. He knew the routine. It wasn't the first time someone had to pull an arrow out of his body. If he remembered it correctly, Aragorn did it last time but he couldn't concentrate on the memory.
He knew how much pain it caused. Anticipation quickened his heartbeat. The young man placed the wood between his teeth.
Legolas jerked when hands held his shoulders down. Through his dull senses he didn't hear another man approach. Held down and without his full senses Legolas felt vulnerable. He fought with the rising panic. The other man wasn't much older than the healer.
Legolas closed his eyes and bit down until his teeth sunk into the wood. Time seemed to slow down. He dug his fingers into the soft grass beneath him. A pearl of sweat trickled down his brow, seeping in his blond hair.
A short nod was shared between the two men.
A sudden pain shot through the elf's right leg. His body reared up against the hold of the man. His scream was muffled by the wood in his mouth but still loud enough to draw attention.
When the elf's body slackened with unconsciousness the healer sighed in relief.
O O O O O
I hope you enjoyed reading it...