"Unlikely Roommates."

Chapter 4

"Escape."

"There is no way, this is going to work."

"And why not?"

"Because it's stupid. And brainless, and idiotic and dumb…and…oh I don't know, so obvious that an elfling could see through that, so called, brilliant plan of yours!"

"I see nothing wrong with my plan."

"Really? Then tell me, oh Great Master of Escape Plans, would Lord Elrond fall for this masterpiece of yours? No, the better question would be: Would Glorfindel or my father fall for this masterpiece of a plan that you came up with?" A pause. "Because if the answer to all of that is 'No', then we could just as well try walking out of here, through the cracks in the wall and have just as much success."

"Quite prissy today, aren't we?" A smack echoed through the empty hallways. "Ouch! Stop hitting me!"

"Not until you come up with a plan that can actually fool people that are older than three."

A groan is heard in the quiet dungeon.

"Look, we don't have time to work out another escape plan so, unless you want to run away tomorrow evening witch I don't think you do, I suggest you stick with the one I already came up with and start doing your part. Okay?"

A heavy sight follows the sights footsteps.

"Why, out of all the humans living in Arda, did I end up with the only one who can't think of escape plans that are actually capable of working?"

"Are you in or are you out?" An annoyed voice asked. "And you can stop acting like a spoiled brat now, Legolas. I kinda already know you're a prince." The same voice sneered.

"Fine. But if this plan fails, I'll take off your smelly boots and make you eat them, with a giant smile on your bearded face." A dramatic pause. "And you will enjoy every minute of the painful procedure, of ripping that hard leather in to small, swallow-able pieces." A second slap this day, could be heard. "And I'm not a spoiled brat."

"Yeah, okay, whatever will make you finally get along with my plan." After receiving a pointed look the voice groaned. "Alright, alright. I promise to eat my boots, if my masterpiece doesn't work. There, happy?"

"You forgot about one thing, Strider." The first voice said.

A loud groan echoed through the cells. "And you're not a spoiled brat. There, are you satisfied now?"

"Yes." A smile was heard in Legolas's response.

The elf then turned around towards the entrance of the small cage they were in, where Alanell the guard was softly dozing off against the opposing wall.

"Ekhem, Alanell." He said, his voice a gentle imitation of that of his father.

But the elf guardian didn't answer, already to sleepy to respond to his future king.

"Alanell! Wake up!" Legolas wasn't going to take 'no' for an answer, tapping into the infamous temper flowing through every member of his royal family.

The elf on the other side jerked awake from the scream and barely managed to stay on his feet.

"Wha? What is it, princeling Legolas?" Alanell asked, rubbing his tired eyes and walking up towards the gate that separated him from the two other males.

Thranduil's son snorted at the nickname and moved his tied up body, into a more comfortable position.

"It's prince Legolas, Alanell." He corrected sternly. "And I need to borrow your water tank." The soon-to-be ruler of the Woodland kingdom, pointed towards the skin water holder with his blonde head.

The elf guard blinked, then looked at his belt where the water tank was. His sleepy brain not working fast enough to figure out, what the younger elf wanted to do with it.

"What for, my prince?" He asked, his voice tired from all the hours of listening to the two prisoners, bicker between each other about everything and anything.

The sky blue eyes of the hair to Mirkwood rolled, hearing the elder elf's response. Another grown-up with the mentality of a three-year-old. He sighted silently to himself. Aren't I in for a treat, today.

Though, he had to admit, things were going exactly like Strider said they would go. With his good friend, Alanell being way too sleepy to properly react to their escape.

Not that he would admit it to the human.

The plan still sounded ridiculous to him and no amount of it working, could change that.

"All this chit-chattering with Master Strider here, made my throat feel a bit dry." Legolas said, making his voice sound more strained as if he had a light sore throat.

"Oh…Oh!" The brown haired guard palmed himself gently in the face, before handing the water container to the prince, with a small blush. Ashamed for his…slowness.

"Thank you, guard." The blonde elf nodded towards Aragorn, and the only human in the small facility took the tank, twisted of the cap and gave Legolas a quick sip before reaching into his pocket, searching in it frantically with his hand.

"I though you already had it prepared, Strider." The second future king said watching the man trying to find the herb he wanted within his countless pockets, with unhidden amusement.

"I had." Aragorn hissed at the blonde, still searching. "Keep his attention of his water tank for me, will ya? Before he begins asking to get it back."

Legolas rolled his beautiful eyes again before proceeding with the given task.

"So…Alanell. How is your life going so far?"

"Eh…not very well." The guard smirked. "Have to babysit a certain bratty princeling, who is a poor attention freak, who runs away from home and yells at his father."

"Watch it, Alanell." Legolas growled. "Or else this freakish princeling will release you from the terrible burden of being a palace guard, forever. With a little whisper to his daddy's ear, about a certain incident in Lake Town the other month."

The guard's eyes widened and a deep blush began growing on his face.

"You wouldn't." He spat, leaning on the metal bounds that kept the two from escaping.

"I wouldn't…For now." Legolas assured, enjoying the momenta look of terror on the other elf's face. "But get on my bad side and, not only will my father know, but also the rest of Arda." And the prince wasn't kidding either.

If he wanted for the whole world to know something, then the whole world will definitely know that certain something.

Swallowing down his growl, Alanell nodded.

"Can I get my water back, now?" He asked through clinched teeth, glaring daggers at his future king.

Legolas briefly looked back at Aragorn, to see if the human was ready with the sleeping potion. Witnessing a quick nod of agreement from Strider, the princeling nodded to his guar/friend and watched as the water tank returned to its owner.

"Perfect." The greatest archer in Mirkwood heard Strider's voice, whispering in his ear. "Now all we need is for him to drink the potion, and we'll be free."

"I could just order him to make a toast but…he'll see something's up." A pause. "There is no way he's going to fall for this, it's just too dumb."

Aragorn shrugged.

"It's the only choice we've got and, besides, who knows? It could be so dumb, it might just work."

Sighting Legolas once again focused his attention on the guard, on the other side of the bars. He was trying to shake of the blush that creeped its way into his face, with a look of intense concentration.

"Alanell." He spoke, trying to make his voice sound as much like that of Thranduil as possible.

"What is it now, princeling?" The nickname was spat.

"I want you to make a toast, to me and my new friend Strider here." He spoke, trying to fight of the intense sense of 'stupid' that radiated from every word he said.

The guard raised an eyebrow.

"Why would you want me to do that, Prince Legolas?" He asked, generously curious.

"Well…since I and Strider already drank to your honor, albeit very quietly Ekhem, it is only fitting that you do the same for us." The blonde tried to make it sound as convincing as possible, but knew he won't win this round without playing dirty.

Alanell's eyes narrowed in suspicion, the brat was planning something. Most likely another escape that will fail, like very previous one he made up to this point.

He wanted to deny the brat's request, but something in those blue hues told him that if he doesn't comply. His secret will be out faster than the speed of Lord Glorfindel, running away from Elrond's sons.

Grumbling he reached out to his belt, twisted of the cap and swallowed two mouthfuls.

During the first few swallows, the elven guard realized the liquid tasted differently than the last time he drank it. Not to mention the fact that he didn't remember his wife, Maria, saying anything about adding plants into his water.

And it definitely didn't taste like any sort of tea he came across so…what is it?

Alanell was about to ask, when he became very sleepy and that alone was enough to answer the question for him.

He didn't even manage to call out to his fellow guards, before his body collapsed against Legolas's bars with a loud thud.

The last thing he saw was Strider cutting the prince's ropes with his own sword and then all went black.

Only one thing hit his ears before his mind totally gave in to unconsciousness…

And that was the sound of the gate opening.