Taken

ch. 7

disclaimer: I don't own any of these characters (except for Astadel, Amariel, Torninean, It, Sneak and Machiad, they are mine, my own, my precioussssssss) , they belong to Tolkien. Don't worry, I return them unharmed when I'm finished. Well, mostly unharmed. This is just for fun, I'm not making any money off of it!

A/N: as per usual, special thanks to Cathy for getting this plot bunny started. This picks up a week after we left, off, during that time, nothing of any real interest happened. In case you're looking for a specific timeline, Thranduil has been trapped there for 2 weeks now, Elrond for a week and 4 days.

This is a repost, I was informed that I was using the wrong elvish dictionary, my elvish was actually D&D, not Tolkien. So, here is Chappie 7 with the proper elvish. I think the only other elvish I used was in chappie 1, and it was only one letter off, so you'll have to just forgive that.

Oh, and today, we finally find out the Wizards name! Yay!

on with the fic!

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Elrond and Thranduil spent the next week with no one but the other for company.

During that time, they alternated from wanting to kill each other, to wishing they had gotten to know the other better, sooner.

The creature brought them a fresh ration of bread and cheese and water every morning, and, frankly, Elrond and Thranduil agreed that if they never saw bread or cheese again, it would be far to soon.

"So, you still insist that is was Celeborn who put that frog in my sheets at your wedding?!"*

Elrond rolled his eyes, "Yes, of course it was! Don't you think I had bigger things on my mind that evening than playing a silly prank on you?"

Thranduil chuckled, "I would certainly hope so, but I find it difficult to believe that Celeborn would play such a childish prank!"

"He would."

Both their heads swivelled around at the unfamiliar voice, their keen eyes searching the shadows for it's owner. A shriveled, distorted figure crept out of one of the unused cells.

"He always plays pranks like that, he just makes sure no one suspects it was him."

The creature crept toward them, keeping to the shadows, as always, as though it were trying to hide it's ugliness from them. It's voice was sweet and clear, though, belying it's appearance, and it sounded decidedly feminine.

She stopped when she was just about 6 feet from them, and curled up in the shadows.

Elrond and Thranduil stared in open mouthed shock, the sorcerer's servant had never spoken before.

Thranduil recovered first, and knelt directly in front of the bars, trying to get a better look at her.

"Who, or what are you, that you speak of Lord Celeborn, High King of the Elves so familiarly?"

She chuckled softly. "I was once as you are, Thranduil Oropherion, oh yes, I know who you are, both of you. I am called Sneak, though, once I had another name. Machiad stole me and my husband away many years ago, and made us as we are today. I get your food every day from Machiad's private stores, for he would leave you to starve. My husband helps as much as he can, by distracting his Master."

"His Master? And who is this Machiad you speak or?" Thranduils eyes narrowed, looking at her suspiciously.

"They are one and the same, the man who brought you both here, and intends to steal your sons' immortality, to bring his own son back to him."

"That's what he wants them for?! Such a thing is impossible!" Elrond finally snapped out of his stupor, and knelt beside Thranduil. It irritated him that it had taken so long, all this time in the dark with no one but Thranduil for company was beginning to wear on him.

"It is not impossible," Sneak slipped deeper into the shadows, "He found an ancient spellbook in the tower of Dol Guldor, not long after his son was killed, it told of ways to use the power of the elves against them. It's how he can freeze your body like that, but the power of Galadriel is too strong, even for him! If your sons were to go to Lorien, he could never touch them, they would be safe there."

Elrond's impressive eyebrows furrowed, "yes, he mentioned that he could not enter Lothlorien. What did you say your name was?"

"What my name was no longer matters, I am Sneak now. I was lucky, I suppose. When Machiad cast his spell upon my husband and I, he also stole my husbands voice, and most of his mind. He only does what he is told now." She cast her eyes down, "He only listens to his Master now."

"So, you are not Machiad's servant?"

"No, my Lord, but my husband is, he doesn't know any better. Please forgive him."

Elrond sighed, "There is nothing to forgive, Sneak, le gerin i'gur egor raw you have the heart of a lion, you have great courage to try to help us."

A tear trickled softly down her face. "It does my heart good to hear the grey tongue again. It almost as though I were myself again instead of...." she trailed off, and looked down at her distorted figure in disgust.

She had almost unconsciously shifted forward, less than an arms length away from the two Elves now. Thranduil reached his arm through the bars, and placed a finger under her deformed chin. "Brennil nin my lady, if you can help us to defeat Machiad, then I will do all within my power to help you and your husband. There are great healers on Valinor, greater than any known here on Middle Earth. They may be able to help you."

Sneak shook her head, and pulled away from the Elven Kings touch. "No, I fear we are forever trapped as we are. The only freedom for us will be found in the Halls of Mandos. I will not leave until Machiad is destroyed, though. Only then can we be free."

She snapped her head to the right, "Someone comes! I must go."

As she disappeared as silently as she had appeared, Elrond and Thranduil heard footsteps coming down one of the tunnels.

As they watched a regiment of orcs appeared, remarkably well organized, for orcs that is.

"Take the prisoners to the Master!" The lead orc's harsh voice grated in their ears, as they were dragged forcibly back down the tunnel from whence the orcs came.

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Legolas sighed, and gave the Twins and Estel a withering glare, that, unbeknownst to him, was identical to the one his father frequently used on him.

"You want me to just go into another accursed cave with you three?! What about what happened last time?"

Elrohir grinned, "which time? The one where we were nearly stepped on by a cave troll, or the one where a stalactite almost skewered you?"

"Or the one where we were chased around for 6 hours by a horde of goblins?" Elladan cheerfully picked the thread where his twin had left off.

He had been remarkably easy to get along with this journey, considering the prank his brothers had played on him a week and a half ago. To easy to get along with altogether, Legolas decided to watch Elladan, or might be caught in the revenge with Estel and Elrohir.

Legolas shot the twins a dirty look, "pick one. But if our fathers might be in there, I suppose we'd better hurry."

The foursome exchanged worried looks, and headed into the cavern.

It was dark, and clammy inside, and no sooner than they had cleared the entrance were all three elves were struck with a terrible sense of impending doom. Alas, it was too late, the entrance caved in behind them, and about 500 orcs appeared from all sides and surrounded them quickly.

"Yrch spit! A trap!" Legolas spun around, looking for an escape. Of course, there was none, before they knew it, ropes were being tossed at them from all directions, and they were roped up like a group of wild horses. Their weapons were yanked from their hands, and they were roughly searched for more.

Aragorn struggled roughly against the ropes, and was rewarded with a sharp blow to the head, promptly knocking him unconscious. As Legolas watched in horror, the twins were dealt the same treatment, he made to protest, to curse at the evil creatures, anything, but a sharp pain at the base of his skull rendered him silent, and after a second blow, there was nothing but darkness.

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heh heh heh *author hides in a corner, covering her head* Don't worry, the next chappie is already started, and should be out tomorrow! I've entitled it, the chapter in which things get steadily worse *grin* please don't kill me!

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*this is a reference to my fic 'how to catch a fish!' Go read it, it's pretty funny!

more A/N:

goblz: Well, you didn't have to wait long! I'm glad you enjoyed Aragorn and Elrohir's little prank on Elladan, wait until he gets his revenge! lol.

MBM: WOW! ALL of them?! Great! Just make sure you tell them to review too!! Keep reading, it's only going to get better! (I hope)

Lord Angelus: I'm glad you liked the prank, I had a lot of fun coming up with it, lol! I'll probably get started on your Haldir fic today or tomorrow, depending on how soon you send me some ideas! I write fast, so you could even have it by monday!

Natalie: Thanks for the art! It's great, I loved it, it made me laugh. You can tell Thranny I don't think he's a bad father! It's just all the other authors who do! lol

Okay, that's it for today folks, come back tomorrow! Same bat-time, same bat-channel! (I think I just dated myself. eep!)

XOXO Cor