A/n: I'm back with another chapter. Here you go!
Mornflower: the very first time Legolas was captured by men he was 500 years old, and then he's been captured by them once of twice after that. He's now about 2500, the time he was violated was when he was about 2000, so 500 years ago, and the twins were the ones who rescued him.
Starrider721: Well, technically I don't have to torture him that bad (its not as bad as some of the other fics I have read.) But I do.
Chapter 8
Legolas turned around to see the large rock wall that had formed in the centre of the cavern. "Elladan, Elrohir!" he yelled rushing over to the wall "Are you alright?"
"Legolas, you're alive. Thank the valar!" Elladan's voice came
"Is Estel there?" Elrohir added
"I'm here" Estel said coming up behind Legolas "What are we going to do?"
"The two paths, we can each take the one that is on our side of this wall." Legolas replied "We'll see you on the outside then" Elrohir laughed "Legolas, Estel, stay safe"
"And you" replied Legolas as he stood and walked to the entrance to the tunnel followed by Estel.
After a few minutes of traveling in silence, Estel paused "Legolas...why did you save my life?"
"Because my friendship with your brothers is too important to me to jeopardise it by letting you die"
"Oh" muttered Estel
"So it's not that you actually have a heart and didn't want me to die simply because you like me" "What was that?" Legolas' voice was dangerously quiet as he turned to face the mortal
"I simply stated that it was not..."
"I heard what you said. You don't have to repeat it. As a matter of fact you are very wrong. It is you mortals who have no heart. Or maybe you have a heart, but it is easily corrupted by evil." Legolas snapped "I saved your life because I could not watch you die-but then, maybe Middle Earth would be better without one more mortal to destroy it and to terrorise the firstborn, lusting after them like they are maidens"
"Maybe if you were not so weak they would not hurt you. Maybe you deserved everything you were given!" No sooner were the words out of his mouth Estel wished he could take them back, he saw the flash of pain and hurt that crossed the Prince's face before the Prince turned and ran down the tunnel. For a moment Estel stared after him before realising his words had hurt the elf more than he had imagined and following the prince.
He came across the prince round a corner further down the tunnel; the elf was sat with his back to the wall and his knees up to his chest. "Legolas..." he began. The Prince turned to him, "What do you want?" he said harshly
"I'm Sorry, Legolas. I am sorry. I did not mean what I said, I regret it now. I wish I could take my words back"
"That is not possible" Legolas replied rising and carrying on down the tunnel "Let us leave this place" Estel waited a second before following him; the Elf Prince was his only chance of getting of these caverns alive-after all who knew what lurked around the next corner.
After another few hours of travelling, Legolas stopped looking down into a deep gorge, cursing softly he turned to Estel "Do you have any rope on your person?" Estel began to rummage in his pack, pulling out a few items
"I have some in here somewhere..." he muttered, and then finally he produced two lengths of rope, "what do you want them for" he asked Legolas' as he passed them to the elf. The elf didn't answer but instead tied the rope to one of his arrows and let it fly towards the other side, it stuck fast in the wall
"Tree roots" Legolas told the young man, "they always grow this deep down" he then proceeded to do the same using another piece of rope. This he shot so it was just higher than the first and a little to the right. He then placed the rope under a rock so they were held fast. "You first" he said "walk across he rope" Estel stared at him "Is it safe?" "You don't trust me?" Legolas replied "It's safe. I assure you" he placed a foot on the end of the rope "Wait, I'll take your pack," taking the pack from the mortal he watched as the boy step onto the rope and edge slowly across the fragile bridge gripping the second rope constantly. Once he reached the second side Legolas pulled loose the second rope for Estel to pull up, shouldered his pack and ran lightly across the rope, clearing the bridge in a matter of seconds. Handing the pack, then crouching down he pulled at the rope so that it came from under the rock and he pulled it onto the second side and placed the ropes back into Estel's pack and replaced his arrows in his quiver. Then turning to face the mortal he said "Let us mo..." he paused, "This cannot be happening" he muttered "Orcs"
"Wha...what?" Estel said in horror "Here, Now?"
"Yes" Legolas replied fitting an arrow to his bow, "If you get chance, run. Get out of here. I'll hold them off. They won't care much. They despise elves more than anything and they will wish to capture me and have a little fun" the tone of his voice told the mortal that the elf was serious. He nodded and pulled out his sword as about fifty orcs appeared around the corner. Legolas at once began to shoot them in rapid succession and before the orcs could even attack five of them lay dead felled by Legolas' arrows. The pair killed many orcs but it seemed impossible, Legolas was firing arrows none missing their intended targets , and Estel swung his sword not allowing any orc to come close to injuring him, as he reached the back of the cave close to the tunnel he heard Legolas cry of "Estel! Go!" looking over at the elf he fled, the orcs glanced in his direction "He won't get far! Leave him." Snarled one "and I don't want the elf dead either" Legolas cursed as the orcs moved in closer.
Estel stopped to catch his breath half expecting Legolas to appear round the corner, when he didn't Estel began to feel guilty. He'd left the Prince to die, or worse be captured and then...tortured. But Legolas had told him to run. But then...Estel couldn't leave the elf to torture. Turning around Estel hurried back the way he'd come.
The sight that met him was shocking, there were about 15 orcs left, and they had brought Legolas down, the elf lay on his back being held down by an orc who had placed a foot on his chest "Get off me" he heard Legolas snap
"Why?" asked the orc with a wicked grin on his face, Estel hurriedly placed an arrow on his bow, this was not his favored weapon, yet he had to try, letting the arrow fly he scowled when it embedded itself in the orcs thigh, yet still the orc roared in pain and stepped away from Legolas allowing the Prince to leap up and pull out his twin blades, he made quick work of six of the orcs, while Estel killed another four, now wielding his blade, they then turned to face the last five orcs. One ran at Legolas who threw himself to the ground as the orc found it impossible to stop and tumbled into the gorge. Then he stabbed another orc that ran towards him before throwing his knives at two orcs that were attacking Estel, leaving the mortal to kill the remaining one. Legolas then busied himself collecting all of his arrows "Here," Estel said as he handed Legolas some of the arrows
"Thank you," the Prince said pausing to study the mortal "I told you to flee. Why did you come back?"
"I decided I couldn't leave you to die" Estel replied simply
"But why, And after the way I've acted towards you?" Legolas asked, shocked that a mortal would wish to help him.
"Well, from what I've heard of your Father, I wouldn't like to be the one to tell him you were dead and It was because I'd left you to die" he said with a slight smile. Legolas could not help but laugh
"I'm supposing you heard that from Elladan and Elrohir?"
"Well, mainly. But my Father did tell me 'If King Thranduil has one weakness it is his son. He will kill anyone who dares harm him'"
"He was right" Legolas replied "Now I must apologise, for everything I have said. I was wrong not to trust you"
"And I am sorry for what I said earlier. I did not mean it. I do not know what you have been through, yet I am sure you did not deserve it"
"That..." Legolas began but was stopped as the ground lurched underneath him, throwing him backwards and over into the gorge.
TBC...
Lots of action, and another small cliffie, how fun. Bye now.
Aranel
