Disclaimer: I do not own Mirkwood, Legolas, Orcs, Gollum, or any other thing that J. R. R. Tolkien himself created.
Like it says in the summary, this story will have Silmarillion references. You'll still be able to read the story even if you haven't read that book (I'm not even done with it…) 'cause I'll lightly go over the story that people should know when it comes time to that. Don't let that make you stop reading, okay? Please?
For those who do not know (have not read the books, basically—a sin against mankind!) Mithrandir = Gandalf.
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Gandalf started forward in an instant, intent on reaching the Elf before he fell. Saruman, though, had other plans. He raised his staff and the Grey Wizard fell to the ground, unable to rise by some spell. Saruman stalked over to where Legolas dangled and eyed him over the drop. He brought a foot forward and stepped on one of the Elf's hands, causing him to cry out in pain and fear.
Legolas looked down at the drop he faced and broke into a cold sweat. "Tua amin!" (Help me!) he cried desperately. "Please!" Saruman took his foot away from the prince's slender fingers and knelt, reaching towards Legolas with one hand and grabbing his chin. "Was that a cry for help?" he asked silkily. "When did the proud Elf-prince of Mirkwood and son of Thranduil sink so low as to ask for help?"
Since he was dangling off the edge of Isengard with only you to hope for as a source of assistance! Legolas screamed in his mind. Out loud, though, he said nothing, only glared at the Istar.
Saruman shook his head at the defiance, but stood up and lifted his staff, bringing Legolas back over the edge, onto the Towertop. The Elf started to scramble to his feet, but Saruman placed a firm boot on his back, keeping him down. "Stay there," he growled, then stalked over to Gandalf. Legolas quickly rose to his feet, but as soon as he did, the White Wizard turned round and raised his staff, causing the prince to be slammed into one of the pillars. He dropped to his knees, gasping, cradling his broken rib with an arm.
Saruman sneered at the Elf. "Be thankful, young one, that your torment is over for at least a day." He turned to Gandalf. "You, on the other hand—" Gandalf was brought up into the air and slammed into one of the spikes that surrounded the high platform.
"Mithrandir!" screamed Legolas, struggling to his feet. The archer turned to Saruman. "Leave him be, I beg of you! Only a little work on me and I'm done, you know this to be true!"
Saruman did see the reality in the Elf's statement, and he quickly abandoned Gandalf to "play" with him. He first brought the prince up in the air and over to him, dropping him on the cold floor at his feet. He pulled out a knife, one that Gandalf could see Legolas knew well. The Elf shied away from it in fear as soon as it was brought into sight. "No…" he whispered. Not that…anything but that…please…
Saruman laughed. "Oh, but yes! You know this knife, don't you, Elf?" He lunged towards the helpless Legolas, grabbing his neck. Thranduil's son stood rigid, afraid to even move. Gandalf started forward, but was stopped when Saruman raised the knife to meet the blonde's throat. "Don't move, Gandalf." When he was certain his commands were going to be obeyed, Saruman brought the blade up to Legolas's healthy ear. "My pretty," he breathed. "You're not going to be an Elf much longer, so why not start the complete process now?"
Legolas whimpered. He didn't want to lose his heritage, but it seemed there was no escaping Saruman's plans for him.
Gandalf, knowing what his former ally had planned, started forward, but was halted when from the Elf came a loud sob of pain. The single tip of a pointed ear fell to the ground, and blood flowed down Legolas's face freely. Saruman released the prince and turned to Gandalf, smirking. "I'm not done yet, old man, so you can just sit there and watch me." The White Wizard muttered a single word and the Grey Pilgrim suddenly found himself unable to move, helpless, forced to watch the torturing of his Elf-friend.
Legolas stood firm, clenching his eyes shut to block the dam of tears that threatened to flood his face. His hands were in tight fists at his side, so tight that his nails cut into the flesh, creating red waterfalls that cascaded drop by drop down to the cold ground that joined with the larger stream that ran down his face, starting at his ear. I will not cry out, he thought to himself. I will not let my father down…
Saruman walked around the stationary Elf, examining him closely for weaknesses. Physically, he could find none. But mentally—
The wizard stopped as an idea suddenly occurred to him. He glanced around the ground for a second, then found what he wanted. He stooped quickly and picked the item up, then, keeping his hand around it so it was out of sight, stalked up to Legolas. Saruman reached out and grabbed the prince's jaw, squeezing it and forcing his mouth open. Legolas struggled and tried to bite down, but the wizard managed to open his jaws wide. He brought up his other hand quickly and shoved the item into the blonde's mouth.
Gandalf felt a shock of horror jolt his body as he caught a glimpse of the object that Saruman had thrust into the prince's mouth; the tip of a single, pointed ear.
Legolas choked as the cold, metallic flavor of blood invaded his mouth. He felt Saruman shove his jaw close, and the Elf fought hard to open it back up again, to spit the item out. The wizard was using some of his innate magical abilities, though, and even after his hands were removed, Legolas could not open his mouth. "Chew and swallow, Elf, and you'll be done with it faster," Saruman said. The prince brought his tongue around the item, feeling its shape, trying to guess what the Istar had poisoned him with. He paled suddenly when he recognized the figure. An ear…a pointed ear…Saruman was forcing him to eat his own flesh. Legolas tried again, futilely, to spit the tissue out of his mouth, but found his teeth stuck together as much as before. The Elf fell to his knees, tears streaming out of his eyes, and slowly started to chew. The cartilage was almost crunchy as it was ground in between Legolas's teeth. When he finally felt that the skin was torn apart enough to swallow, the Elf did so, and immediately his jaw was released from the spell that had been set upon it. Saruman grinned silkily. "I shall see you both tomorrow then," he said slyly, and vanished from sight.
Gandalf watched as Legolas collapsed, then ran over to the Elven-prince. "By the Valar," he breathed. "Legolas, we will escape here!"
"No, Mithrandir," choked out the Elf. "You shall escape here. It is too late for me." The prince retched suddenly, his stomach emptying itself of the ear and what precious little it still held from Legolas's last meal in Mirkwood. The archer's body convulsed as his stomach fought to vomit what it didn't have, and Legolas was thrown into violent fits, while Gandalf could merely stand by and watch, trying his best to comfort the young prince. Occasionally, another tree was felled and another voice would cry out to Legolas in agony. The prince fell into horrifying nightmares, where he relived Echiril's death over and over, with a tiny exception. He was not hit by a rock and disoriented. He merely took a step back, losing his balance for no reason, and falling into his friend. Echiril was no longer the kind Elf he had been; he knew Legolas had caused his death. The dream-Elf raised his green, pain filled eyes towards Legolas, and they were full of hate. "You killed me, Legolas," he hissed. "I hate you! You are not an Elf, you deserve to die!" Legolas, in his dream state, believed him.
"Noro!" said Thranduil to his horse. If he hurried, he would be able to make it to Rivendell in a day's less time than normal. He had hardly slept, hardly eaten, and pushed his horse to the point of exhaustion. The Elvenking hardly cared; he wanted his son back.
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Song from last chapter translation:
Your beauty shines bright
Vanimle sila tiriEver is thy sight a joy
Oio naa elealla alasseMy heart sings to thee
Cormamin lindua ele lle May the leaves of your tree never turn brown Aa' lasser en lle coia orn n' omenta gurtha May thy paths be green and the wind on thy back Aa' menle nauva calen ar' ta hwesta e' ale'quenle May your ways be green and golden Aa' menealle nauva calen ar' malta My heart shall weep until it sees thee again Cormamin niuve tenna' ta elea lle au Rest well Quel estaLame, I know.
Reviews:
LegolasLover2003: (Your name is about to take place in effect for the new year…) Screamed? Heh…and WHERE did you get a copy of a Two Towers Legolas poster?? I want one!!!!
Lecada Chan: Yep. I just had to. :-D
ZeroCool: (what a cool name, lol) Well, here's what happened! And even though it wasn't a very fast update…I updated nonetheless.
Emmithar: Quite all right, my dear, about the review thing. I don't mind. *twitch* As long as you review in the end!
Allyson Potter: Well, I'm glad you think I deserve the reviews I've gotten. It's the first successful story I've written, really. Glad you like it!
Goma-ryu: 'Course he can't die yet! That would be too painless an ending for our dear elven prince!
Valimalirit: Nope, sorry, no trampoline or mattress. Just a cranky old wizard.
Sake Girl Duelist: Well…no…not in the books it's not his formal name. I just kinda made it up, and I'm not sure if it's spelled 100% right, but see, "Thranduillion" basically means "Son of Thranduil," and 'cause he's a prince, he would be called that a lot.
Susan: Nope, no Mr. Eagle yet.
Witchmaster: *evil grin* Don't they, though? I've run across one two many in my fic searches…so I tend to write them a lot myself. I personally loved that last one.
Fairylady: I love the way you phrased that! "…if your fingers type it, well, I guess I can only read." A lot of times that's exactly what I do; just sit down and type the first thing that comes to mind. The whole cliffhanger thing that I did last chapter was the product of that…I only know the basic plan and then let the rest come to me as I write.
Brittney: Whoa, calm down girl. It's okay. I uploaded. Take deeeeep breaths.
Invader Iggle: Oh, I know how it is with the sugar high and pixie sticks thing. (Don't ever eat ten at a time, okay? It hurts like bloody L!)
Kaimelieamin: Just out of curiosity, what did you think my plan was going to be? I'd love to hear any suggestions—writing an AU off of your own fic can be fun sometimes! And I hope you didn't lose too much sleep worrying about fanfictions.
Anonymous Reviewer: You really like the way I write Legolas? Honestly and truly? Squee! (Whoa…picked that one up from Invader Iggle…hee!)
Salak: *wicked grin* I'm a wicked person who loves to leave off at wicked places. :-D
Kage: *laughs at picturing slow motion* I love Legolas too—heavens, some of the romance scenes I've done with him—and I love to torture him as well. It's a nice trait that a lot of people seem to have, don't you think?
Trin: I saved him from that particular fate…not sure if he's really all that "safe" at the moment, but oh well!
Leap of Fate: I again thank you for that elvish site. It's where I got the song…and LOL!! What does a Leggy-shaped pancake look like? I think it sounds very nummy…
Lanfear: "Well….." is right. To kill, or not to kill, that is the question!
HAPPY NEW YEARS TO EVERYONE!!!