Mask of Innocence
Hannon le to Legolass Q/Legolass for editing, revising, giving tips, and showing general support in my writing. This wouldn't be here without you. (applauds and cheers)
Disclaimer: I own nothing of Tolkien's works and never will, and I make no profit off this writing.
Rating: T/PG-13
Summary: The young Prince Legolas is captured and taken to Dol Guldar, and within days King Thranduil gives up all hope of finding his child. Little does he know that Sauron has terrible plans up his sleeve for conquering the Woodland Realm, and that those plans involve Legolas.
A/N: (stumbles in the room, sobbing quietly) Only TWO REVIEWS! TWO after that angsty chapter I wrote. And only one threat. (laughs weakly, very unhappy) I was expecting at least four. You guys got me four reviews for chapter 7, but only 2 for 8. And one of them didn't really count because I promised my sister I'd do something if she reviewed me story! (wails)
Okay, it has been rumored that responding to reader reviews is now illegal in FFnet's rulebook (although I have found nothing on their guidelines that suggests such, except for "The chapter system is not to be used as placeholder for non-story content such as author notes. You can add short author notes to the beginning or at the end of stories but never as individual chapters." but even then, it does not specifically state that I cannot respond to your reviews in my author notes. However, it is also rumored that authors have been kicked off the site for responding to reviews in their chapter. Not good. So, from this point forward, I will no longer be posting responses to your reviews. :( However, I will send a response back if I find a valid email address (if you have an account and your email is in the 'display' mode, I can email you from there, or if you do not, you can put your email in the space labeled 'email address' on the review page). If you do not wish for me to respond to your review that way, simply let me know and I will comply immediately with your request.
If anyone has any additional information on this issue, please let me know immediately. But, I would like to say one thing before I cease to respond to reviews: Moonyasha - burning me at the stake? Oh dear. I am sure that I would not enjoy that at all. ;) But remember, if you kill me off, who's going to keep writing/posting this piece? mwahaha. All right, all right, I'll be quiet now. (glares at FFnet adminstration) But thank you to all you reviewers, and even if I can't respond to them by posting that doesn't mean I won't read your review. Hannon le.
-ArcherGal2932
Chapter Nine: Screams
Within a split second of Legolas' scream for Imrathon the Orcs were upon the child, yanking him from the bushes. Imrathon could not move. His head lolled limply to one side as he gasped in air, trembling. His back seemed as if it was on fire, and every wound seemed to be white hot. An involuntary moan slipped past his barriers, and he convulsed as pain washed over him like the waves of the sea. He hardly heard Legolas crying out for him as they dragged him into the clearing. Everything was going black.
"This is him…it's him! It's the one we've been looking for!" someone shouted, but Imrathon could not react. The strong warrior was hardly conscious. Imrathon shuddered as coughs ripped through his chest, bringing a low moan to his lips.
Legolas screamed again, using his friend's nickname. "IM!"
The captain faintly heard his name called. Weakly, Imrathon turned towards the prince's cry and suddenly retched, but nothing came up. He groaned as pain sparked in his chest. Things began to slur together. He vaguely heard the Orcs suddenly growl and scuffle, and something launched itself at his body, small arms clutching his waist. Whatever it was that hugged him tightly pleaded with words that Imrathon was for some reason not able to make out. Imrathon looked down hazily, seeing gold hair shimmering against his beaten and bleeding chest. Legolas. Suddenly the warm embrace disappeared, and screams again filled Imrathon's ears. He whimpered as his head began to throb, protesting the loud noise. The sudden rumble of many feet running and the call of orders only made it worse. The screams only got more desperate, and he could only make out two words that Legolas was crying:
"ADA! IMRATHON!"
Vaguely realizing what had happened Imrathon moaned aloud, his faint cry of pain the only thing that he could utter. Legolas. Oh, Valar, they caught him. I have to do something…
Legolas' voice was strained and frantic as he yelled something over and over, and Imrathon struggled to respond but his body had all but given up.
"No…" he moaned, and his head slumped to his chest. Darkness clouded his mind. Someone was sobbing. Was it himself? He could not tell. He tried to think, but it hurt his head.
He could hear every Orc as they passed through the clump of foliage lying at the clearing edge.
Oh Valar, no, please! I beg you, let him go! He is but a child!
The pain amounted to nothing now. Imrathon would rather die before the innocent Elven child was dragged off by Orcs, even if he was of no blood relation to the prince.
The last Orcs were almost through the brush at the edge of the clearing.
Legolas…
No…
The clearing was suddenly deathly silent. The captain could hear the soft patter of raindrops on the glistening needles of the fir trees. He was the only one left now, and his breath came in soft wrenching gasps as the pain flooded back. Tears cascaded down his face.
Sweet Elbereth, let it not be true…
No, please…
There will be so much pain…so much torture…he will never survive…
When Imrathon closed his eyes, as the darkness engulfed him, he saw a vision of Legolas as he had last seen him; tears streaming down his pale face, eyes dead, screaming for help and a streak of blood upon his face as he was dragged away to the depths of the forest.
Spare him of all of it. Keep him from suffering. Saes, I plead for this on the brink of death. Grant me one wish before I am lost forever. Please, for I know that Prince of the Woodland Realm will never feel the warmth of his father's embrace again. Give him this one gift, even if it is the gift of death.
A final wave of pain swept over Imrathon, worse than any other he had felt before, but this one instead left him wandering in a void of darkness.
TBC