Capture

Legolas felt torn. He wanted nothing more than to return to Aragorn and the rest of the Fellowship, but with Frodo still out there he felt it was his duty to remain with Sauron, to ensure that the hobbit could get out of there alive. He had only assumed this, given as how he had not seen them with the rest of the Fellowship, when even Mithrandir had been there, he had assumed had gone off to Mordor alone, and Aragorn hadn't contradicted him. He was now stuck with ensuring that a tyrant would reclaim the power that he had never hoped to see him gain. And he hated every second of his service.

He had not lied to Aragorn – he truly did feel pity for the orcs. But he did hate Sauron. The leader of Mordor was tyrannical and cruel. He looked upon his victims with detachment. When he killed something, he killed it in a cold calculated way, and, unlike Legolas, he was not stirred to pity by the fear in their eyes. He was a seasoned warrior, a practiced leader, and a perfect villain.

And Legolas hated him for it.

And somehow, he had managed to get himself into a situation where he served this... monster.

Interrupting Legolas' thoughts, an orc entered the tent.

"Sir, the Dark Lord wishes to speak with you."

Legolas nearly wept at the thought that an orc called him 'sir' and he was having conversations with 'the Dark Lord' himself. He never thought it would come to this.

-:-

He swept into the tent, hood thrown over his face. "Well, my lord, what is it? What is so important that required me to be dragged out of bed in the middle of the night?"

Sauron turned around. "Our scouts have just picked up three creatures near Minas Morgul. We thought you might like to see them."

At that point, three orcs entered, bringing with them three smaller figures. One, Legolas recognised from his home, when he had been jailor. The other two he had last seen on the day of his capture.

Frodo, Sam, and Gollum.

"Kill the skulking creature," Sauron ordered. "It doesn't deserve to live another second."

Legolas walked forwards, and dragged Gollum into the centre of the tent. He drew one of his knives, and held the creature tightly as it struggled and pulled away from the knife, screaming out as he did so.

"Try to do it cleanly, I don't want to have blood all over the walls."

Legolas resisted the urge to punch Sauron as this remark fell casually from his lips. He had coldly ordered the execution of this pitiful figure, and was most concerned about blood on the walls.

"I am so sorry," he whispered to Gollum, before raising his knife, and plunging it through the creature's chest. Frodo and Sam turned away in shock, not wishing to witness the murder of their guide. As they turned back to see the still form of Gollum lying on the floor, Legolas noticed a glint of grim satisfaction in Sam's eyes.

"Good, now," Sauron nodded to one of the orcs. "Get it out of here, it's not adding to the decor."

"Why?" snapped Frodo. "I would have thought that a dead body would have been perfect decoration for a heartless tyrant!"

"Do not be so insolent," Legolas advised. "Your situation is precarious enough as it is."

"Indeed," Frodo snarled. "His servants are just as heartless!"

These words stung, but Legolas reminded himself that Frodo did not know the whole story.

"Watch your tongue!" snapped Sauron. He turned to Legolas. "Give him a taste of our displeasure," he ordered.

Legolas suddenly looked at Sauron, alarmed. "No."

"That's an order!"

"I don't want to."

"Do it! Now!"

Legolas set his jaw, before turning around and backhanding Frodo. The hobbit collapsed sideways with the force of the strike. However, surprisingly, Sauron also clutched his cheek.

"What in all of Middle Earth was that?" asked the tyrant.

"I told you, I didn't want to do that," Legolas answered. "But you forced me to. So it's just like you did it yourself."

"What are you going to do to us?" snarled Sam. If he was to die here in this cold tent, then he would rather die soon.

"I?" Sauron asked. "Nothing. Your fate is in the hands of your friend." He gestured to the tall hooded elf.

"Friend?" asked Frodo sceptically, looking at Legolas. "I've never met him before, and from what I've seen of him, he seems to be more of a foe."

"There was once a time that you trusted me implicitly," Legolas said, unable to keep the tone of sadness out of his voice. "A time when we travelled together. A time when you called me a friend."

"Who are you?" asked Sam, his voice laced with the open hostility that he felt.

Legolas pulled down his hood, and turned to face the two hobbits. The disbelief on their faces was mirrored inside Legolas' very soul, a small part that was unable to comprehend his own actions.

Sauron smiled grimly as he watched the bitter reunion of the three members of the Fellowhip.

"Bring me the Ring, Legolas," he ordered.

Legolas crouched down in front of Frodo, and his hand clenched around the chain that hung from the hobbit's neck.

"I am sorry," he whispered, before tearing the Ring from Frodo.

Frodo looked at the elf disbelievingly. He mouthed wordlessly as he watched the elf straighten up. As Legolas was about to turn back to Sauron, one world finally escaped his lips.

"NO!" he screamed, grabbing hold of Legolas' arm – the one which had the Ring clenched in its fist. But Legolas simply flicked his wrist up, tossing it to his other hand, before yanking his arm free. Frodo was sent sprawling onto the floor, sobbing uncontrollably, as the elf he had once considered his protector handed the Ring of Power over to its master. The whole world seemed to darken as the Lord of the Land of Shadow slid it onto his finger.