Author's Note: Sorry again guys, I know you are sick of me not holding to my word and updating as frequently as I promised but a lot of important real life stuff has kept me busy
Author's Note: Sorry again guys, I know you are sick of me not holding to my word and updating as frequently as I promised but a lot of important real life stuff has kept me busy. Finding a job for starters and working me butt off for one and also suffering writers block again, getting sick just to name a few. I'm trying guys, I really am. Thank you for your patience!
Chapter 21
Previous chapters: Estel ate an apple laced with sleeping herbs and has been taken captive by a rogue elf. Glorfindel and half of his troop arrived in Rivendell with a rogue Mirkwood elf captive, where Glorfindel failed in hiding an injury from Elrond. Legolas is in hot pursuit of the captive.
5 HOURS LATER…
"Daro!"
The horse slid to a stop at the elvish command from his master and whinnied. Sharp elven eyes pierced the dark night, scouring for any unseen intruder about at such a late hour. The boy was still unconscious thanks to the herb laced apple and he barely even twitched during the rest of the journey.
A rustling in the bushes nearby, alerted the horse and rider to company. Thildoron was hardly fazed when a youngling stepped out from his hiding place.
"I have captured the boy as ordered. Now where is my promised pay?"
The elfling stepped forward, his eyes locked onto that of Estel and dropped the money satchel into the outstretched palm of the elder elf. Thildoron dismounted and carried Estel from the horse into a nearby cave, the eager elfling nipping at his heels unwilling to lose sight of his prize.
"You've done your part, now depart from here!"
Thildoron turned fire filled eyes on the elfling and hissed in anger.
"As far as I can see the bounty has been collected, the edain boy is yours, and you have paid me. I am finished taking orders from the likes of you!"
The elder elf collected firewood from outside and brought it inside to the mouth of the cave before lighting a fire. The whole time he went about his task of setting up camp, the elf brat's presence was completely ignored. Thildoron didn't care what the elfling wanted the human child for but it was no longer his business now that the deal had been sealed. If it wasn't for the fact that the elfling's family was wealthy and that the bounty on Estel's head had been so generous, Thildoron wouldn't have bothered with running such a fool's errand, least of all taking orders from a child.
After a time, a blazing fire lit up the dank cave filling it with warmth and light. Estel stirred in his sleep but soon stilled after the warmth penetrated his chilled body. Thildoron gave the elfling a stern look that brooked no argument.
"I will take the first watch. If I whistle once, there is danger near. If I whistle twice, prepare to move out!"
With that last word, Thildoron disappeared from sight, melting into the shadows at the edge of the campfire and becoming one with the night.
The elfling grinned wickedly and turned hate filled eyes on the peaceful form of Estel, who was still lost in a deep, naive slumber.
"It's just you and me now, human filth! Revenge will be mine, come the first light of dawn."
He leaned against the cave wall and sighed, too wired with excitement and energy. At long last…Estel Elrondion, son of the race of men was now in his grasp. His very life was now his to command.
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A strong, comforting voice called his name from beyond the darkness.
"Estel! Estel, hear my voice."
Estel looked all around him but could see nothing.
"Where are you?"
"Search harder and you shall see."
He did as he was told and before long, a pinprick of light could be seen in the distance. The boy immediately took off at a sprint, determined to find the comforting voice that sounded so familiar and yet so far off. Try as he might, the light did not get any closer, no matter how hard he tried. He finally fell to his knees in despair and screamed his frustration.
"PLEASE! Help me, I can not find you though I try."
"Hold on to the light Estel, it will be your guide. Do not give up, child. Always hope."
Estel recognized the voice finally and screamed out for his friend.
"LEGOLAS! Don't leave me! Please, please help me!"
Soft laughter echoed back to him.
"I will never leave you Estel, I promise. Help is on the way. Now… wake up."
Estel looked confused as the light disappeared and he felt his friend's presence leave. He thought about it a minute and figured Legolas had to have been speaking to him through their friendship bond. He frowned wondering HOW he was supposed to just, wake up.
"Wait a minute…is this all a dream?"
"WAKE UP ESTEL! WAKE UP!"
That voice was not the voice of his friend but of…
Estel woke up with a start, jerking away from whoever was screaming in his ear. He growled and struggled to sit up only to figure out through blurred vision that he was still tied up. Not to mention his movements were a bit sluggish from whatever they had used to knock him out with. And was that a trick of the light or was he back in another…
A cave… it had to be another cave. Why??
A pair of hands picked him up by the front of his tunic and slammed him roughly against the wall behind him. Estel's vision swam again and prevented him from seeing who his captor was.
"Jus' lemme go!"
"I'm afraid that is out of the question, worm."
Estel's blood froze in his veins. He knew that voice, all too well. His own voice came out a mere whisper as his brain struggled to catch up.
"It can't be…"
"Oh, but it can!"
Estel knew that tone of voice. It was the voice his tormentor used whenever he was about to 'teach him a lesson'.
"No… how is this possible?"
Lindon roughly threw him down to the ground before clasping his hands behind his back, pacing back and forth across from Estel. Triumph could be heard in his voice as well as a sick form of glee.
"You really are stupid! It was all quite simple really."
"I thought… I thought you were my friend! You… you betrayed me?"
Lindon's eyes blazed like hot coals and he stopped in front of Estel, one fist flying at his face without warning. Estel cried out in surprised pain when the fist connected. He struggled to sit back up and felt his left cheek throb and most likely begin to bruise. Estel, too confused and shocked at this unexpected turn of events remained silent.
"As we speak, my beloved cousin is being taken into custody in Imladris for conspiring with the kidnappers to take you prisoner. All cleverly devised by me…"
"How could you?!"
Lindon turned back to Estel mid stride and sneered at him.
"How could YOU and your kind, ruthlessly kill for sport and pleasure?"
Lindon got down on one knee and leaned in next to Estel's ear and whispered conspiratorially.
"The truth is… Findor was not the only one to have lost family."
Lindon got back up and began to circle around Estel who continued to shake his head in disbelief.
"No… I did nothing to you or your family Lindon! I would nev—"
His sentence was cut off when a vicious kick to his stomach knocked the wind out of him.
"Now, now… let's remember the rules shall we? Do not speak unless first spoken to."
Estel narrowed his eyes at Lindon and then spat at his feet.
This move was rewarded with maniacal laughter on Lindon's part.
"Oh, but you have… friend. You will pay the price for your people's crime against my family!"
Estel looks at him incredulously, his voice rising with shock.
"You are CRAZY!"
Before Lindon could either speak or move, two shrill whistles pierced the stillness of the night. He cursed in anger before hauling Estel to his feet, after he doused the campfire with water then made his way to the entrance of the cave. A loud shout followed by a string of curses and scuffling noises indicated a struggle taking place just down the hillside they were perched on. A couple minutes later, deafening silence reigned beneath the canopy of trees overhead.
Lindon barely breathed for fear it would alert the intruder to their position, thankful the fire was out giving them cover of darkness, although a faint glow swirled around the two of them. He disregarded it as moonlight reaching through the branches of the trees. It was a few seconds later that he realized he was his own light source which practically screamed out at whoever was out there to 'come and get me!'
While Lindon was apparently admiring how he glowed in the dark like the rest of his kin, Estel took his distraction to his advantage and screamed out for help.
"OVER HERE!! PLEASE!"
Lindon turned with a scowl and sent another fist flying at Estel's head. He shook his head in confusion when his fist never connected, looking around before noticing the strong hand that had a firm grip on his arm from above. Lindon stared up into the angry face of—
"Legolas!"
Estel grinned with relief, glad to see his friend although he did feel a little embarrassed that he had to be rescued.
Legolas turned his eyes on Estel, the anger melting away into warmth and kindness.
"The patrol is not far behind me. When they arrive, we will return immediately to Imladris. You are safe Estel."
He gave Legolas a defiant look and crossed his arms.
"I could have rescued myself! I almost did before you came."
"Far from 'almost' I'd say, human."
Lindon snickered before a glare that could melt ice from the Prince of Mirkwood shut him up.
"I'm serious! SEE?!"
"I am sure you wer—"
Legolas did a double take when Estel proudly held up the now cut bonds that had been binding his hands moments before. He grinned widely and threw down a sharp rock from the cave that he had used to cut himself free with, although a few nicks and scratches adorned his hands and wrists.
"I told you so!"
Legolas stood rooted to the spot, the grip on Lindon's arm cutting off the elfling's circulation. Lindon's whining fell on deaf ears as he beamed down on his young friend. His pride for Estel in that moment in time was unspeakable. He truly admired the boy's ingenuity and improvisation.
"Well done Estel! And very clever, if I do say so myself."
Now in the spotlight of his best friend, the ten year old boy drew a circle with the toe of his boot in the soft soil on the hillside, suddenly feeling bashful.
"Hannon le, mellon."
The patrol arrived seconds later, taking Lindon and the unconscious body of Thildoron into custody. Legolas whistled and his horse galloped into sight, nickering softly. He mounted before reaching a hand down for Estel, swinging him up behind him onto the horse. They then set off for Rivendell, Legolas relieved that Estel was for the most part unharmed and that all involved in the kidnapping were now in custody.
By his estimation they would arrive back in Rivendell within two days time. He wondered how the twins fared and couldn't wait to see the looks on their faces when they found out that he had been the one to rescue their baby brother.
Legolas smiled softly, urging his horse into a run still preoccupied with thoughts.
Estel however had his own thoughts on the trip back home. One of them being rather mature for a child so young. It was something he was learning over the course of the past few months. If something seemed too good to be true… then it probably was. His rescue seemed too easy, somehow. Something felt off. But after turning and looking at Lindon's face behind them on another ellon's steed, shrugged it all off. Perhaps it was all over…
Lindon had other plans.
TO BE CONTINUED... WITH THE CONCLUDING CHAPTER!!