25. chapter: Taking down Manicistar
Once more, Legolas and his team found themselves facing the vast lands of southern Rhûn. The long grass of the fields swayed in the spring breeze, and the flowers colored the fields in every color possible. In the distance, Legolas could faintly see the city where Rozarko and himself had been kept captive for so many years. The arena in the middle had been rebuild.
Legolas turned his new horse around, a gift from his father when he had been appointed commander of the army. It was a beautiful, almost black stallion, but its mane and tail were white. It was the foal of Thranduil's own horse and one of the royal family's white mares. Legolas had gladly accepted the horse, and given the mare back to Falael, who had lost his horse in the fight against the men in the forest.
Behind Legolas, a large part of the army awaited his orders. This was the first time he was to command the army, and it was a bit intimidating.
Legolas had interrogated the leader of the attack in the forest, and knew he was sent out from the house of Manicistar, in search of elves to capture and use as gladiators. The man had been easy to interrogate after he had let Rozarko and Girion been alone with him for a few hours. He never questioned what those two did to make so many break, and tell everything they knew. He never saw any wounds or bruises on them, he never looked that closely anyway.
The fat man had died some years ago, and left the house and lanister to his nephew, who ran it with even more evil force than his uncle. The slaves had escaped after the crumble of the arena and flee of the elves, and it had taken the city many years to get back on their feet's again, and take after the run away slaves, why the slaves had lived in peace for so long.
Legolas and his team ad agreed that they would strike one last time at the humans, and take down the last big lanister of Rhûn, and hopefully make a stop for the slavery and gladiators. The army was behind their new commander right away, going south with him even though he never asked it of them. he was glad they were there though, he did not know how to take down the house without them.
One thousand elven warriors awaited their commander's orders. Legolas looked calmly at them, his short hair blowing in the wind. It had grown some, and reached down his shoulders now, and was easier to braid away from his face.
"We make for the forest" Legolas told them and turned his horse west, a few miles away there was a large forest where they took cover for the day.
"We move in after sundown" Legolas told his captains unfolding a map he once had drawn over the city, "there are four entrances to the city, and guards in the wall all around. I want the archers to take down the guards first, the watchtowers at each gate and between the gates we burn down", Legolas pointed at each watchtower.
The captains of the archers nodded.
"We surround the city" Legolas continued, "woman and children go free, and can travel to the nearest city in peace. But if they raise weapon, they are to be eliminated".
The captains nodded in agreement.
"When the watchtowers burn, and the guards are shot" Legolas continued, "we move in, and go straight for the house of Manicistar and the arena", Legolas pointed at the map as he told.
The captains knew what to do, and went on to give the orders to there divisions of the army.
o0o
The sun had just set under the horizon, and Legolas gave the archers the order, and they moved in, sneaked closer to the city in the cover of the night. Not before long, the watchtowers stood in flames, and the guards on the wall was killed.
Legolas gave the orders, and the elves stormed into the city from all four gates at once, the guards on the ground tried to stop them, but was cut down quickly. Legolas led his team towards the house of Manicistar, it was exactly as he and Rozarko remembered it. It was near the arena, and surrounded by huge, thick walls, and many gates before you were inside the courtyard. The guards on the wall was shot down before they reached their weapons.
Legolas pressed his horse to the first gate and stopped right before it, with closed eyes he concentrated his energy, and when ready, he pushed it forth towards the gates. The four gates crashed off their hinges and to the ground, dusk flying into the air. Calmly Legolas pressed his horse through the gates, his team behind him, and Rozarko to his right side.
Slaves stormed to the doors of the barracks to their left, looking through the bars as the elves entered the courtyard. Guards stormed out of the house to the right, but were quickly being shot by arrows. A middle-aged man entered the balcony above the house, overlooking the courtyard, he looked stunned at the elves in the courtyard, and looked behind the walls as well, where elves filled the streets of the city.
"Who are you forcing your way into my home?" the man yelled down.
"I assume you a the one running this lanister?" Legolas asked regally.
"I am" the man said proudly, lifting his chin an inch.
"I knew your uncle" Legolas told.
"Who are you?" the man spat, getting a bit insecure, "my uncle knew no elves".
"He knew me!" Rozarko said forcefully from Legolas side, getting the attention of the man, who almost seemed to freeze at the sight of the chocolate brown haired elf with the forest green eyes.
"Orak?" he breathed.
"I assume you have the keys to the barracks?" Rozarko asked, his voice clear, but holding no small amount of anger.
"Why are you here?" the man spat.
"To set the slaves free" Legolas said regally.
"You have no authority" the man said coldly.
"When you threaten my people, I think that I have" Legolas told just as coldly, holding the man's gaze.
Just then the man they had taken captive were ushered into the courtyard, bound on hands and feet, and two elves on either side, two of them holding razor sharp swords towards his throat.
"This man claims to be of your house" Legolas told, "he held a message telling to capture elves from my realm".
"Who are you?" the man growled, looking intently at the simple, but elegant circlet on the elf's forehead, it was of silver, with a deep blue stone on his forehead. It was not the traditional circlet Legolas wore, this was one he used when he needed to show of rank and heritage on the road.
"I am commander of the Woodland Realm's army" Legolas told coldly, "now, release the slaves".
"Or what?" the man spat.
Legolas moved his horse around, drew one of his knifes, and placed it under their captive's chin.
"No" the man on the balcony almost pleaded, "do not harm him".
"I thought there were a resemblance" Legolas almost grinned, "he is your son, isn't he? Well, now release the slaves, or I'll cut his throat".
The man disappeared from the balcony, and after a few moments he entered the courtyard, looking angrily towards Legolas. The man unlocked every door in the barracks, and the slaves stormed out, grabbing the man in their way, forcing him to the ground. The last man that entered the courtyard looked more than familiar, he was tall, once strong built, but now thin and much older to look at.
"Balak" Rozarko breathed, "I thought you were dead".
Balak looked more than stunned at the elves in the courtyard, his eyes soon fell on Legolas and his silver circlet, he respectfully bowed his head.
"I am honored to have lived to this day" he said.
Legolas nodded back, before turning his attention to the slaves and man on they held to the ground. Rozarko had already dismounted his gray horse, and squatted before the man. Legolas slowly dismounted his dark horse as well, casting the rains to Gilthron.
"Your uncle was a wicked man" Rozarko told coldly, "he took fun and entertainment in others pain and despair. What kind of man does that?".
The man just glared at him, Legolas came to stand behind Rozarko, getting the attention of the man on the ground.
"Who are you?" the man hissed again.
"You should know me" Legolas said calmly.
One of the slaves suddenly recognized him, and with eyes wide he gasped before he bowed.
"Vascal" he breathed, "you have come to set us free".
The man on the ground looked mortified for a moment, then stunned and scared.
"So, you have come to make revenge on me?" the man asked with a slight shaking voice.
"I will leave your punishment for the slaves you have imprisoned for centuries" Legolas told, looking back at Balak.
"I know of no punishment harsh enough to make justice for what he has done" Balak said, his voice hoarse.
Legolas then turned to the rest of the slaves, and with an agreeable nod from Rozarko, spoke to them.
"Then I will leave the punishment of the man to you" Legolas told them, "you have been under his tyranny for too long. Just be out of the city before sunrise, the city is safe for you to travel through. I suggest you travel north or west".
With that said, Legolas turned his back to the slaves and mounted his horse.
"Please" one of them said as he ran to grab Legolas' leg, "led us know the real name of our savior".
"I am hardly your savior" Legolas told, "just one of many who want to see a stop to the slavery of these lands".
"Your name, at least" the man begged.
"Legolas Thranduilion" Legolas said as he turned his horse around.
"Thranduil" Balak breathed, "that's the elvenking's name".
Legolas turned his head and just smiled gently at Balak, "indeed it is" he said as he pressed his horse into a galop, the rest of his team close behind.
Legolas entered the arena, riding through the passageway leading directly from the streets to the sands of the arena, on either side was statues of former gladiators, champions. Last in the row both Legolas and Rozarko stopped, looking surprised at what they saw. Two statues resembling them with skilled accuracy. Rozarko was resembled holding a sword in fighting position, as if he was just about to attack, his hair flowing behind him, his chest bare. On the pedestal was short text:
Orak of the House of Manicistar, Gladiator from year 621 – 623 third age. Race: Elf. Age: Unknown. Champion from year 622 to 623. Escaped in the fall of the Arena year 623 third age.
Opposite that statue was the one resembling Legolas, he stood with the twin knifes he had received ones sold to the house of Horandor. One knife was raised with his left hand crossing his bare chest and hold at the level of his head, the other was held down, pointed straight for the floor, his legs planted firmly on the ground. On the pedestal was a bit longer text:
Vascal, the White Gladiator, of the House of Horandor, Gladiator from year 621 – 623 third age. Race: Elf. Age: Unknown. Champion of the House of Manicistar in year 621, sold to the House of Horandor same year after a catastrophic injury to his thigh. Champion of the House of Horandor from 622 to 623. Escaped the fall of the Arena in year 623 third age, after relishing a white Light that made the stone crumble to the ground.
Rozarko was grinning like a fool.
"You look so much cooler than me" he grinned.
Legolas just laughed as he shook his head, then he pressed his horse into the sands. Rozarko's came trotting up next to him, leaning in a bit.
"That outfit you wore" he whispered, "do you still have it? It made you look hot".
Legolas got a mischievous look in his eyes, and in one quick move, he pushed Rozarko off his horse. Rozarko yelped as he fell to the ground, laughed as he looked back up at Legolas.
Legolas ignored Rozarko and rode into the middle of the arena, as he stopped his horse, he led his eyes travel around it. It had been rebuilt as the former one, looking very much the same, just the stone much newer. Rozarko had mounted his horse again and came up beside Legolas.
"Too many bad memories of this place" Rozarko whispered, looking around as well.
"Too many" Legolas breathed, meeting Rozarko's eyes.
The team dismounted their horses, settling into a circle, waiting until sunrise. The captains came an hour before sunrise and told the city was empty of innocent, but Legolas waited just in case. The army of the elves moved out of the city, surrounding it, making sure no one entered, and no one other than innocent exited.
When the son rose, Legolas rose from his sitting position, walking into the middle of the circle, closing his eyes and concentrating all of his powers. The elves around him started to hum and chant a rhythm, one they had practice before they set out. The wind around Legolas started to pick up and whirl around him. Light started to flow into the wind as well, beautiful, white light that glowing like the stars. The wind picked up even more as more light and energy flowed into it, rising to the air above them. Soon Legolas was enfolded in the light, shielded from all whose dared look.
Then the light burst forth, flowing in powerful waves across the city. The elves sitting in on the ground was thrown down. The stone started to crumble and crash to the ground. The arena fell once more. This time, the light flowed on and out into the city, the houses and towers soon fell as well, as did the wall around it.
When done, the city was no more than a ruin, dust flowed high into the air as the white light faded. The elves outside the city looked amazed as the city crumbled to the ground.
In the middle of the thrown down arena, Legolas fell to his knees, more than exhausted. Rozarko bolted up and ran to his charge, supporting him as Legolas fell back into his chest, breathing shallow.
The elves gathered around Legolas for a while, waiting until their captain was ready to ride home. After some minutes Legolas slowly opened his eyes, first meeting those kind, forest green eyes of his minder and personal guard, smiling gently at him, before he looked around him, at all of his team.
"Did it work?" Legolas whispered hoarsely.
"It did" Girion assured, "the city had fallen".
o0o
the forest of Greenwood stood in all its spring glory, new green leaves on every branch, flowers everywhere, in the trees, on the grass, bushed. Birds sang merrily and the animals of the forest in frisky mood, even the horses seemed eager to return home soon.
Legolas had talked shortly with Balak, who had told that the nephew of Manicistar had been killed, and lay under the ruins of his home. The rest of the slaved had travelled west, seeking refuge in the kingdom of Rohan. Legolas and his team hoped this would set a stop to the slave and gladiator marked of the land of Rhûn.
o0o
Mid-summer, Third age 647
"Your scars" Rozarko breathed, "they are fading" he smiled happily.
Legolas walked into his bedroom from the bathroom, only a towel bound around his waist. He looked shortly down himself before his eyes fell back to Rozarko.
"They are" he smiled gently, "I have finally gotten closure".
Rozarko smiled, the M with the cross over was fading, along with the self-inflicted cuts all the way up and down his right arm and leg.
"It has been a long year" Rozarko breathed, laying down on Legolas' bed, watching the prince out of the corner of his eyes as he led the towel drop, and started to get dressed.
"It has" Legolas agreed, turning to face Rozarko while pulling his leggings up.
Rozarko flipped himself up on his elbow. Legolas pulled on a white shirt as Rozarko moved to sit at the edge of the bed, extending a hand to pull Legolas closer by his shirt, placing a gentle hand over his heart.
"And what about the scars in here?" he asked gently.
"Healing" Legolas told, taking hold of his hand and gently removed it, before he placed his hands on the bed on either side of Rozarko, "why do you ask?" he said in a low voice, his face inches from Rozarko.
"What about Ruviana?" Rozarko wanted to know.
"In Lorien, until next spring" Legolas said softly.
"You are not exclusive?".
"No" Legolas told, "we only shared that one kiss".
"Good" Rozarko smiled as he pulled Legolas closed by his collar, capturing his lips while pulling him down unto the bed.
The end
A/N: If you haveinspiration or ideas to other stories, scenes or something that could happen, I would like to hear from you.
I would like to thank you all for the, more than kind, reviews I have received during the long year this story have been in progress. Now I can finally click complete. Hope you enjoyed reading it as much as I did writing it. Now just comes the question: what will happen next?