Warning: Not beta-ed! All mistakes are mine, and I am truly sorry if there are too many. Please remember that English is not my native tongue.

A/N: I know I said I'd post thursday or friday, but I was not able to log in. Sorry for that. But that does not mean that I will foregoe my weekly post. Next chapter will be up nextthurday or friday. No replies this week, I am sorry, but I have a test next week and I really have no time.

Elvish translations:

Baw: Stop that!

caeleb-ûn: Sick-creature

gweston: I promise!

lasto beth nin, gwanur: Listen to me, brother (by blood) yes, yes, I know they are only very distantly related through Elros, but I just do not like it if the twins call Aragorn muindor or gwadur

mellon nin: My friend

saes: Please

"We must remember that one determined person can make a significant difference, and that a small group of determined people can change the course of history."

(Sonia Johnson)

Chapter 24: Revenge is best served ice cold

…"M-make it s-stop, m-make it stop, L-Legolas, s-saes…saes…"…

"Estel? Estel, please!" Legolas watched with frightened eyes how his friend struggled for breath; Aragorn's arms were wrapped tightly around his upper body, knees drawn to his chest, his whole body shivering and trembling. Aragorn writhed on the ground, curled into a tight ball, and his pain was etched so deeply into his features that it made Legolas's heart beat wildly in fear and fury.

Fury, because in this very moment he wanted to do nothing else than grab Dagnir and strangle him with his bare hands, and fear, because he could see that the poison was affecting Aragorn differently than his brothers, perhaps due to his thicker mortal blood. Elladan and Elrohir were only to a small part human and had also stronger elvish and a bit of Maia blood…

Wishing to help his friend, Legolas buried these thoughts in the back of his mind for the moment, and bent over his friend, trying to somehow help him. While he was busy rolling Aragorn onto his back to at least try to ease his breathing –although he knew that it would not help in the slightest- the twins kneeled down next to them, having heard the commotion.

"Estel, brother can you hear me?" Elladan placed his hand on Aragorn's pale cheek, but the man was not reacting to the touch. Aragorn moaned and gasped, his lungs obviously not working as they should; he still had his arms wrapped protectively around his body, and he was shaking and shivering from head to foot.

"Estel, lasto beth nin, gwanur. Estel seas, lasto beth nin. All will be well, gweston, gweston!" The older twin looked nearly as white as his human brother, and his voice was so soft that even Legolas had problems to understand the words.

Just as Legolas was wondering how Elladan could promise his dying brother something that he could not control, Elrohir reached out and opened Aragorn's mouth, shoving the prepared Athelas leaves into it.

Together, the three elves tried their best to hold the writhing ranger as still as possible, so that the leaves could take effect and Aragorn would not hurt himself, but the man did not quieten down; his movements grew more desperate, sweat appeared on his brow and his breath was now so raspy and quickened that they all feared he would pass out or suffocate.

But Aragorn was far from that. The red hot agony that engulfed his entire being was not lessening, on the contrary, after a few seconds Aragorn could have sworn that a Balrog had settled in his chest, and was now busy flapping his burning wings against his lungs from the inside, using his fiery whip to underline his movements.

There existed nothing but pain; he neither was aware that he had pleaded with Legolas to make it stop, nor that his brothers were trying to help him, or that Elrohir had given him the Athelas. No, he only felt as if the fire slowly spread from his lungs to the rest of his body, as if his blood had been turned into liquid lava, burning his skin from the inside out, leaving only a smouldering shell once it was done.

/Please, please, make it stop. Someone, anyone. I cannot bear this, make it stop, oh Eru , make it stop…/

And then, as if the poison had heard his pleas and was now only too willing to show him that Eru and all the Valar had left him to suffer, a wave of such an intense, sharp edged pain rolled over him, that nearly all his muscles cramped at the same time, and his lungs released the air they had still held in a loud, blood curling scream of pure agony.

Legolas had to watch with mounting fright how the body of his best friend suddenly stiffened grotesquely, the muscles in his back, arms and legs hardening to the point of being solid as rock, his back arching with the spasm, only to then hear the most gut wrenching and pain filled scream of agony that he had ever heard, or would hear, in his life.

Tears stung his eyes, and he wished nothing more than for the man to fall unconscious, so that he would not have to go through this, but he knew at the same time that unconsciousness could be even worse than the pain.

/He could never wake, he could fall into the shadow…/

While he held his friend down, trying not to hurt him even more, what was simply impossible, Elladan and Elrohir were frantic with worry. Their faces showed their inner turmoil, and they spoke to their brother ceaselessly, trying to calm him with their voices.

It did not help, and with every minute that passed, Aragorn grew paler, his skin colder and his movements jerkier. To Legolas it looked as if he was slowly losing the control over his limbs. His legs kicked out from time to time, his arms shook and trembled and his entire body either trembled or stiffened with cramps.

/He cannot go on like this, this will kill him…we have to stop this/

Just then, Aragorn gave another blood chilling scream of pure pain, and then buried his face into the grass, as if that could help him to deal with the pain. He shook and choked, and then his lips slowly turned a light shade of blue.

Without thinking, Legolas took his friend's sweaty face into his hands, his voice serious, "Estel, listen to me! This will not best you! Fight it, mellon nin!"

Aragorn groaned in pain, and his head jerked in Legolas's hands when the muscles in Aragorn's neck strained to the point where Legolas feared his neck would simply snap. Another groan escaped Aragorn's lips, and his lips turned even bluer.

/He does get enough air. Why is the Athelas not helping? Damn it, Estel please…"

It seemed, the twins had come to the same conclusion. Elladan placed his own hands over Legolas's, and Elrohir placed his hands over Aragorn's chest and closed his eyes, trying to sink into a healing trance.

They had to help Aragorn, lest they wanted to lose him, and that was definitely nothing they could live with. A few moments later, Elrohir went still and pale, while Elladan concentrated all his thoughts and energy on his human brother as well.

Legolas watched with a pounding heart how the twins went even paler than they already were, sweat appearing on Elrohir's brow as well, but Aragorn kept writhing on the ground, gasping and shivering. His lips had not changed colour and were still slightly blue. And to his horror, while Legolas watched his friend's face, they became even a shade of deeper blue, a colour Legolas had not even known lips could show.

Leaning closer, he concentrated as well, and spoke pleadingly with his best friend, "Estel, mellon nin, please. Fight it, you can do it. I do not want to lose you, you stubborn human. Come now, my friend, you can do this, Estel. Please, please my friend…"

Pain, that was all he felt, and Aragorn wished for it to stop. Nothing else, just that it stopped and that he could breathe again, without the Balrog whipping his lungs or the troll sitting on his chest.

But nothing changed, and so he did the only thing that his pain meddled mind could think of: he gave in to the pain. Instead of fighting the waves of agony that rolled over him and swimming against them, he stopped struggling and let himself swim with the fiery current, to and end unknown.

Almost instantly, the pain lessened, and his agonized mind was blessed with gracious darkness. But in the same moment, Aragorn had the scary feeling that this was not the kind of blackness that would do him much good; and then, he felt nothing at all anymore and his body went limp in his brothers' and Legolas's arms.

"Estel? No, no, don't do this to me…Estel!" Legolas felt his heart plummet into his stomach when his friend suddenly went limp in his arms. His whole body stopped trembling and shivering, the muscles relaxed and his raspy breathing stopped…

His breathing stopped…

"Estel! No! Don't do this!" Fighting his rising panic, Legolas grabbed his friend's shoulder and began to shake Aragorn frantically, willing him to resume breathing, to continue living. He fought the tears that threatened to spill, and anger replaced his fear.

"Estel! You stubborn human, stop that!"

Legolas voice was loud and angry, and for a moment Elladan watched Legolas shake his limp brother, Aragorn's head lolling from side to side. And then, something snapped inside of him, and before he knew what he was doing, Elladan grabbed Legolas by the shoulders and shoved him to the ground and away from Aragorn.

Elrohir, having opened his eyes when Aragorn had gone limp under his hands, watched his twin for a mere moment, and then pressed his ear against Aragorn's chest, checking if his brother's heart was still beating.

To his utter relief, the heart was still beating –quickly and erratically- but beating nevertheless. Ignoring Legolas and Elladan, he once more pressed his hands on Aragorn's chest, wishing to reach the healing trance and bring his brother back.

Legolas, stunned for a moment, gazed up at Elladan's seething face, not comprehending what the twin was doing, or why he had done it. And then he saw the tears that ran freely down Elladan's cheeks, and the unsteady flickering in the older twin's eyes.

Elladan was near to his breaking point, and seeing his foster brother struggle with the poison, the ordeal he himself had underwent and the fear he had for his twin, it all resulted in Elladan fighting everybody who laid hand on Aragorn, and in that very moment that was Legolas.

Legolas gulped, his eyes flickering to Elrohir and his fight to reach the trance, and then back to the agitated Elladan.

"Dan, I want to help him. He needs me. Elladan, please, we have to help him…together. I am not hurting him."

For a moment it seemed as if the elder twin had not even heard his words, but then Elladan took an unsteady breath and nodded curtly. In the next instant, Elladan turned towards the limp form of his brother, and Legolas scrambled back to his knees and resumed his position.

If this little fight with Elladan had served for something, then to clear Legolas's frantic mind; his panic was still there and the fear as well, but now he could once again think clearly and direct his thoughts onto the roads he wanted them to go.

/All right, think Legolas, think. He is suffocating, he cannot breathe. What can you do? The Athelas does not work, so you have to try something else. Think, elf, think/

He looked down at his friend, and when he beheld Aragorn's face, he was shocked to see the paleness of the skin and the blue lips.

/He looks already dead. As if he is already on his way to Namo…No! Don't you dare think that, Legolas! HE WILL NOT DIE/

And with that, Legolas pressed his hands on Aragorn's chest, ignoring that Elrohir was still trying to sink into the trance or that Elladan was currently stroking Aragorn's sweaty hair from his forehead and soothing him with elvish words, willing him to come back.

"Breathe!"

Legolas pushed down hard, using more strength than he would have used normally, but he did not notice that. Aragorn jerked under his push, his head lolling from side to side, but nothing else happened.

"Breathe, Estel!"

And again, Legolas pushed down on the chest, two hands under the breastbone, willing his friend to resume breathing. But again, nothing happened other than Aragorn's body jerking under his touch, and his head tilting from right to left.

Two more times Legolas pushed down, not even thinking of the ranger's broken ribs or the possibility that he could break one or two ribs himself. For, what was a broken rib other than a nuisance, when Aragorn could die?

But still, Aragorn did not resume breathing on his own, and when Elrohir placed two shaking fingers under his brother's chin to feel for a pulse, Legolas could tell that there was no time left.

Anger flashed brightly in his eyes; anger at Dagnir, anger at the other men, anger at the one who had made the venom, anger at Aragorn that he was simply giving up like this, but most of all angry at himself because he was not able to help his friend.

With one last strong push, Legolas let go of his anger, his voice yelling, "Damn Estel, start fighting! NOW!"

And Aragorn…coughed! The body under Legolas's hands jerked and then Aragorn arched his back slightly and began to cough hoarsely.

Legolas was so surprised that he toppled backwards, hitting the grass rather hard, staring disbelievingly at his coughing friend. He felt nothing at first, but then his surprise was soon replaced by relief and then…joy. Pure heart lifting joy.

The twins overcame their initial shock faster; Elladan rolled his brother onto his side, rubbing his back in soothing circles, while Elrohir began to massage his muscles, which were now tense and cramped again, as if Aragorn's body had simply resumed functioning at the point where it had stopped.

With relief Legolas noted that the lips lost their blue tint, and after long moments the coughing stopped, to be replaced by raspy breathing. Despite his coughs, Aragorn had not woken up, and although this unsettled them all, Legolas could not help but feel grateful for that.

If the twins had felt that bad and achy after their 'little' attacks, then how must Aragorn feel? And Legolas knew from own experience that a cramp in, say, a leg, hurt horribly, up to the point where you did not get enough air and vowed to never move your leg again. Then, how must it hurt when the whole 'body' cramped?

Shaking his head slightly, Legolas watched how Elladan continued to rub Aragorn's back in soothing circles, all the time talking to him reassuringly; Elrohir massaged the arms and legs, helping the blood to circulate and to relax the hard muscles.

With the twins so focused on helping their brother, and their voices trying to sooth and encourage him at the same time, it was Legolas who first heard the faint sound coming from the woods.

Tilting his head to the side, his hand automatically going to the knives he carried, Legolas strained his ears to listen. It was difficult at first to refocus his attention away from his ailing friend to his surroundings, but as a warrior he knew that even in the gravest of situations, there could come additional danger from outside, if one was not paying attention.

A quick look at the brothers told him that Aragorn was in no more immediate danger and that the twins had all under control. Aragorn would not die, not yet, and so Legolas listened more intently.

There it was again…it sounded harsh and at the same time high and barking and…it was no animal. It could not be.

/What in the name of Manwe is that/

And then the wind changed direction, as if Manwe had heard his plea, and with it it carried the sound; and in that moment Legolas knew what the sound was.

His face lost all colour, and such a fierce rage boiled inside of him that he did not even think about what he was doing. Instincts took over, and the rational part of his mind did nothing to stop him either. With a guttural snarl he jumped to his feet, ignored the questions of the twins, and sped into the forest.

/How dare Dagnir laugh at my friend's pain/

Within moments his swift feet carried him to the bound human, and what he saw made his blood run ice cold. Dagnir, bound to the tree, had his head tilted backwards, and was shaking with laughter, the gag in his mouth not enough to completely muffle the roaring laughs. His whole body was shaking with the effort to laugh and at the same time draw in enough breath through the cloth, and the eyes sparkled with glee and joy.

A snarl escaped Legolas lips, and before he could stop himself, he stepped up to Dagnir and wrapped his hand around Dagnir's neck in a vice like grip. The laughing stopped as the man's air supply was cut off, but Legolas did not notice that.

With hate and fury in his deep blue eyes, he asked icily, his voice barely above a whisper, "How dare you? How dare you laugh at his pain?"

When Dagnir did nothing but stare at him with wide, crazy eyes that showed his glee, Legolas tightened his grip a little, and then snarled, "I should kill you here and now, filth, for you do not deserve our mercy."

And with that, he reached behind and in one fluid motion drew one of his white handled twin knives.

/Indeed he does not! Curse this man and his crazy mind/

Legolas gripped the knife tightly, and then placed it against Dagnir's neck, the sharp blade so close that it drew a little blood. With more satisfaction than he should have rightly felt, Legolas saw the happiness in the man's eyes change to uncertainty, and then fear.

/Good, shall he fear me! He should fear me, for I will not rest ere he is dead/

Pressing the knife a little harder against the soft flesh of the man, Legolas leaned closer, his face now only inches from Dagnir's. Legolas eyes glimmered in a strange light, and Dagnir paled visibly.

/Good…/

Smiling sweetly, the smile never reaching his eyes, Legolas informed him, "Ai, I fear the death by a blade is much too quick and clean for the likes of you, caeleb-ûn. Perhaps I should do to you what you have done to Estel, but elvish-style. Without being numb to pain."

Grinning, Legolas released his grip on Dagnir enough so that the man was once more able to breathe, but his knife still rested against the neck, and Dagnir did not so much as move a muscle. A shimmer of uncertainty was still in his eyes, but the fear was slowly receding, much to Legolas's anger.

/He knows we cannot kill him. What he does not believe is that we can wouldt him. I will show him fear/

Without warning, Legolas drew his knife away from the man's neck, and in the same moment slammed his balled fist into Dagnir's face. The head snapped to the side, a surprised groan coming from the man.

But it did not sooth Legolas and only served to anger him further, and so he again and again hit the bound man, his fury overriding his common sense, until suddenly two strong arms caught his own and pulled him away from the panting human.

Furious, and not comprehending what was happening, Legolas yelled loudly, "Baw! Let me go!"

The arms pulled him back even further, and then they both toppled to the ground, Legolas falling on the person who had stopped him from hurting Dagnir.

"Let me go! He does not deserve to live! Let me go!"

Legolas struggled, his eyes shining murderously, and his feet kicking the ground in his attempts to rise and get back to Dagnir.

"Legolas, lasto! Baw!"

Somewhere in his furious mind Legolas recognized the voice of Elladan, but that did not stop him from struggling.

"Dan, let go of me!"

"No, Legolas. Look at him, he has had enough. Stop it."

That did stop Legolas - for a moment. He stopped his struggling with the older twin long enough to take in the panting form of Dagnir, the blood that trickled down from the split lip and the cut above his right eye, and to see the beginning of colourful bruises on the man's cheek.

But then, the harsh laughter of the man filled Legolas's mind, and the painful screams of his sworn brother, and the red haze that had lain itself over Legolas's mind intensified. With a guttural yell he resumed his struggling.

"He is still alive! Let me go, Elladan. I will end this here and now!"

"No, you will not, my friend." Elladan said calmly, almost with regret, and the next thing Legolas felt was a fist that connected heavily with his right temple, sending him into black oblivion.

--oOo--

Legolas was not quite sure what it was that woke him: the myriad of ants in his head that were busy gnawing at his skull with their tiny pinchers, or the soft voices that penetrated the haze he was caught in.

Whatever it was, he only slowly made his way to consciousness, and that gave him the time to think about what he had done. Or what he had probably done. The last thing he remembered was his wish to hurt Dagnir, and to hurt him fiercely. He remembered seeing his bleeding and broken form hanging in the ropes, the man panting and wheezing, with bruises already forming on his face.

/Ai, what have I done? What if I killed him? And what if I have not, but he now has decided to never ever tell us about the poison and the cure/

But another voice in Legolas head, the voice that he called responsible for his fury and all the stupid things he had ever done, told him in no unclear terms that Dagnir would not have told them about the antidote no matter what they did. Dagnir was bent on revenge and he would not back down just because some elves threatened him.

That had not worked three years ago, and that would not work now.

Still, Legolas knew that what he had done had probably cost him more than he was willing to pay. Eru, he had endangered Estel's life! And that of the twins as well! What had he been thinking! Legolas groaned inwardly.

/Nothing. You did not think. That was the problem, you stupid, dim-witted, thick-headed, foolish, rash, reckless, wooden-headed, silly, idiotic.../

Just as he was coming up with more endearments for himself, not only in Sindarin, but in Westron, Quenya and the little bit of Rohirric that he knew, he felt someone crouch down next to him, and then the gentle voice of Elrohir penetrated his thoughts,

"Legolas? Are you awake? Can you hear me?"

All in himself wanted to say 'no'. No, he was not awake, he was not yet ready to face his blunder, not yet willing to see the disappointment in his friends' faces. In Aragorn's face.

/Estel/

Legolas forced his eyes open, the wish to see his friend and to make sure that he was all right stronger than the desire to stay in his little world of self reproach.

Blinking to clear his slightly fuzzy vision and silently threatening the ants in his head that he would send them some frogs or whatever animals ate ants in the near future if they did not stop gnawing at his skull 'right now', Legolas focused his gaze on the elf leaning over him.

"Elrohir?"

"No, the Lady Galadriel." Legolas could see Elrohir turn his head and speak to someone behind him, "Dan, I think you hit him a bit too hard."

Shaking his head and instantly regretting it when the ants where joined by some trolls, Legolas said softly, "No, I needed that. I was not thinking clearly."

"Indeed. Well, I cannot blame you, Legolas. I think I would have done the same, had I not been so worried about Estel."

Sitting up straight, and wincing openly when the ants and trolls were joined by a fiery Balrog, Legolas gasped, "Estel? How is he? Is he all right?" He scanned the camp frantically, and when his eyes finally settled on a still from that was wrapped in cloaks and blankets, Legolas tried to get to his feet.

"Estel! Oh please."

"Easy, Legolas." Elrohir cautioned when Legolas swayed unsteadily on his feet. Grabbing one of Legolas's arms, Elrohir gently but purposefully steered him over to the sleeping form of Estel, hissing under his breath, "Truly Dan, did you have to hit him that hard?"

Only now did Legolas become aware of the older twin; Elladan sat cross-legged beside his sleeping brother, one hand protectively on Aragorn's chest. Lifting an eyebrow, Elladan grinned somewhat sheepishly up at Legolas, "I am sorry, Legolas, but you protested rather fiercely, and I saw no other way to stop you. And besides, you were not out 'that' long."

/They are joking! They would not joke if Estel had died. They would not joke if anything had happened./

This thought was very encouraging, and when Legolas finally reached Aragorn's side and crouched down beside him with Elrohir's help, he saw with relief that Aragorn was breathing regularly, if not as deeply as normally.

With a shaking hand, he reached out and wiped some stray hair from Aragorn's forehead.

/Thank Eru./

Lifting his head and noticing that the Balrog had apparently found another victim and that the trolls seemed to have gone into hiding as well, Legolas asked fearfully, "Will he be all right? Was he awake?"

Elladan smiled at him, but the smile did not truly reach his eyes, "No, he was not awake yet, but he should wake up soon. And I hope he will be all right, although we cannot tell. I mean, he stopped breathing, and it took some time to restart his breathing. Legolas, I do not know what he will be like when he wakes up, but I hope he will be fine."

Legolas swallowed, and then looked down at Aragorn once more. His voice was but a whisper when he apologized, "I am so sorry, mellyn. When I heard Dagnir laugh, I just…it…I am sorry."

Elrohir, who had not moved from their side, placed a comforting hand on Legolas's shoulder. "As I said before, I can understand what you have done, and I think I would have done the same. Do not worry, Dagnir will survive."

Legolas could have sworn there swung a note of regret in Elrohir's voice, but he did not pursue this line of thought any further, and instead focused his attention on his sleeping friend. If anything, Aragorn looked even paler than before the attack, his dark eyelashes contrasting starkly against the white skin.

/Oh my friend, I wish I could have done anything to help you./

Stroking one pale cheek, Legolas barely heard Elladan's softly spoken words, "Legolas? I am sorry I hit you. But if it is of any comfort to you, your skull is harder than an orc's, and I think I have sprained two of my fingers."

Legolas smiled wryly, and then stillness settled over the little group, as they all waited for Aragorn to wake up.

--oOo--

Morgwath crouched low behind some bushes and watched the scene unfold before his eyes. He could tell that the elves were truly worried about the sleeping ranger, and that apparently the poison had attacked once more.

/Too bad for the poor fellow. But good for me./

Grinning maliciously, Morgwath made his way silently over to the bound form of Dagnir. When he came closer, the man could tell that someone –most likely one of the elves- had worked the former captain over. Blood was trickling down the side of his face from a cut above his eye, his bottom lip was split and although he sat in the shade of the trees, Morgwath could tell that one side of the man's face was sporting some colourful bruises.

His grin widening, Morgwath sneaked up to Dagnir and then crouched down behind the still man.

"Dagnir!"

Dagnir moved a bit in his bonds, and then lifted his head tiredly. When he saw no-one, he rested his head back at the tree, apparently exhausted and in pain.

With devilish glee, Morgwath leaned even closer, until his face was close to Dagnir's ear, and then he whispered, "Hello, Captain."

Dagnir's eyes widened and he jerked in his bonds, being so startled that his face turned white. But then, when he recognized the silent voice, his eyes glimmered with satisfaction, as if he had know that someone would come and rescue him.

Seeing that Dagnir was gagged, Morgwath removed the piece of cloth, and then secretly wiped his hand clean on the grass.

/Disgusting…/

"Morgwath! I knew you would come. Go on, cut me lose."

"No." His voice was flat and emotionless, and as his face was invisible for Dagnir, the former captain could not see the smirk that flittered over Morgwath face.

/We have a private score to settle, Dagnir, and I will see that you are not getting out of this alive./

"What?" Dagnir's eyes had widened even further, and his voice turned angry. "Well, you better cut me lose, or you will regret it."

"I don't think that would be wise, Sir." Morgwath had real trouble saying that title, but for the time being Dagnir had to play along with his plan. Yes, Morgwath could kill the man here and now, it would be so easy.

/So, why am I not doing it then? Just lift that knife of yours and get it over with./

But even as he reached behind him to take out his knife, Morgwath knew that he would not end it this way. Oh no, he had other plans for Dagnir, and he wanted to see him suffer before he died, and if the elves could help him in this matter, then he would neither free Dagnir now, nor kill him.

/And from the look of his face, the elves are none too gentle with him./

Dagnir's only barely suppressed anger made him refocus, "So, why not? Cut me lose!"

"Because then the elves would search for you and know that I am still alive. It would be wiser to not alert them to my presence. And we have no horses."

"Curse the horses, they are here somewhere, we can simply take two. Cut me lose!"

Morgwath cursed his tongue. Truly, he was a man of deeds, not words. But it only took the man a second to find another valuable point of argument to make Dagnir stay were he was.

"If I free you, Sir, then what about the ranger? You would not be able to see him suffer, not as you can now."

A moment later, Dagnir was grinning evilly, his tongue flicking over his split bottom lip. Nodding his head slowly, he agreed,

"Right, you are right there Morgwath. Aye, I enjoyed the last few hours. Yes…"

"Good, then do not try to escape and stay a good prisoner. I will be around and make sure that the elves are not getting to their home too quickly."

And with that, he reached out and put the gag back in place, without any resistance from Dagnir. Dagnir's face showed his glee, and it looked to Morgwath as if he was caught in a memory that was so wonderful that he had already forgotten all else.

When Morgwath stepped back into the shadows of the forest and slowly circled the camp site to locate the horses and get a better look at the outlay of the place, he asked himself why he had talked to Dagnir at all.

But, he knew the answer. To see the former captain bound and in pain brought satisfaction to his heart, and the fact that he had made the man believe that he would free him in the end, made him smile darkly.

/It will be so good to see him get killed in the end, and the look on his face when he realizes that it was me who betrayed him will be even better. Revenge is truly best served ice cold./

Slowly, Morgwath stepped around some trees and then he heard the soft snort of the horses.

/And now it is time to see if my horse still holds my provisions./

Tbc…

Hi! Another chapter. Oh, do not worry, you will learn about Morgwath motives soon enough. eg. Any comments? Please, please, please, please, please? I have gone almost two weeks without your wonderful remarks. I am starving! And I need a little push to write the next chapter. :)