Chapter 28


Brego's hooves clicked loudly as the elf and horse cautiously made their way toward the palace gates that would lead them into the human city of Minas Tirith. They pulled up at every corner and turn, intently watching and listening to the approach of any soul that might hinder their breakaway. All the sneaking about gave the pair an odd rush of excited apprehension with worry woven throughout as they had successfully slipped past folks completely unaware thus far.

They continued down the last street before they would reach the grand palace gates and Legolas pulled the hood of his thick cloak up and over his head. He was trying his best to conceal himself from any passersby so they could make a clean getaway. As he tucked his long loose hair under the hem of the cloak, they arrived at the huge towering doors. The old wooden gates were open for the day and were pressed flush against the stone walls to make more room in the streets. The once richly dark wood had been bleached by years of harsh sunlight and other weathering effects and the ashen colored wood nearly matched the white stone of the city and looked to melt into the walls.

People were coming and going through the palace gates and the elf leaned back on the tackless horse, asking Brego to stop for a second as he surveyed the area from a distance. The guards that were at their posts seemed to be a bit lax with the traffic and if he could time their departure just right, they could slip by without much notice.

Legolas leaned over Brego's neck to come closer to his ears while he spoke.

"Alright Brego. Make for the gate, but proceed with caution."

Brego snorted. He did not understand why they had to sneak about.

"Because Brego, Aragorn still thinks me to be in my rooms. If he finds out I have not only left my rooms, let alone the palace *and* city, I will have to answer to that when I get back and I would rather not deal with it. Besides, you are his horse and I do not exactly have permission to take you out of here. I know Aragorn would understand your predicament, but I do not want to be held up by the guards while they try and get validation that you are to be taken out, for there is none."

The horse settled and began to walk over to the gate and followed the passing people. Legolas kept his sights down and stooped over, allowing the cloak to cover him and camouflage his regal posture. He avoided all eye contact with the guards and he held his breath as the slow moving train of people crept past the gatekeepers. Finally, after what seemed to take forever, they set foot into the city.

They remained in line for a few paces, but when they were sure the guards were no longer watching and they were safe from a quick discovery, Legolas gave the brown stallion a squeeze with his legs, asking Brego to pick up the pace and break away from the sluggish procession.

The elf and horse wove about the busy streets as they made their way to the ramps of the lower levels of the city. The townspeople were in the mits their daily routines and seemed to be frenzied. The alleys and roadways were over packed as folk made up for lost time due to the holiday that took place the night before. Merchants were selling their goods while women swept the cobblestone streets in front of their shops or homes. Through the windows of the high rise buildings, rugs were being shaken out and washed laundry was being hung out to dry as best as it could before the later logged material froze. Some items had already frozen stiff and they swung heavily in the breeze.

They traveled for some time, but the scenery did not change much and the weary elf had a hard time keeping his bearings. Every street began to blend into one, long, passageway and at times, Legolas had to take a good hard look at the landmarks that somehow seemed familiar, yet were disconfigured in his over taxed mind. At the moment, he could not tell where they were. He noted an upcoming street corner and the swinging plank sign that was hung up into the alley over everyone's head. Pictured on the sign was a pig in a hat holding a mug of mead and the elf realized the location of the well known tavern. That would mean they were still placed within the city's first layer. He thought they were well past this area, but the milestone before them clearly spoke the truth as to their whereabouts. The elf passed a hand over his face, trying to rub the exhaustion from his mind.

He was beginning to think this was not such a great idea.

Legolas let out a tired sigh and he placed his hands on the horse's withers as he leaned forward slightly. He felt his hands begin to throb once they came in contact with the heat emanating from the animal beneath him and suddenly realized for the first time how cold he had become. His drained state seemed to come alive briefly as his own self disgust thundered through him. Legolas jerked his cloak tighter around himself and let out a slight growl.

This was becoming ridiculous.

Once snugly wrapped up, he placed his palms back on the horse to feel the heat seep into his freezing fingers. The gentle rocking of the horse's gate was calming and repetitive and he began to let his frustrations dissolve as he began to warm up. He found that he needed to fight himself to remain awake and he let out a soft yawn. Once he gained his composure again, he pushed himself to sit upright and forced his fallen eyelids to open.

Brego was well tuned to the elf and heard the subtle sigh come from the light creature he carried. Legolas was not his usual lively self and the steed could easily feel the hint of a connection as the elf opened up and tried to tap into a tidbit of the horse's strength to remain awake. There was an unexplainable trust between elf and horse and it seemed to be more instinct than thought as all animals loved and trusted the elves and the elves had equal respect of all life. The horse did not begrudge the prince any strength and kept himself open to the elf.

Brego lifted his head to give a few soft mumbles as he spoke to the wood-elf. He knew the way to the plains and could offer the elf a chance to rest and relax as they made their way down the bustling streets. It didn't take long for the elf to relinquish the navigation and soon, Legolas was nearly a limp mess on the horse as he rocked upon Brego's back. His head began to hang and he fixed his sights to his hands and watched the rhythmic moving of the horse's shoulder blades with each step forward. The shaggy mane was bent over to one side and the loose hair brushed over the back of his hand, but he could not feel it. He frowned as he realized the frigid air had left his hands numb.

The afternoon sun flashed about as thick clouds were beginning to roll in and played with the sunshine in irregular patterns. There was a break in the clouds and the the bright light reflected the red and golden luster found in the cuticles of hair that formed the horse's coarse mane.

Legolas watched the brilliance for a time, not really caring that the streets were passing him by nor did he make any attempt to keep track of time. He closed his eyes for a moment when the sun burst through with unhindered intensity and the rays landed about him. He could feel the heat beating down upon his back and shoulders before another passing cloud began to dim the light and the sensation faded.

He shivered.

He crossed his arms quickly under the cloak and sat up giving his head a slight shake as if he could shake off the fatigue that plagued him.

Finally, they came to a ramp and Brego began his descent to the lower level. The horse's hooves skidded and slipped occasionally as the metal in his horseshoes did not provide adequate traction against the unforgiving stone. From time to time, Brego would have to jolt fast to keep his balance and Legolas would jerk suddenly as he nearly fell off.

Their descent in the city took close to an hour and they had made their way through several layers in that span of time. They had just traversed down the last ramp to the ground level ring of the city and as the last ramp finally evened out, they turned to begin walking an easy path through the open streets. It would not be long before the elf and horse would be by Gondor's soldier barracks and the area was beginning to show signs that they were fast approaching. Groups of men were walking together as they conversed and laughed while others were sitting on the stoops of their billets or having a leisurely stroll about as they made their rounds between several of the buildings.

As the elf and horse walked past, a few soldiers nodded in silent greeting, but otherwise, they were hardly looked over. Yet something began to tug at the elf's mind and he tensed. Legolas suddenly didn't feel comfortable and he shifted upon Brego's back as he tried to figure out why he was suddenly so alert.

He felt like he was being watched closely and he chanced a quick glance behind him to see who was following them and why. He brought a hand to the hem of his hood and held it back slightly to see better, but what he saw behind him only caused him to worry more.

No one was following them and all of the soldiers who they passed were going about their business as though the elf and horse were meant to be among them. The unseen stalker was most likely all in his head, but he was not totally convinced as he could not shake the sneaky feeling that someone was lurking about, waiting for him, and he elf gulped.

Legolas turned quickly to face forward and pulled the hood of his cloak further over his head. His heart lurched in his chest. Something did not feel right. From the shadows of his hood, he watched every man intently. A few more men gave casual waves to the passersby and the elf looked away quickly. He could feel his hands began to tremble with unknown fear and the feeling that someone was closing in on him only intensified. Again, he looked over his shoulder and only saw the people in the streets on whatever errand they had and the soldiers moved about carelessly in the wake of their passing.

Brego pulled up quickly as a cart was moving from one side of the street to another. A soldier had stepped in their path, holding up his hands to halt the traffic so no one would get hurt or become a hindrance.

The elf began to panic after they stopped and he spun around quickly to see what the holdup was.

"Why are we stopping?" He asked and Brego perked his ears to the passing cart, directing his attention so the elf could follow. Legolas applied pressure with one leg trying to steer the horse around the cart, but the man holding up traffic stepped up to him.

"Halt! We are moving some large items. We will get you on your way soon enough."

Legolas turned his full attention to the man holding his hand up. The soldier dropped his palm to his side and the familiar uniform stood out and the identifying mark of his realm was proudly worn.

Blatant terror overtook the prince and he paled as his sights were captivated on the intimidating symbol.

"No! I need to go now!" The elf's voice was desperate as he argued with the man.

"Alright sir. Give us just a-"

But the elf would not listen. There was plenty of space between the other end of the street and the back of the wagon. He kicked Brego hard to get him to lung forward into quick canter to breakaway.

"Stop! Hey! YOU!" The soldier shouted, but the angry words only spurred the elf on. With a fluttering flick of the loose material found in the thick cloak, the elf successfully maneuvered around the cart. He crouched over the horse and gripped his mane as he urged Brego to continue on.

At the alarm in their comrade's voice, the soldiers began to take notice of the fleeing figure and were unsure what to do. Do they give chase for disobeying a soldier? Or do they let them pass?

It seemed the streets were split in their decisions and some men got out of the way while others made attempts to stop them.

Legolas could not think rationally any longer and the men that were trying to stop him only fueled his terror. He wished the horse could move faster, but Brego was doing the best he could in the city's streets. The stallion wove between groups of people and other obstacles in their path, never breaking stride. Despite the pace, Legolas could feel the men closing in on him and knew they needed a new plan of action. Rather than run along the now well tuned streets, Legolas spotted a side street and guided the cantering horse down the nearly vacant road to get away from the masses.

Men were giving chase on foot from all directions, but the elf was determined not to end up in their custody.

"Hey! Stop them!" one of the guards yelled. As the elf and horse cantered down the alley and made for people's homes and more shops, a few brave citizens heard the calls and began to work quickly to stop the fleeing form.

Two men were carrying a rather wide and long board to do some repair work of a building and heard the shouts coming from the soldiers. They peered down the road and saw the horse barreling towards them with the well respected soldiers actively pursuing. With quick thinking, the men placed the wide board on its edge and propped it up against the walls of buildings to create a crude fence that effectively blocked the street. Brego began to falter in his steps as he wanted to stop, but the elf dug his heels into the horse's side and urged him forward.

"Jump it Brego!" the elf demanded with terrorized words. The horse felt the panic in the elf and it gave him cause to worry. The steed began to feel the same desperation to get out of the area that was brought on by the unease of his rider. Rather than slow down, the horse jumped into a gallop and charged forward. The people who had seen the fugitives running suddenly scattered. They realized the horse was not going to stop. Brego let out a roar as he picked his front hooves off the ground and leapt over the obstacle.

He landed on the other side, but it was far from graceful and the noble horse lost his footing on the slippery rock.

The sudden alteration of the horse's stance dislodged the prince and despite his determination to remain on the horse, his body continued with the original momentum and was flung from Brego's back. He hit the stone street hard and slid across the gritty rock for a number of yards.

The moment Legolas was thrown from the horse, Brego's hind legs gave out and the mighty animal skidded. The steed thrashed about as he tried to gain his footing on the slick floor, but to no avail. The panicked horse could not find true purchase and the animal let out a shriek in terror. His own frantic movements pulled the horse down while his hooves flailed about, trying to get up.

As soon as Legolas' momentum stopped, he came to halt on his stomach at the other side of the street. His cloak was a tangled mess about his face and he sprang to his feet while he battled the cloak in his face. When the thick materials fell from his head, he saw he was being surrounded by the good samaritans who were determined to help their soldiers catch the fugitives.

Only Legolas did not see townsfolk. His captors were closing in on him and he desperately reached over his shoulder for his white handled knives. He would fight every last one to keep from being captured. His eyes were darting about, calculating his moves for a quick and easy dispatch of his pursuers so he could flee.

His hand met air and he grasped about frantically for his weapons that were always at his back. However, it just now hit him; He had come away without weapons and was defenseless. He took a step back and bumped into a brick wall that composed a building and the ring of people around the elf followed.

He was trapped.

Legolas had to change tactics and his sights were now desperately trying to find a way to get out. Above his head, another sign for who knows what was hanging and the elf vaulted up and grabbed the pole that suspended the plank. The people below closed in fast to grab him, but the nimble elf swung his legs back then forward. He let go and flew over a few people. He effectively landed on the ground in a crouch to absorb the impact then got up just as he spotted a wooden barrel. He sprang upon it then leapt up to an awning over a storefront and he paused for a fraction of a second to take in the bird's eye view of the area. Brego had just risen to his feet and he frantically trotted down the street, unsure what to do or where to go. However, the horse was unhindered in his movements as everyone was after the rider, not the horse.

Legolas spotted an empty patch of ground some distance off and he gathered all of his strength and leapt. Again, he dropped to a crouch to prevent any injury and he batted the cloak away as it threatened to fall over his face. In a split second, He got to his feet and darted towards the horse.

His forward motion was checked as several people rushed him. They gripped the cloak that was about his shoulders and gave him a powerful yank back. The pull on his neck lasted only briefly and Legolas thought quickly. He ripped the pin away from his neck, breaking the fastening latch and allowing the cloak to drop away along with the greenleaf brooch. He did not give any pause and pushed forward.

The townspeople were pursuing him. They were now joined by the soldiers who were trying to bring him down from the very start. The elf spotted a few barrels by the curb of the street and he gripped the edges of them as he passed, giving them a slight push. He needed to create an obstacle to slow his pursuers down.

What he did not realize was the barrels were waiting to be picked up to be transported to storage facilities and were filled with dried beans. What he had hoped was going to be a small distraction ended up tripping up all of the rushing people as they skidded, slid, fell and crashed into one another when they stepped on the hard legumes in the stone streets. All attempts to halt the pursuer were stopped as the people were now concerned about the safety and well being of each other. The guards picked themselves up quickly, but there was no sign of the elf and horse as they had disappeared among the streets.

Legolas turned down another side street and slowed his pace as he entered less frantic quarters. He did not want to cause any alarm and he began to walk while he gained his breath. After turning down a few narrow rows and side streets, he heard the rapid clapping of horse hooves and the elf looked up to find Brego aimlessly moving about trying to figure out what just happened and what to do.

"Brego! Over here!" Legolas called out. The horse perked his head at the familiar voice and he stepped up to the elf, but Legolas tore himself away from the place. He began to run for the kingdom's gates that were not too far from their location.

"Come on Brego!"

As he ran, the elf took a look at the horse following behind and watched with worry for a second. He had felt how hard the horse hit the stone streets and prayed that Brego did not get hurt. The steed seemed to be walking alright, but once they were in a secure area, he would have to check the horse to make sure he obtained no serious injuries. He would not dare ride Brego after that fiasco for fear that the horse was hurt and he did not want to add any strain to him.

Legolas looked back to his path and stumbled on the uneven cobblestone. As he fell, he caught himself on his fingertips and pushed up to keep himself moving. He could feel his adrenaline leaving his body and with it his stamina and strength begin to drain, leaving him shaky and clumsy. He had little strength to begin with and after expending a great deal of energy in getting away, his body was beginning to protest.

Brego saw the way the elf fell and he picked up his pace. He knew the elf was in trouble. The horse hung his head low and pushed it between the prince's legs before swinging it up quickly and pulling the prince into the air. The elf slid down the animal's sturdy neck and came to rest at the shoulders and Brego took off for the gates in a canter.

They turned down the last street and did not break stride until they saw the massive opening in the thick defensive walls of the palace. Their gait slowed to a trot due to the traffic, but they cut their own hasty path through the crowd. The people moved about and quickly got out of the way as the two made it for the gates. Word of them had not reached the opening yet and the elf and horse passed quickly then ran for the forests near the White Mountains.