AN UNEXPECTED JOURNEY
By : mirkwood-elf-2931 & Thala


CHAPTER 13


The three were in complete shock at the news. It seemed as though Thalawen's dream had suddenly become everyone's reality.

Immediately, Arwen helped Elladan to wake the two still sleeping and explained, while the four then gathered their needed gear.

Thalawen still merely stared at Legolas, who had only stared right back, but soon looked away to the place Arwen had rested Landailyn's quiver. She had nothing to defend herself and only one usable hand.

"Legolas," Arwen came up to them. "She was taken east from the area you left her. I don't know where they were going."

The prince looked up and realized what she'd said. This was his fault, he never should have left her alone.

"We should probably split up in two's then," suggested the youngest twin.

"Right," agreed his Human brother. "Arwen, you're with me; we'll go northeast."

"I'm with Elladan," Elrohir chose.

"And we'll go southeast," Elladan finished.

Legolas looked back at Thalawen. "And we will go due east." He left camp, heading the way he had followed Landailyn in the first place. Which was basically north, but not as far as Aragorn and Arwen were going and it was the only place for which he knew to start.

Each group had taken off in their directions. Being the only one left, Thalawen jumped from her bed, grabbed only her sword and took off after the Mirkwood prince.

They reached the location and turned east, keeping watchful eyes. "In my dream," started Thalawen in a murmur, "they were at the cliff where Landailyn fell when we tried to escape."

Legolas stopped and turned. She had been right about Faeroth being alive and taking Landailyn, perhaps they really were at this place. "Are you sure?"

She closed her eyes. She could see it clearly; what had happened and where. "Yes."

"Lead the way." This time, he would make sure the man stayed dead.


*~ *~ * ~ * ~* ~*


"So, how is it that you wish to die, Elf?"

Landailyn had been shoved to the ground and decided it would be easier just to stay there, trying to think up an escape. But what kind of a match would she be against him in her condition? And she probably wouldn't get very far if she tried to run for it either.

"Sword? Arrow?" He began naming off weapons he'd once had. "Oh wait, I forgot you lost me those with my ship. Perhaps then, a dagger might be sufficient?" Faeroth held up the weapon that was still in his right hand. "Or should I just throw you over this cliff? You seemed to have survived it the last time though, then again, that wasn't the south end." A grin formed over his darker skinned face, then he concealed the knife in his belt once more.

They were in the middle of the tall hill that she, Arwen, and Thalawen had climbed on their first escape attempt and she had fallen off the west end. The south was where the trees and plains stretched far and wide; the one that was a long way down.

"Why don't you do Middle-earth a favor and jump off this cliff yourself. I'm sure no one would miss your stinking carcass, Faeroth, mere human that you are," she smarted too him.

"I told you, you would pay dearly. You lost me my prisoners, my crew, and my ship!" Faster than she could've given him credit for, his hand was around her slim throat and tightening with every second. He squeezed a little more, until barely the shortest breath could pass through her tightened trachea. "Oh look, we have an audience." Having seen the arrival of two more Elves around the base of the cliff, he tried not to let them know he knew they were there by not turning his head. "I wondered when someone would show up. Well, now I get to deliver to them the same pleasure of seeing you die. I wonder if they'll enjoy it as much as I will."

Landailyn tried to look over to where her friends might be, not even knowing who was suppose to be down there, then back up to the man who would soon be her murderer. He had pulled something from his belt, but she couldn't see what yet. She struggled slightly under his iron grip, growing more than a little light headed from lack of oxygen.


*~ *~ * ~ * ~* ~*


With her sharp vision, Thalawen saw the object Faeroth held. It was the dagger. The one that was suppose to kill Landailyn. "Legolas!" she whispered fiercely. "My dream! This is exactly what happened!" She had nothing but Carafang in possession, so it was up to him. "Do something!"

Legolas sheathed his knives and took his Lorien bow from its resting place on his back, next drawing an arrow.


*~ *~ * ~ * ~* ~*


Out of nowhere, a sharp projectile soared through the air, and found its mark, digging deep into the upper part of Faeroth's leg.

It was merely a warning, the next time Legolas wouldn't 'pretend to miss.'

He cried out in pain and Landailyn saw it was his blade he had pulled, that dropped to the grass.

At that moment, she would have tried to get away, but his hand tightened even more on her neck.

"Must you Elves ruin everything?!" he growled and ignoring his injury, began dragging her to the south edge. "You can thank your friends for this the next time you see them! Apparently we're running out of time, so we'll just have to try the quicker way."


*~ *~ * ~ * ~* ~*


Legolas and Thalawen watched carefully as they moved out of their sights entirely.

Now Thalawen didn't know what was going to happen since they had prevented his first attempt. Then she remembered something about the cliff, as in how far down it was on the other side. No time to explain to Legolas, she bolted for the path.

Asking no questions the prince was right on her heels.

Thalawen was almost to the top, seeing Faeroth dragging a struggling Landailyn to the cliff's south perimeter. He was going to throw her over the side! But she was still nearly fifty feet away and they were already reaching where the drop-off began.

Sensing someone behind him, Faeroth turned to look at Thalawen, smiling that menacing smile. And then he let go his hold on Landailyn.

"No!" Putting an extra burst of speed into her legs, Thalawen reached the side, dove, and caught Landailyn's hand as she dangled over the edge.


TBC ...

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

mirkwood-elf-2931 :
Well there was chapter 13 like I promised! 14 will be a little while though! And hey, we just got our first bad review! I was expecting it sometime or another, but it still kinda surprised me! But I just wanted to explain a little to ES is that they do too get their spare time, we just don't really elaborate on those parts and the whole point of the story is that they don't get hardly any rest from danger so that you feel for the characters! Sorry that you don't like it, but thanks for your review anyway and our others!

Thala :
Oh my! We just got our first negative review! …COOL! Though I do have one teensy tiny question. ES speaks as if the she-Elves never have any downtime. My question is: what do you think they did for those five months after "Shadow in the Trees"? Well, I'll tell you. They sat around and did absolutely nothing! Hence, why we never wrote about that time, there was simply nothing to write. This is an action/adventure story. Why, may I ask, is there supposed to be calm in the chaos of an action/adventure/drama? But, you're review pleased me immensely. The only thing I'm disappointed in is that you never elaborated on what we needed to improve, and you never told us what stories were better than ours so that we could go and read those and learn from them! Thanks again anyway for reading and reviewing, it still meant a great deal to mirkwood and I. Also, I don't know when I'm going to get to mirkwood's house to write with her; I have a cold and I don't want to take the chance of spreading it to her whole family! So, in the next week, please have patience with us while I get over this wretched bug! Thanks everyone!